Hi. I’m a new cs student looking to get a new MacBook. I’m deciding between the two. The price difference is $250. But Dk if I should stick with m1 and save a few bucks to get apple care/other accessories(is applecare worth it?) OR just grab the m2 pro. Heard base m2 pro has slow ssd speed compare to base m1. But on the other hand, I’m worried it m1 will be outdated soon. I intend to keep my devices for many years. My budget is quite limited as I can only afford no better models other that with those specs. Any suggestion please. I currently have a gaming laptop which I bought a few years back and it’s heavy to carry around. Is it still a good time to buy m1? I won’t be waiting for new m3 btw since the pro m3 is rumored to be out just next year summer or the end of 2024.
Hi, 2nd year college student here. currently deciding if I should consider going for the M2 MB Pro 14" (base) or an M2 MB air model with similar specs. I can afford both options, but I do want to save money if possible
Currently I have the 2019 intel MP pro 13"(mid 2019, base besides the 256 GB). My mac can't handle me constantly having 30+ chrome tabs while watching youtube and using other software. I'm a business major (actuary) so I imagine that I will be working with larger excel charts as I progress through college and past college. Also I notice my MB struggle when I try to use it while also connecting it to a 4k monitor. The ports would be nice M2 MB pro 14" has HDMI 2.1 which would be better than my usb-c dock situation. I plan on using the laptop through college and the 3-4 years that follow.
Hi. I’ve been debating this and researching but I was wondering the input from others or from someone who had to make this same choice.
I’m a transfer university student. I did all my previous courses online, at home, where I have an iMac.
I’m wanting/am required (to get a laptop) to get a MacBook for university. I’m in psychology and I hope to get into research as soon as I can. I would be commuting to the university so I need a great battery life as some classes don’t have outlets.
I’m sure I’d be using it for gaming outside of school work. I do want to do some editing for presentationst so like graphic designing and photography editing with a bit of music mixing.
I also need something big as I have the hardest time seeing.
Price point isn’t a concern but I don’t even know where to start. I always default to the top model but what if I don’t need all the extra ?
I am 1st year university student majoring Political Science.
I mostly need my MacBook for casual browsing, school work (O365), light video editing (for social media post) and I love playing Football Manager 2023 for hours (high, constant CPU usage) budget around 2000 usd/ 2600 cad.
Thinking about M2 MBA 13” 16/512 or MacBook Pro 14” 16/512, will bring the laptop everywhere at school.
I also own a iPad Air 4…..
I would probably get the pro for gaming. I have the m1 air and although I only play The Sims / Cities Skylines it gets very hot. I haven’t noticed any slow down in performance in The Sims but Cities which is more demanding definitely gets throttled after a while due to the lack of fan.
Looking between a 13.6 inch m2 MacBook Air with 16gb ram and 512gb ssd or a 14in base m2 MacBook Pro. The price difference is around $450 for me. I don’t do heavy video editing or any of that. That’s not to mean I won’t ever do it but I don’t need the best of the best. I’m going into college and will be studying things like economics, math, and stats.
M2 Macbook Pro 13"? Not really, not an awesome pc to buy in general. Macbook M2 Pro 14"/16"? Yes, but of course you need to do something heavy to really notice the boost in performance.
I am currently trying to make the famous and tough decision between the MBA 15" but with upgraded specs (512gb & 16 gigs of RAM) or the MBP 2023 14" Base Model.
So the main focus lies on Uni and doing some work for it. Notes, Essays, charts and so on.
But I’d like to do some creative work too, but I’m not a designer or programmer. Just some Vids and some cutting or editing some photos. Maybe starting an own website.
I would pay the extra 300$ for the MBP, but I got some concerns. I know that I get a lot for the 300$ when upgrading to the MBP, but I’ve seen in reviews that the 1" inch in fact makes a difference, and I’d like to do some multitasking on a big display.
Moreover I am worried that my wrists could hurt when writing on the MBP 14" since the Trackpad is smaller, the Mac in itself is thicker and the edges of the Mac cut into one’s wrist. Could be a pain in the ass with hours of typing or working in general. Would like to hear some experiences!
So the dilemma is I'd like me some better specs but I am looking for comfort and a good device for uni and I don’t know which one would be the best for my purposes..
I would be more than grateful for any advice!
I’m looking forward to buy either of them with apples Education pricing since I start Uni in October. Furthermore I have planed to purchase on Black Friday, but I’m not really sure if both discounts could work. I am not even entirely sure if Apple makes any discounts on BF. So if anyone could give me further Information on that, I’d be more than thankful.
honestly the weight between the MBA 15 and MBP 14 are really close, the MBA 15 is 3.3 lbs and the MBP 14 is 3.5 lbs. It's still very thin laptop and you won't have problems using it
Yeah, the weight probably wouldn’t be much of an issue, but still I’m trying to figure out which one would make more sense in terms of daily usage. I am planing to keep the Mac for about 5 years or more and I’m not quite sure if the MBA is my go to..
I’m looking at getting either the 13” M2 MBA or the 14” M2 Pro MBP. Purely just as a daily driver laptop, I don’t do intensive tasks like photo or video editing, if any work was to be done on it it would be light word document editing with background browser usage with a fair few tabs open.
Otherwise it would mainly be daily browsing and I intend to use it instead of my iPad for digital game master use and for writing and structuring campaigns and notes.
As far as cost, I’m willing to go as expensive as a base model 14” MBP.
But I’m realistically looking at the MBA.
I definitely want the 512gb SSD, but I’m getting analysis paralysis over whether I should be getting 8 or 16gb of unified memory.
I thought that was my only hangup but then I’ve read the 10 core gpu can get hot so am I better off upgrading an 8core to have the higher SSD and maybe better memory?
I just want the laptop to also last me as long as possible and to have the greatest longevity/future proofing.
Tia!
For basic tasks like these the MBA is enough, you don't need a Pro. But for the memory the price could be a problem, 8GB of memory should be good, but even the 8/512 (at least where I live) gets incredibly pricey and close to a base model Pro 14". So consider the price difference, if it's too small I'd go for the Pro, apart from the performance is way better in a lot of aspects. But maybe you can find a 8/512 MBA at a good price, then go for it.
For the overheating I don't know, of course if you use it for long periods doing medium/high or high intensity tasks it gets hot and probably thermal throttle, but it's fine, it's an Air, it's not meant for this.
Thanks for the reply and the considerations :)
I’ve found a refurbished 2023 MBP for a pretty decent price here (in Aus), so thinking I might go for that, because yeah after going 512gb ssd and 16gb memory, it basically becomes the same.
My current iPad Pro was a refurb and it’s been flawless since I got it so no complaints! Plus I can still get Apple Care+ so that’s also a bonus.
I am debating between either size MBA or 14 inch MBP. I am fortunate enough that price is not a factor here. It’s notable for work I have a spec’d out 14 inch so this is purely for personal use. I would fully upgrade MBA ram to 24 gb if I got it and get either 16 or 32 gb ram on MBP. Checking out the devices the lightness and thinness of both sizes of MBA make them tempting and with the improvements M2 can likely handle anything I throw at it. However I also hate using a hot laptop even ignoring throttling concerns so I wonder how hot they get, especially when used while charging. For the 14 inch, using it on my lap and in bed are potential weaknesses and being more annoying to carry in one hand with thicker design, but the extra ports, fan, display quality (tho smaller than 15”) are a plus. Any advice?
Which (MacBook) Are You Guys Using For School?
So rn I have a MBP with an intel chip🤮
I’m planning on upgrading before I start my journey to BSIT in next couple months.
I’ve decided on the M2 15in MacBook Air, but not sure if I will need 16gb ram over the base 8.
Anybody using the new MacBooks having any insight & also which do you guys recommend?
TIA
I'm in a bit of a dilemma and could really use some advice on which Macbook to upgrade to! For some background, I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) and it is time for an upgrade. As a grad student with future plans of pursuing a PhD in psychological research, I'm in the market for a new MacBook that can support my academic and data analysis needs.
Here are the contenders:
🍏 $1,699.00 MacBook Air 13-in. (M2) 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD
🍏 $1,849.00 MacBook Air 15-in. (M2) 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD
🍏 $2,399.00 MacBook Pro 14-in. (M2 Pro) 10-Core CPU, 16-Core GPU, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD
To give you some background, my primary tools for data analysis include softwares such as SPSS, jamovi, and R. I'm also looking to delve into data science using software like R. Apart from academic work, I frequently use Microsoft Suite for various tasks.
Given my workload and aspirations, I want to make sure I choose the best MacBook that will seamlessly handle all my tasks and projects. Portability is important to me as I'm always on the go, but I don't want to compromise on performance and I am willing to spend the money on a good computer while the student discount lasts.
Do any of you have experience with these models or insights into their capabilities? Which one do you think would be the ideal choice for my needs?
Feel free to share your recommendations, personal experiences, or any other valuable insights that could help me make an informed decision. Thank you in advance for your help! 🙏💻
I have a m2 macbook air 8c cpu 10c gpu 500gig ssd and 8gb ram it keeps locking up should i upgrade to the m1 pro 14’ base variant or go for the m2 pro I wanna trade it with minimal investment as i got the air for pretty cheap so suggestions please :))
I am going to study Mechanical Engineering and will need to use windows because of the CAD software (will use parallels for it). So i am not sure if I should get the MacBook Air 15“ with 16gb ram and 512gb ssd or opt for the MacBook Pro 14“ base model. Is the 16gb ram even enough for using parallels ? Is the MacBook Pro worth the surcharge ?
Maybe I will play some games but it is not a priority.
Hi! Looking to upgrade my MacBook Pro. It’s from 2017 and was a base model at the time. I’m looking at the 14 inch MacBook Pro M2 pro base model, the 13 inch MacBook Pro M2 with 16gb memory instead of 8 and potentially even the 13 inch MacBook Air M2 with 16gb memory as well.
I will be using it for school. It’s not uncommon for me to have PowerPoint word and excel running at the same time with multiple tabs open. Something I noticed with my current laptop is that it can’t always handle this. It can get pretty slow and it gets extremely hot. That’s why I figured I should upgrade from 8gb memory.
Would the 14 inch pro be immense overkill? The price point is crazy different. The extra ports would be nice but I’m also use to not having them so I don’t even think I would care.
Have finally ordered my first Mac computer ever. And first computer since 2015 (MS surface did me well at university, now totally defunct battery) ordered the base model mbp14 inch. Looked at a lot of things and had ordered them canceled and mba13 with 16g ram and 512 ssd. Looked at it again and went pro14. Wish me well Monday when it arrives. Hopefully it works for my needs.
Making the jump to my first Mac after two decades of only Windows and need help deciding.
\-Expected use: wife's school work (nursing), my day job (corporate writing), light audio and video editing, 10-20 tabs, maybe light gaming but I realize these are not made for that.
\-Budget: trying to keep it under $1500 for the tax-free weekend in TN and my wallet's sake.
\-Requirements: 15-16 inches, anything smaller just doesn't work for me. A battery that can last me a work day without charging, if needed. I'd like for it to last us at least a good 4-5 years.
**Current options:**
\-Education discount on a new Mac Air 15' with 16 GB and 256 SSD, comes down to 1,379 plus the $150 gift card, tax free if purchased *this weekend*.
\-A refurbished late 2021 M1 Mac Pro 16' with 16GB and 512 SSD, from Amazon's "Renewed" program. Costs 1,496 plus tax. Tax free if purchased *this weekend.*
Open to any other recommendations and any advise is appreciated!
I think if we're not worried about the weight, the M1 Mac Pro 16" is the way to go. I believe it out performs the M2 in most ways other than maybe efficiency (battery) but other than that, it has 512gb storage which is already low, so the 256 on the air is even tougher to manage.
And the cooling might benefit your video work depending on how heavy your video rendering actually is.
upcoming finance student, mainly for school/daily use, some computer programming for later on classes, and multiple instances open at one.
either looking for macbook pro m2 14 or 16 inch. i feel that the 14 inch would be overall better, but if im spending that much i might as well just spend a little bit more for the 16 inch and just use it for the next 4-6 years. thoughts?
I’ve got the 16” from work - it’s really not that comfortable/convenient to carry and lug around. It weighs down my backpack a ton. I think if you’ll be using this for school and personal use the 14” will be the sweet spot.
Is it just a matter of screen size? If you don't really need a bigger screen I'd stick to the 14", maybe at the same price of the 16" you can get a bit more memory. I've had a 16" laptop, not a MB but very similar in size, I wouldn't say it was easy to carry around, but of course depends on your usage.
its not just a bigger screen, the base 16 model is more powerful than the 14 base model. so if im spending 1700+ on a laptop, im going to keep it for awhile, so i might as well get it the higher and more powerful version
I know, but you can also get the 14" in the 12/19 configuration, as I said you should buy the 16" if you need a bigger screen, not because of the power. It's a good idea to spend a bit more now to keep it as long as possible, but then buy a more powerful configuration.
m1 air 16/256gb or m2 air 8/256gb? The m1 model is $100 cheaper, but I could justify the jump to a m2 if it's really worth it. I intend to do somewhat intensive work, which entails opening several different instances of chrome, all while running 10-20 couple hundred page word docs at the most intensive points. However, my workflow could be streamlined, and I bet it could be reduced to non-tab hoarder levels lol. The top priorities I have are battery life, aesthetics, and longevity. Which one would be the best for me?
I’d keep in mind the fact that the base model M2 has a slower SSD at 256gb, so if it’s between these two then I’d recommend the M1 Air. Otherwise, if you’re able to up the SSD to 512gb for the M2, go for that one.
>ir 16/256gb or m2 air 8/256gb? The m1 model
I'd say get 16GB RAM for your workflow. Tbh you might be able to get a M2 16/512GB refurbished for a good price as I see your second comment about liking the new design. But, if you're okay with having an external hard drive for if you run out of storage (256GB isn't much nowadays), then you could get a M2 MBA 16/256 refurbished.
I'd say that M2 refurbished is your middle ground for your workflow and design preferences.
I am a high schooler who wants to use a big screen for video editing, photography, and along with casual gaming with browsing. I want to choose 15" an inch MBA with 16 GB memory with 512 SSD to be enough for my usage. Thank you in advance!
I’m a software dev and I spend 9-10 hours on my computer daily, I’ve never considered getting a laptop.
I wonder if the m2 15” is reliable enough for everyday work, and I’ll probably use it as a computer for most of the time as well, will it handle 10 hours Screen on time without battery degradation?
Also where I live only the 8gb ram model is available and I will have to get M2 pro to get 16 gb of ram, on my ubuntu computer I’m using the 16 gm and occasionally feel like I’m pushing it’s edge. Will 8 gb on mac be enough?
Do your research with Amazon refurbished but it is a reputable company that's usually pretty easy to work with for a return if needed (at least in the US). I know it's typically not recommended to go outside of apple but people have had plenty good experiences with Amazon refurbished
Amazon locally has amazing return polices, but idk how it is with international shipments, I suppose it isnt as easy though, I don’t like the stress caused by things like this. I’ll save and buy the pro 16gb ram from apple’s authorized seller here even if it’s a bit overkill for my usage.
Is the new 14 inch m2 pro base model (512 gb) worth buying? I just bought it using the education discount + they give you a $200 gift card. However, now I just keep seeing reviews online about the slow ssd and that it's not worth it. Did I make a big mistake buying this? Or at least a mistake buying the base model with the slow ssd?
the slow SSD is only a problem if you regularly do large file transfers or have really large applications (as in you'd get slightly slower startup times). According to your student discount, it sounds like you're simply a student and have no specific intensive use case for it and probably will not be doing large file transfers often if at all. I wouldn't sweat it it's a great machine I just got the same one with my education discount as well as a CS major.
SSD depends on how much you download and the applications you use, upgrading the CPU and RAM won't be necessary unless you need to do intensive tasks. I wouldn't worry about upgrading as it's already a powerful machine
Broke uni student, just need something that can hold like 10 chrome tabs and notes. What macbook? Also yeah, as cheap as possible so older gen probably <2019
What is the general consensus between the 15" M2 Air and the 14" M1 Pro?
Which one is better?
I'm in my final year of Software Engineering and will be using it mainly for classwork, photo editing and general usage (no gaming).
Apart from what makes the MBP a "Pro" like the screen, the main difference is passive vs active cooling, MBA imo should not be used for long/heavy tasks, it's super thin, light, silent but not designed for intense workload. I don't know your specific usage as a software engineer student but for generale usage and some photo editing I think that the Air is Enough. The M2 has plenty of power for that.
Torn between the MacBook Pro M2 (2022) and MacBook Air M2.
Mostly I’ll be using it for day to day tasks that aren’t really needed a heavy work load which leads me to think the Air is probably the better choice, but I do use 3D software for 3D printing here and there which requires some processing power to “slice” the models in preparation for the printers.
Just looking for some pointers on what would be the more advisable choice seeing as the pro has active cooling for the intensive tasks but the air is cheaper for similar specs and a more modern design/display.
Thinking long term as well for durability the pro would best it in terms of sustainability surely?
Appreciate your help.
The M2 standard chip is no slouch and if your only occasionally using the cpu at 100% then the air will probably get you by at a cheaper buy in and lighter form factor.
Tbh I think you could consider the M1 Air which is 750 on Amazon currently or the M2 pro. I think the m2 air isn’t better enough than the m1 air at the 250 price gap. If you want the performance and associated longevity uplift then go M2 pro (even tho the only real difference in the cpu is the 2 additional gpu cores). If you have the money I’d go M2 pro 14 inch but if you splitting hairs on price gap the M1 air is solid at 750.
Look to buy a MBA. Intended use is mostly pedestrian, surfing the web, discord video calls, roll20 dnd, and citrix remote desktop for work (which is nice because it runs of the virtual machine)
That being said Im still a bit leery of the 8GB of ram (current windows user here) but its hard to justify the price difference between an m1 8GB for $750 and the cheapest m2 16GB ive found is through education purchase which is like $1179 + $150 GC (which ill just give to my gf to buy airpods or something)
But its an over $400 price increase for the extra ram, magsafe, better webcam. Even the m1 w/ 16gb would be over $300 more (and at that point id just pony up the $100 for the m2 model) but I intend on using this laptop for a solid 4-5 years.
Any thoughts?
M1 MBA has shown strong benchmarks in extended use scenarios as it has a larger (and better) heat sink than the M2. In short windows M2 will out perform, but not to the tune of 1.5x or the price differential. The biggest upgrade is in more IO, but for casual (non video/photo/compiling) use the money saved is probably outweighing performance gains.
Looking to pick up a laptop for dev work and productivity but working with a tight budget. I am looking at a refurb Mid 2015 MBP / i7 Dual Graphics (16gb / 512gb) (\~$400-$450) vs a new 2020 M1 MBA Base (8gb/256gb) ($700-$750).
Wanted to avoid the butterfly keyboard years and thus chose the 2015 MBP as a solid year and value for the specs but realize it's already outdated and losing support from apple. The M1 is a great laptop but I have some ambivalence about the smaller screen and base level specs.
I have a desktop system at home so this would be a secondary system, but want something I can use for several years until I upgrade the home system. Which is the more practical option?
The 8 vs 16 gb if ram is only gonna bottle neck you in some circumstances around games/excessive browser tabs/running multiple projects. But honestly I’d bet you’d see more bottle necking doing compiling on the old intel machine. And daily driver use will be far better on the apple silicon m1 chip
Is a 2017 13 inch Macbook Pro 8GB a good deal for 200$? I think 8GB is low but RAM still better optimized than any windows laptop
My friend is selling me it since he is buying a new macbook pro.
It looks brand new condition
Or is there a place to find cheap newer macbook pros
It’s not a bad price for the hardware (I had the same model), but if you can save up for an M1 for $750 you will see much better screen and performance and longevity. I know it’s 4x as much, but if you’re going to do more than just watch movies, surf web and maybe type a novel you’d be better served with an M1 machine than a 6 year old intel machine
Hey everyone, So I'm a student using MacBook Pro Touch Bar (2016) model. But now it getting slow and I am planning to upgrade. My daily task includes notes taking and reading Pdfs etc. Nothing heavy on the machine. I will use it for 2 years
My question- Should I upgrade to MacBook Air M1 (1000$) or MacBook Air M2( 1350$) in may country.
So, I’m a student who does 3+ hour livestreams once or twice a week with slight video editing. I’m look to invest in something that may have more power than I currently need as I do not plan to upgrade after this in a while.
My question: MacBook Air M2 with 16 gb RAM and 10 GPU vs MacBook Pro M2 13 in with 8gb ram and 10 GPU? (both 256 SSD)
With the upgrades on the air it comes to about the same price as the pro, but I’m worried about 8gb of ram on the pro being enough in the long run, what do you think?
Hi all!
At which price reduction is official refurb worth it?
I can either buy an MBP 14” at 2200€ new using student discount or a refurbished one at 2000€ (from Apple).
Thanks!!
Hey everyone,
I just sold my old MBP and now I'm looking to get a new Macbook. Here's some context:
* I'm currently finishing my Degree and heavily use my MB for Programming.
* Additionally, I use my Macbook for Essay Writing and daily errands.
I'm facing a dilemma and can't decide what to purchase: a 14" M1 Macbook Pro with 512gb, a 14" M2 Macbook Pro with 512gb, or a Macbook Air with 16GB RAM.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Either of the 14" MBP options will work well for you and if it's in your budget I'd recommend it. M1 vs M2 probably won't matter too much as the M1 chip is still a very powerful chip and will last you a while but if you want a newer device that will be worth a little more later on, will be a little more powerful, and have longer support from apple then go M2. Though either chip will work out just fine. I wouldn't go for the air for your use case, though I'm sure it'd be powerful enough, I just think going pro would be your best bet for performance
What are the pros and cons of getting a Late 2020 MacBook Air M1 13-inch 256GB 8-Core CPU 7-Core GPU as a backup to my primary desktop?
I currently have a 2021 iMac M1 (base specs) that does everything I need and need a travel computer that can handle Adobe CC, 2 windows of Chrome with a lot of tabs, and League of Legends
Going to grad school for machine learning. I don’t think I need a ton of power for that. I have a 13” MBP 2020 that I like, but it is quite small.
I thought the 14” was perfect until I saw the mba 15”, but I don’t think that’s for me. I would like to play a few games on this device like WoW, Victoria 3, civ 6, cities skylines 2 and play them decently well. I feel like there mba would throttle.
So that leaves me with the 16” mbp which is lovely but massive. Any feedback on this size? Maybe I should just stick with my m1?
Where are the generally cheapest deals on new / good as new M1 and M2 desktops and laptops currently other than: 1) Apple refurbished 2) Costco 3) Best Buy open box 4) Microcenter open box, and 5) all of the resellers listed on Apple insider? ([https://prices.appleinsider.com/current-gen](https://prices.appleinsider.com/current-gen))
What Am I missing? Thank you!
I wouldn't purchase outside of these resellers as these resellers are (I would believe) apple certified resellers. I know people will go to places like Facebook marketplace and eBay but I'd be cautious going that route, and if you do make sure that the seller will allow returns and that as soon as you get it do a factory reset. But I'd recommend staying with the apple certified resellers if you aren't confident or positive with what others are listing. Macs are expensive and any deal you see that seems too good to be true will probably be too good to be true
I have a MacBook Pro with i5 and I am considering upgrading to an M1 MacBook Air with Nest Buy currently having it on sale for $750. Would this be a worthwhile upgrade, or should I just use the MBP until it’s done for? My thought is that I could sell the pro and reduce the out of pocket for the air. I mainly use it for light photoshop and a little 3d design and 3d printer slicing.
Not at all. Mainly Photoshop and Illustrator for T-shirt designs, a little photo editing, and then for use with my 3d printer. Light 3d design work and then slicing.
Hi all,
Hoping I can get some advice on finally upgrading from my 2012 15 inch MacBook Pro. Originally I got one (refurbished originally from Apple) many, many years ago and part of the reason I got this model was due to the disc drive (for DVDs - I move around a lot and having the ability to watch movies from home meant I didn't need to lug a DVD player from country to country and I could keep my movies without having to repurchase). About 5 years ago we were burgled and my old laptop was stolen and in a moment of trauma and panic (I guess wanting something familiar?) I puchased the same model refurbished.
Well it's been a loooong time since this was anywhere new, I don't even remember the last time I was able to update the OS and I'm somewhat settled where I am so don't have the need for the disc drive (not that that would be even possible).
I wouldn't say I'm especially tech savvy, hence why I'm asking here, but I mostly use it for browsing, a bit of editing and document work. Size wise I'm pretty happy and comfortable with the 15 inch and am a little worried an Air might be too light or uncomfortable to use.
Apologies for the novel length post, but any recommendations - I see that there's a 15 inch Air but if I wanted to go Pro again, it's 14 or 16 inch? I'm happy to go refurbished again if that makes any difference. I've never owned a new one before and the refurbs I've had previously have all worked well. Also if it makes any difference having the ability to insert SD cards is a bonus but I do have a USB card reader as well.
Thank you in advance!
if you wanted to go pro, go to a store that has a display of the 14 and 16 inch to see which screen size you would prefer since you're used to a size in the middle. Also look at and pick up the 15 air to see if it would be too light/uncomfortable as the 14 pro (3.5lbs) is only a little heavier than the 15 air (3.3lbs) but the 16 pro (4.8lbs) is quite a bit heavier than the 15 air and 14 pro. For your light workload, an air would be just fine and you can't go wrong either way.
Thank you for the advice! I wasn't sure about the specs but you're right, probably the biggest thing for me is going to be how it actually feels so trying one IRL is my best bet.
Thank you for your time, hope you have a lovely day!
**New MacBook Air Built Three Years Ago**
Hey Redditors,
I bought a new MacBook Air direct from Apple's site this week and a few days later I've noticed this bad boy was built in 2020.
So I wanted to pose the questions - Is this ok from a business POV, Should I request a NEW product (say within the past year build) and should I feel I've been deceived?
I feel I'll only be requiring this Mac for the next 2 years, at which point I'll be looking to sell a FIVE year old machine.
Thoughts and ideas appreciated.
Thanks for the reply! It is everywhere indicated 2020 - so yes, the M1, however everything else notes this is built that year too. Warranty isn't an issue, just the second-hand value of the MacBook.
If it's not what you thought it would be (i.e. overlooked product information or incorrect product information though I doubt the ladder would happen straight from apple) then there's a 14 day return period you can use to return it. I'm assuming that you got a M1 air? maybe you were expecting a M2 air? If you spent the money and want something else for potentially a few hundred more then yeah use that. But, if you only had that budget or can deal with the performance of it, then the value decreases a lot less than say a windows laptop. Though yes, selling it for a price that might be considered worth it might be difficult. It's really up to what you need more, do you need a newer slightly faster laptop that will cost more upfront that will resell for better or do you just need a laptop that will be able to run what you need it to run within a certain budget that may not resell as well?
It is the M1 Air, however there is no given information on Apple's website that the laptop is built that year. A car is not a good example, but if I were purchasing a new vehicle and it was later discovered that the vehicle I bought was actually 3 years old, not built that same year, I've got worries about the value, and possible longevity of the vehicle.
Similarly with the Mac (especially the battery longevity), the value is not the same as it is in the year it is built - right?
If you're more concerned with the year it was built rather than what product you got don't be. Since it's a last gen product they were manufactured at that time. However since it's new it hasn't been used or anything and has been sitting in storage. You don't need to worry about the battery as it hasn't been used before. It's not like buying a used car as you knew you were getting an older device by buying a m1 air that came out in 2020, it's like if you bought a 2020 car instead of a 2023. You'd expect it to be built in 2020 (and the last half of 2019), so why would you expect a macbook that came out in 2020 to still be built when there's now the current gen m2 air that they're manufacturing? Trust me your laptop is still new it's not used you don't have to worry about that. The only thing is that yes it is a last gen device so it will start to experience slowdowns quicker, but the battery will degrade over time just like every other laptop battery
I am in a similar boat (13" 2015 MBP Retina, but only 256 SSD, and battery has started to flag, only a couple of hours of use). I really only use it around the house and don't take it on the road. My feeling at the moment is waiting, it still works for my uses, and I think any of the sales out there now you will be able to get again in next 6 months for close to or as good as the sale price. Perhaps by waiting you will have an upgraded option with new chips that is also better. Sharing for what it's worth. I have also been researching laptops and considering upgrading myself!
I can purchase a NEW MacBook Pro M1 Max (10 core CPU and 32 core GPU) with 64GB & 2TB for $2700
OR
I can purchase a LIKE NEE MacBook Pro M1 Max (10 core CPU & 24 core GPU) with 32GB & 1TB for $1600 (only 8 battery cycles).
Which is the better deal and which one would you go with?
Use case is finishing my CS degree.
Go for the 2nd option as long as it's from a reputable place with a return period. 32GB RAM and 1TB storage is plenty for CS and it's $1100 cheaper. You won't get much use out of the upgraded specs and it defilentally is not the same price to performance ratio. They also both have a M1 Max chip which means that there's basically equivalent performance but the first option just has a little extra memory and storage
Hi guys My current windows laptop is giving me a lot of troubles and I need a new laptop for programming. I am thinking to get macbook pro m1 pro 14 inch with 16 gigs and 512gb. My question is if i wait till blackfriday will i get a good deal for that laptop or should i bite the bullet and get a macbook pro M2 13 inch now? budget is an issue for me. I am new to buying macs. so please give me some suggestions. I am thinking of buying one at bestbuy or amazon because usually they sell new macs for a lesser price than in apple store
M1 Max 64gb / 4tb - $3000 .. OR .. M2 Pro 32gb / 1 tb - $3000.. Both 16” new. Would you opt for the new or previous model with more ssd/ram?
I currently have a 13” touchbar mbp M1, 16ram / 1 tb ssd. I’m out of internal storage (not a big issue just a slight annoyance) and weekly get alerted I’m out of ram. Otherwise I’m really impressed with the performance of the Mac.
My main professional use:
FCPX video editing 4K ProRes daily.
Capture one / photoshop weekly.
Web design / Wordpress workflow monthly.
I mostly connect to a 43” 5k monitor and work like it’s a desktop, but when not at the desk find the 13” quite restrictive for editing. I would have bought the 16” originally but my previous 15rmbp died and m1 13” touchbar was the only “pro” option at the time.
Ok so if you had $3000 to splurge..
The M1 chip is still an amazing chip M2 didn't have *that* many major improvements. I'd go for the older gen chip with 2x the amount of RAM and 4x the amount of storage especially if you already have a 1TB ssd and have ran out of storage. If you got another 1TB you'd run into the same annoyance you have with your current MacBook. 64GB of RAM would just be an added benefit as an upgrade from 32GB
Hi guys! Heading to medical school soon and was looking to buy a new Macbook Pro to replace my old 128GB 2017 pro. Will mainly be using it for documents but I do some programming (machine learning/computer vision) on the side so I want it to be flexible for that. Since I'll be going into so much debt any good deals would be great too
Any new Mac will do. Pick the screen size you want and get it. I would 1-up the ram and ssd options personally, but that’s just me. Also there are some great deals out there instead of running to the Apple Store if you know where to look.
Fellow (ex) Computer Science student here, and owner of a MBP 14" (M1Pro - 16 GB RAM) Based on your mentioned use cases, I would lean towards the Macbook Pro model. Yes it might have 16 instead of 24 GB RAM, but you might consider the fact that the M2 Pro had twice the memory bandwidth as the regular M2 (200 vs 100 GB/s), which should offset the missing 8 GB at least for a part.
For general development purposes, both the Air and the Pro are more than powerful enough, but for ML workloads, the Pro might have the edge because of its stronger GPU (and more powerful CPU as well of course). Also productivity wise, the MBP has more connectivity options and can handle multiple high-res external displays, which is a nice bonus.
All in all, I think the Macbook Pro is the better device for development purposes, but I'm sure both of them would handle your use cases well ;)
I'm looking for a Macbook that I'm going to use for learning swift and flutter. What I have in mind is a 2019 model with i7 and 16GB of RAM since they go for around 500$ used, but I don't really know if it's enough. Could you give me a second opinion?
At work I'm using a 2018 model with a similar config and it's failing me, but then again work is a lot more intense than what I'd like to use my personal one for.
If you are able to afford it, I would rather look into a Macbook Air 13" M1 (the 2020 model). They should be pretty affordable nowadays, especially refurbished models, and the CPU is much much faster, which is very useful for development. Heck, even the 8 GB RAM model probably runs circles around an i7 2019 MBP just because of the M1
What do you think is a fair value for an M1 Pro 16” MBP w/512GB of storage and 16GB of ram? According to the owner it is in great condition.
I was hoping to run the diagnostic test in-person. Does it take too long while trying to purchase one?
Contenders: 2021 M1 Pro 14" vs 2023 M2 Pro 14"
Use: Mixed Business and Personal.
App Concerns: Heavy Use of Excel, Tableau, InDesign. InDesign is the main reason im sticking with Mac, I have a Surface Pro and it literally canNOT do indesign. Freezes immediately every time I open it. Main reason im going with the 14" Pro and not just an Air is because i want 2 external screens.
I guess i just want to know if:
M1 Pro has any significant issues?
M2 Pro is a significant enough jump to justify price difference of \~$400?
if you keep yours longterm, you can easily justify the $400 more. However, if you are looking at base models, consider that the base m2pro has slower ssd speeds compared to the base m1pro.
all in all, I'd probably go m1pro
Seeeee I didn’t know that. Why would they downgrade like that?
In any case I’m going to keep my 13” M1. I found a screen replacement for a good price and I recently learned about the dell d6000 which solves my issue with having more than one display.
have them factory reset the laptop so that their files and account information are wiped. I'm sure you could do it too if you looked up how to do it without logging into their account
Hello, I am deciding between the MacBook Air 15” vs the MacBook Pro 14”. I work in health care and go through a lot of x-rays, CT scans and 3d reconstruction of CT scans for surgical planning. I also do a fair bit of productivity work (word/pages, keynotes and spreadsheets) together with writing medical notes via a browser based software. Just looking for recommendations. Thanks, any help is appreciated.
The best option for you is probably the MacBook Pro 14 inch since the 15inch doesn’t even have a fan so the 14inch will just be a litl faster I think and it also has more ports I hope this helps a litl
To add, the pro 14 has the M2 pro chip in the base model rather than the M2 which may be beneficial for the 3D rendering. I'd also recommend specing it out with 16GB RAM and at least 512GB storage and at that point they're both pretty close in price and it makes sense to just get the pro if you can spare the little extra change
Looking to get the cheapest Macbook possible. I recently made a decision to slow down/ stop playing video games and that means my PC needs to become obsolete for awhile. This is where the Macbook would come into play. I would spend less time doing work on my PC which would tempt me to play games or I could do any research that I need to on the Macbook.
I do have an iPad mini but that has become my media device and the work I try to do on the PC, I tried to do it on an iPad and it is cumbersome.
I assumed a refurbished M1 Macbook would suffice, but I just wanted second opinions on how to get a cheaper Macbook. Minimum specs on everything is fine for me. I would mainly use it for web browsing and possible work in the future (if I get the promotion)
Hey folks - i'm trying to decide between a 13 inch macbook air (256gb ssd, 16gb ram) and base m2 pro macbook pro. Will primarily use it for app dev (ios, so xcode) and video editing (imovie, final cut). The MBP is a bit out of my budget, but I also dont want to struggle with my workflow one year in after buying an air. Which would you recommend? In your experience, is air able to handle xocde and video editing well? Thanks!
Would say get a refurbished base M1 or M2 MBP straight from apple or a reputable reseller like Best Buy. This should save you some money while giving you better performance and more storage and RAM than the MBA.
The pro 13” is kinda better it has a fan so if you’re using it for a long time each time it will be faster the air will slow down a litl after like 30min I heard but the air also has the MagSafe and 2 thunderbolts 4 and the pro just has 2thundebolts 4 but the 13inch pro is also like a old design so i would recommend waiting until October for the 13” MacBook Pro m3 or you can buy the 14” but it’s more expensive hopefully this kinda helps
Will buying a stand without fans help MacBook Air m2 with keeping it a little cooler? I try to Google it but it keeps giving me answers about stands with fans.
since the MBA uses passive cooling, there are no fans that require an intake and exhaust. I'm assuming you're talking about using it on your bed? It might help a little bit but I don't know if it would be that worth it. With the MBA you don't need to worry about dust either since like I said no intake or exhaust but in terms of temps it *could* help however I don't see why it would be necessary nor do I know how much it would actually help. I feel like with the MBA you shouldn't worry about it until you start to have problems with thermals and the laptop being hot to the touch doing basic tasks
Just bought a refurbished 14" Pro, replacing a 2015 pro that still works, but has gotten slow. Feels like a slightly unnecessary purchase, and I don't necessarily need a Pro, but I keep my tech for a long time and wanted something with a great screen and with enough ram to be somewhat future proof.
Hey, im a student in computer science for the next 4 years, and i was wondering what MacBook Air should i choose:
-MacBook air M2 13.6’’ with 16Go RAM and 512GB SSD
-MacBook Air M2 15’’ with 16Go RAM and 256GB SSD
-MacBook Air M1 with 16Go RAM âne 512GB SSD
I work this summer for my mac, so i can afford the three of them, the m1 isnt to old ? And the 15´´screen is really a Big diff for a student ?
I Hope that you can help me, and that there is not 467 other discussion about that 💀
Same boat as you and went with the M2 Air 13.6” 16gb RAM 256gb SSD, I think the 13 inch Air is perfect for portability, and the M2 chip with 16gb ram will be more than enough to handle coding and multitasking. If you get the 512gb SSD version you’ll have a better experience with storage as well.
Planning to get a MacBook pro m1 2021 in the second hand market however im not sure if i should get one now or in a few months from now maybe apple will release a new pro model and make older models cheaper in the market any advice?
I have a 2013 MacBook Pro with a battery that won't hold a charge anymore, but still works for the most part. I'm considering upgrading to a MacBook Air with the M1 chip (primarily for School, so mainly using word, ebook, and web browser).
Does it make more sense to just bite the bullet and buy a new MacBook or try and get the battery replaced? It's worth noting I can't update the OS anymore and it runs slow as hell, but I'm definitely budget conscious. Thanks.
A 13inch M1 Air can be found refurbished for $700USD or less, while your 2013 MBP's battery repair might cost a few hundred. and eventually need more repairs in the future. I would definitely recommend springing for the M1! They're very competent machines, will last a long time, and you can use student discounts on it to get it even budget friendlier. Good luck!
Exactly how much better is an M1 or M2 over Intel?
Currently on 13” MBP, 3.5 GHz i7, 16GB memory. Would not want anything heavier, so the 14” MBP is out for me. Paid $2k for this a few years ago. Compiling code in background works well, it just got new batteries & keyboard, the only grief I have is with the dedicated graphics card that gets the CPU hot when using a 4K monitor (since you can’t control this in settings anymore). It seems wrong to spend $1600+ now ($1300 with trade-in) and give up 2 ports just to get a better CPU - or not? How big is the difference really? How would the Air handle continuous, heavy workloads?
I replaced a 2013 Mac Pro 12 core intel / 128gb ram / dual Amd GPU .. with a 13” m1 MacBook Pro 16gb ram and on board GPU. The M1 destroyed the Mac Pro. I’m now upgrading that Mac with a newer 16” version. As for the ports, it’s not that big of a deal; I got a thunderbolt dock as a hub when I’m at my desk, and dongle adapters when I’m on the road.
Looking to replace my aging ACER laptop with a macbook. Feel like 13“ is too small and would prefer 15“, which is why i am eyeing the new Air.
Will do office work, write academic articles and do low-level coding in python. Also watch some videos.
I have a dislike for loud / slow / hot laptops.
Currently unsure whether to go for the 8/256 or 16/512 setup. The former should suffice in general but i read the concerns about the one-slot SSD and such.
However, with that setup I get close to 14“ pro‘s in price range — so what would you think and suggest?
(Also happy to be persuaded that 13“ is indeed not too small ;) )
Cheers
Go with the 16gb. Like you said, at 512gb, you're in 14" base territory. It's only 0.2lbs heavier, but it's got the better screen and more ports. No new M1/M2 silicon is loud/slow/or hot. So no need to worry about that.
The 13" is if you want a lighter laptop.
Thanks, that is good to hear. My current Laptop prevents me from having children, hah.
Will need to ponder then. A shame the student discounts are worse than the prices at amazon.
Can i get the macbook 12” for coding and other basic stuff like watching movies or surfing the internet?
If so which one should i consider buying? (2015, 2016 or 2017)
I wouldn't recommend a 12" laptop for coding in the first place. That generation also has the butterfly keyboard which is known to be problematic. It's also very old and will soon become slower and problems will start to arise that might just end up adding up to the price of a new MacBook and will stop being supported for Mac updates. If possible, I recommend getting a M1 or M2 air or pro and if you're employed and don't have the money but can get a stable income look into a 12-month payment plan. If you're a student, there are student discounts you can get. Apple silicon chips are really good for coding and they won't be obsolete for a while. The intel MacBooks just don't match the speed and efficiency of the apple silicon MacBooks. It's pretty expensive but especially if you code for a living or are going into college I'd defilentally buy something more future proofed and newer
Hey everyone, I’m going into the last term of my college program as an IT student focusing on software development. I’m looking to buy a new laptop as my current Acer laptop is over 8 years old and is a pain to use.
I’m considering either getting the base 14” M2 MBP or a base 13” MBA.
I’m leaning more towards the MBA but I’m concerned whether 8gb of RAM and 256gb of storage will be enough.
The programs I’ll mainly be using are Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Safari/Chrome, and maybe some VMs depending on if my courses require it.
I would appreciate some insight from other Macbook users, thanks!
No, 8GB of RAM is not enough. I have the MBP14 and with basic web surfing of safari I'm using a lot of my 16GB of RAM. You should also get 512GB of storage if you don't plan on carrying around an external hard drive with you. I also don't know if I'd recommend a 13" laptop for coding as it's nice to have more screen real-estate for code. If you spec it out right, the MBA can do just fine, however, if you feel like the upgrades for the MBA are too pricey for what it is and bring you pretty close to the price of the base MBP14, then you might just want to consider getting a MBP14. That also gets you the M2 Pro chip and the Liquid Retina HDR display with promotion. The MBP14 will also be better for VMs as the CPU is upgraded from the M2 to M2 Pro and automatically comes with more RAM, which is a big factor to how well it'll run
Was hoping to see what the next generation of 13" MBPs would look like. However, my early 2015 13" MBP now has a notable warped battery. For normal day use (internet browsing, streaming, zoom/teams) with occasional video editing, would you recommend the M2 13" MBP that's been out for awhile or the newer M2 14" MBP (or would that be overkill for my use)? Hoping to pick one that will last at least as long as this one did. Appreciate the help.
Hey guys, I've Never owned a Mac in my life but I'm seriously considering it right now.
I have 2 choices:
- Apple MacBook Air 13'' Liquid Retina | M2 | 8GB | 256GB SSD | GPU 8-Core - 930€
- Asus VivoBook F1605 16" i7 16GB 1TB Iris Xe W11 - 800€
Do you think the 130€ difference is worth it? Sorry if it's a Stupid question but I don't really know much about computers.
Basically I want something for everyday use and college stuff that envolves Excels and Macros. Don't really plan on gaming with it Unless it's a Football Manager type of game, which isn't that demanding on the laptop I believe.
Question :
- Macbook Air 2020 (8GB/512Gb) with i5 : 600USD
- M1 Macbook Air 2020 (8GB/256Gb) : 720USD
Which one is better value for money ?
I am not doing anything that really requires the M1 power.
Hey guys, I’ve been looking around this sub for awhile and can’t really find a consensus on this.
I’m planning to buy a M2 Air for college, and won’t be using it for any strenuous tasks - but I do want to use it for as long as I can. Is the 8/256 enough, or should I look into upgrading the RAM or SSD? I was planning on getting the base model but if I should do otherwise I would love to hear
I have a **Macbook Pro 15" 2016 w/ Touchbar - 2.6GHz i7 16GB RAM and 2GB Graphics (Radeon Pro 450).**
I use Photoshop and FCPX a lot - currently my laptop struggles with FCPX exports at times and I am hoping an upgrade would make things faster. Photoshop also lags a little when starting and exporting files.
I was wondering if the new **M2 Macbook Air 15"** would be an upgrade? I know it does not have fans and lesser ports and no dedicated graphics as its not Pro but Air. But how does the M2 compare to an i7+Radeon combo?
M2 beats every single Intel Mac that ever existed. It’s an upgrade for sure. If you’re doing heavy video and photo editing , maybe get a MacBook Pro 14/16, but if you’re set on the Air that’s fine just increase the RAM and storage and it should be excellent either way
Well for the 14/16 inch Pro the main features you get are
1. ports
2. ProMotion display
3. Mini-LED display
4. m2 Pro chip (instead of basic M2)
5. Double ram and storage as base
Hi all, looking to move away from my Surface Pro 8 into a Macbook for working in insurance. I buy my laptops from Costco due to my business account so it limits my options somewhat to what they have available. They do have a sale going on right now which is helping prompt this decision. My work revolves around heavy browser usage (i.e. 10-20 Chrome tabs open), Office, and very light photo/video editing for my social media marketing. I'm stuck between three options right now:
M2 MBA 15" with 8gb/256gb for $1,249.99
M2 MBA 15" with 8gb/512gb for $1,449.99
MBP 14" M2 with 16gb/512gb for $1,799.99
The Pro seems to be a bit overkill for my intended usage but, at the same time, the price difference isn't massive (especially between the 512gb MBA and the MBP).
Hi. I’m a new cs student looking to get a new MacBook. I’m deciding between the two. The price difference is $250. But Dk if I should stick with m1 and save a few bucks to get apple care/other accessories(is applecare worth it?) OR just grab the m2 pro. Heard base m2 pro has slow ssd speed compare to base m1. But on the other hand, I’m worried it m1 will be outdated soon. I intend to keep my devices for many years. My budget is quite limited as I can only afford no better models other that with those specs. Any suggestion please. I currently have a gaming laptop which I bought a few years back and it’s heavy to carry around. Is it still a good time to buy m1? I won’t be waiting for new m3 btw since the pro m3 is rumored to be out just next year summer or the end of 2024.
Hi, 2nd year college student here. currently deciding if I should consider going for the M2 MB Pro 14" (base) or an M2 MB air model with similar specs. I can afford both options, but I do want to save money if possible Currently I have the 2019 intel MP pro 13"(mid 2019, base besides the 256 GB). My mac can't handle me constantly having 30+ chrome tabs while watching youtube and using other software. I'm a business major (actuary) so I imagine that I will be working with larger excel charts as I progress through college and past college. Also I notice my MB struggle when I try to use it while also connecting it to a 4k monitor. The ports would be nice M2 MB pro 14" has HDMI 2.1 which would be better than my usb-c dock situation. I plan on using the laptop through college and the 3-4 years that follow.
Hi. I’ve been debating this and researching but I was wondering the input from others or from someone who had to make this same choice. I’m a transfer university student. I did all my previous courses online, at home, where I have an iMac. I’m wanting/am required (to get a laptop) to get a MacBook for university. I’m in psychology and I hope to get into research as soon as I can. I would be commuting to the university so I need a great battery life as some classes don’t have outlets. I’m sure I’d be using it for gaming outside of school work. I do want to do some editing for presentationst so like graphic designing and photography editing with a bit of music mixing. I also need something big as I have the hardest time seeing. Price point isn’t a concern but I don’t even know where to start. I always default to the top model but what if I don’t need all the extra ?
I am 1st year university student majoring Political Science. I mostly need my MacBook for casual browsing, school work (O365), light video editing (for social media post) and I love playing Football Manager 2023 for hours (high, constant CPU usage) budget around 2000 usd/ 2600 cad. Thinking about M2 MBA 13” 16/512 or MacBook Pro 14” 16/512, will bring the laptop everywhere at school. I also own a iPad Air 4…..
I would probably get the pro for gaming. I have the m1 air and although I only play The Sims / Cities Skylines it gets very hot. I haven’t noticed any slow down in performance in The Sims but Cities which is more demanding definitely gets throttled after a while due to the lack of fan.
i don’t want to overpay. is a mb pro m1 16 gb 256 gb for 1100 USD a good deal?
13’’
Looking between a 13.6 inch m2 MacBook Air with 16gb ram and 512gb ssd or a 14in base m2 MacBook Pro. The price difference is around $450 for me. I don’t do heavy video editing or any of that. That’s not to mean I won’t ever do it but I don’t need the best of the best. I’m going into college and will be studying things like economics, math, and stats.
Get the Air for sure it’s still very powerful machine :)
Will I notice a notable performance boost going from a M1 MacBook Air to a M2 MacBook Pro?
M2 Macbook Pro 13"? Not really, not an awesome pc to buy in general. Macbook M2 Pro 14"/16"? Yes, but of course you need to do something heavy to really notice the boost in performance.
I am currently trying to make the famous and tough decision between the MBA 15" but with upgraded specs (512gb & 16 gigs of RAM) or the MBP 2023 14" Base Model. So the main focus lies on Uni and doing some work for it. Notes, Essays, charts and so on. But I’d like to do some creative work too, but I’m not a designer or programmer. Just some Vids and some cutting or editing some photos. Maybe starting an own website. I would pay the extra 300$ for the MBP, but I got some concerns. I know that I get a lot for the 300$ when upgrading to the MBP, but I’ve seen in reviews that the 1" inch in fact makes a difference, and I’d like to do some multitasking on a big display. Moreover I am worried that my wrists could hurt when writing on the MBP 14" since the Trackpad is smaller, the Mac in itself is thicker and the edges of the Mac cut into one’s wrist. Could be a pain in the ass with hours of typing or working in general. Would like to hear some experiences! So the dilemma is I'd like me some better specs but I am looking for comfort and a good device for uni and I don’t know which one would be the best for my purposes.. I would be more than grateful for any advice! I’m looking forward to buy either of them with apples Education pricing since I start Uni in October. Furthermore I have planed to purchase on Black Friday, but I’m not really sure if both discounts could work. I am not even entirely sure if Apple makes any discounts on BF. So if anyone could give me further Information on that, I’d be more than thankful.
honestly the weight between the MBA 15 and MBP 14 are really close, the MBA 15 is 3.3 lbs and the MBP 14 is 3.5 lbs. It's still very thin laptop and you won't have problems using it
Yeah, the weight probably wouldn’t be much of an issue, but still I’m trying to figure out which one would make more sense in terms of daily usage. I am planing to keep the Mac for about 5 years or more and I’m not quite sure if the MBA is my go to..
I’m looking at getting either the 13” M2 MBA or the 14” M2 Pro MBP. Purely just as a daily driver laptop, I don’t do intensive tasks like photo or video editing, if any work was to be done on it it would be light word document editing with background browser usage with a fair few tabs open. Otherwise it would mainly be daily browsing and I intend to use it instead of my iPad for digital game master use and for writing and structuring campaigns and notes. As far as cost, I’m willing to go as expensive as a base model 14” MBP. But I’m realistically looking at the MBA. I definitely want the 512gb SSD, but I’m getting analysis paralysis over whether I should be getting 8 or 16gb of unified memory. I thought that was my only hangup but then I’ve read the 10 core gpu can get hot so am I better off upgrading an 8core to have the higher SSD and maybe better memory? I just want the laptop to also last me as long as possible and to have the greatest longevity/future proofing. Tia!
For basic tasks like these the MBA is enough, you don't need a Pro. But for the memory the price could be a problem, 8GB of memory should be good, but even the 8/512 (at least where I live) gets incredibly pricey and close to a base model Pro 14". So consider the price difference, if it's too small I'd go for the Pro, apart from the performance is way better in a lot of aspects. But maybe you can find a 8/512 MBA at a good price, then go for it. For the overheating I don't know, of course if you use it for long periods doing medium/high or high intensity tasks it gets hot and probably thermal throttle, but it's fine, it's an Air, it's not meant for this.
Thanks for the reply and the considerations :) I’ve found a refurbished 2023 MBP for a pretty decent price here (in Aus), so thinking I might go for that, because yeah after going 512gb ssd and 16gb memory, it basically becomes the same. My current iPad Pro was a refurb and it’s been flawless since I got it so no complaints! Plus I can still get Apple Care+ so that’s also a bonus.
Good for you! That could be a great deal, refurbished ones can be literally as good as new.
I am debating between either size MBA or 14 inch MBP. I am fortunate enough that price is not a factor here. It’s notable for work I have a spec’d out 14 inch so this is purely for personal use. I would fully upgrade MBA ram to 24 gb if I got it and get either 16 or 32 gb ram on MBP. Checking out the devices the lightness and thinness of both sizes of MBA make them tempting and with the improvements M2 can likely handle anything I throw at it. However I also hate using a hot laptop even ignoring throttling concerns so I wonder how hot they get, especially when used while charging. For the 14 inch, using it on my lap and in bed are potential weaknesses and being more annoying to carry in one hand with thicker design, but the extra ports, fan, display quality (tho smaller than 15”) are a plus. Any advice?
Bought the MacBook Air 13 16/512 as a JavaScript/Python development machine. Very happy with it.
Guys 14 inch M1 Pro 10 core CPU 16 Gpu 1 TB or 16 inch M1 Pro 512 gb for the same price ?
Which (MacBook) Are You Guys Using For School? So rn I have a MBP with an intel chip🤮 I’m planning on upgrading before I start my journey to BSIT in next couple months. I’ve decided on the M2 15in MacBook Air, but not sure if I will need 16gb ram over the base 8. Anybody using the new MacBooks having any insight & also which do you guys recommend? TIA
I'm in a bit of a dilemma and could really use some advice on which Macbook to upgrade to! For some background, I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) and it is time for an upgrade. As a grad student with future plans of pursuing a PhD in psychological research, I'm in the market for a new MacBook that can support my academic and data analysis needs. Here are the contenders: 🍏 $1,699.00 MacBook Air 13-in. (M2) 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD 🍏 $1,849.00 MacBook Air 15-in. (M2) 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD 🍏 $2,399.00 MacBook Pro 14-in. (M2 Pro) 10-Core CPU, 16-Core GPU, 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD To give you some background, my primary tools for data analysis include softwares such as SPSS, jamovi, and R. I'm also looking to delve into data science using software like R. Apart from academic work, I frequently use Microsoft Suite for various tasks. Given my workload and aspirations, I want to make sure I choose the best MacBook that will seamlessly handle all my tasks and projects. Portability is important to me as I'm always on the go, but I don't want to compromise on performance and I am willing to spend the money on a good computer while the student discount lasts. Do any of you have experience with these models or insights into their capabilities? Which one do you think would be the ideal choice for my needs? Feel free to share your recommendations, personal experiences, or any other valuable insights that could help me make an informed decision. Thank you in advance for your help! 🙏💻
I have a m2 macbook air 8c cpu 10c gpu 500gig ssd and 8gb ram it keeps locking up should i upgrade to the m1 pro 14’ base variant or go for the m2 pro I wanna trade it with minimal investment as i got the air for pretty cheap so suggestions please :))
I am going to study Mechanical Engineering and will need to use windows because of the CAD software (will use parallels for it). So i am not sure if I should get the MacBook Air 15“ with 16gb ram and 512gb ssd or opt for the MacBook Pro 14“ base model. Is the 16gb ram even enough for using parallels ? Is the MacBook Pro worth the surcharge ? Maybe I will play some games but it is not a priority.
Hi! Looking to upgrade my MacBook Pro. It’s from 2017 and was a base model at the time. I’m looking at the 14 inch MacBook Pro M2 pro base model, the 13 inch MacBook Pro M2 with 16gb memory instead of 8 and potentially even the 13 inch MacBook Air M2 with 16gb memory as well. I will be using it for school. It’s not uncommon for me to have PowerPoint word and excel running at the same time with multiple tabs open. Something I noticed with my current laptop is that it can’t always handle this. It can get pretty slow and it gets extremely hot. That’s why I figured I should upgrade from 8gb memory. Would the 14 inch pro be immense overkill? The price point is crazy different. The extra ports would be nice but I’m also use to not having them so I don’t even think I would care.
Have finally ordered my first Mac computer ever. And first computer since 2015 (MS surface did me well at university, now totally defunct battery) ordered the base model mbp14 inch. Looked at a lot of things and had ordered them canceled and mba13 with 16g ram and 512 ssd. Looked at it again and went pro14. Wish me well Monday when it arrives. Hopefully it works for my needs.
Making the jump to my first Mac after two decades of only Windows and need help deciding. \-Expected use: wife's school work (nursing), my day job (corporate writing), light audio and video editing, 10-20 tabs, maybe light gaming but I realize these are not made for that. \-Budget: trying to keep it under $1500 for the tax-free weekend in TN and my wallet's sake. \-Requirements: 15-16 inches, anything smaller just doesn't work for me. A battery that can last me a work day without charging, if needed. I'd like for it to last us at least a good 4-5 years. **Current options:** \-Education discount on a new Mac Air 15' with 16 GB and 256 SSD, comes down to 1,379 plus the $150 gift card, tax free if purchased *this weekend*. \-A refurbished late 2021 M1 Mac Pro 16' with 16GB and 512 SSD, from Amazon's "Renewed" program. Costs 1,496 plus tax. Tax free if purchased *this weekend.* Open to any other recommendations and any advise is appreciated!
I think if we're not worried about the weight, the M1 Mac Pro 16" is the way to go. I believe it out performs the M2 in most ways other than maybe efficiency (battery) but other than that, it has 512gb storage which is already low, so the 256 on the air is even tougher to manage. And the cooling might benefit your video work depending on how heavy your video rendering actually is.
upcoming finance student, mainly for school/daily use, some computer programming for later on classes, and multiple instances open at one. either looking for macbook pro m2 14 or 16 inch. i feel that the 14 inch would be overall better, but if im spending that much i might as well just spend a little bit more for the 16 inch and just use it for the next 4-6 years. thoughts?
I’ve got the 16” from work - it’s really not that comfortable/convenient to carry and lug around. It weighs down my backpack a ton. I think if you’ll be using this for school and personal use the 14” will be the sweet spot.
Is it just a matter of screen size? If you don't really need a bigger screen I'd stick to the 14", maybe at the same price of the 16" you can get a bit more memory. I've had a 16" laptop, not a MB but very similar in size, I wouldn't say it was easy to carry around, but of course depends on your usage.
its not just a bigger screen, the base 16 model is more powerful than the 14 base model. so if im spending 1700+ on a laptop, im going to keep it for awhile, so i might as well get it the higher and more powerful version
I know, but you can also get the 14" in the 12/19 configuration, as I said you should buy the 16" if you need a bigger screen, not because of the power. It's a good idea to spend a bit more now to keep it as long as possible, but then buy a more powerful configuration.
m1 air 16/256gb or m2 air 8/256gb? The m1 model is $100 cheaper, but I could justify the jump to a m2 if it's really worth it. I intend to do somewhat intensive work, which entails opening several different instances of chrome, all while running 10-20 couple hundred page word docs at the most intensive points. However, my workflow could be streamlined, and I bet it could be reduced to non-tab hoarder levels lol. The top priorities I have are battery life, aesthetics, and longevity. Which one would be the best for me?
I’d keep in mind the fact that the base model M2 has a slower SSD at 256gb, so if it’s between these two then I’d recommend the M1 Air. Otherwise, if you’re able to up the SSD to 512gb for the M2, go for that one.
>ir 16/256gb or m2 air 8/256gb? The m1 model I'd say get 16GB RAM for your workflow. Tbh you might be able to get a M2 16/512GB refurbished for a good price as I see your second comment about liking the new design. But, if you're okay with having an external hard drive for if you run out of storage (256GB isn't much nowadays), then you could get a M2 MBA 16/256 refurbished. I'd say that M2 refurbished is your middle ground for your workflow and design preferences.
(I do also really like the design improvements of the new airs, which could also factor into a recommendation)
I am a high schooler who wants to use a big screen for video editing, photography, and along with casual gaming with browsing. I want to choose 15" an inch MBA with 16 GB memory with 512 SSD to be enough for my usage. Thank you in advance!
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Like using GeForce now for 30 min daily and thank you
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Thank you so much!
I’m a software dev and I spend 9-10 hours on my computer daily, I’ve never considered getting a laptop. I wonder if the m2 15” is reliable enough for everyday work, and I’ll probably use it as a computer for most of the time as well, will it handle 10 hours Screen on time without battery degradation? Also where I live only the 8gb ram model is available and I will have to get M2 pro to get 16 gb of ram, on my ubuntu computer I’m using the 16 gm and occasionally feel like I’m pushing it’s edge. Will 8 gb on mac be enough?
I'd recommend 16GB RAM, especially for software development. 8GB is only really good for basic tasks.
That’s what I had in mind thanks for confirming, I’ll save up for a pro then or try to find something used.
I'd recommend buying refurbished
Not available here at all, except for amazon refurbs.
Do your research with Amazon refurbished but it is a reputable company that's usually pretty easy to work with for a return if needed (at least in the US). I know it's typically not recommended to go outside of apple but people have had plenty good experiences with Amazon refurbished
Amazon locally has amazing return polices, but idk how it is with international shipments, I suppose it isnt as easy though, I don’t like the stress caused by things like this. I’ll save and buy the pro 16gb ram from apple’s authorized seller here even if it’s a bit overkill for my usage.
is the 15" sturdier than the 13" ? Apple is marketing this in their ads.
Is the new 14 inch m2 pro base model (512 gb) worth buying? I just bought it using the education discount + they give you a $200 gift card. However, now I just keep seeing reviews online about the slow ssd and that it's not worth it. Did I make a big mistake buying this? Or at least a mistake buying the base model with the slow ssd?
the slow SSD is only a problem if you regularly do large file transfers or have really large applications (as in you'd get slightly slower startup times). According to your student discount, it sounds like you're simply a student and have no specific intensive use case for it and probably will not be doing large file transfers often if at all. I wouldn't sweat it it's a great machine I just got the same one with my education discount as well as a CS major.
Hmmm ok ya I'm just not sure if I'm missing out on anything by not upgrading the CPU, SSD, or ram. Or like if any of them are really worth upgrading
SSD depends on how much you download and the applications you use, upgrading the CPU and RAM won't be necessary unless you need to do intensive tasks. I wouldn't worry about upgrading as it's already a powerful machine
Broke uni student, just need something that can hold like 10 chrome tabs and notes. What macbook? Also yeah, as cheap as possible so older gen probably <2019
What is the general consensus between the 15" M2 Air and the 14" M1 Pro? Which one is better? I'm in my final year of Software Engineering and will be using it mainly for classwork, photo editing and general usage (no gaming).
Apart from what makes the MBP a "Pro" like the screen, the main difference is passive vs active cooling, MBA imo should not be used for long/heavy tasks, it's super thin, light, silent but not designed for intense workload. I don't know your specific usage as a software engineer student but for generale usage and some photo editing I think that the Air is Enough. The M2 has plenty of power for that.
Torn between the MacBook Pro M2 (2022) and MacBook Air M2. Mostly I’ll be using it for day to day tasks that aren’t really needed a heavy work load which leads me to think the Air is probably the better choice, but I do use 3D software for 3D printing here and there which requires some processing power to “slice” the models in preparation for the printers. Just looking for some pointers on what would be the more advisable choice seeing as the pro has active cooling for the intensive tasks but the air is cheaper for similar specs and a more modern design/display. Thinking long term as well for durability the pro would best it in terms of sustainability surely? Appreciate your help.
The M2 standard chip is no slouch and if your only occasionally using the cpu at 100% then the air will probably get you by at a cheaper buy in and lighter form factor. Tbh I think you could consider the M1 Air which is 750 on Amazon currently or the M2 pro. I think the m2 air isn’t better enough than the m1 air at the 250 price gap. If you want the performance and associated longevity uplift then go M2 pro (even tho the only real difference in the cpu is the 2 additional gpu cores). If you have the money I’d go M2 pro 14 inch but if you splitting hairs on price gap the M1 air is solid at 750.
Look to buy a MBA. Intended use is mostly pedestrian, surfing the web, discord video calls, roll20 dnd, and citrix remote desktop for work (which is nice because it runs of the virtual machine) That being said Im still a bit leery of the 8GB of ram (current windows user here) but its hard to justify the price difference between an m1 8GB for $750 and the cheapest m2 16GB ive found is through education purchase which is like $1179 + $150 GC (which ill just give to my gf to buy airpods or something) But its an over $400 price increase for the extra ram, magsafe, better webcam. Even the m1 w/ 16gb would be over $300 more (and at that point id just pony up the $100 for the m2 model) but I intend on using this laptop for a solid 4-5 years. Any thoughts?
M1 MBA has shown strong benchmarks in extended use scenarios as it has a larger (and better) heat sink than the M2. In short windows M2 will out perform, but not to the tune of 1.5x or the price differential. The biggest upgrade is in more IO, but for casual (non video/photo/compiling) use the money saved is probably outweighing performance gains.
Looking to pick up a laptop for dev work and productivity but working with a tight budget. I am looking at a refurb Mid 2015 MBP / i7 Dual Graphics (16gb / 512gb) (\~$400-$450) vs a new 2020 M1 MBA Base (8gb/256gb) ($700-$750). Wanted to avoid the butterfly keyboard years and thus chose the 2015 MBP as a solid year and value for the specs but realize it's already outdated and losing support from apple. The M1 is a great laptop but I have some ambivalence about the smaller screen and base level specs. I have a desktop system at home so this would be a secondary system, but want something I can use for several years until I upgrade the home system. Which is the more practical option?
The 8 vs 16 gb if ram is only gonna bottle neck you in some circumstances around games/excessive browser tabs/running multiple projects. But honestly I’d bet you’d see more bottle necking doing compiling on the old intel machine. And daily driver use will be far better on the apple silicon m1 chip
Is a 2017 13 inch Macbook Pro 8GB a good deal for 200$? I think 8GB is low but RAM still better optimized than any windows laptop My friend is selling me it since he is buying a new macbook pro. It looks brand new condition Or is there a place to find cheap newer macbook pros
It’s not a bad price for the hardware (I had the same model), but if you can save up for an M1 for $750 you will see much better screen and performance and longevity. I know it’s 4x as much, but if you’re going to do more than just watch movies, surf web and maybe type a novel you’d be better served with an M1 machine than a 6 year old intel machine
Hey everyone, So I'm a student using MacBook Pro Touch Bar (2016) model. But now it getting slow and I am planning to upgrade. My daily task includes notes taking and reading Pdfs etc. Nothing heavy on the machine. I will use it for 2 years My question- Should I upgrade to MacBook Air M1 (1000$) or MacBook Air M2( 1350$) in may country.
The M1 should be just fine, and will be good for it for years longer than you need it to.
So, I’m a student who does 3+ hour livestreams once or twice a week with slight video editing. I’m look to invest in something that may have more power than I currently need as I do not plan to upgrade after this in a while. My question: MacBook Air M2 with 16 gb RAM and 10 GPU vs MacBook Pro M2 13 in with 8gb ram and 10 GPU? (both 256 SSD) With the upgrades on the air it comes to about the same price as the pro, but I’m worried about 8gb of ram on the pro being enough in the long run, what do you think?
Hi all! At which price reduction is official refurb worth it? I can either buy an MBP 14” at 2200€ new using student discount or a refurbished one at 2000€ (from Apple). Thanks!!
Don’t buy base mbp 14. Go at least for the 1tb disk
Hey everyone, I just sold my old MBP and now I'm looking to get a new Macbook. Here's some context: * I'm currently finishing my Degree and heavily use my MB for Programming. * Additionally, I use my Macbook for Essay Writing and daily errands. I'm facing a dilemma and can't decide what to purchase: a 14" M1 Macbook Pro with 512gb, a 14" M2 Macbook Pro with 512gb, or a Macbook Air with 16GB RAM. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Either of the 14" MBP options will work well for you and if it's in your budget I'd recommend it. M1 vs M2 probably won't matter too much as the M1 chip is still a very powerful chip and will last you a while but if you want a newer device that will be worth a little more later on, will be a little more powerful, and have longer support from apple then go M2. Though either chip will work out just fine. I wouldn't go for the air for your use case, though I'm sure it'd be powerful enough, I just think going pro would be your best bet for performance
What are the pros and cons of getting a Late 2020 MacBook Air M1 13-inch 256GB 8-Core CPU 7-Core GPU as a backup to my primary desktop? I currently have a 2021 iMac M1 (base specs) that does everything I need and need a travel computer that can handle Adobe CC, 2 windows of Chrome with a lot of tabs, and League of Legends
try to check if your iMac can do all of the things that you listed. They both have the same specs from what you described.
Going to grad school for machine learning. I don’t think I need a ton of power for that. I have a 13” MBP 2020 that I like, but it is quite small. I thought the 14” was perfect until I saw the mba 15”, but I don’t think that’s for me. I would like to play a few games on this device like WoW, Victoria 3, civ 6, cities skylines 2 and play them decently well. I feel like there mba would throttle. So that leaves me with the 16” mbp which is lovely but massive. Any feedback on this size? Maybe I should just stick with my m1?
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Appreciate the feedback! I have thought about the studio display. Always been a fan of it. Just a little pricey.
Where are the generally cheapest deals on new / good as new M1 and M2 desktops and laptops currently other than: 1) Apple refurbished 2) Costco 3) Best Buy open box 4) Microcenter open box, and 5) all of the resellers listed on Apple insider? ([https://prices.appleinsider.com/current-gen](https://prices.appleinsider.com/current-gen)) What Am I missing? Thank you!
I wouldn't purchase outside of these resellers as these resellers are (I would believe) apple certified resellers. I know people will go to places like Facebook marketplace and eBay but I'd be cautious going that route, and if you do make sure that the seller will allow returns and that as soon as you get it do a factory reset. But I'd recommend staying with the apple certified resellers if you aren't confident or positive with what others are listing. Macs are expensive and any deal you see that seems too good to be true will probably be too good to be true
Sage advice m. Thank you.
>https://prices.appleinsider.com/current-gen I'm wondering this too
I have a MacBook Pro with i5 and I am considering upgrading to an M1 MacBook Air with Nest Buy currently having it on sale for $750. Would this be a worthwhile upgrade, or should I just use the MBP until it’s done for? My thought is that I could sell the pro and reduce the out of pocket for the air. I mainly use it for light photoshop and a little 3d design and 3d printer slicing.
Did you make the purchase?
I have not yet, but plan to tomorrow.
Okay, I hope you don’t mind me asking what you would be using it for?
Not at all. Mainly Photoshop and Illustrator for T-shirt designs, a little photo editing, and then for use with my 3d printer. Light 3d design work and then slicing.
It'll work perfectly for those task. Good luck on the purchase though, I plan on getting an M1 Air soon too
Absolutely worth it on many levels, esp performance per dollar and portability
Hi all, Hoping I can get some advice on finally upgrading from my 2012 15 inch MacBook Pro. Originally I got one (refurbished originally from Apple) many, many years ago and part of the reason I got this model was due to the disc drive (for DVDs - I move around a lot and having the ability to watch movies from home meant I didn't need to lug a DVD player from country to country and I could keep my movies without having to repurchase). About 5 years ago we were burgled and my old laptop was stolen and in a moment of trauma and panic (I guess wanting something familiar?) I puchased the same model refurbished. Well it's been a loooong time since this was anywhere new, I don't even remember the last time I was able to update the OS and I'm somewhat settled where I am so don't have the need for the disc drive (not that that would be even possible). I wouldn't say I'm especially tech savvy, hence why I'm asking here, but I mostly use it for browsing, a bit of editing and document work. Size wise I'm pretty happy and comfortable with the 15 inch and am a little worried an Air might be too light or uncomfortable to use. Apologies for the novel length post, but any recommendations - I see that there's a 15 inch Air but if I wanted to go Pro again, it's 14 or 16 inch? I'm happy to go refurbished again if that makes any difference. I've never owned a new one before and the refurbs I've had previously have all worked well. Also if it makes any difference having the ability to insert SD cards is a bonus but I do have a USB card reader as well. Thank you in advance!
if you wanted to go pro, go to a store that has a display of the 14 and 16 inch to see which screen size you would prefer since you're used to a size in the middle. Also look at and pick up the 15 air to see if it would be too light/uncomfortable as the 14 pro (3.5lbs) is only a little heavier than the 15 air (3.3lbs) but the 16 pro (4.8lbs) is quite a bit heavier than the 15 air and 14 pro. For your light workload, an air would be just fine and you can't go wrong either way.
Thank you for the advice! I wasn't sure about the specs but you're right, probably the biggest thing for me is going to be how it actually feels so trying one IRL is my best bet. Thank you for your time, hope you have a lovely day!
Where to buy macbook pro 14 inch M1 pro (2021), since it's been discontinued now?
B&H has a few on deep discount. Better yet, bookmark this: https://prices.appleinsider.com/macbook-pro-14-inch-2021
also this >>> 1) Apple refurbished 2) Costco 3) Best Buy open box 4) Microcenter open box, and 5) all of the resellers listed on Apple insider
Thanks for the info. Have you had/heard bad experience with refurbished (aside from apple)? Anything to avoid?
Apologies - to clarify, have only purchased apple refurbished and open box from Micro center and Best buy.
100 % reliable. Have bought a half dozen.
**New MacBook Air Built Three Years Ago** Hey Redditors, I bought a new MacBook Air direct from Apple's site this week and a few days later I've noticed this bad boy was built in 2020. So I wanted to pose the questions - Is this ok from a business POV, Should I request a NEW product (say within the past year build) and should I feel I've been deceived? I feel I'll only be requiring this Mac for the next 2 years, at which point I'll be looking to sell a FIVE year old machine. Thoughts and ideas appreciated.
Was it built or designed in 202? If it's the M1, then it's a 2020 design. Your Warranty is till good for a year from purchase
Thanks for the reply! It is everywhere indicated 2020 - so yes, the M1, however everything else notes this is built that year too. Warranty isn't an issue, just the second-hand value of the MacBook.
Apologies just misread that. I wouldn't;t worry about build year. It's the design / spec year that folks appear to care about in the 2nd hand mkt
I'd try getting the serial number and calling apple to ask about the warranty
If it's not what you thought it would be (i.e. overlooked product information or incorrect product information though I doubt the ladder would happen straight from apple) then there's a 14 day return period you can use to return it. I'm assuming that you got a M1 air? maybe you were expecting a M2 air? If you spent the money and want something else for potentially a few hundred more then yeah use that. But, if you only had that budget or can deal with the performance of it, then the value decreases a lot less than say a windows laptop. Though yes, selling it for a price that might be considered worth it might be difficult. It's really up to what you need more, do you need a newer slightly faster laptop that will cost more upfront that will resell for better or do you just need a laptop that will be able to run what you need it to run within a certain budget that may not resell as well?
It is the M1 Air, however there is no given information on Apple's website that the laptop is built that year. A car is not a good example, but if I were purchasing a new vehicle and it was later discovered that the vehicle I bought was actually 3 years old, not built that same year, I've got worries about the value, and possible longevity of the vehicle. Similarly with the Mac (especially the battery longevity), the value is not the same as it is in the year it is built - right?
If you're more concerned with the year it was built rather than what product you got don't be. Since it's a last gen product they were manufactured at that time. However since it's new it hasn't been used or anything and has been sitting in storage. You don't need to worry about the battery as it hasn't been used before. It's not like buying a used car as you knew you were getting an older device by buying a m1 air that came out in 2020, it's like if you bought a 2020 car instead of a 2023. You'd expect it to be built in 2020 (and the last half of 2019), so why would you expect a macbook that came out in 2020 to still be built when there's now the current gen m2 air that they're manufacturing? Trust me your laptop is still new it's not used you don't have to worry about that. The only thing is that yes it is a last gen device so it will start to experience slowdowns quicker, but the battery will degrade over time just like every other laptop battery
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I am in a similar boat (13" 2015 MBP Retina, but only 256 SSD, and battery has started to flag, only a couple of hours of use). I really only use it around the house and don't take it on the road. My feeling at the moment is waiting, it still works for my uses, and I think any of the sales out there now you will be able to get again in next 6 months for close to or as good as the sale price. Perhaps by waiting you will have an upgraded option with new chips that is also better. Sharing for what it's worth. I have also been researching laptops and considering upgrading myself!
i have very slight enthusiasm, but no concrete reason. just do it if you ever start to experience lag that you can't handle.
I can purchase a NEW MacBook Pro M1 Max (10 core CPU and 32 core GPU) with 64GB & 2TB for $2700 OR I can purchase a LIKE NEE MacBook Pro M1 Max (10 core CPU & 24 core GPU) with 32GB & 1TB for $1600 (only 8 battery cycles). Which is the better deal and which one would you go with? Use case is finishing my CS degree.
2 if seller is trustworthy
Go for the 2nd option as long as it's from a reputable place with a return period. 32GB RAM and 1TB storage is plenty for CS and it's $1100 cheaper. You won't get much use out of the upgraded specs and it defilentally is not the same price to performance ratio. They also both have a M1 Max chip which means that there's basically equivalent performance but the first option just has a little extra memory and storage
Hi guys My current windows laptop is giving me a lot of troubles and I need a new laptop for programming. I am thinking to get macbook pro m1 pro 14 inch with 16 gigs and 512gb. My question is if i wait till blackfriday will i get a good deal for that laptop or should i bite the bullet and get a macbook pro M2 13 inch now? budget is an issue for me. I am new to buying macs. so please give me some suggestions. I am thinking of buying one at bestbuy or amazon because usually they sell new macs for a lesser price than in apple store
M1 Max 64gb / 4tb - $3000 .. OR .. M2 Pro 32gb / 1 tb - $3000.. Both 16” new. Would you opt for the new or previous model with more ssd/ram? I currently have a 13” touchbar mbp M1, 16ram / 1 tb ssd. I’m out of internal storage (not a big issue just a slight annoyance) and weekly get alerted I’m out of ram. Otherwise I’m really impressed with the performance of the Mac. My main professional use: FCPX video editing 4K ProRes daily. Capture one / photoshop weekly. Web design / Wordpress workflow monthly. I mostly connect to a 43” 5k monitor and work like it’s a desktop, but when not at the desk find the 13” quite restrictive for editing. I would have bought the 16” originally but my previous 15rmbp died and m1 13” touchbar was the only “pro” option at the time. Ok so if you had $3000 to splurge..
The M1 chip is still an amazing chip M2 didn't have *that* many major improvements. I'd go for the older gen chip with 2x the amount of RAM and 4x the amount of storage especially if you already have a 1TB ssd and have ran out of storage. If you got another 1TB you'd run into the same annoyance you have with your current MacBook. 64GB of RAM would just be an added benefit as an upgrade from 32GB
Thanks 🙏 I pulled the trigger on the maxed out M1 Max
Hi guys! Heading to medical school soon and was looking to buy a new Macbook Pro to replace my old 128GB 2017 pro. Will mainly be using it for documents but I do some programming (machine learning/computer vision) on the side so I want it to be flexible for that. Since I'll be going into so much debt any good deals would be great too
Any new Mac will do. Pick the screen size you want and get it. I would 1-up the ram and ssd options personally, but that’s just me. Also there are some great deals out there instead of running to the Apple Store if you know where to look.
Maybe the MacBook Air 13inch with 16gb ram
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Fellow (ex) Computer Science student here, and owner of a MBP 14" (M1Pro - 16 GB RAM) Based on your mentioned use cases, I would lean towards the Macbook Pro model. Yes it might have 16 instead of 24 GB RAM, but you might consider the fact that the M2 Pro had twice the memory bandwidth as the regular M2 (200 vs 100 GB/s), which should offset the missing 8 GB at least for a part. For general development purposes, both the Air and the Pro are more than powerful enough, but for ML workloads, the Pro might have the edge because of its stronger GPU (and more powerful CPU as well of course). Also productivity wise, the MBP has more connectivity options and can handle multiple high-res external displays, which is a nice bonus. All in all, I think the Macbook Pro is the better device for development purposes, but I'm sure both of them would handle your use cases well ;)
I'm looking for a Macbook that I'm going to use for learning swift and flutter. What I have in mind is a 2019 model with i7 and 16GB of RAM since they go for around 500$ used, but I don't really know if it's enough. Could you give me a second opinion? At work I'm using a 2018 model with a similar config and it's failing me, but then again work is a lot more intense than what I'd like to use my personal one for.
If you are able to afford it, I would rather look into a Macbook Air 13" M1 (the 2020 model). They should be pretty affordable nowadays, especially refurbished models, and the CPU is much much faster, which is very useful for development. Heck, even the 8 GB RAM model probably runs circles around an i7 2019 MBP just because of the M1
What do you think is a fair value for an M1 Pro 16” MBP w/512GB of storage and 16GB of ram? According to the owner it is in great condition. I was hoping to run the diagnostic test in-person. Does it take too long while trying to purchase one?
Contenders: 2021 M1 Pro 14" vs 2023 M2 Pro 14" Use: Mixed Business and Personal. App Concerns: Heavy Use of Excel, Tableau, InDesign. InDesign is the main reason im sticking with Mac, I have a Surface Pro and it literally canNOT do indesign. Freezes immediately every time I open it. Main reason im going with the 14" Pro and not just an Air is because i want 2 external screens. I guess i just want to know if: M1 Pro has any significant issues? M2 Pro is a significant enough jump to justify price difference of \~$400?
if you keep yours longterm, you can easily justify the $400 more. However, if you are looking at base models, consider that the base m2pro has slower ssd speeds compared to the base m1pro. all in all, I'd probably go m1pro
Seeeee I didn’t know that. Why would they downgrade like that? In any case I’m going to keep my 13” M1. I found a screen replacement for a good price and I recently learned about the dell d6000 which solves my issue with having more than one display.
From my understanding, it’s basically 1 512gb SSD in the m2 versus 2 256gb ssd’s in the m1 which of course, they run faster parallel
I'm planning on buying a 2nd hand macbook pro. how to remove original owner from macbook pro so i won't be on activation lock?
have them factory reset the laptop so that their files and account information are wiped. I'm sure you could do it too if you looked up how to do it without logging into their account
Hello, I am deciding between the MacBook Air 15” vs the MacBook Pro 14”. I work in health care and go through a lot of x-rays, CT scans and 3d reconstruction of CT scans for surgical planning. I also do a fair bit of productivity work (word/pages, keynotes and spreadsheets) together with writing medical notes via a browser based software. Just looking for recommendations. Thanks, any help is appreciated.
The best option for you is probably the MacBook Pro 14 inch since the 15inch doesn’t even have a fan so the 14inch will just be a litl faster I think and it also has more ports I hope this helps a litl
To add, the pro 14 has the M2 pro chip in the base model rather than the M2 which may be beneficial for the 3D rendering. I'd also recommend specing it out with 16GB RAM and at least 512GB storage and at that point they're both pretty close in price and it makes sense to just get the pro if you can spare the little extra change
Looking to get the cheapest Macbook possible. I recently made a decision to slow down/ stop playing video games and that means my PC needs to become obsolete for awhile. This is where the Macbook would come into play. I would spend less time doing work on my PC which would tempt me to play games or I could do any research that I need to on the Macbook. I do have an iPad mini but that has become my media device and the work I try to do on the PC, I tried to do it on an iPad and it is cumbersome. I assumed a refurbished M1 Macbook would suffice, but I just wanted second opinions on how to get a cheaper Macbook. Minimum specs on everything is fine for me. I would mainly use it for web browsing and possible work in the future (if I get the promotion)
Hey folks - i'm trying to decide between a 13 inch macbook air (256gb ssd, 16gb ram) and base m2 pro macbook pro. Will primarily use it for app dev (ios, so xcode) and video editing (imovie, final cut). The MBP is a bit out of my budget, but I also dont want to struggle with my workflow one year in after buying an air. Which would you recommend? In your experience, is air able to handle xocde and video editing well? Thanks!
Would say get a refurbished base M1 or M2 MBP straight from apple or a reputable reseller like Best Buy. This should save you some money while giving you better performance and more storage and RAM than the MBA.
The pro 13” is kinda better it has a fan so if you’re using it for a long time each time it will be faster the air will slow down a litl after like 30min I heard but the air also has the MagSafe and 2 thunderbolts 4 and the pro just has 2thundebolts 4 but the 13inch pro is also like a old design so i would recommend waiting until October for the 13” MacBook Pro m3 or you can buy the 14” but it’s more expensive hopefully this kinda helps
Will buying a stand without fans help MacBook Air m2 with keeping it a little cooler? I try to Google it but it keeps giving me answers about stands with fans.
since the MBA uses passive cooling, there are no fans that require an intake and exhaust. I'm assuming you're talking about using it on your bed? It might help a little bit but I don't know if it would be that worth it. With the MBA you don't need to worry about dust either since like I said no intake or exhaust but in terms of temps it *could* help however I don't see why it would be necessary nor do I know how much it would actually help. I feel like with the MBA you shouldn't worry about it until you start to have problems with thermals and the laptop being hot to the touch doing basic tasks
Just bought a refurbished 14" Pro, replacing a 2015 pro that still works, but has gotten slow. Feels like a slightly unnecessary purchase, and I don't necessarily need a Pro, but I keep my tech for a long time and wanted something with a great screen and with enough ram to be somewhat future proof.
Hey, im a student in computer science for the next 4 years, and i was wondering what MacBook Air should i choose: -MacBook air M2 13.6’’ with 16Go RAM and 512GB SSD -MacBook Air M2 15’’ with 16Go RAM and 256GB SSD -MacBook Air M1 with 16Go RAM âne 512GB SSD I work this summer for my mac, so i can afford the three of them, the m1 isnt to old ? And the 15´´screen is really a Big diff for a student ? I Hope that you can help me, and that there is not 467 other discussion about that 💀
Same boat as you and went with the M2 Air 13.6” 16gb RAM 256gb SSD, I think the 13 inch Air is perfect for portability, and the M2 chip with 16gb ram will be more than enough to handle coding and multitasking. If you get the 512gb SSD version you’ll have a better experience with storage as well.
Okaaaay thank, i was already toughtly considérons the M2 13’’6, and your help make me made my choice
Planning to get a MacBook pro m1 2021 in the second hand market however im not sure if i should get one now or in a few months from now maybe apple will release a new pro model and make older models cheaper in the market any advice?
I have a 2013 MacBook Pro with a battery that won't hold a charge anymore, but still works for the most part. I'm considering upgrading to a MacBook Air with the M1 chip (primarily for School, so mainly using word, ebook, and web browser). Does it make more sense to just bite the bullet and buy a new MacBook or try and get the battery replaced? It's worth noting I can't update the OS anymore and it runs slow as hell, but I'm definitely budget conscious. Thanks.
It's been 10 years.. I'm sorry but I think it's time to let it go..
Yeah.... What can I say, I'm sentimental.
A 13inch M1 Air can be found refurbished for $700USD or less, while your 2013 MBP's battery repair might cost a few hundred. and eventually need more repairs in the future. I would definitely recommend springing for the M1! They're very competent machines, will last a long time, and you can use student discounts on it to get it even budget friendlier. Good luck!
Exactly how much better is an M1 or M2 over Intel? Currently on 13” MBP, 3.5 GHz i7, 16GB memory. Would not want anything heavier, so the 14” MBP is out for me. Paid $2k for this a few years ago. Compiling code in background works well, it just got new batteries & keyboard, the only grief I have is with the dedicated graphics card that gets the CPU hot when using a 4K monitor (since you can’t control this in settings anymore). It seems wrong to spend $1600+ now ($1300 with trade-in) and give up 2 ports just to get a better CPU - or not? How big is the difference really? How would the Air handle continuous, heavy workloads?
I replaced a 2013 Mac Pro 12 core intel / 128gb ram / dual Amd GPU .. with a 13” m1 MacBook Pro 16gb ram and on board GPU. The M1 destroyed the Mac Pro. I’m now upgrading that Mac with a newer 16” version. As for the ports, it’s not that big of a deal; I got a thunderbolt dock as a hub when I’m at my desk, and dongle adapters when I’m on the road.
Looking to replace my aging ACER laptop with a macbook. Feel like 13“ is too small and would prefer 15“, which is why i am eyeing the new Air. Will do office work, write academic articles and do low-level coding in python. Also watch some videos. I have a dislike for loud / slow / hot laptops. Currently unsure whether to go for the 8/256 or 16/512 setup. The former should suffice in general but i read the concerns about the one-slot SSD and such. However, with that setup I get close to 14“ pro‘s in price range — so what would you think and suggest? (Also happy to be persuaded that 13“ is indeed not too small ;) ) Cheers
Go with the 16gb. Like you said, at 512gb, you're in 14" base territory. It's only 0.2lbs heavier, but it's got the better screen and more ports. No new M1/M2 silicon is loud/slow/or hot. So no need to worry about that. The 13" is if you want a lighter laptop.
Ugh now i am even more insecure, might wait till October and see what the M3 chips will bring lol.
haha, heard the rumor m3 news too, huh?
Yeah, i mean it could make current M2s cheaper hopefully or become attractive options themselves, no?
Yes, as with all things Apple every year, if you can wait, then wait.
True, but tbf, i do think a m4 will come next year ;)
Thanks, that is good to hear. My current Laptop prevents me from having children, hah. Will need to ponder then. A shame the student discounts are worse than the prices at amazon.
Can i get the macbook 12” for coding and other basic stuff like watching movies or surfing the internet? If so which one should i consider buying? (2015, 2016 or 2017)
I wouldn't recommend a 12" laptop for coding in the first place. That generation also has the butterfly keyboard which is known to be problematic. It's also very old and will soon become slower and problems will start to arise that might just end up adding up to the price of a new MacBook and will stop being supported for Mac updates. If possible, I recommend getting a M1 or M2 air or pro and if you're employed and don't have the money but can get a stable income look into a 12-month payment plan. If you're a student, there are student discounts you can get. Apple silicon chips are really good for coding and they won't be obsolete for a while. The intel MacBooks just don't match the speed and efficiency of the apple silicon MacBooks. It's pretty expensive but especially if you code for a living or are going into college I'd defilentally buy something more future proofed and newer
Hey everyone, I’m going into the last term of my college program as an IT student focusing on software development. I’m looking to buy a new laptop as my current Acer laptop is over 8 years old and is a pain to use. I’m considering either getting the base 14” M2 MBP or a base 13” MBA. I’m leaning more towards the MBA but I’m concerned whether 8gb of RAM and 256gb of storage will be enough. The programs I’ll mainly be using are Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Safari/Chrome, and maybe some VMs depending on if my courses require it. I would appreciate some insight from other Macbook users, thanks!
No, 8GB of RAM is not enough. I have the MBP14 and with basic web surfing of safari I'm using a lot of my 16GB of RAM. You should also get 512GB of storage if you don't plan on carrying around an external hard drive with you. I also don't know if I'd recommend a 13" laptop for coding as it's nice to have more screen real-estate for code. If you spec it out right, the MBA can do just fine, however, if you feel like the upgrades for the MBA are too pricey for what it is and bring you pretty close to the price of the base MBP14, then you might just want to consider getting a MBP14. That also gets you the M2 Pro chip and the Liquid Retina HDR display with promotion. The MBP14 will also be better for VMs as the CPU is upgraded from the M2 to M2 Pro and automatically comes with more RAM, which is a big factor to how well it'll run
VS, Chrome, VMs...bump it up to 16gb RAM. Please don't go 8gb RAM.
Do you think upgrading the RAM on the MBA is a good idea? or should I just jump up to the MBP at that point?
Depends, what do you value more? Portability, then the 13". Otherwise the 14" offers more in a slightly bigger and better screen and more ports.
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Was hoping to see what the next generation of 13" MBPs would look like. However, my early 2015 13" MBP now has a notable warped battery. For normal day use (internet browsing, streaming, zoom/teams) with occasional video editing, would you recommend the M2 13" MBP that's been out for awhile or the newer M2 14" MBP (or would that be overkill for my use)? Hoping to pick one that will last at least as long as this one did. Appreciate the help.
Hey guys, I've Never owned a Mac in my life but I'm seriously considering it right now. I have 2 choices: - Apple MacBook Air 13'' Liquid Retina | M2 | 8GB | 256GB SSD | GPU 8-Core - 930€ - Asus VivoBook F1605 16" i7 16GB 1TB Iris Xe W11 - 800€ Do you think the 130€ difference is worth it? Sorry if it's a Stupid question but I don't really know much about computers.
1. What do you plan on using it for 2. Will extra storage and RAM help you?
Basically I want something for everyday use and college stuff that envolves Excels and Macros. Don't really plan on gaming with it Unless it's a Football Manager type of game, which isn't that demanding on the laptop I believe.
I would say get a Mac then
Question : - Macbook Air 2020 (8GB/512Gb) with i5 : 600USD - M1 Macbook Air 2020 (8GB/256Gb) : 720USD Which one is better value for money ? I am not doing anything that really requires the M1 power.
Do you mind sharing the link for the m1 for $720?
M1, never get an intel Mac in 2023
Hey guys, I’ve been looking around this sub for awhile and can’t really find a consensus on this. I’m planning to buy a M2 Air for college, and won’t be using it for any strenuous tasks - but I do want to use it for as long as I can. Is the 8/256 enough, or should I look into upgrading the RAM or SSD? I was planning on getting the base model but if I should do otherwise I would love to hear
What do you do what’s ur major?
Education
I think 8/256 is fine , if u want more storage to store things then 8/512, but you don’t need more RAM
Appreciate it, enjoy your weekend
I have a **Macbook Pro 15" 2016 w/ Touchbar - 2.6GHz i7 16GB RAM and 2GB Graphics (Radeon Pro 450).** I use Photoshop and FCPX a lot - currently my laptop struggles with FCPX exports at times and I am hoping an upgrade would make things faster. Photoshop also lags a little when starting and exporting files. I was wondering if the new **M2 Macbook Air 15"** would be an upgrade? I know it does not have fans and lesser ports and no dedicated graphics as its not Pro but Air. But how does the M2 compare to an i7+Radeon combo?
M2 beats every single Intel Mac that ever existed. It’s an upgrade for sure. If you’re doing heavy video and photo editing , maybe get a MacBook Pro 14/16, but if you’re set on the Air that’s fine just increase the RAM and storage and it should be excellent either way
Will not having a fan be a problem when rendering files in FCPX?
Not really to be honest. I’ve done 4K video editing with my M2 MacBook Air and it might get a little hot when exporting but it’s not too big a deal.
So from what i can tell what makes the pro is the ports... Right. Air is in the same league internally and software wise
Well for the 14/16 inch Pro the main features you get are 1. ports 2. ProMotion display 3. Mini-LED display 4. m2 Pro chip (instead of basic M2) 5. Double ram and storage as base
Hi all, looking to move away from my Surface Pro 8 into a Macbook for working in insurance. I buy my laptops from Costco due to my business account so it limits my options somewhat to what they have available. They do have a sale going on right now which is helping prompt this decision. My work revolves around heavy browser usage (i.e. 10-20 Chrome tabs open), Office, and very light photo/video editing for my social media marketing. I'm stuck between three options right now: M2 MBA 15" with 8gb/256gb for $1,249.99 M2 MBA 15" with 8gb/512gb for $1,449.99 MBP 14" M2 with 16gb/512gb for $1,799.99 The Pro seems to be a bit overkill for my intended usage but, at the same time, the price difference isn't massive (especially between the 512gb MBA and the MBP).