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Fomalhaut

macrumors 68000
Oct 6, 2020
1,993
1,724
When I went to the store to decide on the size the day after launch day, I was carrying my usual case with my 2018 15inch (I carry my 12", 13" M1 Pro, or my 15" on various days). That 16 is literally feels heavier than my entire bag with the 15", charger, phone, mouse, a couple of accessories, some papers, and a bunch of random stuff combined.

There is no way anyone who needs to carry it daily can reasonable use the 16". Sooner or later, he/she would regret it and have to go back to something more portable.

The 2018 MBP15 is a surprisingly light 4.02lb / 1.83kg. That's a fair bit less than the 4.8lb / 2.2kg of the MBP16 Max. I expect your bag and the other contents weigh more than 0.8lbs combined though :)
 

Abbas

macrumors regular
Jul 9, 2008
176
48
Dubai
If (lack) of fan noise is important, I'd go for the 16". I had the 16" for a few days and never heard them once, although if I really put my head against the chassis I think I heard them once. Have just done my first Handbrake encode on the 14" this morning and they've come on almost immediately and are very audible.
That's a great observation. Thanks for sharing
 

Deia

macrumors newbie
Oct 23, 2017
9
7
Norway
I am coming from a 2012 MBP 15inch, pre-retina I believe it is. Fantastic computer that still works flawlessly even today.
It is getting dated though, and the screens of these last macbooks that could be customized by the user after purchase are rather bad compared to todays standard.

That being said, I thought the 14" would be the sweet spot for me, as I imagined it'd only be slightly smaller than my current 15" (which is actually 15.4) but boy was i wrong. The thing is tiny compared to it.

80% of my use-case is video/photo editing at a desk/table, so the screen real-estate should have been a no-brainer for me, but for some reason the 14" looked "sexier" on photos, more proportional, if you will.

I did end up ordering the 14", but after having played around with these in the stores a bit after launch, I have changed my mind and I am going with the 16".
It is equal in size, and actually weighs less than my old mbp.
Im not a large chap by any standards, but this thing fits snugly in my lap when I use it on the couch.

When it comes to hooking it up to external monitors, I have tried the M1 Mac Mini for that purpose, but i ended up returning it, as I didnt like the way it felt. I also felt I lost some of the "Apple Magic" when I used 3rd party hardware hooked up to it as well. Don't know why, but hey!

As for specs, I'm being sensible and going for the un-binned M1 Pro with 10 CPU cores, 1TB storage and 16GB Ram. I doubt I'll need more than that in this machines lifetime.
 
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Fomalhaut

macrumors 68000
Oct 6, 2020
1,993
1,724
When it comes to hooking it up to external monitors, I have tried the M1 Mac Mini for that purpose, but i ended up returning it, as I didnt like the way it felt. I also felt I lost some of the "Apple Magic" when I used 3rd party hardware hooked up to it as well. Don't know why, but hey!
That's an interesting observation. What do you mean by "the way it felt"? Considering the only part of the Mini that you really "feel" is the OS, I don't know exactly what you mean...

I have an M1 Mini with Apple Bluetooth keyboard and Trackpad, and think it "feels" great! It's connected to 2 Dell Ultra-fine screens (a 1080p and Quad-HD). It's a super responsive computer that punches well above its weight. On balance I would say it feels considerably faster than my $4000 MBP16, and is without doubt the best bang-for-buck computer that I've ever bought.
 

Deia

macrumors newbie
Oct 23, 2017
9
7
Norway
That's an interesting observation. What do you mean by "the way it felt"? Considering the only part of the Mini that you really "feel" is the OS, I don't know exactly what you mean...

I have an M1 Mini with Apple Bluetooth keyboard and Trackpad, and think it "feels" great! It's connected to 2 Dell Ultra-fine screens (a 1080p and Quad-HD). It's a super responsive computer that punches well above its weight. On balance I would say it feels considerably faster than my $4000 MBP16, and is without doubt the best bang-for-buck computer that I've ever bought.

I'll try :)

I bought it to use as my main editing rig, going from the 2012 MBP (as it's plenty powerful for my final cut usage), and I hooked it up to my PC monitors with their alternative outputs.
I also hooked it up via bluetooth to my Razer Leviathan (soundbar, not 100% on the name) and I experienced massive lag in audio playback while editing on that thing. Audio jack is already occupied by PC, hence why the bluetooth.

My monitor setup is 1 vertical 1 horizontal, but for some reason MacOS just would not remember this setting, and I had to keep manually adjusting monitor to 270 degree rotation for it to show correctly. Became annoying after a few months.

I use apple magic touchpad and keyboard, so no issue there, although bluetooth connecting it to my PC and my Mac didnt work flawlessly as I had to plug it in to my mac after using it on the PC for it to connect. When I switched back to PC, I had to remove the keyboard from the bluetooth list and pair it again.
Just "non-seamless" stuff like this that made it more of a hassle than a joy to use.

The final straw was when I edited a video on a tight time-schedule, and Final Cut crashed and sound files (effects) stopped showing wav-forms and playing audio when placing them in Final Cut, even though they worked in Finder.

I then returned it and finished editing on my MBP 2012, which always just works.

That's what I want from apple, flip the screen and everything just works. This setup just didnt work for me. I'm sure other people enjoy it with great success, and thats superb for them. It just did not work for me.
 

pshifrin

macrumors 6502a
Mar 14, 2010
519
387
Back story: My first computer was an Apple IIgs in 6th grade (12 inch CRT with 4096 colors, take that pro motion!) then years of PCs until about 2011 when I had a succession of 15 inch macbook pros, including some touch bar models until 2019. I am a one person IT department inside a company, so I have to do everything from support, to coding, to video editing and photoshop, VMs, you name it. I also get the “new” laptop sometimes when an employee needs an upgrade, i pass my current one down to them.

In November 2020 I had surgery and then was one of those 0.01% chance statistics with a life threatening complication that left me in recovering in bed for 2 months and unable to lift anything. The day after the surgery also happened to be launch day of the M1 so my wife kindly went to the Apple Store for me and grabbed a launch day 13 M1 / 16gb / 1tb. I literally was in bed with that computer for 2 months and I missed the 15/16 screen size but that started to slowly wane, especially as I started to gently move around again. At the office, when I was able to go in, I have an LG Ultrafine 4k 23.7.

For 2021, we had a new employee start about a month ago so I gave her my 13 M1 and worked on a mac mini m1 / iPad pro combo for a month knowing what was coming. I ordered a 16 max and received it on launch day because in my head I was like “remember how you missed the larger screen size?” and like many others my reaction was holy crap this thing is fast but oh no, it’s “too big and heavy.”

So, off to the Apple Store I went and after strategically checking the online stock checkers got literally the 2nd to last, in either color, available 14max model available in all of the entire NYC metro area stores. I am SO happy with the perfect combination of screen size, weight and portability. To compensate for the price differential on the in-store upgraded 14 (Max 32/64gb/2tb) I traded in a bunch of old iPhones around the office not used anymore which more than made up the difference.

For me, physically, holding the 16 in one hand, in the open position to move it somewhere while holding something else say a coffee actually hurts while the 14 does not. While jumping around the office for meetings, the 14 is ideal, for travel the 14 is ideal and the speed of this thing is just insane. When at my desk, it charges quickly and maintains 100% charge on the LG Ultrafine 4k which outputs 85w. Remembering back to that dark void of PC years, I mostly used 14 inch IBM thinkpads and I always thought 14 seemed like the perfect size, so i’m back!
 
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Fthree

macrumors 65816
Mar 14, 2014
1,313
506
What config did you end up with? Seeing some dribbling into stores. :)
Base 16 1tb model. I have speccd up a few in the past but honestly I don’t think I’ve ever put them through their paces enough to justify and I figure with how strong the original M1 is this will be just fine
 
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Fthree

macrumors 65816
Mar 14, 2014
1,313
506
What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? He stated the M1 Air does everything he needs. He bought the Pro basically for a larger display. A $2k outlay for a larger display. A Lamborghini is "way more powerful" than a Toyota Corolla as well, but if you never go past 35 mph...who cares?

My point was that Apple clearly isn't interested in making a larger display on a lower model, and this is exactly why. They extract $1,500-2,000 extra from people by forcing them into a Pro when they don't need it. Why would they offer a 15" Air for a lower price?
What you are saying is reasonable but look at how much monitors can go for that are in this class. I think the thousand dollars or so is probably worth it if that’s what you’re after
 

trismeplz

macrumors newbie
May 24, 2009
29
11
I have a M1 pro 14 inch and love every bit of it but the fans do ramp up and is quite noticeable… for me that is a concern and probably is what is tempting me to get the 16….
 

pjfan

macrumors regular
May 24, 2009
165
32
Columbus OH
Going from 2019 16" to 14". After setting my applications up and moving data over, I'm 100% keeping it. Keyboard, screen, total portability, and battery life are all much improved. Escaping some odd GPU issues w/ the 2019 was the real driver for testing the waters with this upgrade. Overall, satisfied.

To be critical, I have to say - I'm surprised the thickness of the 14" and overall shape of the laptop along with the feet when attempting to slip it into a Waterford bag. Guess I was liking the rounded edges and trend of the retina years more than I realized. This 14" doesn't feel as luxurious to me this round -- however, it's hefty and will probably hold up better than the products before it.
 
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HardBall

macrumors regular
Jan 10, 2006
234
88
The 2018 MBP15 is a surprisingly light 4.02lb / 1.83kg. That's a fair bit less than the 4.8lb / 2.2kg of the MBP16 Max. I expect your bag and the other contents weigh more than 0.8lbs combined though :)

Yeah, not sure what the exac6 weight of all the stuff is. The new 16 just feels like filled with lead or something, completely intractable to carry in one hand, unlike the 15 inch.
 

cardfan

macrumors 601
Mar 23, 2012
4,431
5,627
Coming from a 2015 13”mbp to a 2019 16 mpb. With 14 and only 200 difference I feel like I’m not getting a good value. I’m used to 16 and so not really affected by weight or portable issues.

Plus apple seems to value a 16 at 1.5x the 14. Why would apple care be 149 a year for 16 and just 99 a year for 14 when there’s only a 200 difference in price?

I could see getting a 14 if the price difference was on par with the AppleCare difference.

If you spec both these up to max, 64gb, and 2 tb, then the 14 is 4099 while the 16 is 4299. I say this because that’s the 14 that was available for me. It’s not a keeper for me given I’d much rather have that 16 instead. If that 14 was around 3-3.2k it could be a different story.

Whatever the case the 14 goes back and undecided on what 16 I want. At this point it’s probably whatever pops up and I’ll just check stock periodically.
 

TimothyJohn

macrumors regular
Mar 30, 2013
179
108
Md.
I would never allow myself to do this. You're spending close to $2k with tax more than an Air costs simply to get a bigger screen, even though the M1 Air does everything you need it to do. This is exactly why Apple will NEVER produce a 15" Air model.
It doesn't do everything I need it to. The processor can handle the sessions, but the lack of ports makes it impossible to use, other than for editing. I tried two different hubs, but You just can't get past the limitations of the 2 t-bolt I was confused as to why Apple put sufficient ports on the mini, but not the MacBook Pro. I need to connect an audio interface, which needs a dedicated T-port. Magsafe acts as a failsafe. If power runs down, I do not need to disconnect anything. Hubs advertise pass through power, but using the Air, I was compromised. Hubs are a compromise in terms of heat, power draw and bus speed. I need one of the t-ports for iLok. And one more for UAD Processing. If I choose to record without UAD going in, I can use the third t-bolt for midi interfaces. That leaves an SD card for my camera, but also to store samples. I used my 17" for years. Very satisfied. One ethernet, firewire 800, one T-2, and three usb-2's, not to mention an express card which was adaptable. To go from that flexibility to two t-bolts, with one needed for charging? The M1 Air is an incredible machine. Put the same chip in a 15" laptop, with the same ports as the Mini, and I would have purchased. 13" just doesn't cut it. !5" would have been a compromise. Interesting thing is that I just saw a thermal comparison between the 14" and the 16". And as you'd expect, the 14" runs hotter with increased fan noise.
What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? He stated the M1 Air does everything he needs. He bought the Pro basically for a larger display. A $2k outlay for a larger display. A Lamborghini is "way more powerful" than a Toyota Corolla as well, but if you never go past 35 mph...who cares?

My point was that Apple clearly isn't interested in making a larger display on a lower model, and this is exactly why. They extract $1,500-2,000 extra from people by forcing them into a Pro when they don't need it. Why would they offer a 15" Air for a lower price?
If (lack) of fan noise is important, I'd go for the 16". I had the 16" for a few days and never heard them once, although if I really put my head against the chassis I think I heard them once. Have just done my first Handbrake encode on the 14" this morning and they've come on almost immediately and are very audible - i.e. Intel MacBook levels.

Worth clarifying that the chassis doesn't seem to get hot like the Intel Macs do. I seem to remember the 16" did get slightly warm, so is it possible that part of the cooling approach on the larger machine is to make less use of fans and more use of the chassis to dissipate heat?
As more info comes out, there is a clear choice. 14” does NOT suffer performance drops. If you need ease of portability, definitely go with the 14”. You will NOT see a performance drop. However, you WILL experience increased heat, fan noise, and less battery life. Consider the fact that it will still far exceed the Intel variants.

On the other hand, if heat, fan noise and battery life are more important issues than ease of portability; then hands down; the 16” is the choice. And keep in mind, the 16” is nearly two pounds lighter than the 17” i7, and has virtually the same dimensions as the 2014 15”.

One more thing to note. The SSD on the 16” is faster.

Check out this comparison.
14” and 16” unbinned M1Pro.
 

3Rock

macrumors 6502a
Aug 25, 2021
733
799
Beat me too it! Anyways, great video as always. Credit to these brothers. Well, don't know about you guys, but I am Ecstatic I'm chose the 16". I'm upgrading my 2019 16 to the 2021 16.
Same here. I went back-and-forth and ordered a 16 first then canceled, than ordered the 14“ , than canceled again and went back to a 16 inch. Well this has been a roller coaster ride for me but I’m glad I purchase the 16”
 
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TimothyJohn

macrumors regular
Mar 30, 2013
179
108
Md.
Same here. I went back-and-forth and ordered a 16 first then canceled, than ordered the 14“ , than canceled again and went back to a 16 inch. Well this has been a roller coaster ride for me but I’m glad I purchase the 16”
I put this review on another post. Comparing the 14” and 16” unbinned M1Pro, the 16” runs much cooler, quieter, and with significantly more battery life. Mine comes Monday!!
32gb ram. 2tb SSD.
 
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Ron21

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2007
953
708
16" :)

This is with a bunch of apps open, Safari, Youtube video playing, external 4k monitor etc.. My previous 2018 15" Intel would constantly have the fans spinning and making a lot of noise in this exact same setup.
 

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kp98077

macrumors 601
Oct 26, 2010
4,312
2,764
Whistler, BC
What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? He stated the M1 Air does everything he needs. He bought the Pro basically for a larger display. A $2k outlay for a larger display. A Lamborghini is "way more powerful" than a Toyota Corolla as well, but if you never go past 35 mph...who cares?

My point was that Apple clearly isn't interested in making a larger display on a lower model, and this is exactly why. They extract $1,500-2,000 extra from people by forcing them into a Pro when they don't need it. Why would they offer a 15" Air for a lower price?
well, I am just saying the new 16 obviously does much more than the Air! I have both and trust me, the new 16 does much, more, including to, better graphics, better screen, way faster, nicer keyboard, it goes on an on. These two machines are for totally different folks!
 

kp98077

macrumors 601
Oct 26, 2010
4,312
2,764
Whistler, BC
I agonized over the 14 and 16 for the last four days. I bought them both to try out and went back and forth. For me, I ended up pulling the trigger on the 16.

I don't think the weight is really that big of a deal. I'm surprised so many are acting like it's a behemoth. Heavier than the 14? Sure. But we're still talking 1.5 pounds. Biggest adjustment is the physical footprint. The 14 is a great machine. But I wanted the bigger screen and battery. I can move about the house. On the occasions I do have to travel, it's still a portable machine. And I have a 12.9 iPad Pro.

If you do travel often or are a student who brings their laptops to class, I do think the 14 is a better use case. But for me, my home machine that provides some portability with that screen and battery life, the 16 is an easy choice.
yeah I feel the same sure its heavier but only by a point or so.... not that noticeable! and clearly worth what you get!
 
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