Has Apple Silicon made you reconsider the Mac platform?

[GoldfishRT]

As I recall the main differentiator between laptop and desktop for the 20 series was primarily just power limits. The 30 series is a return to form from pre-9XX series GPUs where the chips are quite different beyond just power spec. Given how powerhungry the high end stuff is that isn't suprising in the least.

 

[lowendlinux]

COVID has ripped through my house so I've been in jail for almost a month so I've been feeling constricted both digitally and literally. So I set up a new nextcloud instance, transferred emails, contacts, and cloud over and started back as a full time Linux user again. I'm still considering what I'm going to do with my mini when I get back to my work apartment, it boots from an external drive so I may jut unplug it and install Linux on the main hard drive and update the external as updates come.

M1 Macs appeal to me and I may just get one but I'm going to wait a bit and see how things pan out.

 

[LeeW]

Well as I am not going to consider a Mac this year I decided to treat myself to a Synology DS920+ with two 512GB NVMe drives and 4 16TB SATA to rebuild my media library, VM's and backups. Cost a bit more than I expected at a bit over £2k but oh well

 

[c0ppo]

Well as I am not going to consider a Mac this year I decided to treat myself to a Synology DS920+ with two 512GB NVMe drives and 4 16TB SATA to rebuild my media library, VM's and backups. Cost a bit more than I expected at a bit over £2k but oh well

Nice pick. I should know, I own DS920+
I've installed NextCloud on it, and use it as a backup/media device for my phone and wife phone as well. Works like a charm

 

[jeremiah256]

I'm very impressed with the M1 Macs and wish them well, but my main interest is with what that means for the upcoming iPad Pros as that is my computer of choice.

Preferences aside, I do need a 'traditional' computer for take home work and now teleworking, mainly for browser compatibility with company configurations. I could use either a Mac or PC for this, but once in a blue moon, I still need to use a version of Microsoft Excel that I'm confident will allow any Add-In I run across, so that means I have to keep a PC around. Plus, since I'm on Team Slab, I prefer even my 'traditional' computers to be in the tablet form factor, so that (for me) means a Surface device.

I do hope Microsoft has been inspired by the M1 Macs to focus more on the potential of ARM. An M1 level Surface Go 3 would be the perfect companion computer to a iPad Pro.

 

[LeeW]

Nice pick. I should know, I own DS920+
I've installed NextCloud on it, and use it as a backup/media device for my phone and wife phone as well. Works like a charm

I am really pleased with it so far, got my Plex library transferring at the moment, it's the largest element so wanted it out of the way, also going to use NextCloud. Surprised just how easy Synology has become. I dabbled with a 2 drive device many years ago and was not really impressed. This one is miles ahead in the hardware of course but the software also.

 

[c0ppo]

I am really pleased with it so far, got my Plex library transferring at the moment, it's the largest element so wanted it out of the way, also going to use NextCloud. Surprised just how easy Synology has become. I dabbled with a 2 drive device many years ago and was not really impressed. This one is miles ahead in the hardware of course but the software also.

DSM is really easy to use, even with advanced stuff like docker, databases, etc.
I could easily switch from my PC/Thinkpad to macs, but synology is something I simply can't replace at all

 

[xraydoc]

Received my M1 MBA yesterday. I have to admit, it is incredibly responsive. System animations, window resizing, etc., is amazingly smooth. The only way to make my SurfaceBook 2 perform even close is if I set the performance level to highest. Except that instantly made the machine hot as hell and I could basically watch the battery level drop in real time, about 1% per minute or two.

The M1 MBA is a very impressive little machine.

I haven't used macOS much at all in over a year, and I've never used Big Sur, so I'm actually still discovering all the changes since 10.14 (whatever it was called). A lot of controls/system settings have been moved around and the design of many UI elements have changed quite a bit.

 

[utelme]

After years of buy and using Apple products and their lack of support and issues with not being able to service my equipment now that they made their system end-user repair impossible. My Mac Mini and my old 2011 iMac I had to repair from the White Screen of Death AMC GPU chip. I don't see myself going past Mojave with these computers and once they die due to lack of any support I will switch to PC since If I ever want to play games most Mac users do so by emulation or running BootCamp and Windows so why bother just buy a PC gaming computer it's cheaper and better. Apple is full of promises but keeps few and takes them years to upgrade anything. You still can get an inexpensive way to even connect an EGPU since Apple is always fighting with Nividia or someone else and can't deliver the minimum features that PC have had for years. Apple seems more interested in their peripheral line of products and less into the computer division. Always changing OS's Changing Drive formats, changing peripheral IO ports, now with Big Slur it kills pretty much all my software and developers are slow to upgrade and the M1 chips will be years before developers commit to any real game development if any.

 

[Chips Stephens]

I think as a mac user i think the world revolves around Apple...
However, business does not, if I were intel, I would be afraid of amd , more so than Apple, Apple is a pimple on the butt, and annoying ...
amd if it could deliver what is in demand, could really hurt intel.
Even the business sector.
intel got very lucky the last few quarters with this. not sure about the future though.

Another issue, is , I believe the IO, on m1 has issues, and Apple is not that experienced with IO, phones and iPads did not need IO, plenty of threads here with people and issues on M1, and it all relates to IO issues.

also we are assuming all this Apple silicon is just now going to scale up, we truly do not know that yet, adding cores. Adding more memory, adding more video, and all on one chip, will change thermals.it will change power draw...time will tell how that all works out. Even Apple can not change physics.

to me, it’s a bit early to say Apple has a true paradigm shift in the making with M1. I am old enough to remember the Betamax...lol and it was much better than vhs...

M1 is fast. It’s new and exciting, but it does clearly have some issues for a few, and it’s brand new tech, that will take some time, and r&d to get right, right for mass production, and be reliable. A entry level m1 is a bit far from a post production, or large music studio that can not afford random IO issues. Or a bank , or science community.

I do hope m1 starts a new way of thinking and it works, 3nm , less power, great performance.

One issue I hate to see with everything on one die, is apples price gouging on ram, and hard drive space. It’s a money grab Apple has used time, and time , again.
with m1, they completely locked it up, apples way, or the highway.
Pay now, and yes it’s overpriced.
As it’s ALLWAYS been.

I hope right to repair , in 2021 makes a dent in this type behavior.
And makes this type of manufacturing not profitable, this will also cut down on throw away tech...well at least I can dream...
Apple is as guilty here as is John deer, and others, I would like to see this idea die in all industry.
It’s bad for everyone, except the company, or stockholders.
Anyway...

 

[LeeW]

One issue I hate to see with everything on one die, is apples price gouging on ram, and hard drive space. It’s a money grab Apple has used time, and time , again.
with m1, they completely locked it up, apples way, or the highway.
Pay now, and yes it’s overpriced.
As it’s ALLWAYS been.

Indeed, this has always annoyed me with Apple, it's not even the money, I don't mind paying more for more at purchase. I upgraded the Ram in the 2018 MM myself but it's a pain, out of warranty though I would do it myself. But all that is completely gone now. Unless you go for a Mac Pro of course!

I accept it in laptops, I want the thinnest and lightest and that comes at a cost of soldered everything no matter who you buy from.

It will be interesting to see what the Mac Pro Mini brings to the table but it will be costly and if recent reports on design are anything to go by it does look like another expensive non-upgradeable device.

I hope right to repair , in 2021 makes a dent in this type behavior.

Honestly don't see RTR making much progress for many years. And if anything Apple with their own designs right down to the CPU/GPU are going to be in a good position to say only they could repair their own devices.

 

[maflynn]

One issue I hate to see with everything on one die, is apples price gouging on ram, and hard drive space. It’s a money grab

This is something that Apple has done since they produced computers. I remember them under speccing their computers with ram/storage and offering high priced upgrades to that, even back in the PPC days.

I hope right to repair , in 2021 makes a dent in this type behavior.

Right to repair is largely dead. While Apple may not be alone, they've probably gone the furthest to make third party repairs shops unable to really do much and that will only continue as time marches on

 

[LeeW]

anecdotally I have been noticing high levels of friends both personal/professional heading back to Apple in the last couple of months. So many are back using an M1. Mostly MBA it seems as toes are dipped back into the water. With very little in the way of negative outcomes.

The majority appear to be waiting now for the next instalment to decide whether to fully commit but I can say without a doubt that if M1X/M2 or whatever comes next is as good as the M1 then they will fully commit their souls back to Apple.

I say I won't but given just how good the M1 Mac Mini was I honestly can't say I will stay true to my current convictions

 

[lcseds]

I was almost out the door on Apple computers but bought the M1 MBA. Wow, this thing hauls *** and no fan! Cool as all get out. I came from a MBP and this think whips it. I just really don't like 13" screens. I keep about 100 tabs or so open in safari (don't ask, just my thing). The MBP would slow, heat up, etc. Now I have that many plus playing youtube and no hiccup or heat.

I just hate Apple's philosophies when it comes to customers vs shareholders. You know who wins, right? I imagine when the 14" MBP comes out, I'll be throwing down even more money on even more expensive equipment. I will rid myself of my 27" 2020 iMac though and rebuild my windows box.

 

[whiteonline]

I just got a good deal on a second-hand XPS-15 to use for a couple years while Apple shakes out any bugs on the M# and upcoming hardware redesign. Will assess based on how many something-gate issues arise. I bought and returned the pro model. It worked great, but I couldn't work with a 13" display.

I've become less attached to a particular OS in recent years as my applications of choice are cross platform. I hardly ever make use of Apple's integration tricks (handoff, airdrop mobile/desktop, remote camera).

 

[c0ppo]

I've become less attached to a particular OS in recent years as my applications of choice are cross platform. I hardly ever make use of Apple's integration tricks (handoff, airdrop mobile/desktop, remote camera).

I really like those features. But what I like even more is access to file system that android provides. And with kdeconnect I can easily access that via WiFi and transfer files that way.

What I really dislike about androids is gallery/photos apps. iOS does this way better with face recognition, easier to organize albums, etc.

 

[GalileoSeven]

Not really (and I say this having spent 13 years in the Apple ecosystem). Not having a specialized task anymore that could make use of a Mac's particular talents (I used to be into photography for a while) makes general purpose computing easier/more convenient and cost effective on my gaming laptop.

 

[maflynn]

Not having a specialized task anymore that could make use of a Mac's particular talents

In some respects, I guess that's my story. I enjoyed the OS, it certainly has features that I prefer over windows, but for me it lacked what I needed where as Windows did not. The advantages for me are numerous whether we're talking the ability to play games, or that the apps I use run better on windows. I finally came to a seminal moment and asked why am I spending more money on a computer that doesn't work the way I need it too and also I get a better experience with a PC

 

[ghanwani]

I have tried everything - f.lux, color options and etc. It helped very little. Now looking at my retina mbp is fine as of now, but i know that it is false feeling, because my eyes are relaxed after my 17 inch win laptop. I know that as soon as i work on it for 8 hours, it will happen again.
But to tell the truth, i have zero problems when looking at retina while watching full screen movies or playing games. But as soon as i work with text and forums, i have problems. I guess it is too sharp/contrast for me, which is not natural with the way our eyes see the world. The actual world is not so sharp, unless you look at something close in macro mode.

Is this still a problem for you? What resolution are you using? I read a different thread that said scale font may be easier on the eyes.

 

[nickdalzell1]

I'm still rocking a Late 2009 iMac 27. I have a PowerMac G5 but I haven't used it in at least a year. I don't really have a good use for it outside of as a table for my backpack.

I know this is really late but I plan to use my PB G4 as a work laptop--It has Acrobat Reader installed and I want to save all the wiring diagrams and *.PDFs on it as a sort of offline library. Just haven't gotten to it yet.

 

[kazmac]

I like my M1 MBP, but I am circling a Windows machine for work etc. After so many public fails with Windows, I’ve accepted I will probably need something with W10 and that is fine.

Sure, Apple hardware will continue to evolve and improve - but their locked down system and unappealing services are increasingly frustrating to navigate. So I realize I need to be cross platform.

To answer the question posed by the title of this thread, no the M1 has not made me reconsider the Apple platform because the software is moving away from what made Macs so appealing to me for decades now.

@lowendlinux hope you and your family are feeling better.

 

[MBAir2010]

Sure, Apple hardware will continue to evolve and improve - but their locked down system and unappealing services are increasingly frustrating to navigate. So I realize I need to be cross platform

bingo!
yes other computer manufacturers produce laptops that are unserviceable and worse service, but i feel a sense of freedom using the dell xps were i can install a larger ssd drive, any program i need and even a new battery in minutes without ungluing and un-assembling the entire chassis. Every year one of my  devices are deemed unsupportive and get limited in exchanging files or even stops syncing reminders due to some software update from that week that prevents that action.

when i heard about the M1 chip being able to use iPad programs on a MacBook years ago, i was thrilled!
when i realized this theory won't happen in february, i was let down and lost interest investing into a M1 notebook.

Now for those keeping score at home, im still using  as my main tool for my cartoons and entertainment but will start using the Dell XPS more often and try to get into windows 10 more.

 

[ctjack]

Is this still a problem for you? What resolution are you using? I read a different thread that said scale font may be easier on the eyes.

It became a problem again, once i sold my 17 inch win laptop and got M1 Air. Now i can feel again that feeling of strained eyes. But luckily bought external display, which i like better.
I am running scaled 1280*800, turned off true tone and auto brightness. Now i also suspect the wrong posture, because i am using it without a laptop stand.

 

[iluvmacs99]

When Apple announced the M1 macs, I was excited in the hopes that it would run all of my iOS apps albeit on a bigger screen compared to my iPhone. I've actually been virtualizing Android apps via Bluestacks on my Windows 10 PC precisely because it's easier to work on a bigger screen than on the iPhone. The majority of my iOS apps have free Android equivalent; Facebook, Messenger, Discord, etc... So I was excited and while some iOS apps did migrate to the M1, I found that not all will and that was to me a complete let down. At least those that I use mostly. So I'm back to using Bluestacks because what's available on Playstore I can install. What Apple is doing is literally forcing me to go Android from iOS with their locked down system.

 

[mi7chy]

So I'm back to using Bluestacks because what's available on Playstore I can install. What Apple is doing is literally forcing me to go Android from iOS with their locked down system.

Looking forward to ARM Bluestacks on Surface Pro X. They announced it but haven't released it yet. Definitely something Microsoft should take notice and invest in.