What's the point of the MBP when the MBA uses the same chips

[xDeadTechx]

I went with the Pro because I don't care for the wedge of the Air (personal preference) additionally for my workload I'd want the fan to cool the system.

The Air would be perfect for those who are using it for word processing, spreadsheets and such, college students come to mind.

I guess the verdict is yet to be said on the improved 720p webcam with the new ISP.

 

[rawCpoppa]

We do, we spend a lot of time in meetings this day. That said, the 720p camera + microphone array on my 16" MBP is vastly superior to anything my colleagues are using. Laptops with higher-res cameras are exceedingly rare: it's either convertibles that have the thickness to fit them or some weird models that put cameras in the laptop body so that they point at your nose.

I’m sure you do but it is what it is. I don’t think pros say I’m not buying this pro machine because the webcam isn’t great. I myself accept the limitation is across the board Re: webcam quality in lids.

 

[deeddawg]

I’m sure you do but it is what it is. I don’t think pros say I’m not buying this pro machine because the webcam isn’t great. I myself accept the limitation is across the board Re: webcam quality in lids.

Since we're all making up blanket expectations of what "pros" require I'll just say that in-lid webcam quality is moot when working in clamshell mode....

We do, we spend a lot of time in meetings this day.

Very true. Even pre-Covid most of my meeting were virtual anyway due to geographically dispersed colleagues.

I cannot think of a single time that I've wished someone's webcam was better quality.

 

[UltimateSyn]

For a so called pro machine, the specs are baffling

Also, please don't ignore the fact that in some preliminary CPU benchmarking these entry-level $999 MacBooks Airs are outperforming the current top-of-the-line $2.5k+ 16" MacBook Pros. While getting twice the battery life! That's insane.

Many people here aren't appreciating this massive technical advancement for how impressive it is. A lot of complaints and downplaying but this is the first Apple Silicon Mac SoC, and it's entry-level (10-15W TDP), and it's ridiculous. Imagine what they are going to do in their higher-end machines. This is really exciting, people!

 

[maflynn]

Pro is a marketing term.

Yes, i get that but by the same token, people here (and apple) use that term when it promotes apple in a positive light, and when there are negative features, people use the excuse that its a marketing term and don't pay any attention to it.

You must be joking. It's better than the laptop it replaces and it's better than the more expensive, more "pro" Intel-based 13" MBP

Can it run windows in bootcamp? Can I put 32GB into the laptop? Is the web cam better? Can this professional laptop run a eGPU? Apple limited the number of TB ports in the ARM mac, where as the intel has more

Show me a laptop has has a better camera

RS Recommends: These Laptops Have HD Webcams for Clearer-Looking Video Calls

Laptops with a built in webcam let you Zoom or Skype without any extra accessories. We review top-rated PC and MacBooks to buy online.

www.rollingstone.com

 

[ascender]

I thought the lineup was a bit confusing for people under the last Intel refresh - at first look the specced-up Air seemed very similar to the two port MBP. Obviously its not as simple as that due to the thermals, but its going to be interesting to see what the benchmark and reviews say this time around given the similarity and the performance improvements.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Can it run windows in bootcamp? Can I put 32GB into the laptop? Is the web cam better? Can this professional laptop run a eGPU? Apple limited the number of TB ports in the ARM mac, where as the intel has more

I wish you would actually read and digest the rest of my previous post instead of just the Pro marketing point.

The four-port MBP with 32GB RAM has not yet been updated for Apple Silicon, since that higher-end "M1X" or "M2" chip is not yet available. The MBP that got updated is the lower-end two-port MBP that has the same number of ports and same maximum RAM as its Intel predecessor, but is many times faster with double the battery life. And yes. The webcam is better.

RS Recommends: These Laptops Have HD Webcams for Clearer-Looking Video Calls

Laptops with a built in webcam let you Zoom or Skype without any extra accessories. We review top-rated PC and MacBooks to buy online.

www.rollingstone.com

The MacBook Air is literally on this list and the two others have 720p as well...

 

[rawCpoppa]

That rollingstone link just lists laptops with webcams and doesn’t point out which webcam is better or best. Also...rollingstone?

 

[deeddawg]

Apple limited the number of TB ports in the ARM mac, where as the intel has more

Huh?

For quite some time Apple's offered both two-port and four-port versions of the 13" Macbook Pro.

On Tuesday they dropped the two-port Intel model and replaced it with the two-port M1 model.

Presumably at some point in the future Apple will transition the four-port MBP models to Apple Silicon. That day isn't yet here, so if you need a four-port MBP with gobs of memory and such, you'll need to buy the Intel model or wait.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Huh?

For quite some time Apple's offered both two-port and four-port versions of the 13" Macbook Pro.

On Tuesday they dropped the two-port Intel model and replaced it with the two-port M1 model.

Presumably at some point in the future Apple will transition the four-port MBP models to Apple Silicon.

But when the four-port MBP doesn't support 128GB of RAM and have a 4K webcam people will complain.

Alternatively, Apple introduces a camera bump in the MacBook lids to fit in the higher-resolution webcams that everyone has been *****ing about for years. Can't imagine the onslaught of criticism they'd receive then.

 

[leman]

RS Recommends: These Laptops Have HD Webcams for Clearer-Looking Video Calls

Laptops with a built in webcam let you Zoom or Skype without any extra accessories. We review top-rated PC and MacBooks to buy online.

www.rollingstone.com

Your link literally says that the last year's MacBook Air has one of the best webcams. Also, every other laptop on that list has a 720p camera. Did you ben read it or did you just link it?

P.S. That's what "HD" means. Show me some laptops with a full HD or better webcam.

 

[deeddawg]

But when the four-port MBP doesn't support 128GB of RAM and have a 4K webcam people will complain.

*shrug* Apple could hand out free cheese and people would complain they were insensitive to the lactose intolerant.

Tim Cook needs to step on stage with a DILLIGAF hat.

 

[maflynn]

Your link literally says that the last year's MacBook Air has one of the best webcams. Also, every other laptop on that list has a 720p camera. Did you ben read it or did you just link it?

The surface laptop has a good one

 

[leman]

The surface laptop has a good one

It has a 720p camera. Same as any Mac laptop. What's your point again?

 

[theSeb]

Since we're all making up blanket expectations of what "pros" require I'll just say that in-lid webcam quality is moot when working in clamshell mode....



Very true. Even pre-Covid most of my meeting were virtual anyway due to geographically dispersed colleagues.

I cannot think of a single time that I've wished someone's webcam was better quality.

I've been doing online meetings for well over a decade. Most of the time people don't even bother to switch on the camera. Many participants would be travelling and dial in directly anyway using a phone. We listen and we talk to each other.

A better quality camera is not going to make you look more "professional", whatever that means.

 

[acidfast7_redux]

I love people in the thread thinking that max resolution was anything to do with image quality.

It's about f stop and ISO.

MP/max res mean hardly anything.

 

[psingh01]

The 13” Pro with M1 is the low end model. It was basically the same as Air even when both used Intel cpus. So in that regard things haven’t changed much.

The high end model has 4 ports and still uses Intel.

 

[OdT22]

I’m switching from the older 2020 MBA to the new MBP for one reason only; Battery life. All I can get.

Webcams, sustained loads, RAM requirements, and any other geeky stuff is moot to me. No video or photo editing demands here. Just plain old spreadsheets, accounting, email, and web. Any computer can do them. This M1 offers something new and vastly improved... Amazing battery life!

The better speakers and extra nits aren’t bad news either. I may use those from time to time. The extra weight and the touch bar will just have to be overlooked. Any ‘pro’ worth his salt should be able to overlook petty grievances. ?

 

[AltecX]

It has a 720p camera. Same as any Mac laptop. What's your point again?

At least the Surface manages to also fit in a facial recognition. I don't get why Face ID isn't part of the Apple laptop cam system yet. My Surface Laptop 3 for work logs me in while I'm still opening the lid. My hand hasn't even come down to touch the keyboard yet and my desktop is up.

 

[deeddawg]

I’m switching from the older 2020 MBA to the new MBP for one reason only; Battery life. All I can get.

A powerbank would be cheaper...

High-Capacity USB-C Battery Pack Comparison and Review

A few years ago, it was difficult to find a USB-C battery pack capable of charging a MacBook at a speed of 30 or 45W, but with Apple and other...

www.macrumors.com

 

[rawCpoppa]

At least the Surface manages to also fit in a facial recognition. I don't get why Face ID isn't part of the Apple laptop cam system yet. My Surface Laptop 3 for work logs me in while I'm still opening the lid. My hand hasn't even come down to touch the keyboard yet and my desktop is up.

Face ID and facial recognition aren’t the same. Face ID is more complicated.

 

[AltecX]

Face ID and facial recognition aren’t the same. Face ID is more complicated.

My point still stands, if my iPhone can see me and in split second unlock my phone, why cant my laptop?

 

[deeddawg]

Face ID and facial recognition aren’t the same. Face ID is more complicated.

... and involves additional hardware, not just the camera.

Sure, it's probably possible to add the stuff to the MB lids - dunno whether that'd require a "bump" though. Phones have a bunch more depth available than does a laptop lid.

 

[nothingtoseehere]

A better quality camera is not going to make you look more "professional", whatever that means.

In my case, a better quality camera makes me look less professional.

 

[acidfast7_redux]

At least the Surface manages to also fit in a facial recognition. I don't get why Face ID isn't part of the Apple laptop cam system yet. My Surface Laptop 3 for work logs me in while I'm still opening the lid. My hand hasn't even come down to touch the keyboard yet and my desktop is up.

1. You have to use a Surface Laptop at work, which is a minus.
2. Who cares about the login. I usually make an espresso which the login happens.