MacBook Air M1: silver or space grey?

[Lord Hamsa]

Whichever is in stock for immediate delivery when I'm ready to order

Seriously, though, I'm replacing silver and I'd lean toward keeping the same color as I like it and it's familiar. But I'm probably putting a protective and decorative skin over it anyway, so (much like my phones) the actual color probably won't matter much.

 

[jbachandouris]

Whichever is in stock when I arrive at the store.

 

[VaruLV]

Went to local Apple dealer just to check out MB's "new" magic keyboard as well as check out their build quality and, yes, choose the right color. And silver it is for me, gray one is just not it for me, would have preferred something darker instead, closer to black.
Silver is classy, imho, and will also wear better.

 

[limesmoothie]

Gold! Always believe in your soul...

 

[Jimmy James]

I’ve always associated space grey with anodizing. Something that will wear off. And therefore looks cheap, regardless of being nice or not. The same may be true for silver but it doesn’t leave me with the same at-a-glance negative impression.

It actually reminds me of the mid-2000’s white Macbooks that developed palm staining.

 

[kp98077]

Silver a nice change! and more cheerful....

 

[Kiimora]

Space Grey girl here...I may like gold tone adornments but never gold laptop!

 

[Chompineer]

Silver is more durable.

Space Grey looks like ass when it wears, and it prominently shows oils and other things. Looks cool in theory, but always looks dirty or nasty in practise.

 

[XBeatzX]

Silver is more durable.

Space Grey looks like ass when it wears, and it prominently shows oils and other things. Looks cool in theory, but always looks dirty or nasty in practise.

Yes, this. Have ordered Space Grey the last 5-7 devices, and always regretted it. Just looks like crap over time with use. Space Grey is a coating, silver is the natural aluminum all the way through from what I have learned. No more SG for me...

 

[aleni]

I’ve been using 4 space grey laptops since 11” 2015 macbook to 2018 macbook pro.

now it’s time for a silver just to get a feeling of nostalgic.

 

[Six0Four]

I wanted silver but there was one M1 left in my city at Bestbuy and it was grey. Took it. I like them both but the silver a little more. Grey looks more modern.

 

[macnmac]

i love goldddddddddddddddddd

 

[vaugha]

Silver has stood the test of time. Space grey shows scratches near high traffic areas such as the ports, edges more prominently over time. Space grey looks cooler than silver at first but anodized coating gradually peels off.

My ipad pro which is 16 months old is space grey and the usb c port shows wear already. My 8-year-old 2012 macbook pro doesn’t have this issue and neither do my 2019 macbook air and 2019 15” macbook pro which are both silver.

 

[Del Martes]

Silver has stood the test of time. Space grey shows scratches near high traffic areas such as the ports, edges more prominently over time. Space grey looks cooler than silver at first but anodized coating gradually peels off.

My ipad pro which is 16 months old is space grey and the usb c port shows wear already. My 8-year-old 2012 macbook pro doesn’t have this issue and neither do my 2019 macbook air and 2019 15” macbook pro which are both silver.

This is some cool info that I've stumbled upon. I picked up a space grey base M1 MBA on Day 1, because my previous lappy--a mid-13 13" MBA--is silver. I wanted a change. Let's see whether time will bear out your info here.

 

[Del Martes]

I’ve been using 4 space grey laptops since 11” 2015 macbook to 2018 macbook pro.

now it’s time for a silver just to get a feeling of nostalgic.

And did you experience the space grey coating fading that other posters have mentioned here?

 

[ThaDoggg]

I replaced a 10 year old silver MBP and for nostalgic reasons and more so not to miss the old one so much I chose silver.

 

[Juraj22]

And did you experience the space grey coating fading that other posters have mentioned here?

There is no fading, color holds well. Only issue is that when you hit edge of the laptop to something, you get silver dot in that place. This is why silver is 'better'. Such issues are simply much less visible.

 

[aleni]

And did you experience the space grey coating fading that other posters have mentioned here?

No. Never had one coating fading on the space grey. Dirty yes, it can be cleaned easily with alcohol.

but the problem is, I switched 4 times in the last 5 years, so it might probably not showing fading because never used them for more than 2 years except the last 2018 mbp.

 

[The Game 161]

Went space grey but I’m only going to skin it lol

 

[Del Martes]

No. Never had one coating fading on the space grey. Dirty yes, it can be cleaned easily with alcohol.

but the problem is, I switched 4 times in the last 5 years, so it might probably not showing fading because never used them for more than 2 years except the last 2018 mbp.

Talking about cleaning the laptop with alcohol, what kind of alcohol do you use? Rubbing alcohol in the local drug stores? What’s the percentage of alcohol in it? 70%? 90%? Does it matter?

Can you also clean the screen with alcohol?

I have always used the special electronic devices cleaners found in local Walmarts. They can be expensive.

 

[Del Martes]

Went space grey but I’m only going to skin it lol

Does skinning it prevent heat dissipation?

 

[The Game 161]

Does skinning it prevent heat dissipation?

I never skinned a laptop i must admit so hoping will be fine. Guessing the M1 air size is exactly the same as the air from earlier this year so it all fits.

 

[Juraj22]

Talking about cleaning the laptop with alcohol, what kind of alcohol do you use? Rubbing alcohol in the local drug stores? What’s the percentage of alcohol in it? 70%? 90%? Does it matter?

Can you also clean the screen with alcohol?

I have always used the special electronic devices cleaners found in local Walmarts. They can be expensive.

If possible never clean your screen with anything except water + special cloth. You risk that you damage the antireflective coating.

 

[aleni]

Talking about cleaning the laptop with alcohol, what kind of alcohol do you use? Rubbing alcohol in the local drug stores? What’s the percentage of alcohol in it? 70%? 90%? Does it matter?

Can you also clean the screen with alcohol?

I have always used the special electronic devices cleaners found in local Walmarts. They can be expensive.

It’s a 70% alcohol from drug store. For screen, I only use damped microfibre. Don’t use alcohol on the screen ever.

 

[calstanford]

Gold obviously. The only non-boring same same like every other Macbook option.