Dilemma: maxed out M5 MBA or wait for M6 MBA?

[Populus]

The memory dilemma

Remember that I said that I was happy to have purchased this M5 MBA with 1TB of storage instead of the base 512GB, but I wasn’t so sure about the 32GB of RAM?

And that if I had to choose now, I wouldn’t have doubts regarding this storage? Every new LLM model or media file that I download shows me how quickly the gigabytes shrink. A 14GB model, a 4GB movie file, a TV show that takes 23GB, maybe a couple of games that are 30 to 40GB each… yeah, 1TB was the right call.

However, I saw how the memory pressure stayed low, or how my machine was usually taking only 16GB out of the 32GB. That’s what led me to think that I should have bought the 24GB model and save 250€…

But that was with “normal” usage. Local LLM experimentation is a whole different thing. Don’t get me wrong, if it was now I’d still have doubts between 24 and 32GB of RAM, but I’m seeing how beneficial this amount of memory is for toying (and learning) with local inference.

Sure, most useful models in this range (for up to 32GB of unified RAM) run on a machine with 24GB of memory. But the context might become a bit tight sooner. And not only that, having 32GB of RAM allows me to choose a 32B Q4 model over a 24B Q4 model. Or a less quantized 24B model. And bigger context window. And more room for the system to breath. Or even room for a second model that does voice transcription. Or run Siri AI, who knows!

So, the conclusion is that, thanks to having bought before the price rise, I now have a 32GB of RAM machine that costed me less than what a MacBook Air with 24GB of RAM would cost me now. And that I can make use of that extra RAM. Even more if I manually allocate more RAM for the GPU.



The SoC dilemma

Honestly, I’m going to be tempted by the M6 MacBook Air next year. But it’s almost 8 months!!! 8 months of more wait, without knowing if the price is going up again (the RAM/NAND shortages are serious) if the memory upgrade price is going to be more expensive for the M6 machine… maybe they start charging 300-350€ for each extra step in RAM upgrade! And that, along with the already higher price of the MBA (with the base 512/16GB going from 1200€ to 1400€) would put that machine way too far from what I’m willing to pay.

Sure, the M6 MacBook Air is going to be tempting: a fresher SoC with two more GPU cores (from 10 to 12), and a much bigger memory bandwidth (from 153GB/s to ~200GB/s), but I think it is wiser to wait to see how the things be develop and only when Apple releases it, only when I see how it is priced, only then I may try to sell this M5 MBA minimizing the losses, and get the M6 model.

And what about the M7? Yes, it is said that the M7 is going to be quite a bigger upgrade compared to the M6. And that might be true. But if the M7 comes with a redesigned MBA with an OLED display, then I’m out, honestly. I don’t want OLED screens in my life, that’s why I bought the last LCD IPS iPhone, the last LCD IPS iPad Pro, and potentially, the last LCD IPS MacBook Air.

If by the time the M6 MacBook Air the rumors regarding the M7 MBA are more solid, I’ll make the decision then.

But until then, as I said, there’s almost a year ahead and I needed a new Mac already. I’ve been waiting for too long.

 

[thadoggfather]

Hey all!!

The returning window has ended, and my dilemma was only completely solved when the return window closed. Let’s hope the keys on my machine don’t rub the screen coating and I suffer from a staingate case.


AppleCare+


However, I think I’m going to buy at least the first annuality of AppleCare plus, at 89€ per year, I think it’s really worth it.

Faced with the same 'conflict', I too went for the annual price AC+. Flexibility, if I decide it's not worth it can get a prorated refund. I drink my morning coffee next to Mac nearly every day and one slip up would be a bad one.

These machines are not cheap, and the peace of mind in this case, is.

Oddly most of your justifications match mine, but I am perfectly happy with 24/1 and glad I saved some coin on not getting 32GB ram. I even think 24 may have been a longevity move, but I am glad since the base model ram does become rather anemic sooner than later these days. Not worried about LLM quantization and all that but I get it!

M5 and 24GB and better thermals lets me run bigger B models on my MBA by a notch vs my 16/1 nano M4 iPad Pro, that I see the battery go down with every query vs. laptop plugged into a wall on the desk often but then again.. it's an iPad and impressive what it can do being that it's a tablet. And local LLM is just an experiment for me at this point, not something I'm banking on caring about that much until they also improve efficiency wise and accuracy a lot. It's just a 'cool thing' for now, for me.

1TB 100% worth it to not have to reach for an external SSD for virtually every workflow. I was a 256gb person forever, I see 512gb being in that same camp sooner than later as well though a little more breathing room.

256gb when I cheaped out on my mid-2023 15" M2 MBA that I got end of 2023 felt like a bad move. 8gb was also not great, but more manageable actually somehow but feels like the end of the road for that even though Neo ships with 8/256. Macs are just getting more demanding and less efficient than the golden days (still better than Windows but not as lean as used to be, maybe due in part to being in the 'modern era' and other part being some software sloppiness). Still.. I got the base machine couple years ago that I traded in, for a steal open box at the time otherwise I probably would never have gone for either of those bottom tier specs after having them for nearly like a decade at least on many machines before. The 15 inch though was all too alluring as a new model.

This machine I have in front of me feels so beefed up (15 M5 24/1 starlight), like I've earned it after going the cheap route for so long and always saying 'go for more next time' without feeling like I threw money to the wind. Got it for $1249 + 5% back too, pre-AI parts hike and with a deep sale combo stacked. It's now MSRP of $1999 iirc.

I was a base model DIE HARD just looking after my pocket book and seeing what I can squeeze out of it paired with an external drive.


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The biggest / most interesting thing is with an active AC+ plan, I can convert to AppleCare One, to cover 3 devices including the Mac for $20/mo. Don't see myself doing that since the annual price of covering the laptop, my most vulnerable device in a sense in terms of what can go wrong and what I'd have to pay to get back to a good state, is the better deal to be covered by itself... but maybe some scenario where it's economical if I need iPad Pro M4 cellular nano battery replaced for what would be $179 OOP or $119 for 17 pro. Or my series 10 Ti* 46mm.

IDK, probably not, but nice to have the option. if I used 13 mini as my daily driver, could even retro active add that even though it's out of warranty since main qualifier is the device is <4 years from purchase date and I got it end of summer 2024. That's neat to know.

I've only ever shattered one iPhone screen knock on wood (7+ on a bridge) and never broke an iPad. And usually moved on from watch model before battery became an issue. And if I did break an iPhone, I might convince myself to just upgrade to a newer model and be done with it.

I have not used AC or bought it on last few Macs, but I think that's paid it forward to do it here. And it definitely came in handy with my no Touch Bar butterfly keyboard 2016 MBP 13" back in the day. So I'm due in a sense to get some coverage and have it be justifiable.

Just my 2 cents. But having AC+ on laptop opening the portal for AppleCare One is really interesting side perk that could be a main perk for someone.

 

[m1maverick]

But until then, as I said, there’s almost a year ahead and I needed a new Mac already. I’ve been waiting for too long.

You may want to check out Apple's new Apple Upgrade program.