The most underrated ARM Mac ever

[Zest28]

The $1599 14” M1 Pro base MBP is by far the most underrated machine that I have ever seen, there is so much value that you get for only $1599.

This thing is even cheaper than the M2 MBA for the same specs (it is not really same specs as the SSD in the 14” is way faster).

 

[1096bimu]

if you simply wanted best specs for lowest price you probably shouldn't buy a Mac...

 

[MysticCow]

I'd say it would be the M1 Air. It was definitely stronger than its Intel counterpart. It fits the needs of all but those that need massive, sustained workflows (and thus, fans), meaning a great majority of users. And the base model was priced ridiculously low for the power you got.

But the lack of the friggin' fan is exactly what keeps people from getting one.

 

[chouseworth]

But the lack of the friggin' fan is exactly what keeps people from getting one.

Actually, it was the lack of a fan that worked in the MBA’s favor, at least for me.

 

[Digitalguy]

The most underrated ARM Mac ever would be a Mac mini pro with the same specs as the 14in but starting at $1299 (that's the price I expect it will start once it's launched) and sold on sale at $999 (or less).

 

[leman]

if you simply wanted best specs for lowest price you probably shouldn't buy a Mac...

Where can you get a miniLED display for less?

 

[eicca]

But the lack of the friggin' fan is exactly what keeps people from getting one.

The lack of the friggin' fan is exactly why I bought one. No moving parts? No need to open it up and dust it out? And it's still more powerful than my classic Mac Pro, even if under full thermal throttling?? SOLD.

 

[senttoschool]

if you simply wanted best specs for lowest price you probably shouldn't buy a Mac...

Why?

Where can I get a SoC that has the same performance and efficiency as Apple Silicon? Ultra high resolution miniLED displays? Metal enclosure? Thin and light for its class? Best in class speakers? Best in class touchpad?

Or is specs simply megahertz, amount of RAM, monitor refresh rates?

 

[Sydde]

Where can I get a SoC that has the same performance and efficiency as Apple Silicon?

Well, 1096bimu actually said "lowest price" – there are less expensive computers out there. Relative crap-heaps, but less expensive.

 

[senttoschool]

Well, 1096bimu actually said "lowest price" – there are less expensive computers out there. Relative crap-heaps, but less expensive.

What the hell does it even mean to have the "best specs at lowest price"?

Lowest as in $200 laptops?

 

[MajorFubar]

Mac Mini is the undisputed best value ARM Mac.

Everyone buying an Air complaining it can't drive two external screens? Buy a Mini: it can drive two displays. One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected via one of its two Thunderbolt ports and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI.

Everyone complaining they still need dongles to use 'legacy' (i.e.: probably ten billion and still counting) USB A peripherals? Buy a Mini: it has two USB A ports.

Everyone complaining they would get an M1 Air but the form-factor throttles the performance? Buy a Mini, it has better cooling: Geekbench stats show the Mini has better single and multicore performance than both the M1 Air and M1 13" Pro, which is solely because of this, considering the Mini is just the guts of 13" M1 Pro in a better enclosure.

Everyone complaining they really need a computer that rigs-up via a cable to their LAN without having to use a dongle? Buy a Mini: built-in gigabit Ethernet, configurable before purchase to 10Gbit.

All this, in the absolute cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem.
It's insane value.

EDIT: Except...don't buy a Mini now: wait for its inevitable upgrade to M2, probably in October after the dust has settled following next weeks boring iPhone 14 event. Whereupon it will once again comfortably lay to waste the M2 Air and 13" Crapbook Pro on all performance stakes, for a fraction of the price. Just 'BYOKMM' (©2005 Steve Jobs.)

 

[Wokis]

Mac Mini is the undisputed best value ARM Mac.

Everyone buying an Air complaining it can't drive two external screens? Buy a Mini: it can drive two displays. One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected via one of its two Thunderbolt ports and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI.

Everyone complaining they still need dongles to use 'legacy' (i.e.: probably ten billion and still counting) USB A peripherals? Buy a Mini: it has two USB A ports.

Everyone complaining they would get an M1 Air but the form-factor throttles the performance? Buy a Mini, it has better cooling: Geekbench stats show the Mini has better single and multicore performance than both the M1 Air and M1 13" Pro, which is solely because of this, considering the Mini is just the guts of 13" M1 Pro in a better enclosure.

Everyone complaining they really need a computer that rigs-up via a cable to their LAN without having to use a dongle? Buy a Mini: built-in gigabit Ethernet, configurable before purchase to 10Gbit.

All this, in the absolute cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem.
It's insane value.

EDIT: Except...don't buy a Mini now: wait for its inevitable upgrade to M2, probably in October after the dust has settled following next weeks boring iPhone 14 event. Whereupon it will once again comfortably lay to waste the M2 Air and 13" Crapbook Pro on all performance stakes, for a fraction of the price. Just 'BYOKMM' (©2005 Steve Jobs.)

So tell me, what kind of battery life does the Mac Mini get?

 

[MajorFubar]

So tell me, what kind of battery life does the Mac Mini get?

Who said this thread was only about MacBooks?

I'm not saying laptops don't have their uses: if the need to use a computer while not connected to a wall socket is make or break for you, then yeah, no Mini is going to cut it for you.

My point was most the complaints people level at Apple's cheapest laptops are negated by Apple's cheapest desktop system, which undercuts the price of their cheapest laptops by hundreds of £/$/€, and performs better at the same time (ok discounting the M2 variants but that's an unfair comparison because the Mini is, as yet, a generation behind. But it won't be shortly).

 

[Digitalguy]

The title is the most underrated ARM Mac, not MacBook

 

[Beatrix Kiddo]

Everyone buying an Air complaining it can't drive two external screens?

No, not really.

 

[LinkRS]

The $1599 14” M1 Pro base MBP is by far the most underrated machine that I have ever seen, there is so much value that you get for only $1599.

This thing is even cheaper than the M2 MBA for the same specs (it is not really same specs as the SSD in the 14” is way faster).

Except for the simple fact that the MSRP for the 14" MBP with M1 Pro is $1999, not $1599.

 

[Sydde]

Everyone buying an Air complaining it can't drive two external screens? Buy a Mini: it can drive two displays. One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected via one of its two Thunderbolt ports and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI.

Technically the Mini can drive the same number of displays as a 13" MB.

 

[MajorFubar]

Technically the Mini can drive the same number of displays as a 13" MB.

Correct. As can the Air. But people want two external displays. Which of course the Mini just does right out the box because of course it doesn’t have any internal display.

 

[MajorFubar]

No, not really.

You completely misinterpreted what I typed. I didn’t mean everyone is complaining. My post was aimed at everyone who is complaining. One is a subset of the other.

 

[pshufd]

Mac Mini is the undisputed best value ARM Mac.

Everyone buying an Air complaining it can't drive two external screens? Buy a Mini: it can drive two displays. One display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected via one of its two Thunderbolt ports and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI.

Everyone complaining they still need dongles to use 'legacy' (i.e.: probably ten billion and still counting) USB A peripherals? Buy a Mini: it has two USB A ports.

Everyone complaining they would get an M1 Air but the form-factor throttles the performance? Buy a Mini, it has better cooling: Geekbench stats show the Mini has better single and multicore performance than both the M1 Air and M1 13" Pro, which is solely because of this, considering the Mini is just the guts of 13" M1 Pro in a better enclosure.

Everyone complaining they really need a computer that rigs-up via a cable to their LAN without having to use a dongle? Buy a Mini: built-in gigabit Ethernet, configurable before purchase to 10Gbit.

All this, in the absolute cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem.
It's insane value.

EDIT: Except...don't buy a Mini now: wait for its inevitable upgrade to M2, probably in October after the dust has settled following next weeks boring iPhone 14 event. Whereupon it will once again comfortably lay to waste the M2 Air and 13" Crapbook Pro on all performance stakes, for a fraction of the price. Just 'BYOKMM' (©2005 Steve Jobs.)

I have a 2x4k @ 60 hz USB-C adapter arriving tomorrow that I'm going to try on the mini to see how well it works for a 4 display mini 16/512. I would be happy if it works well for just 1x4k @ 60 hz. The mini is quite a flexible computer.

The mini has lots of other ports too.

 

[ADGrant]

Except for the simple fact that the MSRP for the 14" MBP with M1 Pro is $1999, not $1599.

But you would have to be an idiot to pay MSRP for the base 14" MBP when BestBuy is selling it for $1599.

 

[ADGrant]

I'd say it would be the M1 Air. It was definitely stronger than its Intel counterpart. It fits the needs of all but those that need massive, sustained workflows (and thus, fans), meaning a great majority of users. And the base model was priced ridiculously low for the power you got.

But the lack of the friggin' fan is exactly what keeps people from getting one.

But the base 14" has more RAM, a bigger SSD, a bigger and better screen, a better sound system, a better GPU and a better CPU. It's not the cheapest ARM Mac but it probably is the most underrated.

 

[wilberforce]

I bought my base 14" MPB 10 seconds after the Apple Store went live after it was announced. For $2000 I thought it was a no-brainer, and I had been waiting for something exactly like this for 2 years.
Now for $1600, it is an even better deal.
OTOH, my rule, after some expensive mistakes, is never buy something just because it is a good deal. Buy something because it fits what you want or need. If it happens to be a good deal, that is a bonus.

 

[maflynn]

The $1599 14” M1 Pro base MBP is by far the most underrated machine

I wouldn't say underrated, but under-spec'd Never mind the differences in cores, the most limiting factor imo, is the meager 512GB storage.

I don't know where 1600 is coming from because when I go to the apple store, the base 14" is at 1850 - and that's the education store. Where are you seeing it for 1,600? Refurbs?
.

 

[pshufd]

I wouldn't say underrated, but under-spec'd Never mind the differences in cores, the most limiting factor imo, is the meager 512GB storage.

I don't know where 1600 is coming from because when I go to the apple store, the base 14" is at 1850 - and that's the education store. Where are you seeing it for 1,600? Refurbs?
. View attachment 2072913

Best Buy is selling them new at that price. They have the 1 TB version for $2,099.

Best Buy: MacBook Pro 14" Laptop Apple M1 Pro chip 16GB Memory 512GB SSD Space Gray MKGP3LL/A

Shop MacBook Pro 14" Laptop Apple M1 Pro chip 16GB Memory 512GB SSD Space Gray at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Price Match Guarantee.

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Best Buy: MacBook Pro 14" Laptop Apple M1 Pro chip 16GB Memory 1TB SSD Space Gray MKGQ3LL/A

Shop MacBook Pro 14" Laptop Apple M1 Pro chip 16GB Memory 1TB SSD Space Gray at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Price Match Guarantee.

www.bestbuy.com