What mac should i get? (Apple sillicon)

[s1oplus]

Hello! Im currently deciding which mac should i get and thought id ask for help here, im thinking a base model macbook air, budget is 1100$ i plan on doing light gaming, web browsing and watching vids, and i want something that can last at least 5 years. What Mac should i get?

 

[bogdanw]

Get the M2 version, MacBook Air 13 M2 https://www.apple.com/macbook-air-13-and-15-m2/specs/

 

[s1oplus]

Get the M2 version, MacBook Air 13 M2 https://www.apple.com/macbook-air-13-and-15-m2/specs/

Thanks!

 

[J.A.K.]

I like Rene Ritchie's advice which is basically to wait for the best opportunity to buy the most recent, most powerful device you can afford, so that it will last the longest before you feel a need to upgrade again.

Given that M3 bumps to the MBA's are most likely coming next month, I'd save money and do research on what the best M3 MBA will be for your needs (as opposed to wants) over the long term, and aim at buying the highest spec bumped model of that you can afford.

Personally, this means getting more RAM and relying a little more on external storage as opposed to paying the utterly absurd SSD upgrade prices Apple charges. I just got an M3 iMac and instead of getting 512 GB, I spent the same amount of money on an external 1TB Thunderbolt SSD. Some will say that 256 GB internal is too little and that's probably true for a lot of people, but I feel I'm better off with keeping system stuff and applications on the internal and everything else on the external, than I am with trying to fit everything onto a slightly larger internal. But YMMV.

 

[Ben J.]

Do you really need it to be a laptop?
If it's going to sit on your desktop most of the time, you might get much better value for money by going with a used or refurbished mac mini M1 or M2 with 16GB ram, they're plenty powerful, and get a nice big screen or TV for cheap. Then you could (like I did) get something like a few years old intel macbook air for almost nothing, for the occational portability, and sync them and your iphone via icloud.

I totally agree that a 256 or 512GB SSD is fine for OS, apps, and essential files, and then use the MUCH cheaper M.2 NVMe enclosure solution for video, photos, etc.

 

[phrehdd]

1100 dollars and 5 years makes this a bit tough. You may want to open up your wallet just a bit more to have better options.

 

[Andrey84]

You've received some great comments and I'd like to echo what I think is the most important.
1. Does it really need to be a laptop? You can be fully within budget and get a new M2 Mac Mini with 16GB of unified memory and an an external display.
2. If it must be a laptop, wait for the M2 MBA. Use this time so save and get the 16GB unified memory version.

 

[s1oplus]

Do you really need it to be a laptop?
If it's going to sit on your desktop most of the time, you might get much better value for money by going with a used or refurbished mac mini M1 or M2 with 16GB ram, they're plenty powerful, and get a nice big screen or TV for cheap. Then you could (like I did) get something like a few years old intel macbook air for almost nothing, for the occational portability, and sync them and your iphone via icloud.

I totally agree that a 256 or 512GB SSD is fine for OS, apps, and essential files, and then use the MUCH cheaper M.2 NVMe enclosure solution for video, photos, etc.

i sometimes like to go outside and use my computer, feels good. thats why i want a laptop (edited)

 

[s1oplus]

I like Rene Ritchie's advice which is basically to wait for the best opportunity to buy the most recent, most powerful device you can afford, so that it will last the longest before you feel a need to upgrade again.

Given that M3 bumps to the MBA's are most likely coming next month, I'd save money and do research on what the best M3 MBA will be for your needs (as opposed to wants) over the long term, and aim at buying the highest spec bumped model of that you can afford.

Personally, this means getting more RAM and relying a little more on external storage as opposed to paying the utterly absurd SSD upgrade prices Apple charges. I just got an M3 iMac and instead of getting 512 GB, I spent the same amount of money on an external 1TB Thunderbolt SSD. Some will say that 256 GB internal is too little and that's probably true for a lot of people, but I feel I'm better off with keeping system stuff and applications on the internal and everything else on the external, than I am with trying to fit everything onto a slightly larger internal. But YMMV.

i plan on waiting for the m3 macbook air, since it ill probaly just be the same computer but with a different chip i thought id ask early