Which New Mac Will Apple Release at Its March Event?

[Lounge vibes 05]

Maybe we will get a new (returning) product. Perhaps the “low end” MBP and the rumored Air are actually one product. The MacBook. ?

I could see the new M2 MacBook Pro being lowered down to around $1000 and just being called the MacBook, becoming the starter laptop.
Especially since the new MacBook Air is rumored to come in colors, be thinner, lighter, mini LED, notch… that’s all definitely gonna come with a $200-300 Price increase just like the new MacBook Pro‘s did.
So I can see them doing something like that, a thicker, heavier, Silver and gray only, 2016 design packing, LCD 13 inch MacBook at $999, and the new thin, light, colorful, mini LED MacBook Air at $1299.
It makes sense to me, it’s exactly what they’ve done with the iPad lineup. The iPad is thicker, heavier, only comes in silver and gray, older non-laminated LCD display, while the iPad Air is more expensive but thinner, lighter, colorful, etc.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Why would apple announce the M2 chip and then put it in the lowest end laptop and desktop?

because that’s literally what they’ve done with all of their processors for as long as I can remember, including the M1.
The first product it was announced in was the MacBook Air.
The A series chips have always been announced in the iPhonE before the iPads or Apple TV

 

[Bug-Creator]

A: because the pro and max chips take much longer to create and produce on a massive scale.

Not really, they did learn alot of by upscaling the A14 to the M1 to the M1Pro to the M1Max which should help them speed up that process quite a bit.

Also they did release M1 just 1 month after the A14 and there were strong hints of the M1x (which turned out to be the M1Pro) in late 2020. Project that to how "old" the A15 already is and and there is no reason why they couldn't have an M2Pro ready.

Production isn't much of an issue as long as the yields are good enough so that you can afford making big chips.

 

[jz0309]

so, assuming there will indeed be a Mar 8 event, clearly, a new iPhone SE and a new iPad are NOT why Apple would be calling an event, so expect something "big(ger)", could be a new Mac, could be M2, could be ???
we'll find out soon enough

 

[lJoSquaredl]

Would love a 15-16" MBA, I enjoy the bigger screen but I don't need something as powerful as the pro line these days. And frankly now that I have been working without fans not sure I could handle any noise from em again. Going from a 2016 MBP to an Air was like transitioning to a Tesla, it just hits different.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

For everyone going nuts that customers won’t be able to tell the difference between the M2 and the M1pro, remember what the Mac lineup has looked like for the past decade.
MacBook Air: options of core I5 or I7
MacBook Pro: options of core I5 or I7
Mac Mini: options of core I5 or I7
iMac: options of core I5 or I7
And all of the Macs we’re on different generations, the low end iMac was on seventh generation but the high-end iMac was on 10th generation, the Mac mini was an eighth generation and the MacBook Pro was on ninth generation… you get the idea.
If customers could have dealt with that for such a long time, I think they can distinguish between an M1pro and an M2.
And if not, if a customer really doesn’t understand, a quick Google search will answer their question, if they even care… which they probably won’t, and Apple knows they won’t. That’s why Apple currently sells an iPad with an A13, an iPad mini with an A15, an iPad Air with an A14, a refurbished iPad Pro with A12Z and a new iPad Pro with M1.

 

[MisterK]

I'm most excited for the updated and colourful MacBook Air and expect it to be Apple's best selling Mac ever. As a long time Apple owner and enthusiast (since the mid 90s) , I love seeing differentiation between consumer and pro Mac markets coming back. It's been very long boring stretch of aluminum. About 14 years actually.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

I think a Mac Mini with M1 Pro/Max makes the most sense.

I would like to see a redesigned entry-level Mac. Reusing the Touch Bar 13" design seems ridiculous to me, but that's what everyone thought about the MBP w/notch, and it happened (from the same leaker too).

I'm interested in a new 27" iMac, but I won't expect that at this event.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Not the same chip at all.

The M1 Pro has 6 high powered and 2 efficiency, has newer functionality like the video decode engine and it has 14 GPU cores at base.


So I could see them doing a 8 cores the same as the Pro and then like 12 GPU cores or something.

Then suddenly it looks 50 percent faster on a graph.


What would the M2 improve on without being faster than the M1 Pro? Battery and that is about it. However what realistically can it do over the M1?

I just cannot see an M2 happening, especially with how well the M1 is selling.... they're better off making a budget Macbook. Maybe redesigning the Macbook Air with the M1 Pro or M2, whatever they do. Then having the Macbook SE with the M1...

If you put an M1pro in a MacBook Air, it would be a disaster. The thing would overheat, the battery would tank. No matter how efficient it is, the M1 pro was absolutely not made for that type of envelope.
If you put the M1 pro in the old 13 inch MacBook Pro design, it wouldn’t be a disaster, but it wouldn’t be a great experience either. That 20+ hours of battery life would definitely not be a marketing point anymore, and The thing would still have heat issues.
People, Apple made the new MacBook Pro‘s thicker and heavier for a reason, and it wasn’t because “Johnny Ive gone, time to reverse all of his decisions.”
The M1 and M2 are specifically made for their most popular, most portable, and most affordable products. Just like how Apple didn’t put an A12Z in the iPhone, they’re not gonna put an M1 pro in their consumer oriented products.
Also, given how chip manufacturing works, it always makes sense to introduce the smaller, more consumer oriented version before the pro. Even Intel does this.

 

[LonestarOne]

We’ll know soon enough.

Well, maybe not soon enough. Soon, though.

 

[ian87w]

My guess we will see more of the completion of the transition instead of refreshing previous lineup, at least until WWDC.

So for March
- M1 Pro/Max iMac 27"/iMac Pro to replace the last intel iMac
- M1 Pro/Max mac mini to replace the last intel mac mini

WWDC:
- Apple Silicon Mac Pro (M1 Extreme? Or M1 Pro/Max Duo/Quattro? Or M2 Pro/Max right off the bat?)
- M2 Macbook Air
- M2 iMac
- Self congratulatory of completing the transition

Late 2022:
- M2 Pro/Max Macbook Pro

Rinse and repeat.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Not really, they did learn alot of by upscaling the A14 to the M1 to the M1Pro to the M1Max which should help them speed up that process quite a bit.

Also they did release M1 just 1 month after the A14 and there were strong hints of the M1x (which turned out to be the M1Pro) in late 2020. Project that to how "old" the A15 already is and and there is no reason why they couldn't have an M2Pro ready.

Production isn't much of an issue as long as the yields are good enough so that you can afford making big chips.

Clearly coming from someone who hasn’t tried to purchase an M1pro product recently.
All models of the MacBook Pro M1 pro or max, at least where I live, won’t deliver for at least 3 weeks, and are unavailable from any stores within 100 miles of me.
Meanwhile the M1, even when it was first released in November 2020 right before the holiday season on three different computers at the same time, three of Apple‘s most popular computers, in the middle of A huge quarter for the Mac, was always available within a week of purchase.
It’s easier for all companies, not just Apple, to introduce their consumer CPUs long before their bigger, more professional CPUs.

 

[Realityck]

Apple is widely expected to unveil a new Mac next month, but with the high-end Mac mini, the 27-inch iMac, and the Mac Pro all still featuring Intel chips and Apple's M1 machines from 2020 now reaching almost 15 months in age, it is not immediately clear which new model the company is planning to announce next.

It’s pointless to speculate if the redesigned 27" iMac is called Pro or not. Mark Grumman this time around is speculating with no information other then what we all have discussed. BTW MacOS beta is no where close to release so that further reduces the possibility of any new Mac. Prepare to be disappointed.

 

[nt5672]

I just wonder if they will actually work as described in the Keynote, or will we have to wait 6 months and several .x os releases to get the announced functionality?

 

[Siliconguy]

"From reading many rumor posts here since Super Mini rumors have been flying, it looks like a lot of us want to buy a Super Mini."

You are not alone. Lack of a Super-Mini is why my main PC is now a Linux box. Although in my case it's lack of ports as much as CPU. I would need 8 USB ports to connect to everything given the Mini's lack of internal drives. The Linux box has 11 and could take USB expansion cards for more.

The Ryzen 3200G has proven entirely adequate for both CPU and graphics. The M1 mini would do fine on both those requirements, but the lack of expansion/connection ports limits it to the stereo cabinet.

 

[MacAddict1978]

"but the high-end offering is still the Space Gray model with an Intel processor from 2018."
And priced like it came out yesterday.

It's not hard to upgrade the processor annually.... doesn't need to be a major event for a spec upgrade.... and it still infuriates me that Apple never price drops old tech.

 

[Bug-Creator]

Clearly coming from someone who hasn’t tried to purchase an M1pro product recently.

Meanwhile the M1, ......., was always available within a week of purchase.

Clearly someone who doesn't understand with both (all 3) SoCs being made in the same fab and and the same process making the dies is NOT what is constraining any of the products.

-> unavailability of the 14/16" MBP is most likely the result of shortages in the Mini-LED displays something that won't be affected switching something from M1___ to M2___

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

BTW MacOS beta is no where close to release so that further reduces the possibility of any new Mac. Prepare to be disappointed.

Not sure what that has to do with anything, but it’s a point release. Those usually only get about a month and a half to two months of beta testing, and… it’s been in beta for almost a month now.
12.2 went into Beta in mid December and was released in mid January, 12.3 beta was released in mid January, it’s completely likely they released the final build in early March. In fact, it’s basically expected at this point

 

[Realityck]

Gurman suggested that the Mac unveiled at the spring Apple event may be either the new mini-LED iMac or the Mac mini, with the other three models apparently being unlikely to emerge before the fall.

I like how MacRumors hypes 13” laptops for a March event in one article, then in this article distinctly avoids that discussing possible iMac or Mac mini announcements. Is this a divide and conquer, or placing your bets on red and black at the roulette table?

 

[Realityck]

Not sure what that has to do with anything, but it’s a point release. Those usually only get about a month and a half to two months of beta testing, and… it’s been in beta for almost a month now.
12.2 went into Beta in mid December and was released in mid January, 12.3 beta was released in mid January, it’s completely likely they released the final build in early March. In fact, it’s basically expected at this point

It has a lot to with new equipment launches. Big Sur 11.3 which started early February 2021 and completed late April was paired with the Spring Event. The same for how Monterey was close to reaching RC before the 14” and 16” MBPs were announced along with M1 Pro/M1 Max Event. I’ve been beta testing for years. A third beta last week with Apple holding back universal control from the original release and first two updates means this one is a longer beta cycle then something that is just minor changes and bug fixes. People that never get involved obviously miss how MacOS releases are paired with new hardware. Please note iOS/iPadOS beta cycles don’t follow the MacOS beta cycle as much, they are usually shorter terms.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I like how MacRumors hypes 13” laptops for a March event in one article, then in this article distinctly avoids that discussing possible iMac or Mac mini announcements. Is this a divide and conquer, or placing your bets on red and black at the roulette table?

Should be noted that in today’s power on News letter, gurman said he expects the M2 13 MBP and Mac Mini to be next, then the iMac Pro and MacPro in the summer, and the MacBook Air around the holidays.
Then the M2pro and max to come in 2023 (my guess is first half), along with the M3 (my guess is second half)

 

[DFZD]

several times.
January 2005
February 2006
October 2012
October 2014
October 2018
November 2020

More like a footnote than an actual show stopper.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

It has a lot to with new equipment launches. Big Sur 11.3 which started early February 2021 and completed late April was paired with the Spring Event. The same for how Monterey was close to reaching RC before the 14” and 16” MBPs were announced along with M1 Pro/M1 Max Event. I’ve been beta testing for years. A third beta last week with Apple holding back universal control from the original release and first two updates means this one is a longer beta cycle then something that is just minor changes and bug fixes.

universal control has been in all three Betas.
Also, if you truly have been beta testing for years, you would know that Apple switches to a weekly beta release cycle when we’re only a couple weeks from the final build… and wouldn’t you know it, the last two betas were released a week apart.
Expect next beta on 2/22, RC on 3/01 and final release on 3/08 or shortly after

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

More like a footnote than an actual show stopper.

Sure but remember this event also has an iPhone SE and an iPad Air, and possibly a 13 inch mbp

 

[UltimateSyn]

It would be so weird to me if they updated the 13” MBP and M1 Mac mini with M2 rather than take models which still exist with Intel chips, like the high-end Mac mini and 27” iMac, and transition them to ASi with the M1 Pro.