Deals: Amazon Has the M1 MacBook Air for Record Low Price of $749.99 ($249 Off)

[WRX-SRQ]

256GB of storage is a joke at this point. If you're on an iPhone, sure, apps are much smaller. But full-sized "computer" applications will chew this up in no time, not to mention the evergrowing size of the OS and default applications that use up about 50GB of that, minus the obligatory 5-6GB that is always missing on an SSD/HDD, you're under 200GB before you even open the box. There is no wonder these are on sale, they don't sell. Even 512 at this point is difficult, especially as people's needs grow and they demand more apps like the Adobe Creative Suite (50GB per application). 1TB is basically needed for all computers at this point. You may not think right away you need 1TB, but if you plan on keeping these machines for 5 years, 256 and 512 are not going to cut it, once your photos start getting added GOOD LUCK.

 

[ignatius345]

Configurations for Grandparents just looking to browse or people without a clue.

Incorrect. See my note above about my real-world usage of the M1 Air base model.

256GB of storage is a joke at this point.

Definitely tight, but workable for some. If you're willing to pay for cloud storage, you can offload a huge amount of your stuff at this point. I've got tens of thousands of photos and videos in my Photos database but 99% of that is just thumbnails that get downloaded on demand. Same goes for files. Agree it's on the lower end of acceptable, but many people (my wife being a great example) work with very few local files and do much of their work with web services.

If you're using Creative Suite extensively, you know who you are and you know to order more storage. But for routine knowlege work, email, office documents? You can make the base model work. It's a stingy amount of storage for Apple to offer, I agree, but I don't think it's a joke.

 

[jlnr]

256GB of storage is a joke at this point. ... You may not think right away you need 1TB, but if you plan on keeping these machines for 5 years, 256 and 512 are not going to cut it, once your photos start getting added GOOD LUCK.

Agreed for personal use, but the 256GB version still makes for a great work machine, if you don't happen to deal with large media files.

 

[Darren.h]

I would not touch an 8 gb ram machine if it was almost free. you run into alot of out of memory issues.

16 GB should be the bare bones memory in today's world.

 

[dms_91]

I would not touch an 8 gb ram machine if it was almost free. you run into alot of out of memory issues.

16 GB should be the bare bones memory in today's world.

eh...not really with Macs...

 

[splifingate]

My youngest is starting community college this Fall to "knock out" some core classes and I have to imagine this is perfect for him. How can it not be?

• Take notes during classes
• Write papers
• Browse web
• Etc.

Am I way off base here?

-dan

I purchased a 2015 13" MBP in, well, 2015, for USD2500

It has 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB NVME (it now has a 1TB NVME).

I never really used it to its potential, and--considering it's usual, basic use, could have easily sufficed with something lower-spec.

With regards to Memory, and Disk Space:

My main Driver is a 2012 5,1 MP, and it has a lot of upgraded thingies in it.

There are times when I really push it to its potential potential, but--usually--it's a glorified email/website reader. Like in this moment



Even though I have almost 100GB of RAM installed, Wired Memory (that which is claimed, and reluctant to release for other operations) is currently @4.3GB

I use a 2TB NVME for my System Disk, and it has about 1.5TB worth of free-space (I work with lots of images (Photos Database is 250GB of Original photos), and website-data, so I usually have multiple copies of these on the System Disk for speediness-in-processing).

In your Son's (potential) Use-Case Scenario, I'm pretty sure that the 8GB/256GB option would allow him to perform the tasks you listed, with aplomb. Sure: he'll explore further, but I can't imagine that he'd be begging you for a new/better computer over X-Mess Break

btw, good choice on tapping the CC Core before Uni

 

[SkinnyPete]

Configurations for Grandparents just looking to browse or people without a clue.

My 8/256 M1 MBA smokes my 2017 Intel MacBook Pro into the weeds. It crushes InDesign and Illustrator work as well as zipping through sizing pics, editing video files, and using Cloud-based design apps such as pxlr and Canva without getting more than slightly warm. $750 is practically a giveaway price for what it's capable of. In fact, it's too damn good. I probably won't need to change it for another five years

 

[svish]

Good pricing for M1 Air

 

[Blackstick]

I would not touch an 8 gb ram machine if it was almost free. you run into alot of out of memory issues.

16 GB should be the bare bones memory in today's world.

macOS manages RAM a lot more efficiently than Windows. 8 is low if you’re living in Xcode or FCP or Adobe apps, but if this kid is just in Google workspace, Safari, basic MS Office — let’s face it, watching YouTube or Reddit or messing around doing iPad like workflows; it’s gonna be fine.

We have a fleet of 4500 Macs at work. 16GB is now the standard for non engineering/SME roles, but plenty of the oldest machines are 8GB and they run absolute circles around our Windows 10 Dells of the same era with 16GB.

Our engineering/SME roles are 32/512… anything more is special order and there’s just a handful of higher spec ones floating around — mostly our visual production teams working with 8K videos and some of the guys on the AI teams.

 

[ignatius345]

My 8/256 M1 MBA smokes my 2017 Intel MacBook Pro into the weeds. It crushes InDesign and Illustrator work as well as zipping through sizing pics, editing video files, and using Cloud-based design apps such as pxlr and Canva without getting more than slightly warm. $750 is practically a giveaway price for what it's capable of. In fact, it's too damn good. I probably won't need to change it for another five years

This has been my experience as well. I bought the M1 Air 8/256 base model because I thought I'd only be doing basic web stuff and some writing on it. Things changed and I found myself using it for some large Illustrator and InDesign files. It handles them nicely and I'm very surprised. No beachballs, no weirdness. Sometimes I get a grotesquely large vector file that slows it down, but I'm not sure additional RAM would do much for that.

 

[JSchwage]

I would not touch an 8 gb ram machine if it was almost free. you run into alot of out of memory issues.

16 GB should be the bare bones memory in today's world.

I wholeheartedly disagree. I previously had an XPS laptop with 16GB of RAM and picked up one of these Airs with only 8GB of RAM and it runs circles around my XPS even though my XPS was a year newer.

I have no concerns whatsoever about running out of memory. I'm currently running several applications at once, Safari, Messages, Music, Photos, Calendar, Excel, DisplayLink Manager, 1Password, AdGuard, AlDente, OneDrive, Logi Options+, and Visual Studio Code and still have 2 GBs left of available memory.