Can M2 Air 8/10/16/512 get my daughter through College?

[JustAnExpat]

Five years is a long time in computer years at the MBA low end so I would normally suggest a loaded MBP including 32 or 64 GB RAM which is more likely to last 5 years. But the fact that she wants light says it all: get the MBA but boost the RAM to maximum, which I believe is 24 GB. The additional RAM will matter in a couple of years if not immediately. If for some reason her computing needs exceed the MBA at some point deal with it then.

NO!
1. What software will exist in five years that will require 64GB of RAM? I was in college, and used a MacBook Air 2015 with 8GBs of RAM (I was a Masters student). 8GB of RM is still fine enough for the MacBook Airs being sold.

2. For medical students, IF there's any special software required, I'm *ALMOST* certain it'll be cloud based, where all the rendering or work will be on the cloud, not on a local machine.

3. Do you have any software or proof that RAM requirements will go up to 32GBs in 5 years for a medical degree program?

 

[Allen_Wentz]

NO!
1. What software will exist in five years that will require 64GB of RAM? I was in college, and used a MacBook Air 2015 with 8GBs of RAM (I was a Masters student). 8GB of RM is still fine enough for the MacBook Airs being sold.

2. For medical students, IF there's any special software required, I'm *ALMOST* certain it'll be cloud based, where all the rendering or work will be on the cloud, not on a local machine.

3. Do you have any software or proof that RAM requirements will go up to 32GBs in 5 years for a medical degree program?

Reread what I said: I recommended the M2 MBA with its max RAM, which is 24 GB in an MBA.

You ask "What software will exist in five years that will require 64GB of RAM?" First off, it is not require so much as it is about performing optimally. And the easy answer is any software dealing with images: apps like Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Designer, Apple Photos, etc. already like 64 GB RAM today. And RAM demands by apps/OS always increase over time.

The Mac OS manages RAM very well, so apps will function with less RAM, but sub-optimally. In my opinion it is dumb to hamstring a new computer's performance by cheaping out on RAM.

Sorry but you are flat wrong suggesting that 8 GB RAM is still fine enough for the MacBook Airs being sold. You neglect to consider the 5 year life cycle, you neglect to consider that some students may choose to do more than just access the internet (e.g. Photoshop or other RAM-needy apps) and you neglect to consider that RAM demands always increase.

Certainly I have no proof that a medical degree program will need RAM; that is just silly. What I do know from experience including multiple degrees is that for the last 20 years creative people using Macs tended to outgrow the RAM on their laptops over the life cycle of the laptop, and that having adequate RAM is very beneficial to extending the life cycle and just generally ensuring smooth operation.

Perhaps a given student spends her whole college time doing nothing but bonehead classes that simply involve internet access, in which case minimal RAM is indeed fine. However IMO it makes sense to have the competent tool available just in case she chooses to get creative.

 

[monokakata]

I'm going to suggest upping the storage to 1 TB. Typical students love images and videos and these eat up storage. I have several (older) friends who had 256 and 512 Macbooks and were always wrestling with storage.

 

[neo_cs193p]

MBA M2 8/8/16/512 will be great.

The 10-core GPU upgrade is definitely not needed. It is the most useless upgrade in a fanless laptop, because apps that could use the extra GPU power usually need it for more than 5 minutes and the early throttle due to overheating will negate the expected benefit.

In addition, the base 8-core GPU comes with the basic 30w power adapter (which has a replaceable duck head that can be switched when going to a country with different outlets). The 35w mini-adapter that comes standard with the GPU upgrade in the US is basically useless outside the US.

 

[0339327]

Real World heavy users/College M2 Air Users, this is more of a question for you.

Do you think that overall the 13.6" M2 Air with 8/10/16/512 will be enough to last through 5 years of college?

I'm not normally torn/undecided on what upgrades to get for myself as I know my workflow & needs. This isn't the case now as our daughter is preparing to move to New Zealand for college (Veterinary School) and we need to get her a new laptop that will last her as close to 5 years as possible (it's a 5 year course vs 8 in Merica). It's been more than a few years since I've been in a classroom and I'm not even sure what programs are used in Vet school let alone the system requirements that would be suggested/required. She wants portability and I've tried to push her into the MBP 14 but she's pretty adamant about having the lightest load to carry.

Storage isn't a concern as she can always use iCloud/external but I've never used the M1 or M2 air and my concern is with the GPU mainly. I will make sure her new computer has a minimal of 16GB Ram (8GB unified is still just 8GB) but do you think that overall the M2 Air with 8/10/16/512 will last 5 years of heavy use?

Again when it comes to what I need as a full time photographer I base upgrades/needs off my programs and I currently use an M1 Ultra 20/64/64/1TB studio and is in no way a comparison to the MBA. Thank you in advance for your insights and/or real world use advice.

Mahalo
Rob

That machine should be perfect for her. I would suggest upgrading to 1 TB SSD just to have the spacing, but 512 is enough for most people and documents. 16 GB is my new minimum and I think that, unless she is doing video or graphic work, there is no need for more.

Nicely spec.

 

[JustAnExpat]

Reread what I said: I recommended the M2 MBA with its max RAM, which is 24 GB in an MBA.

You ask "What software will exist in five years that will require 64GB of RAM?" First off, it is not require so much as it is about performing optimally. And the easy answer is any software dealing with images: apps like Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Designer, Apple Photos, etc. already like 64 GB RAM today. And RAM demands by apps/OS always increase over time.

The Mac OS manages RAM very well, so apps will function with less RAM, but sub-optimally. In my opinion it is dumb to hamstring a new computer's performance by cheaping out on RAM.

Sorry but you are flat wrong suggesting that 8 GB RAM is still fine enough for the MacBook Airs being sold. You neglect to consider the 5 year life cycle, you neglect to consider that some students may choose to do more than just access the internet (e.g. Photoshop or other RAM-needy apps) and you neglect to consider that RAM demands always increase.

Certainly I have no proof that a medical degree program will need RAM; that is just silly. What I do know from experience including multiple degrees is that for the last 20 years creative people using Macs tended to outgrow the RAM on their laptops over the life cycle of the laptop, and that having adequate RAM is very beneficial to extending the life cycle and just generally ensuring smooth operation.

Perhaps a given student spends her whole college time doing nothing but bonehead classes that simply involve internet access, in which case minimal RAM is indeed fine. However IMO it makes sense to have the competent tool available just in case she chooses to get creative.

But, the poster isn't going to be using the machine for images. The user is a student studying medicine. Your advice is not relevant. There is nothing in the post about creativity or graphic design.

 

[raythompsontn]

apps like Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Designer, Apple Photos, etc. already like 64 GB RAM today

I run Adobe Photoshop on my M2 Air with 16 gig of memory quite nicely. I have multiple images open, some with over 100 layers. Photoshop does not complain, neither does Monterey. Memory is not stressed, the CPU is not stressed. I have 64 gig on my home system and I cannot tell the difference in performance between the two systems when running photoshop.

I also use Lightroom and Lightroom runs better on my M2 Air with 16 gig than my Windows system with 64 gig.

Few people really stress Photoshop enough to demand 64 gig of memory. If the person does, they most certainly will be using a system with more oomph than a MacBook Air.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

But, the poster isn't going to be using the machine for images. The user is a student studying medicine. Your advice is not relevant. There is nothing in the post about creativity or graphic design.

Certainly we can not forecast precisely what or how some (by definition intelligent) 18-year-old will be using her laptop for for the next 5 years. Most intelligent 18-year-olds will investigate many things over the course of 5 years of uni; many even change direction entirely. And frankly the statement that "isn't going to be using the machine for images" is absurd. What 2023+ uni student does not involve with images?

Just because The user is a student studying medicine does not mean that she is not a creative person. In fact the challenging field of study she chose suggests the opposite. Note that immediately in 2023 an MBA user loading up with a lot of web browser tabs and running a few other apps like Apple Mail and Apple Photos will typically experience smoother more problem-free operation with in excess of 16 GB RAM. And that is today.

My primary point is that any smart person buying an M2 MBA intended for 2023-2028 and likely to experience substantial varied personal growth (e.g. a student entering uni versus an equally smart granny intending only email) unequivocally should max the RAM out to 24 GB. The point is for the MBA not to be arbitrarily limited by RAM any more than necessary.

Everyone should read up on Apple's Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) and think about the direction RAM usage in Macs is evolving to. It ain't rocket science, the evolution has been very clearly happening for 40 years now, even before UMA. There is a reason Apple allows 96 GB in my current MBP whereas my previous MBP maximum was 16 GB and the one before that was 8 GB. Think!

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I run Adobe Photoshop on my M2 Air with 16 gig of memory quite nicely. I have multiple images open, some with over 100 layers. Photoshop does not complain, neither does Monterey. Memory is not stressed, the CPU is not stressed. I have 64 gig on my home system and I cannot tell the difference in performance between the two systems when running photoshop.

I also use Lightroom and Lightroom runs better on my M2 Air with 16 gig than my Windows system with 64 gig.

Few people really stress Photoshop enough to demand 64 gig of memory. If the person does, they most certainly will be using a system with more oomph than a MacBook Air.

We fully disagree.

Like I have said many times, the OS will allow operation with less RAM available; it is not about "stress Photoshop enough to demand 64 gig of memory," it is about facilitating a new box to work optimally over the life cycle of a box (in the OP case 2023-2028). IMO with M2 MBA choosing 8 GPU cores over 10 GPU cores to save $100 is OK, but choosing 16 GB RAM over 24 GB RAM to save $200 is not.

 

[nikhsub1]

100% no problem, it's an 8 year machine at least.

 

[raythompsontn]

it is about facilitating a new box to work optimally over the life cycle of a box (in the OP case 2023-2028)

By that reasoning the OP should get a MacBook Pro, 2 TB with 96 Gig of memory. Future proof it all the way. Money is no object.

We fully disagree.

Yes, we do. I have no concept of changing your opinion.

I have been around these systems beginning with the Apple II when it was first introduced. I have worked with PC's starting with DOS 1.0 when a 5 megabyte drive was an extra $3K on the price of the machine. I remember when "640K would be enough for anyone".

I have seen people buy machines with way more capacity than was needed, or ever used, within a seven year life cycle of the machine. I have, and still use, a machine with 8 Gig of memory, running Photoshop without issue. Biggest limit has been rendering video and that is a CPU issue, not memory.

The sweet spot on the M2 Air, in my opinion, is the 16 Gig and 1 TB option. That is a significant amount of storage and a good chunk of memory that will handle all but the most memory hungry and demanding applications. Photoshop, InDesign, well just about any Adobe product, are not memory efficient and they all seem to run just fine on the above specifications.

I have no doubt you think otherwise and based on many posts on this subject and the never ending 8 gig vs 16 gig vs 24 gig discussions, differing opinions are always good. Predicting the future, and hardware needs is a best guess. You may be right, and I wrong. I may be right and you wrong. Regardless, the discussion is good and there are no wrong opinions.

 

[Speed38]

I thought I saved the article, but I can't find it. It made a very persuasive argument for getting the iPad Pro with a keyboard and an Apple Pencil for note taking.

Edit: I found it: < https://www.cultofmac.com/826512/ip...aign=back-to-school-here-s-why-to-get-an-ipad>


Here's what Google's Bard came up with on the subject:

Here are some arguments for getting an iPad Pro instead of a MacBook Air for a college student:

* **Portability:** The iPad Pro is much lighter and more portable than the MacBook Air, making it easy to carry around campus all day.

* **Battery life:** The iPad Pro has a long battery life, so you can use it all day without having to worry about running out of power.

* **Touchscreen:** The iPad Pro's touchscreen makes it easy to take notes, sketch, and interact with apps.

* **Apple Pencil:** The Apple Pencil is a great tool for taking notes, drawing, and annotating documents.

* **Lots of apps:** There are a lot of great apps available for the iPad Pro, including educational apps, productivity apps, and creative apps.

* **Price:** The iPad Pro is more affordable than some laptops, such as the MacBook Air.

However, there are also some potential downsides to getting an iPad Pro instead of a MacBook Air:

* **Keyboard:** The iPad Pro doesn't come with a keyboard, so you'll need to buy one separately.

* **Some apps are not available:** Not all apps are available for the iPad Pro, so you may not be able to use all of the software you need for your classes.

* **Not as powerful as a laptop:** The iPad Pro is not as powerful as a laptop, so it may not be suitable for all tasks.

Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. If you are looking for a portable, lightweight device with a long battery life and a great touchscreen, then the iPad Pro is a great option. However, if you need a device that can run all of the software you need for your classes and that has a physical keyboard, then the MacBook Air may be a better choice.

Here are some additional things to consider when making your decision:

* **Your major:** If you are studying a major that requires a lot of typing, such as English or computer science, then the MacBook Air may be a better choice.

* **Your budget:** The iPad Pro is more expensive than the MacBook Air, so if you are on a tight budget, then the MacBook Air may be a better option.

* **Your learning style:** If you are a visual learner or if you prefer to take handwritten notes, then the iPad Pro may be a better choice.


I hope this helps!

 

[1BadManVan]

I thought I saved the article, but I can't find it. It made a very persuasive argument for getting the iPad Pro with a keyboard and an Apple Pencil for note taking.

Edit: I found it: < https://www.cultofmac.com/826512/ip...aign=back-to-school-here-s-why-to-get-an-ipad>


Here's what Google's Bard came up with on the subject:

Here are some arguments for getting an iPad Pro instead of a MacBook Air for a college student:

* **Portability:** The iPad Pro is much lighter and more portable than the MacBook Air, making it easy to carry around campus all day.

* **Battery life:** The iPad Pro has a long battery life, so you can use it all day without having to worry about running out of power.

* **Touchscreen:** The iPad Pro's touchscreen makes it easy to take notes, sketch, and interact with apps.

* **Apple Pencil:** The Apple Pencil is a great tool for taking notes, drawing, and annotating documents.

* **Lots of apps:** There are a lot of great apps available for the iPad Pro, including educational apps, productivity apps, and creative apps.

* **Price:** The iPad Pro is more affordable than some laptops, such as the MacBook Air.

However, there are also some potential downsides to getting an iPad Pro instead of a MacBook Air:

* **Keyboard:** The iPad Pro doesn't come with a keyboard, so you'll need to buy one separately.

* **Some apps are not available:** Not all apps are available for the iPad Pro, so you may not be able to use all of the software you need for your classes.

* **Not as powerful as a laptop:** The iPad Pro is not as powerful as a laptop, so it may not be suitable for all tasks.

Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. If you are looking for a portable, lightweight device with a long battery life and a great touchscreen, then the iPad Pro is a great option. However, if you need a device that can run all of the software you need for your classes and that has a physical keyboard, then the MacBook Air may be a better choice.

Here are some additional things to consider when making your decision:

* **Your major:** If you are studying a major that requires a lot of typing, such as English or computer science, then the MacBook Air may be a better choice.

* **Your budget:** The iPad Pro is more expensive than the MacBook Air, so if you are on a tight budget, then the MacBook Air may be a better option.

* **Your learning style:** If you are a visual learner or if you prefer to take handwritten notes, then the iPad Pro may be a better choice.


I hope this helps!

iPad Pro with a keyboard attachment isn't much lighter than a MacBook Air and the battery life is nowhere close to the air (I own both).

 

[mblm85]

One thing that hasn't been covered: If she's moving to New Zealand for the whole five years, it could be better for her to buy out there. She would have local warranty support options if things go wrong (I'm not sure Apple support goods bought abroad) and New Zealand consumer laws would give her additional options that would otherwise need a lengthy return of the computer to her home country to claim.

 

[JustAnExpat]

I thought I saved the article, but I can't find it. It made a very persuasive argument for getting the iPad Pro with a keyboard and an Apple Pencil for note taking.

Edit: I found it: < https://www.cultofmac.com/826512/ip...aign=back-to-school-here-s-why-to-get-an-ipad>


However, there are also some potential downsides to getting an iPad Pro instead of a MacBook Air:

* **Keyboard:** The iPad Pro doesn't come with a keyboard, so you'll need to buy one separately.

* **Some apps are not available:** Not all apps are available for the iPad Pro, so you may not be able to use all of the software you need for your classes.

* **Not as powerful as a laptop:** The iPad Pro is not as powerful as a laptop, so it may not be suitable for all tasks.

Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. If you are looking for a portable, lightweight device with a long battery life and a great touchscreen, then the iPad Pro is a great option. However, if you need a device that can run all of the software you need for your classes and that has a physical keyboard, then the MacBook Air may be a better choice.

Here are some additional things to consider when making your decision:

* **Your major:** If you are studying a major that requires a lot of typing, such as English or computer science, then the MacBook Air may be a better choice.

* **Your budget:** The iPad Pro is more expensive than the MacBook Air, so if you are on a tight budget, then the MacBook Air may be a better option.

* **Your learning style:** If you are a visual learner or if you prefer to take handwritten notes, then the iPad Pro may be a better choice.


I hope this helps!

As a former recent student myself, I *CAN NOT* recommend an iPad as a replacement for a MacBook.

1. She'll be doing a lot of writing as someone in the medicine field. That means she'll be:
- Pulling down journal articles from academic libraries.
- Reading journal articles, textbooks, and other information.
- Writing and revising essays.
- Submitting essays to professors.

She'll need a machine with a large enough display to allow multiple PDFs open, to allow dragging and dropping of PDFs to Zotero to allow automatic filling of information, and to be able to have a writing program (I recommend Scrivener) and multiple PDFs open at once. Window management is terrible with iPads, and I don't think a 12" iPad Pro will be large enough. Scrivener and Zoroto are also terrible on the iPad as well.

2. There's going to be at least one class that requires a weird program to be installed on the computer. She can use the computer lab's computers to use the program, or install it locally on her MacBook Air (or Windows 11 running Parallel). I bet it'll be some type of statistical program that'll make her life much easier.

HOWEVER, an iPad with an Apple Pencil can compliment an MacBook Air though. If her handwriting is good enough, she can take notes on the tablet and read books. She can transfer draft of essays from her computer as PDFs to the iPad, for markup (for some reason, I only see mistakes when I have a pencil in my hand).

 

[JustAnExpat]

Everyone should read up on Apple's Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) and think about the direction RAM usage in Macs is evolving to. It ain't rocket science, the evolution has been very clearly happening for 40 years now, even before UMA. There is a reason Apple allows 96 GB in my current MBP whereas my previous MBP maximum was 16 GB and the one before that was 8 GB. Think!

I'm going to think.

1. Who is asking the question? The person asking the question is a parent, looking to get a tool - a computer - for the child so the child can get a degree in medicine. Therefore, the question being asked is "what computer, at reasonable cost, should I purchase my child who's getting a degree in medicine?".

2. The parent did not make any comment that the child is interested in arts or videos making. However, you are right, the child may take an interest in videos or arts later. The MacBook Air M2 Air would be acceptable for arts, and should be usable enough in five years as well.

3. If the child does get into the arts or video making, they would be doing it as a hobby, not to make money. The machine may be slower than a high end pro system - however would still be acceptable as a hobby.

I believe you're either a troll (at worst), or simply someone who's functionally literate (at best).

 

[Ay-Yo-Its-Edge]

One thing that hasn't been covered: If she's moving to New Zealand for the whole five years, it could be better for her to buy out there. She would have local warranty support options if things go wrong (I'm not sure Apple support goods bought abroad) and New Zealand consumer laws would give her additional options that would otherwise need a lengthy return of the computer to her home country to claim.

I didn't even think about the consumer laws/local warranty details. I just checked and they don't have any actual Apple stores in NZ. I'm checking now with the apple business team (quicker than actual apple support) to see if apple care is still valid/ useable there. Thank you for this reminder.

 

[HawkTheHusky1902]

Real World heavy users/College M2 Air Users, this is more of a question for you.

Do you think that overall the 13.6" M2 Air with 8/10/16/512 will be enough to last through 5 years of college?

I'm not normally torn/undecided on what upgrades to get for myself as I know my workflow & needs. This isn't the case now as our daughter is preparing to move to New Zealand for college (Veterinary School) and we need to get her a new laptop that will last her as close to 5 years as possible (it's a 5 year course vs 8 in Merica). It's been more than a few years since I've been in a classroom and I'm not even sure what programs are used in Vet school let alone the system requirements that would be suggested/required. She wants portability and I've tried to push her into the MBP 14 but she's pretty adamant about having the lightest load to carry.

Storage isn't a concern as she can always use iCloud/external but I've never used the M1 or M2 air and my concern is with the GPU mainly. I will make sure her new computer has a minimal of 16GB Ram (8GB unified is still just 8GB) but do you think that overall the M2 Air with 8/10/16/512 will last 5 years of heavy use?

Again when it comes to what I need as a full time photographer I base upgrades/needs off my programs and I currently use an M1 Ultra 20/64/64/1TB studio and is in no way a comparison to the MBA. Thank you in advance for your insights and/or real world use advice.

Mahalo
Rob

Two words: M1 MBA.

 

[HawkTheHusky1902]

The new M2 Air is far faster than your 15" MBP. It's faster than or at least on par with 16" Intel MacBook Pro from 2019-2020 even. So her M2 Air is actually a few grades above your 2015 15" MacBook in performance already.

Granted, Windows compatibility is a big issue depending on her coursework, but... let's just say there are workarounds. For instance:

Anyway, I think these use cases are very edge cases. If your daughter can't get these apps to work on her MacBook, she could also just ask a friend who has a Windows computer to help her with these things.

Or use a Virtual Machine/Parralells (app) to run Windows software on mac.

 

[mblm85]

One last thought.... New Zealand have three-pin plugs and their electricity supply is 230 Volts so they must have different power bricks sold with their electricals.

 

[ApolloBoy]

One last thought.... New Zealand have three-pin plugs and their electricity supply is 230 Volts so they must have different power bricks sold with their electricals.

View attachment 2250338

The AC adapters are actually the same since Apple power supplies are universal, it's just that the "duckhead" plug is different between regions.

 

[Minghold]

There is not one thing listed (because no requirements were given) in the OP that, say, a 2012 Macbook Air running Mojave in an HFS+ partition could not easily handle. She's a student. She's going to be typing and web-browsing. Instead of a $2000 laptop, buy a far cheaper used one from CL or FB, and pick up an Easystore external drive from BestBuy to daily clone the OS into (via an older copy of CCC). (Suffice to say that an older OS would permit her to run thousands of 32bit apps, not just AppStore payware.)

 

[phillytim]

Treat her to a brand new MacBook Air M2 - starting school is special. Find her a nice one on the Apple Refurbished site - choose any specs you want. 16GB RAM is fine & either 512GB or 1TB HD.

 

[Ay-Yo-Its-Edge]

One last thought.... New Zealand have three-pin plugs and their electricity supply is 230 Volts so they must have different power bricks sold with their electricals.

View attachment 2250338

Luckily the adapters are pretty cheap/easy to get. We bought her a set of 4 with 2 having usb ports built in.

 

[dizmonk]

Real World heavy users/College M2 Air Users, this is more of a question for you.

Do you think that overall the 13.6" M2 Air with 8/10/16/512 will be enough to last through 5 years of college?

I'm not normally torn/undecided on what upgrades to get for myself as I know my workflow & needs. This isn't the case now as our daughter is preparing to move to New Zealand for college (Veterinary School) and we need to get her a new laptop that will last her as close to 5 years as possible (it's a 5 year course vs 8 in Merica). It's been more than a few years since I've been in a classroom and I'm not even sure what programs are used in Vet school let alone the system requirements that would be suggested/required. She wants portability and I've tried to push her into the MBP 14 but she's pretty adamant about having the lightest load to carry.

Storage isn't a concern as she can always use iCloud/external but I've never used the M1 or M2 air and my concern is with the GPU mainly. I will make sure her new computer has a minimal of 16GB Ram (8GB unified is still just 8GB) but do you think that overall the M2 Air with 8/10/16/512 will last 5 years of heavy use?

Again when it comes to what I need as a full time photographer I base upgrades/needs off my programs and I currently use an M1 Ultra 20/64/64/1TB studio and is in no way a comparison to the MBA. Thank you in advance for your insights and/or real world use advice.

Mahalo
Rob

My daughter just started college this week and I got her a m2 24gb/1tb 13 MBA expecting it to get her through her undergraduate and two years of grad school. With three years of Applecare, I think it will.