Buyers Conundrum

[Hallstar]

I am in a position where i can't decide whether i want to buy for need/practicality, or just because i want a new and shiny machine.

I currently have the following:

• iMac 27" 5K - 2017 - i7 Quad Core 4.2GHz - 64GB
  • Desk work - Numbers, Pages, Browsing, etc
• iPad Pro 12.9 - 2020 - A12Z - 256GB - Cellular
  • Away from desk, around house, travel with work (hotels, office and field use) - Media consumption, note taking, browsing, etc
• iPad Mini 6 - 2021 - 256GB - Cellular
  • Reading (Comics and books), light media consumption, light browsing

I am happy with my setup, but yesterday took my partner to buy a MacBook Air M1 and I have quickly found it to feel very natural, not to mention lightweight and snappy! (even for a base-spec).

So my brain is now on OD and finding reasons to want -and justify- selling the iMac and one of the iPads and pushing the button on a 15" MBA M2, with either 8GB or 16GB and Apple Care +

My logic is that I can have:

• A full MacOS experience not confined to my desk.
• Retain an iPad (Likely 12.9) for remote use -office and field- where i will already have my work laptop but a tablet offers a much better form function (and i can do personal things on it whilst in meetings, etc)
• Future proof machines as iMac is Intel based and not supported beyond Ventura

I have all original boxes, shipping containers, peripherals for all devices, and they are all in immaculate condition, so selling -and for a reasonable return- shouldn't be too much of an issue.

I have a Logitech MX Keys Mini, MX Master 3 and Apple Magic Trackpad (Space grey is an incredibly close colour match for the MX kit!!) which i would keep and either mount the MBA onto a riser, or dock it and pair to a 27" Thunderbolt display.

If you were in my position... What would you do?

 

[rm5]

That sounds like a great idea! I'd go for 16 GB of RAM on the MacBook Air though. What you can also do is, when you're at home, plug the MBA into the Thunderbolt display and run it in clamshell mode if you want to. I also don't see a point in having two iPads, so to me it sort of makes sense to get rid of one anyway.

Obviously the thing you'll lose is the 64 GB of RAM. Is that important to you? I'd just really think about the implications of having 1/4 the RAM before doing this. If that's fine, go for it!

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

If you can afford it, having a new Mac laptop is always nice: There are just some things that are better with the full OS.
Sell the iPad Mini 6, assuming you have a current iPhone?

 

[Hallstar]

That sounds like a great idea! I'd go for 16 GB of RAM on the MacBook Air though. What you can also do is, when you're at home, plug the MBA into the Thunderbolt display and run it in clamshell mode if you want to. I also don't see a point in having two iPads, so to me it sort of makes sense to get rid of one anyway.

Obviously the thing you'll lose is the 64 GB of RAM. Is that important to you? I'd just really think about the implications of having 1/4 the RAM before doing this. If that's fine, go for it!

Pairing to a Thunderbolt Display is my plan.

I’m of the understanding that larger RAM is more beneficial to Intel chipsets, but not the same for Unified memory with Apple M chips.

If I can run LumaFusion and DaVinci Resolve on my A12Z iPP, then an M2 chip with 8 or 16GB should be fine!

I would like 16GB, but it’s a 2 week wait for delivery. It seems that Apple stores don’t hold them in stock

 

[Hallstar]

If you can afford it, having a new Mac laptop is always nice: There are just some things that are better with the full OS.
Sell the iPad Mini 6, assuming you have a current iPhone?

It’s the Mini 6 that will be going.

I have an iPhone 14 Pro

 

[jz0309]

why does your iMac have 64GB? " Numbers, Pages, Browsing, etc" does not require that. what is your memory pressure?
re unified RAM - RAM is RAM, depending on your answer above - 16GB might not be enough ...

"Future proof machines as iMac is Intel based and not supported beyond Ventura" - where do you get that from? while I only have M based Macs, I am 99+% sure that Sonoma runs on Intel

do assess your real needs and then determine what HW you need to address those

 

[Hallstar]

why does your iMac have 64GB? " Numbers, Pages, Browsing, etc" does not require that. what is your memory pressure?
re unified RAM - RAM is RAM, depending on your answer above - 16GB might not be enough ...

"Future proof machines as iMac is Intel based and not supported beyond Ventura" - where do you get that from? while I only have M based Macs, I am 99+% sure that Sonoma runs on Intel

do assess your real needs and then determine what HW you need to address those

I increased the RAM of my iMac when I purchased it -last year, second hand- because I was able to.

It is listed on the Apple website that the 2017 iMac is not compatible with Sonama.

My needs do not require maximum RAM, but I will increase beyond base-spec.

 

[Pakaku]

You have an iPad Pro, have you considered splurging on a Magic Keyboard? They are way overpriced IMO but it would still be less money than a brand new laptop. I guess it all depends on how much you like MacOS over iPadOS; if I didn't strongly prefer a desktop OS for actual work, I'd probably sell my Macbook or repurpose it, and replace it with a MKB for my own iPad Pro as a full-time portable.

 

[Hallstar]

You have an iPad Pro, have you considered splurging on a Magic Keyboard? They are way overpriced IMO but it would still be less money than a brand new laptop. I guess it all depends on how much you like MacOS over iPadOS; if I didn't strongly prefer a desktop OS for actual work, I'd probably sell my Macbook or repurpose it, and replace it with a MKB for my own iPad Pro as a full-time portable.

I have a MKB but found that I wasn’t using the iPP as much when paired to it. I swapped out the MKB for a decent adjustable case and use the iPP daily as a tablet, and love it!

The MacBook will become a full time replacement for my iMac, keeping the iPad also!

 

[Hallstar]

I pushed the button on a 15” M2 Air 16/512 with a 70W charger.

I did stumble across a 2020 14” MBP with the M1 Pro chip, 16/1TB for very similar money - was VERY tempted but had to be realistic with myself. I’m never going to use the performance it’s capable of delivering.
The XDR ProMotion screen would undoubtedly look nicer than the MBA, but I’m sure I will get used to it - in the same way I am now used to my iPad Pro having a matte screen protector on that has dampened the vibrancy of the display.
The speakers are likely better sounding on the MBP compared to the MBA, but as I wear hearing aids that are mostly paired to by devices, I wouldn’t get the benefit of the sound offerings.

So that left me with.. a 3 year newer machine that will do all that I need it to do. Just got to wait a fortnight now for Apple to put it in a box and ship it to me.

Seems that the Apple stores only carry stock of 8GB RAM and 35W chargers.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Looks like I am late to the party... but here's my take nonetheless:

New is always nice and exciting... but buy what you need when you need it.

If what you have is currently meeting your needs, stand pat. Save your money for future purchases.

Remember, regardless of what you buy and when you buy it, there will always be a newer, shinier and more exciting version just over the horizon...

It's kind of like driving down the highway - no matter how fast you go, there's always someone in front of you, even if you can't see them yet.

 

[Hallstar]

I have had my BTO 16/512 MBA 15 M2 for a few days now and I really like it - likely because it is new and shiny, as much as anything, but...

I have a niggle, that I haven't made the right choice in terms of value for money and longevity in choosing this model.

I increased the spec to 16/512 to improve it over the base model and it performs well and will likely last for several years, but I still have the niggle.

The display isn't particularly bright and the speakers are acceptable for a laptop, though I am sure I will fully adjust to them over time - but I still have the niggle.

In my experience, the higher spec models -and certainly the Pro variants- stand the test of time over and above base spec and the Air range. This could be part of my niggle, in that I have always favoured the MBP for notebook, Pro variant for iPhone and iPad and my iMac was top-spec, so the 'Air' models just feel bit lacking.

I can't help but wonder if I should have spent the money paid on an MBP 16 M1 Pro with 16/512 at the same price point. (Refurbished from Apple or BNIB from a variety of UK online vendors.)

Has anyone else found themselves in this position? If so, what did you choose?

 

[Silvestru Hosszu]

Very different beasts.
I had the m1 air and still have the 16'' M1 Max.
Both are very good quality machines. The pro is a much more powerful machine but it is much heavier.
If you are using 90% of the time in clamshell mode, yes the 16 M1 Pro would have made more sense for the same money.
Otherwise, if you put premium on mobility and don't need the Pro's hp, the air is the better choice.