Comment: Apple's Spring Loaded Event – The Good the Bad... And Almost No Ugly

How much does it matter that the 256 GB SSD in the MacBook Pro M2 is slower than the SSD in the MacBook Pro M1? Experience reports and benchmarks provide some very clear results, with a rather sobering answer further questioning the grounds for the M2 device's very existence.

The lockdown is finally over and as of now, select press representatives may disclose their first experiences – which in this case... are quite lacking, to say the least. Apart from the new M2 chip's performance, there's plenty of criticism for the "confusing notebook".

The M1's followup has been revealed alongside the successor to the wedge-shaped MacBook Air. We've gathered together some data and specifications in order to compare the two models with one another.

At yesterday's Keynote, Apple did more than just present a completely new MacBook Air, it also revealed the first big change to its M-chips' architecture. The M1 is now followed by the M2 which brings along some conceptual changes as opposed to simply more cores. The MacBook Pro 13" will also receive an M2.

In just one week, Apple's Keynote for the Worldwide Developers Conference will take place – and although the event hasn't traditionally included new hardware announcements, Cupertino could present us with a new MacBook Air M2. However, supply chain problems will likely delay the announcement.

Following countless reports and a great deal of speculation about a new Mac mini, there are now some pretty concrete indications from Apple that the rumor mill was headed in the right direction. A new Mac mini line is mentioned in the Studio Display's firmware.

After a short relaxation, the delivery times in the Mac sector are currently looking worse again - this even affects models that were previously available immediately, such as the MacBook Air. Longer waiting times are also to be expected for other Macs.

Since the Mac Studio's start of deliveries, countless detailed test reports from select outlets have made their way out into the public. These outlets were provided with early access to stir up some excitement for the new device. The reports detail user experience, performance, handling, and noise production.

Multiple heads at Apple have explained the concept behind the Mac Studio in a new interview about the product's focus, performance, and compact design. Cupertino also explained the role that customer feedback was playing in the device's development. The Studio display was also touched on briefly during the interview.

With the new M1 Ultra having finally arrived with the Mac Studio, Apple has set the bar for Intel, AMD, and all other processor manufacturers a little bit higher – and in the process, Cupertino has given itself a little bit of a head start. Exactly how refined the new CPU concept is in terms of performance and energy efficiency is shown in a comparison of all 4 released M-chips.

The Mac mini got a big brother this week with the arrival of the Mac Studio – but still no new chip generation. Although an M2 successor this year is considered pretty much certain, there are also indications that there might be an M2 Pro version coming as well.

Yesterday, Apple presented the Mac Studio – along with the very impressive M1 Ultra. A large portion of yesterday's "Peek Performance" event was dedicated to the M1 Ultra's performance capabilities – and it doesn't appear as if Apple has overpromised.

The current most powerful M1 Mac is now the Mac Studio – as multiple sources already predicted before the desktop computer's release yesterday. Despite the device's compact design, it still easily satisfies the high-end performance margins.

Rumors about a planned Apple release for a Mac in between the level of the Mac mini and Mac Pro have been making the rounds. According to a new report, such a device could see a release much earlier than previously expected. Additionally, there should be a follow up to the Pro XDR Display soon.

The usually quite well informed market expert, Ming-Chi Kuo, recently claimed that there won't be any Apple Silicon iMac Pro this year contrary to expectations – and that goes for the Mac Pro too. Apple has delayed both of the high-end computers until 2023.

A new, interesting Mac mini M1 home project has now been added to the ranks. The handyman removed all unnecessary parts and rebuilt the computer inside a tiny housing – completely functional with working MagSafe.

A leaked roadmap indicates that Intel is on the way towards beating the M1 in terms of performance and efficiency. However, it's likely to take so long that Apple will have already outdone itself again, along with Intel's newest chip, before anything comes to fruition.

Apple's likely to hold another event in the near future – and new Macs are likely to take the center stage. Three new entries into the EEC provide a few hints about what might be on the way – and one of the entries should be a new notebook.

Thanks to its highly efficient M1 chip, the MacBook Pro 2021 runs almost entirely devoid of any thermal problems. During instances of extremely high ambient temperatures, however, the fan does have to work a bit harder and there have recently been reports of display issues during operation under such temperatures.

Is the Apple Silicon-equipped iMac Pro coming in March or later? A reliable market expert claims to have discovered that the iMac Pro is not likely to be released within the first half of this year – as per clear information from suppliers.

The M1 Max is already known for its impressive performance. According to a well-known leaker, the chip should be set to receive an upgrade with two additional CPU cores intended for the upcoming iMac Pro with Apple Silicon.