I know it’s supported I’m just wondering if it runs well bc I really don’t want to spend a small fortune on a brand new MacBook
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Is It Worth Buying a MacBook Air Mid 2013 for Big Sur
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I would get the 2015 Air if you want to run Big Sur without spending a fortune. I have the 11" Air and it runs fine with Big Sur. I think the keyboard is much better on the 2015, not to mention a much better build, in my opinion.
Don’t they both have the same chassis? I think it was just the internals that were updated.
I have a 2013 11" MacBook Air i7/8gb/512gb and it's been great. Stopped using it regularly a year ago, still works fine but the trackpad has issues and overall it just looks like an old beat-up computer. It is still on Sierra, so no idea how well Big Sur would work. I suppose you might find one in better condition, but I sure wouldn't want to buy mine today. 
I am also not aware of any changes to the keyboard and "build" for 2015. What are the differences?
I am also not aware of any changes to the keyboard and "build" for 2015. What are the differences?
A little over a year ago I bought a 2015 13” Air to tide me over until the M1 Macs releases settled down somewhat. I wanted that model for 3 reasons, no butterfly keyboard, user replaceable battery, and swappable SSD. Now that I have the new iMac, the Air will do nicely for a couple of years for my limited travel. I did find the 8gb of ram to be limiting a couple of times but not a showstopper. It’s running Catalina fine.
I was talking about the internals. My apologies for not being more specific. I was in a hurry to eat at the time. lol
Another case of my head and fingers not in sync.I have a 2013 11" MacBook Air i7/8gb/512gb and it's been great. Stopped using it regularly a year ago, still works fine but the trackpad has issues and overall it just looks like an old beat-up computer. It is still on Sierra, so no idea how well Big Sur would work. I suppose you might find one in better condition, but I sure wouldn't want to buy mine today.
I am also not aware of any changes to the keyboard and "build" for 2015. What are the differences?
Here is what appears to be a good buy. Offer $275 or so and he may take it.
My 11" Air has 4GB of RAM and Big Sur runs fine. Granted, I use it for mail, surfing, and other light tasks in the bedroom at night.
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yes, if a 2013 air suits your needs, but keep in mind the 2013 models prob won't be supported in the next OS. They already excluded the 2013 iMac from big sur's compatibility.
I did something similar last September, although it is a 2010 MacBook Pro 17". It came with the maximum 8 GB RAM, and I replaced the hard disk drive with a 512 GB SSD.
I did get one of the M1 MacBook Pros in November, but d4mn if I don't love the 17" screen size and the aluminum body of the 2010 MBP. I am running a patched version of Catalina so I can run the Citrix software used for the virtual desktops we use at work, so now I am getting more life out it by bringing it into the office. At least for now we no longer have assigned desks due to the social distancing (thanks COVID!), meaning that not all desks can be used. But I am fine with that, since it gives me a reason to use Macs even more.
I run my 2014 Air on Mojave and plan to keep it there for at least a few more years only if I can squeeze my Air out off a few more years; at least into 2024 before I contemplate on the new MB Air. I had contemplated Big Sur, but with my new blade drive in my Air right now, I'm confident it will run well.
Will the 2013 run well depends on the age and condition of its internal SSD drive, which is already about 7 years old. My original 128Gb SSD in my 2014 died and before it died, it was slow as dog to load anything. Replacing it with a newer NVMe blade drive 3x the capacity brought it back to life, not to mention it is 3x faster than original (400Mb/s vs 1200Mb/s with my new blade drive). So you may need to factor that cost if the old SSD in the used 2013 is dying of use and age. With the new blade drive, everything in Mojave is now so much faster and the feedback is instant just like it was when it was on High Sierra or Sierra.
Secondly, the battery on the 2013 is probably on its last legs if it's the stock original. You might want to factor that in too. If the used 2013+new SSD drive+new battery is less than 50% cost of the new MB Air M1, then I would say go for it. Otherwise, you're looking at a 7+ year old computer with unknown wear and tear that might work for a few more years or might need replacement of parts either this year or the next.
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I have a 2014 MacBook Air with a dying battery and still perform quite well, you go wrong with that choice in my opinion.
That’s an 8 year old entry-level computer. It will not run well on Big Sur.
Running Big Sur on my mid-2013 Air as my daily personal use machine. Runs Big Sur just fine - no issues whatsoever.
That being said, if I were buying today my choice would not be the 2013 Air. I suspect the next OS will not run on the 2013 Air. And my personal strategy for purchasing Apple products is to buy the best I can afford and use them for as long as I possibly can.
If your budget allows, purchase a more recent model. If not, rest assured that Big Sur runs fine on the 2013 Air.
That being said, if I were buying today my choice would not be the 2013 Air. I suspect the next OS will not run on the 2013 Air. And my personal strategy for purchasing Apple products is to buy the best I can afford and use them for as long as I possibly can.
If your budget allows, purchase a more recent model. If not, rest assured that Big Sur runs fine on the 2013 Air.
But, for basic computing they are fine. The price is right as well for those on a tight budget.
I had Big Sur clean installed on my early 2014 11" MBA with 4gb ram and 128gb ssd, for a few months, up to 11.2 I think. It worked for some very basic computing/browsing and stuff, but I certainly wouldn't characterize my experience as smooth. Went back to Mojave.
The 2013 model should be fine for light use, though I would always recommend 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD if you can find it.
The thing is though, a 2014 or 2015 model will last you longer in terms of macOS support and will probably not cost a lot more. They are a better deal I think.
2017 model is virtually the same as the 2015 model, so that isn't worth it, and from 2018 on you won’t find them as cheap as the older models.
The thing is though, a 2014 or 2015 model will last you longer in terms of macOS support and will probably not cost a lot more. They are a better deal I think.
2017 model is virtually the same as the 2015 model, so that isn't worth it, and from 2018 on you won’t find them as cheap as the older models.
If I am not mistaken, the 2017 has the butterfly keyboard problem to potentially contend with. In that light, the 2015 model would be better if one is concerned about keyboard problems after purchasing an out of warranty MBA.
2018 was first year with butterfly keyboard. 2017 Air was just a spec bump from the 2015.