Is upgrading from MacBook Pro 2019 i9 to a MacBook Pro with M1 chip worth?

Welcome!

How about some data? I love data. These are benchmark data from the MacTracker database, available free in the Mac App Store:

Those tests are usually for base models. However RAM amount does not seem to make a great differences in these results; storage transfer speeds are hugely more telling.

From EtreCheck drive reports I see posted here, the 2020 M1 has about a 10 percent faster data transfer to and from storage than the late-model Intel Macbook Pros. The difference above could be exactly that.

So, my pros and cons on the idea of changing:

Cons:

• The ~10% numerical difference in the scores above is, I doubt, enough for you to notice in everyday use.
• The 16GB RAM you now have is useful to Illustrator and Photoshop, which are not light-duty apps.
• The external monitor is going to make the computer work harder and hotter—thus the fan noise—on either model. Changing won't fix that.
• You can attach only one (1) external monitor to a 2020 M1 Macbook Pro

Pros:

• There are features† in macOS Monterey that only work on an Apple Silicon chipset.
• The 13-inch 2020 M1 I got to "babysit" while a friend was overseas last year showed impressive battery runtime.

As lobsterghost says, it's up to you. I've given you some data points to consider.

And, as for the fan issue, there are ways to mitigate that with your existing computer. Please post back with details on how you use the external, where the Macbook Pro is placed while feeding an external monitor--stuff like that.

† — see the footnotes to this Apple page for details: macOS Monterey - New Features - Apple

Consider why you would spend $1,500 to downgrade from your merely 2-year old MBP: 16GB RAM vs. 8GB. 1TB SSD vs. 512GB. 16" screen vs. 13" screen. 4 Thunderbolt/USBC ports vs. 2 ports.

8GB RAM is in reality the bare minimum to run the machine. Illustrator & Photoshop - Adobe recommends at least 16GB for them.

I understand wanting a new shiny beautiful MacBook Pro with the M1 Silicone Chip. I don't understand going backwards in memory, which based on your current usage, makes no sense whatsoever.

Since there is likely nothing wrong with your current MBP, it's hard to advise you to buy a new MBP with less memory. It just doesn't make sense.

Save your money and upgrade when your finances permit, or spend the extra money now, but don't make a possibly huge mistake and go backwards just to have the latest and greatest MBP.

Only you can decide if how you use your laptop if it will make a difference. If you do much complex work such as video editing or intensive photo processing, going backwards in RAM would make a possibly significant difference and not in a good way. It's kind of unusual to go down in overall memory, unless you really don't need as much memory as you currently have.

Remember, once purchased, RAM and memory cannot be increased, so buy carefully.

This is in my humble opinion a bad idea. If you will be using 429GB of 512GB out the gate, you will be low on memory in very short order and you cannot add memory now or in the future unless you buy a device with more memory upfront.

It's your money to waste, but that's what you'd, in my opinion be doing.

Well evidently you do need that much space. So buying a MBP with less memory than you currently have, is not a good decision.

Again, it's your money. Do what you want. But I think you'll regret the buy unless you pony up for more memory than 512GB.

iamthecount wrote:

So I'm thinking about selling my:

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

2.3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9

16 GB 2667 MHz DDR4

1tb SSD Storage

I am seeing 5 months delays in deliveries...

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/apple-in-another-covid-shutdown

https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/apple-others-face-shipment-delays-china-covid-curbs-squeeze-suppliers-analysts-2022-04-15/

https://www.crn.com/news/components-peripherals/apple-and-others-hit-with-china-supplier-covid-shutdowns-reports