Here’s a non-pro look at how the new 14″ MacBook Pro stacks up
Apple’s 2021 MacBook Pro was launched in November. Apple introduced two new sizes of the 2021 MacBook Pro, the M1 Pro (16-inch) as well as two new chips, M1 Max and M1 Pro. While I thought this new Mac would be overkill to me – I didn’t need the ports, ProMotion, miniLED, or the processor – I recently broke my 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro and needed a replacement.
I chose to buy the new M1 Pro MacBook Pro Pro 14-inch M1 Air, the entry-level 2020 M1 MacBook Air, over the former. Here’s my review of this computer from a heavy but non-pro user perspective.
First impressions of the design for the 2021 MacBook Pro
At first glance, I wasn’t a big fan of the notch on the MacBook Pro. The entire black keyboard was also strange to me when I first saw it in the store. In addition, I really used to love the Touch Bar (for the wrong reasons – it’s so convenient to send emoji with that). But as the days go by, I’m just super into this new design.
The difference between a 16-inch and a 14 inch screen is not too significant. I can use two Safari windows at once and still have enough screen space to work. The weight of the screen was also important to me. It is significantly lighter than my Intel Mac.
I find the keyboard and trackpad very reliable, Touch ID always works fine, and I’m really into this miniLED display with ProMotion. It’s just really smooth to switch between my iPhone 13 Pro and this Mac.
Last but not least, the reason why I’m not typing from the Intel Mac anymore is that I stumbled over the charger and completely destroyed the computer. With the new MacBook Pro, it adds back the MagSafe connector, and wow, I didn’t realize how much I missed this feature that was once available on my 2010 MacBook Pro.
Does the M1 Pro Pro Entry-Level suffice?
As I mentioned at the start of this article, I was in the middle of the MacBook AirThe MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. The difference is amazing: MacBook Air has 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and the M1 Pro Mac has 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD.
Apple could have introduced the rumored MacBook Air earlier, but I chose to go with the current MacBook Pro over the two other models.
I’m not a pro user, but I’m a heavy user. This is why I recommend Jeff Benjamin’s review on the 2021 MacBook Pro (if you wanna talk specs). I’m going to share my view of someone who writes all day, occasionally edits photos with Pixelmator Pro, uses iMessage, Mail, Slack, WhatsApp, etc.
For these tasks, I don’t have to say that everything works like a breeze for this powerful computer. Not only that, but it’s also very silent, doesn’t get hot (at least with these tasks), and opens everything in a blink of an eye.
It’s important to say that I’m pretty sure that I would be able to do the same with the M1 MacBook Air, but I would probably upgrade it with double the RAM and storage to feel more secure with it throughout the years. This is it. said, these were the reasons I didn’t end up with the Air version:
- Design from the past
- MagSafe connector not available
- Terrible webcam
- The display was a little too small.
Last question: Does this MacBook Pro have an all-day battery.
Although the M1 MacBooks were praised for their long-lasting battery life, I was concerned that the Pro chips would use more energy and would mean that I would have to charge the Mac more often than necessary.
To my relief, the entry-level 2021 MacBook Pro holds up very well when I’m using it for the tasks I mentioned above. This is amazing! said, it can last easily handle 10 hours of nonstop usage, but I do think it’s possible to stretch it a bit more to 12 hours.
It is convenient to have both USB-C and MagSafe options for charging this machine.
End of the story and last thoughts
There’s a lot I don’t mention in this mini-review of the entry-level 2021 MacBook Pro. This is because we have already reviewed the machine. For a deeper look, click here
For this piece, what I’m trying to answer is whether this MacBook Pro is a good deal for a heavy (but not a pro) user. I answer, “Yes!” It’s stunning. You honestly don’t even pay attention to the notch – just like when Apple introduced the iPhone X. Although having more ports is great it is even more important to have a MagSafe connector. Trackpad, keyboard, as well as Touch ID, are still reliable. Last but not least, battery life is fantastic, which is good for me because this was another feature I really needed.
Do I have to change my mind if Apple releases the new MacBook Air? Maybe. But as we can’t predict when or exactly what this MacBook Air will feature, I can say that, right now, if you need a machine and want it to last for years to come, the entry-level M1 Pro MacBook is more than enough.
Tweak it if you need a bit more power or storage, but heavily relying on iCloud and using only essential apps, I don’t see why I would need more RAM or storage at the moment – or in the years to come.
The 2021 M1 Pro MacBook Pro can be found here here at Apple’s Amazon store.
Do you own this computer, or do you plan to purchase one? Comment below to share your thoughts.
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