I have no problem with buying the cheap model and replacing when necessary as possibly being the best value for the OP. I do balk at suggesting that when necessary would be 6-7 years. IMO we buy computers as tools, and limiting the tool via lame RAM is to me inappropriate, just exactly like limiting a circular saw by using a dull blade for 6-7 years would be inappropriate. The saw still cuts, just less well.
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Help me build...high school teacher/single mom on a budget
- Thread starter jenniekl73
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As you still don’t know what to do (which also potentially, you find yourself you didn’t really need a MacBook), my suggestion:
1. Get the base model M1 or M2 MBA. It’s safe choice for your undecided situation. Cheaper, mostly fit for whatever you want to start with and easy to sell with good price. I would prefer M2 as the screen is better.
2. Get the “ideal” model, MBA, 512 SSD /16GB RAM. This will future proof your needs (in case you want to be techie person or YouTuber, where you will do massive coding, frequently edit long video, running virtual machine etc). BUT, do this only if you have someone (your daughter? Relatives?) who potentially can utilize / need the laptop with high end spec like this. You can just sell or give them in case you find yourself you don’t need it.
If I were you, I would go with option 1 (even though I have lot of money). It’s easy and simple if you want to rollback the plan.
Edited: plan to use laptop for 6-7 years is not good plan nowadays. Laptop easily become dinosaurs after 3-4 years. Better to buy based on what you need now.
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As a teacher, do not forget the Apple Education Store as an option, with discounts on hardware and Apple Care and a $150 gift card.
Seldom if ever is it appropriate to buy based on what you need now. A 3-4 year life cycle may be an appropriate choice for some, but even with that short life cycle one should buy for the life cycle (i.e. 2026+), not for now.
Well-specified laptops do not typically become dinosaurs after 3-4 years. E.g.my 2011 MBP drove an images workflow 2011-2017 and my 2016 MBP drove an images workflow 2017-2023. The 2011 box had hardware issues after 6 years and the 2016 box is retired to just mobile internet use due to the limitations of 16 GB RAM; neither one had to be upgraded because it was a dinosaur. The sister to my 2016 MBP was in 2023 handed down to a friend that is happily running his small business workflow on it; no dinosaur.
We can intentionally plan a box to become a dinosaur if we choose to. Just look at all the folks here recommending 8 GB RAM for new boxes in 2023...
Based on how long she wants to keep the MacBook for, I would opt for. 16gb M2 model
While those that recommend the cheaper base model M1, I get it if it was for a few more years, but not 6-7 years. If you want an enjoyable experience throughout that
It honestly depends on your max limit budget. Is it worth spending more upfront now to make it usable for those years? Or would it be easier to upgrade again in a few years?
While those that recommend the cheaper base model M1, I get it if it was for a few more years, but not 6-7 years. If you want an enjoyable experience throughout that
It honestly depends on your max limit budget. Is it worth spending more upfront now to make it usable for those years? Or would it be easier to upgrade again in a few years?
Laptop is not only about the RAM. My Intel MBA 2020 is starting obsolete now because of Apple released silicone Mac. Also, your needs may change as well. You’re no longer a student or no longer work in the same field etc. The battery is also start depleted, where not every country has Apple Store to get replacement. I am not against 16gb, but 16gb is worthy of you needed only (not for “future proof” - assuming RAM is the only factor for “future proofing”.
As many arguments other threads, if OP has no budget concern, for sure, just buy 16gb/1TB or 24gb/1tb Case closed. But the problem is if he/she has to choose between 16gb RAM or 512gb SSD, while her/his usage is just casual usage. It doesn’t make sense, advising people to use external storage and cloud to store their photo and documents (which they need every day, every time) just because they upgrade RAM for tasks that they never / very rarely do. Remember, we’re talking about Mac silicone (my 48gb RAM HP windows machine is still slower than my M2 8/512).
Correct, there are issues other than RAM. I focus on RAM because
A) by ~2020 my 2016 MBP's max of 16 GB RAM limited my workflow enough to get me to upgrade and
B) because so many folks here seem to fail to grasp the fact that there will be need for additional RAM later in a computer's lifecycle.
You say your "Intel MBA 2020 is starting obsolete now because of Apple released silicone Mac" but I would suggest that the main reason is that you invested in a lower end 2020 box. If you had an (older) 2019 MBP with 64 GB RAM you would not be claiming obsolescence.
This is 2023 and RAM is baked on the chip and not upgradable, while SSD capacity needs can be cheaply offloaded to external SSDs via relatively fast Thunderbolt. So IMO RAM is priority if forced to choose RAM versus SSD capacity for financial reasons. Anyone who cannot fit their real-time workflow needs into a 512 GB SSD needs more than a lower-spec MBA anyway.
Note that I am not recommending smaller SSDs, I am just saying if one must reduce RAM or reduce SSD, reduce the SSD and add cheap external mass storage capacity. Nor am I saying do not buy MBAs. Rather I am saying do not expect MBAs to perform as well or have similar life cycles as much better spec'd MBPs.
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I can understand your POV because you haven’t tried using 8gb ram silicone Mac in person. It’s also my initial impression as well until I pulled trigger and tried by myself.
Secondly, I am pretty sure, your usage is not casual usage. This is very different than OP or people that I was talking about. For those people, my stand is remain the same: It doesn’t make sense, advising people to use external storage and cloud to store their photo and documents (which they need every day, every time) just because they upgrade RAM for tasks that they never / very rarely do.
Thirdly, my 2020 MBA didn’t experience insufficient RAM (memory pressure is still green). It’s just slower (compared to M2), hotter and draining battery faster.
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As my current workhorse Mac is a 2015 13” Intel MBA, I'd have to disagree with the first sentence!
It remains fast, easy to use, and handles my word processing, spreadsheet, graphing, emailing, browsing, astronomy simulations, and stat analyses with aplomb. No dinosaur, at all. Not a cheetah like the M1, M2, but a fast fox who needs refueling every now and then.
However, I agree whole heartedly with the second sentence! The difficulty, though is that OP is interested in something that will last 6-7 years and their needs may change! The question is whether retirement will reduce or increase their computing needs.
My different take on this is that retirement or retirement planning will provide clarity on finances, needs, disposable income, and how computer one can afford, need, or want.
The 3-4 year time horizon is, thus, a good one. And, reinforces the idea of buying what one needs now, which presumably will be about what one needs in a few years. If needs change, resell or give to a family member, and get then what one needs or wants then!
You do not need 16 gigs of RAM to check your email/browse websites/youtube/netflix/edit photos/listen to music ect.... ect.... ect.... That is true today, it'll be true in 7 years.
However, if you do keep your computer that long, you'll probably have to replace the battery at some point. - which is a small outlay.
Get the teacher discount and buy the macbook air screen size of choice. But spending $200 for extra ram is definitely not nesessary.
---- buy some extra Applecare though! Apple warranty coverage is the best in the business.
However, if you do keep your computer that long, you'll probably have to replace the battery at some point. - which is a small outlay.
Get the teacher discount and buy the macbook air screen size of choice. But spending $200 for extra ram is definitely not nesessary.
---- buy some extra Applecare though! Apple warranty coverage is the best in the business.
As a teacher, will you need to run windows? If so, I'd look at the 2019 16" MacBook Pro. The maxed out models are going for a fraction of what they sold for just a year or two ago. The 2019 (16") was the last intel model before Apple switched over to their Apple Silicon chip. It has the better (scissor-switch) keyboard and can easily run Windows if you have a need for that. I've seen a few on eBay from reputable sellers going for about $1k. Bought new they cost close to $4k! It's a solid machine and should last you several years.
I'll make this super easy:
Just buy the following:
If you prefer Gold: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/...a52699f001f6c9ffcffd81def1d7fbc0d20b0edf0deb1
Or the same exact machine in Space Gray: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/...a52699f001f6c9ffcffd81def1d7fbc0d20b0edf0deb1
They're out of stock on Silver, but that's honestly going to be all you need for the next several years. And yes, you can trust Apple Certified Refurbished Macs. Just buy AppleCare+ on it (same exact warranty policies in terms of what you get standard and what you can add with AppleCare+) and then if there's a problem, you just take it to Apple and they correct it!