Mac Book Pro M1 performance - increase CPU spec or RAM size ?

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sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Mac Book Pro M1 performance - increase CPU spec or RAM size ?

I am looking at replacing my Mac Book Pro 15" late 2011 which is no longer working.

I am thinking of the Mac Book Pro M1 14" but I want to future proof the spec for the following reasons:

a) To ensure it lasts 10+ years like my old Mac Book Pro

b) Because the memory and storage is soldered to the logic board so can never be upgraded

My maximum budget is £3k, but I'm not sure which option is best:

Option 1 (£2,899):

Standard processor
- Apple M1 Pro with 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Upgraded 32GB memory
Upgraded 2TB storage

Option 2 (£2,799):

Upgraded processor
- Apple M1 Pro with 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Standard 16GB memory
Upgraded 2TB storage

Which option would give the best performance, a higher spec processor or an increase in memory ?

I like to do video editing on my Mac using Final Cut Pro, but my old Mac could not handle 4K footage.

My old Mac originally failed due the the AMD GPU which is a common fault. Apple replaced the logic board but after a year the AMD GPU failed again. I managed to find a work around by disabling the AMD GPU and using the Intel integrated GPU. My Mac won't even boot now, so I think the logic board has completely failed.

This experience does concern me especially since Apple now solders the memory and storage onto the logic board, which I think is a very bad idea. It means the memory or storage can never be upgraded, so you cant future proof unless you spend a huge amount of money on the highest spec when purchasing. But worse still is if the storage fails (SSDs have a finite number of writes and mean time between failure), in which case the machine is a write off or a VERY expensive repair job.

I fitted a 2TB Samsung SSD in my old Mac and these typically come with a 3 or 5 year warranty. If they do fail, at least they can be replaced. Apples warranty is only 1 year, so what happens if the SSD which is soldered to the logic board fails after a few years ? Are there any statistics available about the reliability of the SSDs fitted to these Macs ?

Posted on Apr 21, 2022 11:37 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 21, 2022 12:00 PM in response to sky_rat

Go for option 1 (having 32 GB in Final Cut Pro (as well as Compressor)) will deliver a positive return on your investment. 

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Answer 2

Apr 21, 2022 1:05 PM in response to sky_rat

FWIW, I would opt for option 1, more RAM.

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Answer 3

Apr 22, 2022 11:36 AM in response to sky_rat

AppleCare Plus protects you from those big costs, and includes up to two screen repair incidents and two major incidents with fairly modest co-pays. In the US, its is now renewable.

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Answer 4

Apr 22, 2022 6:03 AM in response to sky_rat

Any external Thunderbolt backup drive would work best.

I typically backup my projects as I work including all of my notes.

NOTE: We are not Apple employees. We are users just like you are. Our advice is based on ownership and experience, not sales performance goals. 😉

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Answer 5

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 21, 2022 1:02 PM in response to Smilin-Brian

Thanks Smilin-Brian

That's interesting, when I asked at the Apple store today I was told option 2 would provide the best performance.

So I posted this message for a second opinion... but now I'm confused !

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Answer 6

Apr 21, 2022 1:54 PM in response to sky_rat

For in-store workers, Apple spends their training time on 'how to be nice to customers'. Technical expertise is not trained separately. It is assumed that if you want to work at an Apple store, you are already tech-savvy and will continue to be so.

Punchline: do not rely on the deep technical Applications expertise of Apple store workers -- it varies widely. Instead, ask Users who do this work on a daily basis. Some of them post here on the forums.

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Answer 7

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 22, 2022 5:52 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks Grant Bennet-Alder

I always knew the in-store Apple workers were not particularly technical, even the TV series 'The Big Bang Theory' take the mick out of the so called Apple "Genius" store !

That's why I am searching for real technical advice as I don't trust technical advice from in-store Apple workers who are usually just sales people.

So far 2 people have posted stating that option 1 (more memory) is the better option.

Are there any statistics available about the reliability of the SSDs fitted to these Macs ?

Because I would not be happy if after some years the SSD fails and the whole machine is a write off because the SSD cannot be changed

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Answer 8

sky_rat Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 22, 2022 11:25 AM in response to Smilin-Brian

Thanks Smilin-Brian,

"We are not Apple employees. We are users just like you are. Our advice is based on ownership and experience, not sales performance goals"..... this is the reason why I posted on the forum so I can get real advice :)

Your comment about "Any external Thunderbolt backup drive would work best", is this in response to my question about the SSD failing ?

I already perform backups (to my server running Ubuntu using rdiff-backup).

However, this does not solve the problem if the SSD fails on the Mac, because the machine would be a write off.

The SSD cannot be changed as it is soldered to the logic board, so if the SSD fails then a new logic board is required. But the cost of a new logic board is almost as much as a new Mac !!!

So effectively the Mac is a write off all because of an SSD failure, which for a 2TB capacity would cost around £200 to replace.

And this is what bugs me

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