macbook pro 16,buy now or wait for m1x ?

[ki8aras]

the title says it all, i have tracked down a pretty good deal on a 16 inch MacBook pro with the i9 9980hk for 2500 euros (i9,32gb ram,512ssd,5500m)

should i pull the trigger or wait it out until the new arm version comes out?

i want a macbook over something like a zephyrus g14 because it works better with all my apple gear, granted it will be slower but im willing to trade some performance for better usability(plus i need a webcam)

[jaslion]

I'd wait as well intel is being phased out and would be a waste to buy a 2500€ device that would be left behind sooner rather than later. For sure don't buy the curren m1 as that is a gen1 device and we all know apple loves abandoning those asap.

[pythonmegapixel]

I'd wait for the Arm stuff if you want it to last a while.

That said, if you only anticipate using it for a year or two, there's probably nothing wrong with the Intel one (apart from the ewaste impact)

[ki8aras]

2 minutes ago, jaslion said:

I'd wait as well intel is being phased out and would be a waste to buy a 2500€ device that would be left behind sooner rather than later. For sure don't buy the curren m1 as that is a gen1 device and we all know apple loves abandoning those asap.

my only concern is about windows support, i'll be daily driving mac os but i would like to have the option to boot up some casual games in windows like gta (something that i potentially won't be able to do on an arm device)

[Chris Pratt]

Intel MacBooks are trash. The Intel chips run too hot and require too much power, and Apple has never been willing to compromise their MacBook design to make them run properly. They thermal throttle out of the box. That's why Apple abandoned Intel.

 

Normally, I'd caution not to jump on something so new, but Apple really seems to have hit it out of the park with their M1 chips. That's definitely the way to go.

[Chris Pratt]

4 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

my only concern is about windows support, i'll be daily driving mac os but i would like to have the option to boot up some casual games in windows like gta (something that i potentially won't be able to do on an arm device)

Personally, I'd just get a GeForce Now sub, and play that way. You'll need an internet connection, but your experience will be loads better than trying to game on Mac hardware.

[ki8aras]

2 minutes ago, Chris Pratt said:

Personally, I'd just get a GeForce Now sub, and play that way. You'll need an internet connection, but your experience will be loads better than trying to game on Mac hardware.

i guess i could also use steam in home streaming or moonlight to stream sth from my own pc but thats less than ideal(ive had success in the past getting games to run on wine so that could also be a viable alternative)

[jaslion]

10 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

my only concern is about windows support, i'll be daily driving mac os but i would like to have the option to boot up some casual games in windows like gta (something that i potentially won't be able to do on an arm device)

Keep in mind that in windows that mac cooks itself because of not having apples aggressive underclocking profile applied. So you'll have to make sure you apply one too then if that is even possible on a mac due to apples notorious hardware locking.

 

As the other person suggested geforce now is a great thing too. Basically if you choose mac you have to be ok with the fact that gaming ain really gonna happen and if it does it's with a big asterisk.

[ki8aras]

2 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Keep in mind that in windows that mac cooks itself because of not having apples aggressive underclocking profile applied. So you'll have to make sure you apply one too then if that is even possible on a mac due to apples notorious hardware locking.

 

As the other person suggested geforce now is a great thing too. Basically if you choose mac you have to be ok with the fact that gaming ain really gonna happen and if it does it's with a big asterisk.

yeah im not expecting to do much gaming anyways so im just thinking of it as an afterthought (also the connection speeds here are doodoo water so geforce now is a no mi gusta)

[Chris Pratt]

2 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

i guess i could also use steam in home streaming or moonlight to stream sth from my own pc but thats less than ideal(ive had success in the past getting games to run on wine so that could also be a viable alternative)

I haven't seen anything about Wine running on the M1 yet. Doesn't mean it's not possible or won't work great, but I have my doubts. You're basically emulating an emulator at that point, and while the M1's x86 emulation is frankly fantastic, I'm just not sure it could handle running games like that.

[jaslion]

1 minute ago, Chris Pratt said:

I haven't seen anything about Wine running on the M1 yet. Doesn't mean it's not possible or won't work great, but I have my doubts. You're basically emulating an emulator at that point, and while the M1's x86 emulation is frankly fantastic, I'm just not sure it could handle running games like that.

Keep in mind that there are very much so limits. A lot of drivercalls don't work right now so wouldn't be too suprised that wine would run into a buncha issues.

[jaslion]

As an edit to driver call issues. Macs are known for being made for creative people (digital artists, photographers, music producers,...) but a lot of their hardware just does NOT work. Even basic things like a mixer, midi devices, drawing tablets and the like just DO NOT work at all.

[Chris Pratt]

Are you married to some form of Mac software (Final Cut, etc)? If not, a PC laptop will serve you better in pretty much every regard. Windows is hella better than it used to be, but there's some really good Linux options now that can give you very nearly that "Mac" experience. Linux gaming has come a *long* way as well.

[Darkseth]

5 hours ago, Chris Pratt said:

and Apple has never been willing to compromise their MacBook design to make them run properly. They thermal throttle out of the box.

Because that 2016+ Design was made with Intel's 10nm Chips in mind, with increased efficiency, and lower heat output. Those 10nm never came, even today - except a smaller max 4-Core series. Intel "suddenly" couldn't deliver anything, so Apple was stuck with Intel's 14nm and the new Design.
Apple as a big company simply can't revert the Design back. Either they would admit, Intel fucked up, or they would themself be inconsistent by admitting the "new Design" was a failure. Both ways would lose consumers trust, in either Apple or Intel or both.

 

And to be fair, almost (just a few single exceptions, if even) every single Notebook thermal throttle out of the box. Or even Power-throttle depending on the Model.

 

Apple simply allows the maximum allowed Temperature to let the Device have a) the maximum possible Power squeezed out, and b) having their Fans not run too loud unneccessary.

 

Most other similar Laptops throttle even more, regardless of the Chip hitting 99°C or not.

 

It's still right. I wouldn't get the Intel 16", unless you need/wand MacOS, and you NEED to have Windows running too.

 

Had the 16" for a short while, the area above the Touchbar was HOT AF just because OneDrive was downloading some documents in the background, and battery was on a free fall.

M1 Macbook Pro doesn't care.

That becomes even more clear when you do anything more than read a PDF or videoplayback. Someone i know, his MBP 16" lasts 3 hours while on Zoom.

My M1 Pro lasts 15 hours (i lost 20% in 3 hours), and it's dead silent and as cool as it'd be if it were turned off.

 

These differences are so huge, i'd even get used to a smaller screen.

 

 

So yea, wait for Apple Silicon, or get the M1 Macbooks right now. Don't bother with Intel.

 

You could get the Intel 16" to have WIndows support, however, on your next Upgrade you WILL have to sacrafice that. You would just extend it, and get used to not having Windows at a later time.

[Chris Pratt]

3 hours ago, Darkseth said:

Because that 2016+ Design was made with Intel's 10nm Chips in mind, with increased efficiency, and lower heat output. Those 10nm never came, even today - except a smaller max 4-Core series. Intel "suddenly" couldn't deliver anything, so Apple was stuck with Intel's 14nm and the new Design.
Apple as a big company simply can't revert the Design back. Either they would admit, Intel fucked up, or they would themself be inconsistent by admitting the "new Design" was a failure. Both ways would lose consumers trust, in either Apple or Intel or both.

 

And to be fair, almost (just a few single exceptions, if even) every single Notebook thermal throttle out of the box. Or even Power-throttle depending on the Model.

 

Apple simply allows the maximum allowed Temperature to let the Device have a) the maximum possible Power squeezed out, and b) having their Fans not run too loud unneccessary.

 

Most other similar Laptops throttle even more, regardless of the Chip hitting 99°C or not.

 

It's still right. I wouldn't get the Intel 16", unless you need/wand MacOS, and you NEED to have Windows running too.

 

Had the 16" for a short while, the area above the Touchbar was HOT AF just because OneDrive was downloading some documents in the background, and battery was on a free fall.

M1 Macbook Pro doesn't care.

That becomes even more clear when you do anything more than read a PDF or videoplayback. Someone i know, his MBP 16" lasts 3 hours while on Zoom.

My M1 Pro lasts 15 hours (i lost 20% in 3 hours), and it's dead silent and as cool as it'd be if it were turned off.

 

These differences are so huge, i'd even get used to a smaller screen.

 

 

So yea, wait for Apple Silicon, or get the M1 Macbooks right now. Don't bother with Intel.

 

You could get the Intel 16" to have WIndows support, however, on your next Upgrade you WILL have to sacrafice that. You would just extend it, and get used to not having Windows at a later time.

No offense, but I'm calling BS on that. Intel is publicly traded and while they were more optimistic than they should have been in reporting expected timelines, they were upfront about the timelines slipping every quarter -- because they have to be. Apple, being a huge customer was probably even more aware, or they would have sued the pants off Intel long ago. Apple was just Apple. They do a lot of really great things, but putting form over function is probably what they do best. Admittedly, the design changes that would have had to be made would have been decidedly un-Apple in look and feel, but it was still a choice they made.

[ki8aras]

18 hours ago, Chris Pratt said:

Are you married to some form of Mac software (Final Cut, etc)? If not, a PC laptop will serve you better in pretty much every regard. Windows is hella better than it used to be, but there's some really good Linux options now that can give you very nearly that "Mac" experience. Linux gaming has come a *long* way as well.

im not married to any apple software, i have a dedicated gaming pc to do whatever needs to be done on windows(such as gaming)

i just want a MacBook cuz it works better with my iPad, iPhone and AirPods pros

 

i know i could go get a heavy gaming laptop or a thin n light with ryzen 5000 but thats not that im looking for unfortunately

[Chris Pratt]

3 hours ago, ki8aras said:

im not married to any apple software, i have a dedicated gaming pc to do whatever needs to be done on windows(such as gaming)

i just want a MacBook cuz it works better with my iPad, iPhone and AirPods pros

 

i know i could go get a heavy gaming laptop or a thin n light with ryzen 5000 but thats not that im looking for unfortunately

Fair enough. Just wanted to throw it out there.