Forget the new MacBook Pro, Apple has something better

Updated January 8th: Article published January 7th:

With Apple deciding to break a two-decade streak of launches by not announcing a new Mac in the fourth quarter, what’s next for the MacBook family? I’m sure believers will always be waiting for the latest releases, but anyone else looking for a new MacBook right now might consider Apple’s current offering in general, and the latest MacBook Pro in particular.

However, every other option available right now and in the near future is a much better option than Apple’s latest laptop.

Update: Thursday, January 7: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has added to the many votes for a MacBook Air update through 2023, reporting that A 15-inch screen is the most likely candidate for a launch this year. But this comes with a disappointing note on another MacBook Air that many had hoped for.

Apple is no longer looking forward to releasing the 12-inch MacBook “In the near term.” This smaller model, reminiscent of the 12-inch MacBook that was available between 2015 and 2019, would have been a very portable laptop computer paired with Apple Silicon technology to deliver longer battery life with more power than Intel’s previous 12-inch. Models offered.

Apple will no doubt guide those looking for a smaller, laptop-like experience The current 11-inch and 12-inch iPad Pros.

Let’s remember that the current new MacBook Pro (released at WWDC in June 2022) is Apple’s awkward combination of an M2-powered MacBook Air with a MacGyvered fan for some extra cooling. This allows the processor to run a little faster than air, but you’re paying a lot more for that slight boost through air. If you’re in the MacBook game for power, you need a “professional” MacBook Pro; Those looking for Apple’s definition of value for money should stay with the MacBook Air.

What about those looking for brute force? The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are more powerful but built on the previous generation of Apple Silicon. The eagerly awaited upgrade to the hypothetically named M2 Pro and M2 Max that many had predicted would arrive in the fourth quarter of 2022 has not yet appeared … it’s on the cards for the first half of 2023.

Those looking for a larger laptop have plenty of options in the Windows market, but Apple has kept the larger-screen MacBook options under the Pro designation. With Apple Silicon bumping up core performance to levels more than adequate for most consumers (even if Tim Cook and his team miss the deadline), the larger screen on the MacBook Air will be one of the most anticipated upgrades. The supply chain indicates that Apple is preparing a 15-inch display for its laptop computer — an option that would be a welcome diversion from Apple’s traditional portfolio.

It’s also worth asking if you really need a laptop. Do you leave your desk and work on the go enough to justify portability, or would a smartphone or tablet paired with an iMac or Mac Studio be a better option?

You can look elsewhere in the current range, save up for a real powerful laptop, or wait for a larger screen. Apple has many more options now and in the near future…and they’re all better than the new MacBook Pro.

Now read the latest Mac, iPhone and iPad headlines in Forbes’ weekly Apple Loop column…