MacBook Air M1 (16GB + 1TB SSD) for $1280 USD. Worth it?

[TheOutlier]

I found a local seller selling a secondhand MacBook Air M1 with 16GB RAM + 1TB SSD for $1280 USD.

Is this a good deal? My other option is a MacBook Pro 16" 2019 with i9 2.3GHz + 32GB RAM + 1TB SSD + Radeon 5500M 4GB for $1475 USD.

Which would be the better buy here? Need a powerful system to handle daily motion and 3D design work. For context, I'm currently working on an Early 2013 15" Retina MBP with 16GB RAM and it's terrible. It's why I'm not sure if 16GB RAM is enough to cut it.

Here are my specific use cases:
- I don't need to use Windows or any Windows apps as I'm a designer mostly working on Mac.
- Not going to be playing any games on it. That's what my Xbox is for.
- Mainly using apps like Figma, Photoshop / Affinity Designer, Final Cut Pro, After Effects, Blender, Unreal Engine, etc.
- Open to the possibility of reselling and then upgrading to an M1 Max in a few months from now.

 

[Willo34]

3D Design work you can only go for the 16 inch. The Air will not be able to handle that.

 

[appltech]

Heard that MBP 16" 2019 i9 has (or had) notorious overheating problem.
But despite that, this boar looks like a real one

 

[jerryk]

No idea if this will work for you, but amazed at how much the price for the 16" Intel has fallen. I think that configuration was near or over $3200 new.

I had one with a 512 GB drive. They run hot even with fans running all the time.

For your work I would think a MBP 14 would be a better, but more expensive, choice.

 

[JPack]

$1,280 is exactly the educational BTS price for that MBA config during last summer.

Given we're expecting a new MBA this year, I'd say no to this deal.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

$1,280 is exactly the educational BTS price for that MBA config during last summer.

Given we're expecting a new MBA this year, I'd say no to this deal.

op may well wait until the end of the year before we actually get an m2 I'm afraid

 

[dizmonk]

Wait a few weeks and see if the new entry-level MBP pro is released at the March apple event.