| System Name | Mac mini |
|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M1 8C |
| Motherboard | Mac mini logic board |
| Cooling | Mac mini cooler |
| Memory | 16GB |
| Video Card(s) | M1 GPU |
| Storage | 512GB |
| Display(s) | ASUS Pro Art 27" |
| Case | Mac mini enclosure |
| Power Supply | Apple 150W |
Maybe they are all worried since Apple had just recently lost a lawsuit over a sensor. Apple had to halt sales of the Watch, and then eventually disable that feature in software and then sell a hobbled device. I know Arm v QC is not the same as that, but maybe if there ends up being a sales injunction on those devices until a settlement is reached, it could really knock down the hype. Even just a few months of halted sales could be significant, since Intel is working on Arrow Lake, AMD is close to Strix Point, and M4 Macs are due this year. This is really about as good as Snapdragon X is going to look before everyone else looms in around them.
So it's not this week like I heard.
| System Name | stress-less |
|---|---|
| Processor | 9800X3D @ 5.42GHZ |
| Motherboard | MSI PRO B650M-A Wifi |
| Cooling | Thermalright Phantom Spirit EVO |
| Memory | 64GB DDR5 6600 1:2 CL36, FCLK 2200 |
| Video Card(s) | RTX 4090 FE |
| Storage | 2TB WD SN850, 4TB WD SN850X |
| Display(s) | Alienware 32" 4k 240hz OLED |
| Case | Jonsbo Z20 |
| Audio Device(s) | Yes |
| Power Supply | Corsair SF750 |
| Mouse | DeathadderV2 X Hyperspeed |
| Keyboard | 65% HE Keyboard |
| Software | Windows 11 |
| Benchmark Scores | They're pretty good, nothing crazy. |
They're not really expecting the sales to take off beyond what's in the channel already. And both parties are motivated to settle, it's a dispute about money, but in either case some money > no money.
Good thing is Mediatek is getting in on the ARM act in 2025 to supply chips for copilot+ Surface laptops, and Nvidia will also be a player next year. Qualcomm won't be able to milk the customers for too long as they face stiff competition, and even more so if Lunar Lake is even half as good as hyped.
| System Name | Best AMD Computer |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD 7900X3D |
| Motherboard | Asus X670E E Strix |
| Cooling | In Win SR36 |
| Memory | GSKILL DDR5 32GB 5200 30 |
| Video Card(s) | Sapphire Pulse 7900XT (Watercooled) |
| Storage | Corsair MP 700, Seagate 530 2Tb, Adata SX8200 2TBx2, Kingston 2 TBx2, Micron 8 TB, WD AN 1500 |
| Display(s) | GIGABYTE FV43U |
| Case | Corsair 7000D Airflow |
| Audio Device(s) | Corsair Void Pro, Logitch Z523 5.1 |
| Power Supply | Deepcool 1000M |
| Mouse | Logitech g7 gaming mouse |
| Keyboard | Logitech G510 |
| Software | Windows 11 Pro 64 Steam. GOG, Uplay, Origin |
| Benchmark Scores | Firestrike: 46183 Time Spy: 25121 |
So then who is this for? It is like they think the smartphone market is going to adopt these laptops instead but the performance is not as good as they claim. I also could have sworn the narrative said 2027 originally. Which shows another flaw in that 2029 means brand new CPUs anyway. The price of these laptops will also doom them as there are already laptops that can do what this is good at for way less than $1300.
- millions of everyday computing users will buy thin and light laptops, especially woke, environmentally conscious students
| System Name | Best AMD Computer |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD 7900X3D |
| Motherboard | Asus X670E E Strix |
| Cooling | In Win SR36 |
| Memory | GSKILL DDR5 32GB 5200 30 |
| Video Card(s) | Sapphire Pulse 7900XT (Watercooled) |
| Storage | Corsair MP 700, Seagate 530 2Tb, Adata SX8200 2TBx2, Kingston 2 TBx2, Micron 8 TB, WD AN 1500 |
| Display(s) | GIGABYTE FV43U |
| Case | Corsair 7000D Airflow |
| Audio Device(s) | Corsair Void Pro, Logitch Z523 5.1 |
| Power Supply | Deepcool 1000M |
| Mouse | Logitech g7 gaming mouse |
| Keyboard | Logitech G510 |
| Software | Windows 11 Pro 64 Steam. GOG, Uplay, Origin |
| Benchmark Scores | Firestrike: 46183 Time Spy: 25121 |
What does woke have to do with computers? Cost will be the mitigating factor. There is already a laptop from Acer that is thin and light using the 7940HX chip for $599 US announced at CES. You know the chip that fuelled the handheld movement.
Not always. Being 'woke' is often seen as a lifestyle, such as being environmentally friendly, using devices with long battery life, not harming 'mother Earth', not wasting electricity, etc. etc. From that point of view, it's worth paying a bit more to use a device with 10-11 hours of battery life than the one with 6-7 hours. You feel good about yourself when contributing less to carbon footprint.
Sure, but the mindset can be powerful consumer drive, as explained above, in some consumer groups. Money is not everything. A local baker has more expensive bread and croissants but they get more business because they display a sign in the bakery that they use renewable energy to bake it, gluten-free ingredients, organic wheat without pesticides, etc. You sell products wrapped into mind-set and lifestyle. It's one of key exam subjects at univeristy marketing courses - behavioural economics.
