You Don’t Need a New MacBook Pro
So, you want to buy a new laptop. It just so happens that Apple recently released two brand new computers – the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros – with a fast M1 Pro chip, return of MagSafe charging, large mini LED displays, and other exciting new features. But before you say “this one please” and hand over your money to Apple, consider whether you really don’t need a new MacBook Pro.
Of course, “You don’t need a new MacBook Pro” is something I and many others probably repeat to myself, since our current machines do not require any upgrades at this time. If you find yourself in a similar situation, know that we are not considering this article, no matter how tempting we find Apple M1 Pro machines. I’m talking to a man whose old laptop no longer cuts it, and he is reviewing one of Apple’s new MacBook Pros. To this person, I say, you are probably better off buying another computer. That’s why.
Apple really means “Pro” with its MacBook Pro this year.
The “Pro” name is what Apple wore to death; almost every Apple product now has a Pro variant, but it rarely lives up to the name. In the world, Apple Pro usually means more features, more expensive. For example, you don’t need to be a professional to buy an iPad Pro; Even though it comes with an improved display and an M1 chip, the overall iPadOS experience is largely the same whether you own an iPad Pro, iPad Air, or even a basic iPad model.
Even the MacBook Pros of the past have gone too far with the Pro name. Of course, the higher-spec MacBook Pro was designed for professionals, especially those looking for extra graphics power and increased productivity. However, you wouldn’t buy a base model MacBook Pro for someone in this area; instead, you’d buy one of these laptops to get a couple of extra ports, access to faster internals, and a slightly brighter display.
However, this year Apple has dedicated itself to the “Pro” name. These MacBook Pros come with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, Apple’s successors to its impressive M1 chip. In short, these components become more complex , delivering significant gains in computational performance and dramatic improvements in graphics power. There is no doubt that anyone working in video, gaming, animation, or other graphically intensive areas will find these chips to live up to the ‘Pro’ promise.
If you belong to this audience, then, of course, the new MacBook Pro is a wise decision. However, for the rest of us – those who don’t use our computers for graphics intensive work – the harsh truth is that we don’t need these machines.
Apple’s Mac M1 continues to impress
When Apple released the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini M1 last year, it shocked the entire market. The M1 delivers power and efficiency never seen before in consumer computers, so it’s easy to recommend it to just about anyone.
Apple’s latest computers may outperform Apple’s silicon chips, again redefining our expectations for the power and efficiency of laptops, but that doesn’t mean the M1 is less impressive. I write about technology, so I’m always tempted by the latest and greatest Apple has to offer. But I write that it practically does not require any computing power. The biggest pressure on my Mac comes when I have too many tabs open.
My M1 Mac is more than capable of handling whatever I throw at it; I study and write while listening to music from Apple Music, switch to Slack from time to time and send emails. In my spare time, I watch YouTube, Netflix or HBO Max, browse Reddit, and use Messages to keep in touch with my friends. I doubt I use my Mac to any extent, so doing my job on the MacBook M1 Pro would be a waste. I suppose the same can be said for many who read this post.
While we will have to wait for the devices to be shipped to testers before we know how the M1 Pro, M1 Max and M1 chips compare in real life, we now have enough data to know that the M1 is already overkill for many of those who uses It. The MacBook Air M1 can do its own video editing in Final Cut Pro, not to mention the delivery of your emails.
New MacBook Pros are expensive
With that argument in mind, consider Apple’s pricing for the following MacBook Pros. The 14-inch model starts at $ 1999 and the 16-inch starts at $ 2499. $ 2,000 for a laptop is a huge expense and shouldn’t be wasted lightly.
Let’s take a look at the difference between a 14-inch MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air. The Air starts at $ 999, which is exactly $ 1,000 less than Apple’s new laptop. Of course, any changes to Air will bring prices closer together; upgrading to an 8-core GPU pushes the price up to $ 1,249, while 16GB of RAM will cost an additional $ 200. However, if you buy a high-powered MacBook Air, you will save $ 550 by not buying a MacBook Pro.
You can apply the same logic to the M1 MacBook Pro, M1 iMac, and M1 Mac mini versus the newer MacBook Pros, all with different savings. If you already own an external display, the M1 Mac mini is the best value for money. It starts at $ 699 and the $ 1,099 price tag for the 16GB RAM and 512GB model is nothing compared to the MacBook Pro M1 Pro.
In the end, however, you will always save money by choosing the M1. While Apple is giving the new MacBook Pro larger educational discounts than previous Macs, it’s not enough to close the gap of more than $ 250 in any comparable configuration. Standing apart is the 8-core iMac M1, which costs between $ 50 and $ 100 compared to the 14-inch MacBook Pro when upgrading storage and RAM.
In all fairness, there are more features to consider here than just professional-grade internals; The new MacBook Pro has several options that everyone will love: an HDMI port; SD card slot; MagSafe charging ( why did Apple remove this at all); super-bright, high-contrast display with high refresh rate; and an improved FaceTime camera are just a few of the changes that improve the everyday use and usefulness of the new MacBook Pros.
The question is, what price do you charge for these features? How much would you pay to have a magnetically charged MacBook again? Would you spend an extra $ 550 if it meant your display was bigger and brighter? Could you live with a laptop without an SD card reader if that meant you could afford an iPad mini bundled with it?
There are personal answers to these questions; if you have money to burn and would rather have all these fun features, then go for it! But for most consumers – those who just want a reliable Apple laptop for work and personal use – their money is probably best spent on an M1 Mac.