100gb "system data" - clean install on M1 pro

[awintersdaybyth]

Hi, Im due to receive a new M1 pro Macbook - at the moment I have a 512gb MacBook Air which is showing 100gb of "system date". If i do a clean install on the new MacBook will that solve the problem? Im figuring I can just save all my Logic files and other important stuff onto a external SSD but is it inevitable that any Mac will build up that amount of system date? Trying to decide whether to try for an instore 512gb basic MacBook pro tomorrow or to stick with my 1tb order which is due mid November

 

[twinpeaks_sf]

There are major bugs with how available storage space is calculated. My old MacBook showed over 100gb more space available than the individual sections of the bar chart add up to. My new MacBook has 125gb of "System Data" that doesn't reconcile with anything on the drive.

Folks on the iOS/iPadOS side were reporting more storage available than the capacity of their SSDs (e.g., 312gb available, 256gb capacity). It's crazy.

I appreciate this probably won't help you decision, but if you've got the $200 and this is your primary system (i.e., it's not an option to turn on 'optimize storage') and/or you'd prefer not to use an external drive, spring for the 1tb model.

 

[dingobiatch]

I love don’t know anyone with a 512gb laptop who hasn’t regretted it.

 

[twinpeaks_sf]

I love don’t know anyone with a 512gb laptop who hasn’t regretted it.

I just bought one! But this MacBook Pro is a secondary system (I'm happy with optimizing storage) and I don't work in big files. But I do appreciate it's a weird configuration with 32gb RAM (I run a lot of things - incl. web apps - simultaneously).