Future of the 13" MacBook Pro

[Akela_A]

Selling both a 13" and 14" Pro seems very odd to me. Just on case materials alone it would probably be cheaper in the long run to transition the whole thing to 14". I certainly do hope they bring the 4-port into AS otherwise there will be a lot of complaining.

The new iPad Air has a slightly smaller screen then the iPad Pro despite sharing essentially the same body, so I think the situation is probably a bit more complex then just shared components = lower build costs. So it wouldn't surprise me too much if Apple continues to use a 13" screen for the low end Pro, at least for the next refresh cycle or two.

Anyway, in regards about the current Macbook line-up being "complicated": I think people still tend to obsess too much over Steve Job's original "Consumer vs Pro" Mac strategy, ignoring that it was produced at a time when Macs were significantly less popular then they are today and Apple desperately needed to streamline their product line-up seeing as they were on the verge of bankruptcy just a few years prior. Today it makes a ton of sense for Apple to have a product for basically every possible major size and price point, simply because of how many more potential buyers are out there. It's why the iPhone has gone from a single yearly device to a line-up of 5 different devices.

 

[Zazoh]

Today it makes a ton of sense for Apple to have a product for basically every possible major size and price point, simply because of how many more potential buyers are out there. It's why the iPhone has gone from a single yearly device to a line-up of 5 different devices.

Yes, if those devices are different like the phones are. If they are not, then folks come to the forums to help them decide on what to buy because they can’t make a decision. Then when they buy, they continue to question those decisions.

Phones are more clear cut, form factor, and how many cameras you want, 1, 2, or 3? We don’t obsess over cores, ports, and RAM on the phones. I think it would serve Apple well to do same with the MacBook line, and then have a true Pro category that stars at $3k and you select all your components.

I don’t go to Cheesecake Factory because I can’t decide on the over 150 menu items.

 

[Nrwrit3r]

Selling both a 13" and 14" Pro seems very odd to me. Just on case materials alone it would probably be cheaper in the long run to transition the whole thing to 14". I certainly do hope they bring the 4-port into AS otherwise there will be a lot of complaining.

If the MBA stays 13”, then they might be able to reuse components for that purpose. Though not sure since the casing is different

 

[Yebubbleman]

That depends on how you use it. If you're trying to split screen a MB12, then I fully agree, however multi touch gestures make rapid window swapping easy enough, and provide an alternative to split screening. For single task use on a 12" screen, I wouldn't give an edge to either OS. Also important is the robust file management and 3rd party app support that MacOS boasts.

Robust file management is definitely something the Mac has in spades over the iPad. However, hand me a 12" MacBook and tell me that I need to do a lot of file management tasks, I will eventually get tired of it being so small. For short bursts of productivity or watching video on an airline tray-table, I'll grant that it has utility. But as a daily driver? As a machine to get more than 5-10 minute sittings of work done? No thanks. Will happily take an iPad Pro over it any day of the week.

That's exactly what will happen IMO. It's been rumored that's what will happen and my money is on those rumors.

My timeline (only my opinion):

The 14" M1X will be released April~July 2021. The current 13" M1 2 port may be kept around until 2022 as a low tier option. I highly doubt the 13" will see another upgrade. Then in 2022 the 14" will come in a 2 port and 4 port variation.

Why does there even need to be BOTH a 2-port 14" AND a 4-port 14"? The reasons for there being both on the Intel 13" MacBook Pro side of things was directly related to power draw and thermal envelope differences between the two, and the reason for the 2-port 13" MacBook Pro having made the jump to Apple Silicon directly relates to the fact that the M1 doesn't seem to be able to provide more than two Thunderbolt ports or 16GB of RAM (features that are not an issue for the current Intel 4-port model). Once Apple closes the gap here, what's the need for an Air, a 2-port smaller sized Pro (13" or 14") and a 4-port smaller sized Pro (13" or 14")?

Hell, the performance gap between the Air and the 2-port 13" Pro is narrower than it has been since the Air split off into those two products.

I doubt they release a two port version of the 14 next year, but it's possible I guess.

The 16 will release same time as the 14. Prices will possibly be 100 dollars more than Intel counterparts due to new design.

Internals don't really concern me as whatever the release in 14 and 16 is gonna be rockin'. I'm just going to buy the lowest tier 16 with 16G Ram and 1TB HD. I'm hoping 16G Ram will be the base, but we all know that's not going to happen.

I do agree that the 14" will launch alongside the redesigned 16". I could picture 16GB being the minimum on the 16" machine and whatever higher-end machine replaces the current 4-port 13" MacBook Pro. I'm not the most sure about pricing. I feel like they'll keep it the same as before (despite the fact that their own SoCs will be cheaper than Intel's, give or take AMD's graphics as well.

I think Apple (and us, its customers) would be well-served with just 3 models:

MBA 13
MBP 13 (to be discontinued in favour of MBP 14 base model)
MBP 14, 2 ports
MBP 14, 4 ports
MBP 16

You list five models there. Even factoring in your parenthetical, that still leaves four. I agree that there ought to just be three models. Though, again, I'm still not sure why there needs to be a 2-port and a 4-port 14" MacBook Pro at that point. It would almost make more sense to further differentiate between the 2 models of 14" MacBook Pro (and maybe keep the 2-port version as a 13"), than it does to have a similar split as there was in the Intel era. Though, I feel like the 2-port 13" Pro could've just been renamed "MacBook" to make it more similar to the early Intel era version of the "MacBook" (in terms of being a good balance between the lighter Airs and the heftier and more performant Pros), though, I suppose the marketing opportunity to have "MacBook Pro" be one of the first migrated products to Apple Silicon, even if it was the weakest of the three Mac models that bear that name.

 

[smoking monkey]

Why does there even need to be BOTH a 2-port 14" AND a 4-port 14"?

I think because the 13 had that variation. A low tier and premium tier. History tells us they'll more than likely do it, but I guess we'll find out next year! Or maybe not. They may not release a 14" 2 port until 2022 when they phase out the 13 2 port. I don't see them keeping both 13 and 14 around due to manufacturing costs. Of course this is all conjecture!

I do agree that the 14" will launch alongside the redesigned 16". I could picture 16GB being the minimum on the 16" machine and whatever higher-end machine replaces the current 4-port 13" MacBook Pro.

I know the current 16" starts with 16G ram so history is def on your side, but I got a sneaky feeling that they might start with 8 due to the new M chip and how it functions more efficiently. I hope you're right though!

I think with the new design and Mini LED they'll see it as an opportunity to put the price up. And because of all the fantastic reviews so far and the fact these new machines will be killers, people won't care about an extra 100 bucks. They will fly off the shelves. Get your orders in at midnight! And if they are the same price... wow, better get a time machine.

You list five models there.

I think the Poster may have meant in terms of models Air, 14 and 16. The 2 and 4 port 14 counts as one model. That's the most likely scenario that I see as well.

Feels great to be excited about an Apple Computer Release again though.

 

[deeddawg]

I know the current 16" starts with 16G ram so history is def on your side, but I got a sneaky feeling that they might start with 8 due to the new M chip and how it functions more efficiently. I hope you're right though!

Four-port MBP models have had 16GB base RAM for a while now. it's the two-port models which have the 8GB base RAM.

The MBP16 is a four-port model, so it came with 16GB.

I'd anticipate the same differentiator would be used when an Apple Silicon four-port MBP model is released.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I think because the 13 had that variation. A low tier and premium tier. History tells us they'll more than likely do it, but I guess we'll find out next year! Or maybe not. They may not release a 14" 2 port until 2022 when they phase out the 13 2 port. I don't see them keeping both 13 and 14 around due to manufacturing costs. Of course this is all conjecture!

For sure. It seems like they'd be better served by having one single model with varying configurations at different price points than to have two discretely different models as has been the way for 13" MacBook Pros since the 2011-2017 Air effectively transformed into the 2-port 13" Pro.

Certainly, I could see a 13" Pro 2-port and 14" 4-port if they wanted to really maintain there being two different models (plus, it'd be a MUCH clearer distinction). But keeping the disparity so similar post-Intel seems needless.

I know the current 16" starts with 16G ram so history is def on your side, but I got a sneaky feeling that they might start with 8 due to the new M chip and how it functions more efficiently. I hope you're right though!

I think Apple knows what we're all thinking in terms of the M1. I think they tipped their hand a little too much with the Mac mini launch (as, if they limited it to the Air and 2-port 13" Pro, it wouldn't be as obvious that they're limited on ports and maximum RAM capacity and not just matching options from those machines' direct Intel predecessors).

Apple knows that crap won't fly on higher-end models (and I think that's why we didn't see the 24" iMac launch last month; also why the M1 Mac mini didn't completely replace the 2018 Intel 8th Gen based Mac mini).

I think the Poster may have meant in terms of models Air, 14 and 16. The 2 and 4 port 14 counts as one model. That's the most likely scenario that I see as well.

Except they're technically two different models. If you check tech specs on support.apple.com or on MacTracker, EveryMac, and any other site, they're separate models with separate identifiers and everything. Different parts and chassis too. I could see Apple minimizing differences here, but it would likely still be two different models on the Apple Silicon side of things too.

Feels great to be excited about an Apple Computer Release again though.

Seriously! I'm not in the market for more than the current Air (as most of my Mac needs die off with the end of the Intel era). But I'm definitely vicariously excited for everyone else!