Here are quick impressions of my new 2023 14" MacBook Pro. This is about a computer rather than peripherals, and this post was requested by @pennstac. This thread is the closest category match I could find.
My old MacBook Pro
I’m upgrading from a 2019 13" MacBook Pro (2018 release), and I hated it as much any PC I’ve ever owned. That MacBook generation (2016 to 2020) had awful butterfly-switch keyboards that dddoooubbled or mi*sed keystrokes despite a $2K price of entry. Apple offered free keyboard swaps at the Apple store, but the staff warned me that new keyboards lasted for only about one year. Any $300 computer was more durable. I received a class-action lawsuit settlement notice regarding that trash keyboard.
The 2016-2020 MacBook Pros also had a silly LCD display strip instead of regular function keys. I tried the strip for two days and then set it on standard key functions and ignored it. If you want to look at images and icons, just go up a couple inches and look at the regular monitor.
Finally, that generation pushed power users toward the “less is more, lighter is better” MacBook Air model. Mine had just four Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack for everything. The power supply took up one port, and typical daily use required a dongle or external hub.
My 2023 Upgrade – Back to the Future
For those who used notebook computers before the MacBook Air and ultralights, there used to be a “mothership” style. The notebook was seen as the hub for all devices and thereby had many random ports, accessories, and expansion options. Notebooks were often big, bulky, and not meant to be carried everywhere all the time.
The 2023 MacBook Pro is a clear admission that Apple’s move away from the mothership model was wrong for pro and power users. This one is no-nonsense and much more what I want and use. Highlights:
Fast M2 CPU/GPU that makes my old one seem comically slow. It can run 3D graphics without looking foolish now, and everything is super snappy.
Fantastic 120 Hz LCD display with great color and brightness. It’s easier on the eyes than the old one. Slow Apple is catching up to other brands.
A taller old-school LCD close to the 4:3 ratio rather than the widescreen format. This is immediately noticeable for vertical content such as webpages and word processor documents. While my new screen is 14" and the old one was 13", it feels like 15" or 16" because of the height. It has Apple’s camera “bite out” on the top edge, but photos and video avoid that section and preserve the full rectangular wide screen format.
A no-nonsense real keyboard with regular function keys.
In an obvious admission that less is less rather than less is more for “pro” users, Apple brought back the old MagSafe power connector, an HDMI port, and an SDXC reader. It has three Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack too.
No apparent regard for “thinner is better” – this is a chunky monkey that’s best used as a compact workstation or for non-travel scenarios. Tablets are great for travel, so no loss for me.
These are expensive computers and return to real-world needs. They are fast enough to stream uncompressed audio too.
Form factor and ports same as my 2021 M1 Pro model. You have faster CPU, more memory and probably more graphics processing. I wonder how much more. Sound was surprisingly good and the headphone port is better than any I had on a prior laptop. I bought a Pelican case and added a small bag on the strap for extras.
I bought the middle off-the-shelf 14" model with 12 core M2 Pro CPU, 19 core GPU, 16 GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. In my experience there’s little need for the top-tier of any generation, as this is for personal use and as the following generation will make them all slow. The lowest-tier model always cuts corners and typically feels hamstrung.
Per the charts on the Apple site (link above), the M2 seems to be 10% to 20% faster than the M1 chips. It’ll vary by application of course.
I bought a rubber-bumper ruggedized shell rather than a Pelican case. I tend to use notebooks at home and mostly on AC power, so bulk isn’t an issue. This case should minimize damage from 3-6 foot drops.
Should I Spend Money and replace my Gen 1 iPad Air?
I enjoyed that iPad, but it’s so old now that I can’t even read forum.headphones.com with it anymore. Discourse has passed it by and won’t let me access. I had, last year bought a super-cheap generic Android 10 tablet, that has mysteriously bricked itself. Will not turn on. Don’t know what’s up with that, but it was cheap.
So now I’m in a quandry perched on the horns of a dilemma. I have a Gen 1 iPad Pro that is still in date that I use at home. For work, I’ve got a recent M1 iPad Pro. I do like the iPad Mini and iPad Air but don’t really need one. I read ebooks on a Kindle Oasis.
The new Google Pixel tablet looks interesting, and I know it would have frequent updates to the Android system. But I’m embedded immersed in the Apple ecosystem. I don’t think I want to do both an iPad and Pixel Tablet. Not sure I want to do either.
I remember when you were set with a magic slate and an etch-a-sketch.
While I don’t have an opinion on what choice you should make, I would like to share a use for these old devices.
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I also own a Gen 1 iPad Air. It is so crippled due to it’s outdated OS. However, I have found a use for it. I have installed Google remote desktop on a headless unused windows pc at home. When I am out and about, I am able to use the Gen 1 iPad Air to remote view this pc and have windows at hand where ever I am. All of my passwords are on the pc and when I visit sites I am not required to conduct annoying two-step verification since websites recognize the pc as a known device. Yes, I do often just use my phone and Macbook to remote view. But, at times when I want a decent sized screen yet don’t want to take an expensive pc with me the Gen 1 iPad Air is great. And who cares if it gets stolen or damaged.
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Note that Google remote viewing is not conducive for purposes involving streaming audio or video.
Depends a lot on what you use the tablet for.
Android still doesn’t feel quite as polished as IOS to me, I went from an IPhone to a high end Android phone, and outside of iMessage, I didn’t really miss anything.
I use my IPad for little more than web browsing and controlling Roon, so nothing specific to the Apple ecosystem, so I keep meaning to try an Android tablet. Maybe next time I upgrade.
I got this during Drop’s recent “Prime” sale: LOTR Dwarvish keyboard with 3 custom Dwarf Factory (that’s the company’s name!) keycaps, The Eye of Barad-Dur (Sauron), and The One Ring Anduin/Mt Doom!
Yeah, it is pricey. I’ve been watching all that LOTR stuff on Drop and wishing I had a use for it….there’s some really cool stuff! Just don’t use a pc much at home anymore.
My 2012 Sager PC is at last giving me some problems. It’s probably some munged startup file, but Windows Hello has failed to read a fingerprint, and it wants me to enter a PIN or Password. But then it fails to present a login screen. Even when I force safe mode. Local PC dude says that he can fix the startup files and it’ll be $125 flat fee fine.
But hey, it’s Windows 10, can’t be upgraded to 11. Maybe it’s time to become a LINUX box. Maybe I should get a new spare Win Laptop. I don’t have much on the PC, and I’m sure I can put the drives in an enclosure and move things if I need to. And I did make a backup ever 6 to 12 months or so. More or less.
My main box is the 2021 MacBook Pro which also runs Parallels and Windows 11. I’ll probably upgrade that to an upper-mid level M4 Apple Silicon in a year or two. So this is just my 2nd PC. Ye Olde Fallbacke Boxxe.
Thoughts on what I should get? Would like something in $750-1200 range, with some flexibility. I’ll probably need a dock Thunderbolt 4 as it probably won’t have good ports. Is 16GB RAM enough - 1 TB storage is - I have external storage plenty. Could I get by on 512GB internal?
I mostly stream, Have some music on external storage, not much internal. Someday I’ll do NAS or something real, but that day isn’t today.
Probably quiet is good. Probably 14 or 15.5 screen is good. OLED nice but not required. I don’t really care about touchscreen, but if it’s moved (might happen sometimes) then touchscreen is nice.
The LG Gram line has some candidates, but they push toward $1500. The ASUS ZenBook 14 has been suggested in my musings. So have boring Dell Inspiron 15.
Appreciate thoughts. You all know the stuff we run. Probably won’t do ROON server on it. but it will be an endpoint. Will use an external DAC, don’t care about the internal speakers. I hold on to things for too long, - see the first line. I think a 2012 PC is something like 325 in computer years.
I get that you need Win11, but does it need to be a laptop? There are lots of microPCs that would probably give you all the processor/RAM/SSD you need for under $500.
Need recommendations for small computer speakers. Very limited space. Getting new monitor that doesn’t have speakers.
I have headphones aplenty. This just for occasional and casual use. Small form factor most important. Budget is under $150 if possible. Bluetooth ok. Have Anker 12 in 1 Thunderbolt 4 dock or laptop headphone out. Or I can put a DAC/AMP on USB out.
Creative Stage 2.1 Soundbar, $86
Takes only desk space under / in front of monitor
Or depending on your setup, wall-mount and take up no desk space at all
