14” M1 Pro - Macbook Pro - 1 Year Later, Still a Beast?

[@juliancaesar4575]

This is for anyone in 2023 still thinking about buying a 2021 M1 MacBook Pro…yeah it’s still totally worth it. I did and I don’t regret a thing. Received mine new a few days ago for an absolute bargain of £800 off original price, and it’s fantastic. I got mine for Ableton and various music production software/daws and it’s so smooth and fast. I also run league of legends for a little game time when I want it. I would stay clear of anyone wanting to splash out on a M2 chip 2023 MacBook, and go for a M1 chip based one for half the price. I could never pay top whack for a MacBook, gotta get that deal.

[@frostfire_mage]

£800 off…. niice! Good to hear from someone using it for music production too. You getting any dropped frames playing League of Legends?

[@juliancaesar4575]

@@frostfire_mage league of legends doesn’t play completely smooth but it’s good man. I mean if you are buying a MacBook to game on, your head needs checking anyway 😂 I just put it there because I know some people might want a little game here and there around their work. This laptop can do it, just nothing too demanding. Runs WOW and all those types of games. Cyberpunk not so much is my guess 😂

[@cragworks]

Just jealous of not having m2 so telling ppl to not get m2

[@johndosh6832]

Do you reckon it’s still worth getting in 2024?

[@juliancaesar4575]

@@johndosh6832 music production/production work absolutely fantastic smooth and fast. If you are thinking of running many high spec games I wouldn’t bother with it…but then you gotta be mad if you are buying any Apple laptop for gaming anyway lol.

[@Jackiewicz64]

Here it is, 2024 and I decided to upgrade and researched the M2 and M3. Finally, I decided to purchase a very gently used 14" M1 Pro and am so happy with it! This laptop is amazing and handles everything I throw at it. I got the same one with the same specs as the one you reviewed and it even has almost a year left of AppleCare+. Your review is great!

[@DJpiya1]

I was always used to be an Apple hater, But this time Apple has failed me. I love my M1 Macbook Pro 16 Inch. I must say this is an engineering Marvel. I run Docker with two Cassandra DBs, Mysql, localstack, four InteliJ idea projects where each one runs in their own debuggers, with 20-30 Chrome tabs opens simultaneously. But everything runs like butter on 16GB. The same setup previously I ran on i9-9900k with 32Gb on Ubuntu, But even in that case sometimes I noticed hiccups. I don't understand how Apple did this. This is black magic. I have my Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse, but I don't have to use them often, coz the Laptop keyboard and trackpad is very precise and convenient and the 16 Inch screen is very well thought for coding as well. So in Nutshell, If you want a perfect laptop that money can buy in 2022 specially for non Microsoft based software development, this is the number one. There is no way that you can go wrong with this product in my opinion.

[@sagarkapasi099]

Nice, best real review I've seen. Very relevant comment, thanks

[@rupamgogoi3471]

Totally agree. I have upgraded from macbook air 13 2017 model

[@frostfire_mage]

Good to hear, first hand… that coders are having positive experiences with the 16GB RAM, and don’t need the 32GB. Apple really knocked it out the park with these 2021 updates.

[@anilkumarraju8839]

I am Thinking which laptop is best for DevOps and Java software professionals I am searching like hell for one month. if your review is true then i am happy someone said virtual box can't install on Apple so I'm worried whether I can go with this or not.

[@DJpiya1]

@@frostfire_mage yes, I think its because of the their software optimizations and fast ssd.

[@dash8brj]

This is probably one of the better "1 year later" videos on this macbook. Mine arrives today. I went with the 10/16 cores, 16Gb and 1Tb. One thing I would do in future is normalize your audio. Having to turn the volume up to hear your spoken content and then getting blown out of the room by backing music is really annoying. Great video otherwise. BTW hello from Sydney - noticed you're in Victoria by way of the train you caught :)

[@frostfire_mage]

Thanks dash8brj and congrats on your MBP. Ye, I agree my audio needs some work. Ye, I just moved back to Melbourne, last year… and really enjoying home again :) Visited Sydney in Jan this year too, loved it, happy trails :)

[@alejandrovallencci]

I’m so surprised by how little subscribers you have. You deserve way more views for how well explained and put together your videos are. Definitely subbing

[@frostfire_mage]

Hey Alejandro, only started 2 months ago, just a noobie 😂 Some more content coming next week, appreciate the kind words, have a good day / night 😊

[@alejandrovallencci]

@@frostfire_mage well I wish you luck in your future, and I hope to see more great videos😊

[@Eatsleep864]

i just bought the m1 pro 14 inch. it's so gooooood! i upgraded from macbook pro 2015 13 inch. It feels like a direct upgrade since that was the last model to have all the ports included. I didn't like that they got rid of them with the upgrades so i was basically just waiting until they put them back lol

[@frostfire_mage]

Hey TJ, Each to their own… I actually prefer the USB-C ports 😂 I am using the SD card slot a lot more these days with drone footage transfer, so it is helpful. Upgrading from a 2015 machine must feel like hopping into a Lambo Huracan after driving a Prius, gratz dude 😈

[@aveekroyy]

for how much dollar

[@jammies701]

Keep up the grind, subbed

[@frostfire_mage]

Been putting a lot of hours in… the grind is real ! 😅 Appreciate the kind words, enjoy your day / night 🤜🤛

[@suryansh6555]

I got this M1 Pro MBP'14 and I guess I'm encountering issues related to aux port. Wired earphones/headphones whenever plugged in I hear an occasional buzz here and there for a while when opening/closing apps etc. This buzz is independed of what the volume is. It happens irrespective of whether the magsafe is plugged in or not. Magsafe plugged in certainly amplifies it a bit but it happens otherwise as well. Recently I got to hear a little bit of that buzz while a video was playing. I want to know if that's how these devices work or what's really the issues and does that happen with others here as well? I told the same issue to the guy at genius bar but he couldn't really hear it since it was all noisy out there. He let it off saying it's probably because of some compatibility issue and if you use something like airpods(wired) you won't encounter the same. I tested using my Sony Xm5 headphones the wired way and the buzzing was still happening. I have this issue since Day 1 of my purchase.

[@akin242002]

Best laptop for front-end website developers who like travel with their laptop 💻. The 16inch MBP is great for those that want more battery and rarely take their laptop outside their home/apartment. Basically a mini-desktop.

[@frostfire_mage]

We’ll said… I do love the form factor of the 14” M1 Pro, it’s actually lighter than most people think.

[@jammies701]

Fantastic video mate

[@frostfire_mage]

Hey Jammies, thanks for the feedback, means a lot for this newbie! 🐣

[@harveymphotography1032]

Great vid dude, I just picked up the same model and specs you have. I love it, I upgraded from the M1 13"pro and this smokes it, only the battery takes that hit as you described, but 100% better in every way. Cheers

[@frostfire_mage]

Ye dude, still enjoying my M1 Pro 14”…. I can’t believe the new M3 Pro and Max are about to be revealed next Monday… will be dropping a new “Short” vid tonight with details… time is flying though 🕰️

[@MartinFellerMusic]

nice and in depth video! I'll get the 16 inch soon hopefully

[@frostfire_mage]

They are powerful and sexy 🥹 you going for Pro or Max? 🧐

[@MartinFellerMusic]

@@frostfire_mage they definitely are! Well, still debating. I want it to last me at least 5 years without having to upgrade. But coming from a 13 inch M1 macbook pro, i think the base model is very good. I don't need the extra GPU cores of the M1 Max because I'm mainly producing music on it. However, 32gb and 1tb would be great to have! But the prices are insane once you add anything... What would you recommend?

[@frostfire_mage]

@@MartinFellerMusic If you are working on 1 app at a time and in focus then 16GB is sufficient. However,If you’re multi tasking with multiple apps open and in focus, then consider the 32 GB upgrade. Apart from that, I find having the 1 TB SSD to be great and useful if you are constantly moving large amounts of big files around. And the 97W brick charger is a must for fast charging. 👍🏻

[@MartinFellerMusic]

@@frostfire_mage thanks! I think i'll go with the 1tb upgrade then :)

[@IVMTAB]

It’s gonna be a beast for at least 3 more years

[@frostfire_mage]

Couldn’t agree more 😎🤙🏻

[@Gamer-vs3xl]

Nice birds eye view in the intro👍

[@frostfire_mage]

Thanks Gamer... If you are into gaming, hopefully you’ll like my next vid, I’ll try and work the magic with the drone again too ;)

[@successchukwu7766]

Wow, what an intro 😢❤

[@frostfire_mage]

Thanks for the good vibes 😎 This intro is probably my favourite in terms of how it all flowed together, take care 🤙🏻

[@tseyang6079]

I watched many videos, but you finally convinced me! There is a discount on the M1 pro 14 inch at best buy for $1600 USD, I plan to buy it later in the year : D

[@DJ_JC414]

I just got that exact deal and was able to dj on my Macbook pro the same day I bought it, it was AMAZING, to be able to perform for 6 hours all while demanding a lot of power from it, it stayed cool and ran like a BEAST i highly recommend

[@frostfire_mage]

Hey Tseyang, if you buy it later in the year, you may not get that discount 😁 The M1 MacBook Pro is still holding up well for me, love it 😊

[@frostfire_mage]

@@DJ_JC414 The fans very rarely fire up (on the base model especially) Great to see peeps getting better deals now 🤙🏻

[@tseyang6079]

@@frostfire_mage decisions, decisions. Thanks for the tip! I didn’t think about that

[@dom668]

The lighting in your video looks professional, what are you using if you don’t mind me asking? 🙂

[@frostfire_mage]

I put some LiFX strip lights around my desk, they are bite sized powerhouses, a little on the expensive side but I’ve got a lot of value out of them. You can buy in a 1m and 2m starter kit then extensions. Here’s the link for the 1m kit: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B094K2ZR9V?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details I also use a Neewer RGB Light attached to a tripod, for some extra coloured hues in either fore or background shots. www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B09H5VTLY7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Good luck :)

[@dom668]

@@frostfire_mage thanks! I've ordered the strip lights and 14” M1 #MacbookPro for Christmas 👍🎅

[@neointhematrix_8]

1st: This is a good video... 2nd: i think it was made by a beast✌🏾😉

[@frostfire_mage]

Thanks Neo, My healthy beard 🧔‍♂️ helps me blend in with the pack when in the wild 🦁 You picking up an M2 Pro or Max?

[@ljp8450]

I just bought one fully maxed out. I really wanna get into coding and KZbin

[@frostfire_mage]

It's a great tool for both of those, wise move LJP

[@andobreslin8735]

You should never charge a battery overnight. You need to allow the cycles to fluctuate from around 95% to 10% with each intensive use. You'll weaken the battery by overcharging.

[@frostfire_mage]

Good point, 20-80% is the best charge range for most batteries, its worth pointing out the average person will not have the time or inclination to do this 😉

[@Dharmasaputro]

Gotta say I also liked this M1 Pro, even with my base model. Previously used the M1 Air and sold it after months since it was a troublesome to make my stack of Python + PostgresSQL to work, although I still loved its crazy efficient chip. So ended up just used it for my office/administration thing. Switching to Windows for a while then decided to try the same stack again and apparently it works much easier than in 2020. Also, their decision to bring back this kind of thickness and ports other than Thunderbolt sold me over :) I do wished they put a USB A though, so I can plug my wireless mouse dongle. Yep, there are still some minor issues with the libraries I'm using, but other than that this iteration is still a beast. You couldn't get this kind of efficiency in any other x86 system, until now I have never saw the swap got used with the 16Gig model :)

[@frostfire_mage]

Ye I agree… this iteration appealed to so many different forms of people who were in the market for a new MacBook Pro… and for those who are looking even more recently, they also get it at a discount rate compare to the overpriced value of the M2 MacBook Pro proposition 😎

[@natjes6017]

Great vid! I got a great discount on the same exact Mac as you have and it sure is snappy 😁

[@frostfire_mage]

Hey Nat, With the recent M2 Pro Macbook's dropping into Apple Stores, many people getting great deals on the M1 Pro models, good to see you got one I'm still in love with it 🥸💻💙

[@GuoJialiang]

Nice MacBook stand, are those from Grovemade?

[@frostfire_mage]

Ye, they make some top quality stuff, this is the Wood MacBook dock in Walnut… recommend 👍🏻 grovemade.com/product/wood-macbook-dock/?initial=636

[@micosstar]

hi; got your vid on recommendation by youtube; the intro is smooth and sent a tone of relaxation in a correct execution, to the point where by the time the video starts, the video is giving a vibe that is inviting; to top it off, the explanations are cut and dry, leaving no wasted time for any additional words other than what is needed (for example, in use cases for a macbook pro 14 inch 2021, you said the applications for each demographic that needs it right then and there); your work is awesome, keep it up, FrostFire Mage - by: i, a man, mico star!

[@frostfire_mage]

Haha, we Australians, like to cut to the chase ;) I really enjoyed making this video, so hopefully that came out in the final product. Trying some new techniques, in my next vid as well… Appreciate the kind words starry :)

[@micosstar]

@@frostfire_mage it is the pleasure of i!

[@nicksophinos4611]

It really is still a beast. If I were to pick up an M2 version this Spring it would just because I am bored and vain.

[@frostfire_mage]

Sometimes you've gotta... Geek out o.O ...and ...Check out $.$

[@msmith9508]

Thanks for the info, I just grabbed the 16 gb 1 TB M1 Pro with a huge discount! Around 1400$ off! At the price i caught it at and the specs I got i really don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything the M2 offers.

[@frostfire_mage]

Great move, still loving mine... and I won't be upgrading for a long time

[@prakash.vishwakarma]

14:11 Have you reviewed ATH-M20XBT yet?

[@frostfire_mage]

Hi Prakash, not yet, they are surprisingly good for a budget pair of headphones though... will add to my list ;)

[@frankchambers5916]

Great review, I'm thinking of buying either the 14" M1 Pro or the 13" M2 MacBook Pro, any help is good

[@frostfire_mage]

I'm not even sure why the 13" M2 Macbook Pro exists... The 14” M1 Pro is better for, cooling, sound, displays (colour, brightness and size), refresh rate, webcam, USB-C ports, multiple external displays, charging (96W and above), The 13” M2 Macbook Pro is better for battery efficiency (doing low intensity tasks like web surfing, writing documents, watching youtube) tbh if you can’t afford the 14” M1 Pro, then better to look at the new 13” M2 Air instead, as you get a lot of the new design upgrades, with pretty decent performance.

[@Jowiej03]

Hi! Great in-depth video. I’ve seen other comments regarding MBP 14” M1 Pro battery. I want to get this for light photo editing, browsing web and watching video; however, I am apprehensive of getting this just because of the battery. I know Air M2 is a better fit for my lifestyle but the display for 14” is to fantastic. Decisions decisions….

[@frostfire_mage]

@@Jowiej03 Normally I would recommend the M2 Air here, but based on your comment, it sounds like the display is the most important thing… and the 14” M1 Pro has the bigger screen at 14.2-inch, the mini-LED’s, XDR brightness and the Pro Motion tech (for refresh rates at 120Hz). The battery is still great, the M2 Air efficiency is just better… I would just add the 96W brick for +50% fast charge (in 30 mins).

[@Twisteditup]

get the 14 bro you won't regret it. don't spend your hard earned money on a 6 year old design

[@jutjub22]

​@@Twisteditup MBP 13" has better design than thick-brick design of 14". 13" M1 is best I think, for me at least. Runs very cool for use in lap. Much lighter and compact, better design, battery drastically better, several hours more. Had M2 and M3 Air, M1 is still unbeaten because of its efficiency.

[@AndrewHartney]

Hey Todd, great video agree with your views on the headphone jack as I use the USB-C audio with my B&W PX7 S2. Can I ask what stand are you using for your MacBook and also the wireless charger? I have base spec 14" and it is more than enough for my workflows.

[@frostfire_mage]

Hey Andrew, thanks man. Here you go... Grovemade - Walnut - Macbook Stand - $130 - grovemade.com/product/wood-macbook-dock/?initial=636 Grovemade - Walnut - Wood Magsafe Stand - $155 - grovemade.com/product/magsafe-stand/?initial=642

[@ethanrizzo501]

Guess what I appreciate most, not the MBP but your voice! Sounds really comfortable😂.

[@frostfire_mage]

🤭 lmao, plenty more of my voice to come, stay tuned for more vids 😂

[@RAaaa777]

Lol rocking flip flops outside like a champ 🤙🏼

[@frostfire_mage]

Haha "Free your mind" - Morpheus - The Matrix - 1999 😎 "Free your feet" - FrostFire Mage - KZbin - 2023 🦶 I would barefoot it, but too many glass throwing drunks on the streets these days

[@kunalthakuri1543]

Why? but u look like manchester united current football coach

[@frostfire_mage]

As an Arsenal supporter I find this comment very insulting 😅

[@mosesmuhane]

@@frostfire_mage but it’s true you really do look like mr Erick 😂

[@localdiscgolf]

Wow it sounds that good hey?

[@frostfire_mage]

Hey Local Disc Golf, You thinking of getting one?

[@localdiscgolf]

@@frostfire_mage totally! Have an M1 but 16” screen would be sweet for video edits. Not to mention that sound must be good if you ditched your monitors

[@localdiscgolf]

Just wanna say, as a relatively new creator myself, your vid quality is great!

[@frostfire_mage]

Thanks LDG… not gonna lie, it’s involved a lot of work per video… to make sure the quality is good, but really rewarding 😊

[@genghis2510]

And still very expensive!

[@frostfire_mage]

Hang in there genghis2510, there will be price cuts when the M2 Pro releases, likely in Fall 2023 :)

[@radek4827]

Apple is so greedy all products are so over priced

[@frostfire_mage]

Agreed Radek, I’m running out of kidneys 😅