MacBook Air M4

Post by margorczynski » Wed, Mar 05, 2025, 10:39 PM UTC

guhidalg wrote: post #442

buildfocus wrote: post #437

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the performance gap so huge? Power efficiency yes, absolutely, but for peak performance last I saw the last AMD vs M3 benchmarks were a slightly slower single core, and a little faster in multicore. Doesn't seem as world changing as described.

Yes. No other laptop can sustain peak performance as long as the M-series Macs. The only thing that competes is a dedicated desktop with a big cooler and fan. Mac laptops feel faster, even if the synthetic benchmarks say otherwise.

Post by bgnn » Wed, Mar 05, 2025, 10:43 PM UTC

achandlerwhite wrote: post #407

reustle wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But that’s an ok tradeoff. They offer a cellular iPad, why not MacBook.

They might once they are off Qualcomm modems (the new 16e is now an Apple modem). Qualcomm charges them a royalty fee per device sold.

Post by rozenmd » Wed, Mar 05, 2025, 10:44 PM UTC

bartvk wrote: post #146

kotaKat wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone that migrated to the M1 Macbook Air from a Mid-2014 Macbook Pro... the Intel customers are still the ones they're trying to target, amusingly. If they'd just give me onboard mobile connectivity, I'd upgrade to the next Air sooner, otherwise this thing will run until it dies... and maybe some day they'll start comparing performance against their original M1.

Mid-2014 MBP, that's amazing. Did you buy it new? And actually used it since 2014?

Post by godelski » Wed, Mar 05, 2025, 10:48 PM UTC

mcgrath_sh wrote: post #42

I have considered going back to Mac after about 5-7 years on Windows/WSL, but the storage premium is just too much to swallow. If the $999 was a base 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, I'd consider it. I just added another 32GB of RAM to my 2020 built desktop for $50. You can get a 1TB crucial M.2 drive for $70. I know I'm comparing apples and oranges, but the storage cost is too much, and 256GB is much too little. Edit: to…

  > storage premium

  DDR5 RAM (Single Stick)
  Memory  Apple  Desktop Laptop  Server
    16      -     ~$40    ~$40     ~$60
    24    +$200   ~$200   ~$50    ~$100
    32    +$400   ~$80    ~$80   ~$100-$200
  2 Sticks
    64      -     ~$200   ~$170  ~$150
   128      -     ~$115   ~$310  ~$250

  Storage  Apple  NVME (Gen 5)  NVME (Gen 4) SSD     HDD
  256GB     -         -           ~$50       ~$20   ~$20
  512GB   +$200       -           ~$60       ~$30   ~$40
   1T     +$400     ~$150         ~$80       ~$60   ~$50
   2T     +$800     ~$200         ~$150      ~$100  ~$60
   4T       -       ~$400         ~$280      ~$200  ~$80

  - Why are there no good competitors? 
  - Why are there no good linux laptops with good battery life?

Post by Aeolun » Wed, Mar 05, 2025, 10:52 PM UTC

buildfocus wrote: post #437

homefree wrote: post #411

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's nothing close, Apple has better talent and the vertical integration gives them an edge (especially on performance per watt on their chip designs). Since the M series chips, there's been no other option if you care about quality. There are crappy alternatives with serious tradeoffs if for some reason you are forced to not use Apple or choose for non-quality reasons.

Is the performance gap so huge? Power efficiency yes, absolutely, but for peak performance last I saw the last AMD vs M3 benchmarks were a slightly slower single core, and a little faster in multicore. Doesn't seem as world changing as described.