MacBook Air 2020 i3 vs i5? Might change my order

[Johnw94]

Hello,



I was hoping if anyone has some thoughts on if it’s better to buy the i3 or spend the extra 100 for the i5, for the new 2020 MBAs. I ordered the i5 because most reviews recommended it, but it won’t arrive for a few weeks. I’ve been seeing some videos which are saying that the i5 version runs very hot and the fan is quite loud anytime it has to multitask.



I’m going to be using it for pretty basic stuff. Mostly web browsing, editing my website on wix, Netflix, stuff like that. I do some light video editing, but only about one video or so a month, so I’m not worried about slower rendering times for video editing as much. So, maybe my workflow would be totally suited with the i3, and if it doesn’t run as hot or as noisy, maybe it’s clearly better for me. But, I’d rather have some fan noise than occasional lag or hiccups if I’m running a several of the tasks I’ve described above (not including video editing).



If anyone has some ideas on if I should be fine with the i3, or foolish to not get the i5, I’d really appreciate it! Thank you.

 

[jpn]

Hello,



I was hoping if anyone has some thoughts on if it’s better to buy the i3 or spend the extra 100 for the i5, for the new 2020 MBAs. I ordered the i5 because most reviews recommended it, but it won’t arrive for a few weeks. I’ve been seeing some videos which are saying that the i5 version runs very hot and the fan is quite loud anytime it has to multitask.



I’m going to be using it for pretty basic stuff. Mostly web browsing, editing my website on wix, Netflix, stuff like that. I do some light video editing, but only about one video or so a month, so I’m not worried about slower rendering times for video editing as much. So, maybe my workflow would be totally suited with the i3, and if it doesn’t run as hot or as noisy, maybe it’s clearly better for me. But, I’d rather have some fan noise than occasional lag or hiccups if I’m running a several of the tasks I’ve described above (not including video editing).



If anyone has some ideas on if I should be fine with the i3, or foolish to not get the i5, I’d really appreciate it! Thank you.

if you are not worried about slowness then i3, as long as you still have 16GB RAM.

however, i would refuse to believe under any circumstances that as long as both an i3 and i5 machine each have 16GB RAM that the i5 would have its fan go on more than the i3.

it does depend on how long you want to keep yr device.
if you want to keep it more than 4 years, get the i5 with 16GB RAM.

 

[nylon]

Hello,

I was hoping if anyone has some thoughts on if it’s better to buy the i3 or spend the extra 100 for the i5, for the new 2020 MBAs. I ordered the i5 because most reviews recommended it, but it won’t arrive for a few weeks. I’ve been seeing some videos which are saying that the i5 version runs very hot and the fan is quite loud anytime it has to multitask.

I’m going to be using it for pretty basic stuff. Mostly web browsing, editing my website on wix, Netflix, stuff like that. I do some light video editing, but only about one video or so a month, so I’m not worried about slower rendering times for video editing as much. So, maybe my workflow would be totally suited with the i3, and if it doesn’t run as hot or as noisy, maybe it’s clearly better for me. But, I’d rather have some fan noise than occasional lag or hiccups if I’m running a several of the tasks I’ve described above (not including video editing).

If anyone has some ideas on if I should be fine with the i3, or foolish to not get the i5, I’d really appreciate it! Thank you.

For the usage you've described, while you could get by with the i3, I would stick with the i5. The i5 is a better long term value proposition when you do the cost benefit. The whole heat thing is just the internet being the internet i.e. find an issue under a narrowly defined scenario and blow it way out of proportion. Nothing you do on a daily basis will peg the CPU/GPU at 100% as seen in the you-tubers who are running 'stress tests' using benchmarking tools. Light video editing for 1080p will be fine. 4k video editing will be very slow even on the i5. The i5 will do much better on light video editing than the i3. Try and stay away from the Chrome browser at the moment as it will cause high cpu/ram usage and drain your battery very fast, but it does that on every Mac notebook. I think you've got your order right.

 

[Johnw94]

if you are not worried about slowness then i3, as long as you still have 16GB RAM.

however, i would refuse to believe under any circumstances that as long as both an i3 and i5 machine each have 16GB RAM that the i5 would have its fan go on more than the i3.

it does depend on how long you want to keep yr device.
if you want to keep it more than 4 years, get the i5 with 16GB RAM.

Ok, interesting. I’m not worried about slowness when it comes to thinks like rendering a video I’ve edited. I do this so infrequently that if it takes a few minutes longer on the i3 then I don’t mind. But I really don’t like stuttering or lagging when doing my day to day work and some multitasking.

But I didn’t consider getting 16bg....maybe thats a better upgrade for me than the i5. thank You!
[automerge]1586133381[/automerge]

For the usage you've described, while you could get by with the i3, I would stick with the i5. The i5 is a better long term value proposition when you do the cost benefit. The whole heat thing is just the internet being the internet i.e. find an issue under a narrowly defined scenario and blow it way out of proportion. Nothing you do on a daily basis will peg the CPU/GPU at 100% as seen in the you-tubers who are running 'stress tests' using benchmarking tools. Light video editing for 1080p will be fine. 4k video editing will be very slow even on the i5. The i5 will do much better on light video editing than the i3. Try and stay away from the Chrome browser at the moment as it will cause high cpu/ram usage and drain your battery very fast, but it does that on every Mac notebook. I think you've got your order right.

Very helpful, thanks. I do wonder if I’m thinking too much about overheating, and maybe my workload won’t push it to get super loud and hot all the time. In that case, id rather have the extra gpu and cpu to future proof it down the road.

 

[ctjack]

so I’m not worried about slower rendering times for video editing as much. So, maybe my workflow would be totally suited with the i3,

Slow rendering times is not the worst part of it. There is a thing like timeline dragging and smooth playback from timeline. It really depends on what type of video you will edit?
If it is 1080p with color grading and LUTs applied, both will be ok with that.
4k videos are ok, but once you apply color grade and lut, it will be choppy on i5. I guess i3 won't even be able to edit 4k.

 

[vistokid]

Just saw this. I ordered the i5 based on his original review and turns out he’s changed his mind. Still waiting for my i5 to get to me.

 

[nylon]

Just saw this. I ordered the i5 based on his original review and turns out he’s changed his mind. Still waiting for my i5 to get to me.

This is the YouTube guy that should be ignored. Videos are entertaining but from a technical perspective they are a joke.

 

[TechieGeek]

This is the YouTube guy that should be ignored. Videos are entertaining but from a technical perspective they are a joke.

Agreed. This youtuber is a drama queen that sensationalizes to the extreme.

Would recommend the 16GB memory for longevity though.

 

[acorntoy]

2 core is the new 1 core, 4 core is the new 2 core. If you want the "wow this mac has lasted tons of years and is still a zippy as a mofo" experience then go with the i5, if you want to get through a year or two and then upgrade choose the i3.

 

[Johnw94]

This is the YouTube guy that should be ignored. Videos are entertaining but from a technical perspective they are a joke.

this was the video that I saw that gave me cause for concern haha. Don’t know the channel, just stumbled on it. I’m going to stick with the i5. I actually reluctantly switched from chrome to safari on my iPad Pro to take advantage of iOS 13, but now I’ve grown to like it. I‘m totally cool with using safari on the MBA, and it seems like that‘s a big reason for the fans and heating for the MBA’s regardless of the processor (at least from what I’ve been reading today).

So I appreciate the feedback! Won’t be switching to i3.

 

[jpn]

Agreed. This youtuber is a drama queen that sensationalizes to the extreme.

Would recommend the 16GB memory for longevity though.

this. Drama Queen, well put.
if he doesnt like the i5 but is recommending the i3 that would have the same/worse problem he is ranting about.
his info about the heat sync is accurate. but its the same for for both i3 and i5. his solution to the problem is wrong.
the solution he can't seem to voice is that his initial recommendation of the Air as a MacBook Pro replacement was wrong.

All MacBook Air models:

• Run loud and hot when you do something demanding for a long stretch of time

the MacBook Air multiple core models are designed to take advantage of the Intel burst design capability.
not for sustained heavy duty use.
whether it is an i3, i5, or i7.

LOL. if i have something in the background while playing apple chess against the computer, the fan on an Air will come on even when the computer's move is set to a 1 second timing. LOL.

the Air is for an average user, who does office work, email, browsing. its faster processors are useful to eliminate sluggishness in burst situations.
this means its a great machine for, pick a percentage: 60%, 70% of most everybody.

 

[Tony01]

I have an i3. I bought it for basic productivity (office, internet, email, netflix).
Is very fast for this usage. I also tried to install some dev tools (pycharm, phpstorm) and they worked fine.
The problem is cooling. So, as far you are not doing anything intense, it won't overheat.
Doing the minimal intensive task, cpu will reach 100 degrees. For example, while installing brew cpu reached 100 degrees.
IMO, mba is for basic productivity and i3 is more then enough for this task.

 

[dgdosen]

Just saw this. I ordered the i5 based on his original review and turns out he’s changed his mind. Still waiting for my i5 to get to me.

I can fully understand that editing and exporting 4k videos on this device will cause heat issues. That's fine.

But instead of watching another video from this chicken little about heat, I'd rather read more about the experience that devs have with this quad core device...

 

[DerKommissar]

Word of advice- we have two older Airs that would still be great if we had not gotten them with only 4 GB of memory. I'm personally kicking myself for getting my 11 in. with 4 gb- I love that machine and would like to keep it going indefinitely. Get the 16 GB option. I hate what apple charges you, but it's better to spend that money now than to spend $1300 again several years earlier than you would have had to.

 

[rambo47]

I'm still using my Late 2010 MBA with a 2.13GHz Core2 Duo and 4GB of RAM. I'm about due to upgrade and the i5 with 16GB of RAM sounds like the sweet spot. I generally keep computers a long time.

 

[dazz87]

Im a light user. Ended up gettng the i3 with 16GB

 

[Dhonk]

I'm still using my Late 2010 MBA with a 2.13GHz Core2 Duo and 4GB of RAM. I'm about due to upgrade and the i5 with 16GB of RAM sounds like the sweet spot. I generally keep computers a long time.

I loved my late 2010 Air, but couldn't use it once it stopped being supported. I do so much stuff with Numbers and Pages, that I couldn't have it not able to load files that I modified on my phone or iPad. It also got slow around 2014, so in late 2014 I got a MBP 13" and love it. But I'm planning on the MBA 2020.

 

[Saturn007]

Would you all fill us in a bit more on why his video is offbase or he is a “Drama Queen”?

He speaks far too fast, but the only criticism I see is that some think/argue that the i3 may well have the same heat issues as the i5.

What do reports from reviewers or users say about that? I could see where logically the quad core and faster CPU could result in more heating, more fan noise, and even a hit to battery life.

If even the i3's fan comes on when playing chess and there's a background process, then that rules out the 2020 MBA for me entirely! That sounds like very light use and I like my laptops cool and quiet — like the 2013 & 2015 MBAs!

 

[rambo47]

Yeah, I wouldn't go so far as to call him a drama queen. He's trying to sell his YouTube channel and being a bit theatrical. Showmanship is a lost art. Differentiating yourself in the world of tech reviews is a tough task. If you don't have inside/early information it's hard to offer something engaging. He tried, perhaps failed. But he made an interesting point about the i5 being his sweet spot. Made sense to me and I'll probably go the i5/16GB/512GB route when I get a 2020 MBA.

 

[Loog]

Yeah, I wouldn't go so far as to call him a drama queen. He's trying to sell his YouTube channel and being a bit theatrical. Showmanship is a lost art. Differentiating yourself in the world of tech reviews is a tough task. If you don't have inside/early information it's hard to offer something engaging. He tried, perhaps failed. But he made an interesting point about the i5 being his sweet spot. Made sense to me and I'll probably go the i5/16GB/512GB route when I get a 2020 MBA.

I've opted for the i7/16GB/1TB, accepting that the i5 would have done possibly what I needed and possibly could have got away with 512GB (which the old spec of my MBA 2018 and 2014 but with 8GB). I don't video edit but I do run a number of VM for IT tech and offensive security testing along with other office products from time to time. I've just looked to the long term sustainability of the device and want to shift away from having to keep stuff on icloud which I then need to have access for and have to wait for this to be downloaded.

 

[rambo47]

I too like to "future-proof" my devices, opting for an over-specced machine instead of what will simply fill my present needs. In my case though, the i3 would probably suffice. I use a lot of Excel, Word, email, and some light (very light) Photoshop.

 

[Dhonk]

I use a lot of Excel, Word, email, and some light (very light) Photoshop.

I can’t speak to photoshop, but I feel one of the best decisions I made about 10-12 years ago was to stop using MS Office. In the mid-2000s Microsoft completely redesigned them utilizing the ribbon bars. They supposedly made it more efficient, but I was thoroughly lost. For a couple years I used Open Office exclusively, loving how it had the familiar Office feel that I’d been comfortable with forever. Once I became an iPad owner, I embraced the simplicity of Numbers and Pages for documents, and love how they show up on all my devices for viewing/editing. Windows 10 and the changes to Office were the reasons I moved on from Windows and haven’t looked back.

 

[rambo47]

I would LOVE to ditch MS Office, but we use it at work so for now I'm stuck with it. I considered using Keynote/Pages/Numbers for personal stuff and Office for business, but using two systems is a pain in the butt. Occasional compatibility problems rear their ugly head at the most inopportune times. We have some older "legacy" systems at FedEx that use older versions of Office. You'd think a Fortune 500 company would have all the latest software and modern computers. You'd be wrong. We have a hodgepodge of old and less old equipment cobbled together. It may be a different story at the major hubs, but at my station we make due with what we find.

 

[chloeramirez]

any opinions on what would be better for a college student? majoring in criminal justice. i have an ipad pro but decided i want a MBA just dont know i3 or i5. I mostly use basic stuff like word, powerpoint, and chrome.

 

[Dhonk]

and chrome

not necessarily directed at chloeramirez, but in general, why the love for Chrome? Safari yields better battery life. All my coworkers at my school seemingly use Chrome and are shocked I use Safari, but they can't tell me why. This isn't 1999 with Netscape Navigator being a vastly superior product to Internet Explorer.

But as you your comments chloeramirez, I'm a teacher and going to order an i3 for my personal use. I like the $899 price point this time around after last time upping my 2014 MBP 13" to nearly $2k.