M1 Pro/Max destroys the competition by every definition.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/17024/apple-m1-max-performanc...

So taste maybe subjective. But there is simply no argument that if you care about performance or battery life then the MacBook Pro is objectively better.

How does it fare in price/performance? I'd wager that's what will matter more than performance/watt to 90% of customers.

90% of customers only need MacBook airs, which have been at the top of price/performance for a decade.

Really? I'd love to see a source for how the $900 Intel MBAs stacked up against equivalently priced laptop hardware.

Right. I just ordered the M1 Max, for similar reasons. Even against my mid 2019 MBP.

The iPhone / Android objection still stands.