3 nitpicky complaints about Apple's Peek Performance event
1. The Studio Display could function independently
Starting at US$1,599, Apple's Studio Display may not be cheap, but that price is somewhat justified. It is not just a bright, colour-accurate, 5k, Thunderbolt display - it comes equipped with a 12 MP ultra-wide angle webcam with Center Stage and six-speaker setup. The Studio Display also features an Apple A13 Bionic SoC, which enables features like "Hey Siri," Center Stage, and optimises camera performance with the same image signal processor from the iPhone 11.
Because of this A13 Bionic SoC, the Studio Display has no business being just a monitor. The A13 Bionic was used to power the iPhone 11 - Apple's 2019 mainstay device. The Studio Display could easily function as a smart display, having the display itself do simple things like video and music playback or displaying a recipe without having to wake the computer connected to it.
If you must have the Studio Display, this monitor arm on Amazon is a much better value than the US$400 height-adjustable stand Apple will sell you.
2. The graphs, again...
Apple is known for showing confusing and misleading graphs at events and this time is no different. The graphs in question used relative performance, which can be a confusing metric at times, but putting the variables on wacky axes just takes it to the next level.
It has already been proven by the M1, M1 Max, and M1 Pro SoCs that Apple silicon is incredibly fast and efficient, so why would Apple intentionally provide indecipherable graphs? It could be that the M1 Ultra isn't all that great, which is unlikely given that it is two M1 Max SoCs glued together. What is more likely is that the graphs, like the event as a whole, are presented more for the "wow" factor than anything else and if Apple provided more details, the illusion would be broken and it would draw focus away from the products in question.
3. The iPad Air muddies the water
Apple's iPad Air also received a refresh during the Peek Performance event, the most significant improvement being the inclusion of an M1 SoC - the very same processor as found in the most recent iPad Pro. On top of that, the new iPad Air now also features a 12 MP front-facing camera and the same Center Stage functionality as the iPad Pro, and it is even compatible with the levitating Magic Keyboard with included trackpad. The only major difference in everyday use is now the display, which lacks ProMotion and is a little dimmer, and the lack of Face ID on the iPad Air.
This lack of a significant display upgrade over the previous generation is a let-down to prosumer users, especially since the Air still starts at US$599 and only features 64 GB of storage in the base configuration and the only alternative is 256 GB for US$749. At that price, it almost makes more sense to buy a 128 GB 11-inch iPad Pro for only US$50 more. That way, you at least get a 120 Hz ProMotion display, Thunderbolt, and an upgraded rear camera system.