Went from a MBA M1 to MBP M1 and Now Back To a MBA M1

[gregpod9]

About 2 months ago, I bought a MBA M1 8C/16/512, I had to returned due to awful keyboard feel and a very red tinted screen issue. About 14 days ago I received my MBP 16/512 and I returned it this morning. The MBP had defective keyboard backlight, about half the keys had uneven brightness compared to the rest of the keys, and the speakers sounded muffled. Also it WiFi 6 card in it was not very stable, its maximum speed was 867 Mbps and the lowest was about 585 Mpbs. The router I have is the Asus RT-AX58U, and its not the router that caused the connection speed issue on the MBP, my other WiFi devices have excellent connection at maximum speeds. So this afternoon I decided to try out the MBA M1 again. I got the SG MBA 8/8/512 at Best Buy. I couldn't wait a month for a custom built one, I needed a laptop right away.

I know that the ram is dropped by half from my first MBA and MBP, however I never utilized more than 6GB of ram in my workflow. On average I use about 5GB of ram for usage. I'm glad to tell you that this MBA has a better keyboard feel and better screen than my first MBA, however the good news is that the red tint screen on this MBA is not as red as my first MBA, its like a pink to light red which is acceptable. There's one minor problem with it: my Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Bluetooth mouse cursor stutters at random times. It could be related to the bluetooth issue the M1 Macs have or it could be the Logitech Options software that has only Intel based drivers.

These are the other reasons why I returned the MBP:
1. I absolutely disliked the touch bar. It's very useless and requires flipping to other screens to use other functions. At random times it froze.
2. It's not worth the extra money for so little gains.
3. It's going to drop in resale value when the redesigned MBP comes out this year.

The reasons why I like my new MBA:
1. Its comfortable to type on and I really like the design of it.
2. Stable WiFi 6 card speed at 1200 Mbps
3. Screen is decent
4. Faster 512GB SSD speed than the MBP 512GB SSD
5. Keyboard has even backlight
6. Better build quality than the MBP
*Most of you MBA M1 owners know what other things make the MBA better than the MBP*.

This MBA 8/8/512 will be for temporary use until the new designed MBP or when the 24 inch iMac gets released in a couple of months.

 

[Joelist]

I got a base model MBA and after what was supposed to be a trial and test am still using it while my MBP 16 with i9 and 16GB RAM is sitting on the shelf. I love this thing. The screen is perfect, it is FASTER than my MBP 16 and the key experience is as good or better. And weirdly 8GB is turning out to be easily enough.

 

[Buck987]

To me the screen on the pro is much superior to the air, since that is what I look at most its the reason I went with the pro.

I also think it has a better keyboard than the air and better battery life.

 

[1240766]

I also have to agree the MBP has superior screen, and superior keyboard and trackpad. Not the MBA is not great, it is!!! But the Pro still
is superior. Add that the battery size and fan which I never heard but know it is there to help if it ever needs....

 

[TotalMacMove]

To me the screen on the pro is much superior to the air, since that is what I look at most its the reason I went with the pro.

I also think it has a better keyboard than the air and better battery life.

Better keyboard?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

The Pro also charges faster, with the 60w Charger.

I can go from zero to full in 2.5 hours.

 

[johnalan]

Active cooling on the MBP is the winner for me, though better screen and keyboard do help.

I develop on the machine, and see about 20% improved speeds over my MBA M1, on my MBP M1.

 

[Never mind]

After debating back-and-forth I went with a pro and boy am I glad I did. The screen is so important to me and I looked at both a pro and the air at Best Buy and decided on the pro. extra battery time is good as well as the keyboard just feels a bit better. And as far as the OP saying when the new follow one pro comes out making the current M1 pro have less value, that’s just plain silly talk. So will his new pro, when a new one following that comes out. Some of us keep our systems for a long time and we know full well that is going to lose some value as his well too.

 

[deeddawg]

These are the other reasons why I returned the MBP:
1. I absolutely disliked the touch bar. It's very useless and requires flipping to other screens to use other functions. At random times it froze.

Unsure what you mean by this?

Many folks never learn that they can configure the touchbar to replicate the function keys or replicate the quick-action row, and thus incorrectly think they've lost functionality. See SystemPrefs->Keyboard settings.

You can set the touchbar to display this by default:

or this by default:

You can set it to swap between the two with a press of the Fn key.

Just like with the physical row of keys. Same functions same capabilities are available if that's how you want to configure it.

Or (what I do) leave the default as the App Controls to benefit from apps which make use of the touchbar, and display the expanded control strip (1st image) with the Fn key to quickly access the hotkey functions you were used to using.

Plus you can re-order and swap out what items are on the touch bar. I'd rather have launchpad & keyboard backlight controls than spotlight, dictation, and do-not-disturb. I use command-space for the first and never use the other two, waste of a key to dedicate that function.

All that said, some folks do prefer the tactile feedback of hard keys, but as to functionality & customizability the touchbar clearly exceeds the hard keys... and that's even without an app like Better Touch Tool.

 

[Buck987]

Better keyboard?

Yes...less hollow feel, better key travel, for my typing style...may not be better for you.

BTW, the OP mentions the horrible keyboard on his first MBA.

 

[norbinhouston]

Agree, I always have my screen at 100% on my MBAM1. It could be brighter.

 

[kazmac]

I tried two MBA M1s and wound up with an M1 MBP. Prefer typing on the MBP and the nicer display helps too. I largely ignore the TB except for volume controls and customized it immediately. This is a stopgap Mac as I wait for an M Chip replacement for my 2013 iMac.

I am glad that folks are enjoying the MBA.

They are great machines.

 

[1240766]

Yes...less hollow feel, better key travel, for my typing style...may not be better for you.

BTW, the OP mentions the horrible keyboard on his first MBA.

I have gone back and forth between multiple MBA configs and MBP configs, had both side by side a few times -

MBA 8/7/8/256, 8/8/8/512, 8/8/16/1tb (twice)
MBP 8/8/8/256. 8/8/8/512, 8/8/16/1tb (twice)

The MBA has nothing left to be desired, it is a nice machine. BUT, when you compare side by side, you do feel the small differences that makes the MBP a better quality - including the typing experience. Again, the MBA is awesome, but it is not a MBP awesome....

 

[Apple_Robert]

To me the screen on the pro is much superior to the air, since that is what I look at most its the reason I went with the pro.

I also think it has a better keyboard than the air and better battery life.

As far as I am aware, both M1's use the same keyboard.

 

[Joelist]

Yep. All Apple laptops since the MBP 16 have used the new keyboard, and the Air and Pro have the same travel.

 

[Buck987]

As far as I am aware, both M1's use the same keyboard.

They could be but that may not be relevant. They are in different cases with different components inside. Put the two models side by side and most people will IMO acknowledge a difference.

 

[Apple_Robert]

They could be but that may not be relevant. They are in different cases with different components inside. Put the two models side by side and most people will IMO acknowledge a difference.

I don't know about "most people" and neither do you.

Some members have reported that they found no hands on difference between the two models, while some others stated a slight difference was noted in travel.

There are a few possibilities as to why there has been discrepancies noted on the forum.

1) Some members who were biased towards the MBP to begin with, have managed to convince themselves that they felt a difference with the MBP keyboard.

2) The keyboards aren't different but, the positioning of the hands may be slightly different for some members due to the MBP bottom case not being tapered like the MBA. The slight difference in hand position is giving the illusion that the MBP keyboard is quantitatively different.

In my opinion, points 1 & 2 can be experienced at the same time by the same person, whether he or she realizes it.

3) There is an actual hardware difference between the two models even though Apple stipulates otherwise.

 

[Buck987]

I don't know about "most people" and neither do you.

Some members have reported that they found no hands on difference between the two models, while some others stated a slight difference was noted in travel.

There are a few possibilities as to why there has been discrepancies noted on the forum.

1) Some members who were biased towards the MBP to begin with, have managed to convince themselves that they felt a difference with the MBP keyboard.

2) The keyboards aren't different but, the positioning of the hands may be slightly different for some members due to the MBP bottom case not being tapered like the MBA. The slight difference in hand position is giving the illusion that the MBP keyboard is quantitatively different.

In my opinion, points 1 & 2 can be experienced at the same time by the same person, whether he or she realizes it.

So glad I added IMO...and I stated would acknowledge a difference. I didn’t say they would prefer one over the other. I just know what I prefer.

 

[grator]

Maybe the same keyboard on both MBA and MBP, but probably many manufacturers. I had 3 2020 MBP (intel) at the same time, and as two of them definitely had the same keyboard, the third didn't. One was firm, and the keys didn't wobbled. The two other were the opposite : lot of wobble, noisy typing.
There was a subject on that in the MBP section.

 

[darngooddesign]

Another difference may be how much metal is under the keyboard; different amounts of metal can cause audio and feedback differences.

 

[1240766]

The key system is the same, but the keyboard is definitely different. There is a bit more feedback "click" on MBP (IMO).

 

[1240766]

Unsure what you mean by this?

Many folks never learn that they can configure the touchbar to replicate the function keys or replicate the quick-action row, and thus incorrectly think they've lost functionality. See SystemPrefs->Keyboard settings.

You can set the touchbar to display this by default:

View attachment 1716178

or this by default:
View attachment 1716179

You can set it to swap between the two with a press of the Fn key.

Just like with the physical row of keys. Same functions same capabilities are available if that's how you want to configure it.

Or (what I do) leave the default as the App Controls to benefit from apps which make use of the touchbar, and display the expanded control strip (1st image) with the Fn key to quickly access the hotkey functions you were used to using.

Plus you can re-order and swap out what items are on the touch bar. I'd rather have launchpad & keyboard backlight controls than spotlight, dictation, and do-not-disturb. I use command-space for the first and never use the other two, waste of a key to dedicate that function.

View attachment 1716180


All that said, some folks do prefer the tactile feedback of hard keys, but as to functionality & customizability the touchbar clearly exceeds the hard keys... and that's even without an app like Better Touch Tool.

It is not the same, not only about the feedback - think about how you can turn volume up/down, brightness, etc... with the function keys.

 

[Quackers]

Well I'm in trouble then ?
Part of the reason for changing from MBP to (incoming) MBA was that I didn't like the keyboard on the MBP (along with a hardware error code). I thought it was mushy and clackey, personally. Maybe I've been spoilt using the 2012 rMBP keyboard for 8 years.
I'll try the MBA keyboard when it arrives and see what gives.

 

[MarkAtl]

As far as I am aware, both M1's use the same keyboard.

Different touchpad though. MBP is 1/2” wider. I like it but to many it might not be a big deal.

 

[Zazoh]

I wonder how many folks out there are like me ...
I buy base. Always. I use the hell out of it. 8+ hours a day. In 18 months, if there is a new model, I repeat cycle.

Keyboards are like forks, I’ll make do with what I have in my hand. There is not a fork I can’t use.

Any Apple screen is a good screen.

Regarding quality, the only other laptop that I didn’t regret purchasing was Google’s Pixelbook Go.