M1 Pro vs M1 Max

[doggukan]

so i looked at macbook pros and the best one for my needs was 16gb 1tb 10/16 version of mbp 14". if i want to upgrade for cpu its around 250 cad but it auto adds the 32 gb of ram and ends up 700cad more than my need.

here is the thing , m1 max is really good on gpu and im thinking maybe in future some compatibility tool or api like proton on linux would be developed and on games m1 max would perform much better and this one really tempts me to upgrade. there is couple of games i actually play but no mac support. if i would be able to play them i probably just sell my gaming laptop and use mbp only for games and dev stuff.

what you people think about this ? do you think there will be a tool or software that will improve the gpu performance ?

 

[SpotOnT]

I don't think games are coming to the Mac in the near term.

Option (1) is get the Max and hope that the software you need gets developed down the line. Option (2) is get the Pro and if the software you need becomes available, sell the Pro and upgrade to a new Max.

Considering, this is a first generation device (both in design and in terms of Apple Silicon) I would lean towards Option (2) personally.

Now if you plan to keep your Mac 8 years or something, which might be a bit risky, again considering it is a first generation device, I could probably talk myself into getting 32GB or RAM for future use....and if you are going to pay for 32GB of RAM anyway, might as well get the Max. But if you plan to upgrade in 3-5 years, just get the Pro and revaluate the software state of the games you want for next upgrade.

 

[MrGunny94]

If it's for gaming you are better off buying in the future than now with the M1 Pro. Yes Apple is starting to care about gaming on the M line chips, however it's still early to tell and to get anything just for "gaming" alone.

You are better off getting what you need to work now and later buy something better once gaming is fully supported / improved.

 

[doggukan]

i already have a gaming laptop with 3060 so i guess i will go with 10-16 pro. i hope gaming improves with moltenvk like it did with proton&dxvk on linux

 

[QuietOC]

I was surprised that almost all my Steam games work pretty well on my 14" M1 Pro. I did opt for the 10 CPU/16 GPU version. The Max doesn't seem worth it to me.

 

[roach1245]

I've got the M1 Max because of 64GB RAM and >2 external monitors possibility (driving three 4k monitors on a daily basis), amazing laptop, silent and stable (haven't rebooted in weeks), best one I've ever had by far coming from many Linux laptops / butterfly Macbooks.

I also game it on it occasionally, including AAA games released this year such as God of War (through Crossover) and Warhammer 3 (native), works perfectly fine.

 

[UBS28]

Seeing that you are a gamer, then definetly go with the M1 Max. There are a few big titles coming to the Mac, such as Resident Evil.

 

[doggukan]

not exactly a gamer but i spend 1-2 hours maybe daily to play apex legends or csgo type of online games. and maybe some steam games to play with friends

i mean i would love to see apex legends support or even mobile game support on mac but not gonna happen i guess. i will stick with pro then if things get really good on gaming i would sell 2 of the laptops and just buy the m2 max m3 max or whatever comes

 

[darngooddesign]

I don't think games are coming to the Mac in the near term.

There was a whole gaming segment during WWDC where they talked about how No Mans Sky, Grid Legends, and RE Village for starters were being ported to Macs.

 

[SpotOnT]

Understood. My take is basically, "coming later this year" likely means it will be released next year (based on how things have been going). Add another 6 - 12 months for the kinks to get worked out and the game be playable, and wow we are 2 years away from having a few games on the Mac! Never mind all these games have already been available on PC for months.

If you upgrade your laptop every 3-5 years, seems like that would be a good time to re-examine the market and see if the games you want are running well on Mac.

I am glad Apple might be getting serious about games, but we are still in the early stages here.

 

[jav6454]

so i looked at macbook pros and the best one for my needs was 16gb 1tb 10/16 version of mbp 14". if i want to upgrade for cpu its around 250 cad but it auto adds the 32 gb of ram and ends up 700cad more than my need.

here is the thing , m1 max is really good on gpu and im thinking maybe in future some compatibility tool or api like proton on linux would be developed and on games m1 max would perform much better and this one really tempts me to upgrade. there is couple of games i actually play but no mac support. if i would be able to play them i probably just sell my gaming laptop and use mbp only for games and dev stuff.

what you people think about this ? do you think there will be a tool or software that will improve the gpu performance ?

If you are asking to help you decide on the Max, you already know the answer and are trying to justify it. Get the M1 Pro. It'll serve well. Save cash and get RAM instead.

 

[unrigestered]

Mac gaming might actually start getting some tailwind, but i still don't see how they might become the best solution for gaming in the foreseeable future.
despite being very expensive, even the Max GPU is quite weak compared to PC gaming GPUs.
I personally don't game on PC, but it will surely continue to stay the way better option for gaming.
If you can find one, i'd also rather pick a dedicated gaming console like the PS5, or Xbox.
Nintendo Switch is also great for gaming, if you don't need AAA games in 1080p, let alone 4K.

 

[fameios-phil]

In my opinion, the M2 Pro and Max will be released within the next 6 to 9 months. The M2 Pro should be a significant upgrade if you can wait for it.

I am waiting for anything better than the base M1 for a desktop machine other than the Mac Studio which is overkill and too expensive for my needs.

 

[teh_hunterer]

I don't think games are coming to the Mac in the near term.

This, unfortunately. While the M1 Pro and Max are capable of being great gaming chips, it's just too new and there's just not enough support to make it worth upgrading to the next tier just for games.

Apple Silicon devices are nice enough and powerful enough to replace gaming devices, which is why people grapple with this topic all the time, but the software just isn't there yet.

 

[Alex W.]

m1 pro will be the best option long term, great value, similar speed, better battery, same screen.

With the money you save get a 36 Month gamepass sub and use that on your mac to game imo.

 

[theorist9]

If you really know that the 16 GB Pro is fine for you, and your only reason for upgrading to the Max is for potential future games, it seems like an easy decision: Get the Pro, wait to see how gaming goes on the Mac, and upgrade in a few years if and when the gaming selection is better.

You could upgrade now only to find the games that become available in the next few years aren't ones you have much interest in playing. You'll be much better able to assess the selection in a few years. They'll also be much more info. available then on how well each model plays the different games.

Just make sure you don't want to drive 3 external monitors. For that, you will need the Max (the Pro is limited to 2).

 

[drdavin]

I've got the M1 Max because of 64GB RAM and >2 external monitors possibility (driving three 4k monitors on a daily basis), amazing laptop, silent and stable (haven't rebooted in weeks), best one I've ever had by far coming from many Linux laptops / butterfly Macbooks.

I also game it on it occasionally, including AAA games released this year such as God of War (through Crossover) and Warhammer 3 (native), works perfectly fine.

Dear Roach,

I hope you are well. I have recently come across some articles online that after the GOW ray tracing update, the game has been incredibly glitchy. Is this issue also occurring to you at this time?

Thanks, DD