I think the make or break is going to be RAM. That's the biggest complaint about the current M1's is the CPU is fast, but the max memory config -- and memory being on the CPU die -- feels like a trip with Mr. Peabody to 2005.

And it's why the M1 "Max" allegedly going to have configs of up to 256 gigs being EXACTLY what's needed.

But then I've not had less than 12 gigs in a laptop or 16 gigs in a desktop for over a decade.

It's the real bottleneck too on large encodes, part of why "professionals" oft buy Macs in the first place: video software. And it means they also listened there.

Get rid of the laptop stuff and make a "mini" of the M1 Max, and crApple would have a product I'd consider blowing money on. Well, if it had removable storage using a normal connector.

it's the little bullshit proprietary crap that has always soured me on the mere notion of buying anything Apple makes. I wouldn't even have a hackintosh if I didn't need reliable ASIO for my EWI.