MBA buying advice

[rKunda]

So - it’s always tempting to upgrade everything when buying new tech to future proof, however I’m a bit torn while considering a new MBA. I haven’t used a laptop in years and rarely use our home computer for anything beyond web browsing, Office items, etc.

I don’t believe I need more than the base memory. For the first time I’m considering the bottom end base model and no AppleCare.

But then: welllllll 8 cores is only $50 if I want to spend the money fir the larger SSD... but then you start to wonder about more ram. And then you start to think: with all these upgrades I should prob invest in AppleCare: or end up with a laptop that’s double the cost haha.

Give me some encouragement that the base model is sufficient haha.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

You failed to specify your intended usage case for this new MBA. If you are sticking to "web browsing, Office items, etc." [sic] then the base model will be adequate.

A three-year-old iPad could handle these tasks too. Or a Windows ultrabook at a half of the price as the MBA. Also purchased years ago.

AppleCare is an expense not an investment. It's basically insurance or a service policy. It works best for devices that get a lot of mileage (iPhones, notebooks that leave the house). If your device is mostly going to stay at home, AppleCare would seem to be a rather superfluous expense.

 

[rKunda]

I thought I specified: yes, I generally would only use native apps, browsers, and office apps. I cannot think of any resource heavy items I use.

Ok. Base seems good. The increase in storage plus the 8 core sounds neat but it’s likely wasted on me.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

You mentioned what your home computer does. You did not explicitly state that this MacBook Air would replace that home computer's functionality.

You also failed to mention why you selected a notebook computer and what the "home computer" [sic] was and how the latter failed to do its expected duties.

Personally I find that notebook computers have terrible ergonomics. Poor keyboard, tiny screen, cramped trackpad. Wrong neck angle, wrong arm angle, wrong wrist angle.

I realize how convenient notebook computers are for on-the-go productivity but they are atrocious for all-day usage.

You provided zero insight into why you were switching from a "home computer" [sic] to the MBA.

 

[rKunda]

So the primary use age of my iMac is for the family. My wife preps all out homeschool work. The kids listen to Spotify. I use it to occasionally fix budgets in YNAB, and when I work for the occasional project for church.

What a laptop would do would be replace notepads, which I use horribly inefficiently for personal meetings, (or using an iPad... which I do not enjoy for actual work). And it would likely replace the very infrequent hole computer use.

Ok. You convinced me. Base model ordered.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

FINALLY. You actually specified your usage case. Like pulling teeth...

And the MBA's intended primary usage case isn't to replace the home computer. It's to replace a traditional notepad or a tablet.

Sounds good, hope it works for you.

Best of luck.

 

[MBAir2010]

You might want to get a Dell XSP laptop were you can do everything you want and stated in your posts
while expanding the ssd drive In the future. The laptop is rated the best PC by many magazines and users
just a thought tho