Should You Buy a New Mac Right Now or Wait for ARM?
Apple recently announced plans to migrate its Macs from Intel hardware to ARM-based chips that the company will develop itself. However, the move to ARM won’t happen overnight, which means Intel and ARM-based Mac models will be available at the same time. If you’re thinking of a new PC, should you buy an Intel-based Mac now or wait for the ARM models?
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each of these paths.
Why you should buy an Intel-based Mac now
Macs have been using Intel chips for years, but ARM hasn’t been proven.
This video from AppleInsider makes a solidcase for both , but raises serious concerns about early adoption of ARM-based Macs.
In the video, Andrew O’Hara says Apple expects the transition to ARM to take at least two years. We know Apple plans to release a 13-inch MacBook Air and a 13-inch MacBook Pro with the new chips in the coming months, but other ARM Macs won’t arrive until 2021. While these early models are sure to be interesting, even the best devices can go through several iterations before they live up to expectations. And since ARM will make it easier for Apple to update Mac hardware, it’s likely we’ll see at least a few updates in the first few years.
Conversely, many recently released Intel-based Macs and MacBooks have great specs. A Mac release in 2020, 2019, or even 2018 could easily hold out for a few more years – more than enough time for Apple to refine its ARM chips in a few hardware iterations, and for third-party developers to port their apps.
All your applications will work today
Because yes, one of the biggest challenges new Macs with ARM are facing is application compatibility. Also in the video above, AppleInsider reports that a third-party macOS app may not work (or at all) on ARM-based Macs – at least initially.
The Intel Mac, on the other hand, runs all the macOS apps that are out there right now (obviously) and will certainly continue to run for many years to come. Apple has a good track record of supporting legacy products after launch, so its Intel Macs will remain up to date even after Apple moves entirely to ARM.
You can save money on older Intel Macs
Older Macs with Intel chips will still be powerful enough, ZDNet points out , but they will also see prices drop as soon as ARM Macs start showing up, especially from aftermarket retailers. These additional savings could make buying an Intel Mac all the more profitable as Apple gets crazier about ARM.
If you are a Windows user …
The ZDNet video raises another interesting point in favor of using an Intel Mac right now: Windows 10.
Windows 10 drivers are compatible with Intel chips, so they can be easily installed as a second operating system alongside macOS using the Boot Camp utility. An ARM version of Windows 10 exists, but we have no idea if it will work on Apple’s new machines. This could mean that the era of dual-boot Macs is over, or at least put on hold – some experts believe Windows 10 will eventually have to move to ARM if it wants to keep up with macOS , while others think it doesn’t really matter. …
For now, however, we know that at least some of Microsoft’s mainstream applications are being carried over to the new Apple ARM architecture, perhaps Windows 10 will still work on newer Macs. It’s safe to say, however, that this won’t happen on startup, so don’t ditch your Intel Macs if dual-booting is a must.
Why wait for ARM
Best macOS performance
Iyaz Akhtar of CNET raises many of the same concerns as AppleInsider, but his point is a little more enthusiastic: the potential updates that ARM is offering are too good to pass up.
Direct control over the Mac’s chipset means Apple can optimize its apps and macOS to run properly on new ARM hardware – just as it can optimize iOS performance on the iPhone. Akhtar expects even the earliest ARM-based Macs to have better macOS performance, faster apps, and better battery life than Intel Macs have ever been capable of. It also makes it easier for Apple to develop and push new hardware and software updates at a faster pace.
Tighter integration between macOS, iPadOS and iOS
CNET also suggests that application compatibility issues may not be as severe as we expected. Most of Apple’s macOS apps from Apple will run on Mac ARM computers from day one, and major third-party publishers such as Microsoft and Adobe are working to bring many of their programs to work in native mode.
The problem lies with apps from small third-party developers and older software that isn’t updated as often, Akhtar said. Fortunately, Apple is ready for this: Apple not only makes it easier for developers to port apps to macOS, but ARM hardware will allow all iOS and iPadOS apps to run on new Macs, which should fill many of the gaps while users wait for their your favorite programs will receive updates. Computerworld says this means we are likely to see even greater cross-platform compatibility between these devices as the Mac will be able to directly emulate the iPhone and iPad environment from the user’s desktop.
So, should you buy a new Mac now or wait?
I think there are good reasons to buy now and to wait, and it ultimately comes down to whether you feel like early ARM upgrades outweigh the potential growth concerns of the first generation.
Personally, I’m happy to see how Apple’s new ARM Macs work and what new features Apple can unlock now that everything is under the hood, but I’m leaning towards the expectation, especially when it comes to the 13-inch MacBook Model. I think the real innovation will come in later hardware and high-end machines like the Mac Pro.