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Apple Unveils M2

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Re: Apple Unveils M2

#731

Post by throwaway09223 »

furyg3 wrote: post #268
edgefield wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

100% agree. The last generation of MacBook pros with intel processors were virtually unusable for zoom calls or any intensive processing power tasks.

This is downvoted, but my intel MacBook Pro (maxed out specs) from 2015 really was dying on zoom / MS teams calls. Probably says a lot about those two apps, but this was one of the main reasons I upgraded to an M1 Mac during corona.

Yes, mine too. I actually set up a large desk fan pointed at the keyboard to help dissipate the heat. Got so hot I would burn the tips of my fingers if I let them rest on the keyboard.

It was not a well designed laptop.

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#732

Post by parkingrift »

darkteflon wrote: post #504
godelski wrote: post #485

Why does the 13" Pro have a 720p camera and the Air have a 1080p? Seriously, why is Apple still putting in 720p cameras? This has to be a mistake, right? Edit: Also the pro is missing the magsafe charger. Are they phasing out the 13" pro? Pro: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-13/specs/ Air: https://www.apple.com/macbook-air-m2/specs/

To clarify, you’re talking about the 13” Pro only. But yeah, total mystery to me why they’re still selling it. It made sense in 2020 on the cusp of the Intel/Silicon transition, but now that we already have the redesigned 14”, don’t really understand what they’re doing here. Who would buy one of these? The Touch Bar is an evolutionary dead-end, and the design of the new 14” and 16” Pros seemed specifically targeted a…

The 13” MBP is $1,299 and has better performance and better battery life than the MBA. The 14” is too expensive at $1,999, has inferior battery life, and weighs more.

If I had to buy a laptop today I would get the 13”. The Touch Bar is no issue to me as I use it docked 75% of the time.

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#733

Post by dividedbyzero »

turtlebits wrote: post #345
pier25 wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. The Air used to be the laptop for everyone. Now it has entered into MBP territory in terms of pricing and performance. What will happen with the M3? Will the base Air start at $1500? Will the M2 Air drop its price to $999 when the M3 is released? I'm not saying the M2 Air is not worth its price compared to x86 laptops, but it's ridiculous that the cheapest Apple laptop is way overkill for its intended audien…

The original Macbook Air when introduced had an MSRP of $1800. They are still selling the M1 Air at $1000.

The original Air was placed in a completely different segment, against the tiny executive Vaios and the like. People on a budget (like university student me) got the white plastic Macbook back then.

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#734

Post by intrasight »

mwcampbell wrote: post #653
intrasight wrote: post #641

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about replacing with a "real" computer? I stopped accepting these compromises around 2004, and since then have built my own computers from discrete components.

As semiconductor technology advances, increasing miniaturization and integration become normal and expected. I imagine that in the 70s and early 80s, some people thought that the only "real" computers were minicomputers such as those made by DEC, or even mainframes. Highly integrated computers such as the Apple Silicon Macs are the logical continuation of the trend that began with the first microcomputers. Having sai…

"integration" and "performance per watt" are way overrated IMHO. My desktop is on 24/7 with multiple VMs running. I walk up to it and begin working - no startup or setup. Electricity cost is probably $20/month.

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#735

Post by welfare »

_ea1k wrote: post #386
reaperducer wrote: post #364

Earlier quoted context omitted.

that "18%" improvement is almost certainly made up of very many 1% improvements My guess is 18 of them.

I'd guess 17, but I guess it depends on whether they compound. :)

Ah, the old synergy effect, a corporate executive's best friend.

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#737

Post by odshoifsdhfs »

alxlu wrote: post #540
skohan wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's hard to imagine needing this honestly. I'm typing this on an M1 air, and even on this chip it's so snappy and quick even on things like larger compilation jobs. I'm not on the super-power-user end, but imo the price/performance for the air, as well as the form factor seems to be a sweet spot.

I always see people say things like this, but I have an almost fully specced out m1 max and the system grinds to a halt for a few seconds when I do basic tasks like join a zoom meeting from my web browser. Like the mouse will lag, if I’m listening to music it will start to skip or freeze, etc.

One thing that came to mind, which may be relevant to you or not, do you have the Whatsapp desktop client installed/running? A few months ago, an update seems to have screwed up something that made my Mac much slower and unresponsive when it was open (my gf and my ex had the same issues with WA, the moment they closed WA it was snappy again).

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#738

Post by jrochkind1 »

maliker wrote: post #652
jrochkind1 wrote: post #547

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only thing my 2015 pro had trouble with was Teams. No problem with Zoom for me. But Teams was a nightmare of dropped sound and video in both directions.

I have had luck running Teams in the safari web app instead of the native (ahem Electron) app. Cuts the CPU usage down to 25% instead of 75%.

Interesting, as an engineer, I wonder what explains that.

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#739

Post by maliker »

jrochkind1 wrote: post #738
maliker wrote: post #652

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have had luck running Teams in the safari web app instead of the native (ahem Electron) app. Cuts the CPU usage down to 25% instead of 75%.

Interesting, as an engineer, I wonder what explains that.

My guess is that the Electron app is using a generic video codec that they got working reliably across Windows/Mac/Linux, but Safari is forcing a more efficient one that's well-optimized for Mac only.

Re: Apple Unveils M2

#740

Post by deltaonefour »

bogwog wrote: post #478
deltaonefour wrote: post #455

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's proven through consumer choice of laptops over desktops. Proof is in the sales figures. Consumers choose a less customizable product over one that is customizable indicating logically that some features are more important then customizability. Which continues to be in line with what I said. Consumers don't care about it as much. It is proof. Please refute this claim or acknowledge you are wrong. Thanks.

Now I know you're just trolling me

Sort of. But I mean I said it because it's definitively true.

The troll part is because it's also definitively obvious, and I know everyone knows about this, including you. And I can easily form a statement that can't be challenged at all. You're still welcome to prove my statements wrong even though it's impossible.

Obviously you're just not thinking in that direction and you're sort of heavily biased towards modularity and other niche nerd features.

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