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2010 MacBook Pro OS X EI Captain - New Replacement Laptop

M

MacBookpro2011

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 19, 2017
133
70
Ontario, Canada
My current 2010 MacBook Pro is on its last legs, I use it for mainly spreadsheets; editing photos taken from my DSLR; stock trading and general internet stuff. I do no gaming at all. Would the current MacBook Air M2 be a good upgrade from my current model based on what I use it for. I like the 13 inch screen size and it fits perfectly in my Dslr equipment bag for travelling. Thanks for any input.

Based on my current 2010 i will likely own it for a while. Locally the prices between the 2 here in Canada ar:

MacBook Air M2 $1,500 - $1,900
MacBook Pro $1,700 - $1,950 give or take a small amount.
 
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Yes, the M2 MacBook Air would actually be perfect. You could also go with an M1 if you don't care about the somewhat small performance loss. I have an M1 Air and I really love it—I use it for a diverse range of work, from super basic web browsing to 3D rendering, and it holds up quite well with minimal throttling most of the time.
 
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rm5 said:
Yes, the M2 MacBook Air would actually be perfect. You could also go with an M1 if you don't care about the somewhat small performance loss. I have an M1 Air and I really love it—I use it for a diverse range of work, from super basic web browsing to 3D rendering, and it holds up quite well with minimal throttling most of the time.
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Thanks for the post, I will see if they have a M1 available they likely will be a fair bit cheaper and do the job.
 
Based on pricing the M2 Air doesn't make much sense compared to the 14" Pro. But the M1 Air will certainly do the job and cost considerably less, so I'd really choose between the M1 Air and the 14". I'd get a 16GiB model, at least Lightroom eats memory for breakfast, but 8GiB is very little for a new computer in 2022 regardless. If you find the price difference to the 14" small enough, the 14" has better hardware all around and will always be the more satisfying and faster experience. But it is heavier, even though it is small enough to fit in most 13" laptop pockets, so that's a tradeoff if you have to carry the weight yourself.
 
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Processing power to edit, yep. What are you currently using with the 2010 MBP? If you're picky about colour accuracy however and don't plan using an external display, then the MBP might be a better choice.
 
Alpha Centauri said:
Processing power to edit, yep. What are you currently using with the 2010 MBP? If you're picky about colour accuracy however and don't plan using an external display, then the MBP might be a better choice.
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I don't use an external display, my camera gear is professional level so I have no issues with post editing etc.
 
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Alpha Centauri said:
Processing power to edit, yep. What are you currently using with the 2010 MBP? If you're picky about colour accuracy however and don't plan using an external display, then the MBP might be a better choice.
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Is there a big difference between the MBP M1 & M2? I have read articles that seem to differ, no surprising mind you.
 
MacBookpro2011 said:
Opinions on this one to replace my current 2010 MacBook Pro Storage 500 GB Memory 4GB installed.

https://www.staples.ca/products/299...hip-256-gb-ssd-8-gb-unified-memory-space-grey
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No, you need 16 GB of RAM. That's a weird price hike there at Staples—you should be able to buy a 16/256 for $1,100, as I did.

Here's proof (this is BRAND NEW by the way):

You could also look used on eBay if you want to save money.
Screen Shot 2022-10-21 at 7.19.17 AM.png
 
MacBookpro2011 said:
Is there a big difference between the MBP M1 & M2? I have read articles that seem to differ, no surprising mind you.
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You mean the 13", right? The main reason the M2 MBP is uninteresting is that it's nearly as expensive as the 14", yet it's slower and has the older hardware design. It's not that much faster than the cheaper M1 MBP either, although that isn't being manufactured anymore and will be hard to find now. So in between the cheaper 13" M1 MBP and the 14" the 13" M2 MBP has simply no good reason to exist. To add injury to insult, the M2 chip also runs hotter (the slightly faster speed is in parts achieved by higher clock speeds which generates more heat), thus increasing fan noise and reducing battery life.
 
MacBookpro2011 said:
MacBook Air M2 $1,500 - $1,900
MacBook Pro $1,700 - $1,950 give or take a small amount.
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If you're already used to the 13" form factor and you can live with two ports, the M2 is a great computer but I would verify that your software does work on the ARM platform. It should, but if you're going to spend almost 2k on a laptop you'll want to be sure.

I bought my 14" MBP prior to the release of the M2 MBA, had I waited, the M2 would have been a very tempting option. IT may not matter to you, and the budget may be beyond what you're willing to pay, but the 14" MBP does have a number of advantages over the MBA. Faster processor, active cooling, better display (larger, mini-led, faster refresh rate), more ports, including an SD card, and HDMI.

The 13" M2 MBP could be an option, you get all of the speed of the M2 but the laptop has a fan. Most reviewers think that if you're going to spend that much money, then you're better off with the 14" Personally if I were to choose between the 13" MBP and MBA, I would select the MBA.

As others say 16GB of ram is a must, if not more. Also don't skimp on the storage, the 256GB is slower and in this day and age inadequate.

Good luck, and these are just the ramblings of an old man :)
 
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