Unfortunately I do need Bootcamp. I need to run rendering software for my job that is Windows only and will only work via Bootcamp on a Mac. Parallels will not work.
I’m hoping the doesn’t come when I have to but my first Windows PC.
My next mac will be my old mac, revived with Linux. Those prices are well beyond that which low-income people can sustain. Its crazy. Profits first, I guess. Just like it used to be in the 80s. If I need a new machine at some time I suppose it will be a Windows lappie. Or perhaps no computer at all apart from iPad.
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Actually, now that I have had a chance to look into it further, this may not be the only problem for your scenario.
They have built the RAM into the SOC. The non-user upgrade-able is something that’s been the case for a little while, but it also tops out at only 16gb of RAM. Which is what I would consider as the minimum these days.
Obviously we are yet to see the approach taken across the larger MBP lines. And they won’t be building the RAM into the SOC for their silicon in Mac Pro’s. So there will need to be an alternate architecture. However it rules out the lower end models for those wanting to use them for higher end workloads.
The new processors seem good but bootcamp is an issue (and I’m not confident that parallels and similar will work as well as they currently do). But more importantly the base memory is still 8Gb and it tops out at 16Gb? Unless the new CPUs and OS are much more efficient at memory use than the current generation then that’s going to put a line under how many years the new designs can realistically be used for.
Some time back we saw Apple remove user upgradable memory so people started up speccing laptops during purchase to extend the usable life time of the laptops, I have to ask now that Apple are restricting maximum memory (to 16Gb?!) are they seeking to limit the usable life time of the laptops in order to encourage upgrading to the latest and greatest down the track?
Having said all of that I am never the less a bit tempted by the new MacBook Air (I’d definitely want 16Gb and 512Gb options though so I think I’ll squeeze another year out of my current laptop and see what’s availble on the refurb store by then.
Unfortunately, yes:
Doesn’t mean there won’t be something in the future of course. And I’d be happy to look at buying your eGPU if you need to sell it! 
I paid $2349 for a 6 core i7/16GB/512GB Mini in March. New Mini with 16/512 is $1699. I bought an MBA last year and those are now cheaper too - $2749 vs $2249 for same config.
I’m not sad I bought when I did, but those are considerable price reductions.
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I agree, it’s why I’m half considering buying another Mac laptop; they’ve moved back under my (admittedly arbitrary) price ceiling of $2K.
I can get a MacBook Air with 16Gb of RAM for $1899… but only 256Gb of storage and I’d prefer 512Gb.
Now I have to decide if I break my price limit (again like I did with the iPhone just recently) or do I wait for the refurb store to have some stock later (if they do which isn’t guaranteed).
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The new Airs are fanless too, which is great. Silent computers are a beautiful thing.
Your needs might be a bit different to mine, but I find I can easily live with 256. I have a big NAS and plenty of cloud storage, so I’ve found my local storage needs going down in recent years if anything. My Mini has 512 but that’s only because I could do it within my budget and wanted to just-in-case it because I will likely have it for a while.
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I didn’t realize that! That is what I most like about my SO’s MacBook (no fans).
Thanks for the information, you’ve definitely given me something to think about.
I’m not running a NAS at home right now (the one I had finally died and I hadn’t replaced it since I didn’t need it after I retired) but I can plug a USB drive into the router easily enough and use that so 256Gb would be enough in that scenario.
Hmmm…
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Bootcamp is never going to work on Apple Silicone for X64 or X86 Windows.
If Parallels on Intel won’t work for you then I doubt Microsoft X64 emulation on Windows for ARM (if Parallels or Fusion get that running) will.
If the software is Windows only you won’t have a choice but buy an Intel/AMD PC.
Yeah, I’m a little torn about ARM Macs. On the plus side, more performance and less power usage are huge pluses for laptops, not to mention all the fringe benefits that come with Apple no longer being reliant on Intel for new processors for their upgrade cadence, etc, etc.
But on the other side, having Macs capable of running Windows natively was a nice benefit of Intel chips. If you wanted to buy a Mac to run Windows, you could do that, but the same couldn’t be said for the other way around, at least not easily.
I get that Macs will be able to run iOS apps now as well, which in theory should be seen as a benefit, but it’s not quite the same thing as having “PC” compatibility with the only other real player in the space.
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On second thought, I must be thinking of Mac mini prices from like 4 years ago…
Just wait for a 10% off sale at JBHiFi.
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Do those apply to Apple Macs? Every time I’ve looked it’s had a exemption for Apple products…
The JB ggeneral sales dont include Apple, but they often have a separate Apple 10% off. Not nearly as often as the others though.
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I ordered a Mac mni to replace my iMac. My 2013 iMac just didn’t make the Big Sur cutoff.
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This review of the new silicon Macs is worth watching.
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