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They should be worried. I haven't seen real innovation on the Windows laptop side in a while. A lot of new laptops are still shipping with low-DPI screens and CPUs that require loud fans to cool them when you do pretty much anything.

Apple Silicon Macbooks are absolutely ground-breaking. I really hope they end up kicking the rest of the industry into innovating again.

LOL...I have many MBP's around and also have Windows based Lenevo laptops. Last I checked, Apple laptops don't come close to the capabilities of my Lenevo - For example, as a surface device (you can flip the keyboard at will) and the pinch and zoom touchscreen doesn't exist in Apple land, unless you look at an iPad, but it's not a laptop either. Same holds true for Android devices compared to IOS. Android has been ahead for quite a while.
 
Last I checked, Apple laptops don't come close to the capabilities of my Lenovo - For example, as a surface device (you can flip the keyboard at will) and the pinch and zoom touchscreen doesn't exist in Apple land, unless you look at an iPad, but it's not a laptop either. Same holds true for Android devices compared to IOS. Android has been ahead for quite a while.

👆 This sounds like those "Go PC" ads from Intel:


:p
 
I'm just waiting for the rumored MB 12 inch with a new Apple Silicon on the 3 nm TSMC. It would be the ultimate ultra portable laptop for me. Hopefully it will be 2 lbs or less.
Wouldn’t that be a great machine? If it happens it will almost certainly be a couple years off, but I miss the form factor so much I bought a refurbished 2017 12” MacBook. The M1 MBA is a bit heavier and has a bigger footprint than what I’m looking for, and the M2 MBA would be pretty pricey spec’d how I’d want it. (And while it would be a bit lighter I’d still prefer something with overall smaller dimensions.) I have an 11” iPad Pro w/MKB, and while it’s a great device/combo it’s not doing it for me.
 
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Wouldn’t that be a great machine? If it happens it will almost certainly be a couple years off, but I miss the form factor so much I bought a refurbished 2017 12” MacBook. The M1 MBA is a bit heavier and has a bigger footprint than what I’m looking for, and the M2 MBA would be pretty pricey spec’d how I’d want it. (And while it would be a bit lighter I’d still prefer something with overall smaller dimensions.) I have an 11” iPad Pro w/MKB, and while it’s a great device/combo it’s not doing it for me.
If you are not attached to the Apple ecosystem, you can try the Lenovo X1 Nano. 13" screen, less than 2.2 pounds and the built quality is excellent (carbon fiber + magnesium).
ThinkPad-X1-Nano-Gen-2-Datasheet (lenovo.com)
 
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Mac is gorgeous. Mac is fast. But if it the makers of my workplace software don’t create a Mac version, then it doesn’t help me.

Wish so much that they would, but doubtful. And I am not going to bother with running Windows on a Mac.
 
Huge swathes of high end laptops (>=£1500) are bought by gamers.

No, they aren't. While gaming is a huge market, the majority of it happens on non-PC platforms (consoles, mobile).

As for PC gamers, they only represent a small part of the overall PC market, and as surveys like the one by Steam show, most PC gaming happens on moderate hardware.

The largest market for laptops >$1500 is actually the business sector, which also includes mobile workstations such as HP's zBooks or Dell's Precision laptops.
 
I switched from a DELL XPS 17 to a MacBook Air. I love the hardware and the non existing noise. It's really effecient but I still can't use BlueStacks and Samsung has discontinued their support for DEX on Mac. And now that I use game pass a lot more (I just play less demanding titles on the laptop), I feel the need to switch back. The Air is great in specific areas but I probably go back to something like the new ASUS S 13 OLED. It won't be as efficient in some areas but at least I am not resticted in my daily use.
 
Can a Mac run unreal engine 5? Hey Apple teens game and until you decide to compete there no body is worried.

 
LOL...I have many MBP's around and also have Windows based Lenevo laptops. Last I checked, Apple laptops don't come close to the capabilities of my Lenevo - For example, as a surface device (you can flip the keyboard at will) and the pinch and zoom touchscreen doesn't exist in Apple land, unless you look at an iPad, but it's not a laptop either. Same holds true for Android devices compared to IOS. Android has been ahead for quite a while.
I wonder how many people actually want or appreciate those features.

My previous school laptop was the HP elitex2 - similar to the surface pro form factor, and boy did me and my colleagues have issues with it. The thin form factor meant constant thermal throttling, especially when not plugged into power, and many experienced screen burnout issues when we moved to zoom meetings during the pandemic.

Battery life wasn't fantastic, the removable battery meant it was basically a laptop with a broken hinge (so no holding it with one hand via the keyboard). And while it's kinda unfair, stylus support was mitigated by the inability to install our own apps on the device (it being an enterprise device after all).

We are currently on some sort of touchscreen laptop where the keyboard folds back on itself. Battery life is longer (but still nowhere near an M1 MBA). Display is 1080p with thick bezels, it's also a lot thicker and heavier, though it does have a few more ports.

Conversely, my M1 MBA did 9 hours on zoom on a full charge, while staying cool to the touch. And when teaching in class, my iPad with notability and apple pencil easily knocks the socks off any touchscreen laptop.

There seems to be this trend where windows devices boast of having more features on paper, but then you realise that they don't work as well as advertised because the OS itself isn't really optimised for touch, or there are other compromises that come as a result of including them.

But I think at the end of the day, the problem is still with Intel, and their inability to offer anything remotely close to the M1 chip when it comes to ultrathin portables.
 
99% of people buying the air arn't going to care or notice.
Steve Jobs used to spend hours having them make the pcb look good even if the masses wouldn’t notice bc it was an important part of craftsmanship. There are those who will notice. That’s the core of this company it’s what sets apple apart they are consistently focused on craftsmanship in all
of their product lines. If they’re giving that up that’s a problem and they should be held to account. ESP at the prices they charge, we pay for consistent quality.
 
I wonder how many people actually want or appreciate those features.

My previous school laptop was the HP elitex2 - similar to the surface pro form factor, and boy did me and my colleagues have issues with it. The thin form factor meant constant thermal throttling, especially when not plugged into power, and many experienced screen burnout issues when we moved to zoom meetings during the pandemic.

Battery life wasn't fantastic, the removable battery meant it was basically a laptop with a broken hinge (so no holding it with one hand via the keyboard). And while it's kinda unfair, stylus support was mitigated by the inability to install our own apps on the device (it being an enterprise device after all).

We are currently on some sort of touchscreen laptop where the keyboard folds back on itself. Battery life is longer (but still nowhere near an M1 MBA). Display is 1080p with thick bezels, it's also a lot thicker and heavier, though it does have a few more ports.

Conversely, my M1 MBA did 9 hours on zoom on a full charge, while staying cool to the touch. And when teaching in class, my iPad with notability and apple pencil easily knocks the socks off any touchscreen laptop.

There seems to be this trend where windows devices boast of having more features on paper, but then you realise that they don't work as well as advertised because the OS itself isn't really optimised for touch, or there are other compromises that come as a result of including them.

But I think at the end of the day, the problem is still with Intel, and their inability to offer anything remotely close to the M1 chip when it comes to ultrathin portables.
When I picks up my mbp16 I wonder if everything will work on it. I don’t when When I pickup my windows 17in laptop. That laptop is not much heavier (magnesium) has a bigger screen gpu that easily out paces the m1 ultra and laughs at the m1 max, 64gb of ram, 2.5tb nvme ssd, definitely inferior but still solid 1440p 165hz IPS display. The touch pad and keyboard aren’t as good but they work well enough speakers are underwhelming too. The area the mac wins in for sure is performance unplugged and battery life. That windows laptop can get to 5-6 hrs and if I really clamp down on settings and do mostly document work I’d maybe get to 8hrs. GPU performance dives down at that point too.

If you want a laptop with desktop class performance that works in all settings and you want to be able to move it from office to home but mainly use it near a plug the windows laptop gives you the performance for that inconvenience and at the price of the base mbp16 inch. If you need Mac apps or full performance on the go the mbp16 is great just don’t expect 17hr if battery life and max performance. It’s prob 5-6 on the m1 pro and half that with the max. Compatibility also remains an issue. Apple doesn’t have this in the bag. The initial shock of thermal performance, perf/watt is over and the initial shock of the claimed performance in m1 pro/max/ultra has waned and we now know apple has left some room for on the table.

Let’s not forgot that most actually professionals will absolutely sacrifice battery life for raw performance and people aren’t traveling as much.

But these MacBook pros sure are nice! Feel nice, sound nice, look nice, screens nice.
 
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If you are not attached to the Apple ecosystem, you can try the Lenovo X1 Nano. 13" screen, less than 2.2 pounds and the built quality is excellent (carbon fiber + magnesium).
ThinkPad-X1-Nano-Gen-2-Datasheet (lenovo.com)
Sounds like a good machine. I have a Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360, a very nice thin and light 13” 2-in-1 with an OLED screen. It’s a great machine but there are some things about Windows that really bother me, and not having easy access to all of a Mac’s continuity features is frustrating. (And iCloud for Windows is better than nothing, but it’s far from what I’m looking for.)
 
Wouldn’t that be a great machine? If it happens it will almost certainly be a couple years off, but I miss the form factor so much I bought a refurbished 2017 12” MacBook. The M1 MBA is a bit heavier and has a bigger footprint than what I’m looking for, and the M2 MBA would be pretty pricey spec’d how I’d want it. (And while it would be a bit lighter I’d still prefer something with overall smaller dimensions.) I have an 11” iPad Pro w/MKB, and while it’s a great device/combo it’s not doing it for me.
I have found the best companion for me is an ultra light laptop. I have had iPad and Galaxy Tab S6 to S8+, but they can't replace the convenience of a good keyboard with a hinge. Even my S8+ today with a keyboard is still a poor replacement for real multitasking and windowing. The MB 12 inch with Apple Silicon would be amazing.
 
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I wonder how many people actually want or appreciate those features.

My previous school laptop was the HP elitex2 - similar to the surface pro form factor, and boy did me and my colleagues have issues with it. The thin form factor meant constant thermal throttling, especially when not plugged into power, and many experienced screen burnout issues when we moved to zoom meetings during the pandemic.

Battery life wasn't fantastic, the removable battery meant it was basically a laptop with a broken hinge (so no holding it with one hand via the keyboard). And while it's kinda unfair, stylus support was mitigated by the inability to install our own apps on the device (it being an enterprise device after all).

We are currently on some sort of touchscreen laptop where the keyboard folds back on itself. Battery life is longer (but still nowhere near an M1 MBA). Display is 1080p with thick bezels, it's also a lot thicker and heavier, though it does have a few more ports.

Conversely, my M1 MBA did 9 hours on zoom on a full charge, while staying cool to the touch. And when teaching in class, my iPad with notability and apple pencil easily knocks the socks off any touchscreen laptop.

There seems to be this trend where windows devices boast of having more features on paper, but then you realise that they don't work as well as advertised because the OS itself isn't really optimised for touch, or there are other compromises that come as a result of including them.

But I think at the end of the day, the problem is still with Intel, and their inability to offer anything remotely close to the M1 chip when it comes to ultrathin portables.
From what I have seen in my customers and friends, touch screen is an additional input method, sometimes to scroll the screen, or zoom in / zoom out. You don't need an OS optimized for touch to do that.
 
From what I have seen in my customers and friends, touch screen is an additional input method, sometimes to scroll the screen, or zoom in / zoom out. You don't need an OS optimized for touch to do that.

I don’t, but at the same time, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have actually used the touchscreen on those laptops over the past 3 years.

And I feel that really explains these vendor’s attitudes towards their products, vs Apple, and why I am ultimately all in with Apple.

For Apple, they don’t sell me a product or a feature. They sell me a solution. My ipad comes with an OS that is optimised for touch and direct input. Apps are similarly designed that way. You don’t just throw me a touchscreen device and expect me to find ways to make it work. I buy an ipad knowing that it’s going to work great in that regard right out of the box, because everything from the software to the apps to even the hardware and form factor is built around enable said experience.

But for windows laptops, the touchscreen is “optional” in a “it’s there if you want it, take it or leave it”. There is zero effort or incentive to improve the touchscreen user experience. Window’s support is token at best, software is non-existent, the screen wobbles, and so not many people do end up making full use of it.

And I guess that’s really my attitude towards technology these days (which I find has also influenced the way I work). I don’t want a product. I want a solution, and I am ready to pay for those who can provide me with one. Right now, that company is Apple.
 
I don’t, but at the same time, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have actually used the touchscreen on those laptops over the past 3 years.

And I feel that really explains these vendor’s attitudes towards their products, vs Apple, and why I am ultimately all in with Apple.

For Apple, they don’t sell me a product or a feature. They sell me a solution. My ipad comes with an OS that is optimised for touch and direct input. Apps are similarly designed that way. You don’t just throw me a touchscreen device and expect me to find ways to make it work. I buy an ipad knowing that it’s going to work great in that regard right out of the box, because everything from the software to the apps to even the hardware and form factor is built around enable said experience.

But for windows laptops, the touchscreen is “optional” in a “it’s there if you want it, take it or leave it”. There is zero effort or incentive to improve the touchscreen user experience. Window’s support is token at best, software is non-existent, the screen wobbles, and so not many people do end up making full use of it.

And I guess that’s really my attitude towards technology these days (which I find has also influenced the way I work). I don’t want a product. I want a solution, and I am ready to pay for those who can provide me with one. Right now, that company is Apple.
My response was to your post about touch screen notebooks and apps optimized for touch. Based in what I have seen, you don't need to optimized for touch if you are scrolling or zooming in / out. I don't think customer that want a touch screen notebook are looking for an experience similar to an iPad. Users don't need to find ways to make it work. They already know they'll use it to scroll and zoom.

Compare that what Apple is doing by adding desktop / laptop features to the iPad. There are close to zero apps optimized for trackpad / mouse and multitasking it terrible compared to Windows and macOS. IMO, that's not an "optimized experience" and neither I see how that experience is a solution. But if you are happy with that "Apple solution", good for you.
 
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My response was to your post about touch screen notebooks and apps optimized for touch. Based in what I have seen, you don't need to optimized for touch if you are scrolling or zooming in / out. I don't think customer that want a touch screen notebook are looking for an experience similar to an iPad. Users don't need to find ways to make it work. They already know they'll use it to scroll and zoom.
IMO, the Mac already has an excellent way of scrolling / zooming - the trackpad. A touchscreen feels more like a solution in search of a problem, or perhaps, a workaround to the subpar trackpads that seem to plague many a windows laptop.
Compare that what Apple is doing by adding desktop / laptop features to the iPad. There are close to zero apps optimized for trackpad / mouse and multitasking it terrible compared to Windows and macOS. IMO, that's not an "optimized experience" and neither I see how that experience is a solution. But if you are happy with that "Apple solution", good for you.
Truth be told, I have never really gotten into the cursor support aspect of iPadOS. I did have a smart keyboard for when I have protracted periods of typing (I say "did" because those things seem to break down fairly easily for me).

What I did enjoy doing, through, is typing on my iPad one moment, then being able to detach it from the Smart Keyboard and lean back or walk around the room with it. It's a nice mental energy boost, and a welcome break from being hunched over the desk all day. The magic keyboard looks like it would be ideal for this, but alas, it doesn't fold back on itself and simply added too much weight and bulk to the iPad overall.

But I feel this is one area where I wish Apple would be more willing to say "no", even if it pushes power users away.
 
I switched from a DELL XPS 17 to a MacBook Air. I love the hardware and the non existing noise. It's really effecient but I still can't use BlueStacks and Samsung has discontinued their support for DEX on Mac. And now that I use game pass a lot more (I just play less demanding titles on the laptop), I feel the need to switch back. The Air is great in specific areas but I probably go back to something like the new ASUS S 13 OLED. It won't be as efficient in some areas but at least I am not resticted in my daily use.
AMD 6800U if you want efficiency and performance. Comes with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD for ~$800 with stacked coupons.
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/lapt.../thinkbook-13s-gen-4-(13-inch-amd)/21as001aus
1657260947934-png.2027446
 
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IMO, the Mac already has an excellent way of scrolling / zooming - the trackpad. A touchscreen feels more like a solution in search of a problem, or perhaps, a workaround to the subpar trackpads that seem to plague many a windows laptop.
Or perhaps is an additional input method that compliment the trackpad. Many high end Windows notebooks, like ThinkPads and Surface have excellent trackpads and touch screens. Again, is an additional input method, not a replacement for trackpad / mouse.

Truth be told, I have never really gotten into the cursor support aspect of iPadOS. I did have a smart keyboard for when I have protracted periods of typing (I say "did" because those things seem to break down fairly easily for me).

What I did enjoy doing, through, is typing on my iPad one moment, then being able to detach it from the Smart Keyboard and lean back or walk around the room with it. It's a nice mental energy boost, and a welcome break from being hunched over the desk all day. The magic keyboard looks like it would be ideal for this, but alas, it doesn't fold back on itself and simply added too much weight and bulk to the iPad overall.

But I feel this is one area where I wish Apple would be more willing to say "no", even if it pushes power users away.
You are only one of billion customers. Maybe the cursor in iPad doesn't makes sense to you, neither touch screen notebooks. But there is a large group of users that see the benefit. Apple didn't say "no", even though the experience / solution is not the best. But it still benefit a group of users, same as touch screen notebook.
 
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I have found the best companion for me is an ultra light laptop. I have had iPad and Galaxy Tab S6 to S8+, but they can't replace the convenience of a good keyboard with a hinge. Even my S8+ today with a keyboard is still a poor replacement for real multitasking and windowing. The MB 12 inch with Apple Silicon would be amazing.
I know they’re different product categories, but I’m worried that the iPhone mini saga made Apple hesitant about these smaller devices. There are clearly folks like us who want a small laptop, but Apple is probably wondering how many they would actually sell. Here’s hoping they do it, though. The M silicon clearly gives them the perfect chip architecture to do it, and that alone solves the biggest issue with the last 12” MacBook. If they also priced it right (the other big issue) I think they’d have a winner. And also, they’re Macs! None of them are going to sell like iPhones, but if they generate positive cash flow then perhaps that’s enough.
 
*I know Apple has in the past stated that "they don't know how to compete in the low end". I consider that to be pure spin. If they can make a 329 USD iPad, they can make a 499 USD laptop. They just choose not to.
But, they’ve made something with an OS that outsells Mac 2-to-1 at that price… (and outsells the entire laptop lines of every individual laptop vendor). Putting a less popular OS on it would just take a great product and restrict it.
 
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