My love affair with M1 MacBook Pro — After 965+ days!

I try not to sell my gadgets and keep them for as long I can. One thing I really enjoy is using older gadgets, which some call “Retro techs.”

Whenever new and improved gadgets come out, I like to compare them with my older ones. And there’s this one Mac that never fails to amaze me — the M1 MacBook Pro. Even after nearly three years, it feels as fresh as ever, never outdated.

I’m convinced this laptop is destined to become the ultimate “OG MacBook.”

You see, this was the first set of Macs to get the magical Apple silicon chip, and boy, did it shake things up! After that, every update seemed like a small fry in comparison!

I also have a 2017 model MacBook Pro with an Intel chip, and honestly, it feels like a real retro tech. It’s always hot, slow, and the fan starts buzzing as soon as you use it!

Apple silicon is like the secret power boost that made a huge difference in the MacBook’s performance. It’s like how “Compound V” was to Supes or the “Spider bite” was to Spiderman — a game-changer!

How my love for M1 MacBook started?

While watching the launch of Apple’s first line of Macs with the new silicon chip, I couldn’t contain my excitement. The numbers shown in the keynote and Craig Federighi’s presentation of macOS Big Sur, accompanied by that awesome wallpaper, got me hooked.

I eagerly waited for my favorite tech YouTubers to share their feedback, and it was a hit! I was convinced and decided to get one for myself. I placed the order in mid-November, and on the 2nd of December 2020, my MacBook Pro arrived, marking the beginning of my renewed love affair with MacBooks!

I’ve always been fond of my 2017 Intel MacBook with the touch bar, despite some mixed reviews. The butterfly keyboard mechanism, which received less attention, never gave me any trouble.

But the new MacBook Pro with its remarkable improvements truly blew me away:

• Unmatched performance (Apps open lightning-fast!)
• Endless battery life
• An improved typing experience
• Crisp and clear speaker quality
• Upgraded Touch Bar & Touch ID
• Silent operation (I even doubted it had a fan!)
• Instant wake-up from sleep mode

Every single enhancement elevated the MacBook experience to new heights. Who wouldn’t fall in love with this device?

This time, the MacBook proved to be more than just “better hardware” compared to Windows PCs. It’s a technological marvel that embodies a seamless and unparalleled user experience.

How is it going?

Well, as I mentioned before, I’m a fan of using my retro tech from time to time. Currently, I have four Apple silicon Macs that I switch between:

1. M1 MacBook Pro
2. M1 iMac 24”
3. M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16”
4. M2 Pro MacBook Pro 14”

I must say, Apple silicon has completely transformed the way Macs function, and I love all of them!

Among these Macs, my absolute favorite has to be the M1 MacBook Pro. It’s just the perfect Mac for me. Whether I’m on the go, at home, or working, it’s my go-to companion. I use it most of the time, and it never disappoints.

Here are the things I like the most about it:

1. The 13” size is ideal for me.
2. It’s lightweight, making it easy to carry around.
3. It handles all my workflow tasks without any glitches.
4. The battery health is still at an impressive 95%.
5. The keyboard is a joy to type on, accurate and responsive.
6. The camera, mic, and speakers do their job perfectly.
7. The hinge works flawlessly, unlike some older Intel Macs.

These seven points are more than enough reasons to keep using this ~3-year-old gem!

Adding to the perks, it continues to receive the latest updates from Apple and will keep going for another 3–4 years at least.

Of course, if I have to be picky, there are a few things I don’t love (but don’t hate either):

1. The bezels are quite large.
2. Sometimes, the speakers have some issues at 100% volume and certain frequencies.
3. The screen size feels a bit small for extensive video editing, especially when dealing with more than two rolls.

But, overall, I must say, I LOVE THIS M1 MACBOOK PRO!! It’s a true winner in my book!

Is it worth in 2023? M1 MacBook Air

It is quite challenging to find an unused M1 MacBook Pro in 2023 since Apple has discontinued it. However, if you manage to come across one, don’t hesitate to buy it without a second thought, unless your work demands extremely high processing and graphics power.

Apple still officially sells the M1 MacBook Air, which shares similarities with the Pro version. Here are the key differences to consider:

1. Fanless Design: The Air lacks a fan, so continuous heavy workloads might cause it to heat up more compared to the Pro.
2. Display Brightness: The Air’s peak brightness is 100 nits less, at 400, compared to the Pro’s 500 nits.
3. Touch Bar: The Air does not come with a touch bar.
4. GPU Cores: The Air has 7-core GPU, while the Pro boasts an 8-core GPU.

These differences should be noted, but they don’t make the Air any less powerful. These aspects are minor if your workflow isn’t too demanding.

The Air is priced at 1,00,000 INR (or $999), but you can find it for around 80,000 INR (or $800) with 256 GB SSD and 8 GB unified memory on platforms like Amazon or local retail stores.

I intend to continue writing and creating videos on this MacBook Pro at regular intervals. It remains strong in 2023 and will likely remain so in the future as well.

And to sum it up, I want to express my feelings for this MacBook Pro with these words:

“Our love story continues to unfold, and each day, I find myself falling for you anew.”