You may have noticed that at the traditional monthly developer conference, Apple did not show anything related to Mac products. More precisely, we saw a new operating system, but there were no computers. And this despite the fact that the M1 chip, which appeared more than six months ago, is still asking for a Mac Pro, iMac 27 (or more), as well as a 16-inch MacBook Pro. Rumors that appeared before the conference and Apple’s policy of aggressively abandoning Intel processors further fueled expectations. As a result, many received an ambiguous impression. On the one hand, I wanted to see something new and think about buying, but on the other hand, nothing was presented. And now what? Buy old models? Let’s understand this and understand what to do in this ambiguous situation.
New Mac
As part of the transition to M1 processors, Apple already launched the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini with their own M1 processors last year. In April 2021, the smaller of the two desktop iMac models has been redesigned and is brand new. She received a new design, M1 processor and a larger screen size.
The 27-inch version of the iMac was shown last summer and then it received Intel Core i9. It is not very clear why Apple is now delaying the release of a new computer, when everything is ready and there is a younger model of the new generation. Perhaps the reason for this is the crisis of processors surrounding us, which slows down the development of many branches of the electronics industry.
Another possible issue could be that Macs with M1 processors are currently limited only 16 GB of RAM. This even leads to the fact that in some models the SSD is significantly more heavily loaded, which, as we were afraid, could even fail earlier. And the systems on the M1 have not yet received the ability to work with a discrete graphics card. All this is not very good for a computer that is bought almost exclusively for work. The same can apply not only to the large iMac, but also to the iMac Pro and Mac Pro.
Because WWDC is so focused on developers, it would have been the perfect time to introduce new Macs to power users, but that didn’t happen. New MacBook Pro models potentially in 14- and 16-inch versions are still possible this summer or later in 2021, but there’s no word yet on that.
Should You Buy a New Mac Now?
With fresh macOS updates and potential upcoming computer upgrades, now is the time to consider whether to buy an Apple computer now or better to wait.
Should You Buy a MacBook Air?
With the latest version of M1, presented at the end of 2020The classic $999 MacBook Air is once again one of the most versatile laptops you can buy right now.
It essentially has the same M1 processor as the 13-inch Pro and 24-inch iMac, plus great battery life and the thin, light design the line is famous for. The biggest difference in performance between systems on the M1 comes from the seven- and eight-core graphics built into the M1.
Although this can also be attributed no cooling fan, which the Mac Book Air doesn’t have, but the MacBook Pro and iMac do. It is not so necessary when performing daily tasks, but if you demand the maximum from the processor, then cooling becomes important. As a result, this will affect the overall speed of the system under load.
For casual users, the MacBook Air is a great value and a great option to buy if this is your first Mac. In any case, it will be much more productive than analogues from other brands, but at the same time it will remain the cheapest laptop from Apple.
Should You Buy a MacBook Pro?
Compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro on the M1 and the MacBook Air on the M1, but paying extra for a more “professional” version, you only get a slightly brighter screen, touch bar, and fan-based cooling. Let the fan allow you to work longer at the limit of the processor’s capabilities, but not everyone will be able to load it like that. So if you’re not a fan of the Touch Bar, I’d suggest sticking with the MacBook Air.
The 16-inch Pro is still an Intel-only laptop. But in the custom version, the amount of RAM can be increased up to 64 GB. You can also install an AMD 5600M GPU. So it looks more preferable for professionals. But here I would wait for the appearance of the M2 processor. According to rumors, it will support discrete graphics.
Join us on Telegram!
Should You Buy a Mac Mini?
The often overlooked Mac Mini is the cheapest way to get a Mac computer, macOS system, and M1 processor. Test results show that it offers better performance than the MacBook Pro on M1. Despite the fact that the latter costs one and a half times more expensive.
But the Mac Mini is also a niche product. It is good if you do not require much from the computer. Let’s say you don’t work with video editing in 4K 60 fps, don’t go over terabytes of photos in RAW and don’t do 3D models. In this case, it will suit you. But remember that you need to buy a good monitor for it in order to reveal all its capabilities. This is a few tens of thousands of rubles to the cost. In this sense, it is perhaps more logical to pay attention directly to the iMac.
Should I buy an iMac 2021
The 24-inch iMac is the first Mac designed from the ground up with the M1 chip, and the first major redesign of the iMac line in about eight years.
Although it doesn’t differ much in performance from earlier M1 computers, the new Mac M1 has a great camera, a much lighter weight, and a more thoughtful design. All this together makes it a great choice for home or office use.
Although the company in all the commercials positioned it as a device for family use, I have been using it for more than a month as the main working machine. There are questions to him, but only taking into account my specific needs. Very soon I will share my experience of use and describe the pitfalls that I found while working with the new product. However, so far it seems to me that this is the best option for working from home. The computer takes up almost no space, but offers great opportunities.
Should You Buy a Mac Pro?
The Mac Pro looks like a separate planet from the MacBook Air or Mac Mini. It has gone through many completely different iterations over the years, from a small trash can-shaped computer to a huge box on wheels that cost more expensive than some iPhones.
It is a complete professional computer and it costs from 6000 dollars. Yes, it’s expensive, but that’s like saying a Formula 1 car is expensive. No matter how much it costs, it still pays off, as it serves to perform tasks at the highest level.
Mac Pro starts with Intel Xeon processors and offers various AMD Radeon graphics chips as well as up to 1.5 TB of RAM. So, the maximum version comes in price up to $ 25,000. And this is without a monitor, for example, Pro Retina XDR Display.
It would be incorrect for me to talk about whether it is necessary to buy such a computer. If you have thought about it, then you understand your needs better than me and know what to do with this monster. It is for professionals who create content not for a simple blog on YouTube, but to show it to a millionth audience. If there is an extra $ 6,000, then why not, but in other cases it is simply not needed.
Which Mac to Buy
Summing up, I would like to add that if you just need a computer for working with text and spreadsheets, on which you will mount something from time to time, take photos, watch movies and play games from Apple Arcade, you are better off with a MacBook Air to find.
If you need a laptop, but with more performance, then feel free to take the MacBook Pro 13 or wait updates to the 16″ version.
For desktop work, if you have a good monitor with a quality matrix and a resolution of at least 4K, take the Mac Mini. If there is no such monitor, it will be more profitable to buy an iMac right away. You should not think that you will buy a cheap monitor now, and then buy a good one later. You will get used to and will always infringe on yourself and not reveal the capabilities of your computer. And also with iMac you will immediately get a cool keyboard and mouse (or trackpad).
Do all apps work with M1
I ran into a couple of compatibility issues while working from Mac to M1. But this concerned exclusively highly specialized software. Otherwise, everything worked perfectly, and all applications are either already optimized for the new processor, or are well optimized in the bowels of the Mac itself. With what, with what, and with compatibility problems should definitely not arise.
