How future-proofed in the new MBP?

[lockerc18]

I just ordered a new MackBook Pro with the M1 MAX processor. I know this is overkill for me, but I've gotten tired over the years of always being back-seated by newer and more powerful systems. I'm replacing my 2019 13-inch MBP (8 GB RAM / 512 GB SSD) with a MAX 32 core GPU processor, 32 GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD. I had originally ordered a config with the smaller GPU, SSD, and RAM, but saw that I could get the system a month earlier if I took the more powerful MAX (the MAX MAX?) and larger SSD and RAM which are in the pre-built package. If the custom package would have shipped earlier than December, I would have gotten that and not gotten the larger SSD, RAM, or MAX.

This is a heck of a system. I wanted to get back to a 16-inch display, and I figured that a few extra shekels to get me the system earlier was worth it, especially since this thing is so $$$$ anyway. So, my question is, how future-proofed is this config? I know it's probably impossible to foresee what other new tech things are coming down the road at us. But I find it hard to envision anything that might be "better", however that's defined. The only improvement might be lower pricing as this tech scales up in the marketplace. I don't do gaming, but I do some visualization things that could use the extra power. But, it's still overkill and will probably remain that way for years to come, I figure.

 

[whiteonline]

There is no such thing as “future-proof”.
It’s the best system until the next iteration from Apple comes.

For your use, it sounds way overkill and you will probably upgrade before you need to (like most that participate on these forums).

 

[0128672]

I agree: there's no such thing as future proofing. If you need something different today, get it. Apple will introduce a new version next year and the year after that ... If you can wait, yes, you'll get something faster next year. And no, it likely will not be a lower price.

 

[terminator-jq]

Nothing in tech is future proof… but these new Macs are most definitely far ahead of anything else in their weight class. Also, since we are pretty much smack dab in the middle of this Apple silicon transition (still need: Higher Mac mini, redesigned MacBook Air, larger iMac and Mac Pro) it could be early 2023 before we see a new MacBook Pro.

Specs wise:
- Your CPU can rival a $8,000 Mac Pro and can outrun most Intel and AMD full size desktops…

- Your GPU comes close to an RTX 3080 while using less power and having access to more memory. As Macrumors recently pointed out, the M1 Max can actually run with the PS5 in terms of GPU power and that’s a very powerful system that is not even a year old…

- Your 32gb of RAM will be more than enough for years to come. Especially since Apple silicon seams to use RAM in a different way. There’s MacBook Air owners with 8gb of RAM that can use their system in a way that usually requires 16.

So basically your machine is top notch in terms of graphics and is easily a year ahead or more in CPU power. It may take quite a while for Intel and AMD to put this much power into a laptop and even when they do, it won’t be nearly as efficient.

 

[fyun89]

I think of it this way -- there are two major advancement of this year's MBP:
1. Screen with actual black level (this will probably improve over time but micro LED is better than nothing).
2. Completely new chip that will be the new future for Apple (hopefully for a while).

Above two sets the new MBP a little more "future-proof" than previous gen. I buy technology when there is a significant advancement (e.g. new tech), not just incremental improvement (e.g. faster CPU, more ram).

 

[i9inkers]

There is no such thing as “future-proof”.
It’s the best system until the next iteration from Apple comes.

For your use, it sounds way overkill and you will probably upgrade before you need to (like most that participate on these forums).

Wait, has Apple released something new??? Ok, Credit check——- OK, Wife check ——- OK, Kids fed check ——- OK, 2nd Mortgage check ——- OK.

Apple just give me the best and I couldn’t give a toss if it’s overkill, let’s also do this dance again next year)))

 

[skaertus]

I just ordered a new MackBook Pro with the M1 MAX processor. I know this is overkill for me, but I've gotten tired over the years of always being back-seated by newer and more powerful systems. I'm replacing my 2019 13-inch MBP (8 GB RAM / 512 GB SSD) with a MAX 32 core GPU processor, 32 GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD. I had originally ordered a config with the smaller GPU, SSD, and RAM, but saw that I could get the system a month earlier if I took the more powerful MAX (the MAX MAX?) and larger SSD and RAM which are in the pre-built package. If the custom package would have shipped earlier than December, I would have gotten that and not gotten the larger SSD, RAM, or MAX.

This is a heck of a system. I wanted to get back to a 16-inch display, and I figured that a few extra shekels to get me the system earlier was worth it, especially since this thing is so $$$$ anyway. So, my question is, how future-proofed is this config? I know it's probably impossible to foresee what other new tech things are coming down the road at us. But I find it hard to envision anything that might be "better", however that's defined. The only improvement might be lower pricing as this tech scales up in the marketplace. I don't do gaming, but I do some visualization things that could use the extra power. But, it's still overkill and will probably remain that way for years to come, I figure.

Well, it depends on what you consider future-proof.

If you want to always have the best, there is no such thing as future-proof. Every year, someone may (and will) release a new processor which is better and faster and more efficient. There is no way around it, as the market has worked like this for decades for. Intel and Qualcomm are right now trying to beat Apple, and they may eventually succeed. And, even if they do not, Apple will come out with a new chip (M2/M2 Pro/M2 Max) that will outperform the current generation. Once you have bought your computer, it will only get old and obsolete with time.

Now, if you want a computer that you can comfortably use for the next years, then I think it is pretty much future-proof. It is a huge step up from your latest computer.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

The only future-proofing that can be done today is to assume that tomorrow will require more raw power and capacity than today, so buy as much of it as you can today. What you can't protect against is the introduction of new hardware-based capabilities. All too often, machines become functionally obsolete because of new features (let's take AirDrop as an example) that depend on certain hardware (a particular rev level of Bluetooth) that an older machine doesn't possess.

In the case of Mac, folks keep wondering when Face ID may be implemented. The Face ID hardware brings along a variety of other potential capabilities, like air-gesture computing (which has been a science fiction movie thing for years). Maybe this will happen, maybe not, but all the speed and RAM in the world isn't going to make that happen on a Mac that lacks a True Depth sensor array.

It's also a pretty fair bet that Machine Learning, AR, and AI are going to continue to grow in sophistication and capability. That will almost undoubtedly require additional hardware capabilities.

So, sure, if you expect to be doing the same computing tasks in 6-8 years that you're doing today, using the same software versions, then why not invest in a future-proof machine capable of running those today? But stuff does change. My feeling is, buy what you expect to need for the next 3-4 years. If it turns out you can squeeze more years out of it, great. But expecting a machine, no matter how powerful today, to be able to anticipate 6-8 years worth of computing evolution... not reasonable at all.

 

[tagy]

If getting the computer a month earlier is a deal breaker you probably aren't going to keep it for a long time (5+ years) assuming your current machine hasn't stopped working.

It sounds like you want the new shiny thing, which is fine but probably you will want that again in 1-2 years. In which case you may as well just by the base model or close to it and upgrade every couple of years. No point kidding yourself you are future-proofing and going to keep it for a long time.

 

[Chargr]

This post is a perfect example of why you should not get a high spec machine if you don’t need the power for it. It is a waste of money. 16gb RAM is more than enough for most users for the next 5-7 years. By that time or even before then, I guarantee you will be opening your wallet for Apple’s new 3D touchscreen transformer laptop.

 

[Rck1984]

Personally, I don't believe in future proofing and think it's stupid. I buy what I need right now (or what I need in the very near future) and upgrade my MacBook in 2-3 years.

By then, all sorts of new features and higher specs are out, and you're stuck with your overpriced/overspec'd Macbook (that you never fully utilized) of several years old.

I'd rather save that extra cash for unneeded resources now and spend it later to upgrade again.

 

[lockerc18]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks. I decided to cancel this order and get the M1 Pro package (16GB RAM / 1 TB SSD) which is a better fit for my needs. I'm just not going to do enough graphics or visualization work to justify the higher cost. I think this system will be worlds better than what I have now, and it will be more than I could have conceived of just a few days ago. The MAX MAX was just too much overkill. For me. But what a system it is!

 

[Wahlstrm]

Historically there there has only been one spec that future proof a Mac, RAM.

The poor people who bought any of the the 4GB non-upgradable Macs when they came out,
they basically got a computer that was more or less useless within a year or two regardless of the rest of the specs.
Customers who spent the $99-$199(?) extra for 8GB could probably still be using their machines a decade later.

RAM can still be a good idea to upgrade (if you're already approaching the upper limit),
but the 10% increase in cost for a 500% increase in lifespan don't really happen anymore

We're still along way from 16GB on AS not being enough for most workloads.
Even further away from it not being enough to do basic everyday tasks.
IMHO, unless you know for sure that 16GB won't be enough in the next 2y,
it's probably not worth the money to upgrade.

CPU/GPU upgrades tend to provide very poor ROI when it comes to "future proofing",
a few years from now it won't matter if your CPU/GPU can deliver 50%, 60% or 55% of the latest chips on the market.
It's still in the same category of "old" and "slow" by tomorrows standards.

 

[DHagan4755]

Yeah the better question you need to ask yourself is: What do I really need?

I know people that have blown a wad on tech that is way too much for what they need all in vein of "future proofing."

 

[CooKieMoNs7eR]

Im kind of in the same boat, I’m thinking of getting the base 14 inch mbp to replace my 2014 15 inch mbp….is 16gb ram enough for me for the next 5+ years ?

I mostly just browse the web, watch 4k YouTube videos, use iMessage, check email…..normal everyday stuff, I don’t edit videos or photos or play games (although I might do some light gaming if base gpu can handle it) u guys think I should get the 16 or 32gb memory ?

 

[jerryk]

Let's see.

Can you increase drive storage? No
Can you increase memory? No
Can you upgrade GPU? No
Is it a first-generation SOC? Sort of.
Will Apple obsolete the SOC in 2 years? Likely

Based on this scientific test it is not all that future proof. Buy what you need today, trade/sell in 2 years, and upgrade.

 

[mectojic]

I'd say that any M1 Mac will be future proof for the next 10 years.

For comparison, if your workload hasn't changed much since 2011, then 2011 iMacs should've been just fine to do everything you needed up until now.

Now that Intel support will inevitably drop, having an M1 should keep you set up for the next 10 years.

Computing is at the point where most features are already there. Back from 2001 – 2011, you may have wanted to upgrade because of features like the new iSight camera, a DVD-rom, airport extreme and bluetooth, not to mention the incredibly fast improvements to displays and CPUs back then. But it seems that nothing that drastic is introduced anymore.

 

[lockerc18]

The big reason why I wanted to upgrade from my 2019 13-inch MBP is because I have had a constant battle with both the keyboard and the Trackpad. The recent systems have fixed the butterfly keyboard issues, I believe. But the Trackpad wasn't updated from what I can see. The one I have now drives me nuts. I can't help my palms brushing against it when I type, and that makes the cursor jump all over and I end up with loads of typos as a result. I actually wrote to Tim Cook about this, and he never responded, if you can believe that... But I suggested to him that a setting be implemented to let the user specify dimensions for the active area of the Trackpad, to make it bigger or smaller as desired. I've love a smaller one.

But, along the lines of what jerryk was saying... it would also be good for system lifespan if the user could upgrade components when needed. Suppose I want to install a larger SSD, or just replace a failing one. I can't because it's soldered to the motherboard. Ditto for RAM or the CPU. That's planned obsolescence, in my book.

 

[Loudsilvereel]

I'd say go for it, I'm planning to buy the top 'standard' spec 16" M1 Max with 1TB and 32GB.
It's way way overkill for what I can conceivably use it for today.

But my reference is, my current MacBook Pro is a 15" retina from early 2013. I bought one of the higher end ones with 16gb ram and the 2.7GHz quad core, 512gb SSD which was also overkill for me back then. It lasted a hell of a long time because it had more headroom as software became more demanding. Support for new OS updates stopped 2 years ago, and I've been holding off hoping the rumours of SD card slots, magsafe and HDMI would come true.

 

[lockerc18]

I'd say go for it, I'm planning to buy the top 'standard' spec 16" M1 Max with 1TB and 32GB.
It's way way overkill for what I can conceivably use it for today.

But my reference is, my current MacBook Pro is a 15" retina from early 2013. I bought one of the higher end ones with 16gb ram and the 2.7GHz quad core, 512gb SSD which was also overkill for me back then. It lasted a hell of a long time because it had more headroom as software became more demanding. Support for new OS updates stopped 2 years ago, and I've been holding off hoping the rumours of SD card slots, magsafe and HDMI would come true.

Before I got this 13-incher, I had a 15 inch model. That unfortunately had intermittant issues with the display driver, and the cost of repairing it was high enough that I figured getting a new system made more sense. But that 15 inch system did have 16GB RAM, and I never used it all up. I know the OS will pretty much expand the amount of RAM it uses to however much you have installed, but still, 16GB was probably too much for me. So, I got 8GB in my 13 incher and that seems to have been pretty much OK. I think the new system I'm getting will be OK with 16GB RAM. If I do something that needs more, then it will run slower for a few seconds or minutes, but that would be pretty rare.

 

[DNichter]

Nothing is future proof, but I would suggest buying based on your needs and selling and reinvesting in a new machine every 3-5 years.

 

[winterny]

IMHO, the biggest things apple left off which will be noticeable in 2 years:
1) Lack of Face ID -- it's obviously coming. They clearly put the big notch in now to take the negative press on "why did they put the notch for just the upgraded camera" ... so next time around they can add Face ID and not take any negative press.

2) WiFi 6E. Sure, this isn't common today, but in 2-3 years, it's going to start appearing more and more in hotels, offices, and crowded apartment buildings, etc ... and with congestion as bad as it is in some environments, 802.11ac and WiFi 6 (802.11ax) may start to feel uncomfortable. Also, for high bandwidth use cases, WiFi 6E will likely enable >1Gbps, which already might be useful in certain workflows today.

3) Of course, anyone can say that the CPU and GPU will likely be faster and more efficient in 2 years, but its not clear that apple really could have offered any better this year. I think it's pretty clear that apple offered the best they could in the M1 Max.

4) Nerfed HDMI with 4K/60 max -- why?

As far as ways that Apple 'future proofed':

1) 64GB of ram is likely to be sufficient for most use cases, especially with M1 being more ram efficient than intel for many workloads.
2) 8TB ... even 4TB is likely to be sufficient for most use cases, even 2-3 years from now.
3) The screen, with 1000 nits of brightness and mini-LED backlighting, 10 bit color, and variable frame rate from 24-120hz and P3 color ... it's unlikely anything is goign to obsolete that in the next 5 years.

IMHO, this laptop will be sticking around as a popular device for 5+ years in the professional world.

For me, the #1 nuisance of my 16" i9 MBP with 64GB... As soon as you activate the GPU, or have a task use up even 1 core at 100%, it heats up so much that it sounds like a jet engine. Looking forward to having a much more efficient platform.

 

[Sowelu]

Apple's trade-in program is so easy. I walked into my local Apple Store with my 16" MacBook Pro and walked out with an Apple Gift Card in 5 minutes. Sure, I could've gotten a couple of hundred more if I sold it myself, but the time and hassle that goes into all of that just isn't worth it to me.

So I don't worry about future proofing - I just spec out to what I think I need now knowing I can just trade-up in a year or two. And whatever money I don't recoup isn't wasted since the time spent and enjoyed with the machine I am trading in is what I paid into.

And, if there are no new and compelling features in the next update/refresh that would make me want to upgrade, I will just hold onto my nicely spec'd (but not maxed out) machine. For me, the high end processor, 32GB of RAM and 2TB SSD is the sweet spot for my use.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Apple's trade-in program is so easy. I walked into my local Apple Store with my 16" MacBook Pro and walked out with an Apple Gift Card in 5 minutes. Sure, I could've gotten a couple of hundred more if I sold it myself, but the time and hassle that goes into all of that just isn't worth it to me.

So I don't worry about future proofing - I just spec out to what I think I need now knowing I can just trade-up in a year or two. And whatever money I don't recoup isn't wasted since the time spent and enjoyed with the machine I am trading in is what I paid into.

And, if there are no new and compelling features in the next update/refresh that would make me want to upgrade, I will just hold onto my nicely spec'd (but not maxed out) machine. For me, the high end processor, 32GB of RAM and 2TB SSD is the sweet spot for my use.

Same config as me!

 

[Olv]

I'd be more worried about 'present proof' than future proof. For instance, for film composers: Can these Mac run the plugins you rely on? Will you have to rely on Rosetta for large orchestral libraries, since Native Instruments Kontakt, the Spitfire player, Orchestral Tools Sine and others aren't ready for Apple Silicon yet? Will your dongles and drivers work – has, for instance, iLok been fully ported to AS?

Having said that, the new MBPs are the most future proof Macs that Apple has launched in a long time. Of course there will be improvements, massive even (PCI5 and DDR5 based computers will soon show up), but most computers last a lot monger than people think they do. And, most important: Even if something new and better will be released in a year from now, most of us most likely won't need something better than what the new Macs offer.