Need help choosing the right macbook

[TarekDaas]

Now I need to buy a new macbook for graphic design, photo editing and simple video editing (like instagram reels, and youtube shorts) and maybe some web coding should I get a new macbook air 15inch (16/512) or a used macbook pro m1 max/m2 max (getting from a country with no refurbished macbooks)… so what you think guys?

 

[Bigwaff]

so what you think guys?

I think you need to tell us your budget.

 

[TarekDaas]

I think you need to tell us your budget.

My budget is going to be around 3300$ but I need to get a new iphone cuz mine is literally dying and a new macbook for the mentioned stuff (buying in dubai,Emirates)

 

[dasjati]

Ultimately, there is no correct decision. You have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both options and come up with your own compromise.

I would expect the MacBook Airs to get the M3 chips soon. If you can wait that long (spring?) you will get a chip one to two generations newer than the M1 or M2 you get with the used MacBook Pros. Single core performance will be better. A lot of tasks are actually single core. But to be honest: Everything felt already quick on my M1 Pro MacBook Pro and I don't feel a difference in everyday tasks with the M2 Max Mac Studio I own now. Its power shines in the more extreme use cases I bought it for (think local AI). An open question is how long the Mx Macs will get OS updates. Will Apple do the cut off by chip generation or be more granular? Nobody knows today.

The MacBook Pros give you more "bang for the buck". They have more headroom for future needs. More performance for multi core tasks. More RAM possible. More ports. More external displays. The fans inside help in case you do something taxing for an extended period of time.

On a sidenote: You don't have to jump to the Max chip right away. The Pro version already has more overall power than the base chip and brings all of the advantages mentioned above, just to a slightly lesser degree (like the number and resolution of external displays).

I personally think the 15" MacBook Air is a great machine. I'm planning on getting one. 16/512 is a good configuration if you keep your drive clean. I tend to be messy … I think it will work nicely for the things you've outlined.

But as stated in the beginning: It all depends on how you want to use your machine. There are so many factors involved: Do you plan on using it on a desk attached to monitors a lot? Will you travel with it? Do you expect to do tasks in the future that might need more multi core performance? And so on.