Apple release strategy is just plain flawed

[Rychiar]

I'm in the market for a Mac Studio but I can't bring myself to buy an M2 Max studio knowing the m3 max chip is already in a laptop. this release cycle they have is definitely frustrating to professionals wanting to drop a lot on a machine to last for years.

 

[Gloor]

No it hasn't, get some reality check. Same thing happened in January. It was dropped to laptops first and then at WWDC it was to studio.

Also same thing with M1 so this is still the same as before.

I'm in the market for a Mac Studio but I can't bring myself to buy an M2 Max studio knowing the m3 max chip is already in a laptop. this release cycle they have is definitely frustrating to professionals wanting to drop a lot on a machine to last for years.

 

[Gloor]

I'm also waiting for M3 Studio as I need RT but I know that I can't expect it before spring the earliest.

 

[Pressure]

I would expect the Mac Studio and Mac Pro to get the M3 treatment around March 2024 at the latest as Apple did with the M1 series in 2021.

 

[jz0309]

I'm in the market for a Mac Studio but I can't bring myself to buy an M2 Max studio knowing the m3 max chip is already in a laptop. this release cycle they have is definitely frustrating to professionals wanting to drop a lot on a machine to last for years.

if that frustrates you, what when they'll announce the M4 series 6 months after they release the M3 Max Studio?
Buy what you need when you need it ...

 

[crsh1976]

No it hasn't, get some reality check. Same thing happened in January. It was dropped to laptops first and then at WWDC it was to studio.

Also same thing with M1 so this is still the same as before.

I think they mean that given the M3 Max benchmarch numbers being so good (it could rival/beat the M2 Ultra - which was introduced only last June), not making the Studio available with M3 Max/Ultra at the same time.

The M2 update of the Studio was only last June, it is a little weird.

Best case scenario is to wait for Apple to update the Mac Studio, if postponing the purchase is possible.

 

[KenkoPa]

I'm in the market for a Mac Studio but I can't bring myself to buy an M2 Max studio knowing the m3 max chip is already in a laptop. this release cycle they have is definitely frustrating to professionals wanting to drop a lot on a machine to last for years.

I think Apple was forced to ship out the M3 Pro & M3 Max with the M3 because of

- Snapdragon X Elite announced in Hawaii a week before Apple's Halloween event
- Intel Meteor Lake next month
- AMD Zen 5 next year

Windows users should be thankful for Apple for ditching Intel in 2020. If they did not then you'd likely be stuck on 14nm Intel chips until today.

That tech node is now more than 9 years old.

It also embolden 2024 Windows 12 on ARM as Apple showed a viable alternative to x86 chips.

PCs have been dominated by the AMD-Intel duopoly for nearly half a century.

By 2028, on the 50th anniversary of x86, that duopoly should be broken with Android ARM chips that runs on Windows 12.

 

[Gloor]

Yeah, thats my thinking too as Apple had around 6 months between M1+2 to studio

I would expect the Mac Studio and Mac Pro to get the M3 treatment around March 2024 at the latest as Apple did with the M1 series in 2021.

 

[Gloor]

Its always like this with tech. I remember the time when GPUs would be increasing the performance drastically every 6 monhts. (those times are gone but you get the idea).

We could either ask Apple to not innovate (stupid) or we just get on with the idea that we buy the product we need when we need. Simple as that.
Pace of innovation shouldn't be dictated by customers not happy that their recent machine is beaten by a new one.

I think they mean that given the M3 Max benchmarch numbers being so good (it could rival/beat the M2 Ultra - which was introduced only last June), not making the Studio available with M3 Max/Ultra at the same time.

The M2 update of the Studio was only last June, it is a little weird.

Best case scenario is to wait for Apple to update the Mac Studio, if postponing the purchase is possible.

 

[Kelly Jones]

I'm in the market for a Mac Studio but I can't bring myself to buy an M2 Max studio knowing the m3 max chip is already in a laptop. this release cycle they have is definitely frustrating to professionals wanting to drop a lot on a machine to last for years.

In the case with the m3 max, perhaps the year over year jump from m2 max to m3 max is larger than normal because of how Apple has provisioned the performance cores in the m3 max compared to the m2 max. It's possible that the year over year jump from m3 max to m4 max will be more incremental compared to this year's jump. If you believe that to be the case, you might want to wait until spring or summer next year for the Mac Studio with m3 max. On the other hand, if you can't wait and you need a new computer now, then you'll have to accept that there will be some buyer's remorse if you buy the current Mac Studio. Through all of this though, any computer that you buy now that meets your needs will likely be just as useful three or four years down the road until you get to the point where it isn't. My point is that buyer's remorse can largely be avoided if you think in terms of the computer being a tool to meet your needs rather than being a need (or want) itself.

 

[Rychiar]

Its always like this with tech. I remember the time when GPUs would be increasing the performance drastically every 6 monhts. (those times are gone but you get the idea).

We could either ask Apple to not innovate (stupid) or we just get on with the idea that we buy the product we need when we need. Simple as that.
Pace of innovation shouldn't be dictated by customers not happy that their recent machine is beaten by a new one.

I don’t mind yearly updates but when the new chip is available less than 6 month after the studios release it’s not a great feeling. As it is now i‘ll just wait til whenever the m3 studio is ready but I don’t want to wait lol

 

[Gloor]

I don’t mind yearly updates but when the new chip is available less than 6 month after the studios release it’s not a great feeling. As it is now i‘ll just wait til whenever the m3 studio is ready but I don’t want to wait lol

then get the macbook pro with m3 max and use it in the meantime if your work really needs it.
if you don't really need it then control your lust for a new thing. simple as that

 

[magbarn]

3nm's rumored poor yields are likely a significant factor. Larger chips usually have worse yields also. The M3 Max is the most backordered, and the Ultra needs 2 good dies at once!

Apple sells many more laptops than desktops too, so mobile gets the priority now.

 

[JPack]

People that need a Mac Studio, buy one when they need one. Studio is an 18 month old product. Day one adopters bought one already.

The Osborne effect is much less with high powered desktop computers. People buying these need one for work, so they're not going to time it.

 

[Zaydax333]

Apple doesn't want to update the lineup without having the M3 Ultra Chip ready to go. Which historically take longer to come to market due tot he increased die size and complexity. Otherwise It would look weird with M3 Max and M2 Ultra in the same product.

The Macbook Airs didn't get updated because apple just dropped an M2 15 inch in June.

On the other hand it's really weird the Mac Mini line didn't get updated.

 

[klasma]

I think what's unfortunate is that the Studio will have a somewhat shorter lifetime relative to its release date than the MacBooks, because macOS support will be dropped for both at the same time in the future. Arguably, desktop computers should be longer-lived than laptops, due to battery degradation in the latter, for one.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I'm in the market for a Mac Studio but I can't bring myself to buy an M2 Max studio knowing the m3 max chip is already in a laptop. this release cycle they have is definitely frustrating to professionals wanting to drop a lot on a machine to last for years.

It was even worse last year. I wanted an M2 Studio but Apple took so long I finally had to get an M2 MBP Max with 96 GB RAM instead and I am using it as a desktop replacement box. It works fine but it is not what I wanted there.

This year I can see why the M3 Studio would be delayed if it is (hopefully) all waiting on a spiffy new M3 Mac pro incarnation. But last year the Mac Pro M2 was fairly meh, so IMO we should have had Studio sooner. My Studio purchase opportunity has passed, so this year I am just a curious observer.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

I know it's frustrating to wait but Apple has been doing things this way for decades, effectively artificially spreading out hardware releases to maximise hype even though the internals are mostly the same.

One thing I'd say though is if you're planning on buying a Max powered Mac Studio then think long and hard about instead buying a MacBook Pro with a Max chip instead. I bought an M1 Ultra Mac Studio and suffered real buyers regret after a while and am now upgrading to a MacBook Pro with M3 Max. For as long as I can remember, I've always had a big powerful desktop machine. First it was PCs then Mac Pro then Hackintosh then Mac Pro again. The whole time, I'd often have a low power laptop for on the go. So that's what I was going for.

When I got my Mac Studio, I was absolutely blown away by the power. Apple Silicon was such a huge leap in performance. But then I came to realise that the Ultra may have been overkill for my needs and a Max would have been a huge leap in performance on its own. With that came the realisation that I could have had all that power while being able to be portable if I had just gone with a MacBook Pro instead. Being tethered to a desk was something I was always willing to live with when the performance was leaps and bounds over what you could get in a laptop. A decade ago, there wasn't even a comparison. But things are different now. Hence, I've decided to bite the bullet and switch to a MacBook Pro. It's obviously more expensive, especially as I've decided to upgrade the SSD over what my Studio has. I'll be using it as a desktop for 95% of the time. I've got a thunderbolt dock and an under-desk laptop mount ready to go. Being able to take my full normal work computer with me out of the office 5% of the time is just something that I've come to realise I really *really* want.

I had similar frustrations when the M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pros came out because I'd been chomping at the bit to upgrade to an Apple Silicon machine but felt I needed to wait for a suitable desktop machine. I was wrong though and should have just got an M1 Max MacBook Pro when they were released. It took me a lot of money to realise that (at least it's a business expense) so I thought I'd share my experience here in case it helps someone else come to the same realisation without having to spend the money to learn!

 

[Gloor]

Completely disagree with this. If something is used 95% of the time as a desktop machine then there is no reason to waste money.
Absolutely pointless advice. There are much better solutions and with Mac Studio being such a super small package its very portable in case you need to go elsewhere. I doubt one is working on the go with when the primary usage (95%) is desktop.

I would rather find solution for the remaining 5% than to stupidly by more expensive solution just to cater to those 5%. Silly silly advice.

I know it's frustrating to wait but Apple has been doing things this way for decades, effectively artificially spreading out hardware releases to maximise hype even though the internals are mostly the same.

One thing I'd say though is if you're planning on buying a Max powered Mac Studio then think long and hard about instead buying a MacBook Pro with a Max chip instead. I bought an M1 Ultra Mac Studio and suffered real buyers regret after a while and am now upgrading to a MacBook Pro with M3 Max. For as long as I can remember, I've always had a big powerful desktop machine. First it was PCs then Mac Pro then Hackintosh then Mac Pro again. The whole time, I'd often have a low power laptop for on the go. So that's what I was going for.

When I got my Mac Studio, I was absolutely blown away by the power. Apple Silicon was such a huge leap in performance. But then I came to realise that the Ultra may have been overkill for my needs and a Max would have been a huge leap in performance on its own. With that came the realisation that I could have had all that power while being able to be portable if I had just gone with a MacBook Pro instead. Being tethered to a desk was something I was always willing to live with when the performance was leaps and bounds over what you could get in a laptop. A decade ago, there wasn't even a comparison. But things are different now. Hence, I've decided to bite the bullet and switch to a MacBook Pro. It's obviously more expensive, especially as I've decided to upgrade the SSD over what my Studio has. I'll be using it as a desktop for 95% of the time. I've got a thunderbolt dock and an under-desk laptop mount ready to go. Being able to take my full normal work computer with me out of the office 5% of the time is just something that I've come to realise I really *really* want.

I had similar frustrations when the M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pros came out because I'd been chomping at the bit to upgrade to an Apple Silicon machine but felt I needed to wait for a suitable desktop machine. I was wrong though and should have just got an M1 Max MacBook Pro when they were released. It took me a lot of money to realise that (at least it's a business expense) so I thought I'd share my experience here in case it helps someone else come to the same realisation without having to spend the money to learn!

 

[Chuckeee]

I still believe that the whole release strategy is just about Christmas. Christmas is Apple’s biggest selling season just like lots of other electronics suppliers. New product for Christmas all ways mean extra sales, review articles before the holidays is just free advertising. January releases (like last year) is just a dumb waste.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Completely disagree with this. If something is used 95% of the time as a desktop machine then there is no reason to waste money.
Absolutely pointless advice. There are much better solutions and with Mac Studio being such a super small package its very portable in case you need to go elsewhere. I doubt one is working on the go with when the primary usage (95%) is desktop.

I would rather find solution for the remaining 5% than to stupidly by more expensive solution just to cater to those 5%. Silly silly advice.

It's really not silly advice when you need your main machine to do work. There is no equal solution for the 5% of the time, or even close to it. I've got an older MacBook Pro that I can use for some things mid 2015 15.4" model and every time I go to use it, the batteries are drained, it starts trying to sync stuff when I turn it on as I haven't used it in a while and it can't do several things like run the VMs I have on my main machine. That 5% of the time covers things like needing to finish something off work wise while watching the kids at the end of the day, something I can't do right now. Or being able to do certain important work things when away on holiday that I can only do with my main computer. Hell, when we went abroad earlier this year, I had to take my Mac Studio with me as well as my mouse, keyboard and a portable display I bought specific for the purpose of that trip. All because I had to do a couple of important work tasks that didn't take long but had to be done on certain days. I've tried previously to remote in but that is too unreliable, particularly when on holiday where internet can be unpredictable.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I know it's frustrating to wait but Apple has been doing things this way for decades, effectively artificially spreading out hardware releases to maximise hype even though the internals are mostly the same.

One thing I'd say though is if you're planning on buying a Max powered Mac Studio then think long and hard about instead buying a MacBook Pro with a Max chip instead. I bought an M1 Ultra Mac Studio and suffered real buyers regret after a while and am now upgrading to a MacBook Pro with M3 Max. For as long as I can remember, I've always had a big powerful desktop machine. First it was PCs then Mac Pro then Hackintosh then Mac Pro again. The whole time, I'd often have a low power laptop for on the go. So that's what I was going for.

When I got my Mac Studio, I was absolutely blown away by the power. Apple Silicon was such a huge leap in performance. But then I came to realise that the Ultra may have been overkill for my needs and a Max would have been a huge leap in performance on its own. With that came the realisation that I could have had all that power while being able to be portable if I had just gone with a MacBook Pro instead. Being tethered to a desk was something I was always willing to live with when the performance was leaps and bounds over what you could get in a laptop. A decade ago, there wasn't even a comparison. But things are different now. Hence, I've decided to bite the bullet and switch to a MacBook Pro. It's obviously more expensive, especially as I've decided to upgrade the SSD over what my Studio has. I'll be using it as a desktop for 95% of the time. I've got a thunderbolt dock and an under-desk laptop mount ready to go. Being able to take my full normal work computer with me out of the office 5% of the time is just something that I've come to realise I really *really* want.

I had similar frustrations when the M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pros came out because I'd been chomping at the bit to upgrade to an Apple Silicon machine but felt I needed to wait for a suitable desktop machine. I was wrong though and should have just got an M1 Max MacBook Pro when they were released. It took me a lot of money to realise that (at least it's a business expense) so I thought I'd share my experience here in case it helps someone else come to the same realisation without having to spend the money to learn!

"Being able to take my full normal work computer with me out of the office 5% of the time is just something that I've come to realise I really *really* want."

I concur and have been doing so since the 17" 2011 MBP, now with an M2 Max MBP. Except it is something I really *really* needed. With today's OS versions and the Cloud I find I can make do without having the same box in the field, so at some point I will probably have MBP + Studio just to save on plugging/unplugging all the time.

 

[JustAnExpat]

I think what's unfortunate is that the Studio will have a somewhat shorter lifetime relative to its release date than the MacBooks, because macOS support will be dropped for both at the same time in the future.

Source on this?

 

[k2director]

Completely disagree with this. If something is used 95% of the time as a desktop machine then there is no reason to waste money.
Absolutely pointless advice. There are much better solutions and with Mac Studio being such a super small package its very portable in case you need to go elsewhere. I doubt one is working on the go with when the primary usage (95%) is desktop.

I would rather find solution for the remaining 5% than to stupidly by more expensive solution just to cater to those 5%. Silly silly advice.

Hey, you can completely disagree with someone’s comment without being rude about it ( calling it “Absolutely pointless advice”, “silly silly advice”). Really, it’s just unnecessarily hostile, and it lowers the general atmosphere of the forum.

 

[k2director]

I know it's frustrating to wait but Apple has been doing things this way for decades, effectively artificially spreading out hardware releases to maximise hype even though the internals are mostly the same.

One thing I'd say though is if you're planning on buying a Max powered Mac Studio then think long and hard about instead buying a MacBook Pro with a Max chip instead. I bought an M1 Ultra Mac Studio and suffered real buyers regret after a while and am now upgrading to a MacBook Pro with M3 Max. For as long as I can remember, I've always had a big powerful desktop machine. First it was PCs then Mac Pro then Hackintosh then Mac Pro again. The whole time, I'd often have a low power laptop for on the go. So that's what I was going for.

When I got my Mac Studio, I was absolutely blown away by the power. Apple Silicon was such a huge leap in performance. But then I came to realise that the Ultra may have been overkill for my needs and a Max would have been a huge leap in performance on its own. With that came the realisation that I could have had all that power while being able to be portable if I had just gone with a MacBook Pro instead. Being tethered to a desk was something I was always willing to live with when the performance was leaps and bounds over what you could get in a laptop. A decade ago, there wasn't even a comparison. But things are different now. Hence, I've decided to bite the bullet and switch to a MacBook Pro. It's obviously more expensive, especially as I've decided to upgrade the SSD over what my Studio has. I'll be using it as a desktop for 95% of the time. I've got a thunderbolt dock and an under-desk laptop mount ready to go. Being able to take my full normal work computer with me out of the office 5% of the time is just something that I've come to realise I really *really* want.

I had similar frustrations when the M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pros came out because I'd been chomping at the bit to upgrade to an Apple Silicon machine but felt I needed to wait for a suitable desktop machine. I was wrong though and should have just got an M1 Max MacBook Pro when they were released. It took me a lot of money to realise that (at least it's a business expense) so I thought I'd share my experience here in case it helps someone else come to the same realisation without having to spend the money to learn!

Thanks for the detailed post. I’m struggling with the same issue: laptop or desktop. I’m usually at my desk, but when I DO need to take my computer with me, it’s nice to have the full experience. Decisions, decisions…