For student? MBP 16" 2019 Gray 2.3 i9 32GB 1TB 4GB 5500M

[darngooddesign]

Your main options with a large screen are all good ones.
The choice depends on your budget and how high do you think the chances are of her losing or breaking the MacBook.

1. A new base M2 MacBook Air 15" is $1,400. With the education discount it's around $1,260. It has lower 8GB RAM, but she probably won't notice any difference. It will last at least 5 years, maybe 7. Extra benefit is that it's lighter.
2. A used 2019 MacBook Pro 16" i9/i7 16/32GB for $1,000 or ideally $900 is also great. A capable machine and will easily last her around 3-4 years.

Having laid it all out like this, it's clear that the base 15" MacBook Air with the education discount is a better long-term value.

8GB RAM is not enough for a visual design student.

 

[Andrey84]

No. Base 8 GB RAM is not acceptable for any forward-thinking user. But particularly for anyone who will be using image apps like Adobe Creative Suite.

I don't know about that. With the modern architecture, swapping to a 1,400 MB/s SSD is not such a big problem.
This video shows that the machine is still very responsive in Lightroom Classic even with 8GB.
It's slower in export, but an extra minute or two should not be an issue.
In fairness, Photoshop & Lightroom do recommend 16GB of RAM, but 8GB is acceptable.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Your main options with a large screen are all good ones.
The choice depends on your budget and how high do you think the chances are of her losing or breaking the MacBook.

1. A new base M2 MacBook Air 15" is $1,400. With the education discount it's around $1,260. It has lower 8GB RAM, but she probably won't notice any difference. It will last at least 5 years, maybe 7. Extra benefit is that it's lighter.
2. A used 2019 MacBook Pro 16" i9/i7 16/32GB for $1,000 or ideally $900 is also great. A capable machine and will easily last her around 3-4 years.

Having laid it all out like this, it's clear that the base 15" MacBook Air with the education discount is a better long-term value.

Using the OP's described apps I rammed-out on my 2016 i7 MBP with 16 GB RAM a couple of years ago. I strongly recommend against 16 GB RAM in an Intel Mac. I recommend more than 16 for Apple SoC too, but the fast Apple silicon would make the swapping to SSD less problematic. A 16 GB Intel Mac would be overdriven to SBBOD on day one.

 

[darngooddesign]

I don't know about that. With the modern architecture, swapping to a 1,400 MB/s SSD is not such a big problem.
This video shows that the machine is still very responsive in Lightroom Classic even with 8GB.
It's slower in export, but an extra minute or two should not be an issue.

Lightroom is not indicative of Photoshop performance. I can get my 16GB M1-Pro to lag a bit in Photoshop so I can guarantee than an 8GB Air would be even worse.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I don't know about that. With the modern architecture, swapping to a 1,400 MB/s SSD is not such a big problem.
This video shows that the machine is still very responsive in Lightroom Classic even with 8GB.
It's slower in export, but an extra minute or two should not be an issue.

Sorry but I do not watch clickbait videos. Folks making clickbait videos seek out things like irrelevant LR export time to yak about. Overall usage for Creative Suite buying 8 GB RAM would be a very poor decision.

 

[Andrey84]

lag a bit

Just a bit, or is the lag frustrating or wasting a significant amount of time?

 

[yellowbunny]

No. Base 8 GB RAM is not acceptable for any forward-thinking user. But particularly for anyone who will be using image apps like Adobe Creative Suite.

Buy insurance if you think the uni student is dumb enough to be "losing or breaking" it. But then how did that student get in to uni? We are not talking about kindergarten.

Note that I fully agree with the concept of Mac MBA for a student, just not low RAM.

I agree with this. While my base MA air works fine, I would have upgraded to 16gb if I was ordering my self.

 

[darngooddesign]

Just a bit, or is the lag frustrating or wasting a significant amount of time?

For what I do in PS it's a bit annoying but not enough to make me upgrade. I don't do a lot of work in Illustrator, but 16GB is enough for the rest of my UX work which is apps like Figma; I can hit Figma's built-in RAM limit without coming close my Mac's RAM limit so 16GB is enough for that app.

As a visual designer I would never use an 8GB Mac.

 

[darngooddesign]

Also you say
"...don't discount the benefits of MagSafe when she is plugged in around other tired students while will (not maybe) trip over her power cord."

MagSafe was huge when it first came out because we all needed to be plugged in a lot due to limiting batteries. And previous power connections were problematic in multiple ways, including "students will (not maybe) trip over her power cord." But that is no longer true today. Batteries in M-series Mac laptops easily last all day, so they can get by with just being safely plugged in at night. Mac laptops no longer need to be constantly made into trip hazards.

I disagree. My Mac would not have enough battery life for classes all day and then working on visual design projects away from a power supply late into the night because you don't always want to work in your dorm room. MagSafe is still important.

 

[Andrey84]

@Gary Kline it looks like many people are quite sure that 8GB on an M2 MBA is not enough. Then it means the price goes up to $1,440 for the new MacBook... Which makes it a harder choice. Still, it depends on your budget and risk-taking profile.

 

[darngooddesign]

@Gary Kline it looks like many people are quite sure that 8GB on an M2 MBA is not enough. Then it means the price goes up to $1,440 for the new MacBook... Which makes it a harder choice. Still, it depends on your budget and risk-taking profile.

An Amazon refurbished 16GB/512GB 14" M1-Pro MBP with 4 years of insurance costs $1489. Not bad.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Just a bit, or is the lag frustrating or wasting a significant amount of time?

You miss the point. The OP is buying a box to serve as an Adobe Creative Suite platform for the future. When darngooddesign describes lag a bit with PS it suggests that the box is sometimes limiting today; whether or not it is "frustrating or wasting a significant amount of time" is not the point.

The point is that the box is operating sub-optimally using PS, today. And since OS/app demands always increase as time goes on, it suggests that the box specs are below what someone should purchase moving forward. Especially a student likely to bounce around among multiple CS and other apps, which I will attest is much more demanding on hardware than is just running PS by itself.

 

[Fishrrman]

Fishrrman's rules for used MacBook buying:

DO NOT BUY:
MacBook Pro 13" -- 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
MacBook Pro 15" -- 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
ALL of these have the disastrous "butterfly keyboards" that are highly-prone to failure. Although Apple has a free replacement program running for 4 years "from new", when that time expires YOU will pay for the repair.
And it's NOT CHEAP -- $750 for even a single key gone bad.
That's because the entire top case has to be replaced... even for a single key failure!

DO BUY:
MacBook Pro 13" -- 2020
MacBook Pro 16" -- 2019 and later.
These have the new "magic" (scissors) keyboards, as did the 2015 and earlier MBPs. These keyboards have been very reliable.

Also:
MacBook Pro 14" or 16" -- 2021

 

[YoitsTmac]

DO BUY:
MacBook Pro 13" -- 2020
MacBook Pro 16" -- 2019 and later.
These have the new "magic" (scissors) keyboards, as did the 2015 and earlier MBPs. These keyboards have been very reliable.

Also:
MacBook Pro 14" or 16" -- 2021

Still going to go out here and say a 16GB MacBook Air is a great computer that will fit OPs needs and budget.

 

[darngooddesign]

You miss the point. The OP is buying a box to serve as an Adobe Creative Suite platform for the future. When darngooddesign describes lag a bit with PS it suggests that the box is sometimes limiting today; whether or not it is "frustrating or wasting a significant amount of time" is not the point.

The lag isn't annoying enough for me to buy the 32GB upgrade if I could to go back, and I'm not budget constrained.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I don't know about that. With the modern architecture, swapping to a 1,400 MB/s SSD is not such a big problem.
This video shows that the machine is still very responsive in Lightroom Classic even with 8GB.
It's slower in export, but an extra minute or two should not be an issue.
In fairness, Photoshop & Lightroom do recommend 16GB of RAM, but 8GB is acceptable.

What RAM Adobe "recommends" has never been what real users find most appropriate; always more. Adobe recommends based on trying to sell more Adobe. If you get deep into the weeds of Adobe users' fora you will find more realistic experiences.

Like I said before, clickbait videos are usually misleading inappropriate info sources because they are configured to collect clicks rather than evaluate real-world real-user usage. Do not waste time watching just to be led in some clickbait direction.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

The lag isn't annoying enough for me to buy the 32GB upgrade if I could to go back, and I'm not budget constrained.

You cut out the important part of my comment that followed:
...it suggests that the box specs are below what someone should purchase moving forward. Especially a student likely to bounce around among multiple CS and other apps, which I will attest is much more demanding on hardware than is just running PS by itself.

We all know the Mac OS will make 16 GB function, especially today. The question is what RAM a new 2024-2029 box ideally should get.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Note today we see that M3 MBAs are expected in March. When they drop they will likely impact pricing of the boxes you are choosing among in a good way. Wait until after the M3 MBA release if it is convenient.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Edit: I saw your post about keeping it to $1000 or less. Ignore this recommendation. I'll keep it up because it's a good price for the 15" M2 Air, in case someone else is interested.

Is $1600 too much? 15" M2 MacBook Air with 16 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-...latest-model-midnight/6552870.p?skuId=6552870

That's $160 less than Apple's education price but only $9 less than Apple's refurbished price.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Is $1600 too much? 15" M2 MacBook Air with 16 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-...latest-model-midnight/6552870.p?skuId=6552870

That's $160 less than Apple's education price but only $9 less than Apple's refurbished price.

I am ignorant as to specific pricing, but will observe that Apple refurbs are excellent choices if you can find the configuration desired.

BTW do get AppleCare, and encourage the student not to hesitate to just call Apple with any questions; it does not matter where the Mac is purchased. I have decades of Mac experience but still find Apple support invaluable. Ya gotta use it, however; they do not call you.

 

[YoitsTmac]

60% over budget? Cmon guys.

If OP is going over budget, this is a better choice: https://www.ebay.com/itm/404733313898 and closer to the original budget. It’s like asking someone shopping for a $20k car to look at a $32k car.

OP was looking at a 5 year old computer stating a $1,000 budget. If they were looking at new, they would have said as much.

 

[neuropsychguy]

60% over budget? Cmon guys.

If OP is going over budget, this is a better choice: https://www.ebay.com/itm/404733313898 and closer to the original budget. It’s like asking someone shopping for a $20k car to look at a $32k car.

OP was looking at a 5 year old computer stating a $1,000 budget. If they were looking at new, they would have said as much.

I didn't see the specified budget until your comment. It wasn't in the original post but was several replies down. The $1000 budget changes my recommendation considerably. Commenters have posted good options.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

60% over budget? Cmon guys.

If OP is going over budget, this is a better choice: https://www.ebay.com/itm/404733313898 and closer to the original budget. It’s like asking someone shopping for a $20k car to look at a $32k car.

OP was looking at a 5 year old computer stating a $1,000 budget. If they were looking at new, they would have said as much.

A budget is simply a plan. As one gets into the weeds of product research and becomes better informed often the plan changes.

Your vehicle analogy might be "I planned on a $20k Pinto to carry firewood to the mountains every weekend, but soon learned I needed a $32k pickup truck for that task."

Note that one can indeed carry firewood to the mountains every weekend using said $20k Pinto, but it is unwise and not long-term cost effective to do so. So the plan changes.

 

[darngooddesign]

You cut out the important part of my comment that followed:
...it suggests that the box specs are below what someone should purchase moving forward. Especially a student likely to bounce around among multiple CS and other apps, which I will attest is much more demanding on hardware than is just running PS by itself.

We all know the Mac OS will make 16 GB function, especially today. The question is what RAM a new 2024-2029 box ideally should get.

Would an M1-Pro or M1-Max with 32GB RAM be better... yes; will an M1-Pro with 16GB be good enough for the next couple of years...yes.

 

[YoitsTmac]

A budget is simply a plan. As one gets into the weeds of product research and becomes better informed often the plan changes.

Your vehicle analogy might be "I planned on a $20k Pinto to carry firewood to the mountains every weekend, but soon learned I needed a $32k pickup truck for that task."

Yeah, but OP can accomplish their goals perfectly fine with that $20k pinto with minimal compromise. Is the 15” air or 16” M1 Pro nicer? Absolutely, for sure.

Would a 13” M1 air 16/1tb hit all the checks if OP can sacrifice a little screen? Definitely.