|
BobHoward posted:Most of the RAM bandwidth is there to feed the GPU. For example the M3 Max options are 14c CPU + 30c GPU or 16c CPU + 40c GPU. 300 GB/s to feed a 30c GPU is the same bandwidth per GPU core as 400 GB/s for a 40c GPU. The narrower memory buses save more than money, they save power. Memory buses are super power hungry, which is why almost every phone only has a 32-bit bus, which we'd think of as half a channel in laptop-land. Between the narrower bus, fewer P cores and more E cores the M3 Pro has better battery life than it's predecessor. That matters for a laptop.
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 01:21
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 28, 2024 05:40 |
|
|
That is exactly why I bit on the M3 Pro model specifically - I'm sick of having like 4 hours of battery life just doing basic poo poo on a computer. Felt like the 18GB model was the best compromise for being able to do some powerful stuff on occasion but having plenty of time and battery power for web putzing and stuff. No idea what the actual battery life is like on it yet as I haven't really settled into "daily use" in 5-6 hours of owning it though 
Macichne Leainig fucked around with this message at 01:59 on Nov 13, 2023 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 01:57
|
|
|
Ok Comboomer posted:post Costco deals when they happen Just rules for life right there
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 03:13
|
|
|
Macichne Leainig posted:That is exactly why I bit on the M3 Pro model specifically - I'm sick of having like 4 hours of battery life just doing basic poo poo on a computer. Felt like the 18GB model was the best compromise for being able to do some powerful stuff on occasion but having plenty of time and battery power for web putzing and stuff. You should get between 14 - 20 depending on usage.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 03:18
|
|
|
I'm going to try a full work day without plugging it in (I don't have any officially work provided hardware  ) Started at 86%, down 5% in a half hour. Pretty good trend already - at least compared to my previous laptopNow obviously the dinky little plastic cases are a trap and probably don't offer much for actual protection - I'm getting a dbrand skin for outer shell scratch protection - but is there any benefit to a screen protector on these machines or is that also a stupid purchase? Do I just need to have my Apple Microfiber™ nearby to clean the screen from my grubby fingerprints as I open and close it? Macichne Leainig fucked around with this message at 16:39 on Nov 13, 2023 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 16:36
|
|
|
Macichne Leainig posted:I'm going to try a full work day without plugging it in (I don't have any officially work provided hardware no, I wouldn't even get the dbrand skin I don't understand the fear of scratch protection on anodized aluminum, unless you're like regularly sliding your keys over the top of your computer. The much bigger danger is denting and breaking from a drop, or liquid damage from a spill, and a skin isn't going to protect you from either of those just get a good case/backpack/etc with a padded soft pocket and/or a padded sleeve for transport. Leave it in a case or on your desk/tabletop when you aren't using it. Probably don't leave it on a sofa or chair if you have kids or live with roommates. My MBP is literally turning 11 and it looks excellent. I don't think I'm like super careful or anything like that, but I avoid leaving it in dangerous spots or putting it somewhere where it could get dropped on the floor. trilobite terror fucked around with this message at 17:04 on Nov 13, 2023 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 16:50
|
|
|
Fair enough. I'm still doing the skin though because I have one on my gaming laptop and I think it looks neat.  Probably just the lid, at least. The Blackbook keyboard is really space-age looking, and it is fairly fingerprint resistant in my (limited) experience. What fingerprints do show up wipe off with any cloth. Macichne Leainig fucked around with this message at 17:05 on Nov 13, 2023 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 17:02
|
|
|
A screen protector for a display that isn't a touchscreen and shouldn't be getting exposed to contact with other objects during normal use seems extra silly, also they can break your screen because the gap between the display glass and the topcase is extremely tight. Apple themselves advise against screen protectors for macbooks and also against keyboard cloths or anything else of that sort
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 17:04
|
|
|
Amazon had a Magic Mouse for $55 so i bought it. If it’s poo poo I’ll just return it.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 17:07
|
|
|
Ok Comboomer posted:A screen protector for a display that isn't a touchscreen and shouldn't be getting exposed to contact with other objects during normal use seems extra silly. Also they can break your screen because the gap between the display glass and the top case is extremely tight. Apple themselves advise against screen protectors for Macbooks and also against keyboard cloths or anything else of that sort The exception IMHO, is If you have a butterfly keyboard that still works properly, get a keyboard membrane before a dust particle gets under a keycap.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 17:09
|
|
|
Sanity check before I jump in: I'm looking at the entry-level 16" MBP (2023 M3 Pro). I think the 18GB unified memory would be sufficient for me as this will be a productivity laptop (nothing too stressful) while I'm on the go. I already have a powerful windows laptop, but I have one macOS program I need to run, and occasionally that would be while I'm not at my office. I will likely also upgrade to the 1TB as my dropbox size is almost 300GB and I would prefer to not have to pick/choose what files I want available offline. My main concern is productivity (hence the bigger screen size) and battery life, which is abysmal on my windows laptop. $2700 is on the steep side but I guess it will last me a good long time. I looked up measurements and it should fit in my backpack as well, so I think that was the final hurdle. I have also considered the 15" Air with added 16GB/1TB for $1900. This would probably also be more than sufficient. Thoughts between the two? I assume the screen is nicer on the MBP and the M3 chip is probably marginally better (for what I'd be using it for), and there is slightly more unified memory.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 17:46
|
|
|
MarcusSA posted:Amazon had a Magic Mouse for $55 so i bought it. I’ve been happy with my Logitech master X. The spinny scroll wheel makes my adhd brain smile
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 18:07
|
|
|
Macichne Leainig posted:I'm going to try a full work day without plugging it in (I don't have any officially work provided hardware You'll be fine on all counts. Fingerprints are visible if the sun is directly behind you and elements on your screen are dark, but it's fine otherwise. I use my laptop all day at work and only plug it in when I'm home and it's docked by my PC. I only ever unplug the charger from my desktop setup when I'm going away for a few days or more. The battery on these things is by far the best thing about them.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 18:19
|
|
|
FlapYoJacks posted:The exception IMHO, is If you have a butterfly keyboard that still works properly, get a keyboard membrane before a dust particle gets under a keycap. This is a reasonable idea but after a year or three there will be noticeable differences on the screen in the pattern of the keyboard that if you leave it on when closing. If you do add/remove it, you have to worry about the membrane importing dust and trapping it in as much as the opposite.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 18:32
|
|
|
dreesemonkey posted:Sanity check before I jump in: I'm looking at the entry-level 16" MBP (2023 M3 Pro). I think the 18GB unified memory would be sufficient for me as this will be a productivity laptop (nothing too stressful) while I'm on the go. I already have a powerful windows laptop, but I have one macOS program I need to run, and occasionally that would be while I'm not at my office. I will likely also upgrade to the 1TB as my dropbox size is almost 300GB and I would prefer to not have to pick/choose what files I want available offline. How many external displays do you plan to run? If it’s only ever 1 or 0 then M3 should be plenty unless you need some grunt (can you tell us what MacOS program it is?), but if you want to ever run two displays you’ll need M3 Pro or better (each tier up the ladder can run more displays, because of how display outputs are allocated).
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 18:48
|
|
|
Ok Comboomer posted:How many external displays do you plan to run? If it’s only ever 1 or 0 then M3 should be plenty unless you need some grunt (can you tell us what MacOS program it is?), but if you want to ever run two displays you’ll need M3 Pro or better (each tier up the ladder can run more displays, because of how display outputs are allocated). 0 to 1, most likely. I already have a windows PC that is my main machine with 3 monitors so I'm really only using the mac (I have a m2 mini right now) for vellum (book formatting). I should have just bought a mac laptop from the getgo. Oh well. More stuff. Vellum is not particularly stressing in any way, but if I'm working off the laptop away from home I'd be doing email/project managment/browsers with lot's of tabs/light filemaker development/some remote support, etc. I've accomplished this type of stuff on a pretty low-end laptop before so I'd imagine either the air or M3 would be fine.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 18:57
|
|
|
The Grumbles posted:You'll be fine on all counts. Fingerprints are visible if the sun is directly behind you and elements on your screen are dark, but it's fine otherwise. I use my laptop all day at work and only plug it in when I'm home and it's docked by my PC. I only ever unplug the charger from my desktop setup when I'm going away for a few days or more. The battery on these things is by far the best thing about them. I was being mostly facetious about the fingerprints, hence the reference to the Apple Microfiber But really I am impressed with this computer on all counts. I have an iPhone so I obviously have been in the ecosystem a little bit but I didn't realize just how nice the iCloud based integrations are. Not to even mention the quality of everything; what's impressing me currently is the speakers as I can finally just use the Apple Music app instead of Cider on my computer (which is good, don't get me wrong, but the native Apple Music.app is just better). Already have it set up for all of my hobbies and work stuff, the installation of everything was a breeze of course because these processors are great and fortunately everything I use is already Apple Silicon capable (Affinity suite, JetBrains, Blender+3D printing slicers, etc.) It's a good computer, to say the least
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 19:08
|
|
|
dreesemonkey posted:0 to 1, most likely. I already have a windows PC that is my main machine with 3 monitors so I'm really only using the mac (I have a m2 mini right now) for vellum (book formatting). I should have just bought a mac laptop from the getgo. Oh well. More stuff. Could you possibly make do with 14”? I honestly think the new base model M3 MacBook Pro might better split the difference for you. It’s got a smaller display than either the 15” Air or the 16” Pro and it has the M3 chip of the MacBook Air but it adds HDMI, Magsafe, and an SDXC slot that the 15” Air all lack, which I think are pretty useful and come in pretty clutch for a productivity and “business” machine. There’s also the M3 Pro chip version that matches the 16” for spec, has four USB/thunderbolt ports in addition to the aforementioned HDMI/SDXC/Magsafe instead of two, but comes in a fair bit less expensive, closer to $2000-2300. I know, I used to really hate the older 13” Touchbar M1/M2 MacBook Pro, but this new 14” one that adds most of the exterior benefits is pretty great for a lot of otherwise-MacBook Air owners
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 19:22
|
|
|
Ok Comboomer posted:Could you possibly make do with 14”? I honestly think the new base model M3 MacBook Pro might better split the difference for you. It’s got a smaller display than either the 15” Air or the 16” Pro and it has the M3 chip of the MacBook Air but it adds HDMI, Magsafe, and an SDXC slot that the 15” Air all lack, which I think are pretty useful and come in pretty clutch for a productivity and “business” machine. There’s also the M3 Pro chip version that matches the 16” for spec, has four USB/thunderbolt ports in addition to the aforementioned HDMI/SDXC/Magsafe instead of two, but comes in a fair bit less expensive, closer to $2000-2300. I considered the 14" pro. I'm sure it would be fine, but would I kick myself later for not spending an extra ~$300 for more physical space/size if everything else is more or less the same? At that point the price is almost negligible. I'm not a big person, but if I'm thinking of "I'm traveling and I may need to get actual work done," will I wish I had a slightly larger footprint/screen resolution? I guess this is a completely subjective question that I could only answer myself, maybe. Unfortunately, I don't live near an apple store, otherwise I'd just go check one out. e: Also, since I haven't said it yet and I'm rude, thank you for your thoughts. dreesemonkey fucked around with this message at 19:38 on Nov 13, 2023 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 19:34
|
|
|
dreesemonkey posted:I considered the 14" pro. I'm sure it would be fine, but would I kick myself later for not spending an extra ~$300 for more physical space/size if everything else is more or less the same? At that point the price is almost negligible. do you have a Best Buy nearby? What about a Costco? Even if they don’t have the M3 models ready, you’ll be able to handle their physical doppelgängers with M2. Also worth pointing out that the M3 and M3 Pro available in the 14/16” MBP are a generation newer than the M2 currently available in the Air. Not a huge deal but if you’re spending similar money, and you value longevity, it might be worth springing for the model that’s currently a generation newer.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 20:46
|
|
|
dreesemonkey posted:I considered the 14" pro. I'm sure it would be fine, but would I kick myself later for not spending an extra ~$300 for more physical space/size if everything else is more or less the same? At that point the price is almost negligible. Everywhere I go online people absolutely adore the 14" and seem to recommend it most frequently as the ideal laptop. I just wanted to add a contrasting perspective. I've had an 16" M1 Max for the last couple of years and I absolutely adore this thing. The extra screen real estate is really nice for whatever you're doing, especially while traveling. I spent about a year and a half traveling nonstop internationally and had zero times where I wished I had a smaller laptop or felt like it was too heavy, bulky etc. I'm also not a big guy. My wife has an M2 air and I get the appeal. It's tiny and nimble and weightless, and she loves it for all those reasons. I'm just saying that, if in your heart you really want that bigger screen, like I did, chances are you won't find it cumbersome. If you do regret it, with the holiday return policy in effect, as long as you order online directly from Apple, any items received between November 3rd and December 25th, you have up until January 8th to return. As for which processor and how much ram to get, unless you're doing a lot of local ML inference, running a bunch of VMs, or gaming, then just the lowest end 16" with 18 gigs of ram will be more than enough to keep your experience on the OS buttery smooth for years.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 23:15
|
|
|
I’ve dailied a 15” 2013 Pro, which is arguably bigger than the current 16” model, for a decade and it’s never felt cumbersome or unreasonably big, but also I’m probably gonna switch to 14” for my soon-to-be new computer. Before the 15” I dailied a black Polycarb MacBook and then a 13” 2011 Air and I just love the sleekness of that form factor/general size. Also, it sounds dumb, but Space Black 14” feels like the perfect synthesis of my favorite Macs from the past. I’ve been talking about the idea of a Son-of-BlackBook here for a fair bit now, but the 2013 is long enough in the tooth and Space Black is compelling enough of a finish to push me toward a buy soon. You really can’t go wrong either way, but it’s probably worth seeing them in person if you can.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 23:24
|
|
|
Ok Comboomer posted:\ it has the M3 chip of the MacBook Air Wait, what? Is the M2 chip the same chip they're calling the M3 or is this just a typo?
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 23:26
|
|
|
BUUNNI posted:Wait, what? Is the M2 chip the same chip they're calling the M3 or is this just a typo? It was a brain fart. The MacBook Air will get the M3 in early 2024 most likely. This time around the MacBook Pro got updated before the MacBook Air did, and they switched the base MBP to update with the others rather than what was previously done, where the M1/M2 13” model with the touchbar got updated alongside the Air and Mac Mini.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 23:28
|
|
|
FlapYoJacks posted:The exception IMHO, is If you have a butterfly keyboard that still works properly, get a keyboard membrane before a dust particle gets under a keycap. Great news, the butterfly machines were designed when Apple's thinness maximalism was at its heights. MBPs and MBAs from that era are the most vulnerable to screen protectors, camera covers, and so forth putting too much pressure on the display glass.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2023 23:35
|
|
|
How are the M series iPads on battery life? Stupidly long like their laptop cousins? We have one of the last Intel iPad Airs and it drains a considerable amount of power doing dick all. I’m debating trading it in for something I have to spend less mental overhead on keeping charged.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 16:54
|
|
|
Not to be that guy but the iPads are still Apple silicon, the A series chips are just worse in some regards than the M series chips especially for power users
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 16:58
|
|
|
Warbird posted:How are the M series iPads on battery life? Stupidly long like their laptop cousins? We have one of the last Intel iPad Airs and it drains a considerable amount of power doing dick all. I’m debating trading it in for something I have to spend less mental overhead on keeping charged. What's an Intel iPad Air? What year do you mean? Check its battery health with Coconut Battery, which is a Mac app. Edit: I shouldn't have been passive aggressive. iPads have never used Intel processors, they've always been the iPhone processors.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 16:59
|
|
|
There are no intel iPads? The M series is just a scaled up A series, so you're not likely to see the kind of battery life revelation the Macs Book got, but newer iPads still have slightly bigger batteries and more efficient chips than the older so your odds are still good if you want to trade up on that account. e: unless yours is like a 2020 model or something. i was thinking the ones before they went all flat edged
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 16:59
|
|
|
Lmfao @ Intel iPad.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 17:04
|
|
|
Your premise is wrong, so take this advice 1. iPads can be turned off to stop phantom drain 1.b. the screen is the biggest power draw otherwise 2. you have high misunderstanding of the basic facts you’re trying to make a hundreds of dollars decision on. 3. you are not in the iPad thread
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 17:11
|
|
|
Mac Hardware: the last of the Intel iPad Airs
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 18:02
|
|
|
Ok Comboomer posted:Mac Hardware: the last of the Intel iPad Airs
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 18:08
|
|
|
I have a 2 year old and a month old. I am very tired.
Warbird fucked around with this message at 21:05 on Nov 14, 2023 |
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 21:00
|
|
|
Warbird posted:I have a 2 year old and a month old. I am very tired. Do the M ones do gooder on battery than the ones what not with the M chip? not really i don’t think. they’re all still apple silicon arm-based chips. you just have an older ipad with an aging battery. you can pay apple to replace your battery and also get a new ipad or you can get a new ipad and just leave the other one plugged in more often than not
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 21:03
|
|
|
I’ll eyeball that coconut app and see what’s what before we start thinking battery replacement. It’s new enough that I don’t think that’s the root cause but eh. I’ll take it to the iPad thread.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 21:14
|
|
|
I officially already knocked my BlackBook Pro onto the floor. I guess I smacked it off the edge of the couch with my large posterior while I stood up for all of two seconds It's completely fine though, not even a mark on the corner, so they're at least resilient things
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 21:34
|
|
|
Macichne Leainig posted:I officially already knocked my BlackBook Pro onto the floor. I guess I smacked it off the edge of the couch with my large posterior while I stood up for all of two seconds Unibody MacBooks are built like Volvo brick shithouses that you can wield as a weapon in a pinch—but I mean it when I say that the biggest danger you’ll encounter with them is drops and bumps. I dented the corner of my old MacBook Air’s display dropping it off of my lap at work. Dropping a MacBook onto its hinge is a great way to gently caress up its ability to close properly without some expensive parts replacement
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 21:38
|
|
|
Warbird posted:I have a 2 year old and a month old. I am very tired. As someone with 6-, 3-, and 1-year olds, I promise it gets better. Eventually. Lol. Hopefully you weren’t like me and having them when a bit older though. Now I understand why everyone has kids in their 20s or finished having kids in their early 30s.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 21:43
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 28, 2024 05:40 |
|
|
We’re both in our mid 30s, well established, and have grandparents living with us helping out for a few more months so it’s going about as good as it could. Still need a bigger drat house but that’s another thread.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2023 21:50
|
|