Probably a bad idea to get an M1 Max or Ultra. 5nm is old tech

[macguy360]

The 5nm tech in the M1, M1 Max and M1 Ultra is now old tech. We are on the cusp of 3nm M2's. That is a 40% decrease in size and significant boost to performance and energy savings. The last change was 7nm to 5nm which was less than 30% decrease in fabrication. The iPhone 12 has a 5nm chip and that is almost 2 years old now.

Paying $4000 or $8000 for a 5nm chip computer right now is probably a bad idea. When the 3nm rollout comes later this year, the longevity of those chips will be significantly better. Also, we are running into constraints with Moore's law and will probably not see 1nm chips for several years.

 

[crazy dave]

Supposedly the next Mac chips are either 5nm+ or 4nm (basically another 5nm variant). TSMC 3nm was delayed and chips produced on it won’t ship until next year. It’s (almost) always the case that computers if you can wait will be better than computers right now. It’s what you need though.

 

[russell_314]

The 5nm tech in the M1, M1 Max and M1 Ultra is now old tech. We are on the cusp of 3nm M2's. That is a 40% decrease in size and significant boost to performance and energy savings. The last change was 7nm to 5nm which was less than 30% decrease in fabrication. The iPhone 12 has a 5nm chip and that is almost 2 years old now.

Paying $4000 or $8000 for a 5nm chip computer right now is probably a bad idea. When the 3nm rollout comes later this year, the longevity of those chips will be significantly better. Also, we are running into constraints with Moore's law and will probably not see 1nm chips for several years.

I don't see Apple releasing anything later this year that is "significantly better" than the current M1 Max/ Ultra. Maybe next year we might see a 20% improvement in some aspects but that's optimistic

 

[golfnut1982]

You will NEVER be ahead of the tech curve PERIOD. That is by choice and business plan. No one knows that or has perfected the incremental upgrade business plan better than Apple. My 2 cents

 

[darngooddesign]

The 5nm tech in the M1, M1 Max and M1 Ultra is now old tech. We are on the cusp of 3nm M2's. That is a 40% decrease in size and significant boost to performance and energy savings. The last change was 7nm to 5nm which was less than 30% decrease in fabrication. The iPhone 12 has a 5nm chip and that is almost 2 years old now.

Paying $4000 or $8000 for a 5nm chip computer right now is probably a bad idea. When the 3nm rollout comes later this year, the longevity of those chips will be significantly better. Also, we are running into constraints with Moore's law and will probably not see 1nm chips for several years.

If you want to wait 18 months for the M2-Ultra go right ahead.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Yep.
And when 4nm becomes available, that will one day be old tech. Likewise, 3nm, and as for 2nm…
Noticing a trend?

 

[Kazgarth]

The M2 will be on 4nm which is basically 5nm+. Shouldn't be that drastic of a difference in power/performance, but may include new futures (Ray tracing,WIFI 6E, HDMI 2.1..etc).

There will be no 3nm silicon from TSMC till 2023

 

[ahurst]

It’s (almost) always the case that computers if you can wait will be better than computers right now. It’s what you need though.

Speak for yourself, I’m personally refusing to upgrade from my 66 MHz Power Mac 6100 until I can be certain there won’t be any technological advances after I buy my next Mac!

 

[jz0309]

The 5nm tech in the M1, M1 Max and M1 Ultra is now old tech. We are on the cusp of 3nm M2's. That is a 40% decrease in size and significant boost to performance and energy savings. The last change was 7nm to 5nm which was less than 30% decrease in fabrication. The iPhone 12 has a 5nm chip and that is almost 2 years old now.

Paying $4000 or $8000 for a 5nm chip computer right now is probably a bad idea. When the 3nm rollout comes later this year, the longevity of those chips will be significantly better. Also, we are running into constraints with Moore's law and will probably not see 1nm chips for several years.

very insightful post, clearly shows your knowledge, eh, lack thereof ...

 

[bobcomer]

Who cares what is coming next, I don't. I care what I can buy and use now. I have a Studio Max and a Thinkpad X13 (AMD) on order right now and I expect to be happy with performance from both of those far at least a couple of years and they will both be still in use for a lot longer than that.

 

[eicca]

A $4k computer obliterates a $52k computer with that “old tech,” FYI.

 

[NoelWalker]

Let’s wait until we get the 0nm tech, shall we?

 

[MayaUser]

That is a 40% decrease in size and significant boost to performance and energy savings

how do you know that? i guess you dont know what are you talking about. have you seen the SoC already? for now 5nm and 4nm etc are marketing terms

 

[MayaUser]

The 5nm tech in the M1, M1 Max and M1 Ultra is now old tech. We are on the cusp of 3nm M2's. That is a 40% decrease in size and significant boost to performance and energy savings. The last change was 7nm to 5nm which was less than 30% decrease in fabrication. The iPhone 12 has a 5nm chip and that is almost 2 years old now.

Paying $4000 or $8000 for a 5nm chip computer right now is probably a bad idea. When the 3nm rollout comes later this year, the longevity of those chips will be significantly better. Also, we are running into constraints with Moore's law and will probably not see 1nm chips for several years.

please wait for 2nm...ill always buy the current and newest tech that saves me time and brings me money
For professionals to wait with old tech until2024 means a lot of money lost. For proffesionals time is money, and sticking with Intel because M1 max and ultra are "old tech" is futile

 

[MauiPa]

Is this a serious thread? Of course I could point out that this is justification to not buy Intel or AMD at all, very old tech. Or maybe we should all wait 20 years, surely tech will be better then

 

[MauiPa]

You will NEVER be ahead of the tech curve PERIOD. That is by choice and business plan. No one knows that or has perfected the incremental upgrade business plan better than Apple. My 2 cents

I know right. Intel and AMD released their best chips 20 years ago, never ever released an updated chip with newer better technology, didn't happen. Shouldn't buy their current offerings because they are old tech, no one perfected zero upgrade like they did. Truthfully, technology actual does improve in small increments. If someone could predict what the best technology would be in 20 years then release it today, they would. My 2 cents

 

[MauiPa]

please wait for 2nm...ill always buy the current and newest tech that saves me time and brings me money
For professionals to wait with old tech until2024 means a lot of money lost. For proffesionals time is money, and sticking with Intel because M1 max and ultra are "old tech" is futile

you will be assimilated, resistance is futile! Sorry, couldn't help myself - I Borg

 

[Tyler O'Bannon]

Even after 4nm, even 3nm, these M1 machines will still be great machines. I am very excited about the M2 and M3, but an M1 Pro + Max MBP is still a stellar machine.

 

[foobarbaz]

The M2 will be better than the M1. Obviously. But I don’t think we’ll see another jump within the next decade remotely as big as the jump from Intel towards M1.

If waiting is ever worth it, this was the one to wait for. Now everything will be incremental again.

Of course, the M1 is mid-cycle now. So it’s not the ideal time to buy (except the Ultra), but as someone who has waited for Intel's chips a lot (a lot), I can tell you, the waiting game is a bad game to be stuck in.

 

[blamblam]

There may be a substantial delay with new chip tech as 50% of the neon used in chip etching lasers is produced in Ukraine and both factories are currently shut down.

 

[B.A.T]

When my current iMac dies I'll buy whatever is available then.

 

[cmaier]

There may be a substantial delay with new chip tech as 50% of the neon used in chip etching lasers is produced in Ukraine and both factories are currently shut down.

The lasers already exist, and you don’t need to fuel them with neon, so existing fabs are fine.

 

[clevins]

The 5nm tech in the M1, M1 Max and M1 Ultra is now old tech. We are on the cusp of 3nm M2's. That is a 40% decrease in size and significant boost to performance and energy savings. The last change was 7nm to 5nm which was less than 30% decrease in fabrication. The iPhone 12 has a 5nm chip and that is almost 2 years old now.

Paying $4000 or $8000 for a 5nm chip computer right now is probably a bad idea. When the 3nm rollout comes later this year, the longevity of those chips will be significantly better. Also, we are running into constraints with Moore's law and will probably not see 1nm chips for several years.

Shorter version of this post:

"pay attention to meeeee!!"

Mods - come on. This is nothing but trolling and you know it.

 

[Spindel]

Thats why I still have my Commodore 128. I’m waiting until progress stalls and I can be sure my next system is future proof.

 

[Queen6]

Purchase what you need when you need it for the work at hand. Don't over spec, replace when newer hardware can increase profit or offer a significant differnce to the user experience. Those purchasing top spec Mac's are likely monetising them with the ROI being significant.

Waiting on the next best thing is a fools errand as it never ends, you can also get burnt like the hapless 2016 MBP redesign...

Q-6