Macbook Air 11 mjvm2ll/a (2015) for my use? Help/advice please

[Plutowillreturn]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum, but have been reading for a bit. Currently, I am a chromebook (Acer r11, 4gb ram, 128 gb SSD) and PC (Dell Inspiron 15) user looking to transition into MacOS. I am not a heavy user and I use my machines for web browsing, occasional word processing/spreadsheet/office use/note taking, and multimedia. I am in the Apple ecosphere and have been for years with iPhones for personal and work use, an Apple Watch, and previously had iPads for personal and work use.

I started out wanting to buy a used 13" 2012 MBP and upgrade the heck out of it, but find the "large" size and weight a turn-off. I figure for my use, I want something portable and light. I really like the MB 12" and the new MBP 13" retina for their trackpad and screen, but the price of entry does not work. My significant other has a 2017 13" MBA and I am impressed by the long battery life and the sturdiness of the build - especially the deep travel on the keyboard.

That leads me to the MBA 11" - the 2015 mjvm2ll/a model. I want a machine that will last a few years and be dependable and is under $500.00. I am especially interested in an 8 gb model with any size SSD. I have seen used ones in various conditions in both configurations.

Do you all think that this machine would suit my needs or should I hold out until after the possible October event and see if the MB 12" is a better fit?

 

[Audit13]

I recommend waiting until Apple either confirms or denies the rumours of an Air replacement. If there is a replacement, used prices may fall a bit more.

 

[maerz001]

Well for under $500 u don’t have much choice and for sure the new MB will be out of budget. But for your use case any Mac from the last 10years works.

The 11” is the only 16:9 screen Apple sold in a computer. For me it’s not ideal cos of missing vertical space. But that’s a personal choice.
Did u consider a rMBP from 2013?

 

[Brammy]

I just did a quick eBay search for the 11" with 8g and found one for $650, so I think getting an 8g for around $500 might be tough.

If the 11" Airs with 8g are around $700, I'd look at a refurb 12" for ~1000.

As Audit said, though. I would wait and see what the October event brings.

 

[Plutowillreturn]

Well for under $500 u don’t have much choice and for sure the new MB will be out of budget. But for your use case any Mac from the last 10years works.

The 11” is the only 16:9 screen Apple sold in a computer. For me it’s not ideal cos of missing vertical space. But that’s a personal choice.
Did u consider a rMBP from 2013?

I did, but I feel that the weight and size of the rMBP would not allow it to be as easy to carry around as the MBA 11. Does that make sense?

 

[maerz001]

Well yes. But are you carrying it more around or working on it

I assumed u were referencing the cMBP as you wrote to upgrade the heck out of it. With the rMBP the SSD is the only thing to be user upgradeable. It’s 0,3kg lighter than the cMBP.

There are millions of people who r willing to carry a 13” or even a 15”. But again it’s a personal choice

 

[sracer]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum, but have been reading for a bit. Currently, I am a chromebook (Acer r11, 4gb ram, 128 gb SSD) and PC (Dell Inspiron 15) user looking to transition into MacOS. I am not a heavy user and I use my machines for web browsing, occasional word processing/spreadsheet/office use/note taking, and multimedia. I am in the Apple ecosphere and have been for years with iPhones for personal and work use, an Apple Watch, and previously had iPads for personal and work use.

I started out wanting to buy a used 13" 2012 MBP and upgrade the heck out of it, but find the "large" size and weight a turn-off. I figure for my use, I want something portable and light. I really like the MB 12" and the new MBP 13" retina for their trackpad and screen, but the price of entry does not work. My significant other has a 2017 13" MBA and I am impressed by the long battery life and the sturdiness of the build - especially the deep travel on the keyboard.

That leads me to the MBA 11" - the 2015 mjvm2ll/a model. I want a machine that will last a few years and be dependable and is under $500.00. I am especially interested in an 8 gb model with any size SSD. I have seen used ones in various conditions in both configurations.

Do you all think that this machine would suit my needs or should I hold out until after the possible October event and see if the MB 12" is a better fit?

Although I'm a huge fan of the 11" MBA, I don't think it is wise to buy one now... primarily because I'm not a fan of buying used Apple equipment and don't think they are wise purchases.

Having said that, I'd recommend looking for the next MBA sale @ Best Buy and pick up an MBA 13". I doubt they'll have a discount greater than $250 (they've had them as much as $300 off and sometimes "stackable" discounts on top of that).

Even then, you're looking at around $750 (maybe $700). If you have access to an .edu email account, log into Best Buy and sign up for their specials. Also regularly check their Trade-in section to see what they offer on the devices you own. Trade-in values fluctuate greatly and if you catch it right, they can be a decent option to quickly get a gift card to use toward a purchase. True, these values will never be as high as one can get by selling on Craigslist or eBay but for the convenience and assurance it can be worth it when timed right.

With patience and a bit of "working the system" you should be able to get a new 13" MBA for near that $500 mark.

 

[Plutowillreturn]

Although I'm a huge fan of the 11" MBA, I don't think it is wise to buy one now... primarily because I'm not a fan of buying used Apple equipment and don't think they are wise purchases.

Having said that, I'd recommend looking for the next MBA sale @ Best Buy and pick up an MBA 13". I doubt they'll have a discount greater than $250 (they've had them as much as $300 off and sometimes "stackable" discounts on top of that).

Even then, you're looking at around $750 (maybe $700). If you have access to an .edu email account, log into Best Buy and sign up for their specials. Also regularly check their Trade-in section to see what they offer on the devices you own. Trade-in values fluctuate greatly and if you catch it right, they can be a decent option to quickly get a gift card to use toward a purchase. True, these values will never be as high as one can get by selling on Craigslist or eBay but for the convenience and assurance it can be worth it when timed right.

With patience and a bit of "working the system" you should be able to get a new 13" MBA for near that $500 mark.

Thanks for the tip. That is what I am leaning towards doing at this point. No longer have an .edu account, but do you know if they honor other accounts likes .gov or .org account?

 

[BigCTM]

I am a huge fan of buying used Apple equipment. I never purchase new and have saved tons of money in the process. Never had any issues either...I recommend buying used but admittedly it can be luck of the draw.

Although I'm a huge fan of the 11" MBA, I don't think it is wise to buy one now... primarily because I'm not a fan of buying used Apple equipment and don't think they are wise purchases.

Having said that, I'd recommend looking for the next MBA sale @ Best Buy and pick up an MBA 13". I doubt they'll have a discount greater than $250 (they've had them as much as $300 off and sometimes "stackable" discounts on top of that).

Even then, you're looking at around $750 (maybe $700). If you have access to an .edu email account, log into Best Buy and sign up for their specials. Also regularly check their Trade-in section to see what they offer on the devices you own. Trade-in values fluctuate greatly and if you catch it right, they can be a decent option to quickly get a gift card to use toward a purchase. True, these values will never be as high as one can get by selling on Craigslist or eBay but for the convenience and assurance it can be worth it when timed right.

With patience and a bit of "working the system" you should be able to get a new 13" MBA for near that $500 mark.

 

[Phyco126]

I have the 11" 2015 as a work computer. I picked it because I have to carry a lot of gear as is and the 2015 13" rMBP I had was simply too much weight. I love it, though I would like to have something newer now/a little lighter still (because I like new shiny things, not because I have outgrown it - it still does everything I need and has room for more. And the lightness because I'm carrying 40 pounds of crap already everywhere I go for work, so lighter is always better).

The only con is the screen size. Its essentially a 720p 11" screen. It can be a bit difficult to do spreadsheets on because of that. Otherwise, I have no to little issues using it for the following:

RDP into Windows machines
Word
Multimedia (including Final Cut Pro X)
Outlook
Web Browsing
Terminal
Etc Etc Etc

Spreadsheets are the only thing I have struggled with, since I sometimes work with some larger sheets. Outside of that, I've comfortably used it for everything listed above and then some.