GG1

9secondkox2 said:

crowley said:

9secondkox2 said:

crowley said:

9secondkox2 said:

Fidonet127 said:

Due to the timeline of how long Apple said they will replace Macs with ASi versions, I don’t think M1 Pro version was really designed. The mini will stay as the consumer computer, the Studio will stay as the prosumer low to medium pro computer, and the Pro will be the high end. The Studio will not cut it for someone who needs 1.5tb of memory and lots of processing power. Yes the Sudio beats some configurations of the Mac Pro. The Studio wasn’t designed in a short time. The Studio took awhile to design and announced when they were ready.  

I’m skeptical of this. 

The Studio is basically a stretch Mini. They just had to take the Mini CAD files, edit the vertical dimensions, add perforations and port cutouts, and attach a simple tapered and perforated cylinder to the bottom. 

The whole thing could have been designed, tested, and machined in a very short period of time, including the big honking fan assembly - which probably explains the numerous fan issues in the first run. 

It's a completely different logic board, completely different cooling, completely different port construction.  There's no reason to think it went through any less of a design process than any other new Apple product, which would not be "a very short period of time".  No way.

Of course those items needed to be laid out and built but it’s a known quantity. Apple was developing the Mac pro and testing likely indicated the m1 ultra or adoubled up version of that wasn’t what they wanted to share a awe as the best they could do. Somewhere in the testing process, the decision was made to not launch at wwdc. And since wwdc I planned far in advance, this gave more than enough time - in a relatively short period of time - to build a stretch Mac mini and have it ready shortly thereafter. It’s not some new avant-garde industrial design and the motherboard isn’t some feat of engineering. 

As Gurkan noted, apple planned to launch the Mac Pro at wwdc but then decided against it. 

There is no way they would have launched the studio and the pro at the same time. They just needed to buy time with a product that doesn’t have a legacy to live up to and can perform for those who need/want the power. 

It’s not bad that it’s a bit of a bridge. It’s just that apple needed to get some serious performance clout but it’s lauded machine is not ready. 

Apple planned to launch the Mac Pro at WWDC.
Apple decided against it.
WWDC is planned so far in advance so they were able to design the Mac Studio in the intermission.

No chance. What in Apple's track record has ever suggested a rush released panic product?  Absolutely no chance. 

Start with Apple Maps…

and seriously, as I’ve said before about the Mac studio and another just mentioned about the studio display, there is smoke to the fire of a bit of a rush. Apples version of rushing isn’t the same as others, but it definitely didn’t have the full bake. 

Add to that the reporting that the max pro was originally to launch at that time and there would be no room for a Studio Mac mini nipping at its heels. 

The Studio is a relatively quickly developed product to fill a hole left by a Mac Pro delay. It fits the iMac reporting also where we were told we’d be getting a 32 inch iMac, but then months later we’re told it was going to be 27” and then it was just a monitor. This all fits with the idea that the Mac Pro had to be pushed back and the iMac wasn’t quite ready either so the studio was put together to put something worthwhile out there. Apple needs to sell the now, so then we hear the 27” iMac is end of life and Mac Pro is still coming someday. Would be difficult to sell studios if people knew a new alpha iMac was coming. Next thing we know, we hear of a 32” iMac coming next year. Then we hear the m2 high end is going to 3nm. 

It all fits. The breadcrumbs are there. That’s not yo disparage the studio. It’s s great machine. It has the performance chops, the smooth Mac mini design, proper I/O. It is an outlier and a perfect product to fill in the gap left by a dearth of Mac Pro and iMac hardware. 

The studio display shortcomings, the m1 ultra performance being held back a bit, and the Mac Studio initial fan issues all continue to point to products that were developed in a relatively short period of time. It’s a testament to Apples quality that they can build such killer products even when they need to do so in something of a pinch.