https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/04/16/apple_m2_chips/
Apple is seemingly testing four next-generation M2 processors on software developed by third-party app makers in at least nine Mac models that are likely to be upcoming laptops and desktops.
Two years ago, the iGiant debuted its homegrown Arm-compatible M1 processor to power computers and iPads; the shift marked a departure from using x86 Intel silicon for its PCs. Instead of purchasing off-the-shelf processors, Apple – which was already designing its own mobile system-on-chips – wanted a custom design for its macOS products.
Now it appears the M1's successor, the M2, is edging closer to launch, judging from developer logs leaked to Bloomberg that signal there is "widespread internal testing" of the chip family at Apple.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 18 2022, @02:14AM
Compared to M1. 8 cores, better perf/efficiency, better GPU.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 18 2022, @03:07AM (3 children)
Apple has a problem. It's not their chips. They're ... whatever. It's not their choices in storage, it's not their networking or stuff like that.
It's their unilaterally shitty treatment of their customers. It wasn't always this way; they used to have fairly reliable, cutting-edge software, upgradable hardware, and interfaces that were tuned to getting out of the way and letting you achieve what you wanted.
Now, you get to upgrade by buying a new device. You get the interface that tells you what you want to do, and if you disagree you can suck a Steve Jobs-alike silicone dildo. The software is getting clunkier and greedier in terms of hardware (OK, they're not unique here, but you'd think that they could at least prevent Xcode from bloating like a politician's ego), their actual commitment to their supposed core users (media industry) has turned into shiny glitter, nebulous promises and mystery crashes. If you're lucky, you get to sing a sad song for your deleted files, because Apple decided that you didn't need those either any more.
So it doesn't matter how slick and pretty their new hardware is. The practical experience will still suck harder than a shopvac with something to prove. Bring on the M3, the M42 and the M69. Until they fix their design standards, they're worse than their own history.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by takyon on Monday April 18 2022, @04:08AM (1 child)
I think most people will accept not being able to upgrade the CPU, (i)GPU, and memory. With the CPU and GPU, you get one today, it's probably sufficient for the next 5-10 years unless some crazy advancements in 3D packaging hit the market and demolish everything that came before it.
With memory, you will definitely be ripped off due to the inability to add your own DIMMs. But memory requirements have plateaued (for normal folks at least). And we have to accept that the CPU and memory will eventually be completely merged in order to get the best performance. There can be a pool of memory beyond that, but it could become relegated to workstations.
Storage and repairability in general [digitaltrends.com], yeah, that could be an issue:
I can't speak to the software issues you mentioned, but I think I heard that Apple was shafting its musician/audio users. Maybe it was mentioned on a previous story.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 18 2022, @03:08PM
Apple is thoroughly shafting video editors and audio users alike, and has been for over a decade by now. The RAM issue sounds like a sideshow until you realise that what they've actually done is to build a really large cache, and treat it as RAM. They could have had a little less, then add a really huge capacity for lower-speed RAM, and have had a much friendlier environment for complex editing (video as well as audio) tasks. This in addition to the incomparable shitshow that their general treatment of audio has been (which affects video editors as well, of course). It's been their idiotic security chips screwing up audio streams, it's been their inability to deal with really large orchestral libraries (sounds academic? Not for movie composition), it's been their crummy treatment of app developers meaning that where an Apple used to be a flagship environment, you now have a good chance of getting a newer version of your software on Windows...
... when will the hits stop coming? We'll only know when they decide. I wouldn't buy an Apple until I've seen five years of consistent good behaviour from them, because every time it seemed that they might have a clue they backslid immediately.
(Score: 2) by epitaxial on Monday April 18 2022, @04:31AM
t;dr
Don't buy it then.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 18 2022, @09:29PM
Just Consume Product And Then Get Excited For Next Product.