In order to ensure security and continuing stability....

Small fun fact

Around 85% of all computers used to develop Mac and iOS software are hackintoshes (in mid to large companies).

With COVID it become even more. For some firms outside US it is close to 100%.

Move to their own silicone will allow Apple to get their hand on this nice high marginal market as they will be blocking their newer tools to work on non Apple hardware.

@radikalfilm

I think you do not get the point.

Apple is making unprecedented closed and encrypted ecosystem, making repairs, upgrades, info restoration almost impossible. It is made with such intention, not by accident. This system will very soon start to channel all your coordinates, files, apps and anything that government would like to see (same way as any NSA or CIA guy can now dig up into your iCloud backup on daily basis). And you won't be able to fight with it, nor disable it.

Main issue with tests is that they are leading to the biggest tragedy in computer industry. Where presstitutes and paid for bloggers, as well as narrow specialists (who constantly tell you how politics are bad) are leading horde to the cliff.

You are not just getting another Mac, you are sponsoring new infrastructure. Where you will be that fish on a dish.

It won't be abstract Skynet, it will be Google and Apple in very near time who will operate strike drones above your house and whom will routinely inform you each day that "such and such" had been detected as dangerous and disturbing for stability (add here new stuff like "had new dangerous strain of COVID 2021", and such), but our system prevented bad consequences, please watch the nice hole in place of his house.

Developers I talk about told that especially since late 2019 Apple tone inside turned almost literally to Nazi like style. Where people who do not agree with course (including political course, racial course), who not agree with horrible decisions are being treated like enemies.

@Vitaliy_Kiselev wrt your latest Skynet painting. I actually feel much the same, but it's a separate thread and argument. I can run Resolve and FCPX on their system and nothing else - treat it like the appliance it is, like a linear editing system from the 80's. We still have the choice to compartmentalize. You remind me of RMS somehow (Stallman), I met him back in 1996 at a conference. All his points were correct, and he wore sandals with mismatched socks.

Lol the best laptop review ever.

Windows on M1, it is like sex in a hammock.

Parts

• Apple M1 SoC (Main die + 2x Hynix 4GB LPDDR4X 4266 MHz modules)
• Intel JHL8040R Thunderbolt 4 Retimer (x2) (basically a Thunderbolt 4 extender/repeater)
• Western Digital SDRGJHI4 -- 128GB Flash storage (x2)
• Apple 1096 & 1097 -- Likely PMICs
• Texas Instruments CD3217B12 -- USB and Power delivery IC
• Apple USI 339S00758 -- Wi-Fi 6/Bluetooth 5.0 Module
• Winbond Q64JWUU10 -- 64 Mb serial flash memory
• Renesas 501CR0B
• Intersil 9240H1
• National Semiconductor 4881A07
• Siliconix 7655 -- 40A Battery MOSFET

@miko

One thing I like about this review is proper use of term "Apple-chosen first reviewers".

As lot of people do not understand is that they are observing is largest and very coordinated product launch where few hundreds of people had been carefully chosen, instructed, checked. Lot of them are actually part of huge media companies who got special contracts from Apple for making proper reviews.

PugetBench by Purget System

Make sure to read notes at the end of post.

Puget are not authors of independent benchmarks as they try to position themselves, instead they are seller of new workstations that are only based on few recent expensive models of CPUs and GPUs, and they always adjust their benchmarks accordingly, to show new systems at their best, to maximize their profits, no matter that.

Company is now preparing to new 16-64 core ARM systems from Apple, and you will soon see their new version of benchmarks. Apple also is working with them. Rumors come that Apple have special new partnership offers for companies like Purget (offering them amazing prices and terms unheard during Intel era).

Apple top management not happy

Looking at the middle management tone and meetings themes - top managers are not happy with M1 launch. Apple called few big software companies and told them that they are not happy with speed on integrating provided M1 optimization code (this include Adobe!).

14" and 16" new MacBook Pro will be shifted at least 2-3 month further. Both models will have new maximally cheapened construction and rumors are that Apple will make another attempt to push tiny travel keyboard. Main focus will be on updated screens, reduced ports count (people talk that we can see first time model with ONE USB-C port) and also that 4 port models can have special activation fee where 2 ports will require $100 payment to activate Thunderbolt and display connection abilities.

Main LSI can be updated and named M1XT, it'll get new dynamic overclock mode that will work on AC power and will add around +20-25% performance, in contrast on DC power it will get special saving mode adding +15% to battery time. Present issue with M1XT is local thermal issues where performance cores can have temperatures above 120 degrees during short time turbo boost.

@radikalfilm

I take this to mean that Puget is preparing a new version of their multithreaded benchmark to run on future Apple ARM products, like the ARM iMac and ARM Mac Pro. Right?

Apple will provide free people to create custom benchmarks settings, Purget mostly make special automated project for application to show advantage of new CPUs or GPUs (like adding 20-30 blur filters if it fits their goals ) :-)

I didn't checked them for a while, but some time ago it had been like 3 grading filters one after another, multiple blurs paired with selective sharpness and stabilization of perfectly stable smooth footage. Plus ton of another absolutely unrealistic crap added over all this.

One of the guys told me that they sold them super expensive workstations claiming 8K RED exclusive work, and company now makes 90% 1080p H264 videos and 10% 4K H264 videos for youtube, as big market for 8K work does exist only in Puget fantasies. In short - they overpaid around 3x for workstations and had been distracted by unreal claims. As in reality you need only few features, even in Resolve. If your CPU and GPU are good enough, your rendering speed for real life projects will be fine and upgrading to 3x more expensive stuff gets you 10-20% tops.

You seem to imply there is more to it. "Apple have special new partnership offers for companies like Purget (offering them amazing prices and terms unheard during Intel era)." Apple supplying Apple Silicon to 3rd parties, allowing them to create officially sanctioned Mac clones - this I cannot believe. This isn't the late 90's, and Apple is in a very different place wrt vertical integration.

I just mean that for top desktops Apple will offer very nice cut to resellers, not that they will allow them to make too much customization. Both Intel Xeon and AMD Threadripper/Epyc CPUs have margins above 2000% and top CPUs can reach 6-8000% margins (multi-socked Xeons or 64 core multi socket Epyc). Apple can offer part of this margins and also other margins (Apple SSDs margins are record int he industry, same is true for AMD GPUs they used).

@radikalfilm

It make lot of sense. Actually Intel and AMD (Nvidia also!) have special secret pricing terms for suppliers like Puget. But cut is not big (they can get up to 15% additional per top premium Quadro GPU and up to 20% per CPU compared to usual resellers/dealers ala NewEgg). Also terms do not cover many items, it is very restrictive lists.

Apple wants to reach new users and offering nice prices for such firms is very useful for them (note that Pudget will only get economic benefit - but won't get right to sell Apple computers cheaper!). Plus Puget will make them all necessary public benchmark figures, this alone costs up to $100 million USD (if you count reduction of marketing expanses). Apple spent many times of this only on arranging payments to all top bloggers, shipping free gear to smaller guys, pay to general influences and pay to ensure proper software testing during past weeks.

During first year marketing budget and benchmarks/games/software adaptation budget both will significantly exceed all expenses on development and even manufacturing M1 and all new notebooks.

During last Tim Cook years Apple operate similar to top Hollywood studios - marketing budget on the product can be comparable or even exceed production budget.