MacBook Air or PRO?

[deeddawg]

Online shopping, streaming, iMovie, Microsoft word, PowerPoint, excel, Zoom. Nothing really professional

Don't get hung up on marketing / naming. There's plenty of professionals who don't need heavy compute capabilities and there's plenty of consumers who do.

On Intel I'd say 8GB would be fine for the listed items, though if you're rendering more than short videos with iMovie you may wish to go to 16GB.

Look at your current typical storage usage -- I'd say anything you access more often than once a week / anything you access when not at your desk should be stored internally. Add 25% headroom. See if you're still under 256GB - if not, go to the 512GB model.

The most expensive storage choice is the one that's not enough and forces you into prematurely buying a different system.

 

[Norre8]

Don't get hung up on marketing / naming. There's plenty of professionals who don't need heavy compute capabilities and there's plenty of consumers who do.

On Intel I'd say 8GB would be fine for the listed items, though if you're rendering more than short videos with iMovie you may wish to go to 16GB.

Look at your current typical storage usage -- I'd say anything you access more often than once a week / anything you access when not at your desk should be stored internally. Add 25% headroom. See if you're still under 256GB - if not, go to the 512GB model.

The most expensive storage choice is the one that's not enough and forces you into prematurely buying a different system.

Thanks, the laptops I bought were: Air 16/512, Pro 8/512 and Pro 16/256. On my current laptop I'm at 117gb, but I've only had for about 5 months (giving it to my parent). But with games, movies, more photos I think 512 is safer. The Air gives me both, but don't know if the Pro is that much better with the same chip.

 

[deeddawg]

Thanks, the laptops I bought were: Air 16/512, Pro 8/512 and Pro 16/256. On my current laptop I'm at 117gb, but I've only had for about 5 months (giving it to my parent). But with games, movies, more photos I think 512 is safer. The Air gives me both, but don't know if the Pro is that much better with the same chip.

Depends on what "better" means.

Generally speaking, I'd expect to see both the M1 MBA & MBP to show similar burst / brief-load performance. The difference will show up under sustained substantial CPU loading -- each will slow to the extent to which the cooling system can keep the CPU at a safe operating temperature. With the MBA passively cooled and the MBP actively cooled (fan), we can anticipate that the MBP will be able to sustain a greater continuous CPU load than the MBA since the fan should allow removing more heat per unit time. Thus allowing more "compute" per unit time.

What this actually means in terms of quantitative real world numbers / usage remains to be seen.

EDIT: I'll also say that whether the greater sustained "compute" of the MBP makes a real world difference to the user depends entirely on their typical usage. Websurfing well behaved sites, office apps, email, etc are all pretty light usage. Gaming, video transcoding, watching software-decoded 4K videos, etc. tend to be heavy on the CPU.

 

[Norre8]

Depends on what "better" means.

Generally speaking, I'd expect to see both the M1 MBA & MBP to show similar burst / brief-load performance. The difference will show up under sustained substantial CPU loading -- each will slow to the extent to which the cooling system can keep the CPU at a safe operating temperature. With the MBA passively cooled and the MBP actively cooled (fan), we can anticipate that the MBP will be able to sustain a greater continuous CPU load than the MBA since the fan should allow removing more heat per unit time. Thus allowing more "compute" per unit time.

What this actually means in terms of quantitative real world numbers / usage remains to be seen.

I'm thinking with my expected needs, I don't believe I'll hit the CPU load that will slow things down. I guess it's a good think they aren't shipping until December, so I'll have time to see some reviews.

 

[LukePresland]

After what feels like a month (48 hours) of agonising over which one to buy (MBP via MBA) - I’ve pulled the trigger on a 16/512 MBA. Although I was in the market for a MBP, I’ve come to the realisation that even though the new MBA is a real step change in capability, it should still be seen as the base MacBook. With that in mind, to invest in a MBP, the performance increase must be proportional. As the performance improvement of active cooling in the MBP is likely small (albeit currently unknown), I can’t justify investing in this iteration; if they are calling it a pro, it must really be “pro”.

The plan is to enjoy the incredible M1, with the intention of selling the MBA next year if a full redesign MBP is announced; and only if there is a significant improvement from the MBA.

I could have purchased the MBP and sold that instead, however I feel the MBA may hold its value better, especially if a significantly better MBP is available.

Sorry for the essay; I know no-one cares!!

 

[Norre8]

After what feels like a month (48 hours) of agonising over which one to buy (MBP via MBA) - I’ve pulled the trigger on a 16/512 MBA. Although I was in the market for a MBP, I’ve come to the realisation that even though the new MBA is a real step change in capability, it should still be seen as the base MacBook. With that in mind, to invest in a MBP, the performance increase must be proportional. As the performance improvement of active cooling in the MBP is likely small (albeit currently unknown), I can’t justify investing in this iteration; if they are calling it a pro, it must really be “pro”.

The plan is to enjoy the incredible M1, with the intention of selling the MBA next year if a full redesign MBP is announced; and only if there is a significant improvement from the MBA.

I could have purchased the MBP and sold that instead, however I feel the MBA may hold its value better, especially if a significantly better MBP is available.

Sorry for the essay; I know no-one cares!!

I care. Thank you for your response. That's a great thought process.

 

[deeddawg]

After what feels like a month (48 hours) of agonising over which one to buy (MBP via MBA) - I’ve pulled the trigger on a 16/512 MBA. Although I was in the market for a MBP, I’ve come to the realisation that even though the new MBA is a real step change in capability, it should still be seen as the base MacBook. With that in mind, to invest in a MBP, the performance increase must be proportional. As the performance improvement of active cooling in the MBP is likely small (albeit currently unknown), I can’t justify investing in this iteration; if they are calling it a pro, it must really be “pro”.

The plan is to enjoy the incredible M1, with the intention of selling the MBA next year if a full redesign MBP is announced; and only if there is a significant improvement from the MBA.

I could have purchased the MBP and sold that instead, however I feel the MBA may hold its value better, especially if a significantly better MBP is available.

Sorry for the essay; I know no-one cares!!

Your post was helpful at least to me. You make some good points I'll take into consideration in my thinking. I'd replaced a quad core mini with a MBP15 in 2018 thinking I'd made use of the larger screen elsewhere in the house when not at my desk. Later I replaced my 2015 rMB12 with an early 2020 i5 Air as my portable system.

With the realization that I have no attachment to Intel and that I so rarely use the large display of the MBP15, I'm thinking to collapse the two into a single M1 MBA or MBP and was pondering which would be the better fit to my needs.

I think you're right that the M1 MBA might have a better resale than a two-port M1 MBP if I were to later decide a new four-port MBP model were a better fit. Hmm...

 

[Norre8]

Your post was helpful at least to me. You make some good points I'll take into consideration in my thinking. I'd replaced a quad core mini with a MBP15 in 2018 thinking I'd made use of the larger screen elsewhere in the house when not at my desk. Later I replaced my 2015 rMB12 with an early 2020 i5 Air as my portable system.

With the realization that I have no attachment to Intel and that I so rarely use the large display of the MBP15, I'm thinking to collapse the two into a single M1 MBA or MBP and was pondering which would be the better fit to my needs.

I think you're right that the M1 MBA might have a better resale than a two-port M1 MBP if I were to later decide a new four-port MBP model were a better fit. Hmm...

Agree, I didn't think of that. They'll definitely redo the Pro w/ 4 ports before they do another Air.

 

[LukePresland]

I care. Thank you for your response. That's a great thought process.

I just don’t think we’ve ever been in a situation where we have seriously been comparing a MBA and a MBP and struggling to decide. If that’s truly the case, the MBP isn’t good enough, yet!

 

[Norre8]

I just don’t think we’ve ever been in a situation where we have seriously been comparing a MBA and a MBP and struggling to decide. If that’s truly the case, the MBP isn’t good enough, yet!

Very valid point.

 

[deeddawg]

I just don’t think we’ve ever been in a situation where we have seriously been comparing a MBA and a MBP and struggling to decide. If that’s truly the case, the MBP isn’t good enough, yet!

Well, we've not yet seen sustained CPU load figures, nobody's had a chance to burn their thighs or wrists, we've not heard whether the fan is a howling banshee, and the four-port MBP hasn't yet transitioned from Intel.

... but yeah, $250 difference (comparing otherwise same config) for active cooling (impact TBD), 25% brighter screen, touchbar (value depends on individual), speakers/mic upgrades, more battery life. I'm sure there's value there to some folks for some workloads. Just not sure its there for what I do.

 

[Jimmy James]

I have used up to 3 ports on my MacBook Pro 13 TB when I did have it. I cnanot do with just two ports. This is not going to be for me. And please, no one try suggesting a dock or something. The Pro should have had 4 ports. Next-gen chips will bring that, probably, along with more power.

They might have removed two ports to stop people from taxing the chips too much to start comparisons they might not like.

The modern entry level pro always had 2 ports.

 

[Cape Wolf]

?Currently on a 2017 MacBook Pro 16gb/512SSD. 3.1GHz dual-core i5 with 4 ports....

?I placed an order for a 2020 MBA 16gb/1TB M1...good idea?

Pros: upgraded keyboard (the one on my 2017 is just awful. I have had it replaced once already with broken keys).
more storage, lighter, no fan.
Cons: lose 2 ports, pay some cash, 400 nits vs 500 nits on MBP?

Obviously there is plenty to remain to be seen but what do ya'll think?

I am a teacher so I need it for zoom, creating curriculum, multi-tasking. But also photography RAW image editing in Lightroom. I currently use an iPad sidecar for dual displays which works pretty solid for my needs. My other goals: some light gaming, warcraft, movies occasionally (mostly watch on iPad or TV)...

 

[calstanford]

There's barely ever been anything 'Pro' about the 13"MBP and certainly not about the entry-level 13"

 

[ratspg]

?Currently on a 2017 MacBook Pro 16gb/512SSD. 3.1GHz dual-core i5 with 4 ports....

?I placed an order for a 2020 MBA 16gb/1TB M1...good idea?

Pros: upgraded keyboard (the one on my 2017 is just awful. I have had it replaced once already with broken keys).
more storage, lighter, no fan.
Cons: lose 2 ports, pay some cash, 400 nits vs 500 nits on MBP?

Obviously there is plenty to remain to be seen but what do ya'll think?

I am a teacher so I need it for zoom, creating curriculum, multi-tasking. But also photography RAW image editing in Lightroom. I currently use an iPad sidecar for dual displays which works pretty solid for my needs. My other goals: some light gaming, warcraft, movies occasionally (mostly watch on iPad or TV)...

sold 2017 15inch mbp with similar setup and purchased the same 2020 MBA M1. I’m looking forward to it.

 

[Cape Wolf]

sold 2017 15inch mbp with similar setup and purchased the same 2020 MBA M1. I’m looking forward to it.

Good to know I am not the only one!

 

[iau]

The 2017 MacBook 12 is around 340 nits.

Thanks for checking! I notice that I almost always have had the brightness between 90-100%. I rarely use my laptop outside so bright sun is not a problem.

I like the form factor of the MBP more than the MBA, but the touchbar is of little interest for me. Better sound and longer battery life is a plus, tough. I leaning towards the MBA.

 

[Steelhead1957]

Thanks for checking! I notice that I almost always have had the brightness between 90-100%. I rarely use my laptop outside so bright sun is not a problem.

I like the form factor of the MBP more than the MBA, but the touchbar is of little interest for me. Better sound and longer battery life is a plus, tough. I leaning towards the MBA.

I have always leaned towards getting the unit with the highest Nits. But after extensive us of my “flamethrower” 600 Nit, iPad Pro, I realize that I almost always have it dialed down to 60% brightness and the same thing with my long gone Macbook Pro 16&13. So, the 8/512, 8core, M1 Air, with no fan will be here Nov 17. Will be fun comparing to my 12.9 iPad and my wife’s 2020 Air.

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Hi all, wondering if you can weigh in on my situation. I am trying to decide between the Pro/Air M1. I currently have an iMac Pro that I use as my primary workstation, and a 2018 13" MBP (2.3 Ghz i5) that I use for travel, working outside of the home. Most of my usage on the MBP is light—web browsing, email, Slack, etc. But I do a fair amount of photography and edit photos with Lightroom and Photoshop CC on the Macbook Pro when I travel.

Should I get the Air or the Pro? Side note: when Apple releases the 14.1" MBP, I will almost certainly sell the Air/Pro M1 and upgrade to that. So this is likely a machine that I'll only have for the next year, or however long it takes for the 14.1" to come out. Thanks.

 

[deeddawg]

Hi all, wondering if you can weigh in on my situation. I am trying to decide between the Pro/Air M1. I currently have an iMac Pro that I use as my primary workstation, and a 2018 13" MBP (2.3 Ghz i5) that I use for travel, working outside of the home. Most of my usage on the MBP is light—web browsing, email, Slack, etc. But I do a fair amount of photography and edit photos with Lightroom and Photoshop CC on the Macbook Pro when I travel.

Should I get the Air or the Pro? Side note: when Apple releases the 14.1" MBP, I will almost certainly sell the Air/Pro M1 and upgrade to that. So this is likely a machine that I'll only have for the next year, or however long it takes for the 14.1" to come out. Thanks.

Given just what you've written I'm unclear on why you'd order either of the ARM Macbooks and not just wait for the next model (whether it's the rumored 14 or not)?

What is the problem you're seeking to solve in the short term?

Generally speaking though, I'd go with the MBA unless you know you need to do sustained substantial CPU loading for lengthy periods. Which isn't what Lightroom/Photoshop does on a general usage basis - you'll get a load when doing a batch of previews or exports, but culling/editing is more a bursty activity and should be similar on each.

The above is all generalization though since we're seeing very little in actual numbers since the system's aren't really out in the wild yet.

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Given just what you've written I'm unclear on why you'd order either of the ARM Macbooks and not just wait for the next model (whether it's the rumored 14 or not)?

What is the problem you're seeking to solve in the short term?

Generally speaking though, I'd go with the MBA unless you know you need to do sustained substantial CPU loading for length periods. Which isn't what Lightroom/Photoshop does on a general usage basis - you'll get a load when doing a batch of previews or exports, but culling/editing is more a bursty activity and should be similar on each.

The above is all generalization though since we're seeing very little in actual numbers since the system's aren't really out in the wild yet.

Thanks. The answer to your question is not a sensible one: it's because I love Apple products, I tend to be an early adopter, I'm excited about the M1, and at this point in my life I can afford to upgrade frequently (especially since Apple is giving me $900 for my 2018 MBP). The other reason is that I've had to replace the keyboard twice on my 2018 and some keys are already starting to stick again. I don't want to replace it a third time and I don't think I can hold out for another 6-12 months.

 

[Cape Wolf]

Thanks. The answer to your question is not a sensible one: it's because I love Apple products, I tend to be an early adopter, I'm excited about the M1, and at this point in my life I can afford to upgrade frequently (especially since Apple is giving me $900 for my 2018 MBP). The other reason is that I've had to replace the keyboard twice on my 2018 and some keys are already starting to stick again. I don't want to replace it a third time and I don't think I can hold out for another 6-12 months.

I am in the same boat in a way....MBP or air.

Honestly for the cost the difference is how much storage you want...

16gb/512 MBP is almost the same price as 16gb/1TB MBA....I do photography as well but with the notion that more iOS gaming can be done on the computer now I am wondering if I should stop my order for the air and go with a pro with less storage and just rely on my external SSD's for storing my photos.

 

[nill1234]

I am in the same boat in a way....MBP or air.

Honestly for the cost the difference is how much storage you want...

16gb/512 MBP is almost the same price as 16gb/1TB MBA....I do photography as well but with the notion that more iOS gaming can be done on the computer now I am wondering if I should stop my order for the air and go with a pro with less storage and just rely on my external SSD's for storing my photos.

Which games? Mac OS never had any real gaming ambitions. Just get a PS5 and your getting way better games for a lot less money.

 

[Norre8]

Which games? Mac OS never had any real gaming ambitions. Just get a PS5 and your getting way better games for a lot less money.

that depends if you can get the PS5 retail; but I agree. Whatever laptop you get, you're not getting it for real gaming.

 

[Cape Wolf]

that depends if you can get the PS5 retail; but I agree. Whatever laptop you get, you're not getting it for real gaming.

I did get a ps4 for this reason but you raise a good point. Any 'real' gaming I do is on a ps4.