MacBook Pro 16 “with M1 Max (2021) Review

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MacBook Pro 16 “with M1 Max (2021) Review

Apple, Mac, MacBook, Max, Pro, Review, Review of the new 16 "MacBook Pro laptop with M1 Max (2021)

The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max processor has a bigger screen, a faster processor, and generally everything gets done instantly much faster. Without a doubt, it is a laptop designed for business users.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro seems to have a bit of a retro inspiration with the addition of the charger with still MagSafe, more ports and memory card readers than previous generations, and even an HDMI output to avoid the need for adapters. .

Even companies of Apple’s stature know how to recognize their mistakes and backtrack when introducing new technology, as we have seen with the reincorporation of more connectors, the abandonment of the butterfly keyboard or the doing to say goodbye to the Touch Bar that used it. very few users.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 M1 Max connectors

In this sense, the resumption of the real MacBook Pro with Apple’s new chip architecture seems to be a happy reunion. The 16-inch model looks, despite its size, more like a 15-inch.

By reducing the bezel around the screen, Apple managed to keep the size low and came up with the idea of ​​adding a small notch on the screen, just like their iPhones did. And yes, it sounds strange, but like with the 14in MacBook Pro, you get used to it quickly.

And if by any chance you feel confused by this appearance, you can easily make it disappear from your sight with the following actions: 1) Switch to a darker background, 2) Switch to dark mode or, 3) Use apps third parties that already make it possible to avoid notch, hiding it under a black bar that covers the top area of ​​the screen.

When you unfold its display, you see 7.7 million pixels, found on its glossy Liquid Retina XDR display with a resolution of 3,456 x 2,234 and a pixel density of 254 dpi. It is a brilliant screen with up to 1000 cd / m² of continuous brightness which can scale up to 1600 cd / m² locally.

The supported color gamut is P3. And thanks to adaptive promotion technology, the refresh rate can go up to 120Hz. This means web pages scroll smoothly and smoothly.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 M1 Max

The refresh rate automatically adjusts based on what you’re watching, so that it doesn’t negatively affect battery consumption, and you can use the system settings to manage the settings yourself.

A 1080p webcam that takes advantage of all the dark magic found in the M1 Max processor, means those on a Zoom or FaceTime video call won’t back down in horror seeing you up close.

You look really good on this camera! Unfortunately, we don’t have Center Stage, this feature which is currently only available on the IPad Pro models.

Graphics with M1 Max chip

Now that we’ve finished the paperwork, it’s time to jump right into what Apple’s new SoC (System on a Chip) really brings, the M1 Max.

The M1 Max has the same 10-core processor as the M1 Pro, with eight high-performance cores and two high-efficiency cores delivering performance up to 1.7 times faster than the M1.

With up to 32 graphics cores, capable of delivering 10.4 teraflops of graphics performance, the M1 Max is four times faster than the M1. The memory bandwidth is 400 GB / s, twice as fast as the M1 Pro and six times faster than the M1.

And it’s also incredibly energy efficient. You can load and load heavy tasks on the processor for hours and manage them in multitasking mode without any problem before the battery reaches its discharge.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 M1 Max

In our benchmarks, including benchmarks like Cinebench and Geekbench, the graphics performance of the M1 Max was odd. M1 Max scored 48,605, 14,000 more points than the M1 Pro!

In other tests there was no difference from the M1 Pro, as in some cases the result was slightly lower, albeit within the margin of error. We are not sure exactly why this is due. Some reference programs may not be able to use all kernels.

What we know for sure is that the counters of the Dark Magic Disc got to the bottom when we measured the read and write speeds. The read result was 5,697MB / s and the write was 7,077.4MB / s. See image.

Maximum read speed of Apple MacBook Pro 16 M1

When we converted 3.28GB 8K quality video to 1080p in Handbrake, the difference between the M1 Pro and the M1 Max was subtle. M1 Max didn’t sweat with 5.58, two seconds faster and within the margin of error.

However, when we exported an 8K video clip at 1080p to Final Cut Pro, the M1 Max tensed its muscles – it took 35.5 seconds, which turned out to be up to 22 seconds faster than the M1 Pro. .

Compared to the 14-inch MacBook Pro review, it looks like 22 seconds isn’t long, but our video clips are only a few minutes long. If you are working with feature films, you will undoubtedly save a lot of extra minutes with a fast computer.

Also mention that if you are one of the professionals who work with 3D modeling in programs like Cinema 4D, or mix symphony orchestras and countless audio tracks in Logic Pro, the M1 Max can handle up to 1,500 tracks without no problem.

Verdict

Ultimately, that’s the kind of job the new 14in and 16in MacBook Pros are made for. And given the situation we still live in of sometimes having to work from home, these are exemplary teams to fulfill this function.

New Apple computers are designed to be able to work from anywhere, even with the most demanding jobs, without the need for a desktop computer.

Of course, professional machines like these also come at a professional price. The 16-inch MacBook Pro It has a starting price for the most basic configuration of $ 2,749 using the M1 Pro chip.

If you opt for a higher processor configuration with the M1 Max chip With 10 CPU cores and 32 other GPU cores, in addition to the 16 from Neural Engine, the price will increase by an additional $ 410 (another $ 460 more if you increase the RAM to 32 GB).

That’s a staggering sum for the end consumer who browses, sends emails and performs office tasks.

However, for the professional user who has to render millions of pixels in a virtual 3D landscape, or the editor who has to edit a feature film, he will have no problem doing it anywhere.

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