Should I Buy a New Mac Book Pro Now?

Hi All!

So just as my music laptop has started to get sluggish to the point of being frustrating (and I’ve saved enough for a new MBP), Apple go and announce the move away from Intel processors. Since the announcement, I’ve read a few posts on tech and music forums saying ‘whatever you do, don’t buy a new Mac now - wait until the new processors have had a chance to settle down’.

I really don’t fancy waiting another year to upgrade my machine. I know that Logic and all my plug-ins work like a dream on my current set up (when I’m not pushing my 2015 CPU and RAM too hard) so the question is...

Do I get a new MBP while the going is good and avoid the teething problems of the new processors, safe in the knowledge that, most likely, I’ll have a super fast machine that will do me a good 5 or 6 years or...

Do I wait until the new machines come out and deal with the teething problems, avoiding what some are calling Apple’s future lack of support for their Intel machines?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks a lot!

Dave.

There's no advice, only opinions on such matters, but you knew that.

A 2015 machine in your configuration should be quite capable, so first I'd first look into any and all options to streamline your workflow and optimize the use of resources. If for instance you stack up 30+ tracks of Alchemy and Sculpture, each with two Chomaverbs and a Space Designer, at an IO buffer of 32 samples, you will bring every computer to its knees.

And yes, Tim and his guys did give a presentation full of "But wait! There's More!" but of course the reality will be different, so it makes sense to wait after the bleeding edge has passed.

Thanks for the advice Christian, much appreciated!

Dave.

Do I wait until the new machines come out and deal with the teething problems,

The waiting game is a waste of time because we don't know anything about what the new Apple silicon will bring and when. A lot can happen in two years.

I'm still using a MBP from 2012 and a Mac Pro from 2009. Talk about waiting!

I’m actually not all that bothered about the supposed benefits of the new ARM processors. It’s more the future lack of support for Intel machines and the fact that I’d really like a few more cores and some extra RAM right now.

If I could be guaranteed 5 or 6 years of Logic and all my plugins running smoothly, I’d buy a new machine tomorrow.

I’ve just got cold feet now.

Dave.

life takes place in the present; if you need a new mac, get a new mac. really, what's the 'worst-case' scenario? everything moves to ARM, and older macs can no longer run logic? that won't happen... what could happen, down the line... you're left running LX 10.5, or 10.6... or... still something good enough to make great music with.

ppl here running older macs than yours (look what triplets said)... if they can work that long, so can you. becasue there will always be change coming. no point in waiting for what will be, focus on what you need now.

just my thoughts, of course

That’s kinda where my thinking is now fisherking. Thanks for the insight.

Dave.