MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Max chip 64GB 2TB SSD Space Grey

Quick Summary

The 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip was a revolutionary product that redefined professional laptops. This specific configuration, with its high GPU core count, massive 64GB of RAM, and large 2TB storage, was built for the most demanding users on the planet—film editors working with 8K video, 3D artists rendering complex scenes, and developers running entire data centers locally.

Full Specifications & Information

1. General Information

• Marketing Name: MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021)

• Model Identifier: MacBookPro18,1

• Release Date: October 26, 2021

• Discontinued: January 24, 2023 (Replaced by the M2 Max models).

• Design: Redesigned flat-edged chassis with HDMI, SD card slot, MagSafe, and no Touch Bar.

• Keyboard: Turkish (Q-keyboard) layout with a physical Function key row.

• Operating System (Original): macOS Monterey

• Operating System (Latest): macOS Sequoia (and will receive security updates for years to come).

2. Design & Display

• Color: Space Grey

• Display: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display

• Resolution: 3456-by-2234 pixels at 254 pixels per inch (ppi)

• Technology: Mini-LED backlighting with 10,000 mini-LEDs

• Brightness: 1000 nits sustained (full-screen), 1600 nits peak (HDR content)

• Color Support: P3 wide color gamut, True Tone technology

• ProMotion: Adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz

• Notch: Houses a 1080p FaceTime HD camera.

• Dimensions: 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches (35.57 x 24.81 x 1.68 cm)

• Weight: 4.7 pounds (2.1 kg)

3. Performance & Storage

• Chip: Apple M1 Max

  • CPU: 10-core (8 performance cores + 2 efficiency cores)

  • GPU: 32-core

  • Neural Engine: 16-core

• Media Engine: Dedicated hardware acceleration for H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW. This was a game-changer for video professionals.

• Memory Bandwidth: 400GB/s

• Unified Memory: 64GB (A massive amount of fast, low-latency memory).

• Storage: 2TB SSD (High-speed solid-state storage, perfect for housing large active projects).

4. Connectivity & Expansion

• Ports:

  • Three Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports (up to 40Gb/s)

  • HDMI port (supports up to 8K displays)

  • SDXC card slot (UHS-II)

  • MagSafe 3 charging port (newly reintroduced)

  • 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones

• Wireless:

  • Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)

  • Bluetooth 5.0

5. Camera, Audio, and Microphones

• Front Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera (A major upgrade from the previous 720p cameras).

• Audio: High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers. Supports Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.

• Microphones: Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio.

6. Battery & Power

• Battery: 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery

• Battery Life:

  • Up to 14 hours of wireless web browsing.

  • Up to 21 hours of video playback.

• Power Adapter: Comes with a 140W USB-C Power Adapter that supports Fast Charge.

7. Keyboard & Input

• Keyboard: Backlit Magic Keyboard with a Turkish (Q) layout and a physical Function (F1-F12) key row—the return of which was highly celebrated by pros.

• Trackpad: Force Touch trackpad.

8. In the Box (Original Packaging)

• MacBook Pro 16-inch (M1 Max, Space Grey, Turkish Keyboard)

• 140W USB-C Power Adapter

• USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (2m)

• Documentation

Key Features & Selling Points (at release)

• Revolutionary M1 Max Performance: The 32-core GPU and 400GB/s memory bandwidth provided performance that rivaled high-end desktop workstations, all in a laptop.

• Game-Changing Media Engines: Hardware acceleration for ProRes and ProRes RAW made it the de facto machine for video professionals.

• Stunning Liquid Retina XDR Display: The mini-LED, ProMotion display was a massive leap forward for color grading, HDR work, and general media consumption.

• Pro Connectivity Restored: The return of HDMI, SD card, and MagSafe addressed years of professional feedback.

• Massive Memory and Storage: The 64GB RAM and 2TB SSD configuration was aimed at users for whom “enough” was not an option.

Common Comparisons & Considerations

• vs. M2 Max / M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro: The successors offer incremental CPU/GPU improvements, new features like hardware-accelerated ray tracing (M3 family), and AV1 decode. However, the M1 Max remains an absolute powerhouse, and for many workflows, the difference may not be justify a significant price difference.

• Consideration – Use Case: This is extreme overkill for general use. It is a specialized tool for:

  • Video editors working with 8K ProRes RAW.

  • 3D artists and animators.

  • Software developers running multiple large-scale virtual machines and containers.

  • Scientists and engineers performing complex simulations.

• Consideration – Turkish Keyboard: This is a region-specific configuration. It is essential for users who require this specific layout but may be less desirable for resale in markets that use standard US or other layouts.

Who is this MacBook for?

This specific configuration was built for the top tier of professionals, including:

• Hollylywood-level Film Editors & Colorists

• 3D Rendering and Animation Professionals

• Music Producers with enormous sample libraries and orchestral templates

• Software Architects and Engineers working with massive, resource-intensive projects

• Research Scientists in fields like computational biology or AI

Even years after its release, this MacBook Pro M1 Max configuration remains a formidable and highly capable mobile workstation that can handle almost any professional task thrown at it.