MBA 13" worth buying NOW?

[DiscordUser]

Hi fellow Mac lovers,

After many, many, many years using a PC I've decided to take the plunge into the Apple world but I'm now facing with a dilemma: is it worth to buy a 13" MBA this close to september?

To give you some information (in order to get some help):

• I will mainly use the computer for light web browsing: e-mails, WhatsApp web, Discord, some Twitch streaming and the usual general web browsing;
• I have an Office 365 license through my old university, so that will also be a use case;
• I don't plan to play games on it, but should that plan change I will play some indie/casual type games. I have NO need for a beast of a computer at this time in my life;
• 16gb RAM minimum is a must. 8gb is just laughable in 2023 (even if I don't plan to "exhaust" all the 8gb or if macOS is beautifully optimized). I DON'T want to compromise on RAM;
• I've read some reviews from when this MBA generation released and I'm aware of the issues with the 256gb SSDs, so 512gb is the minimum for me to have some peace of mind;
• Buying through the Apple website is mandatory: it's the only place I can find a keyboard in my language (and that is a MUST because 99% of my digital communication is done in my native tongue);
• Currently I have access to an education e-mail and I will be able to enjoy the benefits associated: below are the prices I can get on "regular" Apple website vs. the Education Apple website

	Regular Apple	Regular Apple		Education Apple	Education Apple
	8c CPU-8c GPU	8c CPU-10c GPU		8c CPU-8c GPU	8c CPU-10c GPU
16/512	1617,74$	1702,94$		1480,19$	1565,39$
24/512	1830,74$	1915,94$		1671,89$	1757,09$

With the above information, what is your opinion? Should I wait for september or shall I just purchase the MBA and be "done with it"?

Thank you all very much and I hope I can be a valuable member of this great community.

 

[Apple_Robert]

There is no reason to wait. Go ahead and make the purchase.

 

[Dingster101]

I just purchased a 13 inch with 16/512 over the 15 inch. Pretty much same usage case as yours (light work). Coming from a 2015 13 inch.

 

[DiscordUser]

I just purchased a 13 inch with 16/512 over the 15 inch. Pretty much same usage case as yours (light work). Coming from a 2015 13 inch.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the 15" is just "too" big for me. I had both in hand at an Apple Store and the difference is really something.

The 13" is just the perfect size!

 

[Velin]

Just got exactly what you are considering, a 13-inch with 16gb RAM and 512HD with the 10-core GPU. It's replacing a 16-inch Intel Macbook Pro.

Get it. The 13-inch M2 Air is fantastic. Screen is great. Keyboard is great. Trackpad is great. Fast, compact, and for travel the two Thunderbolt ports + mag charger is sufficient. And going from the big boy down to the 13-inch, it cut a lot of weight from the travel bag. A lot.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

• Buying through the Apple website is mandatory: it's the only place I can find a keyboard in my language (and that is a MUST because 99% of my digital communication is done in my native tongue);

Ha! I'm in a similar boat. I prefer a US/UK keyboard but that's neither my native language nor is it the native language in the country I live in.

It is, however, a thing you might want to bear in mind in case you're planning on selling the laptop down the line. Around here, for example, people are VERY picky regarding keyboard layouts. If it's not their native language they will not touch it.
That has led to me having trouble selling devices with English keyboard layouts and eventually selling them under value to entice people...

As for your question - I don't see why you'd wait. If you want/need it now, go for it.
Are new ones even expected for September or what's the significance there?

 

[incarniac]

I’ve just ordered a 13” M2 MacBooc Air with 24GB RAM (I wanted > 16GB) and 1TB (I wanted > 512GB). I was considering the 15” MBA and the 14” MBP, but ultimately decided I wanted the portability. I intend to have it for many years.

With the above information, what is your opinion? Should I wait for september or shall I just purchase the MBA and be "done with it"?

Given your stated use, I don’t think there is any point in waiting. Try to stay clear of the “Fear of Missing Out” (FoMO), and get what you need when you need it. There is always something new “just around the corner” when it comes to technology. This will last you for a long while, and do you well for all of that time. Get it, use it, be happy with it, and know you’re not missing out on anything for your use.

 

[CalMin]

Buy it! Life is short. You’ve clearly put the thought in and something better is always around the corner.

8GB is fine for your stated uses with Apple silicon, but know that I’ll never talk you out of buying more ram when it’s in your budget. Just know it’s not “laughable”. I have a 16GB M1 Pro and an 8GB M2 air and there’s not much to tell them apart for normal office work flows.

 

[DiscordUser]

Buy it! Life is short. You’ve clearly put the thought in and something better is always around the corner.

8GB is fine for your stated uses with Apple silicon, but know that I’ll never talk you out of buying more ram when it’s in your budget. Just know it’s not “laughable”. I have a 16GB M1 Pro and an 8GB M2 air and there’s not much to tell them apart for normal office work flows.

Laughable might have been too harsh (probably my PC gaming years vein still here 😅). But to have some peace of mind and some futureproofing (kind of impossible these days) I would feel better having a 16/512 or a 24/512 machine in my hands.

 

[sailingHobbit]

Ha! I'm in a similar boat. I prefer a US/UK keyboard but that's neither my native language nor is it the native language in the country I live in.

It is, however, a thing you might want to bear in mind in case you're planning on selling the laptop down the line. Around here, for example, people are VERY picky regarding keyboard layouts. If it's not their native language they will not touch it.
That has led to me having trouble selling devices with English keyboard layouts and eventually selling them under value to entice people...

Do you happen to live in Germany? Cause I can confirm exactly that problem. I always buy Englisch International (since it's more common from 3rd party keyboard vendors than Englisch US) and it's hard to sell MacBooks here with non-German keyboards. At least we have some resellers here that offer decent enough prices if you sell them a MacBook with an Englisch layout in good condition.

For the OP: I don't know about your country but at least here in Germany some dealers also offer BTO configurations with alternative keyboard layouts at better prices than the regular Apple Store e.g. 1.747€ for the 16 GB RAM 512 GB SSD version instead of 1.879€ at Apple. Maybe something like that exists in your country. Of course waiting time is usually a bit longer with 3rd party dealers.

 

[CalMin]

Laughable might have been too harsh (probably my PC gaming years vein still here 😅). But to have some peace of mind and some futureproofing (kind of impossible these days) I would feel better having a 16/512 or a 24/512 machine in my hands.

No. I get it. I was worried about “just” 16GB on my 14” MacBook Pro and nearly spent the extra to get 32GB.

Truth is that for normal computing, 8GB works great. I got the M2 as a secondary device with the base spec for couch surfing. It has blown me away with just how powerful it is.

I usually chime in on these things because people worry that 8Gb will suck and they might not always be able to afford more. In truth if you’re doing what most air buyers do (web, email, office, photos, editing videos for YouTube) 8Gb is fine 16GB is better but not necessary. You might have to wait 30s or so longer for some tasks but that’s time you can use to count the money you saved. 😂

 

[Djones96]

I am also considering picking one up. Unsure if I want to go with the 2022 model with the M2 or settle for the M1 chip. My use case would be very similar to yours.

 

[CalMin]

I am also considering picking one up. Unsure if I want to go with the 2022 model with the M2 or settle for the M1 chip. My use case would be very similar to yours.

Both are comparable. M2 is a bit faster (and more adept with video editing if you need that) but the M1 is still super powerful and probably the best bang for buck laptop out there right now.

With the recent price drop, I'd take the M2. It's a newer, nicer design with a tangibly better screen, but if cost is an issue, then you will be very happy with the performance of the M1 in base spec. I hate sounding like I work for Apple, but Apple silicon is remarkable. Macs are the best that they have ever been with M1/M2.

 

[Djones96]

Both are comparable. M2 is a bit faster (and more adept with video editing if you need that) but the M1 is still super powerful and probably the best bang for buck laptop out there right now.

With the recent price drop, I'd take the M2. It's a newer, nicer design with a tangibly better screen, but if cost is an issue, then you will be very happy with the performance of the M1 in base spec. I hate sounding like I work for Apple, but Apple silicon is remarkable. Macs are the best that they have ever been with M1/M2.

Price isn't necessarily an issue, but my hesitance stems from wanting the iPhone 15 pro max or whatever it's going to be called, and the new Ultra that is rumored to be announced. I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need either of those as I already have a 14 Pro max, and the current Ultra, but I haven't had any luck telling myself that I don't need either, but if I decide that I want either of those things, I won't be able to swing the price of the M2 MBA as well.

 

[DiscordUser]

I forgot to mention on how the 8CPU-8GPU fares against the 8CPU-10GPU model? Does anybody have some "real world" experience on that?

 

[CalMin]

Price isn't necessarily an issue, but my hesitance stems from wanting the iPhone 15 pro max or whatever it's going to be called, and the new Ultra that is rumored to be announced. I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need either of those as I already have a 14 Pro max, and the current Ultra, but I haven't had any luck telling myself that I don't need either, but if I decide that I want either of those things, I won't be able to swing the price of the M2 MBA as well.

I used to upgrade my phone every year but I've been finding with the latest updates that it's a bit of a waste of money for me. Since the iPhone 11 Pro, the camera has been good enough for most situations. I always get seduced by some new feature, but after the novelty wears off, it's still just a phone and I still just do email, instagram and some games.

That's all my way of saying I think you'll be fine skipping the iPhone 15 from your iPhone 14 if that's what you have to do to get a new laptop.

I forgot to mention on how the 8CPU-8GPU fares against the 8CPU-10GPU model? Does anybody have some "real world" experience on that?

No personal experience with that. Check out MaxTech videos on YouTube. They are a bit link-bait and dramatic (e.g. SSD-gate) but they do a lot of detailed comparisons. My sense is that the difference is marginal and only shows up on graphically intensive tasks as a 10-20% boost. Most other tasks are not affected by the 8 vs 10 core GPU.

I have the base spec M2 and as I wrote above - it does general computing just as well as my 10-CPU 16-GPU M1 Pro!

 

[Djones96]

I used to upgrade my phone every year but I've been finding with the latest updates that it's a bit of a waste of money for me. Since the iPhone 11 Pro, the camera has been good enough for most situations. I always get seduced by some new feature, but after the novelty wears off, it's still just a phone and I still just do email, instagram and some games.

That's all my way of saying I think you'll be fine skipping the iPhone 15 from your iPhone 14 if that's what you have to do to get a new laptop.

I think I'd be okay with skipping the next iPhone. I am considering buying a base M2 from swappa.com for $850. Would you say that this is a good deal?

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

Do you happen to live in Germany? Cause I can confirm exactly that problem. I always buy Englisch International (since it's more common from 3rd party keyboard vendors than Englisch US) and it's hard to sell MacBooks here with non-German keyboards. At least we have some resellers here that offer decent enough prices if you sell them a MacBook with an Englisch layout in good condition.

I’m in Sweden but I am German so I’ve seen this in Germany as well 😆

The resellers here don’t seem to pay very well, though, so I’ve skipped them altogether.
Luckily, there are some university towns around with international students. That slightly increases the chances of selling English keyboards.

 

[CalMin]

I think I'd be okay with skipping the next iPhone. I am considering buying a base M2 from swappa.com for $850. Would you say that this is a good deal?

I think that's about the going rate. I've never bought from Swappa, but I am seeing about the same asking prices as I am seeing localyl on CL (in S. California). I would want at least a couple of months warranty at that price.

If you can't get EDU discount they're also Apple refurbs which are like new, come with 12-month AppleCare full warranty. It's a bit more (and you have to pay sales tax) but it's a good few bucks off new and it's from Apple.

Refurbished Mac - 2020 - 2022 - MacBook Air

Save up to 15% on a refurbished MacBook Air. Tested and certified by Apple including a 1-year warranty. Free delivery and returns.

www.apple.com

 

[Djones96]

I think that's about the going rate. I've never bought from Swappa, but I am seeing about the same asking prices as I am seeing localyl on CL (in S. California). I would want at least a couple of months warranty at that price.

If you can't get EDU discount they're also Apple refurbs which are like new, come with 12-month AppleCare full warranty. It's a bit more (and you have to pay sales tax) but it's a good few bucks off new and it's from Apple.

Refurbished Mac - 2020 - 2022 - MacBook Air

Save up to 15% on a refurbished MacBook Air. Tested and certified by Apple including a 1-year warranty. Free delivery and returns.

www.apple.com

Unfortunately no EDU discount for me, but I'll have to keep looking around or eventually just buy a refurbished from Apple. The warranty on this specific listing on swappa only goes until July 8th, 2023. So basically like you're not even getting a warranty at all

 

[mectojic]

I just got an M2 13-inch with 16GB ram and 1TB SSD. Now is the perfect time, the reduced price and release of the near-identical 15-inch means that the 13-inch will probably get as many years of support.

 

[Saturn007]

I just purchased a 13 inch with 16/512 over the 15 inch. Pretty much same usage case as yours (light work). Coming from a 2015 13 inch.

What led you to upgrade? I'm in the same boat — using a 2015 13” MBA — which still works well, albeit with some issues (one USB port broken, the other sometimes needing a hub, and the battery lasting only 4-5 hours).

Was wondering how you've found the two after using both…

Some people around here have argued persuasively that, at this point, it'd be better to wait for the M3 13” MBA as it's not that many seasons away from appearing.

I've been tempted by the 15”, too. Its M3 version is likely a year away.

The MacRumors buying guide has a yellow caution flag up on the 13” MBA, but a solid green Buy Now for the 15” — of course, that's assuming it's the one someone wants or needs!

See https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook_Air

 

[DiscordUser]

The MacRumors buying guide has a yellow caution flag up on the 13” MBA, but a solid green Buy Now for the 15” — of course, that's assuming it's the one someone wants or needs!

See https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook_Air

That is one of my main "concerns"... But judging by past Apple MBA releases, probably the next year MBA will "only" have the M3...

 

[kramjam]

Had a crazy dilemma between the new 15" Air, 14" MBP as of lately. I scored a deal on a refurbished M2 13" MBA with 16GB/1TB RAM for less than $900, and instantly returned the new 15" and 14" I was trying out.

I have no regrets -- the 13" portability and performance per dollar is insane. Display may not be 60Hz, but it's still a damn sharp looking display! Don't look back.

 

[incarniac]

That is one of my main "concerns"... But judging by past Apple MBA releases, probably the next year MBA will "only" have the M3...

It seems the Buyer’s Guide recommendation is mostly based on time since launch. Excluding the larger display and larger battery (to account for the larger display), the hardware in the 15” and 13” M2 MBAs are exactly the same.

As such, I see them as the same in terms of performance and ability, and therefore also in terms of Apple supporting it: there seems no reason they wouldn’t keep supporting the 13” as long as they do the 15” from a technical perspective. Of course, we won’t know until the time, but it’ll be a few years down the line.

When MBA gets refreshed, it will (almost) certainly have “just” the M3, as the higher-end versions are reserved for the MBPs (and other Macs) to distinguish them.