Buying a new laptop

Only cons for the M1 I can think of is that some programs may not run on an M1 laptop however the software Apple includes to make Intel apps work (Rosetta) on M1 does a great job. Still if there are certain apps you need to use, I'd suggest a quick Google search to see if they are compatible.

I've been a fan of fanless laptops (forgive the pun) ever since the 12" MacBook so when the new MacBook Air came out I bought one as soon as I could. It just stays so cool compared to the 12" (which has an Intel M processor) and is super fast for my needs.

Currently the M1 is not available for the 16" MBP and the 13" MBP with M1 does have a fan.

Should your organization or preference include predominate use of Windows, & less macOS;

the Intel-based Macs can be the best Windows computers. Just be sure to install Windows by

use of the Boot Camp utility, to be sure it could dual boot; and to maintain both systems.

(While some microsoftOS purists will remove all macOS, then restore before reselling mac.)

Apple Silicon may be able to run a virtual (non-Apple) machine, through macOS as an agent.

There are virtual machines such as Parallels, etc. Some are ready to try in M1/M2, etc.

Rosetta2 is a tool to temporarily run Intel-based software, until the third-party software maker

wishes to supply the Mac version as native-capable; then it would run direct on Apple silicon.

Either way be sure to make backups, and the climate is different for Intel-macs; they have a

different usefulness. While Apple silicon is still in an evolutionary introduction mode, & will

keep changing. At least be ready to fully restore a computer from backups. + Time Machine.

*** for some:

Other than the “mini” the current crop of M1 models do not support multiple external monitors.

While admittedly not a problem for the majority of users …

… if one were to assume that the capability existed, it could make for an unpleasant surprise.

• no brainer M1 crushes i5 on CPU and GPU as well..M1 vs i5->m1 wins
• However more expensive i7 10th gen is faster than m1 anyday. m1 vs i7 10th gen: i7 10th gen wins

if you are in budget, no brainer m1 chip is the best option

I'd go with M1 all the way, or wait for an upcoming MacBook Pro with a new M1X or M2 chip. Apple's M1 is currently destroying both Intel and AMD processors (at least up to i7), and is much more power efficient (better battery life).

Also, Apple is moving away from Intel-based Macs, and aims to put Apple Silicon (chips made by Apple) into all of their Macs. I wouldn't expect Intel-based Macs to be supported for more than 6 years from now.

The only possible reasons that could justify purchasing an Intel-based Mac (at least for me) are listed below:

• If you need to develop/code in x86 assembly
• If you need to natively run (dual-boot) Windows using Boot Camp Assistant, or dual-boot a Linux distribution
• If you rely on software that has is made exclusively for Intel-based systems (this is pretty uncommon, 99% of the time Rosetta 2 does a great job translating Intel-based apps for Apple Silicon)
• If you prefer having a decent lap-warmer in the winter :)