Comparing Transitions (PowerPC to Intel and Intel to Apple Silicon) In Terms of Changed Macs

[Yebubbleman]

I'm not too sure what the point of this is, except to analytically compare the two processor architecture transitions in terms of their effect on the Mac product line:

PowerPC to Intel Transition:

iMac G5 (17-inch, iSight) --> iMac (Early 2006, 17-inch) with Core Duo (No significant exterior changes other than proprietary video port; no name or size change)

iMac G5 (20-inch, iSight) --> iMac (Early 2006, 20-inch) with Core Duo (No significant exterior changes other than proprietary video port; no name or size change)

PowerBook G4 (15-inch, Double-Layer SD) --> MacBook Pro (15-inch) with Core Duo (FireWire 800 and SVIDEO ports dropped; thinner chassis; webcam and IR sensor added; name change; design otherwise the same or similar to immediate predecessor product)

PowerBook G4 (17-inch, Double-Layer SD) --> MacBook Pro (17-inch) with Core Duo (SVIDEO ports dropped; webcam and IR sensor added; name change; design otherwise the same or similar to immediate predecessor product)

Mac mini (G4) --> Mac mini with Core Solo or Core Duo (two USB ports added; audio output port added; IR sensor added; design otherwise the same or similar to immediate predecessor product)

iBook G4 (12-inch, Mid 2005) --> MacBook (13-inch) (Significant Redesign/Whole New Product; similar port layout to 12" PowerBook G4)

iBook G4 (12-inch, Mid 2005) --> MacBook (13-inch) (Significant Redesign/Whole New Product; similar port layout to 12" PowerBook G4)

PowerBook G4 (12-inch, 1.5GHz) --> MacBook (13-inch) (Significant Redesign/Whole New Product; similar port layout to 12" PowerBook G4)

eMac (2005) (G4) --> Discontinued/replaced with EDU variant of 17" iMac with Core Duo (and no discrete GPU)

Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) --> Mac Pro (Significant overhaul to exterior connectivity and completely redesigned interior; accommodation for second optical disc drive; overall exterior design unchanged from immediate predecessor product despite everything else being completely changed)


Intel to Apple Silicon Transition:

MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) --> MacBook Air (M1, 2020) (No significant exterior changes other than a different function key; fan replaced by thermal spreader/heatsink; same general logic board shape/design)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) --> MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) (no significant exterior changes other than a different function key; same general internals, improved sound and mics, but no real significant design changes)

Mac mini (2018) --> Mac mini (M1, 2020) (Two fewer Thunderbolt 3 ports, chassis reverted to silver from space gray color; internal design significantly different due to way smaller main logic board; overall exterior design unchanged since 2010)

iMac (21.5-inch, 2017) and iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) --> iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) (Entirely different product, similar in name only; lower-end model drastically sparing in terms of port selection; mid-high range trade four USB-A and one SD-card slot for two USB-C ports; Gigabit Ethernet moved to power brick on mid and high end models and is optional on low-end model; color options return, but many options are reserved for mid-high end)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) --> MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) (Entirely different Mac, similar in name only; port selection drastically changed, performance and capability relative to other Macs in the lineup completely changed; smaller version of 16-inch MacBook Pro rather than beefier version of lower-end MacBook Pro and MacBook Air; no longer a lower-end Mac)

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) --> MacBook Pro (16-inch 2021) (Redesigned Mac, Port selection and exterior design and port selection drastically changed in line with 13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports model to 14-inch, 2021 model; similar in function within the lineup relative to predecessor product)

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) --> Mac Studio (2022) +/- Apple Studio Display (Entirely different product; lower-end models [with M1 Max] designed to be priced similarly to be similar to predecessor product when purchased with Apple Studio Display; otherwise, entirely different product intended to serve same markets; port selection intended to be similar to 27-inch iMac and iMac Pro)

iMac Pro (2017) --> Discontinued (Maybe intended to be replaced by M1 Ultra configurations of Mac Studio?) (If the M1 Ultra [+/- The Apple Studio Display] Mac Studio is Apple's unofficial replacement to the iMac Pro, then it's really not a bad one, seeing as it's similarly equipped relative to the rest of the lineup, has similar connectivity and upgradability relative to the iMac Pro, while, like the iMac Pro, being second only to the Mac Pro)

Mac Pro (2019) --> ???? (This one will be interesting, to say the least!)


Certainly, there have been more redesigned products in the Intel to Apple Silicon transition than in the PowerPC to Intel transition. I think most of those transitions have been largely demanded (higher-end 13"/14" MacBook Pro and 16" MacBook Pro; but also in the complete product change with the 27-inch iMac to an actual desktop that sits in between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro) and, while some of the changes irk or otherwise annoy me (MacBook Pro notch, I'm looking at you!), the Mac product lineup is definitely headed in a good direction relative to what it was prior to this transition.

 

[MacsRgr8]

I also am not too sure on the point of this ?, but I do have to say what an excellent comparison!

I remember back in the PPC -> Intel days that many Apple-fans hated Intel (I remember here on MacRumors the post "threw up in my mouth a bit"), and Apple understood that there would be some negative feedback on the switch.
Remember the "toasting Intel chip" commercials?

For Apple it was important to claim that the Mac didn't change with the PPC -> Intel move... So, the exterior and "soul" (Mac OS X) should stay the same as much as possible to help underline this.

Now with the Intel -> Silicon move, Apple can ditch that need "to keep things look the same" (far less negative negative emotions) and try to show that the move also helps make the Mac be a better computer in the whole.
They do love the old Mac mini design it seems.

 

[gradi]

And do you recall the Motorola 68k to PowerPC transition?

 

[Basic75]

some of the changes irk or otherwise annoy me (MacBook Pro notch, I'm looking at you!)

The notch would have annoyed me if it vertically ate into the display, but since the opposite is true, the otherwise unused space left and right of the camera was added to the display making it slightly taller than the usual 16:10, I'm quite ok with it and really happy with the dedicated space for the menu bar.

 

[robco74]

And do you recall the Motorola 68k to PowerPC transition?

Yes, the first gen PPC was pretty boring. Quadra 610 to PowerMac 6100. Quadra 650 to PowerMac7100, Quadra 800 to PowerMac 8100. The first gen retained SIMM modules and NuBus slots so users could transfer them from their 68k Macs. With the next gen, Apple introduced DIMM models and PCI expansion. IIRC, there was an early PowerBook G3 built from the 3400c chassis (the only one that couldn't boot OS X), but it didn't sell very many units.

There were some new 68K Macs that could accept PPC upgrades, like the Quadra 640. It took a while after Steve returned to standardize on the Pro/Consumer and laptop/desktop simplification of the product line.

 

[MacsRgr8]

Ah yes... Sweet memories... I (well.. my Dad actually.. I played around with it) used to own a Power Mac 6100 with DOS card.
Those were the days.. lol... an ugly Mac, running System 7.6, and switching to running DOS / Windows 3.11 on an ugly monitor.

How far we've come from there..!

 

[Yebubbleman]

And do you recall the Motorola 68k to PowerPC transition?

I'll be honest; I didn't start tuning into Apple land until the advent of the Power Mac G4 and shortly before the first PowerBook G4. I've always wanted to go back and catch up on that history as I'm sure it's at least as interesting of a transition as the more recent two (three, if you count Classic/Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X). Certainly if you or anyone else reading this comment knows of a particularly recommended clip or article that covers what happened, I'd love to check it out!

 

[Yebubbleman]

I also am not too sure on the point of this ?, but I do have to say what an excellent comparison!

I remember back in the PPC -> Intel days that many Apple-fans hated Intel (I remember here on MacRumors the post "threw up in my mouth a bit"), and Apple understood that there would be some negative feedback on the switch.
Remember the "toasting Intel chip" commercials?

For Apple it was important to claim that the Mac didn't change with the PPC -> Intel move... So, the exterior and "soul" (Mac OS X) should stay the same as much as possible to help underline this.

Now with the Intel -> Silicon move, Apple can ditch that need "to keep things look the same" (far less negative negative emotions) and try to show that the move also helps make the Mac be a better computer in the whole.
They do love the old Mac mini design it seems.

I think your analysis of Apple's reasoning for fewer external redesigns back then compared to now is probably spot on. Apple was greatly limited by x86 in ways that they aren't in their own implementation of arm64 and certainly, they were being pressured to improve upon both the MacBook Pros and iMacs in ways that weren't as feasible with Intel and AMD/NVIDIA/Intel.

 

[Pugly]

It's interesting that MacBook Air is keeping the same design for so long despite these other new Mac models, but they used the intel transition to introduce the MacBook as an exciting new design.

It makes me think this MacBook Air design was built from day 1 for Apple Silicon, and that transition just took a little longer than expected and so it was stuck with these weird Intel cpus.

Personally, the Intel transition got me into Macs. I was thinking of switching, but now the Apple Silicon transition is keeping me onboard. I'll never get one, but the Mac Studio is a pretty clear statement of intent about the Mac. One that's much more inline with what I want to do with a Mac than the thin and overpriced Touch Bar nonsense they were selling 5 years ago.