Apple announces new Mac Mini, Air + 13" MBP featuring their own M1 chip.

[Passing Bye]

I wonder how many in here actually tested the M1 and don't rely on hearsay or on videos that confirm their expectation.

I wonder how many in here are actually interested in buying M1 and don't just rely on hearsay that confirms their beliefs to battle their usual preference wars.

[zvenx]

I think only now developers are actually getting M1 macs. The HW development kit were other processors not M1's... (clearly compatible with M1 chips)
rsp

[Sascha Franck]

I wonder how many in here are actually interested in buying M1 and don't just rely on hearsay that confirms their beliefs to battle their usual preference wars.

If I could, I'd instantly buy one of them. And I will do so as soon as the C19 madness is sort of over, allowing me to get back to work.

[Passing Bye]

I wonder how many in here are actually interested in buying M1 and don't just rely on hearsay that confirms their beliefs to battle their usual preference wars.

If I could, I'd instantly buy one of them. And I will do so as soon as the C19 madness is sort of over, allowing me to get back to work.

I know, you aren't the one that is here only to provoke debates with people who are interested or have preference in using Apple products for their music making venture, quite the contrary.

[lb24569]

The M1 chip has an eight-core CPU, with four high-performance cores, in what Apple calls "the world's fastest CPU core." The other four cores are high-efficiency cores that use one-tenth of the power while still delivering high performance. Apple says that M1 delivers the best CPU performance per watt.

The M1 has integrated graphics with GPU containing up to eight cores, and Apple says the M1 contains the world's fastest integrated graphics. The chip also contains a six-core neural engine that can process 11 trillion operations per second, as well as Apple's Secure Enclave.

M1 is also built on the same five-nanometer process as the A14 Bionic chip, and supports Thunderbolt and USB 4.

https://www.apple.com/mac/m1/



Apple M1 chip
8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
8-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine

Memory (Mac Mini, MBP 13" & MBA)
8GB unified memory
Configurable up to : 16GB

Following its virtual event on Tuesday, Apple reiterated that the transition to Apple Silicon will take about two years to be completed. Apple did not reveal which Macs will be getting M-series chips next, but here's what has been rumoured so far:

14-inch MacBook Pro: In July, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasted that new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple Silicon and an all-new design will launch in the late second quarter or third quarter of 2021. Kuo has previously suggested that these notebooks may feature Mini-LED displays.
16-inch MacBook Pro: Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu reported that a new 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon is in development, but the report did not provide a release timeframe. As mentioned above, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects a new 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon and an all-new design to launch in the late second quarter or third quarter of 2021.
24-inch iMac: In June, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasted that Apple would launch a 24-inch iMac with an all-new design in the late fourth quarter of 2020 or early first quarter of 2021 at the earliest.
A smaller Mac Pro: Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu reported that Apple is developing a new Mac Pro that looks like the current design at about half the size. The report said it's unclear if that Mac will replace the current Mac Pro or be released as an additional model.

RUMOR 2021 Macbook Pro 16"

Apple M1X (coming in 2021):

- 12 Cores total
- 8 performance cores.
- 4 high efficiency cores.
- Coming first on a MacBook Pro
16” unveiling as a press release.

- According to a source who used a prototype, “if you think M1 is fast, you haven’t seen M1X”.
-Name isn’t final though.

[Ploki]

delet

[david.beholder]

Despite popular belief different among fanboys (not only Apple) people have their own measurements when spending/investing money.

Not everyone here is for Apple fanboys circle jerking.

Some are looking for actual information of M1 Performance that already doesn't fit Apple narrative. Some come with concerns from past Apple transitions. Some has other Apple related concerns. etc.

If you you're looking for 'Apple M1 owners/future owners only' this thread obviously has different name.

[Daags]

mod edit: pithy commentary regarding the lemming like behaviour of bleeding edge early adopters is VERBOTEN

[Passing Bye]

If I could, I'd instantly buy one of them. And I will do so as soon as the C19 madness is sort of over, allowing me to get back to work.

Yeah, it's hard times for full time musicians, luckily I have steady day job and been blessed to earn from my hobby too, my wife is ultra supportive and there's always money for that, dunno, she's really into Air and I'm into Mini, going in circles for days....

[masterhiggins]

Despite popular belief different among fanboys (not only Apple) people have their own measurements when spending/investing money.

Not everyone here is for Apple fanboys circle jerking.

Some are looking for actual information of M1 Performance that already doesn't fit Apple narrative. Some come with concerns from past Apple transitions. Some has other Apple related concerns. etc.

If you you're looking for 'Apple M1 owners/future owners only' this thread obviously has different name.

The big difference here, though, is that this is the first time Apple has transitioned into making their own chips. Being at the mercy of other chip manufacturers’ limitations/incompetence has historically been their Achilles heel.

[Sascha Franck]

The big difference here, though, is that this is the first time Apple has transitioned into making their own chips. Being at the mercy of other chip manufacturers’ limitations/incompetence has historically been their Achilles heel.

And so far - as much as you like or don't like them (and personally, I usually really don't like them much) - it can more or less safely been said that they've done impressively well with that move.
All of a sudden, it's not exactly like you have to pay the "Apple tax" anymore in case you're, say, a Logic user (or use Macs for whatever reasons). More to the opposite, in case you're after performance coming within a small form factor, there seems to be no competition anymore.

Heck, it's not even "within that price range you get better offerings from the competition" anymore (at least not in case it's about performance). Ok, in case you're after a desktop machine, for the price of a Mini with 16GB and 512GB you could get something with a Ryzen inside, but I'm not too sure whether it'd really perform better. But as far as the Macbooks go, there's no performance competition in that price range anymore (and yes, I am perfectly aware that performance isn't everything, in terms of connectivity Windows laptops might still be ahead).

Also doesn't look like this is going to change anytime soon, at least not for mobile computers (unless you feel like carrying a brick with you, delivering 3 hours of battery life under load).

I moved to Apple when they performed their first decent CPU switch (from PPC to Intel), which at least made them kind of affordable. But still, it always felt like having to pay the aforementioned Apple tax. Ever since, this might be the first time when I wouldn't be able to say so anymore.
I mean, a €1.227 Mini outperforming my cheesegrater Mac Pro in all performance aspects (and even the baseline model would do so already), partially even running circles around it - that's quite something.

[Bombadil]

Yep. I wonder if the current introductory models are being sold cheaper than they normally would to attract dubious consumers, and when the power of these machines is more widely known, they'll increase prices. I'm tempted to go for one of the minis, but not the right time for me. I'll just munch popcorn and watch how this unfolds.

[Sascha Franck]

Yep. I wonder if the current introductory models are being sold cheaper than they normally would to attract dubious consumers, and when the power of these machines is more widely known, they'll increase prices.

Well, Apple is usually raising their prices quite enormously after a while (for whatever reasons, most likely greed being a very prominent one...). Happened very noticeably within the first lines of their 15" quadcore Macbook Pros. The baseline model of the first one appearing was €1499, just around 2 years later it's been around 2500 (basically still the same computer, just following the general market in terms of somewhat higher speeds and more RAM). I also remember seeing an iMac in the local certified Apple dealer shop. Was 1799 on saturday, 2099 on monday (yes, the very same item). So you may have a point here.

But this time it could as well not be as drastic. I mean, pretty much anything apart from the SSD is now actually made completely by Apple or strictly under their control - so they will already earn truckloads of money.

Also, these are their entry level machines, so it's likely not a good idea to raise the prices for those (might be different for the higher end ones).

[dellboy]

Yep. I wonder if the current introductory models are being sold cheaper than they normally would to attract dubious consumers, and when the power of these machines is more widely known, they'll increase prices. I'm tempted to go for one of the minis, but not the right time for me. I'll just munch popcorn and watch how this unfolds.

I was thinking the same.

Why would Apple sell them at such reasonable prices. Bit like the "lost leader" idea that I was taught in retail many years ago, sell something at cost to get people in the shop. It may be that early adopters have got themselves a bargain before the prices are raised drastically when new models start appearing in 2021.

[Urs]

There is also Diva plugin test in that video:

24 for Mac Mini M1
68 for iMac i9

Diva is not yet natively ARM-ed but running in Rosetta mode.

We're going to post our benchmarks shortly.

On the MBP with M1 processor, Diva on Rosetta2 plays 120 voices - if MultiCore is turned off. That's a magnitude as much as a 2015 MBP with Intel i7. However, with Multicore turned on, drop outs appear at 30 voices already. Luckily, the M1 is so powerful, there is no need for Multicore. A single core can easily handle Diva's full polyphony at best setting. Using Rosetta.

We expect our native builds to perform better, particularly as we're going to support the new multithreading paradigm for audio plug-ins. Those builds are coming a long nicely, a first beta should be available in a few weeks.

- U