Macbook Air 2015 or 2017 help

[ricebunny2341]

Hello! I am going to be a freshman in college this fall and I am interested in buying a new laptop, but I am having trouble deciding which version of the Macbook Air is right for me.

So, I've read other posts about the differences between the two versions, but I was wondering which one would be best for me. I'll pretty much be using it as my main computer (so mostly for school, browsing, storing pictures, etc.). Also I'll probably be using this Macbook Air for around 6-7 years (as of now, I have been using an HP computer for that long), so I want to know if investing in the more expensive one would be worth it or not.

(P.S. I am planning on buying the 258 GB version too)

Thanks for your help!!

 

[padams35]

Basic internet, email, and text editing is pretty tame. Either version should handle that until the battery dies or MacOS support is lost (assuming both have 8GB ram).

Naturally the 1.8GHz is better than the 1.6GHz but for minimalist use there isn't any reason to believe one will last longer than the other aside from the 1.8GHz models being physically newer.

If the price difference is minor then go for the newer more expensive version. If the price difference is significant go for the older cheaper version. If you hope to be doing more than basic productivity / email / internet / storing pictures in 6-7 years then consider a no-touchbar Macbook Pro.

 

[Boyd01]

The only difference between the two is a 1.6ghz chip vs 1.8ghz. That is a really slight difference that I really doubt you would notice, especially for "browsing, storing pictures, etc.". Everything else is identical on the two models. I would get the 2015 model and put the extra money into a larger SSD. Since you plan to keep it for a long time, get the 512gb SSD if you can afford it.

 

[green86]

Are you buying this new? If your heart is set on the i5 there is little difference between the 1.6 and the 1.8. The i7 offered makes a much bigger difference in performance. If your going to be keeping your computer for any period of time, it might be worth looking into this as an option. I agree that your should be getting no less then 256 Gb.

 

[ZapNZs]

There is a minimal difference between the two for most basic tasks. Favoring the 1.6 if financially-beneficial makes sense to me if money is tight.