MacBook M1 Pro, 16” or Wait for M2 Pro?

frank1000 on 10/08/2022 - 17:02
Last edited 10/08/2022 - 17:27 by 1 other user

I saw some of the articles and videos online but they were not totally convincing. Looked more like a seo-marketing around the topic.

I plan to upgrade to MacBook m1 pro 16 inches (from MacBook 2016 version). Basically, I need it for programming and day-to-day to day use. Especially with android studio, and XCode compiling, I have to wait and grab a coffee. Same for bigger file unzipping.

So, I need to upgrade. I do have another power windows NUC machine with a 38-inch screen for occasional video editing.

I want a Mac machine because of its retina display (not a big fan of OS itself). It is not tiresome even if I spent hours before MacBook, whereas with my standard LG monitors, after 1-2 hours, I can feel eye strains (same has been reported by many). Non-apple 5k or retina-like displays are very expensive.

It is not urgent, so now I am confused. Now should I wait for m2 pro (I need 16 inches), or should I buy m1 pro?
What do you suggest? I can wait for 2-3 months, but according to the news, it seems that it won’t be out until mid-2023 (I cannot wait that long). I see m2 air has been released. Is the price of m1 pro 16 expected to go down? What do you reckon?

I am not concerned about performance much as m1 pro should be adequate, but I am worried about not having to pay an almost similar price for m1 pro, whereas I could have m2 pro for little difference. I need it for desktop work, but if I buy an iMac 24” 5k, I feel that it would make my 38” monitor almost useless (and there is no way to reduce the height of the i-mac) and either very big or a congested table.

I am also a student, so that I can buy it from the apple store or amazon. So, waiting for more bargains, including gift card bargains.

I am confused as it is more than $3400. I do not want to regret it later.

Thanks in advance for any genuine suggestion.

Computing MacBook M1

Comments

  • muppet on 10/08/2022 - 17:42
    +1

    https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook_Pro_16 says "Caution"

    I have a 16" Macbook pro M1 Pro. Quite happy with it. If you can't wait, then just get it now. The next model will undoubtedly have something that's nicer (features, speed, etc) than the current one.

    Make sure your dev tools have an aarch64 / arm version.

  • Member 0230 on 10/08/2022 - 17:55

    Regarding the inability to reduce iMac height, you can purchase the model with the VESA mount https://www.apple.com/au/shop/buy-mac/imac-vesa and pair it with an adjustable monitor arm, which also alleviates workspace congestion since it takes essentially zero desktop footprint.

    I've been using a double monitor arm like this one to mount a large screen as well as a MacBook using a laptop tray.

    UPDATE: However, I note that the MacRumors Buyers Guide also says Caution for iMac. Given it's two months past its average update cycle, I reckon iMac will see an update in the next 4 months.

  • sicaboy on 10/08/2022 - 18:25

    Wait for m2 pro. Since you haven’t purchased the m1 pro in the previous 10 months that means you don’t need it urgently.

  • verio on 10/08/2022 - 19:01

    If you can wait for another 5-6 months, then it probably makes sense to wait.

  • ChipsChicky on 10/08/2022 - 19:11

    Maybe, upgrade to a newer model from marketplace and wait for M2 ?

  • frank1000 on 10/08/2022 - 19:12

    Thank you all for the comments. One option I am also thinking of is getting second hand or used iMac with 16gb RAM for now from eBay or Facebook marketplace which should make processing faster and I already have a SSD, 1TB Samsung pro. And maybe get a bigger table.That way maybe I can wait for 5-6 months. But if there are not much difference it will be a waste.

  • freefall101 on 10/08/2022 - 19:31

    Besides 10% off deals Apple don’t tend to do a lot of discounts until a new product is about to drop, then it’s probably not worth buying.

    Have you tried a 24 inch 4K monitor? Having used a 27” 5k iMac I honestly can’t tell the difference (entirely anecdotal, I know). Then you could just get a Mac mini.

  • Queue2Queue on 10/08/2022 - 19:58

    M1 air price didn't decrease and air increased the M2 air. Could be possible with the M2 pro

  • cauilfield on 10/08/2022 - 20:04

    just wait mate nevertheless, I have been using M1 PRO 16GB for all of the above, XCODE and Android studio simply flies…

  • Grissallia on 10/08/2022 - 20:36
    +1

    I bought a 14" M1 Pro last week.

    My main Mac is an 8Gb/256Gb M1 Mac mini that I bought for work during the pandemic. Hacked my old mid-2012 15" MBP (16Gb / 1Tb SSD) to run Monterey, but that was a Very Bad Idea. Not stable enough to take interstate for the unexpected work trip that's just come up.

    I'd been waiting for M2 MBA, was set on 16Gb/512Gb, but Apple told me it's unlikely that the MBA would be delivered before I have to fly out.

    JB had a Space Grey 14" M1 Pro in stock on Friday, and it was $300 off, putting it at $2699 against the M2 MBA's $2649 for the same configuration.

    Having spent a few days with it now, and compared to the Mac mini, I have zero regrets (about the M1 Pro). It absolutely screams. The screen is gorgeous. Universal control is wild. The extra 8Gb over the Mac mini M1 gives it the headroom that I really needed (and makes me regret my impatience when I bought the Mac mini).

    The M2 in the MBA beats the M1 Pro on single thread performance on Geekbench, but is left in the dust for multi-threading.

    I think it's unlikely that an M2 Pro will be in wide release and easily available before the end of 2022. If you absolutely can't wait until (probably) next year, I think you'd be happy with the 16" M1 Pro, but keep in mind that buying Apple products always feels like a "maybe I should have waited" game.

  • jakka on 10/08/2022 - 20:39

    Better to wait for the M3 Pro

    • frank1000 on 10/08/2022 - 22:36

      ya, I will gift it to you, don't worry. so wait for the wait. lol

  • SydStrand on 10/08/2022 - 22:03

    M2 16 will almost definitively be the same design and screen, since they only revamped it last year. It'll get an internal bump, but given the modest improvement of base M2 vs M1, I'd expect the same of M2 Pro/Max as they'd still be based on the 5nm die. M3 is expected to shift to 3nm, but that's 2024 at least.

    • frank1000 on 10/08/2022 - 22:42

      ya, that is what I fear as well, if it is almost same then wait would be wasted. They are doing so many thing so maximise the profit and make people buy things.

  • clippers on 11/08/2022 - 07:55
    +2

    I totally feel ya re: eye strain. I found the iMac M1 4.5K screen very easy on the eyes. Thought I'd wait for 27" version but Apple released the Studio Display instead. So I bought the M1 Pro 14 to replace my Windows laptop at the same time and couldn't be happier.

    I think M2 Pro is more likely at least 18 months after M1 Pro. Releasing a new Pro chip 12 months after the first sets a bad precedent. So buy that 16" M1 Pro and improve your quality of life.. life is too short and eyes too precious to spend on low quality displays!

  • frank1000 on 11/08/2022 - 12:33

    thank you all for the comments and suggestions.
    I am confused about one thing, what is office work selling? it does not say pre order
    https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/macbook-pr…
    so MacBook Pro m2 and MacBook m2 pro are two different things or MacBook Pro m2 is already released and we are waiting for MacBook m2 pro?
    confused

    • clippers on 11/08/2022 - 13:16

      "Macbook Pro" is the line. "M1 Pro" is the chip name.

      When you are talking about 14 or 16 inch Macbook Pro in apple silicon era, they only use "M1 Pro" or "M1 Max" chips. So naturally we expect the next iteration to use "M2 Pro" chips.

      The Macbook Pro M2 runs on the regular M2 chip and I think of it as a semi-pro product with 13" display.

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