Rumors are swirling about a redesigned MacBook Pro slated for release next year, featuring the M6 chip, a thinner chassis — and most notably — an OLED display. A recent 9to5Mac article summarizes the rumors.
I’m particularly excited about the prospect of an OLED screen. This technology promises higher brightness, improved contrast ratios, and more vibrant colors, making the types of things folks do on a MacBook Pro even easier.
However, the notion of a thinner design makes me nervous. In my experience, when surveying the needs of MacBook Pro users — especially those in same creative professions — the desire for a slimmer profile rarely tops the list. More commonly, folks want better battery life, enhanced performance, and adequate input/output.
Apple has a history of pursuing thinner designs, sometimes at the expense of functionality. The butterfly keyboard is the most recent example. If “thinner” is on that whiteboard in Cupertino, I hope Apple doesn’t compromise the performance and reliability that MacBook Pro users depend on. Perhaps advancements in chip design will allow for a thinner MacBook Pro without sacrificing battery life or power. But even if that is true, I’d argue the MacBook Pro still doesn’t need to get thinner. I’d fill that empty space with more battery and a better cooling system to let the new MacBook Pro run even harder.
In the meantime, we can anticipate the release of the M5 MacBook Pro later this year, likely in the fall as the last MacBook Pro with this current, much-loved, design.
Hooray! The new M4 MacBook Pro is here. The case design is the same in both 14- and 16-inch variants, with support for the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips with increased CPU/GPU performance.
It’s nice to see Apple improving on the built-in camera, which is now 12MP, including support for Center Stage and Desk View. Like the Mac mini, announced yesterday, it includes Thunderbolt 5 support. You can get it with up to 128GB of memory. The device promises 24-hour battery life on certain models.
The MacBook Pro screens continue to be a highlight, with up to 120Hz refresh and an option for Nano-texture. When will Apple bring the tech they are using in the MacBook Pro to a stand-alone monitor?
If you’ve been waiting for a new MacBook Pro, you won’t be disappointed with this one. If you are still on the Intel architecture, this is a no-brainer. If you are on Apple silicon, it’s more of a head-scratcher. Make sure the new device will result in a noticeable performance improvement before upgrading.
Last night, Apple did a prime-time event where they shared a little news and some new hardware. I’ve got a few thoughts:
The 5:00 P.M. Pacific start time was a brain-bender for me. As I went through the day, I kept forgetting there was still an Apple Event later. Is this what it always feels like in Europe?
I’ve already heard complaints about the fact the event was only 30 minutes. I liked it. They didn’t have more to say. They didn’t add fluff or silly demos. In. Out. Thank you very much.
I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but I’ve always felt Johny Srouji is just kind of scary. It’s those eyes. So, of course, on a Halloween-adjacent announcement, he starts, “Welcome to my lab!”. I love that he leans into it.
We got M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max all in one go. I hope that is the way of the future. I’d expect the M3 Ultra sometime next year (along with MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro).
The graphics sounds like the big winner here. If you are doing graphics-heavy work, this may be for you.
We got M3 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros. It appears the 13-inch MacBook Pro is now gone. In its place is a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an entry-level M3 chip. That’s a win. If you loved the Touch Bar, I’m sorry.
We also got news of an updated 24” iMac with the M3 chip. Same colors. Same form-factor. Just faster. I sure would have liked them to announce an M3 Pro iMac with a bigger screen to go along with it. I hear from a lot of people that want a Mac like that.
I expected the peripherals to all switch over to USB-C. However, it looks like that’s not happening yet.
Apple makes the M3 sound like a significant improvement. They are trying to convince remaining Intel chip owners and even leaning a bit on M1 users. If you’re in that second category and your M1 iMac s fine, don’t worry about it. The M1-equipped Macs are still really great computers.
Now, we can say Apple is done for the year. Before you know it, we’ll be in 2024, which will be all about the Vision Pro.
Today Apple announced the release of a few new Macs.
M2 Mac mini The big news here is that there are multiple Mac minis. There is an entry-level M2 Mac mini and a souped-up M2 “Pro” Mac mini. The new Pro chip is clocking as an improvement of up 20% processing, 30% graphics, and 40% on the neural engine. This fills an existing gap in the line for desktop Macs between the entry-level Mac mini and the much more powerful Mac Studio.
M2 MacBook Pro This is the next iteration of the Apple silicon MacBook Pro. The M2 MacBook Pro comes in “Pro” and “Max” configurations. This machine is iterative compared to the M1 MacBook Pro, with improvements of 20% in processing and 30% faster on graphics. Few people will need to upgrade from the M1 MacBook Pro, but those on Intel machines should look at this one closely.
A lot of us (myself included) have been piling on the recently updated 13″ MacBook Pro. You have to admit it really stands out in Apple’s current line as a relic of days gone by. That said, it now has the M2 chip and it is now for sale. Jason Snell wrote a piece for Macworld explaining why it may make sense. Still, it’s weird. The 14″ MacBook Pro is far superior and the new MacBook Air is also a better computer by several metrics for less money.
We’ve been speculating on Mac Power Users now for some time about the idea of a 15″ MacBook Air. There are plenty of people that would like a bigger screen without the MacBook Pro power (and price). In my head, the 13″ MacBook Pro exists as a placeholder for that mythical 15″ MacBook Air.
In the meantime, I stand by my advice, “Friends don’t let friends buy the 13″ MacBook Pro.”
Now that the dust is settling on the new Mac Studio and we’re waiting for the next penny to drop on the Apple silicon Mac Pro, I wanted to check in on my Apple silicon MacBook Pro, which I’ve now been using for six months.
For most of my years using a Mac, my computer has nearly always felt like a no-compromise machine. That changed for me during the last few years of Intel Macs. For a while, it seemed like every guest interview on the Mac Power Users started with the guest explaining why their Mac no longer had the ports they needed or the keyboard wasn’t working. They were rough times. Many of us nerds began to wonder if Apple was even serious anymore about the Mac.
And then Apple announced Apple silicon Macs. Two years ago Apple proved that they hadn’t lost interest in the Mac. (In hindsight, it feels like they were marking time on the Mac for the years before that as Apple silicon made its way to release.)
The Build
My MacBook Pro is loaded: 16-inch screen, M1 Max chip, 64 GB RAM, 4TB of storage. I overpay for Apple storage, but I always find ways to use it. Indeed, I currently have some storage management work to do.
The port situation is better on this MacBook Pro than on other Apple laptops in the last few years. That said, I still need extra input/output. I bought the CalDigit Elements Hub for this purpose, and it has worked without fail.
I haven’t missed the Touch Bar, and the keyboard works just fine. Isn’t it nice when your laptop’s keyboard barely merits a sentence?
Use Cases
Historically, I’ve been a desktop Mac kind of guy. I like having my machine always on and always able to do bits of work in the background. I also like the contextual nature of knowing, “This is my desk. This is where I work.”
I went with a MacBook Pro because I am currently a technology hobo. I have a desk set up, but it’s in the middle of our home, and sometimes other people would like to enjoy our home. So in those cases I have a foldable desk upstairs where I can alternatively work (and record). For the time being, I need my main machine to be mobile.
This MacBook Pro is perfect for that. I can record screencasts straight onto the laptop with or without an external monitor. All my files are with me no matter where I set up shop. I’d add that the historical problem of connecting a laptop to an external monitor and dealing with the shenanigans required to make sure the monitor sees the laptop, the laptop sees the external drives, and all of that are all nonexistent for me with this laptop and my Apple monitor. It just works.
The screens on the new MacBook Pros are stunning. When I need a change of scenery, even when not recording, I bring the MacBook Pro to the kitchen table or the couch and work from there. Again, I’ve got plenty of screen real estate and all my files on board.
Whenever I’m not actively using the MacBook Pro as a laptop in another room, I keep it plugged into my screen and external drives. That gives me most of the benefits of having a desktop Mac (Hazel and Apple Mail rules in the background, for instance). When at my desk, I keep it on a shelf with the side that has the HDMI, SD Card, and Thunderbolt port pointing out. This gives me easy access to input and output.
Performance
Performance on the M1 Max chip is, unsurprisingly, bananas. These days I’m doing a lot of videos. Video in Final Cut on this thing renders faster than I should be allowed to render video. The same goes for audio and video filters and effects, image processing, and any other processor-intensive work I do.
I’ve owned it for six months, and this thing tears through anything I throw at it. Also, I’ve never heard the fans spin up. I’m sure they have turned on at some point, but I’ve never heard them.
The Front Door Problem
I love everything about my MacBook Pro while using it in my house. The problems, for me, start at the front door. It’s big (it doesn’t fit in my favorite backpack), and it is heavy. Moreover, it costs more than my first car, so every time I take it out the door, I’m worried about damaging, dropping, or losing it. Do I leave my expensive laptop in the hotel room? I have to use a gigantic backpack with it, and on one flight the stewardess made me put it in overhead, where I wondered about it getting crushed.
So I take this MacBook Pro out the front door only when I absolutely must. This means I leave it home when it would be a nice-to-have, and I miss having a Mac on those occasions as well.
While this is a great Mac, its size presents issues with travel. That’s my only complaint. The solution, for me, would be a MacBook Air for trips. I’d still get all my Mac automation goodness without the raw horsepower of the MacBook Pro. If it weren’t for all the rumors of a new MacBook Air looming in the future, I’d probably already have solved the front door problem.
Getting Back the Thread
To be clear, I love this Mac. It’s fast, the screen is beautiful, and it has I/O to spare. The MacBook Pro is awesome again. If you need a powerful Mac that you can move around with, check out the new MacBook Pro.
Last week I ordered a new MacBook Pro, and then a few days later, I changed my order to something even beefier. The net result was a ship date around Christmas. While I was okay with the idea of waiting for this dream Mac to arrive, I couldn’t help but check the local store on Tuesday’s public release, just in case. Since I’d upgraded to the loaded one, I figured there might be a chance. “Turns out” they had my exact build in stock: even my chosen color, Silver. So I canceled my online order and reserved the one in the store. A few hours later, I had a new precious on my desk. Here are a few thoughts after using the 16″ MacBook Pro M1 Max for a few days.
The Build
Everyone has made the Titanium MacBook comparison, but it rings true. Particularly with my silver color, it looks familiar.
The radius of the curves on the bottom is bigger than that on top. I expect that is because they don’t have the room on top, given that crazy screen, but I dig the look. Also, it’s effortless to pick up with that nice curve underneath.
It’s big and heavy compared to my prior M1 MacBook, but Apple makes it, so it is still pretty svelt and nothing like those massive gaming laptops on the market. Indeed, when I read reviews that list “big and heavy” as a downside of the MacBook Pro, it makes me want to throw something through the window. We finally got Apple to come around to the idea that “big and heavy” is a good idea for professional laptops. Please don’t give them a reason to go back “thin and light” (and underpowered).
There are big vents on the underside. If you would like to set your laptop on your lap, I’d caution against it. Instead, get a lap desk, so you don’t block those vents.
4K Renders, no problem. I’m doing a lot more 4K video as of late, and the M1 was perfectly capable of handling it. However, it did require me to make tea and generally leave the computer alone for a while. I’m now getting 4K renders around three times as fast. Screencast renders are even quicker. It’s just ridiculous.
The other thing that stands out is disk access speed. Moving data on the internal SSD (even massive files) feels near-instantaneous.
Overall, all the paper cuts that came with delays resulting from multiple builds and render times are gone. All that forced downtime is gone too. Now I can make tea when my body needs a break, not because my computer forces me to.
That Screen
The screen is fantastic. I don’t know how else to put it. Vivid colors to the edge, all the way around the screen. Whether you are watching a video or working on your task list, you will love this screen.
A separate point about the screen is the text sharpness. I’ve been using an M1 MacBook for the last year, and I never had any problem with how it rendered text, but the MacBook Pro renders text just that little bit sharper (because it is genuinely a 2x screen), and it was immediately noticeable. It’s like when you go to the optometrist, and they flip the lens in their lens doohicky, and suddenly everything is really clear.
Apple has a lot of statistics about the screen, but I’d recommend going in and looking at one at a local Apple Store if you can. I expect folks will buy these computers without needing all the processing power but just because they want that screen. It is that good.
I’ve heard from readers who say they won’t buy this machine because of the notch. I disagree. The only reason the notch exists is that they pushed the screen so close to the top edge. It’s been a few days, and I don’t think about it. It is, however, to play hide and seak with the mouse pointer behind the notch. (You can do that.)
The Ports
Nice to have them back. I’ve got the new MacBook Pro hooked up to all my gear. The only dongle is an Ethernet to USB-C adapter.
The SD Card reader is really shallow. If third parties try to make a flush mount USB storage card, they aren’t going to have much real estate to work with.
Heat and Fans
The fans, when they run, are not loud.
So far, I’ve only noticed the fans running when doing long 4K renders.
Battery Life
As with all Apple Silicon Macs, the battery life is excellent. Especially when you consider how much more power this M1 Max chip requires.
I ran it all day yesterday off the battery. That included a full day of work and a bunch of test renders. I made it through the day fine.
I think the M1 Pro/Max chips are being stingy about harnessing all that extra compute power. For most tasks, I expect it’s doing most of the work off the two efficiency cores and turning off the more powerful cores until it genuinely needs them.
Comparison with M1
This is a professional laptop made for heavy lifting. It is shockingly better at big compute projects than the M1 (and the M1 is no slouch).
I can detect no performance difference between this fully loaded expensive MacBook Pro and my M1 MacBook for low-performance tasks like web browsing, writing, email, and the like. I expect that is because (as mentioned above) that work is not taxing and being done on the more power-efficient cores. Put simply, if that is the only type of work you do, the MacBook Air and fully loaded MacBook Pro are going to perform about the same for you.
The screen, however, is much better than the M1 MacBook screens. If that is the selling point for you, get the lowest-priced MacBook Pro (but make sure to get enough storage). If I were not doing so much video work these days, that is what I would have done.
Overall
I love this Mac and the options it gives me. I think Apple nailed the balance between power, efficiency, and battery life in my initial testing and usage. The screen is the biggest surprise for me. I knew it was better but had no idea how much better until I started using it.
When the new MacBook Pros were first announced, it wasn’t clear what kind of SD card reader they would be getting. Ben Lovejoy at 9to5 Mac reports it will be UHS-II, which supports 312 MB/s transfer speeds. There are faster formats, but I felt like the UHS-II standard was table stakes and Apple satisfied that.
So a few days ago I posted my new MacBook Pro spec and explained why I didn’t see the upgrade from M1 Pro to M1 Max as worth the $1,200 price increase for me. Then MPU Forum member MereCivilian pointed out that with my spec the actual difference in price wasn’t $1,200, but $200. (It was actually $400.) I don’ know whether to thank him or curse him.
So I slept on it.
And I woke up realizing that: 1) this will be my primary machine for years; and 2) every time I render a video (which in my case is almost daily), I’ll be reminded of the fact that if I had spent an extra $400 in 2021, it would render twice as fast. I realized that this fact will drive me nuts.
I don’t buy the fanciest cars … but I do like fancy computers. So this morning I got on the phone with Apple support and paid a few extra bucks (and managed to push my ship date back to December) with my new MacBook Pro holding an M1 Max chip. All that stuff I wrote a few days ago about me not needing this particular chip? Never mind.
So I ordered a new MacBook Pro. Here are the specs and my thinking:
16 Inches
Over the last year, I’ve been using an M1 Mac mini and a 13″ MacBook Pro. Throughout that process I’ve learned a few things. First, with the crazy battery life of the M1 machine; it is really nice having a light, portable Mac. Second, the Mac mini is nice, but it would help me if my production machine was portable. What I mean by that is more about moving about the house than out in the world. With the big COVID shake-up hitting our house, I’ve lost my walled-off studio and instead am installed more centrally in the house. Overall, I prefer the change, but sometimes I need to go into a room to podcast or record screencasts. That really isn’t possible with the Mac mini, but a big MacBook Pro would be perfect for this. With the MacBook Pro, I can keep it connected to my big screen, but also disconnect and move with it.
Why 16″ and not 14″? I intend to keep the small M1 MacBook Pro for trips out of the house. This MacBook Pro I’m buying is expensive. I don’t want to be banging it up on the road unless I have a real good reason to take it with me. For non-production tasks, the M1 is perfect, light, and gets crazy battery life. So since I have a light machine for the road, why not the big boy for home? Also, I like big screens.
M1 Pro, not M1 Max
I’ve been getting plenty of production out of the M1. Doubling that will make things even better for me. However, quadrupling it with the M1 Max seemed like overkill for my needs and my budget. I got the stock M1 Pro processor count: 10 cores, 16 graphics cores. For what I make, this computer is going to scream.
I continue to believe that it is hard to get more bang for your buck than by adding memory. With modern Macs, that decision only happens at the time of original purchase. Memory makes everything run better and faster. That being said, if the M1 Pro had the option to go to 64 Gigabytes (it does not), I still probably would have stopped at 32.
Storage – 4 Terabytes
Yup, you read that right. This was the option where I spent the most money. My current data load is right at 2 Terabytes. Moreover, I continue to add more big files and media as I generate videos for MacSparky and the DLR Field Guide. I intend to ramp both of those up even more over the next year. I’m tired of shuffling storage between internal and external drives and decided this was a solvable problem if I’d just throw (a lot of) money at it. So I did. As I spend the next several years filling up 4TB, I’ll try not to think about how much it cost.
Color – Silver
Because I’m sick of space gray.
Using the Apple Trade In Program
A few days before the Apple event, I took my M1 Mac mini, an aging iMac, and a few other bits of Apple gear in the Apple Store. I sold it all back to Apple for about $2,000 in Apple Store gift cards. I could have made more selling the hardware myself, but the whole process with Apple only took 20 minutes and I don’t have to worry about hearing back from some crazy buyer. Either way, I got rid of the extra hardware and was able to get my new MacBook Pro for $2,000 less. The only hang-up was that there was a problem with the Apple Online Store at launch. It couldn’t accept gift cards for the first few hours, setting back my ship date. I tell the entire story on this week’s episode of MPU dropping later today (or tomorrow).
