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Introducing the next generation of Mac

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Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#481

Post by mindajar »

bengale wrote: post #447
unvs wrote: post #420

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say the 16, but with a caveat. By itself it is a great machine. In clamshell mode with an external 4k screen it is a great machine. With the laptop screen open connected to an external 4k screen it is EXTREMELY noisy and hot. ~173 pages of complaints on Macrumors here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/16-is-hot-noisy-with-an...

What difference does having it closed make? I keep my on a stand but open just for slack really. It does make a hell of a racket when I’ve got a lot of containers running.

In clamshell mode it only has to drive one display, so it demands a lower baseline of memory, CPU, GPU, ...

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#482

Post by Eric_WVGG »

Eric_WVGG wrote: post #159
api wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Has anyone ever seen anyone use the Touch Bar? Like really use it?

I love the Touch Bar. All those cmd-opt-shift bizarro keyboard shortcuts, I have mapped to custom buttons across lots of apps. A couple popup apps on globally-available buttons. Even a swiping gesture while on iTerm to fly through command history. It's great if you take the time to actually customize it.

incidentally, I place the “blame” for the poor uptake of the Touch Bar at Apple’s feet. They relied on uninterested developers to make it useful, and didn't but the necessary tools in the hands of users to make it useful themselves. In five years, they’ve done nothing to expand its capabilities since the debut.

Everything cool I can do with the Touch Bar is thanks to a third-party tool, BetterTouchTool. Also enables some cool stuff like three-finger-trackpad-swipes to cycle through window tabs! Worth the price of admission for that feature alone, give it a look. https://www.folivora.ai

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#483

Post by asdff »

_alex_ wrote: post #460
tiffanyh wrote: post #425

Apple officially has dropped mentioning the CPU frequency for these new Macs (just like they don't mentioned it with iOS devices)

I think it's actually a good move for the first gen. If they put out the CPU frequency, people would be comparing it to the intel parts. ARM and x86 being different architectures, a 2GHz M1 is going to perform differently than a 2GHz Core i5

There's been dozens of macs that have come out with a lower baseline frequency than the last gen. My ancient 2004 ibook G4 has a higher frequency than a 2020 macbook air, doesn't mean customers conflate it to be faster nor should they if your marketing was worth a damn.

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#484

Post by reaperducer »

TechBro8615 wrote: post #354

Straw poll: I need a new development machine, price is not an object but it has to be a Mac. Should I buy this new M1 or go with the Intel 16 inch MBP? My gut says there’s going to be a year or two of cross-compilation nightmares. I do a lot of Docker-based development. Wondering what everyone else thinks?

Should I buy this new M1 or go with the Intel 16 inch MBP?

IMO, it depends on how long you're going to keep your computer.

If you're the sort of person who keeps using the same computer for eight or nine years, you don't want to end up on the old chips when all the software has migrated years earlier.

Imagine still running a PowerMac in 2010.

I was ready to buy an M1 model, but the deal breaker for me is the screen. I use a 2011 Air. An 11" screen was fine a decade ago, but my eyes aren't what they used to be, and I don't think 13" is going to cut it. When a 15" or 16" option becomes available, I'm there.

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#485

Post by hankchinaski »

AnonHP wrote: post #140

Apple mentioned in the event that these Macs will have hardware verified secure boot. Since I’m not very knowledgeable in this area, can someone explain (or even try to guess) what this would/could mean for running Linux on these? I use Macs way beyond Apple’s support timeframe with OS X/macOS, and Linux is the one that runs on some of the older Macs and provides adequate security and security related software update…

i personally prefer secure hardware at the expense of not being able to play around with other OSes - i am sure i am not alone

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#486

Post by stjohnswarts »

nicoburns wrote: post #338
Thorentis wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also have this one. It was my first macbook, and I think I got really lucky with getting in when I did. Been going strong for 5 years, and has no difficulty doing anything I need it to do. Only thing I wish I did was get more storage (only got the 128GB model).

FYI the storage is upgradable on these machines (and it's very straightforward to do). It's a nonstandard SSD interface, but you can official modules 2nd hand on ebay quite cheaply these days.

Do your research on the adapters though and drives. Some have issues with suspend. Make sure the hardware you add has been tested by some brave youtuber or blogger before buying anything. It looks like the actual act of repacing it isn't that bad though.

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#487

Post by oblio »

jedberg wrote: post #190
plorkyeran wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All of them? I use the function keys regularly and it's much harder to hit the correct one without looking at the keyboard with the touch bar.

What do you use function keys for? I was thinking about this, and I don't think I've used a function key in years.

Do you use IDEs for debugging?

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#488

Post by asdff »

a_c_s wrote: post #439
werber wrote: post #417

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use the 2020 macbook air personally and 16in professionally and the keyboard drives me insane, to the point I bought a magic keyboard to be able to function without screaming at my computer for accidentally turning my video camera on yet again during a meeting. I really wish they would have a no touch bar option, because I could use more power but still be able to touch type. Touch bar is the worst technological "i…

Did you know that you can change what buttons are on the Touch Bar? You can make it almost behave the same as other keyboard by having it always show F-keys. https://support.apple.com/en-qa/guide/mac-help/mchl5a63b060/...

the difficulty isn't the content but the fact you can't blindly hit the key reliably. reminds me of back in the day where you could send a composed complete text message from your phone without taking it out of your hoodie pocket in class. not the case anymore in our touch screen world without tactile feedback.

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#489

Post by shakow »

justin66 wrote: post #457
tiffanyh wrote: post #445

I don't understand the pricing of the MacBook Air vs the 13" Pro. The Air ($1249) vs 13" Pro ($1299), you get: - same CPU - same GPU - same Neural chip - same RAM (8gb) - More storage for the Air (512gb vs 256gb with 13" Pro) - You get Touch Bar with 13" Pro So if you don't care about the Touch Bar, you actually get with the Air: - better specs - smaller device footprint - and $50 cheaper. Am I missing something?

Perhaps this pricing was brought about by the same head injury that caused someone in management to believe 8GB is an adequate base spec for RAM in 2020.

It is definitely an adequate base spec. What would the random MacBook user fill 16GB of RAM with?

Re: Introducing the next generation of Mac

#490

Post by danielfoster »

tiffanyh wrote: post #445

I don't understand the pricing of the MacBook Air vs the 13" Pro. The Air ($1249) vs 13" Pro ($1299), you get: - same CPU - same GPU - same Neural chip - same RAM (8gb) - More storage for the Air (512gb vs 256gb with 13" Pro) - You get Touch Bar with 13" Pro So if you don't care about the Touch Bar, you actually get with the Air: - better specs - smaller device footprint - and $50 cheaper. Am I missing something?

Are there any differences in screens? I have no idea but would guess that the Pro has a better screen with more accurate colors.
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