M1 Pro Review: Six Months of Use and Valuable Insights
Written on
Chapter 1: The M1 Pro Experience
After spending six months with the 16” MacBook M1 Pro, it’s time to share my insights. While I don’t have access to the M1 Ultra for comparison, I find it unnecessary for this discussion. My focus here is on mobility; I prefer laptops that accompany me wherever I go. This review will primarily address the M1 Pro, with some comparisons to the M1 and M1 Max.
As my daily workhorse, the M1 Pro has significantly replaced my 2018 Intel MacBook Pro. Since November 2021, I’ve only used the older model sparingly, primarily for printing important documents.
Section 1.1: Should I Keep My Intel MacBook Pro?
There's a dilemma about whether to sell my Intel MacBook Pro. Historically, printers are seen as long-term investments, often lasting a decade or more in tech-savvy households. However, the need for them is dwindling. I recently found myself needing to print citizenship documents and the initial draft of my 400-page novel. Unfortunately, the M1 lineup, including the Pro and Max models, faced challenges here due to a lack of appropriate drivers from Canon. This highlights a limitation to consider if you rely on older printers or scanners.
The M1 Pro performs admirably with its standard 16 GB of RAM. This configuration strikes a balance, allowing me to handle daily tasks seamlessly. While I occasionally encounter mouse control hiccups, those seem to stem from macOS Monterey, not the hardware itself. Notably, the M1 Pro's performance remains robust even when operating on battery power. I've experienced an average battery life of around 16 hours, even as a habitual multitasker who rarely closes browser tabs or applications.
This video explores the M1 MacBook Pro after six months of use, revealing some surprising truths about its performance and reliability.
Chapter 2: Content Creation Capabilities
In this video, a day in the life with the MacBook M1 Pro in 2024 is showcased, highlighting its effectiveness for content creators.
As for content creation, I won’t delve too deeply, as many reviews already cover this extensively. For the tools I use—Ulysses, Pixelmator Pro, Luminar AI, Affinity Photo, Apple Motion 5, and Audacity—the M1 Pro performs flawlessly. While some tasks like importing images from iCloud may occasionally lag, it’s more a reflection of network speed than the MacBook’s performance.
Section 2.1: Do You Really Need the M1 Pro?
The question of necessity applies especially to the M1 Pro and M1 Max. Initially, I thought this would be difficult to answer, but after using the M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max, it’s clear that the M1 with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD is the best option for most users.
While Apple’s naming strategy for their Silicon lineup is somewhat confusing, the 2020 13” MacBook Pro with M1 stands out as a smart choice for many professionals. The M1 Pro and Max models, despite their advanced features, may not be necessary for the average user.
As the market shifts, it’s become evident that the M1 offers exceptional value without the extra cost of Pro or Max models. For the first time, Apple has produced a powerful machine at an accessible price point, making the M1 a solid investment for most users.
Attila Vago — Software Engineer improving the world one line of code at a time. A lifelong tech enthusiast, writer, and advocate for web accessibility, with a passion for craft beer and vinyl records.