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Going from Macbook Pro 2015 to M1 Air - any downside?

G

geejay9876

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 3, 2018
85
103
Hi,

I am currently using a Macbook Pro Early 2015 with 8GB / 512GB.

Is there any down-side in switching to the new M1 Macbook Air with 8GB / 512GB? The speed should be better and the screen specifications seems to be similar. I am mostly working with an external HDMI monitor attached and want more speed.

It seems the main difference between the M1 Air and M1 Pro is the screen, so there is hardly any point going with the M1 MBP. Or am I missing something here?

Thanks for your experiences.

Cheers Gerry
 
Hi - I posted a detailed review of my experience upgrading from 15" 2016 MBP to the M1 Air, after using it for a week from launch. I have now had it a month and I have no regrets about moving from a 15" Screen to a 13" Screen. Don't know if this is an issue as you did not say what your current screen size is.

I went for the 16GB M1 Air, but if you are fine with 8GB on your MBP then you should be fine with 8GB on the Air. If you plan to keep your Air for more than 3 years then I would think about getting the 16GB model in case your needs change, as it is not possible to upgrade anything in the new M1 Notebooks after purchase.

forums.macrumors.com

MacBook Air M1 ,1 Week Review, Switch from 15” MBP

I thought it might be useful to summarise my thoughts after using the new M1 MacBook Air after using it for a week, and how it compares with a 15” MBP, if anyone else is thinking of upgrading. The summary is for those that don’t want to read a long post is I am really happy with the switch, the...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
I had a 2015 i7 16gb ram R9 370x AMD card and bought the base MBA M1 8GB.

I haven't had a single day when I have regretted selling it. The screen although smaller, is far clearer, brighter and just better. Better speakers, far quicker performance. Using it on my TV for my Zwift cycle game its much much quicker. Completely silent and a lot colder.
 
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You'll lose a bunch of built-in ports (probably requiring you to also buy a hub dongle) and lose MagSafe, too.
Both can be a deal-breaker for some users, especially when being mobile means you may not always have access to Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi enabled peripherals, or a solid, safe surface to work from.
 
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Bazza1 said:
You'll lose a bunch of built-in ports (probably requiring you to also buy a hub dongle) and lose MagSafe, too.
Both can be a deal-breaker for some users, especially when being mobile means you may not always have access to Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi enabled peripherals, or a solid, safe surface to work from.
Click to expand...
True. However, I am currently using also adapters as I need more USB Ports. Any rumours that Magsafe is coming back?
 
geejay9876 said:
True. However, I am currently using also adapters as I need more USB Ports. Any rumours that Magsafe is coming back?
Click to expand...

True enough. With my 2017 Air (intentionally bought just before Apple deleted a majority of ports on the product), I have a hub at home for peripherals, and I carry a very small 4 USB hub when travelling. Just in case. I also have an USB Ethernet adapter, and a similar for Thunderbolt - all depending on the local needs. But a majority of the time, I don't need to plug it all in to be operational. But I also don't want a block hanging off the side of my computer, replacing what was once built-in.

From what I read, MagSafe seems permanently dead. As ever, Apple seems to know what we really need in a device, not leaving it to mere users to figure it out. Now they use the term for their strap-on battery and charger pads for iPhone / iPad. Sigh.
 
Last edited:
Coming from the 13" - no downsides at all - just raw speed.

(see post above though - excellent point)
 
I upgraded from a 13' early 2015 MBP as well. I have no regrets, as this M1 is crazy fast! I did like the Magsafe charger better, but that's not a deal breaker. Otherwise, I am more than happy with this M1!
 
2017 fully-loaded MBP 15" SOLD for this MBA 16gb/1TB M1. This is the best laptop I've ever owned. Period. I have zero regrets.
 
A handsome array of ports - I especially appreciate having a permanently fitted SD card for TimeMachine - the superb MagSafe charge connector, and the iconic glowing Apple logo in the lid are things I will miss if I’m obliged to replace my 2015 MBP. The AS MacBooks have impressed me without even seeing one in the flesh, the glowing reviews and the user reports here leave me in no doubt that Apple have made a major advance, so I’m kinda wanting to get my hands on one. Decisions, decisions.
 
I've sold my mid 2015 MacBook Pro 15" with 16GB: bought new in 2017.

The 2015 is a very good laptop but my M1 MacBook Air with 8GB is almost perfect.

I'm not missing the bigger screen but I'm using it almost exclusively on the couch: mainly terminal apps(Tmux, Vim, SSH) , streaming and surfing.

In this moment I've got at least 50 tabs opened in safari.
According to activity monitor Safari is using 9 GB of RAM, Swap is 4,5 GB and this little machine is running like a champ.
No slowdown at all!! o_O

I've had bluetooth connection problems with my Sony NC-in-ear headphones; WIFI - Problems probably because of changes in Big Sur and some Homebrew problems but I'm already sure that it's a great product.

The biggest change is that I'm almost using the Macbook like a mobile device.
Beforehand I've used the Pro exclusively with Magsafe but the battery is so great that I'm exclusively working on battery :)
 
geejay9876 said:
Hi,

I am currently using a Macbook Pro Early 2015 with 8GB / 512GB.

Is there any down-side in switching to the new M1 Macbook Air with 8GB / 512GB? The speed should be better and the screen specifications seems to be similar. I am mostly working with an external HDMI monitor attached and want more speed.

It seems the main difference between the M1 Air and M1 Pro is the screen, so there is hardly any point going with the M1 MBP. Or am I missing something here?

Thanks for your experiences.

Cheers Gerry
Click to expand...

I have the same MBP, used it also with an external monitor.

If you are not on a budget, I can recommend to get a Mac mini M1, use it with the external monitor - and keep the MBP for laptop use! I did so and I really like the combination. M1 = blazingly fast, great machine. Old MBP: Still good for light stuff, browsing, „working from sofa“. And for Windows - I never had Bootcamp but installed it now, for very important Windows only stuff (Minesweeper, Freecell, Mahjong Titans, and some chess software).

A big advantage of the M1 Mac mini is the amount of ports! The 2015 MBP has enough ports, and so does the Mac mini, at least for me.
 
geejay9876 said:
True. However, I am currently using also adapters as I need more USB Ports. Any rumours that Magsafe is coming back?
Click to expand...
Rumors? Sure Reality? Unsure.

I have been using an USB-C cable with a magnetic tip for over a year with no problems. Apple could come out with their own version but I doubt they will or they’d dump USB-C for a proprietary connector to make a new MagSafe.
 
Depends on what do you do with your system. You should ensure that there is are not any critical applications or packages you use that do not yet run on Apple Silicon at least through Rosseta 2.
 
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