So, Apple announced a couple of much-anticipated models today. All are MacBook Pros and here are the highlights:
14" or 16" form factor
M1 Pro or M1X CPU. The M1 Pro has either 6 or 8 Power Cores(the M1 has 4) and 2 efficiency cores as well as up to 16 GPU cores. The M1X takes the GPU core count up to 32.
Across the line, 16gb is the base amount of RAM(what it should have been on the first gen M1s). The M1 Pro can go up to 32gb and the M1X up to 64gb.
The specs just are across the board outstanding, and are basically murdering the Intel and AMD mobile competition while keeping a ~20 hour battery life and running extremely cool. After using the M1 for 8 months, it always catches me off guard just how hot my Intel Macs are when I need to get one back out.
There are some good and not so good features in my book:
1. The M1, to me, is handicapped by only being able to drive one external display. Even a low end 2011 Macbook Pro can drive two, and when I'm docking/using as a desktop replacement this is actually a big deal to me. The new 14" and 16" models can run a couple of 4K or other high res displays-I think how many depends on just how many GPU cores you get
2. As mentioned, 16gb RAM standard, option up to 64gb on the M1X models. The first gen should have come standard with 16gb, especially given the SSD thrashing issues that have been there.
3. The touch bar is gone, thank goodness, and we have a real row of function keys back. There are some good elements of the touch bar I wouldn't have minded seeing retained, but on the whole I find the touchbar causes me more problems than it solves and I think removing it was good.
4. HDMI and SD slots are back, so you can avoid some dongles. TB4 ports are up to 3 vs. 2 on the first gen M1, but fewer than the 4 on the higher end MBPs.
5. Charging seems well thought out. First of all, it can still charge via USB-C, which is nice for those of us who gave in, bought something like a PD dock, and appreciate the convenience of 1-plug docking. Also present, though, is a 3rd generation Magsafe port. I'd hoped it would either be a resurrection of Magsafe 2, or else pin-compatible with older Magsafe(Magsafe 1 and Magsafe 2 are electrically the same-MS2 is just a shorter and wider magnetic ring so all that's needed is a simple passive adapter). Magsafe 3 looks just like the others, but instead is a separate cable that plugs into a USB-C charging brick.
The dual-mode charging is welcome to me since, as I said, USB-C charging is great at your desk but Magsafe to me shows its strength when truly using it as a laptop. my M1, my first USB-C Mac, has taken a few tumbles, several thanks to the dog, that Magsafe would have saved.
6. The display-where to start...
The technology looks superb, and I'm excited to see one in person.
BUT...THE STUPID NOTCH!
I'm struggling to see why it was even necessary, much less the size it is. On iPhones, the notch makes space for the FaceID sensors(which are more complicated than just a camera-the tech behind it is actually really interesting), speaker, and Facetime camera. The laptops don't have or need a speaker there-you're not holding the screen up to your ear, and they don't have FaceID. Also, there's still a decently generous bezel, so it's not like space couldn't be made for the camera. That makes the notch completely illogical, and I'm afraid it's an aesthetic choice that's going to interfere with how I personally actually interact with my computer. I put a lot of stuff in the menu bar, and looking at my screen now I can see that the notch wouldn't leave room for a lot of it.
I love the computer, and to be honest I was ready to hit buy, but I want to see one in person. As stupid as it may sound, the notch may be a deal killer for me...
14" or 16" form factor
M1 Pro or M1X CPU. The M1 Pro has either 6 or 8 Power Cores(the M1 has 4) and 2 efficiency cores as well as up to 16 GPU cores. The M1X takes the GPU core count up to 32.
Across the line, 16gb is the base amount of RAM(what it should have been on the first gen M1s). The M1 Pro can go up to 32gb and the M1X up to 64gb.
The specs just are across the board outstanding, and are basically murdering the Intel and AMD mobile competition while keeping a ~20 hour battery life and running extremely cool. After using the M1 for 8 months, it always catches me off guard just how hot my Intel Macs are when I need to get one back out.
There are some good and not so good features in my book:
1. The M1, to me, is handicapped by only being able to drive one external display. Even a low end 2011 Macbook Pro can drive two, and when I'm docking/using as a desktop replacement this is actually a big deal to me. The new 14" and 16" models can run a couple of 4K or other high res displays-I think how many depends on just how many GPU cores you get
2. As mentioned, 16gb RAM standard, option up to 64gb on the M1X models. The first gen should have come standard with 16gb, especially given the SSD thrashing issues that have been there.
3. The touch bar is gone, thank goodness, and we have a real row of function keys back. There are some good elements of the touch bar I wouldn't have minded seeing retained, but on the whole I find the touchbar causes me more problems than it solves and I think removing it was good.
4. HDMI and SD slots are back, so you can avoid some dongles. TB4 ports are up to 3 vs. 2 on the first gen M1, but fewer than the 4 on the higher end MBPs.
5. Charging seems well thought out. First of all, it can still charge via USB-C, which is nice for those of us who gave in, bought something like a PD dock, and appreciate the convenience of 1-plug docking. Also present, though, is a 3rd generation Magsafe port. I'd hoped it would either be a resurrection of Magsafe 2, or else pin-compatible with older Magsafe(Magsafe 1 and Magsafe 2 are electrically the same-MS2 is just a shorter and wider magnetic ring so all that's needed is a simple passive adapter). Magsafe 3 looks just like the others, but instead is a separate cable that plugs into a USB-C charging brick.
The dual-mode charging is welcome to me since, as I said, USB-C charging is great at your desk but Magsafe to me shows its strength when truly using it as a laptop. my M1, my first USB-C Mac, has taken a few tumbles, several thanks to the dog, that Magsafe would have saved.
6. The display-where to start...
The technology looks superb, and I'm excited to see one in person.
BUT...THE STUPID NOTCH!
I'm struggling to see why it was even necessary, much less the size it is. On iPhones, the notch makes space for the FaceID sensors(which are more complicated than just a camera-the tech behind it is actually really interesting), speaker, and Facetime camera. The laptops don't have or need a speaker there-you're not holding the screen up to your ear, and they don't have FaceID. Also, there's still a decently generous bezel, so it's not like space couldn't be made for the camera. That makes the notch completely illogical, and I'm afraid it's an aesthetic choice that's going to interfere with how I personally actually interact with my computer. I put a lot of stuff in the menu bar, and looking at my screen now I can see that the notch wouldn't leave room for a lot of it.
I love the computer, and to be honest I was ready to hit buy, but I want to see one in person. As stupid as it may sound, the notch may be a deal killer for me...
