Should I Buy an Intel Mac Today or Wait to Buy an Arm-Based Mac?

[Randy B. Singer]

If I had to make a WAG (Wild A__ed Guess), I'd guess that if you need a Mac *right now*, or if you need one that can certainly run Windows under virtualization, and you don't intend to hold on to it for more than four or five years, that you should purchase an Intel-based Mac now. (I Think that Apple will drop support for most things having to do with Intel-based Macs in about 5 years.)

If you want a Mac that you can hold on to and use for close to a decade, you should probably wait for an ARM-based Mac.

 

[chscag]

WINE ARM works somewhat but also requires emulation to run X86 apps. It remains to be seen how well it will work to run Windows apps. I currently use CrossOver (an automated version of WINE) to run a Windows app. The nice thing about CrossOver is that it has the ability to run Windows 32 bit apps from Catalina. BTW, the app I run is 32 bit.

The downside is that CrossOver is not free.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

WINE ARM works somewhat but also requires emulation to run X86 apps. It remains to be seen how well it will work to run Windows apps. I currently use CrossOver (an automated version of WINE) to run a Windows app. The nice thing about CrossOver is that it has the ability to run Windows 32 bit apps from Catalina. BTW, the app I run is 32 bit.

The downside is that CrossOver is not free.

Unofficial Wineskin is working under Catalina now and I've gotten one game to work well so far. The only residual issue is I keep getting the system prompt for Input Monitoring and no amount of denying it or allowing it will stop it from coming up.

 

[BigD]

... and longer terms it's definitely the right move for them.

Yeah, I'm sure it is better for their bottom line in the long run. But is it better for the usefulness of the Mac as a 'computer' platform and is it better in the long term for 'Pro' users?

 

[ferrarr]

Yeah, I'm sure it is better for their bottom line in the long run. But is it better for the usefulness of the Mac as a 'computer' platform and is it better in the long term for 'Pro' users?

You seem scared about the future. Just like every other tool you own, it will do what it is designed to do.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Yeah, I'm sure it is better for their bottom line in the long run. But is it better for the usefulness of the Mac as a 'computer' platform and is it better in the long term for 'Pro' users?

This is like the 20th time you've griped about this in 3 days. We get it. You are afraid of change and are especially afraid of this one. Now would you PLEASE go get another hobby?

 

[BigD]

Progress is good but the way the Mac is changing does not seem to be progress to me. I honestly don't see why losing access to Windows and 32-bit apps and instead embracing iOS apps IS progress. Change for changes sake is not progress. I can see that it is good from a vertical integration sense and profit margins but how is this good for us? It is a valid question! When did we lose the ability to question Apple's decisions?

Will we see cheaper machines due to Apple Silicon cutting out Intel as a supplier and the mark up previously involved?
Will the graphics card technology be a leap ahead of the discrete graphics cards currently available?
How will Apple be courting app / game developers to make up for the loss of Windows compatibility or are they just leaving that to market forces?

 

[ferrarr]

Progress is good but the way the Mac is changing does not seem to be progress to me. I honestly don't see why losing access to Windows and 32-bit apps and instead embracing iOS apps IS progress. Change for changes sake is not progress. I can see that it is good from a vertical integration sense and profit margins but how is this good for us? It is a valid question! When did we lose the ability to question Apple's decisions?

Will we see cheaper machines due to Apple Silicon cutting out Intel as a supplier and the mark up previously involved?
Will the graphics card technology be a leap ahead of the discrete graphics cards currently available?
How will Apple be courting app / game developers to make up for the loss of Windows compatibility or are they just leaving that to market forces?

Yup, you're still doing it.

 

[Slydude]

This thread seems to have run its useful course and started going in circles. I'm locking it for now unless an admin decides to reopen it.