Buying a MBA, will the base configuration be enough for me?

[Kung]

Interesting reading! Does that means, it is still better to keep on using Intel MacBooks? Do their screens have that terrible LED strain too?

That I don't know; aside from a Mac Mini in 2005/2007, and a Core i5 iMac back in like 2010, the MBA M2 was the first one I'd owned in a while.

 

[chmania]

That I don't know; aside from a Mac Mini in 2005/2007, and a Core i5 iMac back in like 2010, the MBA M2 was the first one I'd owned in a while.

Thanks for the link anyway. I'm going to read that. How's the eye strain with MBA M2? Mine is a 2018 15" Intel MBP, a no problem MBP.

 

[Kung]

Thanks for the link anyway. I'm going to read that. How's the eye strain with MBA M2? Mine is a 2018 15" Intel MBP, a no problem MBP.

I mean, my MBA M2 was the reason I traded it in on an MBP M2 Pro - I got constant headaches. This was before I knew about PWM and temporal dithering and the like, but TBH I was looking for a reason to get an MBP. I never knew about dithering or PWM until I bought an iPhone X and got constant headaches...and then traded it in on an Xr and they went away.

Once the MBA was gone, I didn't realize how much I loved the MBA form factor...and once I read about StillColor I was back in on MBAs again.

I personally don't know, but there are like 1500 some posts on that forum about how it has helped tons of people, many with MBA M2s.

I get my MBA M3 this afternoon, and I'll know within a few hours how well StillColor and other adjustment methods (color profiles and the like) work. I'll report back 🙂

 

[bzgnyc2]

Interesting reading! Does that means, it is still better to keep on using Intel MacBooks? Do their screens have that terrible LED strain too?

The gradients are as smooth as silk to my eyes on my (Intel) MacBook Air 2020 when I go to the link to the Lagom Gradient (Banding) test in the README from this page:

GitHub - aiaf/Stillcolor: Disable temporal dithering on your Mac with this lightweight menu bar app. Designed for Apple silicon Macs.

Disable temporal dithering on your Mac with this lightweight menu bar app. Designed for Apple silicon Macs. - aiaf/Stillcolor

github.com

 

[chmania]

The gradients are as smooth as silk to my eyes on my (Intel) MacBook Air 2020 when I go to the link to the Lagom Gradient (Banding) test in the README from this page:

GitHub - aiaf/Stillcolor: Disable temporal dithering on your Mac with this lightweight menu bar app. Designed for Apple silicon Macs.

Disable temporal dithering on your Mac with this lightweight menu bar app. Designed for Apple silicon Macs. - aiaf/Stillcolor

github.com

Thanks for the link.👍
With the display contrast to normal, in my 2018 15" MBP, I see all the black levels, the full contrast chart, the clock and phase chart, the sharpness chart, the gamma calibration chart, the white saturation chart, the greyscale gradients, inversion charts. The viewing angle was excellent too. It looks like, Apple had sold very good 15" MBPs then, mine was manufactured in April 2019, the same year Apple discontinued it. It was supposed to be high-end those days. I don't even have that butterfly keyboard problem.👌

I'd be awaiting Kung's report, when he tests his MBA M3.

 

[chmania]

By the way, anyone with a MBA, keeps it always plugged in? Or, most of the time plugged in, whenever there's an electrical socket around?

 

[Mainsail]

By the way, anyone with a MBA, keeps it always plugged in? Or, most of the time plugged in, whenever there's an electrical socket around?

I use the battery optimization setting, and generally just plug-in to charge over night. The battery life is so good that I almost never take the charger with me, except overnight trips.

 

[1BadManVan]

By the way, anyone with a MBA, keeps it always plugged in? Or, most of the time plugged in, whenever there's an electrical socket around?

Nah, unless I know I want be using it for awhile, it's usually up on the back of my couch. The battery life is amazing and basically uses no power when you just close the lid in sleep mode as well.

 

[chmania]

Nah, unless I know I want be using it for awhile, it's usually up on the back of my couch. The battery life is amazing and basically uses no power when you just close the lid in sleep mode as well.

How about the battery cycles? Are they going up slowly too?

 

[Kung]

I mean, my MBA M2 was the reason I traded it in on an MBP M2 Pro - I got constant headaches. This was before I knew about PWM and temporal dithering and the like, but TBH I was looking for a reason to get an MBP. I never knew about dithering or PWM until I bought an iPhone X and got constant headaches...and then traded it in on an Xr and they went away.

Once the MBA was gone, I didn't realize how much I loved the MBA form factor...and once I read about StillColor I was back in on MBAs again.

I personally don't know, but there are like 1500 some posts on that forum about how it has helped tons of people, many with MBA M2s.

I get my MBA M3 this afternoon, and I'll know within a few hours how well StillColor and other adjustment methods (color profiles and the like) work. I'll report back 🙂

Well....it's packaged up for return. 😕

Installed StillColor and tweaked and messed with the laptop...and no matter WHAT I did, within about 10 minues of using it, I'd get a 'burning' feeling in my eyes, a pretty good headache, and nausea. Switched back to my MBP M2 Pro, and within 5 minutes or so the feeling would go away.

My wife was wondering if I was making things up, so I asked her if she noticed it. She started using my MBP - no issues. Soon as she started using the MBA....within a few minutes she complained that HER eyes hurt and it gave her a headache. She actually apologized for giving me junk over the last few years.

Not sure why it bothers some and not others. I love the MBA form factor but can't deal w/the screen, so back it goes. 🙁

 

[chmania]

Well....it's packaged up for return. 😕

Installed StillColor and tweaked and messed with the laptop...and no matter WHAT I did, within about 10 minues of using it, I'd get a 'burning' feeling in my eyes, a pretty good headache, and nausea. Switched back to my MBP M2 Pro, and within 5 minutes or so the feeling would go away.

My wife was wondering if I was making things up, so I asked her if she noticed it. She started using my MBP - no issues. Soon as she started using the MBA....within a few minutes she complained that HER eyes hurt and it gave her a headache. She actually apologized for giving me junk over the last few years.

Not sure why it bothers some and not others. I love the MBA form factor but can't deal w/the screen, so back it goes. 🙁

Have you seen an eye doctor, by the way, with your eye problems?

 

[Kung]

Have you seen an eye doctor, by the way, with your eye problems?

Yep. Slight astigmatism in both eyes, but other than that I'm fine. I did mention it in the past and he did say that some people, for some odd reason, are more sensitive to PWM/dithering than others.

 

[neo_cs193p]

Yep. Slight astigmatism in both eyes, but other than that I'm fine. I did mention it in the past and he did say that some people, for some odd reason, are more sensitive to PWM/dithering than others.

Weird, because it's the exact opposite for me. I had the symptoms you mentioned with the M1P MBP (both 14" and 16"). My eyes feel much better using the M2/M3 MBA. So I always assumed it was the PWM, or the over-saturated colors on the MBP screen (only my personal impression), or the smaller pixels against old eyes (254ppi Pro vs 224ppi Air makes for thinner text on integer scaled resolution etc.).

 

[Kung]

Weird, because it's the exact opposite for me. I had the symptoms you mentioned with the M1P MBP (both 14" and 16"). My eyes feel much better using the M2/M3 MBA. So I always assumed it was the PWM, or the over-saturated colors on the MBP screen (only my personal impression), or the smaller pixels against old eyes (254ppi Pro vs 224ppi Air makes for thinner text on integer scaled resolution etc.).

Yeah, I've read about that too.

I first 'discovered' it on my iPhone X; about a year or so later I traded it in on an Xr and I had no issues. It happened again when I bought an MBA M2 8/512.

Didn't tie the two together until I got to trade it in on my MBP M2 Pro 16/512...and suddenly no headaches.

I'm not sure why it's the MBAs specifically. Next time I plan on quizzing my eye doc indepth to see if he's heard of it with others. I mean, my MBP M2 Pro is paid for and works just fine, so I'm good. I just wish I could get the form factor of a MBA with the screen of a MBP and I'd be great. First world problem, I suppose.

On a side note...supposedly there isn't any PWM with the MBAs, but there *is* temporal dithering. All I know is that the tests and results I read about on the LEDStrain forum are as described...but I still get headaches and nausea.

 

[chmania]

Next time I plan on quizzing my eye doc indepth to see if he's heard of it with others.

I suppose, you should asap. Until, I had one eye operated, I didn't know what I had lost. Then I got the other eye operated, now its like I'm reborn. After more than 30 years wearing spectacles, I read, drive without them.

 

[Kung]

I suppose, you should asap. Until, I had one eye operated, I didn't know what I had lost. Then I got the other eye operated, now its like I'm reborn. After more than 30 years wearing spectacles, I read, drive without them.

Well, I've spoken to 3 different docs; all of them say "Yep, we can't/won't operate on you." Not sure why - slight astigmatism in each eye; slightly farsighted in right eye, nearsighted in left eye. *shrug*

 

[ipos]

Not sure if it's new or not, but Apple shows:

Built for Apple Intelligence. Coming in beta in US English later this year.⁴


...Even on the 8GB machines. It seems that they're quite keen to ensure that even on 8GB there will be a decent AI experience.

definitely given that Apple's AI is meant only for 15 pro max since it's on 8 gb of RAM.
iphone 15 users ain't going to get the AI at all. suck thumb !

 

[daabido]

And one more thing: with such simple 2024 needs, if money is driving your thinking here, consider a PC or Chromebook or similar. They can easily do what you need and will cost a fraction of a MBair. Kick the can for a few years and when your needs get beyond such basics, maybe buy yourself an M7 Mac with specs that can last for the life of the device.

It sounds like he wants to enjoy himself while relaxing, so I wouldn't suggest a PC or Chromebook.

 

[1BadManVan]

He took over his wife’s old M1 Pro and she got a new m3 pro. Problem all solved lol

 

[daanodinot]

It will be enough. I bought a base-model M1 for €771. To be sure: the ideal MacBook Air for me would have been a 16GB/2TB M3. But for €2449, I couldn't justify the extra cost. Future-proofing to some extent is good, but you can fall into a trap where you spend way more money than is justified.

 

[chmania]

It will be enough. I bought a base-model M1 for €771. ............. Future-proofing to some extent is good, but you can fall into a trap where you spend way more money than is justified.

But, MBA with an M1 is too old for a silicon chip device, already discontinued, and was a testing model, user being the tester. It should be at least base model M3, I believe.

 

[1BadManVan]

But, MBA with an M1 is too old for a silicon chip device, already discontinued, and was a testing model, user being the tester. It should be at least base model M3, I believe.

Too old for what exactly though? it even supports apples new AI features, the M1 chip is still a very impressive chip and plenty capable, especially for someone who uses it for basic daily tasks

 

[chmania]

Too old for what exactly though? it even supports apples new AI features, the M1 chip is still a very impressive chip and plenty capable, especially for someone who uses it for basic daily tasks

It was the first one out, making you the experiment. Then, it was practically immediately discontinued, giving way to M2 and then to M3, all that within 3 years. I am actually using a 2018 15" MBP, which is quite old even in Intel's processor range, but that chip was used all over the world in all kinds of computers, so I was not the experiment, the processor inside was well tested, and used even today on some new computers. So, considering the "new" M chip range, M1 is quite old, as within 4 years, Macs with M4 are released. That's why I think, one should consider at least M3, if one is going into the M-chip world. Usually, companies are quite happy to forget the first one out, as quickly as possible, hence the discontinuation.

 

[1BadManVan]

It was the first one out, making you the experiment. Then, it was practically immediately discontinued, giving way to M2 and then to M3, all that within 3 years. I am actually using a 2018 15" MBP, which is quite old even in Intel's processor range, but that chip was used all over the world in all kinds of computers, so I was not the experiment, the processor inside was well tested, and used even today on some new computers. So, considering the "new" M chip range, M1 is quite old, as within 4 years, Macs with M4 are released. That's why I think, one should consider at least M3, if one is going into the M-chip world. Usually, companies are quite happy to forget the first one out, as quickly as possible, hence the discontinuation.

How is that an argument? It was released in 2020 and not replaced by the m2 series until 2022. Last year was m3, this year is m4, already in iPads and about to come out in Mac’s. So is the m3 I guess no good either? The m1 was just used in the last gen iPad Air as well. So no, it was not immediately discontinued.

Pretty much every year and an half, apple has updated their M series chips. From the m1 to the m4, not that hard to look up a timeline. And apple is still pushing current feature updates to the M1, so this is a completely baseless argument. It was a first gen chip, and a very successful one at that. Successful enough to keep building off of it and continuing to support all the same features that their newest M series support.

 

[Funny Apple Man]

It was the first one out, making you the experiment.

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't see the M1 as a test product. Considering how well they aged, its still a good chip to this day.

Technically, the test chip is the A12Z chip used on the DTK Mac Minis.