This is the work laptop Element provided me, and it allows me to use it outside of work, too. Overall, it’s a very versatile and reliable laptop decently supported by Asahi Linux and supports dual booting.

I am mostly happy with this device

Why I got it

When joining Element, I was given a choice between a Dell Laptop and a MacBook Pro. My work involves a lot of audio and video recording, and I didn’t want to take the risk of having to troubleshoot a Linux system that would break after an update and cause me to lose precious work hours.

As a former MacBook Pro owner, I knew Apple laptops were high quality, had formidable battery life, and were generally pretty hassle-free. I was used to macOS and felt at home using it. I also knew that Apple supported its devices for almost a decade: my previous MacBook Pro lasted 8 years and was still running smoothly when Apple dropped support. This is not ideal, but it is better than several manufacturers.

It gets out of the way
I got this laptop to serve me as a professional laptop that doesn’t need high maintenance. I also considered it travel-friendly thanks to its compact and sturdy build, good vertical integration, seamless suspension support, and unrivaled battery life.
I am fully satisfied with the laptop in all these areas.

What I like

Drama free

The MacBookPro M1 is well-built, compact, sturdy, and fast. It has an incredible battery life, is silent, and is generally a drama-free computer.

Travel companion

This laptop is excellent for travel, especially when running macOS. On paper, it is slightly heavier than a few other laptops, but that doesn’t make any noticeable difference on my back. The MBP is well-finished, suspends immediately when the lid is closed, and doesn’t leak power. It’s very easy to work on a train: I can close the laptop and slide it in a backpack, reopen it later, and restart exactly where I left work off.

Linux support

It is one of the devices Asahi Linux supports best. Because the hardware is incredibly efficient, GNOME feels snappier than on any other laptop I tried. It’s also the only laptop with a massive 8-10h battery life when running Linux.

What I don’t like

Touch Bar

The model I have sports the gimmicky Touch Bar, which is a pain in the backside. It gets in the way often and doesn’t provide touch feedback to know which key you have pressed. The layout changes every time you switch windows, making the Touch Bar simply unusable. That’s a waste of space and power.

USB-C only

The MacBook Pro M1 only has 2 USB-C ports and a jack port. In 2024, quite a few peripherals still have USB-A, ethernet is still common, and most external monitors support HDMI.

The fact that the laptop can (only) be charged through its USB-C port is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it’s nice to finally have a standard charger I can reuse for my other devices. On the other hand, charging the laptop takes 50% of the ports I could use.

This is not a problem when I am at my desk because I have a good dock. But when traveling, I need to carry one or several dongles with me.

Repairability

In typical Apple fashion, the MacBook Pro M1 was glued, soldered, and sealed. It is generally impossible to fiddle with the hardware. The hardware might be sturdy, but that’s still a bit: if it fails, I can’t easily change the faulty component, and neither can Apple.

Linux Support

While Asahi Linux supports the MacBook Pro M1 fairly well, it still has severe limitations. It doesn’t support the built-in microphone and USB-C displays, and the laptop keeps leaking power when suspended. Their device support page has all the details.

Conclusion

The MacBook Pro M1 is an excellent laptop. It has a few drawbacks, such as the number of ports available and the all-soldered-and-glued build. Apple is also known for keeping its customers captive, and I wish the competition produced laptops of similar quality.

I have been eyeing Framework laptops for a while. The concept of producing highly repairable consumer-level laptops is highly laudable. Unfortunately, the hardware, the operating systems it can run, and the integration between the two are insufficient for my needs.

I’m looking forward to a future where this is no longer true.

MacBook Pro M1 (2020)