MBA M1 or MBP M1

[gregpod9]

A couple of days ago, I received my MBA SG M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU. The performance in it is great and its been good for my usage. I'm fairly happy with it, but having second thoughts about it at the same time. I've been thinking of returning it for the MBP M1. The MBP M1/16GB/512GB is out of my budget, however the MBP M1/8GB/512GB is in my budget and its cost is $50 more than my MBA.
Here are my requirements:
1. Screen quality must be as good or better than the MBA
2. I don't care about about the speaker quality and built in audio dac. I have the AudioQuest DragonFly RED DAC, the Logitech Z623 THX Speaker Set and the Sennheiser HD598 SR Headphones.
3. Built-in Mic quality must be good.
4. I live in Texas and summers get hot down here, I'm not sure if the MBA will get hot and throttle a lot during the summer by doing light work, internet surfing, audio/video streaming, and other basic tasks.
5. I might be doing some light video editing and light photo editing for my business in the future
6. Not sure if I would like the touch bar. According to my research, it's split even between people who like it and people who don't like it.

This is a tough decision for me from going to a MBA M1 to MBP M1 or keeping the MBA. I feel like my MBA M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU on paper is a high-end laptop while the MBP M1/8GB/512GB feels like mid-range laptop due to its amount of RAM, but in reality it high-end due to its extra components over MBA. I really need advice on the best option and why
1. Stick with my MBA SG M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU
2. Purchase MBP SG M1/8GB/512GB

Also if you had or in the same situation as me: What made you keep the MBA M1 over the MBP M1? or What made you switch from the MBA M1 to the MBP M1?

 

[acidfast7_redux]

I lived in Texas for 8 years while doing a PhD.

The number of time I used a laptop at a higher temp were much less than in Europe. The judicious use of AC pretty much guarantees that any indoor spot will be cool including all transport.

In Europe, it's really hot ... Inside Bavarian houses is often 30C in the summer (85F or so.)

In essence, I think the Texas throttling this is not important unless you're recording outside in the sun.

 

[Zazoh]

I live in Texas. I’m not going to use my laptop outside. I have MBA. Chose it because it doesn’t have a fan and it doesn’t have a Touch Bar. I like tactile function keys.

 

[darthbane2k]

A couple of days ago, I received my MBA SG M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU. The performance in it is great and its been good for my usage. I'm fairly happy with it, but having second thoughts about it at the same time. I've been thinking of returning it for the MBP M1. The MBP M1/16GB/512GB is out of my budget, however the MBP M1/8GB/512GB is in my budget and its cost is $50 more than my MBA.
Here are my requirements:
1. Screen quality must be as good or better than the MBA
2. I don't care about about the speaker quality and built in audio dac. I have the AudioQuest DragonFly RED DAC, the Logitech Z623 THX Speaker Set and the Sennheiser HD598 SR Headphones.
3. Built-in Mic quality must be good.
4. I live in Texas and summers get hot down here, I'm not sure if the MBA will get hot and throttle a lot during the summer by doing light work, internet surfing, audio/video streaming, and other basic tasks.
5. I might be doing some light video editing and light photo editing for my business in the future
6. Not sure if I would like the touch bar. According to my research, it's split even between people who like it and people who don't like it.

This is a tough decision for me from going to a MBA M1 to MBP M1 or keeping the MBA. I feel like my MBA M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU on paper is a high-end laptop while the MBP M1/8GB/512GB feels like mid-range laptop due to its amount of RAM, but in reality it high-end due to its extra components over MBA. I really need advice on the best option and why
1. Stick with my MBA SG M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU
2. Purchase MBP SG M1/8GB/512GB

Also if you had or in the same situation as me: What made you keep the MBA M1 over the MBP M1? or What made you switch from the MBA M1 to the MBP M1?

I was in the same boat. Wanted a 16GB / 512 GB M1 and ordered the Pro.
Then considered the air due to the cost and similarity of performance.
You know what, I’m keeping the pro.
The £200 difference is probably worth it due to non throttled performance when cooling kicks in , brighter screen and battery.
Me , I see the touch bar as a bonus as it’s highly customisable.
There seems to be two type of Mac users, one who buys macs to be a keeper and the other who upgrades as often as they do their iPhone.
I’m the former. My M1 MBP is replacing a RMBP I kept for 5 years and I expect the new one to last me just as long. That’s the reason why I’m happy to pay the extra for the Pro.
Also it’s my main computer but not my out of the house computer. My out of the house device would be my iPad Pro, therefore there’s little advantage in compromising to get the Air due to its more lightweight design - the iPad is even lighter.

Hope this helps

 

[eelpout]

A couple of days ago, I received my MBA SG M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU.
2. I don't care about about the speaker quality and built in audio dac. I have the AudioQuest DragonFly RED DAC,

how's the battery life with the M1 and the DAC? I also have the Red and a couple others. On my Intel MBP I notice that the battery probably drains 15% faster with the external DAC in use; coreaudiod constantly uses about 10-12% of the CPU listening to a streaming source in Safari.

 

[avz]

A couple of days ago, I received my MBA SG M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU. The performance in it is great and its been good for my usage. I'm fairly happy with it, but having second thoughts about it at the same time. I've been thinking of returning it for the MBP M1. The MBP M1/16GB/512GB is out of my budget, however the MBP M1/8GB/512GB is in my budget and its cost is $50 more than my MBA.
Here are my requirements:
1. Screen quality must be as good or better than the MBA
2. I don't care about about the speaker quality and built in audio dac. I have the AudioQuest DragonFly RED DAC, the Logitech Z623 THX Speaker Set and the Sennheiser HD598 SR Headphones.
3. Built-in Mic quality must be good.
4. I live in Texas and summers get hot down here, I'm not sure if the MBA will get hot and throttle a lot during the summer by doing light work, internet surfing, audio/video streaming, and other basic tasks.
5. I might be doing some light video editing and light photo editing for my business in the future
6. Not sure if I would like the touch bar. According to my research, it's split even between people who like it and people who don't like it.

This is a tough decision for me from going to a MBA M1 to MBP M1 or keeping the MBA. I feel like my MBA M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU on paper is a high-end laptop while the MBP M1/8GB/512GB feels like mid-range laptop due to its amount of RAM, but in reality it high-end due to its extra components over MBA. I really need advice on the best option and why
1. Stick with my MBA SG M1/16GB/512GB/8C GPU
2. Purchase MBP SG M1/8GB/512GB

Also if you had or in the same situation as me: What made you keep the MBA M1 over the MBP M1? or What made you switch from the MBA M1 to the MBP M1?

I believe you are either the "Pro" guy or the "Air" guy. Admittedly Apple Silicon makes them nearly identical in performance thus the choice between the two is purely superficial. I bought the Pro simply because I never cared for the Air.

 

[tiberiu]

Ha, I'm exactly the reverse situation.
I have the mbook pro 8GB and it looks like the 8GB is not enough for me, so I might switch for the MBA 16GB version as I don't need the fan, it doesn't get warm for my usage (software developer).
Also I think I'm starting to hate the touchbar a bit...

 

[johnkree]

Ha, I'm exactly the reverse situation.
I have the mbook pro 8GB and it looks like the 8GB is not enough for me, so I might switch for the MBA 16GB version as I don't need the fan, it doesn't get warm for my usage (software developer).
Also I think I'm starting to hate the touchbar a bit...

Will you take the base model with 16MB RAM or the upgraded one with 512 MB SSD? What are you doing that the 8 gigs arent enough? Just wondering because I'm torn between the Pro and the Air and can't decide...

 

[1240766]

I have had both on my hands for a week or so, the Air is so much nicer IMO - form and shape...also, the Touch Bar gets old and in the way after a while.

 

[tiberiu]

Will you take the base model with 16MB RAM or the upgraded one with 512 MB SSD? What are you doing that the 8 gigs arent enough? Just wondering because I'm torn between the Pro and the Air and can't decide...

Will take the 512 SSD as I want to have the 8 cores one.
I do: React-Native, 10-20 Chrome Tabs opened, terminal, iOS simulator, Visual Code, SourceTree, Xcode