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Huh? TouchID on my Mac has been great! My parents are techy and can use it easily. I am a tech person and I enjoy using it.

My hands are on the keyboard already, like an inch away. Obviously if I am already looking at the the screen then FaceID is absolutely "easier" but that hardly makes moving my finger an inch "suck".
Yeah, it does, it is taking your hands off where they belong on the keyboard and fumbling for a key that is not in normal use position. I'm hoping that the new layout and key type they're using on the new MBP makes it a little better actually. But it is still awkward to reach for any time it comes up. And unlike on iPhone, it is hard to predict when it is going to come up, because macOS randomly asks for a PW instead of Touch ID depending on the type of authentication. Compared to the experience that would be Face ID (do nothing, except keep looking), it is poor. Also, some things like autofill on macOS were butchered with the Touch ID inclusion. They made it so that selecting the autofill option with the mouse (the intuitive thing to do) was the "wrong" thing to do as it would then ask you for a password if Touch ID was enabled. This isn't specific to Touch ID, but rather macOS, but its one of the first things I had to turn off, before eventually just turning Touch ID off altogether and sticking with Apple Watch authentication.
 
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medium at 60fps which is what the link says they got as well. Is that not really good for an entry level macbook air?
Medium for a game that old - I would say no that’s not great. Ultra at 1080p or even a little higher is not difficult to achieve. A system with the stated performance levels as the M1 platform should be able to crush a well-made native Mac game like StarCraft 2. Apple has a lot of work to do here (and it’s okay to acknowledge that).
 
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Medium for a game that old - I would say no that’s not great. Ultra at 1080p or even a little higher is not difficult to achieve. A system with the stated performance levels as the M1 platform should be able to crush a well-made native Mac game like StarCraft 2. Apple has a lot of work to do here (and it’s okay to acknowledge that).

For an entry level macbook air I'd say it's pretty dam good. The game is pretty demanding at ultra levels and looks great on medium. Don't think any other computer under 1k without fans is going to be able to match that
 
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The 500 nits thing is brutal. Why even say 1000 nits sustained if the outdoor viewing for 99% of content is still going to be the same experience and outdoor use is not improved? That's close to false advertising - on top of the High Power Mode not existing in the 14" that wasn't disclosed until today.
 
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the company unsurprisingly said it has nothing to announce about its plans for Face ID on Mac.
The only way that I see this being useful is if you don't have an Apple Watch. Obviously, not everyone has a Watch, but Apple does WANT you to buy one to keep you in their ecosystem. I will say that as someone that has a camera cover on all computers (not iOS devices), that it would still be an added a step to unlock. .02

The SD card reader in the new MacBook Pro models supports up to 250MB/s of data transfer with the latest UHS-II SD cards and up to 90MB/s with UHS-I SD cards, according to Apple.
Apple has rarely been the first to bring the latest version of any port that they didn't design. As a video producer and photographer 250MB/s transfer rates from an SD are not a deal-breaker in my case.
 
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Touch ID is still a mess. I understand the need to first type in my password if computer was restarted, but otherwise it is very inconsistent when TouchID is allowed or not. IE some apps seem to not support it, but why not just ANYTIME my password is required *except after restart but before logging in.
 
no gpu inside, since my 570 broken after a electrical surge lightning. Totally hard to get amd graphic card here while nvdia got a lot of stock and over price . Hard to sell the egpu since rarely people use mac here.
Interesting. Around here I could get any AMD card if i wanted to. They’re not cheap or at MSRP (6900XT are close to $2000 for example), but much more available and affordable than the few nvidia cards around (often over $3000 for 3090). Probably not a lot of use for just an enclosure. You could maybe try another PCIe card of some sort just for fun to see what still works with apple silicon Macs?
 
The only reason I'd consider one of the new machines is because that's the only way I can buy an Apple laptop that has a large screen with a high refresh ate, both of which benefit my workflow immensely. The fancy (and expensive) CPU and GPU would do nothing for me.

There was a time when I'd probably have just gritted my teeth and forked over the cash, but every time I have to back up to remove an errant period because my 2018 MBP keyboard thinks I've hit my spacebar twice instead of once (two times so far in this post) I start wondering whether I want to give Apple any more of my money at all. I'd been planning to buy one of the new ones and send this stupid thing in for a new keyboard and be rid of it, but now I'm not so sure.

You should take advantage of the free keyboard replacement program for those 2018 MBPs. Just google it and you'll find the Apple support page where you can send in your machine. They gave me a new battery when I did it too! And I had no issues with the keyboard afterward, though I sold it a few months later to upgrade to the 16".
 
apparently you don't understand flow.

You don't move your finer an inch... you take your whole hand and fingers off the keyboard where they are positioned in the "flow" of using a computer (like the average person that is or advanced user).

And you have to take your eyes off the screen to find the TouchID key/sensor.

Unless you registered your pinky finger and have good reach for the TouchID key. You're probably doing what I described.

Which disrupts the "flow" you might not understand.

Yeah, it does, it is taking your hands off where they belong on the keyboard and fumbling for a key that is not in normal use position. I'm hoping that the new layout and key type they're using on the new MBP makes it a little better actually. But it is still awkward to reach for any time it comes up. And unlike on iPhone, it is hard to predict when it is going to come up, because macOS randomly asks for a PW instead of Touch ID depending on the type of authentication. Compared to the experience that would be Face ID (do nothing, except keep looking), it is poor. Also, some things like autofill on macOS were butchered with the Touch ID inclusion. They made it so that selecting the autofill option with the mouse (the intuitive thing to do) was the "wrong" thing to do as it would then ask you for a password if Touch ID was enabled. This isn't specific to Touch ID, but rather macOS, but its one of the first things I had to turn off, before eventually just turning Touch ID off altogether and sticking with Apple Watch authentication.

I totally concede the point of taking your one hand away from the keys you use for typing to touch the sensor. I certainly don't use a pinky finger or anything like that :) But the idea that you have to "fumble" or take your eyes off the screen, I disagree.

If you are capable of typing and using a keyboard at a speed and efficiency, that makes touching the sensor a problem, then you are also more than capable individual to learn the new movement in such a way that you don't have to fumble or take your eyes of the screen. Touching that key is far easier than learning how to type so fast that you call the disruption to your typing "horrible. Not saying you aren't interrupted or slowed down, just calling out that you are overstating the impact (likely to make your point). And for context, I did business process enhancement for medium to large size companies for a many years. We employed all types of enhancements using everything from physical item changes (new assembly line equipment) to software changes (automatic data exchanges). We planned, measured, and modified these using six sigma processes. I am VERY familiar with "flow" and human behavior.

However, I guess I just wasn't understanding that level of minutia as being so bad that TouchID is considered "sucking". Sounds like for a few of you that is the case and I am sure you will like it when FaceID is implemented, totally makes sense. But I would also assume you have to understand that you are a VERY fringe case. Most people don't measure things down to the small seconds it takes to move your hand to the key and back and if they did notice, probably would call the entire feature "sucky". Like power-power-power users would. :p

I think in addition, Pro Apple Silicon's point in the way in which macOS interjects the password prompts, when it chooses to do it, and for how long you are "authorized" is even a bigger issue? I personally get irritated with how this works and the auto-fill of what he mentioned also specifically is an issue for me. To me thinking through what optimizing the process would look like, even with FaceID implemented there is still a pause while it does its thing. This might shave it down from 2 seconds to 1 second interruption, but still an interruption and in your cases that extra second or two really matters. I think if Apple could have better options for when it authenticates and for how long that lasts for, seems like it would be a much bigger help to your workflows!
 
I need more clarification on the brightness for non-HDR content. I like working outside at home when I can and my old 2015 MBP simply isn't bright enough to do so consistently. 500 nits of normal brightness probably won't do it either and my iPhone 13 is far more usable in daylight than my older phones, so I'm hoping the ambient light sensor will crank things up to at least 600 when needed.
If your old MBP is early 2015 like mine, then it was max 300 nits. So even 500 will be a nice upgrade for me.
 
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I totally concede the point of taking your one hand away from the keys you use for typing to touch the sensor. I certainly don't use a pinky finger or anything like that :) But the idea that you have to "fumble" or take your eyes off the screen, I disagree.

If you are capable of typing and using a keyboard at a speed and efficiency, that makes touching the sensor a problem, then you are also more than capable individual to learn the new movement in such a way that you don't have to fumble or take your eyes of the screen. Touching that key is far easier than learning how to type so fast that you call the disruption to your typing "horrible. Not saying you aren't interrupted or slowed down, just calling out that you are overstating the impact (likely to make your point). And for context, I did business process enhancement for medium to large size companies for a many years. We employed all types of enhancements using everything from physical item changes (new assembly line equipment) to software changes (automatic data exchanges). We planned, measured, and modified these using six sigma processes. I am VERY familiar with "flow" and human behavior.

However, I guess I just wasn't understanding that level of minutia as being so bad that TouchID is considered "sucking". Sounds like for a few of you that is the case and I am sure you will like it when FaceID is implemented, totally makes sense. But I would also assume you have to understand that you are a VERY fringe case. Most people don't measure things down to the small seconds it takes to move your hand to the key and back and if they did notice, probably would call the entire feature "sucky". Like power-power-power users would. :p

I think in addition, Pro Apple Silicon's point in the way in which macOS interjects the password prompts, when it chooses to do it, and for how long you are "authorized" is even a bigger issue? I personally get irritated with how this works and the auto-fill of what he mentioned also specifically is an issue for me. To me thinking through what optimizing the process would look like, even with FaceID implemented there is still a pause while it does its thing. This might shave it down from 2 seconds to 1 second interruption, but still an interruption and in your cases that extra second or two really matters. I think if Apple could have better options for when it authenticates and for how long that lasts for, seems like it would be a much bigger help to your workflows!
lean 6 sigma can be a philosophy used in many ways.

I never said FUMBLE. I said take your eyes off the screen and hands off the keys to find it or "feel around for it". hurts/disrupts focus/concentration.

I also never said it sucked, I was explaining how it's inferior to ones workflow on a computer/laptop and can ruin the flow which takes time to get back into. (think about urinating and stopping mid-flow NOT PLEASANT)

Just understand that Macbook pros are made for Super users in many industries. where productivity and usability or experience are critical to getting things done.

Seconds at up to minutes and so on and so fourth. People only have so much time within the day (if you 6 sigma them) they add up.

Id rather have more "free time" than less.
 
lean 6 sigma can be a philosophy used in many ways.

I never said FUMBLE. I said take your eyes off the screen and hands off the keys to find it or "feel around for it". hurts/disrupts focus/concentration.

I thought you saw I quoted you and another user in the same post. I was using both of your perspectives together since the difference between them didn't seem to be that different. From your reply it seems like you don't think they are and I am sorry for not separating my response better.

Specifically for you....if you measure the seconds it takes to use TouchID, and you are a power user enough for it to matter, I don't believe you CAN'T use TouchID without looking down at your hands. Maybe you DO look down, but it is because you haven't taken the time to learn the movement. Learnable skills are learnable skills. I am not saying the break or pause that the prompt causes is pleasant or desired, I clearly understand you don't like the interruption to your workflow.

I also never said it sucked, I was explaining how it's inferior to ones workflow on a computer/laptop and can ruin the flow which takes time to get back into. (think about urinating and stopping mid-flow NOT PLEASANT)

You replied to MY post which was me replying to Pro Apple Silicon who said it "sucked". I was never trying to get into the weeds so deep as to count seconds and see if something took longer. My point was that if it takes one extra second I don't understand why someone would label that as "sucking". It FEELS like "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" type scenario. If your entire point was just to say "it takes longer and interrupts my workflow to use TouchID" then cool, I know and agree. If you weren't trying to agree with Pro Apple Silicon's point about it "sucking" than you needed to do a better job clarifying that when you jumped into the conversation.

Just understand that Macbook pros are made for Super users in many industries. where productivity and usability or experience are critical to getting things done.

Seconds at up to minutes and so on and so fourth. People only have so much time within the day (if you 6 sigma them) they add up.

Id rather have more "free time" than less.

I totally get that MacBook's are used in a wide variety of use cases. I totally get that some workflows are slowed down by the TouchID authentication process. The degree in which that is impactful or irritating is going to vary from person to person. I learned a great deal about how you two think about it.
 
This is probably an unpopular opinion, but Macs are not built to be gaming machines. They're for productivity. If you want to game buy a gaming laptop, PS5, XSX or build a PC.
Please define productivity. Because I consider myself productive using MS Office apps, MindManager, Omni apps. I need a big screen for those but I couldn’t care less for for the “mainframe” CPU. So maybe Creative productivity leaving the business world out after Apple tried so much (and succeded) to get into that.
 
Please define productivity. Because I consider myself productive using MS Office apps, MindManager, Omni apps. I need a big screen for those but I couldn’t care less for for the “mainframe” CPU. So maybe Creative productivity leaving the business world out after Apple tried so much (and succeded) to get into that.
Sounds like you would still be fine with a dual core MBA 13" '10-'17 as far as power. If using the Apps you state, Windows would be a better choice.
 
Sounds like you would still be fine with a dual core MBA 13" '10-'17 as far as power. If using the Apps you state, Windows would be a better choice.
I'm an Apple Certified Coordinator since 2002 and an Apple professional since the early 90's. Apple itself and everybody working with Apple tried so hard to bring the Mac into the business world and get rid of "the Mac is a computer for graphic designers, architects and video/image editors". The result is that an ever growing number of professionals in the non-creative world has adopted the Mac because it's cool, easier to use, they have an iPhone and an iPad and they want the full ecosystem etc. And the use the apps I mentioned. And they do not need a superpowered laptop but a big screen which they would pay for happily. I can't accept Apple is trying to push these users to Windows. Maybe a separate "MacBook Business" line could make sense.
 
The lack of eGPU support and the subpar performance for even old and well-developed macOS games are going to be a dealbreaker for a lot of people.

Unless you are a content creator there’s precious little usefulness for the M1 pro/max’s GPU performance. I suppose it’s cool marketing to say your SoC’s GPU rivals the teraflop performance of a PS5. Unfortunately, these Macs can’t even run StarCraft 2 well. SC2 is an old game developed natively for Macs by Blizzard, a company known for making polished and high performing mac compatible games. Gaming remains a glaring problem for the Mac.
Not sure, “our soc in a £2.5k machine is equal teraflop to a £500 console apu” is a nice marketing line.
 
A small wish (that'll never happen) from those of us who are left-handed: a ctrl key on the righthand side of the keyboard. PULEEEZ :oops:
 
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