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Experience with M1 (ARM) Macs?
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Posted by Andy Brice
Feb 25, 2021 at 06:13 PM
I have just released a new version of Hyper Plan (v2.10.4) to support the new M1 Macs. It seems the the previous version (built with an older version of the Qt framework) had issues. I am thinking about buying a new M1 Mac Powerbook Pro so I can do testing on an M1. I wonder if anyone had upgraded to an M1 laptop or desktop. Has it lived up to the hype? Are most of your favourite Mac apps working ok on it?
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Andy Brice
http://www.hyperplan.com
Posted by MadaboutDana
Feb 25, 2021 at 08:18 PM
Well, I’ve read an awful lot of reviews, and every single one (even by doubting Thomases) has been wildly enthusiastic.
I’m tempted to get a MacBook Air just to avoid heat and fan noise (my 2015 MacBook Pro quite often revs up when I’m using a lot of applications/opening a lot of web pages). The Air is, it appears, totally silent and remains utterly cool (in both senses!). Also, that battery life – users who’ve had them a while are reporting one to one and a half days of use, no worries.
Plus there are some great refurb deals already available on Apple’s website – in the UK, starting at GBP 850. Worth a look!
Posted by Andy Brice
Feb 25, 2021 at 11:51 PM
MadaboutDana wrote:
Well, I’ve read an awful lot of reviews, and every single one
>(even by doubting Thomases) has been wildly enthusiastic.
Yes, they seem to get a much more positive response than other Mac laptops over the last few years.
>
>I’m tempted to get a MacBook Air just to avoid heat and fan noise
>(my 2015 MacBook Pro quite often revs up when I’m using a lot of
>applications/opening a lot of web pages). The Air is, it appears,
>totally silent and remains utterly cool (in both senses!). Also, that
>battery life – users who’ve had them a while are reporting
>one to one and a half days of use, no worries.
There are some reports about problems with limited SSD writes:
https://www.pcgamer.com/apple-m1-macs-appear-to-be-chewing-through-their-ssds/
But I suspect these reports are wrong (as reported elsewhere) and unlikely to be an issue in practise.
The fact that SSD and RAM are soldered in are a concern though. Why did they do that?
>
>Plus there are some great refurb deals already available on
>Apple’s website
Hadn’t thought to look at refurbs.
Posted by MadaboutDana
Feb 26, 2021 at 08:38 AM
I know, Apple’s been soldering in the RAM and SSD storage for a few years now, to the fury of those who like to tinker with their hardware (and even those who don’t, because it enhances built-in redundancy). It started under Jony Ive, I suspect as a way of ensuring that the machines remained as pure and unsullied as his particular aesthetic required, but there’s undoubtedly a commercial and a practical component. First, people have to upgrade more often. And second, you don’t have to support people who’ve inserted all kinds of unauthorised hardware into their Macs (so the opposite model from Microsoft).
For you, a better option might be a Mac Mini – just as powerful (actually, slightly more so) as the M1 MacBooks, but can (I believe) be upgraded (to a limited extent).
Posted by Prion
Feb 26, 2021 at 08:42 AM
I bought my wife a Macbook Air M1 as a replacement of her ageing MBP from 2008 (?). Setting it up and playing around with the apps that I installed for her (granted, none of which were memory or CPU hogs) I found it to be fast and perfectly silent. Given the magnitude of the changes behind the scenes the transition was remarkably smooth.
I will wait until the M1 MBPs are out but would even consider an Air at this stage. The portability is great as the laptop itself is small and the new charger is a fraction of the size and weight of the old one.