Naming creep? “Mac Studio M1 Ultra” & “MacBook Pro 16 M1 Pro” are the new “Performa 6400/200 Video Editing Edition” & “PowerBook 1400cs/166”. Discuss.

[m1maverick]

Can you clarify where Apple is using the name “Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Pro,” outside of maybe an ordering page or somewhere where being so specific is important?

Generally speaking I see Apple referring to their systems as "MacBook Pro", "MacBook Air", "Mac Mini", "Mac Pro", Mac Studio". There are sub models so I think it depends on the context.

 

[Macbookprodude]

I think it does, merely by the fact of the PowerPC products we are comparing to.

Readers in the Silicon forum probably don't know what we're raving about right now.

To me, M1, M2, whatever - PowerPC like processors on steroids. RISC on steroids.. if anything, I call it an improved PowerPC like RISC processor, while yes, its not a PowerPC like we know it, but in different form and Intel has finally been defeated !

 

[Macbookprodude]

Yah, I still remember exactly where I was when I saw my first 8-series: visiting Baltimore in November 1994; it was parked on a side-street. The part I didn’t remember: I’m guessing it was an 840Ci. I’ve still yet to see an actual M1 (the original M1) in real life, but there’s little doubt I’ll never see one on a public street, given their museum value.

I do sort of wonder if or whether there might end up being an X8, because that’s the kind of thing they’d probably do, even if as a short run.

EDIT: I went to look it up, because I’d never seen a fastback 6-series before. Turns out there’s a reason why: it’s never been offered in North America. I love the form factor of hatchbacks and saloons, but like you, I’ve never warmed to BMW’s GT coupés — or Honda’s, for that matter. The only one I’ve seen here are the 5-series. Also, it turns out the 1-Series is no longer offered on this continent.

/off-topic!

Baltimore is no more. it has changed bad.. I used to live in MD, Baltimore which it is not what you remember it. Its no more.

 

[B S Magnet]

Can you clarify where Apple is using the name “Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Pro,” outside of maybe an ordering page or somewhere where being so specific is important?

Whether or not Apple are “officially” creating product placards for their product in brick-and-mortar stores as “MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Pro”, for every intent of description this are how these models are being referred in both shorthand and in common vernacular — from reviews to spec sheets. Which is where the confusion can set in, especially as word-of-mouth product name-dropping gets involved.

It’s not some notion born in isolation. Even Everymac list the individual models as such:

Put another way: Apple didn’t refer to the A1138 and A1139 PowerBook G4s in their front-end marketing as the “Apple PowerBook G4 1.67GHz 15-/17-inch DLSD” (Dual-Layer SuperDrive) or “Apple PowerBook G4 1.67GHz 15-/17-inch Hi-Res DLSD”, but for every intent, this is how those models were (and are) referred to as the way to distinguish them from their immediate predecessors, the “Apple PowerBook G4 15-/17-inch 1.67GHz SLSD” (Single-Layer SuperDrive). This was even the case back in late 2005 when the DLSD models were on sale.

Generally speaking I see Apple referring to their systems as "MacBook Pro", "MacBook Air", "Mac Mini", "Mac Pro", Mac Studio". There are sub models so I think it depends on the context.

There are, at present, two completely different MacBook Pro lines for sale — a 13-inch model with an “M1 (‘plain’)” CPU and 14/16-inch models with either the “M1 Pro” or “M1 Max” CPUs. These lines share different form factors, different offerings of CPUs, and even different external port configurations. They are fundamentally two different computers sharing the same name at the same time. That alone foists an added layer of descriptive complexity for sake of marketing.

Further to that, I’ve little doubt Apple staff, in brick-and-mortar stores, have had a handful lately with trying to describe to shoppers what’s what and why — given the current offerings and their naming conventions. To have a CPU with “Pro” in its name, for a line of products named “MacBook Pro” (even if a slim majority — four out of seven — of current MacBook Pro offerings don’t have an “M1 Pro” CPU), is an avoidable marketing faux pas, as it ushers more complexity in describing the products than was ever necessary or required.

It’s as if development, marketing, and sales were not working from the same page when planning the naming taxonomy for their own, in-house CPUs, and I don’t think Jobs, had he lived and continued to captain the Apple ship, would have green-lighted this chip-naming taxonomy.

Anyhow, that’s why I opened this conversation.

 

[lepidotós]

Having just looked at a description of the differences, I see zero reason for them to not just call it the "MacBook". Maybe merge the current MBA into it and reintroduce the 11" if it's too similar to the Air.​

 

[TheShortTimer]

Intel has finally been defeated !

Seriously, again?

Intel remains the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductor chips by revenue. That's hardly a defeat and it wouldn't be surprising if Apple and Intel collaborate anew at some point in the future.

To me, M1, M2, whatever - PowerPC like processors on steroids. RISC on steroids.. if anything, I call it an improved PowerPC like RISC processor, while yes, its not a PowerPC like we know it, but in different form...

No.

This was explained to you in another thread where you repeated these erroneous claims and you then ignored the following clarification:

RISC and CISC are instruction methods, not hardware. Moreover, the first CPU to use RISC was IBM’s 801 chip, at a time when IBM were regarded as Apple’s (and Atari’s, and Commodore’s, and Amiga’s) corporate adversary-slash-juggernaut.

Hope that clears up everything.

And please, for sake of future readers of this and other threads, quit ascribing characteristics of Apple Silicon SoC processors which have nothing to do with the Apple-IBM-Motorola (AIM) alliance started in 1991 and was, de facto, abandoned by 2006. Just… stop it.

You are of course entitled to your opinion but for the benefit of this community, blatant misinformation needs to be refuted and corrected.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Ok, I will stop.. but yes, its my opinion given I hate Intel so much. I wanted Apple to go with AMD, but still x86 nonetheless. I am not saying PowerPC and Apple Silicon(stupid name in my opinion), as our PPC processors aren't silicon ? I guess I am trying to keep alive "think differently" and everything else during the PPC era - I call the M1 and its derivatives a return to RISC computing.

 

[B S Magnet]

Ok, I will stop.. but yes, its my opinion given I hate Intel so much. I wanted Apple to go with AMD, but still x86 nonetheless. I am not saying PowerPC and Apple Silicon(stupid name in my opinion), as our PPC processors aren't silicon ? I guess I am trying to keep alive "think differently" and everything else during the PPC era - I call the M1 and its derivatives a return to RISC computing.

I… If you hate Intel so much, then have you contemplated maybe asking the mods to let you change your handle to “Powerbookdude”? ?

 

[Macbookprodude]

I… If you hate Intel so much, then have you contemplated maybe asking the mods to let you change your handle to “Powerbookdude”? ?

You have a point, but someone already has that name. So, I had to choose something Mac related. I can always change it to MacUkraineBoy or something else.

 

[TheShortTimer]

I can always change it to MacUkraineBoy or something else.

PowerBookBoy?

On a side note, do you not use any Intel powered products at all? I'm genuinely intrigued given your dislike of the company.

 

[Macbookprodude]

PowerBookBoy?

On a side note, do you not use any Intel powered products at all? I'm genuinely intrigued given your dislike of the company.

Hi, you asked if I have any Intel powered products ? I do yes, but I don't use them often.. I converted my Mac Pro into a file server where all my PowerPC files and recovery are located. I use my DLSD and Titanium as my everyday machines. I also have a 2015 macbook pro thats never really been used. I guess I am giving more love to my PowerPC macs. I have a Quad G5 I use sometimes, that is if I can find way for it not to be expensive on electric bill. I am thinking of installing Morph or Linux on it, but with Sorbet Leopard may try that also. There is a memory issue with it, so may need to get new memory for it, but mainly the 2010-2012 mac Pro just acts as file server for my PowerPC macs.

I dislike them because they think they are better than everyone else. Big tech basically I don't like their monopoly. This is a topic that moves into politics and no I don't want to do that here.

 

[TheShortTimer]

I don't like their monopoly.

You'll get no disagreements from me on that front about Intel. They're on a par with Microsoft in that respect and it was quite fitting that PCs became dubbed "Wintel" platforms.

This is a topic that moves into politics and no I don't want to do that here.

Fair enough.

 

[Amethyst1]

Ok, I will stop.. [...]

Thank you.

I wanted Apple to go with AMD, but still x86 nonetheless. [...]

As much as I wanted this too - I've always been happy to support the underdogs, not the monopolist -, starting from 2006, Intel's CPUs were better than AMD's, as in faster and more energy-efficient. Fortunately, with Ryzen, AMD are finally back in the game, and with a serious punch.

 

[lepidotós]

Actually, nevermind. Sure would be cool if there was a way to remove posts or something, that'd be pretty neat.​

 

[m1maverick]

There are, at present, two completely different MacBook Pro lines for sale — a 13-inch model with an “M1 (‘plain’)” CPU and 14/16-inch models with either the “M1 Pro” or “M1 Max” CPUs. These lines share different form factors, different offerings of CPUs, and even different external port configurations. They are fundamentally two different computers sharing the same name at the same time. That alone foists an added layer of descriptive complexity for sake of

How is this any different than the PowerBook or iBook series of laptops? Or the Intel MacBook Pro models? Or for that matter non computer items such as vehicles?

As for EveryMac they appear to have a specific policy to break out each model based on configurable items. I think this is done to make it easier to novices to find a specific model.

 

[Amethyst1]

There are, at present, two completely different MacBook Pro lines for sale — a 13-inch model with an “M1 (‘plain’)” CPU and 14/16-inch models with either the “M1 Pro” or “M1 Max” CPUs. These lines share different form factors, different offerings of CPUs, and even different external port configurations.

Back in the golden ol' days, the 12-inch PowerBook G4 was quite a different beast than the 17-inch PowerBook G4.

 

[B S Magnet]

How is this any different than the PowerBook or iBook series of laptops?

Until Apple halted with slapping the “PowerPC” badge on the product bezel (just before Jobs returned), it was the very same. It is, indeed, what I described as the naming creep in this thread’s opening post. Jobs did away with that creep with the late 1997/early 1998 revamping of the Mac product names — in particular, commencing with the introduction of the “Power Macintosh G3” and “PowerBook G3” models in November 1997.

Or the Intel MacBook Pro models? Or for that matter non computer items such as vehicles?

Vehicle models lack a historical precedent in which, say, a model name includes an “i” for “fuel injection”, even as some “i” models come equipped with another means of combustion (such as a carburettor or hybrid-electric motor), whereas others additionally have the phrase “fuel injected” embedded in the vehicle make’s name, in addition to the “i”.

Or, say, a “quattro”-badged Audi, for which there are all-wheel-drive variants and others with two-wheel-drive, with both of these designating them as such in the vehicle’s model name.

Or a Cadillac Sedan de Ville, offered as both a two-door coupé and a four-door sedan.

It doesn’t really happen.

At present, Apple’s being sloppy with their naming… creep.

As for EveryMac they appear to have a specific policy to break out each model based on configurable items. I think this is done to make it easier to novices to find a specific model.

OK! If you insist!

 

[B S Magnet]

Back in the golden ol' days, the 12-inch PowerBook G4 was quite a different beast than the 17-inch PowerBook G4.

It very much was! They looked related, albeit superficially.