Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

JerTheGeek

macrumors 68000
Original poster
May 15, 2014
1,993
487
Hello everyone.
So I have a 2014 13 inch MacBook Air (base core i5, 4gb RAM). I use it mainly for:

Video editing in iMovie for YouTube, around twice a month or so
Storing and managing photos
Writing papers for school and some other school stuff
Web browsing and email
Listening to :apple: Music
So that's my main usage.

I'm considering upgrading around Christmas time, and I am wondering if it perhaps would be a nice upgrade to go to a 13 inch Pro, the 256gb model with 8gb RAM, currently $1269 refurbished. Would it be worth it? Or would perhaps an i7 8GB Air be worth it? Or should I just not upgrade at all?
Thanks in advance,
JerTheGeek
 
With the usage that you've listed it doesn't sound like you will benefit that much from an upgrade. If you feel like you want a more powerful machine with more RAM, then by all means but it seems that you have a modern capable machine for what you do already and wouldn't notice much of a real world difference - only in your occasional video editing.
 
Just curios why you are wanting to upgrade in the first place. Does your current MBA meet your needs or are you needing something with more power?

I still use a 2007 iMac for much of the same usage above with zero issues. But if you are noticing lots of lag or running out of RAM than it would make sense. I've got a 2015 MBA and a late 2013 rMBP and hardly notice a difference in speed but they are of different years and both are 8GB/256GB models. If anything you could use more RAM.
 
My main reason for wanting to upgrade is probably the retina screen. I have it on all my apple devices except my Air. It's not a huge deal, but it still would be very nice. Perhaps I should just wait for a retina Air to come out possibly.....
 
I was just looking at the refurb section of the Apple Store, and I decided that it would be silly to upgrade to an i7 Air; if I'm gonna get a machine that powerful, I may as well just go for the Pro. So now I need to decide if I should go for that Pro upgrade, or wait for the mythical retina Air....
 
I was just looking at the refurb section of the Apple Store, and I decided that it would be silly to upgrade to an i7 Air; if I'm gonna get a machine that powerful, I may as well just go for the Pro. So now I need to decide if I should go for that Pro upgrade, or wait for the mythical retina Air....

Or...if your timeframe is longer, for the inevitable changes/upgrades to the retina Macbook in the next year or two. Not to muddy the waters further!

With an MBP that's functional but had slowed down considerably, I took the plunge and purchased a refurb 11 inch 2015 Air, with the intent of enjoying the ports, the power and the lightness and portability for the next few years until the rMB "matures." This was based on the assumption that the MBA wouldn't go away anytime soon, but also won't see any appreciable changes in 2016 (or beyond, for that matter).

Not saying I'm right, of course, just my decision-making process. I feel a little guilty because the MBP I have was still "working," so perhaps I could've waited until 2016 to see the lay of the land, but I'm really loving this Air!
 
I was just looking at the refurb section of the Apple Store, and I decided that it would be silly to upgrade to an i7 Air; if I'm gonna get a machine that powerful, I may as well just go for the Pro. So now I need to decide if I should go for that Pro upgrade, or wait for the mythical retina Air....

If the only issue you have with your current laptop is that it doesn't have a retina screen, then it doesn't seem to make much sense to "upgrade" to another machine with no retina screen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sallenthornton
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.