The way I think about it is if I buy a Max chip I'm getting the performance of the generation that will be released a year later now in the current form factor,

The way I think about it is if I buy a Max chip I'm getting the performance of the generation that will be released a year later now in the current form factor, and then some. For example, I got the M1 Max when it was new. A year later the M2 came out. Spec-wise, the M1 Max was still a bit better than the M2 Pro in many regards. To me, getting a Max buys you some future proofing if you or your company can afford it (and you need that kind of performance). I use the Max with a lot of video work, and it's been fantastic.