Should I wait for 16 inch M2 pro or get M1?

[stanleystf]

I have been doing research about different macbooks and I'm considering getting a 16inch M1 Pro base model. I'm also considering purchasing a Canon R5. My understanding is that the M1 chip does not have the media engines for Canon R5 8K Raw footage. Will this change with M2 chip for 16 inch m2 pro?

Generally, will there be a massive difference between M1 16inch pro and M2 16inch pro when it comes to "video editing"?

Should I wait or do you suggest I pull the trigger and buy M1 now?

 

[TightLines]

I have been doing research about different macbooks and I'm considering getting a 16inch M1 Pro base model. I'm also considering purchasing a Canon R5. My understanding is that the M1 chip does not have the media engines for Canon R5 8K Raw footage. Will this change with M2 chip for 16 inch m2 pro?

Generally, will there be a massive difference between M1 16inch pro and M2 16inch pro when it comes to "video editing"?

Should I wait or do you suggest I pull the trigger and buy M1 now?

Unless something changes in the next 2-3 weeks relating to this and a M2 chip for this line is rolled out, I am pulling the trigger on a 16” M1 Max unit. I’ve waited on Apple for far to long now and am not waiting on them any longer; and it’s saving me over $2500 by changing my plans. To help me reinforce that, i have read multiple accounts now where the observation and testing show there not being a huge improvement in performance from the M1 chips already out there and the M2 chips that just were released.

Not advising you - just letting you know what i decided to do in similar situation. As to the Canon dilemma you face - thats above my pay grade and wouldn’t even know where to begin… but on the surface it sounds like a Canon issue… and the thing is, the M1 has been out there for a long time now… maybe its time for you to change your loyalty to Canon if they aren’t going to support you?

 

[ThailandToo]

I would use the old rule if you need it now but it now. If you can wait, wait.

 

[DHagan4755]

No one knows for sure when the M2 Pro & M2 Max will come out. At the very earliest it will be October, April at the latest. But we also don't know if it's going to be another 5nm SoC or a 3nm SoC.

Bottom line the current M1 Pro & M1 Max are more than capable.

I haven't worked with the Canon R5 so I can't speak to the 8K raw video, however, I'm doubtful that a new 16" MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro/Max will have the media engines to deal with it. Apple's SoCs have h265 and ProRes onboard; you might be best getting a Atmos Ninja V+ to record 8K in ProRes RAW without the R5's 30 minute internal recording limit. Just a thought.

 

[woolypants]

In any event, Apple may well copy the Air SKUs, and have both M1 Pro/Max and M2 Pro/Max models available, but boosting the price of the M2 variants. Apple has been really aggressive around pricing recently (even by ”Apple standards”!).

 

[wilberforce]

If you wait expect a price increase, especially as current base models are often discounted.
With inflation, Apple has been using new model releases (M2 MBAir) as an opportunity to raise prices.

 

[ilikewhey]

No one knows for sure when the M2 Pro & M2 Max will come out. At the very earliest it will be October, April at the latest. But we also don't know if it's going to be another 5nm SoC or a 3nm SoC.

Bottom line the current M1 Pro & M1 Max are more than capable.

I haven't worked with the Canon R5 so I can't speak to the 8K raw video, however, I'm doubtful that a new 16" MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro/Max will have the media engines to deal with it. Apple's SoCs have h265 and ProRes onboard; you might be best getting a Atmos Ninja V+ to record 8K in ProRes RAW without the R5's 30 minute internal recording limit. Just a thought.

if released this year it will definitely be 5nm since 3nm won't even be ready at the earliest til next year q2.

 

[zackkmac]

I wouldn't expect a huge increase from M1 Pro to M2 Pro, since that was the case for M1 to M2. Unless like others said they happen to make M2 Pro/Max 3nm instead of 5nm, but personally I doubt that.

Some of the deals on the 14/16 Pros would have me purchasing now rather than waiting and paying full price on an M2 Pro.

 

[Homy]

Unless something changes in the next 2-3 weeks relating to this and a M2 chip for this line is rolled out, I am pulling the trigger on a 16” M1 Max unit. I’ve waited on Apple for far to long now and am not waiting on them any longer; and it’s saving me over $2500 by changing my plans.

Nothing will happen in the next 2-3 weeks. September event is for iPhone as usual. Possible new Macs will be saved for Oct-Nov. M1 was released in Nov 2020 and M1 Pro/Max in Oct 2021.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

i wouldn't buy a m1 for retail. if you can find one on sale or refurb, that's the way to go.

 

[LinkRS]

I have been doing research about different macbooks and I'm considering getting a 16inch M1 Pro base model. I'm also considering purchasing a Canon R5. My understanding is that the M1 chip does not have the media engines for Canon R5 8K Raw footage. Will this change with M2 chip for 16 inch m2 pro?

Generally, will there be a massive difference between M1 16inch pro and M2 16inch pro when it comes to "video editing"?

Should I wait or do you suggest I pull the trigger and buy M1 now?

The media encode engines in the Apple SOCs are amazing, but fixed function (which is why they are so fast). If you aren't using those engines, your Mac will rely on the CPU and/or GPU as most non-Mac computers would anyway. Assuming you don't plan on upgrading camera and laptop together every time, and your only hold out is on waiting to see if the new "Pro" MacBook Pros have encode engines for the the Canon R5 (what does it use anyway), don't wait and just buy it when you need it. Nobody outside of Apple knows when they are going to upgrade the 16" and 14" systems. Some folks are using the ~18month window between M1 and M2 as a guess, putting the release window at summer 2023. This is all speculation, and they could release before or after that window. I would bet though, that whenever they do release, there will be a price hike. IF the current M2 Air and 13" MBP have the media engine for the Canon R5, chances are the new M2 Pro/Max will as well. Otherwise, you will need to hope that adding it will be a differentiator between the M2 and M2 Pro/Max, if it is available at all. Good luck!

 

[stanleystf]

He says M2 pro will be 3nm!

If it's actually 3nm, do you suggest I wait for M2 pro? How big of a difference will be between them?

 

[ilikewhey]

He says M2 pro will be 3nm!

If it's actually 3nm, do you suggest I wait for M2 pro? How big of a difference will be between them?

this dude is making speculations using the same source as the rest of us on here, except he doesn't talk about or maybe don't know the fab production process takes more than 3-4 months from beginning production to delivery. tsmc doesn’t expect to have stock to sale til 2023 but somehow apple will release m2 pro in October/Nov?

 

[pshufd]

I got the M1 Pro MacBook Pro last November and it is just a great laptop. I do 4k video but I usually do it on an M1 mini as my 4k monitors are attached to it. It takes longer than on the MacBook Pro but I just leave it running and the time doesn't matter to me. I do not plan to do 8k anytime soon, particularly as I don't have an 8k camera, but will probably get to it eventually. So it may be a nice feature to have.

That said, I suspect that 8k video won't be common for at least 3 years and I'm considering an M2 or M3 MacBook Air 15 which could handle 8K. As nice as the 2021 MacBook Pros are; they are on the clunky side and sometimes I just want a device to grab and go without the weight.

 

[woolypants]

He says M2 pro will be 3nm!

He's a master of clickbait.

8k video won't be common for at least 3 years

If you work in the movie industry or even TV you'll probably be mastering in 8K.

But if you work in the rest of the video creation industry, well... In my work we use agencies to produce promotional video filmed at customer locations. It's laughable that we would even ask them for 4K. They're going to provide it in 1080p (though they may film in 4K and downsample).

8K feels a lot like the solution to a problem nobody has. We continue to lack bandwidth in the western world to make it reality for streaming services, for example. I'm glad it exists (even though I find even 1080p 60FPS sharper and more realistic than 4 or 8K). But the idea that it'll be an industry standard for home/business comsumption, even in the next decade, is to make a bold claim.

 

[Fishrrman]

It's looking like January or February next year for the updated MBP 14" and 16" models.
Perhaps December, but probably unlikely.

Can you continue waiting that long?