Air or Pro for very long term programming/stats? First ever Mac.

[cmecmac]

- I'm currently beginner level programming (Python, Web Dev), but will soon be starting to really study extensively (i.e., in the future years my projects will grow)

- I begin a Maths+Stats degree in early 2026.

- I use Chrome very heavily

- I intend to occasionally play FM26 (whilst also having other apps/tabs running)

- I love the 16" Pro, the 15.3" Air is okay

- I intend to keep and use (for the above) for minimum 8+ years



As I understand it, my current workload (easier programming, not yet started the degree, FM26 not yet out) is perfectly fine for the Air, and the Pro would be overkill.

However, of course, will the Air be able to maintain this for 8, 9, 10+ years -- which I assume the Pro would quite comfortably (along with having higher sell-on value later)?


This will also be my first Mac.

Any help much appreciated. Thanks a lot.


----
Edit: I believe also the nano-texture display is better for longer viewing sessions? Which would only be possible on the pro.

 

[Bigwaff]

If you don’t foresee needing GPU cores for the bulk of your computing activities, an MBA with as much RAM as you can afford should suffice.

 

[theluggage]

- I'm currently beginner level programming (Python, Web Dev), but will soon be starting to really study extensively (i.e., in the future years my projects will grow)
- I begin a Maths+Stats degree in early 2026.

Rule #1: Work out exactly what you want/need to do then buy the hardware that does it. Nobody can really advise you with the level of detail you give.

An Air is perfectly capable of all sorts of development. Heck, a $100 Raspberry Pi is capable of all sorts of development. The justification for the higher-end Macs is now mainly heavier 4k+ video editing, 3D, AI training, serious photo work etc. so what matters is what you're developing. If you're seriously developing AI you may need shedloads of RAM and a massive GPU (maybe, specifically a NVIDIA one). If you want to develop Windows games you'll realistically need an x86 Windows PC - or, for Steam, maybe Linux with a supported GPU. Robotic control? Well, whatever has drivers for the hardware (that Raspberry Pi is looking good again).

As for the degree - you're unlikely to need anything specialist for Maths & stats (the natural medium for which is the chalkboard), but before you rush out and buy start the course - find out what (if any) software you need, find out what students in the next year are using & see what ideas it gives you for software. I doubt anything you need to do will outstrip the computing power of a MacBook Air in theory, but you want to be sure that the course is Mac Friendly unless you want to be the one coming up with the hacks to run PC specific software on a Mac.

Plus, it's not just the technical side: find out how many miles you have to walk with the laptop in your backpack, whether you've got a safe space to store it, what you can afford... Personally, I'd always go for the larger screen - but it may be that weight/portability is the issue.

However, of course, will the Air be able to maintain this for 8, 9, 10+ years

No, it probably won't. Nor will a PC - Microsoft are getting more aggressive about dropping support for older hardware (and it's not entirely greed - when everything is increasingly web-connected, security and compatibility patches are essential . That doesn't mean that your Mac will turn into a useless brick after 6 years - many people here are still rocking vintage Macs, but that it turns into a bit of a labour of love, and relies on you not wanting/needing to run the latest software, access the latest websites... which, if you're going into software development then you probably will.

If you want a 10 year computer, assemble your own PC tower and run Linux.

which I assume the Pro would quite comfortably

Maybe, maybe not. You don't know what's going to "break" your computer in 3-6 years time, but it won't necessarily be the lack of a couple of CPU/GPU cores (which only help for multi-threaded workloads) or 24GB rather than 32GB of RAM. Could be the lack of a USB-H port or a we-haven't-thought-of-it-yet engine (for what ever bubble takes over from LLMs) or that FM2028 has dropped Mac support... That's if it doesn't just plain wear out/get dropped etc. The 2030 MBP will probably have all of those things plus faster single-core processing (which will speed up everything), larger RAM options, faster SSDs, better display technology etc.

Not trying to be negative here - but with a new computer I'd plan for 3 years and hope for 5/6 years. Esp. when you're probably looking at finishing Uni and a career change in 3 years' time! If you want to sell, you'll get a better return selling it while it's still only 3 years old and can look forward to several years of active support.

For the base MacBook Pro you're getting exactly the same processor as the Air with a slight performance boost because of better cooling, and pretty much the same RAM options - its not going to be night and day faster, or last longer. You're also getting a larger/better screen and more ports which are probably stronger reasons to choose it.

For the MBPs with "Pro" and "Max" processors - I'd say you need specific jobs in. mind to justify the extra price. The extra cores can be night-and-day for some tasks, irrelevant to others.

Again, wait until you outgrow what you have & know what you need before spending money.

 

[cmecmac]

Thank you. Really appreciate your detail.

Rule #1: Work out exactly what you want/need to do then buy the hardware that does it.

I thought I did that!

Nobody can really advise you with the level of detail you give.

What else is there to add that's more relevant than what I already stated? This isn't me being funny, I'm just not sure what else would add any more than 10%. For example, some additional things I didn't state which would add more detail but I don't think would move the needle much, are:

- Weight is not relevant
- I won't be doing 3D/heavy video editing
- I won't be building Robotic arms
- I don't have to walk anywhere with it
- I have safe storage
- I could afford the top-spec M4 if I so chose, but that's not required

Again, wait until you outgrow what you have & know what you need before spending money.

I have, that's why I'm here! I'm currently typing on an ~8+ year old XPS 9560 that works okay for 80% of my day. But I'm getting deeper into programming now and it's consistently recommended to switch to Mac.


---

As said, appreciate your reply. I've also found the following 2 deals. What are your thoughts on them?:

1. M4 Air, 16/512, ~$1100
2. M3 Pro, 18/512, ~$1600

Again, main things are keeping it as long as I can while it still being able to handle the increasingly larger demands.

 

[cmecmac]

If you don’t foresee needing GPU cores for the bulk of your computing activities, an MBA with as much RAM as you can afford should suffice.

Thanks for your comment.

I've found these 2 deals, and am trying to think which is a better deal. What do you think?

1. M4 Air, 16/512, ~$1100
2. M3 Pro, 18/512, ~$1600

 

[DaveEcc]

M3 Pro was a bit confusing, as it's not clear if you meant the Pro CPU, or as shorthand for MacBook Pro, just as you mentioned Air as a short hand for MacBook Air... But as you're mentioning 16" in the original post, we can assume you mean the 16" M3 Pro MacBookPro, and not an 14" M3 MacBookPro...

M3Pro MBP:

• More RAM
• More CPU cores, (2 more performance cores, but they're slower...)
• More GPU cores (Geekbench shows a ~50% high graphics score)
• More memory bandwidth (150GB/s, vs 120)
• Better screen
• Better speakers
• One more Thunderbolt 4 port
• HDMI port
• SD card reader
• Has a fan, so can perform sustained workloads better

M4 Air:

• Better webcam (12MP vs. 1080p)
• Lighter (3.3lbs vs. 4.7)
• Higher CPU core speed... many apps will run faster (Single core is ~20% faster, Multi core is just ~5% slower)
• Newer so likely an extra year of support.

In terms of programming, either are overkill, and are comparable speeds unless you're recompiling Chrome the Linux kernel, which are notoriously extra-large, and the sustained load will favour the MBP.

What pushes towards the MBP are the extra RAM and GPU performance as you mention occasional gaming and Chrome (RAM hog) use, and having that extra USB port.

What pushes towards the Air is the single core speed, lightness, and a bit of longer support.

If you take up photography, or use SD cards on a development board like a Pi, having the port in the MBP will be handy, but you can always get an adapter later, but that will eat up a precious port unless you add a dock or hub, and then you start having to juggle add-on dongles.

If you want to use more monitors, the MBPs HDMI may be useful, but newer monitors will work via USB-C too, or you can get an USB to HDMI adapter... however again, you start to run out of USB ports.

 

[Bigwaff]

I've found these 2 deals, and am trying to think which is a better deal. What do you think?

1. M4 Air, 16/512, ~$1100
2. M3 Pro, 18/512, ~$1600

Like you, I tend to hold onto my devices for a very long time... and buy used. I find the used market to be such an incredible value right now with the flood of M1/M2 devices out there. If the deals you listed are within your budget, then you can find outstanding value out there for used M1/M2 Pro/Max MBP w/ 1GB+ storage and 32/64GB RAM configs.

 

[goldmac2006]

If you don’t foresee needing GPU cores for the bulk of your computing activities, an MBA with as much RAM as you can afford should suffice.

Upgrading the storage to 32GB and higher storage at its maximum can also be done.

But you have to order the MacBook Air from Apple.

If you really have to beef it up, get the MacBook Pro. Similar price but you get better display, the cooling needed for programming and engineering apps (even if in case you need to run virtualisation machines), and bigger GPU cores.

I had a friend end up getting the same specced MacBook Pro 14 inch M4 Pro with 48GB RAM as he regretted getting the air, said to me that it throttled too much and wasn’t worth it with his programming and LM studio stuff. He’s a computer science masters student

 

[cmecmac]

Like you, I tend to hold onto my devices for a very long time... and buy used. I find the used market to be such an incredible value right now with the flood of M1/M2 devices out there. If the deals you listed are within your budget, then you can find outstanding value out there for used M1/M2 Pro/Max MBP w/ 1GB+ storage and 32/64GB RAM configs.

Indeed. My only issue is:

1. I'm in Thailand, so there's slightly less options (i.e., no eBay or Amazon)
2. Support would run out much sooner on one of the older ones. Although saying that, anything M1+ should still be usable for 5 years, and I'd then be able to get a new one. Too many options. First world problems.

 

[theluggage]

What else is there to add that's more relevant than what I already stated?

Well, pretty much anything these days will let you write Python and do "web development" - that's really not what is creating your requirements. I slightly doubt that the growing complexity of your programming is what is slowing down your old XPS - it is more likely the growing bloat in modern Chrome or Electron-based development tools like VS Code. That's also something that will hit the likelihood of your "new" computer lasting for 10 years. Chrome has a reputation of being a RAM hog.

If you're coming from Windows - VS Code is well supported on Mac but 'MS Visual Studio' has no Mac equivalent. There is/was something confusingly called 'MS Visual Studio for Mac' which was something else entirely.

You do need to carefully check that all of the tools, libraries, Python modules etc. that you use have supported Mac versions or equivalents - most of the open source server-side favourites are fine and/or you can run them in Linux VMs (but it will be ARM64 Linux, not x86). Docker works (via Linux VMs, as on PC).

- Weight is not relevant

- I don't have to walk anywhere with it

- I have safe storage

OK, so that all makes the 16" MacBook Pro (which is quite a bit thicker and heavier than the Air) more attractive. You can easily supplement the storage with an external SSD - not so convenient if you're carrying it around a lot - so don't have to pay Apple's ridiculous premium for a 1TB internal drive.

- I won't be doing 3D/heavy video editing

Ok, so, you probably don't absolutely have to have a M4 Pro or M4 Max processor (the 16" MacBook Pro has M4 Pro anyway - the base 14" MacBook Pro has the regular M4. Why, yes, Apple has made it's processor and model naming confusing...

1. M4 Air, 16/512, ~$1100
2. M3 Pro, 18/512, ~$1600

I take it those are the 15" Air and 16" MacBook Pro respectively (since those are the models you mentioned?) If not, ignore the following!

I think @DaveEcc has summarised the differences.
I think it comes down to how much you want that extra 0.7" of screen on the 16" MBP.

If I had to choose, I think I'd reluctantly fall for the M4 Air, because:

(a) Doesn't sound like you're doing much in the way of multicore workloads. It's quite likely that the faster single-core speed of the M4 will beat the extra cores/bandwidth of the M3 Pro.

(b) The M4 is a current product - Apple's 5 year 'vintage' clock doesn't start ticking until they stop selling the product. After 5 years, Apple drops hardware/servicing support and that is loosely correlated with the earliest time that new major versions of MacOS will drop support for the model (it will still get critical updates for a few years). Not only is the M3 Pro already discontinued, so its clock is ticking, but the M3 series was relatively short-lived and may be bore likely to lose support 'early'.

(c) I don't think the extra 2GB RAM is going to save the day. Personally I wouldn't get less than 24 or 32GB of RAM on a machine that was going to be used for "development" - Chrome and Electron-based editors are memory hogs, as are virtual machines (always useful for development). Unfortunately - and this is the main issue with Macs IMHO - what would be $50 worth of future-proofing on a PC turns in to a $200-$400 build-to-order option on a Mac. At that price, you'll probably make do with 16GB and probably be quite OK.

 

[cmecmac]

@theluggage Hugely appreciate your time and knowledge. First post here and seems a brilliant forum (and site).

I guess I'll need to think about it. The 16" M3P would be so nice, but if the clock is ticking already then I wouldn't get close my preference of 7/8 year +.

I'll need to keep thinking and try to find a deal - as that's also a big part.

Thanks again!

 

[Bigwaff]

I guess I'll need to think about it. The 16" M3P would be so nice, but if the clock is ticking already then I wouldn't get close my preference of 7/8 year +.

You're over thinking this. Computers and software don't stop working when some arbitrary age is reached. Maybe you won't be on the latest version of macOS by year 7/8 but that doesn't mean your third-party software won't continue to support older macOS versions, e.g Chrome/Firefox/Python/VS Code/etc. It's likely you'll be able to use most recent versions of third-party software 3+ macOS versions behind. In addition, based on your admitted usage activities, you are probably Internet/technology savvy enough not to do idiotic/stupid stuff on the Internet and expose yourself to viruses/malware.

 

[cmecmac]

You're over thinking this. Computers and software don't stop working when some arbitrary age is reached. Maybe you won't be on the latest version of macOS by year 7/8 but that doesn't mean your third-party software won't continue to support older macOS versions, e.g Chrome/Firefox/Python/VS Code/etc. It's likely you'll be able to use most recent versions of third-party software 3+ macOS versions behind. In addition, based on your admitted usage activities, you are probably Internet/technology savvy enough not to do idiotic/stupid stuff on the Internet and expose yourself to viruses/malware.

You're over thinking this. Computers and software don't stop working when some arbitrary age is reached. Maybe you won't be on the latest version of macOS by year 7/8 but that doesn't mean your third-party software won't continue to support older macOS versions, e.g Chrome/Firefox/Python/VS Code/etc. It's likely you'll be able to use most recent versions of third-party software 3+ macOS versions behind. In addition, based on your admitted usage activities, you are probably Internet/technology savvy enough not to do idiotic/stupid stuff on the Internet and expose yourself to viruses/malware.

Sorry, yes I'm aware that they won't suddenly become non-functional. It's more-so the lack of later security updates. Of course we're all savvy, but *having* it is better than *not*!

And yes I potentially am. But it's my first laptop that I'm having to actually think about. My current one I had no real use case, I just liked the look of it and it was an easy decision. But now I'm having to think about my laptop's specs for the first time, and that's combined with not having any hardware knowledge *and* never owning a Macbook before and thus M1/2/3/4 is all brand new to me.

From what I am understanding, the M4A makes more sense as I get an extra year or two of (security) updates, and for my specific use-cases it will likely be faster (?).

 

[goldmac2006]

Indeed. My only issue is:

1. I'm in Thailand, so there's slightly less options (i.e., no eBay or Amazon)
2. Support would run out much sooner on one of the older ones. Although saying that, anything M1+ should still be usable for 5 years, and I'd then be able to get a new one. Too many options. First world problems.

Do you have any Apple authorised resellers at your country?
Also if you live near the two Apple Stores in your country then pop in there and check them out. I’d recommend not getting the M1 as when I was scouting for a Mac months before I got my first Mac earlier in the summer, many said it ain’t worth it for 5-years time.

 

[cmecmac]

Do you have any Apple authorised resellers at your country?

Yes, but only 2 branches. Both are within 10 minutes of where I am, but there'd be too much of a language barrier to discuss in the detail/depth I'd prefer (i.e., this forum).

Also if you live near the two Apple Stores in your country

I do not sadly. I'm in Phuket. They're both in Bangkok.

(Why on earth they don't have one in Phuket is beyond me. There's tonnes of tourists here, many of whom stay for years.)

 

[goldmac2006]

Yes, but only 2 branches. Both are within 10 minutes of where I am, but there'd be too much of a language barrier to discuss in the detail/depth I'd prefer (i.e., this forum).



I do not sadly. I'm in Phuket. They're both in Bangkok.

(Why on earth they don't have one in Phuket is beyond me. There's tonnes of tourists here, many of whom stay for years.)

Oh my goodness! It appears that it’s even farther away than traveling from Cupertino to Los Angeles! If it’s that far away, Apple should have opened a store there. Especially since it’s on the other side of the country.

If you’re interested in using the Apple education discount (although it may not be as substantial as third-party discounts, they do offer the student promo until the end of this month), here’s Thailand  website (🇹🇭). You can visit the Apple online store site here: https://www.apple.com/th/

I understand your preference for online shopping, especially if they’d ain’t particularly knowledgeable about Mac specifications and customization options. I believe your country has its own tech reseller sites. You can search for them here using your location: https://locate.apple.com/th/en/sale...42883301&lon=98.38768005371094&address=Phuket

 

[cmecmac]

If you’re interested in using the Apple education discount...

I'm not a student!

I believe your country has its own tech reseller sites. You can search for them here using your location:

They do, some of which are very close to me - but the point remains. That is, if I were to walk in and enquire about different configs or options etc, there's too great a language barrier for any meaningful conversation. I speak Thai, but not when discussing computer hardware ins-and-outs, aha.

--

I've also seen that the M5 is out soon. Crikey. Choice fatigue is real.

 

[goldmac2006]

I'm not a student!



They do, some of which are very close to me - but the point remains. That is, if I were to walk in and enquire about different configs or options etc, there's too great a language barrier for any meaningful conversation. I speak Thai, but not when discussing computer hardware ins-and-outs, aha.

--

I've also seen that the M5 is out soon. Crikey. Choice fatigue is real.

Wait a minute but you’d mentioned you’re applying for college, right? If you have your student id or an acceptance letter already if you got accepted then you can use it to get Apple education discount.

If their staff speaks a little bit of English then you can switch back and forth with talking about the specs and see what they have

 

[cmecmac]

Wait a minute but you’d mentioned you’re applying for college, right?

Yes, but in 2026 and with Open University, UK - it wouldn't be accepted here most likely.

If their staff speaks a little bit of English then you can switch back and forth with talking about the specs

I've done this already. It's not great. Besides, even if we both spoke the same language and had the same level of Macbook knowledge as shown on this forum, I wouldn't want to rush the decision whilst in the store - if that makes sense. Here, I'm sat down, relaxing in my own time trying to decide. At the store it wouldn't be as comfortable given I'm still 50/50, or perhaps 60/40 in favour of the M4 Air.

 

[goldmac2006]

Yes, but in 2026 and with Open University, UK - it wouldn't be accepted here most likely.



I've done this already. It's not great. Besides, even if we both spoke the same language and had the same level of Macbook knowledge as shown on this forum, I wouldn't want to rush the decision whilst in the store - if that makes sense. Here, I'm sat down, relaxing in my own time trying to decide. At the store it wouldn't be as comfortable given I'm still 50/50, or perhaps 60/40 in favour of the M4 Air.

Hey man, my friend who got his MacBook Pro with the Apple educational discount is enrolled in a fully online graduate program for his AI/computer science degree. And guess what? He still qualified for it! You can start your journey on getting the discount as soon as you receive the acceptance letter from Open University. Anything identifying your student status such as a piece of mail from the school with your transcript, ID cards or acceptance letters/school records would work.

Even though it’s an entirely online university, it’s still considered accredited.

I highly recommend ordering your Mac online. Alternatively, you can check the websites of the resellers (if they have an online store) to explore options like click-and-collect or home delivery. Based on your experience that it might be challenging to engage in a detailed conversation with your local Apple authorised reseller in person due to the technical nature of the details involved.

 

[cmecmac]

@goldmac2006 That's interesting, thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

PS: Just while you're here...I'm slightly concerned about the light-coloured border/bezel around the display on the lighter-coloured macs. I'm thinking of just getting a black sharpie and giving it one long stroke down the side to make it all appear dark. Is this a terrible idea, or? (Re just getting a black, I'd prefer a different colour base, and I'm also aware it's a fingerprint magnet).

 

[goldmac2006]

@goldmac2006 That's interesting, thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

PS: Just while you're here...I'm slightly concerned about the light-coloured border/bezel around the display on the lighter-coloured macs. I'm thinking of just getting a black sharpie and giving it one long stroke down the side to make it all appear dark. Is this a terrible idea, or? (Re just getting a black, I'd prefer a different colour base, and I'm also aware it's a fingerprint magnet).

That’s great to hear!

So, what’s the plan for your first Mac? Think about which pro apps you’ll be using. For us STEM students, specific to our major , we’d be diving into AI, computer science, and tech, so Xcode, LM Studio, math lab, and Visual Studio would be our go-to tools. If you’re running virtual machines like I do for my PCB design and work software, you’ll want to beef up the RAM and storage for those powerful applications and to partition your disk for VMs. That’s when you get the MBP cos the one I have (M4 Pro, 48GB RAM, and 1TB storage) is just so similar in price to the beefed up MacBook Air in max specs, which requires a custom order to Apple for it

I’m also a first-time Mac user, having recently switched from a Chromebook that wasn’t cutting it to my own MacBook Pro.

Regarding your idea of blacking out the border on the silver MacBook Air, maybe hold off on that. It could mess up the look and your display. MacBooks lids are super tight in tolerance, and if you need a screen protector, go for one with magnets that’s easy to put on and take off. That way, if you’re opening and closing the lid a lot, it won’t put too much stress on the display. Even if you clamshell it for a long time to put your Mac in your backpack or external display usage

 

[Fishrrman]

"I intend to keep and use (for the above) for minimum 8+ years"

In that case, you had better buy one that is EQUIPPED to last that long.

No less than 32gb of RAM.
At least a 1tb SSD.

MacBook Pro of some sort.
It might be the 14" (with either m4 or m4pro)
or
Perhaps the 16".

But if you get less RAM than above, you're going to find it becoming constrained within just a few years. And of course, you won't be able to add more.

 

[goldmac2006]

"I intend to keep and use (for the above) for minimum 8+ years"

In that case, you had better buy one that is EQUIPPED to last that long.

No less than 32gb of RAM.
At least a 1tb SSD.

MacBook Pro of some sort.
It might be the 14" (with either m4 or m4pro)
or
Perhaps the 16".

But if you get less RAM than above, you're going to find it becoming constrained within just a few years. And of course, you won't be able to add more.

Warned OP about it too. Consider these for future proofing

 

[cmecmac]

@goldmac2006 @Fishrrman I ended up getting a new M4A 24/512, $1600.

The 14" would have almost certainly been too small a screen for me. I've used a 16" (Dell) for the last 7 years so even going down to 15" will be a change.

16" was an extra $1000, unfortunately.

I plan tomorrow on spending the full day learning about how best to maximise it's longevity. If either of you have any recommendations or helpful links etc it would be much appreciated.