[m12k]

I think a lot of people who have been reflexively buying new MacBook Pros every couple years should do themselves a favor and seriously consider a MacBook Air this time around. It's the same performance most of the time, and for tasks longer than 5 minutes, thermal throttling will only reduce performance by ~20% or so - for many that's still, plenty, plenty fast, when the baseline is a super fast machine. And in return you save some money, save some weight, get rid of the Touchbar, and get the wedge shape that doesn't put an edge right up against your wrists when typing on it the way a Pro does. Unless you really need every ounce of performance, there's a good chance an Air will just be a more enjoyable machine.

[matwood]

I replaced a 2017 MBP with an M1 Air (until the 16" Apple Silicons come out), and agree completely. IMO, the MBA best showcases what this initial M1 rev can do. No fan, completely silent, cool running, thin, light, long battery life and fast. It's pretty amazing really. And, coming from a 2017 MBP, everything is much faster.

For example, a large java app's test suite takes ~7 mins on the 2017 MBP and ~3 mins on the M1 Air. I never thought an MBA could work for me day and day out, but here we are.

[joshspankit]

And, coming from the other side: recent years has seen the pro offer less and less in terms of ports and user-upgradability (two of the solid reasons to buy a pro in previous years).

Point being: the air and the pro seem be converging to a single point and the air is already there.

[nr2x]

The unfortunate catch is only two thunderbolt ports, otherwise agree. I absolutely loathe the Touch Bar, and would pay extra for a pro without one.

[TMWNN]

>Unless you really need every ounce of performance

Or a screen larger than 13"!

Not that the M1 MacBook Pro is available in larger than 13" either, but I'm holding out until the 16" arrives.