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14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

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Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#41

Post by anamexis »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #28

> It will probably take a little while for Mac apps to be updated to support the ProMotion display. I found that some apps scrolled text in the same buttery-smooth way that apps do on my iPhone and iPad, but others didn’t. I was able to find a few Catalyst-based apps that have already been written to support 120Hz displays on iPad and iPhone, and they looked spectacular. It surprised me that an app would have to be u…

I don't know the details, but the idea behind ProMotion is that the display dynamically changes refresh rate based on need. So, apps would need to tell the OS when they want a higher refresh rate to display smoother motion.

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#42

Post by Tsiklon »

bitcurious wrote: post #26

Two charging question for owners: 1. can you still charge over usb-c or are you forced to use MagSafe? 2. Is the other side of the magsafe cable usb-c or is it glued to the brick? I rather like not having extra cables/charging blocks.

From the announcement video, they said you can charge over both USB-C and MagSafe.

On the website for the notebook the "In the box" section shows a separate MagSafe -> USB-C cable.

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#43

Post by brundolf »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #28

> It will probably take a little while for Mac apps to be updated to support the ProMotion display. I found that some apps scrolled text in the same buttery-smooth way that apps do on my iPhone and iPad, but others didn’t. I was able to find a few Catalyst-based apps that have already been written to support 120Hz displays on iPad and iPhone, and they looked spectacular. It surprised me that an app would have to be u…

It's not just a better display, it's a software system that dynamically adapts the framerate based on what's happening with the content at a given moment

I am still a little surprised it requires app support, but not shocked

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#45

Post by vehemenz »

toisanji wrote: post #22

which is the right one to get, 14 or 16?

I'm wondering that too. As usual, the pros/cons of physical footprint and screen size cancel each other out.

Unlike previous years, Apple allows you to configure the 14" model with the highest CPU/GPU configuration, so it changes the calculus a little bit.

The 16" should have better battery life and cooling, but it starts at $500 more. And it has "high power" mode, but I doubt many would need it.

This is probably the first time where it comes down to only which size you want to carry around.

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#46

Post by c-fe »

anamexis wrote: post #34
bitcurious wrote: post #26

Two charging question for owners: 1. can you still charge over usb-c or are you forced to use MagSafe? 2. Is the other side of the magsafe cable usb-c or is it glued to the brick? I rather like not having extra cables/charging blocks.

1. You can still charge over USB-C. (The 16" cannot charge at full speed over USB-C, because it charges at 140W which is more than USB PD can currently deliver. But it will still charge to full, just slower.) 2. The other side of the cable is USB-C.

If 140MW is more than USB PD can deliver, then how can the other side of the cable be USB-C?

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#47

Post by troberti »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #28

> It will probably take a little while for Mac apps to be updated to support the ProMotion display. I found that some apps scrolled text in the same buttery-smooth way that apps do on my iPhone and iPad, but others didn’t. I was able to find a few Catalyst-based apps that have already been written to support 120Hz displays on iPad and iPhone, and they looked spectacular. It surprised me that an app would have to be u…

For iPhone 13, you need to 'opt-in' for 120 FPS by adding a key to your app's Info.plist file. This is probably something similar.

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#48

Post by chomp »

toisanji wrote: post #22

which is the right one to get, 14 or 16?

Depends on your workflow.

Do you find yourself working away from your monitors a lot? Do you move from place to place, or do you set up and not move for a while? How's your eyesight? Do you use the native screen at all while docked?

I find 14" to be good for mostly docked work, or very mobile work. I use reading glasses anyway, so the smaller screen doesn't bother me much, but I find it difficult to side-by-side 2 windows. It's way lighter and fits in almost any bag.

I like the 16" because when working, I use the native screen with my monitors. I don't use this laptop anywhere except in 2 places (home office, and work office). I can definitely fit multiple windows on the screen. I can scale the display up, and it doesn't wind up eating a bunch of my screen real-estate. Apple is quoting more battery life for the 16", so not sure if that factors into your workflow or not.

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#49

Post by anamexis »

c-fe wrote: post #46
anamexis wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. You can still charge over USB-C. (The 16" cannot charge at full speed over USB-C, because it charges at 140W which is more than USB PD can currently deliver. But it will still charge to full, just slower.) 2. The other side of the cable is USB-C.

If 140MW is more than USB PD can deliver, then how can the other side of the cable be USB-C?

Presumably the charger has a proprietary feature where it will provide more power over the magsafe charging cable.

Re: 14-inch MacBook Pro review: A Mac Pro in your backpack

#50

Post by Closi »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #28

> It will probably take a little while for Mac apps to be updated to support the ProMotion display. I found that some apps scrolled text in the same buttery-smooth way that apps do on my iPhone and iPad, but others didn’t. I was able to find a few Catalyst-based apps that have already been written to support 120Hz displays on iPad and iPhone, and they looked spectacular. It surprised me that an app would have to be u…

I think it depends on the framework - as part of the ProMotion library isn't automatically running everything at 120 FPS but dynamically scaling the framerate up/down based on demand and requirement so that it can balance the additional power consumption that 120fps drives.

Because of this, apps that don't update for ProMotion might be capped at 60hz (or something like that) so that the laptop doesn't have to run everything at 120hz if one app isn't updated.

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