I have an MBA M1, should I return it and wait for MBA M2?

[urbantea]

I have the MBA M1, just got it last week. I have total 14 days to return it. I am considering returning it to wait for the m2. I dont do heavy video editing or anything. This M1 is great so far. Only thing annoying is the absence of the mag safe charger, which the MBA m2 brings back. I'd have to fork out $300 to get the same specs on the m2 as my current m1. (16gb ram, 1tb SSD).

But that $300 doesnt really go to waste, it just further future proofs the mac....

What else am i missing?

 

[xxray]

So you're still in the return period? And I'm guessing you're considering M2 Air and have M1 Air?

If you're in the return period, it's just really up to you whether MagSafe, ~20% faster processor, 35% faster GPU, new design, better speakers, faster WiFi, better camera, and brighter display is worth $300. It sounds like the M1 is working fine for you now, so it's just whether you're going to regret not having these new features.

One thing to consider is it seems like the new M2 Air will be in high demand, and MacBook Pros have been backordered for months with 4-8 week delivery times, especially custom orders. So, it might take you a while to get the new Air unless Apple has figured something out that they haven't with the MacBook Pro.

Also, I'm going on a rant here, but please, I beg of everyone on this forum, stop all this nonsense of "futureproofing." You can't futureproof a device and the economics of it almost never work out. I thought I was futureproofing when I bought my 2018 15" MacBook Pro and the processor was 6-core after years of the maximum processors being quad-core. Then, the next year, the processors were 8-core already. Then, the next year, the first Apple Silicon computers were shipped and the "measly" base M1 processor was more powerful, more efficient, and ran at cool temperatures at $999 (MacBook Air) than the most powerful 2019 MacBook Pros that capped out at over $6,000, were battery hogs, and had thermal issues. You will save a lot more money, be able to enjoy new tech more often, and overall likely have less tech issues/annoyances if you buy lower-specced devices and replace them every 3-4 years rather than buying maxed out, higher margin devices and replacing them every 6-10 years.

• $1,299 Base MacBook Pro / 4 years = $325/year
• $3,000 Higher-Specced MacBook Pro / 8 years = $375/year

And SoCs aren't the only thing that become outdated over time when trying to futureproof. You have to think of RAM being enough, having enough storage with increasingly larger files, WiFi generations, screen technology, general reliability of the device which will decrease over time, battery life and replacements, evolving I/O (HDMI, USB, SD Card), etc. Why try to drag out a device that will be quickly outpaced by newer devices, likely cause more headaches, and won't even save you that much money or any money at all? Get what you think you will need for the next few years.

 

[jav6454]

I have the M1, just got it last week. I have total 14 days to return it. I am considering returning it to wait for the m2. I dont do heavy video editing or anything. This M1 is great so far. Only thing annoying is the absence of the mag safe charger, which the m2 brings back. I'd have to fork out $300 to get the same specs on the m2 as my current m1. (16gb ram, 1tb SSD).

But that $300 doesnt really go to waste, it just further future proofs the mac....

What else am i missing?

Is that an Air? I assume so due to the MagSafe. That said, from M1 to M2 is not much of a difference. These are laptops meant to last 3+ years, these are not devices which should be upgraded every year. Don't fall for the M2 marketing over the M1. The M1 will serve you well. Save your cash.

 

[urbantea]

Good point. I forgot about the demand. If demand for M2 is gonna be a few months, I'm not gonna wait. I like my m1 now and dont want to go back to my old laptop for a few months. haha

 

[urbantea]

Is that an Air? I assume so due to the MagSafe. That said, from M1 to M2 is not much of a difference. These are laptops meant to last 3+ years, these are not devices which should be upgraded every year. Don't fall for the M2 marketing over the M1. The M1 will serve you well. Save your cash.

Yes sorry MBA. yeah M1 been pretty bad ass.

 

[w5jck]

I’ve also got a MacBook Air M1 16GB with 1TB SSD. It will kick backside for several years to come. I recommend that you keep the M1 and spend the $300 difference on a good TB hub. I don’t miss that mag safe charger at all. It was far too easy to accidentally unplug on my MacBook Pro 15.6”. A hub is a better option IMO.

 

[urbantea]

I’ve also got a MacBook Air M1 16GB with 1TB SSD. It will kick backside for several years to come. I recommend that you keep the M1 and spend the $300 difference on a good TB hub. I don’t miss that mag safe charger at all. It was far too easy to accidentally unplug on my MacBook Pro 15.6”. A hub is a better option IMO.

Whats a TB hub? like external HD?

 

[jav6454]

Whats a TB hub? like external HD?

He means a Thunderbolt Hub. It is basically a peripheral connectivity extender.

 

[scatopie]

Yes sorry MBA. yeah M1 been pretty bad ass.

There was a YouTube vid by Max Tech who compared MBP 13", M1 vs M2. There were literal real-world processes where the M2 was SLOWER than the M1 computer. He discovered the base M2 model had only 1 SSD, whereas the base M1 model had 2 SSDs, which may or may not have affected some of the processes. Also the M2 ran like 8 degrees hotter, despite both having fans.

The MBA's have no fans, and with an M2 being a more powerful chip and already having hotter temps than M1 in a laptop with a fan, I'm really afraid for thermal throttling or just overall hotness of the computer. I've been running this M1 MBA for 1.5 yrs now, and it is GREAT. I'm afraid that this may be the best Macbook Air Apple will ever make, performance per watt. Not giving this thing up until I see hard reviews on any upcoming devices!

 

[hungryghosty]

Might as well keep what you got IMO. Especially as Apple are still selling the M1 as the entry level Macbook and the M2 is ~$300 more as you've said. Only fly in the ointment is you have a fairly high spec Macbook Air. Unless you really need 1Tb of storage personally I'd return, drop down to a 512Gb SSD (with 16Gb RAM) and that should work out nearly the same price as the M1 MBA.

 

[yitwail]

If you're in the return period, it's just really up to you whether MagSafe, ~20% faster processor, 35% faster GPU, new design, better speakers, faster WiFi, better camera, and brighter display is worth $300. It sounds like the M1 is working fine for you now, so it's just whether you're going to regret not having these new features.

You left out the notch. 🙃

 

[Yuukon]

If you're happy with M1, I'd say keep it. It's a phenomenal machine, especially in the MBA. Sounds to me like you just don't want to miss out on the redesign/new features. In terms of MagSafe, you can get adapters of amazon that turn your usb-c charger into MagSafe (using one myself as we speak), and they're just as good and useful.

In the end, it's up to you. But I'd save my money and maybe get a new one once M3 pops its head around the corner.

 

[orionquest]

So you don't really do anything with the current laptop so it's basically suitable for your needs, but you just want magsafe.... it's your money. Go get that new shiny!!!

I've got a 2015 Macbook Air 11" somehow I get by. 🤷‍♂️ And I do event photography with the dam thing.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Future-proofing is a form fantasy and nothing more.

 

[haralds]

... He discovered the base M2 model had only 1 SSD, whereas the base M1 model had 2 SSDs, which may or may not have affected some of the processes. ...

Only an issue for the 256GB version, they did not use a dual bank flash system. Both have one SSD.

 

[haralds]

I would check into the delivery period for your model but stay with 16GB/1TB.
You will kick yourself if you are able to swap to the new model for $300. I would not hesitate.

 

[darngooddesign]

Future-proofing is a form fantasy and nothing more.

In 2014 I opted to future-proof my 13" MBP with 16GB RAM instead of 8; I doubt 8GB would have met my needs seven years later. Wise decision not fantasy.

 

[Apple_Robert]

In 2014 I opted to future-proof my 13" MBP with 16GB RAM instead of 8; I doubt 8GB would have met my needs seven years later. Wise decision not fantasy.

Your reply doesn’t disprove what I said.

 

[darngooddesign]

Your reply doesn’t disprove what I said.

Sure it does. You said that future-proofing is nothing more than fantasy.

The benefit of my future-proofing was not fantasy; it allowed me to avoid the thermally throttled, butterfly keyboard, no MagSafe years and last until the M1-Pros. Without future-proofing I would probably have upgarded around 2018 and then upgraded again to an M1-Pro so future proofing saved me a lot of money because I only upgraded once to an M1-Pro.

 

[orionquest]

Sure it does. You said that future-proofing is nothing more than fantasy.

The benefit of my future-proofing was not fantasy; it allowed me to avoid the thermally throttled, butterfly keyboard, no MagSafe years and last until the M1-Pros. Without future-proofing I would probably have upgarded around 2018 and then upgraded again to an M1-Pro so future proofing saved me a lot of money because I only upgraded once to an M1-Pro.

Some people don't get it. They just buy what Apple shoves in front of them and complain later it's not what they needed or expected, or they can't adpate to a change in software needs because they didn't think long term.

 

[Saturn007]

In 2014 I opted to future-proof my 13" MBP with 16GB RAM instead of 8; I doubt 8GB would have met my needs seven years later. Wise decision not fantasy.

That's the critical caveat! Depends on your work flow and apps. Plenty of people doing sophisticated work have gotten by on 8GB for years, even on Intel Macs.

I'm using a 2015 8GB MBA right now and have done statistical analysis, graphing, large spreadsheets, major data analyses, large astronomical simulations, etc. on it for years without a hiccup.

You may well not have needed to buy a "defective" butterfly keyboard MBP... Indeed, in 2020, you might have ended up buying an 8GB M1 MBA and been well satisfied.

OTOH, it's true that if you were doing a different type of heavy lifting, you may well have faced 8GB limits on an Intel Mac... and felt forced to upgrade. And, worse, done so just before the M1s were released. Or, even earlier, and wasted time on butterfly keyboard replacements. So, in that case, it sounds as if future-proofing your Intel MBP was successful.

At the same time, wouldn't you agree that 16GB on the 2014 MBP was more called for, in terms of future-proofing, than it was on a 2020 MBA? Whether that's still the case still depends upon work flow, the types of apps one uses, and Apple's roadmap. I doubt we'll see a butterfly debacle any time soon, although the 256 GB M2 MBP may be shaping up as one... yet, that's easily avoidable by getting a 512GB or 1 TB SSD.