October 18th 2021 Apple Event: M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pros

[CaseySJ]

Even The Verge loves this thing although this is not a review. I think the base model might have been more than enough, but still no regrets.

From Brian Tong's video:

From Rene Ritchie's video:

From Dave2D's video:

 

[etorix]

Technical analysis of M1 Max by Andrei Frumusanu:

Apple's M1 Pro, M1 Max SoCs Investigated: New Performance and Efficiency Heights

www.anandtech.com

Highlights:
"The chips here aren’t only able to outclass any competitor laptop design, but also competes against the best desktop systems out there, you’d have to bring out server-class hardware to get ahead of the M1 Max – it’s just generally absurd."
The M1 Max CPU cannot actually use its full memory bandwidth, and the reviewer has not yet identified a GPU workload which would fully use it. Outside of ProRes video editing, most users should be fine with the M1 Pro.
But you get what you pay for: Generally, GPU wise, M1 Pro performs as 2*M1 and M1 Max performs as 2*M1 Pro or 4*M1—very nice scaling.

Edit Clarified that scaling is for the GPU. The M1 Pro CPU has not been as extensively tested, but is expected to come close to that of the M1 Max, due to the limited bandwidth.

 

[bombardier10]

So you're saying Adobe isn't going to optimize any of their apps for Apple Silicon?

It is not very profitable optimize software for 5% customers ( Adobe have to provide support for the M1 also cost money. But apps price is the same for PC and Mac. So thats the problem. For example Adobe Premiere/Art Effects have a lot of plugins (done by other companies) . For these users this is more important than even power CPU/GPU. Apple creates its own "ecosytem" . Use only our hardware use only our software. A lot of professionals left apple macs or stay with intel version.

 

[pastrychef]

It is not very profitable optimize software for 5% customers ( Adobe have to provide support for the M1 also cost money. But apps price is the same for PC and Mac. So thats the problem. For example Adobe Premiere/Art Effects have a lot of plugins (done by other companies) . For these users this is more important than even power CPU/GPU. Apple creates its own "ecosytem" . Use only our hardware use only our software. A lot of professionals left apple macs or stay with intel version.

By this logic, they should have just dropped Mac support when Apple had less than 10% of the total PC market.

I don't know what kind of pros you know, but the ones I know wouldn't be caught dead with anything other than a Mac.

 

[mm2margaret]

RE: Adobe on M1. Adobe said at their recent event (which I attended) that they have optimized some of their software for the M1 platform. Clearly Premiere has been. After Effects, they are working on it. I'm almost positive that Photoshop has been or is very close. Might need the betas, but I've found the betas to be very good and very stable.

 

[trs96]

Here's a good M1 Pro review for content creators. Matthew thinks that the Pro rather than the Max SoC is best choice for most people that don't have crazy demanding workflows with video, photos or audio.

 

[dehjomz]

Pics or it didn't happen!!


Do you feel as if the stock 14" with 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU (the $2499 model) would have been sufficient or perhaps more than sufficient?

I think the stock 10-core CPU +16-core GPU would be more than sufficient for most people.

Apple went wild on the GPU but it's curious that they didn't add more than just 10 cores (8P + 2E). Perhaps they thought AMD/Intel are somewhat behind so why go any further for now? Maybe they're waiting on TSMC's 4nm to add more cores, while taking advantage of the power savings of the new node?

Regarding a pic: here you go good sir!

 

[CaseySJ]

I think the stock 10-core CPU +16-core GPU would be more than sufficient for most people.

Apple went wild on the GPU but it's curious that they didn't add more than just 10 cores (8P + 2E). Perhaps they thought AMD/Intel are somewhat behind so why go any further for now? Maybe they're waiting on TSMC's 4nm to add more cores, while taking advantage of the power savings of the new node?

Regarding a pic: here you go good sir!

After @trs96 posted the video just above your post, I had a flashback to that scene from Star Wars the Phantom Menace where Obi-Wan says to someone in the bar, "You need to rethink your life." More specifically, maybe I need to rethink my MacBook Pro configuration.

 

[trs96]

More specifically, maybe I need to rethink my MacBook Pro configuration.

Doesn't Apple give you a 30 day return Window ? You could test it out (M1 Max) with your workflow and see if it really is overkill. I know it could delay getting the config you want but it's always nice to do the hands on testing yourself.

 

[CaseySJ]

Doesn't Apple give you a 30 day return Window ? You could test it out (M1 Max) with your workflow and see if it really is overkill. I know it could delay getting the config you want but it's always nice to do the hands on testing yourself.

My thinking on this is evolving minute by minute! Current state of mind:

• The custom 14" is "preparing to ship" so it cannot be canceled. That is okay. I can always return it unopened and replace it with stock 14" with 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU.
• My mobile computing needs are not as intensive as my desktop computing needs.
• If 14" MacBook Pro serves both desktop and mobile needs (it can be docked and can support multiple monitors), the higher spec is justified.
• Otherwise the alternative could be:
  • Stock 14" for mobile needs
  • Wait for small form factor Mac Pro or Apple Silicon 27" iMac to fill the desktop role