Vermyndax / The M1 Macbook Pro Is Computing Nirvana

Created Sat, 19 Jun 2021 08:31:39 -0500 Modified Tue, 31 Dec 2024 18:25:52 +0000
470 Words
Apple Macbook M1

This thing is flat-out amazing, and I’m sorry I waited so long to get one.

My middle daughter needed wanted my aging 2015 retina Macbook Pro to play with her friends on Minecraft. She had run the older Macbook Pro down to its death. It was 11 years old already (almost older than she is). I was hoping that the rumors were true about Apple announcing new M1x or M2 Macbook pro 14" or 16" devices. But I’ve been involved in WWDC for a long time now and I know that they rarely, if ever, talk about new hardware at that conference. I wasn’t holding my breath.

I’ve tried to use the 12.9" iPad Pro from 2017 as a primary computing device and it just wasn’t working out. It turned out that the form factor was just the right size for me on a laptop. The keyboard I put on it (a Logitech) was really comfortable to use. But the limitations of iPadOS to get a few things done really kept me from using it the way that I needed to use a laptop. For instance, I update this very website with markdown and use CI/CD to publish it as an S3 static site. That was amazingly painful to do on the iPad Pro.

There was no new hardware announcement (shocker). I decided to go ahead and get an M1 13" Macbook Pro and use it until later this year when Apple will likely announce a newer device. I’ll see what to do then. My son will be going to college in the next year and this might be something he’ll need when that day comes.

I’ve been using this thing for a few days now and holy shit is it a lifechanger.

It’s just the right size. It has the iPad Pro size. The keyboard is amazing. It’s just as comfortable as typing on that Logitech keyboard from the iPad Pro. But now I get to use macOS just like an iPad. The battery life is phenomenal. I have yet to run this battery down below 88%. I also bought an LG Ultrafine 4K from the Apple Store. It’s a hair overpriced, as you might expect, but the compatibility and testing they have done with the Macbook Pros is worth it. I can power and function with a single cable coming out of the LG monitor. The LG picture is incredible.

All in all, I may have found computing nirvana. I’m surprised that I like this 13" form factor as much as I do. Historically I spring for the larger devices and come to find out, that may have just not been necessary.

This thing is magic and I’m super happy I got it. Well done, Apple. I will enjoy watching you strangle Intel for the next few years.