When can we realistically expect the Macbook Pro M1 16" ?

[JosepPont]

Well, if the 16" MacBook wants to come out within the next half year, you're saying Apple has somehow boosted the GPU performance of the M1 chip by 3-4x within that time frame.

They'll either pull it off and it'll have horrible battery life, or you just have to be patient while they figure out how to do it efficiently, without sacrificing on the 20-hour battery life the base models just established.

The 16" needs its dedicated GPU performance. And I doubt Apple can pull it off while relying on just LPDDR4X. The 16" may need its own dedicated video memory or much faster unified memory overall.

While M1 is an impressive chip, it's also showing how much Apple is not ready yet for the 16".

We don't should assume that Apple only has the M1 on the line, maybe we will see another parallel version for the higher end machines

 

[bill-p]

We don't should assume that Apple only has the M1 on the line, maybe we will see another parallel version for the higher end machines

I have no doubt they already have something planned. The hurdle is to basically match or exceed the current GPU performance of the 16".

The current M1 is nice, but it's consistently about 2x slower than whatever is in the 16". If we are talking about the 5600M, the gap widens to a whopping 3x in some cases.

That's not something you can overcome simply by throwing more GPU cores at the problem. Memory speed will need to scale as well. It's not a trivial problem.

And that's why I don't think we'll see the 16" before summer. It may be even longer if Apple decides to release one final Intel-based 16" this holiday via press release.

 

[matram]

Apple is rumored to have an 14X with a separate GPU chip ”Lifuka” in the pipeline.

If you assume that they will use about the same size of chips / chiplets, that may indicate 32 GPU cores instead of 8 on the separate GPU chip and maybe room for 12 high performance CPU cores when the GPU cores are moved from the CPU chip to the separate GPU chip.

That looks like a very impressive system!

 

[Zackmd1]

My guess is you will not be seeing an AS 16" until WWDC 2021. My reasoning....

A 2020 INTEL 16" is coming and will likely release end of Nov/Early Dec. Plus waiting until WWDC gives Apple time for the rumored redesign and Apple dGPU.

My thoughts on a 16" AS MBP

Base
M1x with 8p cores and 4e cores
16 core GPU
up to 32GB ram

Step up
Same M1x chip
Apple dGPU
up to 64gb ram

All with the rumored redesign and mini LED display (redesign likely means slimmer bezels/slimmer overall machine) with probably a target battery life of 24hrs.

 

[sfwalter]

My guess would be WWDC

 

[JeepGuy]

Since the M1 was found in 3 product lines, is it safe to assume the M2 (etc.) chip will be the same in the MacBook Pro 16'' and iMac 24''? Possibly a March event for both?

I suddenly pictured a most empty iMac, with a tiny mother board, I would hope we get a slimmer design.

 

[Pancrecio]

NB: I noticed that Apple are still talking about the transition taking "a couple of years" 5 months after they first used that phrase. So, the possibility that this will follow the pattern of the Intel transition - with the entire range available by the following August - may be fading.

Not sure. Didn't they say the Mac Pro by end of 2021? That will be the most radical product change of all, so it makes sense to roll out everything else, giving time for devs to port over their apps, and by launch the big studios out there are software-confident and hungry for the generation leap in processing

 

[matram]

The Bloomberg rumor that a 16" is in production but in an earlier stage could indicate that an M1X + Lifuka (GPU) could come late Q1.

In that case I would assume that the 4-port 13" stays on Intel until we see a body refresh of both the 13" and the 16".

 

[Pancrecio]

The Bloomberg rumor that a 16" is in production but in an earlier stage could indicate that an M1X + Lifuka (GPU) could come late Q1.

In that case I would assume that the 4-port 13" stays on Intel until we see a body refresh of both the 13" and the 16".

This to me makes way more sense than waiting for WWDC or an M2. My reasoning is launch a 1st gen Apple Silicon across the board. The CPU is showing it's worth, now time for an Apple Silicon dedicated GPU to check all the marks. If the CPU benchmarks are anything to go by, then the GPU will make the 16" a monster machine, and they could then launch iMac later into 2021

 

[Pancrecio]

This leaker seems to suggest the 16" may come sooner rather than later… Finger's crossed!

Apple M1 successor tipped to bring significant gains to the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021)

Get ready for Apple M1X

www.techradar.com

 

[JosepPont]

This leaker seems to suggest the 16" may come sooner rather than later… Finger's crossed!

Apple M1 successor tipped to bring significant gains to the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021)

Get ready for Apple M1X

www.techradar.com

If that rumor is true, I will be disappointed with the treatment that Apple does to the MBP 16, they already launched it via press release in 2019 and now, without having mentioned it at an event (which I think it deserves) they will do it again. The top-of-the-line Macbook Pro deserve a better treatment.

 

[KPOM]

Indeed, I am quite astonished the 16" didn't debut alongside the 13".

Only those who are somehow forced to keep an Intel chip are customers for the 16", which at this point is a significant minority. I am very impressed at how fast pro creative software either is already native, or works perfectly well under Rosetta2. Sales of Mac Intels is going to go to a complete halt, especially now that real world benchmarks are turning heads left and right.

I wished Apple were a little more open about their release schedule.

I'm guessing the iPhone 12 launch, iPad Air, and the M1 Macs are using up all of TSMC's 5nm capacity, as these are all high volume sellers. The 4-port 13" Pro is probably next for upgrade, which might well be to a 14" version that distinguishes it from the base model Pro.

 

[philstubbington]

I'm guessing the iPhone 12 launch, iPad Air, and the M1 Macs are using up all of TSMC's 5nm capacity, as these are all high volume sellers. The 4-port 13" Pro is probably next for upgrade, which might well be to a 14" version that distinguishes it from the base model Pro.

Well, seems to be going to late 2021 now? Very frustrating. Hope my coal powered mid-2012 MacBook Air lasts out

 

[Apple_Robert]

I am going to go out on a wild limb and say in 6 months.

 

[philstubbington]

I am going to go out on a wild limb and say in 6 months.

I hope my coal store lasts ☹️

 

[Apple_Robert]

I hope my coal store lasts ☹️

Certainly understandable when you are using a dinosaur computer and trying to run on fossil fuel.

 

[philstubbington]

Certainly understandable when you are using a dinosaur computer and trying to run on fossil fuel.

Well, it’s still going - for now ?

I don’t want to buy the MacBook M1 to find it’s been superseded by something way more powerful 3-6-9 months down the line.

My Air was top of the range when I bought it, and I would do the same with its replacement. I’ll probably be back on here in January 2030 complaining that the new MacBook Pro M20 isn’t out yet ?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Well, it’s still going - for now ?

I don’t want to buy the MacBook M1 to find it’s been superseded by something way more powerful 3-6-9 months down the line.

My Air was top of the range when I bought it, and I would do the same with its replacement. I’ll probably be back on here in January 2030 complaining that the new MacBook Pro M20 isn’t out yet ?

With the M series, there is always going to be a M release of some model every 6 - 9 months. As to laptops, I think they will stick with the yearly spa bumps as they have been.

 

[philstubbington]

With the M series, there is always going to be a M release of some model every 6 - 9 months. As to laptops, I think they will stick with the yearly spa bumps as they have been.

Fair enough. Other than the need to run a few Windows apps, therefore needing Parallels on to run ARM, I’m considering upgrading more frequently in future rather than going for top spec less often.

 

[JosepPont]

Fair enough. Other than the need to run a few Windows apps, therefore needing Parallels on to run ARM, I’m considering upgrading more frequently in future rather than going for top spec less often.

I'm one of the guys that also need run Windows apps. I selled my 16" in september aftrer nine months of using it and after get tired of hear the jet noise and the poor performance for a 4000€ laptop. I recognize that is the most powerful laptopt I used ever but not what I expect for that price. I was waiting (naively) for a release with, at least, the thermals fixed without a 850€ tax (5600m) but that not happened and seems not will.



Finally I bought a (really) powerfull PC (i9 10900K, RTX 3080, 32GB) for 1500€ less than the crap MBP 16" and when I go to the work, if I need run some powerfull programs to show to my students I connect to the PC via VNC from a old laptop of my GF that I'm using now.



Maybe, when the new Macs where released, I'll buy a entry 16" model and will run the Windows apps via Parallels Acces but I will not rush.

 

[redcaptrickster]

come out in Q1 2021

You realize that Q1 ends in nine weeks, right?

 

[redcaptrickster]

trying to run on fossil fuel

Just like modern computers and electric cars.

Where does everyone think most of this electricity we use comes from?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Just like modern computers and electric cars.

Where does everyone think most of this electricity we use comes from?

Going to say Michael Farady for the win.

 

[redcaptrickster]

Going to say Michael Farady for the win.

In an ideal world, yes.

 

[phobos512]

Just like modern computers and electric cars.

Where does everyone think most of this electricity we use comes from?

That depends entirely on where you live. Remember, the benefit of electronics/electrics is their emissions instantly improve when you change the source of the power, which is being done worldwide.