Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Are you going M1 Air or Pro?

  • Base M1 Air

    Votes: 143 27.9%
  • Higher end M1 Air (16gb)

    Votes: 195 38.0%
  • Base M1 Pro

    Votes: 57 11.1%
  • Higher end Pro (16gb)

    Votes: 90 17.5%
  • Undecided

    Votes: 28 5.5%

  • Total voters
    513

bsmr

macrumors 65816
Oct 4, 2005
1,136
301
Germany
The screen benefits on the MBP are best for watching movies, photo editing, and video editing. For most tasks the MBA screen is perfectly fine.
You're right. But while writing long text or using mail I would also go for the MBP M1 screen because of contrast (it is better for your eyes).
 

1240766

Cancelled
Nov 2, 2020
264
376
I have both as well and I greatly prefer the feel of the keyboard on the Air, it feels more solid whereas the Pro feels sort of hollow to me.

I really thought I had fully decided on the Pro but I just find myself reaching for the Air over the Pro nearly every time.

Same feeling here....for me the Air feels sooo much better...started with the Air, went to the Pro, back to the Air....IMO a much better form and very close function.
 

James_C

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2002
2,848
1,898
Bristol, UK

Hi that test does not compare the screen in the M1 MBP and M1 MBA ? In the display section of the MBA review it says

The color accuracy of the panel is excellent in our tests. The color tests as well as the grayscale are significantly better than with the Windows competitors. The display is therefore very well suited for photographers and others using applications that are dependent on color accuracy.

In your original comment you said
red glow on black content.

I have looked at a number of examples of black content to check before I posted my reply and I don't see the red glow that you suggested exists.

They must be using slightly different screens for the MBA and the MBP M1, so perhaps there is a difference in contrast, but all the reviews that I have seen, the only difference mentioned is the brightness. Anyway as I have said the screen is better than in my 2016 MBP, so I am happy.
 

kp98077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 26, 2010
4,315
2,765
Whistler, BC
the only thing I have noticed with the M1 Air thus far, has been with multiple windows open (6-8) + watching a movie/YouTube - there as some minute shattering... but who knows maybe its my web connection? hard to tell! made me curious yesterday, however.......
 

bsmr

macrumors 65816
Oct 4, 2005
1,136
301
Germany
Hi that test does not compare the screen in the M1 MBP and M1 MBA ? In the display section of the MBA review it says

The color accuracy of the panel is excellent in our tests. The color tests as well as the grayscale are significantly better than with the Windows competitors. The display is therefore very well suited for photographers and others using applications that are dependent on color accuracy.

In your original comment you said


I have looked at a number of examples of black content to check before I posted my reply and I don't see the red glow that you suggested exists.

They must be using slightly different screens for the MBA and the MBP M1, so perhaps there is a difference in contrast, but all the reviews that I have seen, the only difference mentioned is the brightness. Anyway as I have said the screen is better than in my 2016 MBP, so I am happy.
Never said, that this test is a comparison. I compared them for myself. You may have a look here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m1-macbook-air-black-uniformity-red-glow.2274365/

The glow exists. Maybe not for your display. But it does exist.

Have you read the part DISPLAY:
According to Apple, there are also some small changes in the display. While it still uses the same 16:10 resolution with 2560 x 1600 pixels, it now offers a slightly increased maximum brightness and a larger color space. We confirmed the higher brightness. In our comparison of the competitors, the iPads are significantly brighter and the XPS 13 is also able to produce a noticeably higher maximum brightness. As usual, the ThinkPads are unfortunately defeated in this discipline. The relatively high black value unfortunately leads only to an average contrast of 1000:1.

And if you look at the MBA Intel 2020 Test:

You can see, the Intel Model has better contrast and slightly brighter display. But the M1 MBA has P3.

And of course - there is difference in displays at all (maybe also several manufacturers).
I do believe that your display maybe better than my one - but the MBP M1 Display is still better at all.
 

kp98077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 26, 2010
4,315
2,765
Whistler, BC
I have the MBA M1 16GB/512GB/8C GPU. It's a really great laptop. I tried out the MBP M1 8GB/512GB a few days ago and returned it yesterday. Here are links on my comparisons, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/is-it-worth-the-compromise.2273948/post-29373182 and https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/which-would-be-better.2274432/?post=29375341#post-29375341. One thing I wish it would have a slightly brighter screen, however the screen is bright enough for everyday usage.
I did the opposite, had the MBA and just returned it for the base MBP, mostly because the keyboard seemed different to me on the MBA and the brightness (not as bright as on the MBP for sure!!). I also got silver this time so that's nice!!
 

Zazoh

macrumors 68000
Jan 4, 2009
1,518
1,122
San Antonio, Texas
I am sitting right in front of my M1 Air and I don't see any problem on my display with black contrast or any red glow on black content so I am not the one who is wrong and I have not seen any significant complaints about the M1 MBA screens in these forums. I am sure like any computer there are a few people with defective screens. I had a 15" MacBook Pro from 2016, which I compared to this screen and the MBA had a significantly better screen, apart from the max brightness level.

Mine too. Likely if they are not side by side, you can’t tell. I never have screen at max brightness anyway. It’s not like I’m using it on the deck of a boat. You only get the 100 nit difference at 100% brightness.

In reality, most people spent $300 on a fan and Touch Bar, two things I would have paid extra NOT to have. So felt like I got a bargain getting the Air. Computers that don’t have spinning things in them - are the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Never mind

gregpod9

macrumors 6502
Apr 27, 2007
307
91
I did the opposite, had the MBA and just returned it for the base MBP, mostly because the keyboard seemed different to me on the MBA and the brightness (not as bright as on the MBP for sure!!). I also got silver this time so that's nice!!
I may end up doing same thing like you due to my MBA screen having a slight red tint which I think it has to do with the red glow light it has, the keyboard feels mushy and slippery on the MBA. When I had tried the MBP M1 8/512, I loved its screen, keyboard feel was crisper but I felt it was expensive for a computer with 8 GB of memory and it also had a few issues.
So do you think it's a downgrade from going from the 16GB MBA to the base MBP? I really don't need 16GB of memory in a computer since my workload is light and I may not notice the difference in SSD speed from going to a 512 GB SSD to a 256 GB SSD. I know that I'll save $150 by doing this and with the money saved I can get a USB C hub and an external SSD. Or should I just get the MBP 8GB/512GB again, but I pay an extra $50 more than my MBA for a better screen on the MBP?
 
Last edited:

kp98077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 26, 2010
4,315
2,765
Whistler, BC
Builds desktop computer with passive heatsink... involving a 6ft tall stack to pull draft with the lower density of hot air.
I don’t think the fan is going away anything soon
I may end up doing same thing like you due to my MBA screen having a slight red tint which I think it has to do with the red glow light it has, the keyboard feels mushy and slippery on the MBA. When I had tried the MBP M1 8/512, I loved its screen, keyboard feel was crisper but I felt it was expensive for a computer with 8 GB of memory and it also had a few issues.
So do you think it's a downgrade from going from the 16GB MBA to the base MBP? I really don't need 16GB of memory in a computer since my workload is light and I may not notice the difference in SSD speed from going to a 512 GB SSD to a 256 GB SSD. I know that I'll save $150 by doing this and with the money saved I can get a USB C hub and an external SSD. Or should I just get the MBP 8GB/512GB again, but I pay an extra $50 more than my MBA for a better screen on the MBP?
Ua 8 is fine. DefinTely like keyboard and screen on pro. Got silver which looks awesome !!
 

gregpod9

macrumors 6502
Apr 27, 2007
307
91
Ua 8 is fine. DefinTely like keyboard and screen on pro. Got silver which looks awesome !!
I’m going to return my MBA M1 16/512/8C GPU on Monday. I couldn’t bear the display quality on it and the mushy and slippery keyboard feel to it. I just reordered the MBP M1 SG 8/512.
 
Last edited:

kp98077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 26, 2010
4,315
2,765
Whistler, BC
I’m going to return my MBA M1 16/512/8C GPU on Monday. I couldn’t bear the display quality on it and the mushy and slippery keyboard feel to it. I just reordered the MBP M1 SG 8/512.
yes the keyboard is very mushy and I am not sure why, display is sub par, for sure...
 

Hiredgoon6

macrumors member
Jan 21, 2019
40
28
yes the keyboard is very mushy and I am not sure why, display is sub par, for sure...

I have the same findings. I'm coming from a 16" and the Air keyboard feels less tactile than the 13" and 16" Pros. Not sure what they did with it.
 

kp98077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 26, 2010
4,315
2,765
Whistler, BC
I have the same findings. I'm coming from a 16" and the Air keyboard feels less tactile than the 13" and 16" Pros. Not sure what they did with it.
yeah agreed! I was disappointed with the keyboard on the M1 Air for sure.... haven't seen many complaints on it either. being now on my M1 MBP, night and day difference!!
 

gregpod9

macrumors 6502
Apr 27, 2007
307
91
yes the keyboard is very mushy and I am not sure why, display is sub par, for sure...
Even my Lenovo Yoga 720 13 inch laptop has a better feeling keyboard than the MBA M1. Even the display on my Lenovo laptop has no red glow and no red tint, but it’s less bright at 300 nits while the MBA is 400 nits of brightness.

I’m glad that that I’m going back to MBP M1 8/512.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kp98077

roncron

macrumors 65816
Aug 15, 2011
1,184
2,284
I'm super happy with my 16gb/8core/1TB MBA, been using it for two weeks, love it.

But each of the other models in this poll is worthwhile, I'm glad there are different options so people with different use-cases or different budgets can one that better fits their needs.

And at just $899 (student/teacher pricing), the base M1 MBA is a pretty fantastic value given the performance and battery life. I wish I had that option when I was a college student. (When I was a student, the only option was an abacus. It was pretty cheap, just $9 or so. But expressing that price in 2020 dollars to adjust for inflation, it was about $4599.97)
 

kp98077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 26, 2010
4,315
2,765
Whistler, BC
hm, i had a 16 mbp, 19 mbp, m1 mba and pro... never heard of this...
I’m only referring to the M1s. Nothing else. I see a large difference in pro versus air keyboard - the best way to describe it is the pro feels more tactile and stiff (I prefer that)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.