Is it really worth it to upgrade from 2019 16" macbook pro to M1 Pro?

[MrGimper]

The one is the beast! It'll be running fine for the majority of the tasks. I'd keep the once as long as possible and as long as latest available macOS will support app requirements.

Tbh I’ll probably keep it until it’s made redundant by macOS not having any intel architecture baked in, and it becomes my replacement iMac.

If they stop supporting it but there are still macOS updates that support Intel, then I'll probably OCLP it too

 

[bigjnyc]

~$700 to upgrade from intel to M1 is a no-brainer imo. Do it!

I looked on the website for my local microcenter but didn't see any macbook refurbs available. I also have the 2019 16" MBP and I would strongly consider this.

 

[CalMin]

I had a 2016 MacBook Pro that I ditched for the 16" 2019 MacBook Pro to get rid of the butterfly keyboard risk. I thought the 2019 would be my MacBook for years to come, but as soon as they announced Apple silicon, I realized I had goofed.

I traded my 2019 MacBook Pro for a M1 Pro as soon as they were released. It's one of the best upgrades I've ever had in computing.

The M1 pro is now two years old and I continue to be blown away by just how capable and computer this is needs. It handles everything that I can throw at it with total ease. It's powerful, it's quiet, it runs cool. The screen is fantastic, and the speakers on next level.

Run, don't walk towards this upgrade.

 

[christlinah]

IMO it's a no-brainer. You'll get a machine that absolutely obliterates your current one performance-wise while not screaming like a fighter jet and heating up the room like a furnace. On top of that you'll get massively better battery life, a way better screen, more I/O, better speakers, etc. etc.

Really it's not even an apples vs. apples comparison, Apple Silicone hardware is that much better.

 

[JokerPower]

I upgraded last week, moving from a MBP 16 2019 with i7, 16 GB RAM, and a 512 GB SSD to a new MBP 16 2021 with M1 Pro, 16 GB of Unified Memory, and 1 TB SSD.

Here are my initial impressions:

1. It's definitely NOT a simple iterative upgrade, like on a year-to-year basis. It's more like jumping to a new class of product, in my humble opinion.
2. The M1 Pro chip is significantly better in terms of performance compared to the i7. Everything is faster and more responsive. I experienced plenty of lags when using the latest macOS on the 2019 model. Sadly, it seems Apple has no intention at all to optimize the OS for Intel chips.
3. No lag while typing. More details: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/16-macbook-pro-lagging-whilst-typing.2300340/
4. Despite the much-improved performance, the battery life is very impressive. Nothing like before.
5. The screen, sound quality, MagSafe 3, additional ports, and overall build quality are outstanding.

So yes, I would definitely recommend upgrading to the M1 Pro

 

[profH]

There are two separate questions here -- (a) should you dump the 2019 MBP for a 650 trade in credit, and (b) what should you replace it with?

Based on personal experience I would say that the answer to (a) is an unambiguous yes. Unfortunately the 2019 MBP was a lemon and I am beyond relieved to be rid of mine -- sadly any Mx machine, down to the lowliest M1 Air 8GB, is going to run circles around it.

What should you replace it with? That's a much more complicated question depending on your specific use case. They're all great computers with different costs and benefits. Personally I'll put in a shout out for the 15" Air just because it doesn't get a lot of love and is an amazing all-rounder. It's what I replaced my i9 MBP with although I already had a M1 16" Max, and it gets a ton of use. (After direct experience I don't care for the 16" MBP form factor relative to the air except for full desktop replacement use -- even a little "lap" time is unpleasant, while the 15" Air is a joy to use in all settings).