What is the state of deep learning on AMD? Is this GPU usable with pytorch?

Pretty bad. There is pytorch for rocm (AMD's CUDA emulation) but I don't think anyone actually uses it.

https://github.com/ROCmSoftwarePlatform/pytorch/issues

I don't think you'll be doing much local ML work on this laptop

Yeah, generally a cloud based approach to training models is better than on your mac. AMD folks have been working on RoCM for some time and it works reasonably well for common models but the AMD GPU HW isn't pervasive like Nvidia GPUs in places like AWS.

If you are looking at using Colab for prototyping, you can also try TPUs which are now supported for PyTorch. Here is the link some additional info including some Colab NBs: https://github.com/pytorch/xla

Darn looks like im stuck with colab. Well at least I can use dask on the bus :)

For reference, a Dell Inspiron (~$400) can have a Intel Core 10th gen (+50% L1/L2 and AVX512).

They have a much lower TDP though, so they aren't comparable. There is no 10th gen yet that fits the TDP of the 16 inch MBP.

With 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. And a low res 768p display.

So another 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a better display for $2000? That does not seem like a great bargain.

Or you could get a thinkpad p52 with xeon CPU & 128GB RAM. Edit: also comes with 2NVME slots and a sata one. You could have 6TB on it or even more

Upgradable, upgradable. And I only see 1080p for the 15" even for the cheaper ones. I'm outside US, though.

I have a similarly-spec'd System76 Oryx Pro that cost less than half. No soldered DIMM's either :)

You really don't though? The top of the line comprable configuration has a significantly worse display, 75% of the SSD storage (that's also significantly slower), a worse graphics card and costs ~$4700.

Not saying it completely makes up for difference in price - but there is no way I'm buying a new laptop with 1080p screen

According to the System76 site, they charge $1798 just for the SSD.

How is the trackpad on there?

I bought a thinkpad since at least the keyboard is as good as my mbp 2012 but the trackpad is horrible.

> for $6099USD. I wonder how it will handle the thermals

45W is easily doable, gaming notebook vendors can easily get up to 100W in a mobile package.

Apple and other "major brands" had a string of borderline laughable engineering mistakes over the past 5 years.

For example, in their latest 12 inch Macbook, they simply put a blower to work as an exhaust fan, but then forgot that the keyboard membrane has no sealing just above it.

I thought the 12 inch Macbook had completely passive cooling, with no blower nor fan.

Sorry, 2018 Mac Book Air

Where do you read about stuff like that, out of curiosity?

Well, I work in an engineering company

I thought the 12" macbook does not have a fan?