Buzz
This is my review of the MacBook Pro 2021 16-inch - grappling with a feeble battery, heating problems, hefty build, yet lightning-fast performance. I acquired it at a price that made my wallet wince 😔. Hoping this review proves helpful for anyone contemplating a purchase. Feel free to drop your queries in the comments section.
General Information about MacBook Pro 2021 16-inch - Weak Battery, Heat Issues, Hefty but Swift
Previously, my primary workhorse was the Dell XPS 9570. Early last year, I bought a MacBook Air M1 with the intention of coding and deploying iOS apps on it. However, transitioning to the MacBook Air was a bit uncomfortable for work, given my familiarity with the larger screen and various HDMI, USB ports on the XPS. Moreover, the Air M1, lacking a fan and supporting only up to 16GB of RAM, experienced frequent lags with heavy usage. Therefore, I handed over the Air to my wife and continued using the Dell XPS, occasionally dabbling with the Air.
This year, I explored the option of purchasing a Mac Studio to align with my personal work direction. Initially, I planned to buy the Mac Studio as I still preferred Windows for its utility in my tasks. However, the chosen Studio model had a 2-month delivery time, prompting me to switch to the MacBook Pro 2021 16-inch. And naturally, it has now become my primary machine.
The configuration of the MacBook:
- Unleashing the power of the M1 Max 10-core CPU
How I leverage this technological marvel
As a coding virtuoso, my realm revolves around programming. At the workplace, I navigate the Windows domain with an Acer Aspire 5 graciously bestowed by the company. The configuration adequately meets project demands. However, being company property, it remains dedicated to professional endeavors, untouched by personal exploits. For the majority of my computing journey, Windows has been my trusted companion. It spans a substantial 15-year timeline, while my dalliance with Mac includes both hackintosh experiments and sporadic usage on a secondary machine, accounting for a mere 2-3 years.
Engaging in personal projects on this device primarily revolves around Mobile and Web App development. As these are personal endeavors, I embrace the latest technologies, leading to inevitable compatibility issues with tools and libraries. If something is missing or proves too challenging, I either develop it myself or migrate to an equivalent technology with a 😁. Docker, Xcode, Simulator, and even Microsoft's .NET all function seamlessly. However, for those relying entirely on this ecosystem, scrutinize the stability of every library, framework, tool, and app before making the investment.
Some nuisances encountered in MacOS Ventura and the broader MacOS M1 landscape:
- Office Suite: Falls short on numerous features compared to Windows, such as the absence of a right-click menu and the inconvenience of turning off Vietnamese input for line breaks in Excel cells.
- Default Typing Tool: A cascade of errors – from repetitive word glitches to the inability to delete text in certain scenarios. I seldom type in Vietnamese – except for this piece – hence my reluctance to install third-party apps.
- Microsoft Edge occasionally glitches, pushing the URL tab down, obscuring a portion of the screen. Switching to another app and returning seems to be the only remedy. Likely an Edge-related hiccup.
- Unable to adjust audio settings when using external audio through the display. The app I use supports brightness adjustments but not audio. Currently exploring solutions.
Design, Appearance & Size
On the day Apple unveiled it, I was intrigued by the specs, but the design left me somewhat underwhelmed. I prefer the sleek design of the Air or even the slightly superior Pro 13-inch. This one feels a bit bulky and chunky. Some reviews claim it looks much better in person, but to me, it just looks marginally less disappointing than the promotional images 😆.
Notch - Having grown accustomed to the iPhone's notch, the MacBook's notch doesn't bother me much. The only disappointment is the absence of integrated Face ID. I had planned to upgrade once Face ID was integrated, but the wait seemed lengthy. Fingerprint recognition is a quick alternative, and since I often work in the terminal, Face ID would still require entering passwords. Most of the applications I use rarely involve the menu; I rely on commands, so the notch isn't a concern for me.
Battery Life
The battery life is genuinely weak. With my casual usage, it barely lasts a little over half a day. Charging to 100% in the evening, I use it for coding and presentations for around 3 hours, and it drops to about 30%. I usually don't keep the screen brightness at maximum. I knew this before purchasing and accepted it, but an additional 1-2 hours improvement would be appreciated. In the month since purchase, I've charged it nearly 50 times. Despite complaints, I follow the philosophy of using it until it drains, then recharge. I'm not overly concerned about battery degradation or specific usage patterns. Compensating for performance, the experience is quite impressive. App opening speeds don't match the mystical Apple presentations; in fact, some are slower than Windows. However, most tasks related to my work exhibit significantly faster processing on the XPS. From code builds, running code to app deployment, web browsing, and video rendering, the speed is notably superior. Accompanying the high performance is a proportional amount of heat dissipation. The machine's solid aluminum design, including the palm rest – unlike the XPS with its added carbon padding – results in a perceived increase in heat compared to my nearly 4-year-old XPS when handling intensive tasks or charging. Opting for 64GB RAM feels justified, given that under normal workloads, it's already consuming between 24-35GB. During peak usage with Docker Containers and Simulators, it has surpassed 40GB of RAM. As of this writing, it's utilizing around 30GB of RAM with 2/4 instances of Visual Studio Code running, along with roughly 10 tabs on Edge and 8 tabs on Chrome. Microsoft OneDrive remains the most RAM-intensive software, consuming up to 1.5GB. However, due to ongoing synchronization between devices, it remains the optimal choice alongside the Office suite :D. With ample RAM, MacOS seems less concerned about memory management compared to the 32GB variant. According to Max Tech's comparison, the 32GB variant is significantly more optimized, inevitably resorting to swap usage with heavy multitasking. With the 64GB variant, in a month of my usage, RAM swapping hasn't occurred. On Windows, for similar tasks, usage is around 24-27GB. With 64GB, it should suffice for the next 4-5 years, possibly even beyond the next upgrade.
Display and Audio
Display - Transitioning from a Full HD 60Hz screen to the nearly 4K Liquid Retina XDR 120Hz, I must admit, it's quite delightful. Watching movies and browsing the web is far less eye-straining. Movie playback is also smoother and more immersive compared to my old XPS :D. Brightness hits around 500 nits, a 100-nit improvement over my current XPS. I rarely set brightness to 100%, so I don't weigh this aspect heavily. What I appreciate is the 16:10 aspect ratio, providing more screen real estate for productivity. Screen Bezels - This played a significant role in my decision to purchase. Having become accustomed to ultra-thin bezels on the Dell XPS, the bezels on the MacBook Air are a bit bothersome. It's puzzling that in 2021, a machine still sports such unattractive bezels 😃). However, the 16-inch version boasts genuinely thin bezels, even slimmer than my XPS by almost 1mm. The slim bezels contribute to a compact size, fitting snugly into my preferred backpack. It's only slightly larger than the 15.6-inch XPS. However, it's heavier, weighing 2.13 kg – 300g more than the XPS, yet it feels even weightier. The solid aluminum design gives a less secure grip, though this might be due to the newness of the machine :D.
Keyboard and Trackpad
Keyboard - Coding sessions are infrequent, and debugging is more common, so my typing isn't extensive or fast. Hence, I can't provide a detailed evaluation. Compared to the Dell XPS, it's slightly firmer with a more consistent feel when pressing keys. However, it doesn't differ significantly from the MacBook Air M1. The challenge arises when using both Windows and macOS concurrently, occasionally pressing the wrong key 😃) Trackpad - The significantly larger surface area on the MacBook Air is quite convenient. Naturally larger than the XPS, the design and hardware experience are more appealing. However, I personally prefer the gesture control usage on Windows OS over Mac OS. This preference is OS-specific, so I won't delve deeper.
Connectivity
This is a feature I highly appreciate in the MacBook Pro 2021. In my line of work, I frequently use the HDMI port. I dislike always carrying a bunch of adapters. Having an additional USB-A port would be ideal, as I often use a presentation pen and currently rely on the OTG USB port of an old phone for conversion. Perhaps getting a Type-C pen in the next purchase will solve this issue. It offers a comprehensive set of ports including Audio 3.5, SD Card Reader, and 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports. While it might exceed my needs, having them available when necessary is always better. The MagSafe 3 port, my first experience with it, seems more user-friendly – easy to plug in and gentle to disconnect compared to Type-C or the circular port on the Dell XPS. However, it truly excels in charging speed. It takes around 2 hours to fully charge the 100Wh battery from the point of power loss. Yes, you read that right – power loss. The introduction of the 140W MagSafe 3 is a solution for the battery issues.
