Would you buy a New 16" M1 Max for $2100

[Ay-Yo-Its-Edge]

My current MBP is a Mid 2015 and I really need an upgrade, it's been a great laptop but it really just can't keep up anymore. I was looking at a 14" M2 Pro with just the ram upgraded (I'm a full time photographer/seldom any video and I use an MS M1 Ultra for the long editing days) but B&H has a 16" M1 Max base model 32GB/1Tb on sale for the next 10 hours for $2100. I haven't used any of the new Apple Silicon MBP's but would anyone whose used the M1 Max and/or the M2/M3 see a real world value (time & workflow) in spending more for an M2/M3 for the couple extra CPU/GPU cores? I keep my laptops as long as possible and I know that its only 2 years old but it seems like Apple hardware updates are coming quicker than ever. Anyways just looking for some opinions from real world users not the never-ending YouTube videos on benchmarks stats & graphs. Thanks in advance because the deal ends in less than 10 hours in the B&H Deal Zone so I need to decide soon.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1668190-REG/apple_mk1a3ll_a_16_2_macbook_pro_with.html

 

[jav6454]

What is your budget?

 

[Ay-Yo-Its-Edge]

What is your budget?

I was planning on spending at least $2500 with a MBP with upgraded RAM. They also have an M1 Max with 64GB/2TB for $2500.

 

[sevoneone]

Edit: Somehow I replied way late.

For $2500 the 64GB/2TB is a great deal if your priority is RAM and Storage. M1 Max GPU is still about 40% faster than M3 Pro in the same price range. Go M3 if you need/want a 30%/15% improvement in single/multi-core CPU over the M1 Pro/Max or if your workload involves 3D where the accelerated ray tracing will be a game changer.

 

[G5isAlive]

to answer your question in context... the Botton rung of the negotiation for a 32 gb 1 tb M1 Max...as represented by Apple trade in value is $1350. So I would look around the various used markets to see if someone has one to sell as they go to the M3 max ...I imagine they would jump at $1800. But otherwise, there are plenty of you tube videos talking about the M1 Max versus the M3. For your use, photography, the M1 Max handles 51 Mp Raw files into Lightroom with no problem. I might be considered on where the new AI tools are going in photoshop, those were taking 30 seconds or so on the M1 Max.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Edit: Somehow I replied way late.

For $2500 the 64GB/2TB is a great deal if your priority is RAM and Storage. M1 Max GPU is still about 40% faster than M3 Pro in the same price range. Go M3 if you need/want a 30%/15% improvement in single/multi-core CPU over the M1 Pro/Max or if your workload involves 3D where the accelerated ray tracing will be a game changer.

Can you share more about this testing/claim?

 

[jav6454]

I was planning on spending at least $2500 with a MBP with upgraded RAM. They also have an M1 Max with 64GB/2TB for $2500.

I would recommend you look at a new model then, M1 Pros have lost value and you'll be loosing money.

 

[sevoneone]

Can you share more about this testing/claim?

Geekbench 6 OpenCL and Metal Benchmarks rough averages:
M1 Max 32 GPU – OpenCL: 72,000 | Metal: 118,000
M3 Pro 18 GPU – OpenCL: 51,000 | Metal: 78,000

M1 Max with 32 GPU cores is +41% at OpenCL and +51% at Metal. Metal is what matters for most and synthetic benchmarks are not indicative of the real world. So, take 20% of the +50% with a grain of salt and call it 40% faster.

That does not take into account the hardware accelerated ray tracing. If you have a workflow/usecase that can take advantage of it, there isn't even a contest, M3 all the way.

 

[Mr. Dee]

For an M1 Max I would certainly get it. I even see so wild configs like the following:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1668323-REG/apple_mbp_16_sg_25_16_2_macbook_pro_with.html

Thats a computer you are likely gonna keep for the next 10 years.

 

[Aka757]

I'm looking at B&H's deals today as well. The $2,500 16" M1 Max w/ 64 GB RAM config is super tempting. I have a 16" M3 Pro w/ 36 GB RAM on order which I can still cancel, wondering if I should get the B&H one instead. The difficult part is that I have a $700 Apple gift card that I've applied towards the M3 Pro that is actually making that config cheaper than B&H's deal, but the extra RAM is really enticing...

 

[Ay-Yo-Its-Edge]

I'm looking at B&H's deals today as well. The $2,500 16" M1 Max w/ 64 GB RAM config is super tempting. I have a 16" M3 Pro w/ 36 GB RAM on order which I can still cancel, wondering if I should get the B&H one instead. The difficult part is that I have a $700 Apple gift card that I've applied towards the M3 Pro that is actually making that config cheaper than B&H's deal, but the extra RAM is really enticing...

I’m leaning more towards the 64GB model. I’ve been looking and most used with those specs are over $2K so to get one new seems like the way to go for me.

 

[Aka757]

I’m leaning more towards the 64GB model. I’ve been looking and most used with those specs are over $2K so to get one new seems like the way to go for me.

yeah, it really is too good of a deal to pass up on. I just bought it. I wish B&H had a better return policy since you can't return opened laptops like you can with Apple, but luckily if I change my mind before I open it they'll take it back. I feel like you can't really go wrong either way

 

[TechnoMonk]

I wouldn’t spend 2k+ bucks on a laptop that is likely to be not supported in 4 years. I got my 64GB 16 MBP for 3600 when it was released. Just don’t see spending that much money on laptop which lost significant value and 2-3 years of support window. I keep laptops for 8 years in support.

 

[Ay-Yo-Its-Edge]

yeah, it really is too good of a deal to pass up on. I just bought it. I wish B&H had a better return policy since you can't return opened laptops like you can with Apple, but luckily if I change my mind before I open it they'll take it back. I feel like you can't really go wrong either way

I just bought the 64GB/2TB for $2500. The savings was too big to pass on for a new vs used.

 

[Mr. Dee]

yeah, it really is too good of a deal to pass up on. I just bought it. I wish B&H had a better return policy since you can't return opened laptops like you can with Apple, but luckily if I change my mind before I open it they'll take it back. I feel like you can't really go wrong either way

You could probably put it on Ebay for a nice profit if you don't like it.

I wouldn’t spend 2k+ bucks on a laptop that is likely to be not supported in 4 years. I got my 64GB 16 MBP for 3600 when it was released. Just don’t see spending that much money on laptop which lost significant value and 2-3 years of support window. I keep laptops for 8 years in support.

My observation is many people are keeping their devices much longer even beyond OS updates.

My 2015 13 inch MacBook got the following:

1. OS X Yosemite (preinstalled)
2. El Capitan
3. Sierra
4. High Sierra
5. Mojave
6. Catalina
7. Big Sur
8. Monterrey
9. Two more years of security updates

If you bought a 2021 MacBook Pro which was only a couple years ago, yeah, you might miss two future OS releases. But seriously that would be 7 to 8 years from now.

2021. Monterey
2022. Ventura
2023. Sonoma
2024. macOS 15
2025. macOS 16
2026. macOS 17
2027. macOS 18
2028. macOS 19
2029. Start of two years of security updates
2030. Last year of security updates
2031. You likely would have already bought a brand new MacBook Pro long ago.

Five years is a long time in computing and we don't know what kinda curve ball life will throw at us. During that time, our workflow might switch to an iMac, a Vision Pro or even a cheaper MacBook Air. So counting the value on the amount of macOS releases you will get out of it is not really the way to quantify it. Are you getting an ROI on your investment based on what you will use it for? Example: edit wedding videos, DJ at the reception, graphic design.

I always remember a friend from Mexico who used these old iMac G3's that were long past their expiry date with Illustrator 10 and Panther to run a business selling T-shirt designs. He was making good money, too. It's one of the hallmarks of Mac users I don't see anymore. The old printshop with that super old world Mac running Photoshop 2 and QuarkXpress 3.3 still doing the job.

 

[StrollerEd]

I just bought the 64GB/2TB for $2500. The savings was too big to pass on for a new vs used.

Congratulations. I went from a mid-2015 MBP 15" to the M1 Max 16" on its release and have been v happy with it ever since. It is a bit more like a 'luggable' but the sense of upgrade is very satisfying. Enjoy!

 

[smirking]

Congrats! I'm a semi-pro photographer and the thing I like most about the M-series MBPs has nothing to do with speed even though they've got a lot of punch. It's the power efficiency.

On a full battery on my 2019 MBP, I'd be lucky to get 90 minutes of full out editing in Capture One Pro. I can go full out for as long as 7 hours on my M1 Pro.

Before, I wouldn't dare do any serious photo management or editing on the go for fear of depleting the battery. Now I just do whatever I want when I want.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I just bought the 64GB/2TB for $2500. The savings was too big to pass on for a new vs used.

Good choice, great value. You want RAM for images work. I came too late to the conversation to recommend, but that is what I would have recommended.

And I agree with Mr. Dee's comments about how long support lasts; namely, plenty long enough. After ~6 years anyone dealing with images needs a new box. My 2016 MBP got retired due to the max-when-new 16 GB RAM becoming inadequate, not because Monterey was inadequate. And it will still get a couple more years of security updates.

 

[Ay-Yo-Its-Edge]

Congratulations. I went from a mid-2015 MBP 15" to the M1 Max 16" on its release and have been v happy with it ever since. It is a bit more like a 'luggable' but the sense of upgrade is very satisfying. Enjoy!

It was actually the 64GB/4TB SSD which is even better, no Apple Tax for the storage. For $2500 I feel like it was well worth it.

 

[sevoneone]

LOL. How many of us just bought one of these things? 14” 64/2TB here. We may need to start a support group.

 

[StrollerEd]

It was actually the 64GB/4TB SSD which is even better, no Apple Tax for the storage. For $2500 I feel like it was well worth it.

I'm trying hard not to feel jealous, but I've now had two years' joy of use, so no regrets

 

[TechnoMonk]

You could probably put it on Ebay for a nice profit if you don't like it.


My observation is many people are keeping their devices much longer even beyond OS updates.

My 2015 13 inch MacBook got the following:

1. OS X Yosemite (preinstalled)
2. El Capitan
3. Sierra
4. High Sierra
5. Mojave
6. Catalina
7. Big Sur
8. Monterrey
9. Two more years of security updates

If you bought a 2021 MacBook Pro which was only a couple years ago, yeah, you might miss two future OS releases. But seriously that would be 7 to 8 years from now.

2021. Monterey
2022. Ventura
2023. Sonoma
2024. macOS 15
2025. macOS 16
2026. macOS 17
2027. macOS 18
2028. macOS 19
2029. Start of two years of security updates
2030. Last year of security updates
2031. You likely would have already bought a brand new MacBook Pro long ago.

Five years is a long time in computing and we don't know what kinda curve ball life will throw at us. During that time, our workflow might switch to an iMac, a Vision Pro or even a cheaper MacBook Air. So counting the value on the amount of macOS releases you will get out of it is not really the way to quantify it. Are you getting an ROI on your investment based on what you will use it for? Example: edit wedding videos, DJ at the reception, graphic design.

I always remember a friend from Mexico who used these old iMac G3's that were long past their expiry date with Illustrator 10 and Panther to run a business selling T-shirt designs. He was making good money, too. It's one of the hallmarks of Mac users I don't see anymore. The old printshop with that super old world Mac running Photoshop 2 and QuarkXpress 3.3 still doing the job.

I am not running computers with third party hacks or with outdated security patches. I have nothing against those who do, it’s just too much risk for me. If I am spending good money, and plan to keep it for 7-8 years, I wouldn’t buy something which is almost 3 years in to the life of the product support. Five years is life time, which is another reason I can’t buy a laptop which has been out for 3 years. If I had to buy M1 Max, I will probably pay 1500 for 64GB RAM. Anything more isn’t much of value.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I am not running computers with third party hacks or with outdated security patches. I have nothing against those who do, it’s just too much risk for me. If I am spending good money, and plan to keep it for 7-8 years, I wouldn’t buy something which is almost 3 years in to the life of the product support. Five years is life time, which is another reason I can’t buy a laptop which has been out for 3 years. If I had to buy M1 Max, I will probably pay 1500 for 64GB RAM. Anything more isn’t much of value.

So, basically its about price versus longevity. I bet if it was selling for 800 dollars, you probably would pick up 3. But, I could further prove my point. Apple still sells the M1 MacBook Air which a lot of businesses also buy. Do you see the M1 MacBook Air still getting support near the end of the decade too?

 

[Timpetus]

LOL. How many of us just bought one of these things? 14” 64/2TB here. We may need to start a support group.

I also bought the 14" 64GB/2TB, though in my case it was a sale a few months ago that included Applecare+ for an extra $100. Great deal!

 

[smirking]

I also bought the 14" 64GB/2TB, though in my case it was a sale a few months ago that included Applecare+ for an extra $100. Great deal!

If it makes anyone feel better, B&H has a history of these incredible fire sales and the reason for the steep discount becomes apparent when people start receiving machines with a high DOA rate. I learned this the hard way a few years ago when I picked up an impossibly good deal on a new MBA from B&H.

Anyone who purchased one, don't worry. They'll take it back without any friction and it's covered under Applecare so you could get it fixed too. It's the battery and from what I read is that people think that there are always units that don't get properly stored and are exposed to more heat than is good for them so the batteries in the old stock are put in challenging states and may not be viable after a couple of years.

In my case, I returned my MBA and asked for a replacement. I wish I had gone the AppleCare route because they didn't have any more units left so I got a refund instead. My plan was to go to AppleCare if the second unit also arrived DOA.