M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14in for casual user

[Al Rukh]

There’s a deal from the Apple store here in my country selling an Apple-refurbished M1 Pro MBP for $2700. The retail price is $3000.

I’m considering it over the M2 MBA but I want to know your opinions on a casual, non-productive user buying a productivity monster in the 14in MBP.

 

[barkomatic]

I'm a casual user and I got the 14 inch though I didn't go crazy on upgrading the processor. For me it's mostly about the better quality screen but the extra ports have come in handy as well and I'm a fan of the design.

The M2 does have more portability going for it though and I love the midnight color (at least what it looks like online). I think you'll be fine either way, so I guess just decide what features are important to you.

 

[AlexJ092]

I have just upgraded to a 14” M1 Pro. Just waiting on delivery so i will let you know. It was between this and the M2 air so I just hope I’ve made the right decision.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

I’ve recently moved to a desktop replacement so I have the current MBP 16” and do more media consumption than anything else. It’s not about having a specific need but my taste/hobbies routinely change so I would rather have one great all around device than multiple devices to fit specific tasks. Similar to why people buy a one car vs another, nobody needs a $50K car but if you can afford it then why limit yourself to a $10K one…life is too short.

 

[blw777]

Will the bigger, more powerful machine fail in your use? Very unlikely.

I have a 14" MBP with the M1 Max, my wife has an early M1 MacBook Air, so I have a pretty fair chance to see them up close. My wife is an author/writer and otherwise a media consumer. Her M1 is limited in only one practical way, which is that there is only the one USB-C port, which gets used up by her TimeMachine. Otherwise it does everything she asks of it. I'm a professional photographer, and I'm a heavy user of the upgraded CPU, GPU and vastly larger memory. There are days that I import 10,000 raw images from several cameras and have to process some significant number of them on a short deadline. Those four or five days per month, an M1 or M2 Air would just not cut the mustard, and it is a very fine thing that I have an M1 Max. However, the other 25 days a month, even I could do everything I need with the M1 Air, again aside from having the 50+TB of storage for all of those images and their backups. Of course, I do have the M1 Max for it all and of course it does everything. The screen is much nicer, although I personally don't notice so much as I do most of my work on an even nicer 27" display.

The downsides of getting the hotter machine:
- well, it's (a little) hotter. Mine's actually warmer enough to be noticeable in a fairly warm studio; as noted above, I run the CPU/GPU very hard sometimes. OTOH it is way, WAY cooler than the Intel iMac that I had previously. But the Air is basically never a contributor to the room temperature.
- it's a LOT more expensive, although as was pointed out, if your budget permits, and you want the other machine, fine.
- if you travel with the machine (I certainly do), the pound or two difference in weight doesn't seem like a big deal -- until you are dragging your butt into a yet another hotel and all this stuff just seems like too much.

 

[Fishrrman]

If you're "a casual user", a "base model" MacBook Pro 14" should last a long, long time.

Don't buy anything more than "the base model" (16gb RAM, 512gb SSD).
That's all you need.

 

[jav6454]

There’s a deal from the Apple store here in my country selling an Apple-refurbished M1 Pro MBP for $2700. The retail price is $3000.

I’m considering it over the M2 MBA but I want to know your opinions on a casual, non-productive user buying a productivity monster in the 14in MBP.

Casual? Spending $2.7k on a machine for casual use is overkill. That said, if said Mac will be used 5+ years, go for it.

 

[Al Rukh]

Casual? Spending $2.7k on a machine for casual use is overkill. That said, if said Mac will be used 5+ years, go for it.

I’m getting it for the long haul that’s for sure. I just wanna be sure if it’s a sensible purchase and if I have blind spots with my decision making lol.

 

[jav6454]

I’m getting it for the long haul that’s for sure. I just wanna be sure if it’s a sensible purchase and if I have blind spots with my decision making lol.

If it's a Mac for the long haul, it'll be a great buy. However, ensure it has the highest memory option for that price.

 

[doolar]

I have a 14" M1 Pro as my own computer, and it's way too much power for what I need. I traded in my M1 Air, but still have a M1 Air at work.

Why? It's mainly because of the screen. I use my Pro a lot, it's my only computer. I do not want an external monitor, so I will take the best screen I can. Why not the 16" then? It's too big for me, I think the 14" is the sweetspot.

If you can afford it without breaking the bank, go for it. If not, the M1 Air is a fantastic computer, and I bet the M2 Air will be even better.

 

[ascender]

If you’re a “casual user”, you can get the machine which appeals to you most as either will do the job and either will last you for many, many years.

 

[jeffg819]

Buying a 14" MacBook Pro when a MacBook Air will suffice is like buying a Porsche when a Ford will do. There is a certain amount of fun that comes with a Porsche that is worth something to the buyer. Only the buyer knows if it's worth it. Buy it, enjoy, go worry about something else. It does not sound like it's going to change your lifestyle.

 

[Dealmans]

Ask yourself this question, what are you going to stare at for the next 5 years, there is your answer. The airs and the 13 " mbpr don't have a much better screen than 10 years ago, would be like buying the first gen 12.9" instead of the M1 12.9".

 

[N9JIG]

While slightly more than a casual user, now that I am retired I do not need the horsepower (nor Intel processor) I did when working. That said I replaced my tricked-out last version Intel Mac Mini with a tricked out M1Max MBP 14In. SPent a fair chunk of change on it but I figured it will be the last computer I need for close to a decade. It allows me to grab it and go when traveling, use anywhere in the house instead of stuck in the office and allows (via the TS4 dock) easy connection to a bunch of peripherals in the office.

That all said, I don't look at the original price of my computers as much as I look at the cost per year over the expected lifetime. My $5000 spent is planned to last me 8 years, so that makes it about $625 per year. If I bought a cheaper, less capable computer it might only last me 3 years (my usual average when I was working) so a $2500 computer would cost me about $200 more per year.

For the majority of people these days the lower tier MacBook (Pro or Air) is actually pretty much all you need for web browsing, email, social media, and most media consumption. Better screens, such as the 14 and 16 MBP is great for more serious video consumption and better graphics, more RAM and storage is needed for those creators using PhotoShop, Final Cut etc.

 

[jav6454]

Buying a 14" MacBook Pro when a MacBook Air will suffice is like buying a Porsche when a Ford will do. There is a certain amount of fun that comes with a Porsche that is worth something to the buyer. Only the buyer knows if it's worth it. Buy it, enjoy, go worry about something else. It does not sound like it's going to change your lifestyle.

Not really, it all depends on the longevity OP wants.

 

[FattKingHugeman]

i got both the based M1 pro 14 inch based model and the new M2 MBA 8 CPU, 16gb and 512 storage.
Will try both for about a week and then return the one that didn't speak to me as much.

$2700 MBP 14 seems to be in Singapore. Won't it be better off getting the student price if you can coz its about $50 more and comes with the free airpods which you can sell to offset the entire cost?

 

[Al Rukh]

i got both the based M1 pro 14 inch based model and the new M2 MBA 8 CPU, 16gb and 512 storage.
Will try both for about a week and then return the one that didn't speak to me as much.

$2700 MBP 14 seems to be in Singapore. Won't it be better off getting the student price if you can coz its about $50 more and comes with the free airpods which you can sell to offset the entire cost?

Yes it is from Singapore. I could but then I’m aware that Apple might do an audit and scrutinise my purchase. Causing me to get black listed or something. I’m a working adult already.

 

[v1ctorS]

If you enjoy watching movies on your MacBook especially HDR content or if you want to play games on it, you're going to love the base 14 inch. If not, there's no point spending the extra cash. Go for the M2 MBA with the 512 GB SSDs.

 

[Six0Four]

I just do web browsing, Youtube, Netflix, etc on my laptop and I got the base 14". I wanted the Mini LED display, 14" size, more ports, and good speakers. 16GB RAM is nice too.

 

[jav6454]

Yes it is from Singapore. I could but then I’m aware that Apple might do an audit and scrutinise my purchase. Causing me to get black listed or something. I’m a working adult already.

They rarely do as parents can get education pricing when buying for their kids. However, this all works based off the honor system.

 

[ibmacin]

I recently bought the base MacBook Pro 14" when Best Buy had it on sale foe $1,799 USD. I am a casual user as well. I absolutely love it! The screen and speakers are phenomenal. I also love having MagSafe, the HDMI port, & the SD card slot. I had been planning on buying the M2 MacBook Air but when I compared the price of a similarly specced out M2 Air to the 14" Pro at $1,799, it was only $200 more for the Pro. To me, even as a casual user, the extra $200 was worth it for a much nicer machine in every way other than a bit of portability & no fan, which can be a pro or a con. Just my two cents.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Perfectly acceptable choice as long as it's not a budgetary stretch. The speakers, screen, ports, and design of the 14" MBP are all incredible features for the common user.

 

[madgibbon]

Will the bigger, more powerful machine fail in your use? Very unlikely.

I have a 14" MBP with the M1 Max, my wife has an early M1 MacBook Air, so I have a pretty fair chance to see them up close. My wife is an author/writer and otherwise a media consumer. Her M1 is limited in only one practical way, which is that there is only the one USB-C port, which gets used up by her TimeMachine. Otherwise it does everything she asks of it. I'm a professional photographer, and I'm a heavy user of the upgraded CPU, GPU and vastly larger memory. There are days that I import 10,000 raw images from several cameras and have to process some significant number of them on a short deadline. Those four or five days per month, an M1 or M2 Air would just not cut the mustard, and it is a very fine thing that I have an M1 Max. However, the other 25 days a month, even I could do everything I need with the M1 Air, again aside from having the 50+TB of storage for all of those images and their backups. Of course, I do have the M1 Max for it all and of course it does everything. The screen is much nicer, although I personally don't notice so much as I do most of my work on an even nicer 27" display.

The downsides of getting the hotter machine:
- well, it's (a little) hotter. Mine's actually warmer enough to be noticeable in a fairly warm studio; as noted above, I run the CPU/GPU very hard sometimes. OTOH it is way, WAY cooler than the Intel iMac that I had previously. But the Air is basically never a contributor to the room temperature.
- it's a LOT more expensive, although as was pointed out, if your budget permits, and you want the other machine, fine.
- if you travel with the machine (I certainly do), the pound or two difference in weight doesn't seem like a big deal -- until you are dragging your butt into a yet another hotel and all this stuff just seems like too much.

The M1 MBA isn't limited by one USB-C port, it has two. The only MacBook I know of with one is the 12 inch MB.

 

[Al Rukh]

I just bought the refurb M1 Pro base model today. I did play around with the ones displayed in the store for the first time and I was blown away by how smooth the display is. On top of that, the blacks are proper inky blacks. I haven't unbox mine yet. I just hope I can appreciate it because I am nowhere a power user.

 

[Dealmans]

Does the 16/1TB model use more battery and get hotter than the base 16/512 model, or no diff?