AWS Engineer put Windows 10 for ARM on Apple Mac M1

[Aurelius]

I get the feeling Apple is going to start segmenting their product lines even further, perhaps adding a Mac Mini Pro or something that will be full-featured out of the box.
Guessing that if they did this, it would be due to a cost-savings measure, perhaps as an indirect result of the SoC being used on each system and what integration is included in each SoC.

I don't know about segmenting, but you may see starker differences between high- and low-end systems in a lineup.

For the Mac mini, as an example: I imagine Apple calling the entire line just "Mac mini," but throwing in a higher-spec model with an M1X (or whatever it's called) and all the extra RAM and I/O options that entails. Ditto the MacBook Pro line. Ideally, Apple would simplify the laptop line such that Air users get an M1-like basic chip while all Pro models get the souped-up parts, but I can imagine there being arguments against that (say, wanting to keep the 13-inch MBP base price relatively low).

 

[UnknownSouljer]

This isn’t directly relevant but sort of side relevant. But rumors basically indicate that all these first gen Macs are going to be place holders for parts coming soon (except perhaps the Mac Mini and Air).

The 13” is supposed to cease to exist and will be replaced with a fully redesigned 14” - similar to what happened to the 15.4” getting replaced by the 16”. At that point all the ports etc will be back. No word on whether or not the 14” will have discreet graphics but the 16” is said to; along with of course a big bump in processing power.

There is also rumors surrounding a fully redesigned iMac - the 2020 model being the last Intel machine of course, but also the last model in that style. No word on if that will be an M1X system or M2. But I suppose in the coming year we’ll see.

 

[Lakados]

This isn’t directly relevant but sort of side relevant. But rumors basically indicate that all these first gen Macs are going to be place holders for parts coming soon (except perhaps the Mac Mini and Air).

The 13” is supposed to cease to exist and will be replaced with a fully redesigned 14” - similar to what happened to the 15.4” getting replaced by the 16”. At that point all the ports etc will be back. No word on whether or not the 14” will have discreet graphics but the 16” is said to; along with of course a big bump in processing power.

There is also rumors surrounding a fully redesigned iMac - the 2020 model being the last Intel machine of course, but also the last model in that style. No word on if that will be an M1X system or M2. But I suppose in the coming year we’ll see.

I’ve heard similar things, and the latest volume pricing sheet I received from my rep is shorter than previous ones. So a few things have obviously been removed I suspect global LCD shortages are perhaps prompting a phase out of odd sized screens or low volume parts.

 

[ND40oz]

For the last several years, Apple has always had a lower tier Macbook Pro line with 2 thunderbolt ports, no touch bar, slower CPU, and less SSD options and a higher one with 4 thunderbolt ports, higher performing CPU/SSD, more RAM, and a touchbar.

The M1 macbook released is the lower tier one. You can only go up to 2TB instead of 4 TB, 16GB instead of 32GB, and it only has 2 TB3 ports. The upcoming release will have the higher performing M1X chip, 4 Thunderbolt ports, and higher tier storage options.

I think a lot of the confusion in this thread simply stems from people not being familiar with Apple's product line and release cadence.

They released a lower tier and mid tier M1 MacBook Pro this time around though and limited the mid tier variant to 2 TB3 ports with the Touch Bar.

It also doesn't explain taking the Mac Mini down from 4 TB3 to 2, removing the 10GbE option and taking memory support from 64GB all the way down to 16GB.

 

[whateverer]

They released a lower tier and mid tier M1 MacBook Pro this time around though and limited the mid tier variant to 2 TB3 ports with the Touch Bar.

It also doesn't explain taking the Mac Mini down from 4 TB3 to 2, removing the 10GbE option and taking memory support from 64GB all the way down to 16GB.

Precisely this.

Now that Apple controls the whole hardware stack, expect them to castrate max specs in-favor of reduced board area (just like the iPad "Pro").

Expect them to continue to give you half the memory capacity of their old models (even with the upcoming 8-core versions). Fast-enough Unified Memory has it's downsides.

 

[juanrga]

A pair of short comments:

(1) It is not true that Apple has implemented "x86 hardware" in the M1.

(2) It is not true that ARM doesn't have "any standard". In servers we have the SBSA and the SBBR standards. And outside servers ARM developed the SDP platform for developers. More platforms and standards will be developed in the future. One thing at one time.

 

[paradoxical]

They released a lower tier and mid tier M1 MacBook Pro this time around though and limited the mid tier variant to 2 TB3 ports with the Touch Bar.

It also doesn't explain taking the Mac Mini down from 4 TB3 to 2, removing the 10GbE option and taking memory support from 64GB all the way down to 16GB.

I guess I view it the other way around - they added a feature (Touch bar) to their lower tier model. This style MBP with touch bar is the new "non-touchbar MBP" - a lower end unit that will be sold alongside the newer, sexier 13-14in with mini LED, M1x, 32GB ram, etc.

As for the Mac Mini, I bet you will see a Mac Mini Pro. It makes sense - there is really nothing else like that out there.