New MacBook Pros - are they good for UX designers?

TL;DR

Professional designer provides first impressions of the new MacBook Pro models featuring the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, highlighting improved performance for creatives and potential benefits for video editing and 3D work.

Transcript

hey i'm miho and i'm a professional designer and over the last few years i've been using a couple of different apple laptops first i started with the 16-inch macbook pro with intel that was from 2016 and i still have it even though i don't really use it anymore and then i switched to the 13 inch m1 macbook pro which is my go to travel computer at t... Read More

Key Insights

• 💦 The new MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are designed for professionals in video editing, 3D work, and development.
• 🥺 Notable improvements include ProRes support, Thunderbolt connectivity enhancements, ProMotion refresh rates, and brighter Mini-LED displays.
• ☠️ The design changes include the return of MagSafe, HDMI, SD card slot, and the removal of the Touch Bar.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do the new MacBook Pro models compare to previous Apple laptops for designers?

The new MacBook Pro models are more powerful and better suited for creatives working with video editing, 3D graphics, and development tasks. For basic design work, the M1 MacBook Air is still more than sufficient.

Q: What are the main improvements in the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips?

The M1 Pro and M1 Max chips have more CPU and GPU cores, with the graphics performance being two times faster than the M1 chip. The built-in ProRes support and additional Thunderbolt controllers are also notable improvements.

Q: Are there any notable design changes in the new MacBook Pro models?

The new laptops feature the return of MagSafe, HDMI, an SD card slot, and a headphone jack. The Touch Bar has been removed, and the keyboard looks slightly different. There is also a camera notch, which blends in the top action bar.

Q: What are the pricing options for the new MacBook Pro models?

The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1999, while the 16-inch model starts at $2499. Higher configurations will be more expensive.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The content creator, a professional designer, shares their experience with different Apple laptops and their current go-to travel computer, the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro.

• The new MacBook Pro models, equipped with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, are geared towards creatives, video editors, and developers, offering improved CPU and GPU performance.

• Notable features of the new laptops include ProRes support for video editors, Thunderbolt connectivity improvements, a notch for the camera, ProMotion refresh rates, and brighter Mini-LED displays.