M1 MacBook Pro or 2020 MacBook Pro?

[jonjames505]

I'm in the market to replace my 2018 Macbook Air and have decided to go with the MacBook Pro to change up the form factor a bit.
I am only able to purchase through Amazon (collection of gift cards) so a trade in with Apple is not feasible.
Currently the M1 MacBook Pro (8gb/256gb) is priced at $1,149.
Amazon Renewed is offering the 2020 MacBook Pro (16gb/512gb) for $1,144.
The 2020 MacBook Pro appears to be a great deal AND I currently use a dual external monitor setup in my office, which the M1 could not replicate.

On the other side of the coin is the M1 processor, much longer battery life and supposedly better microphone.
I'm not sure if the Wifi 6 capability is necessary at this point.

Which would you guys choose?

 

[4sallypat]

Intel: NO
M1: YES

The M1 MBP will run circles around Intel Macs.
Don't bother wasting money on an Intel Mac - I have a 16" MBP and it is awful - low battery life, heats up like a toaster, and fans run like crazy!
I have an M1 Mini and it's a dream!

Another actual case: My friend bought a highly optioned 2019 MBA and was disappointed with a laggy online game.
She switched to the base M1 MBA and it was unbelievable - night and day difference.

 

[hikikomori16]

Both machines are great. My wife has the 2020 MBP, and I have the M1 with 16gb. I have to say that apps which are optimized for M1 are super fast. On my MBP, the Photoshop beta (M1 optimized) takes less than three seconds to launch, while the regular version running via Rosetta 2 takes less than six seconds (still fast). Office 365 opens up like it was already running.

I think moving forward, the M1 will have more apps written to take advantage of its capabilities. The only reason I'd recommend the Intel machine is if you absolutely need Boot Camp to run Windows. Even then, I've heard Parallels runs well on the M1.

 

[biffuz]

On the other hand, don't get an 8 GB machine. It's a tight fit for a desktop already, it's trashing the SSD, and in a few years it will be worse (assuming the SSD will still work).

 

[Lerten]

If possible -- I would get the 16gb version of M1 MacBook Pro (or M1 Air, for that matter). The only con would be -- in your case -- the dual monitor solution that you have.
M1 Macs are much quieter, cooler, faster, with substantially better performance and battery life. Plus, probably, will be supported longer. More modern WiFi and better microphones are just an icing on the cake.
At this point - I would definitely go with an M1 Mac.

 

[ascender]

Unless you absolutely need an Intel Mac to run some specific software, the answer is always M1 now.