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Depends on your usage. But it shouldn't mean much as the Air is meant to be portable and an on-the-go machine, not a workhorse.
Couldn't help myself.
I don't intend to do anything graphics-heavy with this machine so I have no useful input.
Well, like I stated a post ago, Airs are not meant to be work horses. They are meant to be ultra-portable computers that pack a punch if need be. Normally, Airs are used for light workloads and nothing fancy.
The M1 chip is designed to be 8-core, but during fabrication sometimes one of the cores does not pass the QC testing, so they disable the one core and sell the chip for slightly cheaper, rather than discarding the entire chip. This is known as "binning," and is completely normal and common in the industry. There is nothing "wrong" with a binned chip, it is no less reliable than an unbinned chip. It is a good deal for people that do not really need the full performance of all 8 cores.
I have a binned M1 Pro machine, which has 8 CPU cores instead of 10 CPU cores. Excellent machine for the price.
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More about binning:
www.idropnews.com
Why Apple's New M1 MacBook Air Has Just Seven Cores (Rather Than Eight)
Last month, Apple introduced the first Macs to feature its new 8-core M1 chip. Among the recruits was a refreshed version of the MacBook Air, starting at
www.idropnews.com
Ok learnt something new lol, from this article.
Should I upgrade to an 8-core model instead?
In a word: probably. It really comes down to your budget and your needs; but, to get the full M1 experience, you’ll want to get the 8-core model. It’s a matter of opinion, but I think if you’re buying an M1 device, you should really experience it the way it’s meant to be experienced.
Why Apple's New M1 MacBook Air Has Just Seven Cores (Rather Than Eight)
Last month, Apple introduced the first Macs to feature its new 8-core M1 chip. Among the recruits was a refreshed version of the MacBook Air, starting at
www.idropnews.com
Yeah I think what is also impressive, and why the M1 Air gets so much praise, is the ultraportable form with a processor that handily beats the 2019 16" MacBook Pro in nearly all processor intensive tasks, while being an order of magnitude more efficient.
But you only get approximately 12% more graphics performance with 7-core vs 8-core. I would argue that 7-core is more than enough for most any MacBook Air user. And missing 1 core is such a small part of the overall benefits of using the M1. The CPU, neural engine, and efficiency are the same for everyone.Ok learnt something new lol, from this article.
Should I upgrade to an 8-core model instead?
In a word: probably. It really comes down to your budget and your needs; but, to get the full M1 experience, you’ll want to get the 8-core model. It’s a matter of opinion, but I think if you’re buying an M1 device, you should really experience it the way it’s meant to be experienced.
Why Apple's New M1 MacBook Air Has Just Seven Cores (Rather Than Eight)
Last month, Apple introduced the first Macs to feature its new 8-core M1 chip. Among the recruits was a refreshed version of the MacBook Air, starting at
Useless but related fact. When UK microcomputer manufacturer Sinclair Research launched the ZX Spectrum in 1982, it was available in 16K and 48K versions. The 16K versions were basically 48K ZX Spectrums with faulty RAM chips that otherwise would have been thrown in the - you guessed it - bin.
I have finally figured out exactly how to describe this machine.
The M1 is not just a fast computer. My ancient Mac Pro is a fast computer. I’ve tried to bog it down and just can’t.
The M1 feels like the entire thing is controlled by your thoughts. That’s a new level of fast. So fast the hardware just disappears.
The M1 is not just a fast computer. My ancient Mac Pro is a fast computer. I’ve tried to bog it down and just can’t.
The M1 feels like the entire thing is controlled by your thoughts. That’s a new level of fast. So fast the hardware just disappears.
Funny you say that because i also helped my dad order his M1 Air. His thoughts were just as yours, its like tbe M1 predicts what youre going to do and everything is instantaneous.
Unless you have really demanding needs, I wonder if a well-spec'ed M1 Mini would work, and save you a bunch of money that you could put toward that gaming PC...
Super interesting article about why exactly the M1 "feels" so much faster:
How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS
By segregating macOS background tasks on Efficiency cores, M1 Macs can run user apps unfettered on their Performance cores. And that feels really fast.
eclecticlight.co
Definitely thought about it. If I can somehow add enough USB-A ports with a dock or whatnot it would probably do the trick.
@ignatius345 makes a great point, but I would add that even the base M1 Mini ($589 Refurbed) is a beast on any desk.
I'm still on the edge when it comes to what I should invest in. I have a 13" 1017 MBP that is doing a reasonable job on a day by day basis, and my Better Half is still using her 2nd Gen MBA but now prefers her iPad.
I'm now ready to delay until I see what Apple is doing with the M2 version. In terms of form I still like the MBA design - it's more comfortable in my hands, which is important for many people. The M2 version may have some new features that motivate me, but the comments in this thread assure me that the M1 version available today will be fine for me if there is nothing important over the M1.
I must say that the comments on this thread have helped me more than anything I have read so far. Thank you for that
I'm now ready to delay until I see what Apple is doing with the M2 version. In terms of form I still like the MBA design - it's more comfortable in my hands, which is important for many people. The M2 version may have some new features that motivate me, but the comments in this thread assure me that the M1 version available today will be fine for me if there is nothing important over the M1.
I must say that the comments on this thread have helped me more than anything I have read so far. Thank you for that
I've been a little hesitant to purchase a device that came out in 2020 (though I have done this before; I had a 2017 rMB that I got shortly after it was released and later purchased a second one in 2019 when I needed another) but decided if nothing is mentioned during WWDC I'm going to order myself an M1 MBA. The value really can't be beat. The only reason I'm waiting is because WWDC is only 1.5 weeks away so I figure "might as well see if anything is announced even if unlikely" since I don't need the laptop literally today. That and the back to school deal might net me some AirPods with it, lol. I think I'll end up getting the M1 though!
You won't regret it! I got student deal on mine and used the $100 off to upgrade RAM to 16GB even though I don't need the RAM right now. I tend flip between multiple browsers and apps throughout the day and since I essentially got the RAM upgrade for $100 it worked out well. Paid $1079 for a 256GB 7-core 16GB of RAM M1 MacBook Air. Killer deal for what it offers!
I'm increasingly feeling the same way as you. My mid-2009 MBP has basically been useless for a few years now, and I've managed with an iPad Pro, but it's not ideal for editing anything but the simplest document or for multitasking. I'm on here every day, anxiously looking at the latest rumors, and while I'd really like a MBA with Magsafe and a better webcam, at the end of the day, those are pretty minor items. If Apple doesn't announce anything at WWDC, I will probably just buy a souped-up (16 GB, 1 TB) version of the current Air - ideally, from the refurbished store.
The upcoming MBA will still be based on M1, so the design language is the only reason to wait. Yes, the BTS deal is unbeatable given the discount you can get. Hopefully, the loophole continues this year.
I'm debating whether I should even wait for WWDC and the BTS sale (I can access the education discount regardless, though I wouldn't get the AirPods of course). I also want to do 16GB RAM which already means an estimated delivery date of mid- to late-June... I know I'm just being impatient but I'm tempted!!