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Jeroen W. Pluimers on .NET, C#, Delphi, databases, and personal interests

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The links I used to search for a refurbished M-Series Apple Silicon MacBook Pro

Posted by jpluimers on 2025/01/06

Having used the fully loaded Intel 15″ Retina MacBook Pro machines (the ones without dreaded touch-bars or butterfly keyboards – note the IBM ThinkPad 701 butterfly keyboard – also known as TrackWrite – was perfectly fine) from 2015 for 9 years, it was finally time to upgrade to an Apple Silicon one, but again: not the touch bar models.

My work is mainly CPU and disk intensive and often based on remote logon to more powerful equipment, so GPU cores and performance only marginally matter for web-browsing and local electron based applications (hello vscode!).

Going from 4 hyperthreaded CPU cores (8 parallel threads) to at least 8 full CPU cores, I didn’t want to pay full price like back in the days, and wanted it to be less than my car (EUR ~4000), so these links helped me find refurbished ones in The Netherlands:

At the time of ordering, some of them were already gone, but this at least gives an idea of pricing.

Query: [Wayback/Archive] tweedehands mac – Google Search

Related Wikipedia pages:

Related other links:

  • [Wayback/Archive] m3 max vs m1 max – Google Search
  • [Wayback/Archive] m1 max 10 core for vms – Google Search
    • [Wayback/Archive] How many cores to allocate to VM – M1 Max 10 core CPU, 32 core GPU, 32gb of ram : vmware

      its a Windows 11? start with Virtual Machine menu -> Install VMware Tools

    • [Wayback/Archive] Will the new M1 Pro and M1 Max CPU’s support virtual machines? : mac

      They will, but ARM virtual machines, not x86. Still, Win11 ARM works, and runs x86 apps. Depends on what you need the VMs for.

    • [Wayback/Archive] 12-core CPU/32GB RAM M2 Max VS 10-core CPU/64GB RAM M1 Max : macpro

      m2 is more effecient! 10 core m1 though has the highest single core performance of any m series processor iirc. I think it depends on the task. for rendering work the m2 might be the better choice solely because of extra gpu cores. if single core is more important, go wit the cheaper m1

    • [Wayback/Archive] Why only 10 CPU cores in new M1 chips : mac (this was fall 2021)

      LOL. It takes time to build out a chip roadmap my dude.

      …

      Don’t let core numbers fool you. Most laptops come only with a max of 8c/16t. 10c is by far on par with these chips and then some more — 2 efficient cores for low level tasks like video streaming and web browsing.
      As for future products like 32” iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro, there are already rumours of 20c (2x M1 Pro/Max in chiplet) and 40c (4x M1 Pro/Max in chiplet) design for cpu and options for 48c gpu, 64c gpu, 96c GPU and 128c gpu, in line with what current M1 Pro/Max have — 16c/24c/32c gpu configs

      This is the pinicle of the laptop product line thought right? That’s why I’m surprised it maxes out at 10 cores, only 2 more than the consumer M1 laptops. One would assume CPU duties will therefore not see much of an improvement than on the standard M1 chip? I’m asking in context to music production tasks in Logic.

      Yes, this is the upper end for macbooks.

      It doesn’t matter ultimately, because it’s by far more capable hardware than the outgoing macbooks. Something which required an iMac Pro previously can now be done on the fly from a MacBook. Something that needed an iMac previously now comes in a MacBook Air (more like the iMac comes with the MacBook Air chip but for argument sake, compared to intel MacBook Air, intel iMac was leagues faster)

      If you can carry an iMac Pro with you, can you really complain? And those who indeed need so much power, chances are, they operate out of a studio for which they can afford whatever iMac Pro apple silicon or Mac Pro apple silicon has to offer.

      Thanks. Not completing just trying to figure out whether to buy now or whether they are likely to add more cores to their laptop line up

      …

      8 Performance cores on 5nm + 2 efficiency to run background tasks in Mac OS.. leaving the 8 wide open for user requests, seems like plenty of cores for anyone who was actively looking for a pro laptop.

      …

      Another history will tell when apple puts its silicon in the true desktop arena Mac pro and iMac pro, where we expect a multi*chip solution with upto 64 virtual cores and 256gb ram, likely to be based in m2 laptop chips with some high speed fabric interconnect which allows it to work as an unique integrated big soc (same technology uses amd with its zen and Nvidia with gpus before ampere).

      BTW the M1 MAX has no Mobile competitor, if you want something raw-faster move to desktop or server cpus with 280W tdp.

      It looks like this prediction wasn’t far from the future. CPU cores have only gradually increased and are still far behind on GPU cores. Compilers also have followed slowly: in my main field of work (.NET and Delphi), the compilers still cannot produce GPU optimised code.

    • [Wayback/Archive] How to build Virtual Machines on Mac computers with the Apple M1 Chip or similar | by Alfe Corona | Medium (on getting Parallels to work because Virtual Box did – or actually does not yet in production, yay – less compatibility issues to solve! – not support ARM)
  • [Wayback/Archive] apple m1 vmware windows – Google Search
  • [Wayback/Archive] m1 mac parallels versus fusion – Google Search
    • [Wayback/Archive] VMware Fusion 13 vs Parallels : MacOS

      I just switched to a MBP with a M1 processor. On my old Intel based mac I used VMware fusion for my Linux VM’s. I see VMware has Fusion 13 out that supports Apple silicon, but there is also Parallels 18. Thoughts on either one ?

      …

      VMWare was pretty late in making a version of Fusion for macOS arm64. If I remember correctly they released their version of arm64 a year after Parallels shipped their version. So Parallels is a little bit ahead of the game in shipping their versions. Meaning, if you are planning to invest in the license, long term, possible that something might not be ready by VMWare, comparing how Parallels ships their updates.
      VMWare’ main business is business-to-business, shipping ESXi and virtualization for businesses. Building Fusion for regular customers is not their main business.
      Parallels’ main business is just Parallels, which they sell for personal use and businesses. So, they usually will be faster in shipping updates for their main product.
      Overall, I am sure they are very similar for regular users. It seems like VMWare fusion has a free version for personal use. And if you don’t need their Pro version, just give it a try. Parallels does not have a free version, so you have to pay for it.
      Both of them are based now on the new macOS Virtualization framework, which is built by Apple at this point, they just add some integrations on top of it.

      Since May 2024 (after acquisition of VMWare by Broadcom), the Pro version is FREE for personal use:
      https://blogs.vmware.com/workstation/2024/05/vmware-workstation-pro-now-available-free-for-personal-use.html

      …

      …

      So here I am, a user of both Intel and M series Macs. I dig Apple MessagePad 2100s and use MacBook 12 inch model year 2017 for job site computing needs. Love my GPD MicroPC from 2018 and got a pair of Nreal Air glasses for portable screen use.

      While I live mostly macOS, Windows 11 has come in a close second. The Start menu has always been my jam, so I use uBar on the Mac to bring some Windows GUI love to my workflow. Start11 on Windows 11 is how I get Windows closer to my Mac workflow, and TotalFinder on the Mac (along with Path Finder) are addons to bring me closer to my fav Windows Finder experience. So yeah, i use both OS’s for their best features. Someday Linux will likely be the final destination for total GUI love.

      Fusion on the Mac has been my way to bring Windows programs closer. Boot Camp has been excellent for total Windows immersion needs, but now we have this M series Mac transition. I have been slow to adopt M series, the M1 Max MBP became my entry point since November 2022 – got tired of waiting for M2 tech to roll up. No regrets!

      So Fusion on M1 is okay. Upgrade to version 13 was not a bad price for a one time fee. Parallels has been my second choice – until this past week. When it was known that Parallels was fully rolling out Windows 11 on ARM, I waited a bit. Saw the YouTube folk give their input, spent the last few months organizing and transitioning off of 1Password to MacPass (KeePass on Windows) and trying out my hand at moving my virtual machines over to UTM from Intel Mac VMware fusion. After a long struggle finally got Windows 10 VM to work well enough on UTM to call it done. Initially kicking myself for thinking this transition from Intel to ARM was going to be easy, when it came to Windows 11 on ARM the “one click” install came back to mind with Parallels. So yeah, tried it out.

      As soon as saw it do its thing, I was buying the Pro subscription. I’m not a fan of the cost of the subscription, but the Windows license I had was accepted, so was only in for a Benjamin and tax. Parallels really nailed it! Also the setup downloaded the iso file that I was able to use on Fusion to finally get to retail version. Fusion still works like it did before, but no longer gives the nag screen and pre-release non-sense in the lower right corner. Fusion is far from Parallels in terms of integration with macOS but I am sure VMware will get there eventually with version 13 ongoing development.

      The long trip for this TLDR is the key point. If you like some Windows in you macOS, and can spare a few CPU’s to give to Parallels to run, it is well worth your time to experience how good Windows can be on M type Macs.

      …

      Im testing free VMware fusion 13 and i have 300% better performance. Parallels lagged overtime on m1/m3 but VMware fusion 13 working for me Perfectly. Its only me?

      …

      For anyone new coming onto this, in the meantime (Spring-Summer 2024) VMware made huge strides forward on VMware for personal use, now with one-click install of multiple different operating systems (!), custom drivers ready for Apple silicon Macs, which makes trackpad support, screen resolution, scaling, peripherals, etc. work much more smoothly, to the point where it feels like a native experience.

      VMware was also acquired by Broadcom, who decided to phase out the lesser VMware Fusion Player, and instead made the pro version, VMware Fusion Pro 13, free for personal use; although I have to say the transition was very messy for existing users of Player.

      Overall, now that we are over that and because VMware Fusion Pro 13 is free and offers a basically one-click install, I would say it is comparable to Parallels, and even to Bootcamp. Being free for personal use, I’d say it is now, in 2024, a no-brainer to just get VMware instead of expensive Parallels.

      I used to run Windows natively in Bootcamp on my old Macbook Pro, and I would say that VMware comes very close to the native experience. I have heard rumors that Parallels is more powerful/performance-oriented for gaming, but I am just not going to shell out for a recurring Parallels subscription for the 2% additional performance, or so, that Parallels purportedly gives: I have run Parallels before, and I cannot tell the difference between free VMware Fusion Pro 13, Parallels, and it even comes very close to Bootcamp. I would say that even if Apple brings back Bootcamp on the new M-chip devices, I don’t reckon I would make the switch back to Bootcamp, because having Windows installed as a virtual desktop instead of having to resort to restarting and booting one OS at a time is extremely convenient, while also having the option to easily move files between OSs.

      …

      I use fusion, with it I can connect to the ESXi and the vCenter and so also manage, download or upload the VMs.
      paralles is also not bad and a great thing if you do not have to maintain a VMware environment.

      Except, in my original post I said I am now using a M1 proc, which means none of the VM’s I create with that would work on eSXI, or the other way around. X86 vs ARM

      …

      This makes me wonder how ESXi on ARM functions under VMware Fusion for Apple Silicon.

    • [Wayback/Archive] VMware Fusion Pro 13 goes free for personal use, here’s how to get it – 9to5Mac

--jeroen

This entry was posted on 2025/01/06 at 18:00 and is filed under Apple, Apple Silicon, M1 Mac, Mac, MacBook, MacBook Retina, MacBook-Pro, Power User. Tagged: . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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