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Why Apple doesn't let us choose older chips when configuring Mac?
- Thread starter Sami13496
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Unlike Intel which has the capacity to keep making old chips along with new ones, Apple has to have another foundry make its chips, so it needs all the capacity it can get. So once a new architecture is out, it significantly scales back production of older chips.
Apple is still having M1 chips produced as they're still using them in the iPad Air, of course. And they need to keep stocks of replacement parts for M1-based Macs around for a while, but they're likely not being mass-manufactured to where it would be cost-effective for them to offer M1 - M3 choices in all their machine. Not to mention it's almost certain that each requires a different-enough logic board that having so many options for their machines would become a nightmare of parts management.
Apple is still having M1 chips produced as they're still using them in the iPad Air, of course. And they need to keep stocks of replacement parts for M1-based Macs around for a while, but they're likely not being mass-manufactured to where it would be cost-effective for them to offer M1 - M3 choices in all their machine. Not to mention it's almost certain that each requires a different-enough logic board that having so many options for their machines would become a nightmare of parts management.
I was under the impression the various Mx chips have a different pin out, so it would not be just a chip swap but would require a whole different motherboard
This. RN they are making multiple chips for MacBooks. The M1 for the Air and iPad, M2 for the iPad and MacBook Air's and Mac studio/pro, and the various M3 chips. They probably want to stop doing the M1 and M2 ASAP.
Likely the last M1 device (iPad Air) gets updated this month (as early as Monday), but the M2 will still be around in the new base MacBook Air and likely iPad Air, and of course the Apple Vision Pro (though that's a low volume product).
It really doesn't. TSMC has plenty of 5nm capacity to make M1 and M2 chips. And it's not as if a customer choosing a 5nm M1 will also buy a 5nm M2 chip.
Apple needs to ensure the billions sunk NRE costs in developing M1, M2, and M3 each meet the targeted sales numbers.
A laptop isn’t a salad at Chipotle. You can’t swap out beef for chicken. It’s a system that’s designed together. From power requirements, interface speed, periphery controllers, they engineer the entire system to be optimized for the SOC aka the brains of the entire thing.
Soon? M1 is like 2 years older than M3. M2 one year older. With your logic all the M1 users are screwed because the support is about to drop…? Then why people are able to use and actually plan to use their machines Mx machines for even 5-7 years?
Also with iPhones I’m able to buy 1-2 year old model with older chip and it will be fine for several years.
I keep my devices a very long time. So I want to have as long support as possible. 2 years less would be not acceptable for me. Sure it’s not a topic for people who upgrade every few years.
Based on how they supported their laptops thusfar, you'll get 7-8 years official support for a given model from the moment that SKU was launched. You can actually (lol) plan whatever you want but that doesn't mean anything. So buying an M1 mac today means you have 3-4 years out of it until they stop supporting it. Whereas if you buy an M3 you'll get 7-8. It doesn't mean that hardware won't work longer. Quite contrary. You can thank Apple for that. Microsoft is following their suit.
Its cheaper to move on and maintain fewer supply chains.
It's weird, Apple is among the best with how many years of OS support they give their phones, but they are the worst when it comes to real computers. There is always Linux.
If your goal is to save money, then it helps you that Apple has dropped the M1 Air, as that makes the model "outdated", which enables you to pick it up for a lower price either used (left) or from Apple's refurb store (right).
The stuff from the refurb store comes with a full warranty and, physically, is essentially indistiguishable from new. Thus it effectively gives you exactly what you want, assuming the configuration you desire is in stock.
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