why not just buy a M1 laptop since all Macs seem to perform similar? This way you have a laptop with desktop performance

[syndr0me]

I like laptops as desktop replacements. It's a compromise, of course, but for non-creative work it's never been a big issue. I suspect there are a lot of people out there right now using company-issued Macbook Pros as desktops hooked to monitors.

Upsides:

* Battery acts as a UPS.
* With certain monitors you can power the laptop without the need for an additional power cable. Single cable life.
* Laptop can act as a second screen.
* Laptop keyboard has touchID.

The downsides are well documented.

 

[Gee4orce]

Conversely, there are zero compromises if you decide to get the 13” pro, it performs exactly the same as the mini Use it in clamshell mode and you would not be able to tell the difference. And on the rare occasion you need to go mobile you have that capability.

For me personally the additional extra screen and Touch ID are well worth the extra cost, even though it mostly desk based. I use an external kB and trackpad, and have the laptop up on a stand most of the time. USB C means just a single cable powers the laptop and drives the monitor too, so it’s very easy to disconnect and move.

(someone will point out the different ports on the Mini, but these can be trivially added with a USB C dock. And as pointed out above a laptop has a built in UPS supply!)

 

[syndr0me]

That's a good point. If the processors continue to run cool, it's not clear that the increased cooling is really going to matter much. The desktops that use the same parts as the MBP might just be cheaper, but not more performant even under sustained load.

 

[Hexley]

whats the difference other than price?

Form factor? I/O devices? weight? dimensions? Use cases?

 

[CubeHacker]

Because apple is redefining what laptop and desktop performance are. Right now, their new M1 laptops perform almost as good as their precious desktops. But wait a few more months for an ARM imac with a potential 8 performance cores on chip (just speculation but I assume they will do more than just bump up clock speed), and then everyone will be drooling for the new "desktop performance".

 

[mi7chy]

Can't multiboot Windows/Linux/MacOS, weak iGPU, lack of software, only 4 HP cores and max 16GB. For about the same amount of money I'd rather build a multiboot Hackintosh ITX with Ryzen 5900X 12-core, RTX 3080 GPU and 32GB DRAM.

 

[DreamPod]

Price, convenience, and I don’t need a laptop. I already have an iPad Pro that does everything I would want to do on a laptop. And my Mac Mini is “permanently” connected to my 50” 4ktv, I wouldn’t want to keep plugging and unplugging a laptop.