Apple

Punctual failure? MacBook Pro 2021 exports video slower than M1

Big surprise in our test exporting video

“I can not explain”. This is how our colleague Fernando del Moral reacted when he saw how his 2020 MacBook Pro with M1 processor and 16 GB of RAM was capable of exporting video considerably faster than the 2021 model with M1 Pro chip and 16 GB. All this happened within the framework of the first impressions about this team that we uploaded yesterday to our YouTube channel.

In the video, which is the one that appears above, you can see Fernando’s impressions of this computer, surprising for good in many aspects such as the quality of the screen or the improvement of the camera. Nevertheless, from minute 7:53 You can see how in the tests we have carried out, the M1 Pro does not perform as expected and is even below the M1.

The test consisted of trying to export a Final Cut Pro video with various clips, effects, and transitions. In both teams identical settings were established in every way, so the test put them to fight on equal terms. But, as we have already said and you will have been able to verify, it was a jug of cold water to see that after 6 minutes, the M1 of 2020 was already 82% of exports, while the M1 Pro of 2021 was barely going for the 18 %.

It must be said that this it was not a single test, since various tests were carried out in this section and in all of them there was too abysmal difference between one and the other. And we insist, always on equal terms and with the expectation that, predictably, the M1 Pro will outperform its predecessor.

Faulty drive or software problem

As we anticipated in a previous point, this must be clearly a failure. Numerous analysts have already published their performance tests and in all of them the M1 Pro gets big data and obviously outperforms the M1. What an eye, the previous processor is still an excellent chip, but it is beyond all predictability that even surpasses its improved versions.

The suspicion we have is that it is due to screen recording that was being done during the export in order to display results. The fact that the screen of the MacBook Pro 2021 flickers at 120 Hz could cause it to slow down the performance of the system. In fact, in tests carried out without recording screen, the times improve.

It could also be because the unit received is faulty, which of course would be covered by warranty and I would not offer any hassle in repairing it, exchanging the unit, or even getting a refund considering it is within 14 days of purchase. Nor can it be ruled out that it is a software failure that could be solved in upcoming macOS updates.

Therefore, we recommend you to be attentive to our YouTube channel if you want to follow up on the resolution of this problem. In the coming days and weeks we will carry out new tests that will be included in the review and in which we surely already know what has happened with this M1 Pro while waiting to receive the 16-inch model with M1 Max chip.

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