MBA 11 inch 4Gb 128GB enough?

[Ulenspiegel]

wow, that is a beast of an MBA! Obviously it is subjective, but for me it is a no-brainer... MBA. I think that the multiple ports will come in handy, especially since it will be used by multiple family members. And with school-age kids, you'll probably need to regularly have multiple devices connected to it like a SuperDrive and thumbdrives.

Regarding the processors, the MBA will be able to do everything and more that the rMB can, but the difference is the MBA won't break a sweat over it.

+1. Very good reasoning.

 

[Boyd01]

I have the 2013 version of that same MBA and wouldn't even consider switching it for the MacBook. I use all the ports, and I run demanding software that causes the fans to kick into high. That kind of program will slow down on the MacBook since it can't cool the CPU as well. You should see a big difference in ripping a DVD, for example.

512 overkill

How can you possibly say that without knowing how someone uses their computer? For me, I have to do constant housekeeping to maintain a reasonable amount of free space on my 512gb SSD.
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don't need portability as it will be an at home computer

This part has me confused. Why are you buying a laptop in the first place?….

 

[maerz001]

How can you possibly say that without knowing how someone uses their computer? For me, I have to do constant housekeeping to maintain a reasonable amount of free space on my 512gb SSD

as I wrote: when people do not use it for storing tens of thousands of pictures and songs or movies: 512 is overkill.

he had the 128GB in the first place with 50GB free and does surfing, word processing and kids schoolwork. So even the air from 2008 should be fine for that
kidding, but this laptop is CPU and storage wise overkill for his use. Of course more is better. But than this whole thread makes no sense at all when even for the very basic task everybody buys a maxed out machine.

i have 20.000 pics and a VM with 60GB on my 2012 air with the OWC SSD i upgraded to 240GB 2 years ago. Doing CAD design and light photoshop with the basic CPU.

I would still recommend a refurbished 2016 rMB 1.1, 256GB u can now get for $1099.
or Maybe a basic air for the same price if u can life with this ancient small screen. But don't waste so much money

 

[weckart]

I am still using my 11" with 64GB and a mahoosive 2GB of RAM. I don't get much in the way of beachballs but then I don't use this for heavy lifting, either. I have just splashed out a couple of quid on an adapter, which lets me use pretty much any off the shelf M.2 SSD to upgrade the creaking hard drive, so that will give me another year or two before it becomes a legacy unit.

 

[ccrgt]

I have had a desktop mac or two before and they were great. But I think a laptop suits us better as we can just grab it and use it wherever. My daughters like to do web searching/word processing in weird places like on/in bed, outside on the deck etc.

It's great to read all your responses, very helpful! I think when you guys say maybe the 512GB is overkill, I think go big or go home.

And the more I'm thinking about which one to get, I agree that more ports on the MBA is preferable to the rMB. So it's looking like I'll stick with the MBA rather than the rMB.

Thanks guys!

 

[maerz001]

I have had a desktop mac or two before and they were great. But I think a laptop suits us better as we can just grab it and use it wherever. My daughters like to do web searching/word processing in weird places like on/in bed, outside on the deck etc.

It's great to read all your responses, very helpful! I think when you guys say maybe the 512GB is overkill, I think go big or go home.

And the more I'm thinking about which one to get, I agree that more ports on the MBA is preferable to the rMB. So it's looking like I'll stick with the MBA rather than the rMB.

Thanks guys!

As long as u are happy. but there is also a 2TB rMBP waiting for u

 

[MarvinHC]

Another advantage of the Air over the Macbook: The battery is quite easy to replace (cheapish replacements available in many places), while the one for the Macbook can only be done by Apple and that is pricey 289 A$!

https://support.apple.com/en-au/mac-notebooks/repair/service/pricing