New M2-Powered MacBooks Could Be Conspicuously Absent At Today's Apple Event

[hetrigger]

They MAY touch on it for a bit...just to tease. How many items were launched without mentioning them during an event? We all know these new things are coming...just a matter of when.

 

[guzhogi]

The Mac Studio/High End Mini isn't going to have an M1 in it. It is rumoured to have at least a M1 Pro, which probably means a M1 Max option - and possibly a new M1-based processor with even more cores (such as the rumoured M1 Max x2 package).

When people say "M1," I assume they also mean all the M1 variants (Pro/Max) as well. To me, an M(#+1) means a newer generation which should be better than even than M(# Pro/Max). Especially for a Studio/(semi-)pro device compared to an entry level Air device.

 

[Ethosik]

The M2 can launch today in low end product because it will be a modest 10-20% bump over M1, not even remotely touching the M1 Pro or M1 Max. There is no issue with any of this, and zero confusion that people pretend would exist.

Plus, its not like the 14" or 16" laptops will have an M2 option. So I really don't understand the confusion. The Macbook Air will not have a BTO option for the M1 Pro and Max. So there is no jump (maybe the Mini but doubtful) between M2 and M1 Pro/Max in the same hardware.

 

[Ethosik]

They MAY touch on it for a bit...just to tease. How many items were launched without mentioning them during an event? We all know these new things are coming...just a matter of when.

This seems likely. "PEEK" performance might equate to showing the M2....you know a sneak "PEEK".

 

[phillypharm]

Would it sting if M2 came out in November?

Not to me. It's one thing for a new device to come out just outside my return window vs 9 months later.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

It could be that Apple intended this entire event to be about pork, but when the marketing folks said “Pig Performance” the graphics folks heard “Peek Performance”.

 

[Ethosik]

Would it sting if M2 came out in November?

Why would it? Intel has had overlaps in their product line before. Waiting for the high end Laptop i9 X gen while the lowest i3 X+1 gen is rolling out already.

 

[roland.g]

Not interested in an M1 Mac Mini if an M2 should debut this year at some point. The Studio looks great, but likely is overkill for what I will need and will likely be based on M1 Pro/Pro Max chips.

 

[bitethis]

It will just be Tim Apple stepping out of some tall grass near the rainbow and he will say "Thank you all for coming. See you next time."

 

[johnmarki]

Is it possible Apple could do the following cycle for new Mac hardware? :
Months 1-12 = Initial "M" chip release
Months 6-18 = M Pro & M Max chips release
Months 18-24 = Mixture of Initial "M" chips and iteration of NextGen "M" chips
Overlapping the chips and hardware, while updating the lineup every 1.5-2 years.

It's hard to see what the exact release timeframe will be, as not all "M" series Mac hardware has been delivered yet. Either way, I'm just glad to even have new hardware to critique, and talk about.

 

[Monque]

At this point I’m just assuming “peek performance” is a hint that the new mac studio is shaped like a pyramid. You heard it here first folks! ?

Steve and Jony are gone, man ?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

At this point I’m just assuming “peek performance” is a hint that the new mac studio is shaped like a pyramid. You heard it here first folks! ?

Oh man, you reminded me of an old site called MacOS Rumors and their rumors about the PowerMac Dodecahedron LOL.

 

[alleggerita]

Plot twist: we’re just getting new iPhone cases and new watch bands for spring.

Then the event would have been called “Pig Performance”

 

[asdfjkl;]

I think the most interesting part of these recent rumors is the "Mac Studio". Is this just going to be a Mac Mini in a new form factor but still not expandable like the Mac Pro? Storage seems the most obvious but how about RAM or even PCIe cards? Hard to see how they get to a true "Pro" platform without adding PCIe or something other than Thunderbolt.

 

[bobmans]

They could also put a M2 in the redesigned mac mini (normal one), why is everyone assuming the mac mini will have an M1?

 

[Ethosik]

They could also put a M2 in the redesigned mac mini (normal one), why is everyone assuming the mac mini will have an M1?

M1 includes the M1 Pro and M1 Max. If Apple's goal is to move away from Intel, then the most powerful Mac mini (still on Intel processors at the moment) need to be replaced with Apple Silicon. Therefore, we should at least expect an M1 Pro in the Mini if not also the M1 Max.

 

[JPack]

They could also put a M2 in the redesigned mac mini (normal one), why is everyone assuming the mac mini will have an M1?

Because you need an M1 Pro to drive more than 2 external monitors and 2 Thunderbolt ports. M2 ain’t it.

 

[clevins]

This is known as "leakers covering their asses".

 

[clevins]

Intel is catching up fast. M1 is already going on 18 months. Not announcing the M2 now would put the final nail in the Mac coffin from my opinion as I always found Mac updates to be way too slow and Apple kept blaming Intel. If Apple waits too much longer for an M1 refresh (18+ months is a LONG TIME for a processor), that will effectively mean that Apple has only themselves to blame about the lack of Mac updates throughout the years. My view on Macs were very shattered after the trash can Mac Pro and horrible 2016 Macbook Pros. I was finally starting to like Macs again with the M1, Pro, Max processors but if they delay too much, I will just be done with macs entirely at this point.

We don't care if you're done or not. But consider this - the M1 still kicks the ass of 95% of the Intel chips out there.

Apple is in the middle of transitioning their entire line to a new chip. Updating entry level machines isn't their focus right now, especially since those are still highly performant. And the name of the chip (M1 vs M2 etc) is irrelevant.

 

[ams1117]

Either might make sense, assuming the title of the event has some context.

We can peek at the performance of the Apple Silicon Mac Pro via the rumored Mac Studio, or peek at the performance of M2 Pro and Max via new M2.

 

[jsalda]

Honestly, if they take 18 months between chip releases, I'm fine with that. Their progress in performance is the most significant I've ever seen in my 30 years as an Apple user. The M1/Pro/Max are giving most people more horsepower than what they can use. I've said it time and time again, the mainstream software developers need to step up and start taking advantage of all this power.

 

[frankinnoho]

Duh.

 

[Ethosik]

We don't care if you're done or not. But consider this - the M1 still kicks the ass of 95% of the Intel chips out there.

Apple is in the middle of transitioning their entire line to a new chip. Updating entry level machines isn't their focus right now, especially since those are still highly performant. And the name of the chip (M1 vs M2 etc) is irrelevant.

You certainly should care if I and others start leaving Macs if they don't keep up with Intel, as it will net to a decline in overall Mac sales and macOS usage which leads to a decline in developers focusing on Macs. They ditched Intel saying "we can do better" but if its going to be three years before they update their processors, they will effectively kill off the Mac product line entirely. Pros already have a rocky relationship with Apple at the moment. I gave them another try with the latest laptops, but if their processor upgrades are going to be 2 or 3 years, Intel will blow right passed them.

Intel is doing great with the new P-core/E-core and their newer processors do give the M1 some good competition.

 

[calstanford]

What the f is 'Peak Performance' then when you're re-using last years A15 and M1???

 

[calstanford]

16 months without a successor... Must be chip shortage, engineer shortage, or TSMC delay. Apple just has to spread their M1 announcements out to cover the gap.

So like the old intel days, just erm... different