As Apple continues eliminating Intel-handicapped Macs from its lineup, replacing them with powerful and efficient Apple Silicon, the company is said to be prepping Macs with super-powered M1 Max chips.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
Apple is entering part three of its end-to-end computer overhaul—a move that includes dumping Intel Corp. chips in favor of Apple Silicon. The transition started in 2020 with M1 versions of the MacBook Pro, Mac mini and MacBook Air. It continued in 2021 with the M1 iMac and, later in the year, with the M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pros.
This year, the transition to Apple Silicon will shift into high gear with several new Mac models based on the following processors:
• A new M2 chip
• Last year’s M1 Pro and M1 Max chips
• Super-powered versions of the M1 MaxThe third round of Mac updates is likely to kick off on March 8, when Apple is planning to hold its first media event of the year. The presentation is likely to focus on the 5G iPhone SE and iPad Air, but I’m told to expect at least one new Mac that day.
MacDailyNews Notke: Here’s what Gurman expects to come this year:
• A new Mac mini with an M1 Pro chip
• A 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 chip, to succeed the 2020 model and sit below the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in the line
• A Mac mini with an M2 chip
• A 24-inch iMac with an M2 chip
• A redesigned MacBook Air with an M2 chip
• A larger iMac Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max chip options
• A half-sized Mac Pro, the first with Apple Silicon, with the equivalent of either two or four M1 Max chips
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I’m not seeing it THAT robust or complicated a lineup, but he’s on the right track for sure.
The iMac Pro and Mac Mini Pro seem likely to adopt the M1 Pro, and maybe the iMac Pro and M1 Max option… I’m not sure Apple has enough buyers for the iMac Pro to provide 2 processor options, thus if they go with only one processor choice, I’d lean it towards with M1 Max…
As for the the M2, the MacBook Air is the top candidate, easily so. It allows a near direct comparison to the current MBA with M1 and what advantages it provides and will provide for the entire lineup as Apple expands the M2 lineup across the board.
The M1 Extreme (Mac Pro Tower), seems to be some dual or quad-core M1 Max-like solution? Interesting. I’m curious to see how they pull it off and with how many cores and graphic cores, etc…
So, do you go for the newest model with an M2 (hoping for longevity) or go for the power of a M1 Pro/Max processor, even though it is an older (but more powerful) processor?
Decisions, decisions…
I think the answer to the {“M1-n vs M2”} question comes down to what Apple telegraphs as the design intent of the M2.
For example, if the M2 is introduced as a leader in low power consumption, then the message is that the M1 sticks around as the ‘power’ fork…
…that is, at least until there’s an M3 introduced in a new Mac Pro which takes on that crown, at which point the M1 is cast as something else … maybe the design compromise between power & efficiency?
And so on. Overall, I think the question that we’re alluding to is if there’s significance to the naming sequence and what it is / what it means. Mostly, this is probably alluding to if there’s a piece which is indicative of a design architecture versus subsequent generational improvements thereof.
For example, for M1, M2 … if the “M” is the architecture (eg, 8088), then M1, M1-Pro, M1-Max, M2 … are indicative of generational improvements thereof. Given how on the iOS side of things Apple has used an A# naming sequence, where the # indicates more advancement, this interpretation seems the most likely.
Where things get more squirrelly is if the number is the architecture, which may make sense since there are now the M1 / M1-Pro / M1-Max variants. However, this approach doesn’t appear to offer that many “generational improvement” naming conventions for future development spirals: I doubt that we’re going to see the “M1-Pro-Plus”, or the “M1-Super-Dooper-Extra-Max_Enhanced” .
“I think the answer”… Well thank you for admitting as in the majority of your posts, simply stated — you don’t KNOW…
It is a horribly common fallacy that newer = better. It just isn’t so. Don’t get sucked into marketing games. Introduction date has very little to do with power or capability. Buy the processor that meets your budget and anticipated needs for the next ~5 years.
There once was a cool chip called M
But was it called he, her or them?
Bond has an M too,
Who tells him what to do
Cook’s Pipeline – it sure is a gem!