New MacBook Pro Pricing: 14-Inch Model Starts at $1,999 and 16-Inch Model Starts at $2,499

[Del Martes]

It makes so much difference. I've got the 16" Intel, and being able to get browser and graphics app windows for example, side by side, is a real boost to productivity.

While the new 14" might be a lot faster CPU-wise, I'd just be spending more time shuffling between open windows.

Your use case and mine are different. I don’t do graphics. My primary uses for a laptop are browsing the web and reading PDF books. Many of those books are downloaded from internet archive. Some of them are dual language. I need a large screen to display two pages side by side: one side foreign language, the other side English. If Apple would release a 16” MBA, I’ll buy it on launch day. I’m not the only one with this use case, btw. Students, professors, academics, many of them do the same thing. The screen, of course, has to be of good quality, on par with the Pro.

 

[bgillander]

I feel that MagSafe isn’t so much inferior as much as it is less relevant today. It made sense back when when MacBooks had way shorter battery life and it was common to see laptops constantly being tethered to power outlets.

Today, given the long battery life that M1 MacBooks promise, I envision a use case more akin to that of iPads - charge them overnight and you would have enough juice to last a day of usage without having to worry about running dry in the middle of the day.

And if you plug in your laptop less often to charge, the risk of something tripping over the wire is also less as well. Nobody complains about iPads lacking MagSafe for that same reason.

Well, the iPads are a bit sturdier than the MacBooks and didn’t previously have MagSafe, so that could have something to do with it, but I do agree with your points. I’m not really a fan of fast charging and i would guess that was one of the main reasons they added it back, just to allow it for the 16 inch model, but I do still like the safety feature even if it is less likely to be needed. I’ve only gotten in a couple of accidents in my lifetime, but that hasn’t made me regret wearing my seatbelt the other times.

That said, my wild guess would be that they restrict it to the Pro models and don’t even put it on the Air models because they don’t want to increase the thickness, number of ports, or cost of manufacturing (unless they figure they will make much more from the sales of additional cables.)

 

[HowardEv]

I’m honestly more curious about your MagSafe failure point. Can you provide more details?

The round barrel magnetic connector required regular fiddling to stay connected.

 

[bgillander]

The round barrel magnetic connector required regular fiddling to stay connected.

I just double checked mine and it still snaps in like it is new. The only trouble I ever had with mine was when some tiny metal debris stuck to the magnets and kept the pieces from fitting tightly until I realized why and cleaned the connection. I only have experience with the bigger generation 1 connectors, so maybe the smaller generation 2 was worse? Sorry you are having trouble with it.

 

[familychoice]

Your use case and mine are different. I don’t do graphics. My primary uses for a laptop are browsing the web and reading PDF books. Many of those books are downloaded from internet archive. Some of them are dual language. I need a large screen to display two pages side by side: one side foreign language, the other side English. If Apple would release a 16” MBA, I’ll buy it on launch day. I’m not the only one with this use case, btw. Students, professors, academics, many of them do the same thing. The screen, of course, has to be of good quality, on par with the Pro.

You could probably pick up a 16" Intel for a good price now. I know they're not going to be a good long-term investment, but I'm more than happy with mine (zero issues weith speed, battery life, heat etc.) and absolutely no intention of getting an M1 laptop any time soon. You'd enjoy a couple of good years with it at least (I'm also still running a 2012 MBP happily).

For months after they were released reviews proclaimed they were 'the best Apple laptop ever made', and the fact Apple have released better models since doesn't suddenly make mine run badly. In fact I can see no noticable speed difference (using graphic, and music apps) between my base model 16" MBP and M1 Mini.