Apple’s new MacBook Pro in ARM has three big benefits and one big problem

Update from July 20 below, post originally posted on July 19.

Confirmation of Apple’s move from Intel-based processors to ARM-based processors through the Mac platform will impact consumers for years, if not decades, to come. This year’s ARM MacBook Pro will be at the forefront of a transformative plan.

It’s okay to be excited about this move and its impact on Apple and the industry at large, but the transition will not be without risk. Here are three areas where MacOS in ARM is going to deliver … and one danger to be aware of.

July 20 Update: As Apple pushes ARM to the fore, it’s worth remembering that the transition is not instantaneous. Not only will the new machines with Intel technology continue to be sold, but MacOS will support the older architecture in the coming years; Please note that MacOS 11 Big Sur will offer Mac support starting in 2013.

Brooke Crothers discusses the issue. While the obvious call is to wait for new technology, which is what I’m exploring here, Crothers has a good argument against staying with Intel and buying a new Intel machine today:

“After Apple announced its transition to Intel in 2005, it took Apple about four years to introduce OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, the first operating system that was no longer compatible with older PowerPC processors. What will the transition be like this time? No I know, but then again, your Intel-based MacBook will by no means be instantly out of date. “

MacOS on Intel is still a solid option with a few caveats. For those looking to join Apple at the forefront of the ARM revolution, read on for the pros and cons …

MacBook is going to lose weight

Even though this new MacBook Pro will have an aluminum-wrapped keyboard and display with a glass touchpad and there won’t be enough ports (which MacBook has had enough ports?), The MacBook with ARM will be a new design.

Apple’s predilection for thin and light machines will be well served by the move to ARM. I would hope that like the iPad and iPad Pro there is no need for a fan to help cool down the laptop. Thermal design will remain important, but with less heat to extract from the core, Apple can pack the MacBook board as thickly as the iPad Pro board.

Expect the ARM MacBook to be one of the thinnest MacBooks yet.

Performance

There will be questions about the relative performance of the ARM processor compared to Intel-powered Macs, as well as comparisons to Windows 10 on ARM (although initial benchmarks appear to be in Apple’s favor). Eyes will be on MacOS 11 and how it is optimized for ARM, as well as continue to serve the millions of Intel machines currently in use.

It’s not just raw power where performance can be improved. The ARM processor should be more efficient in using the battery. That could see a laptop that will comfortably achieve twenty hours of battery life while in use. That assumes that Apple maintains the same battery size. It could stay in the current resistance window and reduce capacity, which would once again help make a machine thinner and lighter.

The other ARM area offers better connectivity performance, especially LTE. A look at the specs of the many ‘Pro’ style Windows 10 machines and you will see the available mobile connections. It’s not something you find in MacBook Pro hardware, but it is in iPad Pro. While Apple hasn’t confirmed any specs for the first consumer-focused ARM machine, the addition of LTE support should be under consideration.

Apple’s attention

MacOS in ARM has not appeared out of nowhere. Apple’s engineering team will have been working on this internally for many years, and some of the key third-party software will have been working on the new architecture. The lack of ‘new’ features in MacOS in recent years has left the MacBook range especially similar to Apple’s secondary team behind the iPhone and iPad families.

You’re unlikely to have a clear answer on how much of that is because Apple is moving Mac from a powerful standalone computer to a cloud-connected device, or more engineers assigned to ARM instead of Intel.

But ARM is the future of the Mac platform. Apple will not want to beat the buck in this case, in fact, not only will it want to drive development to a great extent, but it will also be seen publicly to drive development.

That means MacOS will receive much more attention in the next two years, which should be of great benefit to the platform and build trust in the new ARM world.

The danger of the vanguard

From a practical point of view, MacOS in ARM is something completely new. It may have been tested within Cupertino, it may be running on developer transition units, and it may be with third-party application developers, but when sales begin, both MacBook Pro hardware and MacOS on ARM software will be heavily tested.

It would be very unusual if any product were perfect at launch, software bugs and unexpected use cases will always pop up, even on mature hardware like iPhone. With the change to ARM, everything will be new and rough around the edges.

If you’re not ready to get your hands dirty and avoid anything broken, the first wave of MacOS in ARM hardware may not be for you. Let the geekerati test and break everything, and join the second wave later in 2021.

Apple’s decision to move the Mac platform to ARM should offer many benefits, and many of these will be immediately apparent in the first consumer laptops to go on sale. As with any significant change to a new architecture, it is going to be a little difficult at first. Apple may have softened as many hits as possible on the trip, but the public has a way of pushing the limit.

Ultimately, this is a good thing as it brings more stability to the platform, but getting there is not easy.

Now read more about the new ARM MacBook Pro release details …