Please help me with my Mac lineup purchase!

[fpenta]

Hello guys,

I would love to know what you think about my current Mac situation according to my needs.

I'm a landscape and timelapse photographer. I usually travel with my heavy backpack so every ounces counts, and portability is my n. 1 priority.

I currently use an iMac 27" 2019 (i9, 1TB, 64GB RAM Vega 48) that I use as a workstation at home (I would like to upgrade it once the the Apple Silicon iMac/iMac Pro comes out).

I have just sold my maxed out 2018 15" MacBook Pro that I used to travel with. I wanted to sell it as soon as possible before the Intel Macs would lost more value.

I need to buy a new laptop but I'm still not sure which one to get:

MacBook Air:
I love to save weight as much as I can and the MacBook Air (16GB RAM, 8 Cores, 1TB SSD) would be the perfect solution for this matter. I don't need the power of the M1 Pro when I travel, since I do the processing only when I come back home.
Problem is that the cost of that configuration is very close to the M1 Pro 14" so not really worth it.
Only solution would be to buy the base config with 512GB, 8GB Ram.

MacBook Pro 16":
I love big screens and big laptops and the MacBook Pro 16" is incredible. I could not use this laptop for traveling tho. It would be the laptop to use at home from couch, bed or when traveling close to home without camera backpack.

MacBook Pro 14"
The MacBook Pro 14" is a little bit in between. Since I don't need the power when I travel, I don't really see this laptop for my needs. It is still a heavy and chunky laptop compared to the Air.

My ideal solution would be to buy a MacBook Pro 16" for processing (10c/16c, 1TB SSD, 32GB or 16GB RAM? ) when I'm home/near home (without camera bag) + a MacBook Air base model for when I travel far with my heavy camera bag (I don't like to use iPads as a computer replacements) + iMac Pro Silicon (replacing my current 2019) when I need the bigger screen, hard editing sessions or need to access to all of my peripherals/storage data (the desktop solution for me is still a no brainer).
I tried the laptop + screen config in the past and I hated it.

I'm pretty sure about the MacBook Air, and iMac Pro Silicon, but I'm not 100% sure about the MacBook Pro 16".
I'm worried it would be a waste of money having already the MacBook Air and iMac Pro. I love to move my editing machine around the house or between houses so that I don't miss my desktop when I'm away from it.

What do you think?

P.S. I like technology and usually upgrade every 3 years.

 

[Bodhitree]

Buy everything!

No just kidding. I think there’s not much to say until after the Spring Apple Event, which is rumored to be a week away.

 

[fpenta]

Buy everything!
No just kidding. I think there’s not much to say until after the Spring Apple Event, which is rumored to be a week awa

 

[MajorFubar]

MacBook Air. It doesn't matter that the configuration you want is close in price to that of only a slightly more expensive model, its weight advantage for you will trump the power advantage of the higher-spec heavier model. But I'd hold off for a week to see what Apple announce on March 8th.

 

[LiE_]

What do you actually use your laptop for when you travel? You don't process your photos on the move so sounds like you don't do any heavy tasks.

 

[fpenta]

What do you actually use your laptop for when you travel? You don't process your photos on the move so sounds like you don't do any heavy tasks.

When I travel with my camera bag for a photogtaphy project I don’t do heavy tasks. It is manly for transferring the thousands of photos from the CF Express/SD cards to an external SSD for backup and review.

However happens often that I find myself traveling coser where my family lives so I also need a desktop-like machine to do all the editing work far from iMac workstation.

I know that probably the 14” would be the better solution but I think it would actually be a limit on both sides since it is too heavy and chunky for traveling light and too small as a desktop replacement. And the fact that it is only 200€ from the 16” doesn’t make me want to consider it whatsoever!

 

[Technerd108]

I would wait for the March event. It seems like the M2 MB Air with 16gb ram might be perfect for your use case.

That being said considering what you need and wanting to keep the device around for a few years a MBP 14" might just be perfect. Get the $2499 config and be done. The weight of the 14" is not that much heavier than the 13" MBP and you get SO MUCH more with the 14"!

The 16" is great but it is heavy. I personally don't think the weight of the 16" would be a limiting factor traveling because it is still under 5 lbs. For all of the advantages of the 16" I think the trade off is worth it.

Honestly the 14" is not too heavy and it is super powerful. You should buy a 14" and see for yourself and if it doesn't meet your needs return it in the 14 day return period. There really isn't any other way to know for sure but to try it.

I would also consider waiting until the new air is released and see if cost savings over a 14" MBP and power are enough for your needs and save some money and enjoy more portability. The M series processors are pretty powerful for most people-even the regular M1 has some serious performance. I imagine the M2 would be enough power for you and the new design will be pretty sweet too. The only thing to consider is the incredible mini LED 120hz pro motion HDR displays on the MBP 14 and 16" as they are a serious differentiator between Pro and regular MB models IMHO.