Switching from 16" MBP to M1 MBA Now, then Getting 14" 4-Port MBP When it Releases

[16bitplus]

Looking for some advice.

Currently I have a 16" MBP ($2799 Model) and I picked up the $1249 M1 MB Air last week. Like many others, I love the M1 MBA. It runs cool (this is a big deal as I use my MB on my lap while working a lot an hate how the 16" is always hot), no Touch Bar, and as fast as the 16". The only negative is only having 2 USB C Ports.

My worry is that the 16" is going to lose value fast, because these machines are already being beaten by the Air. Mine is in fantastic shape and I am having trouble selling it for under $1900 already.

Option 1: Keep the 16" and wait for the 14" 4-port MBP. Maybe lose more on the 16" as it will surly look worse agains the next Pros.

Option 2: Lower the price of the 16" more and more until it is sold. Keep the M1 Air. Then sell that when the 14" MBP arrives.

Option 3: Keep the M1 MBA and 16", but dock the 16" as a desktop.

What would you do?

 

[DHagan4755]

I have a 16" MacBook Pro, the $2,399 model, and I hear you on the heat. However, in your present situation, I would sell the 16" to get what you can for it now. I'm pretty confident given the more accurate reporting from Mark Gurman that the 16" is next up for M1 & probably a lot sooner than the 14". So if you're looking to unload what you can for your current 16" now's the time. Ming-Chi Kuo said late 2nd quarter or 3rd quarter 2021 for the 14". But Kuo is tricky on timing.

 

[16bitplus]

Another option, is trading in the 16" for $1530. I should be able to get $1800 from CL, but might we worth the trade in to avoid the hassle of a local sale. Especially with COVID. Could get $250 of my Apple care back too if I cancel it.

 

[Chompineer]

I’d probably live with what I have and not go pissing money away.

 

[christophermdia]

Option 2 ... or resale to Apple, at least its sure money ... try Swappa too ... I traded in my 2016 13" MBP, Apple offered $700 which may be a little low, but I don't have to make the effort to sell and ship etc .... and its already 4 years old ... im pretty sure, life is at a cadence of every 2-3 years for computers now anyway ...

 

[Maconplasma]

Looking for some advice.


Option 1: Keep the 16" and wait for the 14" 4-port MBP. Maybe lose more on the 16" as it will surly look worse agains the next Pros.



What would you do?

I would not believe in a so-called 14" until it hits the streets. There is no proof at all that such a model will exist, so it makes no sense to prepare for something (such as getting rid of your 16") you may never see.

 

[16bitplus]

Keep going back and forth. I can get $1550 from Apple to trade in the 16". Probably $1700 cash if I am patient on Craigslist.

The main factors are still

• HEAT: Not having my palms sweat when using the 16" or having fans on
• M1 Air is as fast as my 16" for Final Cut
• The 13 or 14" Pro with 4 USB C Ports would be the perfect machine, but the Air will do until that is released

 

[curl_marx]

I'm trading in my 16-inch for a M1 MBA w/ the upgraded CPU and 16GB RAM. Tired of the heat, constant fans blasting, and I'll be thankful to have a smaller machine that isn't so unwieldy to travel with. From the benchmarks I've seen, I don't think performance will be noticeably different for my use case.

 

[KPOM]

Looking for some advice.

Currently I have a 16" MBP ($2799 Model) and I picked up the $1249 M1 MB Air last week. Like many others, I love the M1 MBA. It runs cool (this is a big deal as I use my MB on my lap while working a lot an hate how the 16" is always hot), no Touch Bar, and as fast as the 16". The only negative is only having 2 USB C Ports.

My worry is that the 16" is going to lose value fast, because these machines are already being beaten by the Air. Mine is in fantastic shape and I am having trouble selling it for under $1900 already.

Option 1: Keep the 16" and wait for the 14" 4-port MBP. Maybe lose more on the 16" as it will surly look worse agains the next Pros.

Option 2: Lower the price of the 16" more and more until it is sold. Keep the M1 Air. Then sell that when the 14" MBP arrives.

Option 3: Keep the M1 MBA and 16", but dock the 16" as a desktop.

What would you do?

A computer loses the most value the day the return period expires. You’d likely lose $400 on the M1 Air if you sold it next year.

I’d keep what you have if it works well enough, and then re-assess when Apple releases a 4-port MacBook Pro. The M1 is nice, but these are entry level for a reason.

 

[jerryk]

I just sent my 16" to an online trade-in site because I wanted to get rid of it before it dropped further in value. I will cancel AppleCare and get a refund for the remaining time when the site confirms the condition and send me the quoted price.

I ordered a MB Air M1 base (8/256) to get started down the Apple Silicon path. But, by the end of next year, I hope to have a 14" system with a M1X or M2 based SOM and relegate the MB Air to a secondary system.

 

[ipodlover77]

I got absolutely hosed on the resale value. Since the benchmarks came out and how people started raving about how the M1 is superior to the Intel chips, no one wanted to buy my MacBook Pro 16" (base model, bought in March 2020, 27 battery cycles, Applecare+ to 2023). I ended up finding a local sale for a sad $1600. That being said, I'm glad that I finally got rid of it. I don't think I would've been able to get that come next year.
Compared to the 16", I miss the more sleek screen design with the slimmer bezels and the amazing speakers but that terrible battery life and the heavy weight I absolutely don't miss.
It also doesn't help that the only thing I did on the 16" was surf the internet in bed.

 

[nothingtoseehere]

Keep going back and forth. I can get $1550 from Apple to trade in the 16". Probably $1700 cash if I am patient on Craigslist.

The main factors are still

• HEAT: Not having my palms sweat when using the 16" or having fans on
• M1 Air is as fast as my 16" for Final Cut
• The 13 or 14" Pro with 4 USB C Ports would be the perfect machine, but the Air will do until that is released

You don't mention that you need Windows in any regard so you won't miss that.
The M1 Air can do everything you did on the 16", therefore no need to keep the old one.
I hear no complaints about the smaller screen.
In many aspects (heat, noise, ...), the M1 is even better.

-> Sounds as if you already nearly made your decision

 

[smoking monkey]

Keep going back and forth. I can get $1550 from Apple to trade in the 16". Probably $1700 cash if I am patient on Craigslist.

The main factors are still

• HEAT: Not having my palms sweat when using the 16" or having fans on
• M1 Air is as fast as my 16" for Final Cut
• The 13 or 14" Pro with 4 USB C Ports would be the perfect machine, but the Air will do until that is released

I'd take the apple money. So much easier.

 

[Strangedream]

Buying a computer to keep it only a few months doesn't make much sense to me. If money is a concern and I were you I'd return the M1 while it's still within return period, and use these funds towards next year's 14-incher.

Also don't trade in with Apple, they'll downsell you. Find a hardware resell store near you.

Personally, I have a 2016 15-inch MBP and I'm definitely gonna keep it until the new 16-inch comes out in 2021. The M1 is crazy good and I realize that but I can't switch to anything smaller than 15-inch (I don't want an external monitor clustering my desk top).

 

[16bitplus]

Buying a computer to keep it only a few months doesn't make much sense to me. If money is a concern and I were you I'd return the M1 while it's still within return period, and use these funds towards next year's 14-incher.

Also don't trade in with Apple, they'll downsell you. Find a hardware resell store near you.

Personally, I have a 2016 15-inch MBP and I'm definitely gonna keep it until the new 16-inch comes out in 2021. The M1 is crazy good and I realize that but I can't switch to anything smaller than 15-inch (I don't want an external monitor clustering my desk top).

I am leaning more towards this. I think the 13" is just a little too small. Maybe the 14" would be just right. It is less about the size, more about the ports since I usually dock at home. One goes to power, one to my monitor. Then if I need to hook up drives or other usb devices I am out of luck.

I think I was justifying the M1 MBA as a "rental" with the $110/month payment plan with the Apple Card.

It was a consideration to keep both, but I think it would be a big pain to try and sell a 16" i9 and a M1 MBA when the real Pro models arrive.

 

[jon08]

I am leaning more towards this. I think the 13" is just a little too small. Maybe the 14" would be just right. It is less about the size, more about the ports since I usually dock at home. One goes to power, one to my monitor. Then if I need to hook up drives or other usb devices I am out of luck.

Couldn't you get a USB-C hub and then use it to charge your MBA or plug in your external monitor?

 

[neil74]

Bump..

I was mulling over a similar choice and finally last week sold my 16" MBP and picked up a refurbished M1 MBA. The MBP 16 was a joke really and when plugged into an external monitor sounded like a PS4 in full flight. I figured the value of the 16 was only going one way and in the end whilst I took a bath on it I was able to sell it for £1400 and paid £850 for the MBA.

The M1 MBA is terrific, I have not crunched any significant numbers on it yet but for every day use it just flys, I am very happy with the move.