I really would like to see a 15 Air. The LG Gram line has shown that large screens with really low weight does have a market. The M1 is also no slouch of a CPU. I imagine that they could even sell M1 CPUs with only 3 performance cores. I think that it's incredible that we're only at the beginning of Apple Silicon and wonder what they will have in five years. One funny problem Apple has is asking the question: who needs all of this performance? I certainly don't right now. This kind of performance will, no doubt, enable new kinds of applications down the road.
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The M1 13" Macbook Pro feels like an odd duck now
- Thread starter ian87w
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Really good point.
What I’m getting at is that the MBA is the original ultrabook.
There must be a market still for low weight, super thin, amazing battery life & amazing screen.
Maybe - in true Tim Cook fashion - we’ll see the next gen of the MBA feature a mini LED screen - with the price point pushing up towards $1499 and the current form factor hanging around still at $999.
M1 will be still fast for a while & who knows, maybe that form factor will get an M2, as well.
I think this is likely what will happen. Apple has been keeping the previous gen device around at a lower price point to justify the newer device, which sometimes takes a price hike.
I think that this weighs 2.1 pounds. The M1 Air kicks this to the curb in processor performance but this is very light, has M1-class battery life and is priced around the M1 Air. There definitely is a market for these. My local Costco sells the 17-inch version and Costco doesn't sell products that don't move.
It's not an odd duck at all. It hits a price point.
The MacBook Air starts at $999.
The (new) MacBook Pro starts at $1999.
Having the 13" M1 Pro start at $1299 fills in the middle.
The MacBook Air starts at $999.
The (new) MacBook Pro starts at $1999.
Having the 13" M1 Pro start at $1299 fills in the middle.
I don't think they should dumb down the Pro as you are suggesting. But they will probably end up removing the 13" MBP and having an updated Macbook line that scales from a 12" base Macbook to perhaps a 14" Macbook with less ports, no 120Hz display, smaller SoC. They will definitely not keep the 720p FaceTime camera as that's being phased out thankfully. If a base model iPhone SE can do 1080P FaceTime shouldn't a $1,000 Macbook?With the 14" and 16" redefines the Macbook Pro lineup, the 13" M1 Macbook Pro feels like a really odd duck from the lineup. It's no longer feel "Pro" as it's missing the simplest things such as only 2 USB4 (not thunderbolt 4) ports, lack of more external display support, 8GB RAM base, and the so-called "Pro" connectivity (ie. the ports). And tests have shown that it's not performing that much more compared to the M1 Macbook Air.
I'd rather see Apple eliminating it altogether, and maybe make a more basic version of the 14" Pro. Eg. the same 14" form factor with the ports, use the base 8-core M1 Pro chip, same 16GB and 512GB base, but just the current regular 60Hz LCD display and 720p webcam. Price it maybe for $1599 or $1699.
But hey, that's me.Apple would want people to just spend more money and get the 14"... ?
I definitely wouldn't buy the 13" MacBook Pro now as the 14" is out (I ordered the 14" Pro). My guess is it will be gone by this time next year.
I realize 120hz/ProMotion is considered "Pro", but I thought there were rumors about the entire new (iPhone 14) line up having 120hz. Don't quote me on this as I don't follow non-iPhone smartphone news, but my understanding is that 120hz smartphones are fairly common even in middle tier devices. That then makes me wonder if by 2022, 120hz in consumer notebooks will also be the norm. I wouldn't look to budget devices as a comparison, since even Apple's non-Pro machines are still mid tier at worst
120Hz variable rate that Apple use for ProMotion is not common. What's commonly used on Android are fixed rates 90Hz-120Hz LCDs.
On consumer laptops, imo Apple shouldn't worry. Plenty of PC laptop OEMs are still trying to pass piss poor 45% NTSC screens on even their premium mid-range laptops. One has to really becareful as these PC OEMs don't even list their specs fully. Even expensive PC laptops mostly maxed out at just 100% sRGB. Meanwhile, Apple's cheapest Macbook Air is already P3. I often criticize Apple on many things, but their display quality panel choice is usually top notch.
Thanks for that info. I've fallen in love with 120hz and 144hz on my iPhone 13 Pro and Gaming PC respectively, so at this point, my Mac is all that remains to be converted. Looks like it won't be anytime soon unless I get a Pro model.
I think 120Hz will eventually filter down into all devices. Just like how P3 color space filtered down to the base MacBook Air. But for the near future I can see 120Hz being a differentiator between the standard and Pro lineups. Most non tech users barely understand what 120Hz means and they will be making up a sizable number of sales of non-Pro devices.
I should add I've been using high refresh rate GSync displays for a long time, and I was very happy to see their inclusion in the new Macbook. Once it arrives the only devices I'll own that don't include a 120Hz VRR display will be my Apple Watch and my cars infotainment - both really are none issues.
If 13” M1 MBP has 16GB/512GB at $1699 for the minimum spec available like many want, I'd never be able to afford it. If the Air was priced like that, I'd have to leave Apple and I wouldn't want to.