Unhappy with the M1 Macs? Wait for the early 2021 Macs with Apple Silicon

[Hexley]

For us that require 16GB or more memory wait for early 2021 Macs coming out between January and before WWDC 2021 in June as these models will be refreshed with a chip superior to the M1.

• iMac 21.5" and 27"
• Macbook Pro four TB4/USB4 port 13" and 16"
• Mac mini four TB4/USB4 port

iMac Pro and/or Mac Pro will probably debut during WWDC 2021.

Yes, at WWDC 2005 and WWDC 2020 it was mentioned that both transitions will take 2 years to complete.

Last time Apple was able to shorten it to less than 7 months. Find "210 days".

These future Macs will address these concerns

• Up to 16GB only
• Two TB4/USB4 only
• No 10Gb Ethernet
• No eGPU

WWDC 2021 would be the opportune time to refresh the iMac Pro and Mac Pro.

 

[Hexley]

I observed that all 8-core M1 Macs replaced all 4-core Intel Macs

Would this mean that all future Apple Silicon Macs will have double the cores of the Intel Macs they replaced?

It would be bonkers to have a 16-core Macbook Pro 16", 20-core iMac 27", 56-core Mac Pro & 36-core iMac Pro all with Apple Silicon.

Threadripper's 64-core and 128-tread while the 5950x 16-core and 32-thread.

 

[Gnattu]

hese future Macs will address these concerns

• Up to 16GB only
• Two TB4/USB4 only
• No 10Gb Ethernet
• No eGPU

Please add "only 2 monitors at maximum" to the list.

About 10G and TB4 port numbers we do have some sort of workaround. OWC has released a Thunderbolt hub which will turn 1 TB to 3, and we can just add 10G using thunderbol.

 

[defferoo]

I observed that the all the M1 Macs all have 8-cores vs

• 2017 & 2020 Intel Macbook Air that both had up to 4-cores
• 2014 Intel Mac mini had 2-cores and 2018 Intel Mac mini had 6-cores
• 2016 Intel MBP 13" had 2-cores and 2020 Intel MBP 13" had 4-cores

Would this mean

• At most 2x the cores
• at least 2 more cores

It would be bonkers to have a 20-core iMac 27", 56-core Mac Pro & 36-core iMac Pro

Intel cores aren’t the same as Apple Silicon cores. Intel didn’t have efficiency cores, so the MBA went from 4 cores to 4 performance and 4 efficiency. The efficiency cores are substantially less powerful compared to the performance cores. I do expect that the next chip will have 8 performance and 4 efficiency cores like the Bloomberg article rumored. It would be a huge leap for the 13 inch 4 port Macbook pro if it went from 4 cores to 8+4.

I don’t expect the high end chips to double Intel’s core count. A 56 core Mac Pro feels pretty unlikely.

 

[Hexley]

Please add "only 2 monitors at maximum" to the list.

About 10G and TB4 port numbers we do have some sort of workaround. OWC has released a Thunderbolt hub which will turn 1 TB to 3, and we can just add 10G using thunderbol.

Work around should be suitable to M1 Mac owners.

I think they'll address everything you mentioned with next year's Macs.

 

[Abazigal]

I observed that all 8-core M1 Macs replaced all 4-core Intel Macs

Would this mean that all future Apple Silicon Macs will have double the cores of the Intel Macs they replaced?

It would be bonkers to have a 16-core Macbook Pro 16", 20-core iMac 27", 56-core Mac Pro & 36-core iMac Pro all with Apple Silicon.

Threadripper's 64-core and 128-tread while the 5950x 16-core and 32-thread.

Are the 8 cores on the M1 chip running in tandem? I was under the impression that it comprises of 4 faster cores and 4 efficiency cores and at any one time, only one of the two was active.

 

[Hexley]

Intel cores aren’t the same as Apple Silicon cores. Intel didn’t have efficiency cores, so the MBA went from 4 cores to 4 performance and 4 efficiency. The efficiency cores are substantially less powerful compared to the performance cores. I do expect that the next chip will have 8 performance and 4 efficiency cores like the Bloomberg article rumored. It would be a huge leap for the 13 inch 4 port Macbook pro if it went from 4 cores to 8+4.

I don’t expect the high end chips to double Intel’s core count. A 56 core Mac Pro feels pretty unlikely.

Hi! I edited my post. Please read then reply.

I later realized that Intel Macs with more than 4-cores are still being sold by Apple.

I believe the four TB4/USB4 port Mac mini & MBP 13" will have the binned SoC of all 16", 21.5" and 27" Macs

 

[Gnattu]

I observed that all 8-core M1 Macs replaced all 4-core Intel Macs

Would this mean that all future Apple Silicon Macs will have double the cores of the Intel Macs they replaced?

It would be bonkers to have a 16-core Macbook Pro 16", 20-core iMac 27", 56-core Mac Pro & 36-core iMac Pro all with Apple Silicon.

Threadripper's 64-core and 128-tread while the 5950x 16-core and 32-thread.

To effectively scale in large core count is harder than just putting them together.

AMD spent lots of engineering power to made something like Infinity Fabric to scale core numbers using multiple chipsets and giving a strong performance. Apple really needs to come up with some brilliant to ideas on how to scaling, and we will see it in 2 years.

 

[Hexley]

Are the 8 cores on the M1 chip running in tandem? I was under the impression that it comprises of 4 faster cores and 4 efficiency cores and at any one time, only one of the two was active.

I based my assessment on https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/

So if Apple says M1 chip has 8-cores then it is an 8 core.

 

[Gnattu]

Are the 8 cores on the M1 chip running in tandem? I was under the impression that it comprises of 4 faster cores and 4 efficiency cores and at any one time, only one of the two was active.

If you are using arm64 native apps, you can use all 8.
If you are using simulated x86, then you cannot use all 8 together

 

[Hexley]

To effectively scale in large core count is harder than just putting them together.

AMD spent lots of engineering power to made something like Infinity Fabric to scale core numbers using multiple chipsets and giving a strong performance. Apple really needs to come up with some brilliant to ideas on how to scaling, and we will see it in 2 years.

The next round of Macs will be out before WWDC 2021 in June.

By year 2022 Macs with redesigns will be the headlines like a redesigned iMac as the last redesign occurred in 2012.

Macbook Pro 16" is unlikely to get a redesign as it debuted 53 weeks ago.

 

[acidfast7_redux]

I don't think that anyone, to my knowledge, has identified that they need more than 16GB with an M1, so this thread is moot.

 

[Mr.Blacky]

WWDC '21:

13" MacBook Pro will become the 13" MacBook.

Macbook Pro
14" Mini-LED Display
Apple M2
16 GB memory
256 GB SSD
4x Thunderbolt/USB-C
1x headphones jack
24 hours battery

iMac
24" Display
Apple M2
16 GB memory
256 GB SSD
4x Thunderbolt/USB-C
2x USB-A
1x Ethernet
1x headphone jack
SDXC card slot

iMac
30" Display
Apple M2
16 GB memory
512 GB SSD
4x Thunderbolt/USB-C
2x USB-A
1x headphone jack
1x Ethernet
SDXC card slot

End of 2021:

MacBook Pro
16" Mini-LED Display
Apple M3
16 GB memory
512 GB SSD
6x Thunderbolt/USB-C
1x headphone jack
20 hours battery

Mac Pro mini
Apple M3
32 GB memory
256 GB SSD
6x Thunderbolt/USB-C
2x USB-A
1x HDMI
1x Ethernet
1x headphone jack

WWDC '22:

Mac Pro
???
???
???
???
???
???

 

[imdog]

There is zero evidence to suggest we are getting the Apple Silicon iMacs between January & WWDC. We could very well not be getting them until late 2022. I see a lot of these posts that almost strike me as if it’s a person trying not to feel bad that they don’t have the M1

 

[Hexley]

There is zero evidence to suggest we are getting the Apple Silicon iMacs between January & WWDC. We could very well not be getting them until late 2022. I see a lot of these posts that almost strike me as if it’s a person trying not to feel bad that they don’t have the M1

At both WWDC 2005 and WWDC 2020 it was stated that it will take 2 years to transition from old chips to new chips.

PowerPC to Intel took 210 days ending with Mac Pros.

Intel to Apple Silicon will get done by WWDC 2021 in June.

Apple makes more money transitioning sooner than later.

If M1 Mac's single core outdoes Xeon desktops then why would anyone buy an iMac Pro or Mac Pro with Intel?

 

[imdog]

At both WWDC 2005 and WWDC 2020 it was stated that it will take 2 years to transition from old chips to new chips.

PowerPC to Intel took 210 days ending with Mac Pros.

Intel to Apple Silicon will get done by WWDC 2021 in June.

Apple makes more money transitioning sooner than later.

If M1 Mac's single core outdoes Xeon desktops then why would anyone buy an iMac Pro or Mac Pro with Intel?

So because they were ahead of time once before means they will be this time too? Also it’s a little easier to transition to chips that were already on the market and made by someone else than transitioning to your own chips that you’re developing
I HOPE you’re right but I wouldn’t hold my breath lol

 

[Hexley]

So because they were ahead of time once before means they will be this time too? Also it’s a little easier to transition to chips that were already on the market and made by someone else than transitioning to your own chips that you’re developing
I HOPE you’re right but I wouldn’t hold my breath lol

So Apple who

• is second publicly traded company to breach $2 trillion market cap
• ships more iPhones and iPads with Apple Silicon chips than the whole PC industry ships PCs whether it be Intel or AMD
• shipped the first 5nm process chips while Intel struggles with 10nm process chips to this day.
• hired the best ex-Intel, ex-AMD and other top computer hardware engineers
• is a master in supply chain
• only R&D parts for their internal needs
• has the largest actual cash stockpile of any company globally

Cannot match or even shorten the transition to less than 210 days for higher-end chips that make up ~20% of all Macs shipped?

Let's see what WWDC 2021 will hold.

 

[DHagan4755]

There will be another Apple silicon Mac announcement in February/March.

 

[imdog]

So Apple who

• is second publicly traded company to breach $2 trillion market cap
• ships more iPhones and iPads with Apple Silicon chips than the whole PC industry ships PCs whether it be Intel or AMD
• shipped the first 5nm process chips while Intel struggles with 10nm process chips to this day.
• hired the best ex-Intel, ex-AMD and other top computer hardware engineers
• is a master in supply chain
• only R&D parts for their internal needs
• has the largest actual cash stockpile of any company globally

Cannot match or even shorten the transition to less than 210 days for higher-end chips that make up ~20% of all Macs shipped?

Let's see what WWDC 2021 will hold.

I’m just taking them at their word. 2 years

 

[NJRonbo]

I doubt there will be a refresh on any of these devices in the next year.

We will be getting more Pro units, yes, but they will probably be in the form of an iMac, 16" MBP and Mac Pro.

I don't see the current MINI getting a refresh in the next year.

 

[spidertaker23]

I wouldn’t surprised if we get more 13” MacBook pros / 16” MacBook pros and a 24” iMac in March ‘21, but I’m fairly certain we won’t see a 30” iMac or Mac Pro until ‘22.

 

[m1maverick]

I purchased the M1 Mini because, at $699 base price, it is a great way to get exposure to the M1 systems. IMO the next systems to receive Apple Silicon (AS) will be the iMac series and high end MacBook Pros.

I would eventually like to see an upgrade to the Mini (or even a Mini Pro) with a more advanced AS processor and capabilities but I am not expecting an upgrade within the next six months. Perhaps the release of a Mini Pro but I am not holding my breath. For me the M1 Mini was a great, and inexpensive, way to become familiar with AS Macs. I look forward to what is to come even if they're systems I'd likely not be very interested in.

 

[IowaLynn]

A16 Fall 2022

Intel had their EFI 1.0 prototype summer 2005 with dual socket Xeon that became the Mac Pro 1,1. It was the 2009 4,1 that had EFI64.

People are chomping at the bit, afraid to buy now, but. Step one looked like putting m1 into old chassis, but redesigned form factor? Are they building more fab factories for the expected demand? What's the led time?

Mac Pro 8,1 in 2023? or an interim design? With Mac Pro, the memory has always been upgradeable, but expensive from Apple. Unified memory may end that but customers want 64-768GB as it is now. And add-on cards.

 

[DHagan4755]

but redesigned form factor?

It's fair to say that Apple probably has the next generation form factors in late stage prototypes. They were probably initially prototyping them with Intel processors but are now obviously working on an M1 version. Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned there would be a 14" & 16" MacBook Pro coming around Q2 2021 with an "all-new form factor design." Exciting!

Prior to the "One More Thing..." event, Mark Gurman alluded to an Apple silicon 16" MacBook Pro not too far behind the 13" MacBook Air/Pro. The 16" didn't come with the M1 announcement so the plot has definitely thickened. The "One More Thing..." event seemed about 20 minutes too short - like something was lopped from it. Probably because the 16" wasn't quite ready. Now that Apple has released the M1 MacBooks/Mac mini, I get the vibe that the next wave of M1 Macs will come soonish.

 

[m1maverick]

It's fair to say that Apple probably has the next generation form factors in late stage prototypes. They were probably initially prototyping them with Intel processors but are now obviously working on an M1 version. Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned there would be a 14" & 16" MacBook Pro coming around Q2 2021 with an "all-new form factor design." Exciting!

Prior to the "One More Thing..." event, Mark Gurman alluded to an Apple silicon 16" MacBook Pro not too far behind the 13" MacBook Air/Pro. The 16" didn't come with the M1 announcement so the plot has definitely thickened. The "One More Thing..." event seemed about 20 minutes too short - like something was lopped from it. Probably because the 16" wasn't quite ready. Now that Apple has released the M1 MacBooks/Mac mini, I get the vibe that the next wave of M1 Macs will come soonish.

Given the impressive performance to power consumption of the M1 systems I feel it frees Apple to consider form factors that may not have been possible with the Intel processors.