Did you get the base model. Seems that is the sweet spot in terms of value and performance.
Hope it serves you well.
Pretty sweet laptop.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why Pick a MBA over a MBP?
- Thread starter Rodneyp
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Hope it serves you well.
Pretty sweet laptop.
I really love the lightness of the Air. It's super portable and it makes absolutely zero noise because it doesn't have any fans. I'm not really a fan of the new notch design, but with the bigger 15" screen, that's going to be less of an issue. The Air stays cold on my lap, unlike a recent Windows laptop I purchased and promptly returned because I felt like the heat was going to cause me to become infertile.
I actually miss my windows laptop sometimes. The heat(open the game - close the lid) helped me to warm myself in a super cold plane crossing the Atlantic. Then it heated me once i landed in a very cold country.
Overall, it also saved me from hassle of having so many kids - the infertility effect is quite temporary until renewal. Recipe is easy: put on a lap and work, go out on a date - rinse and repeat. When kids are needed - switch to Macbook Air m1 and you will have them right away.
You make a good point, not that much difference in price for a prosumer chip. I guess it's a question of how much does an inch matter to ya.
The MacBook Air was the device that made me switch from a lifetime of Windows to Mac. From a 10 pound Latitude D830 (I used it with a media bay battery to get through a few classes at college) to a MBA 11. Life changing. I even did WoW on the MBA for years. Never went back.
Now, however, that I'm older, have a few more resources, I much prefer the power and extra ports that the MBP 14 brings. BUT... could I do everything on the MBA that I do on the MBP? Yeah. Do you save some $ going MBA? Yes. So I usually recommend the MBA to family and they love it. While I have a MBP, I could very easily do MBA.
Now, however, that I'm older, have a few more resources, I much prefer the power and extra ports that the MBP 14 brings. BUT... could I do everything on the MBA that I do on the MBP? Yeah. Do you save some $ going MBA? Yes. So I usually recommend the MBA to family and they love it. While I have a MBP, I could very easily do MBA.
I have a 16 inch MBP M1 Pro... I have to admit... I havent used this machine in more than a month. But using this today, I am completely flabberghasted at the speed, the display, the size and the weight of it. It's truly a beast of a machine. And the battery is insane as well. If I were to pick an Air, I would say that the weight and portability would be paramount in my decision, but honestly, the 16 inch MBP isn't really that un-portable. Using this to visit the forums and websites is truly a fun experience and I am very happy with my decision to purchase this last year.
That comment was brilliant! The full text of it is well worth reading. (It's on the previous page of the thread.)
One crucial factor overlooked in this thread is people's sensitivity to PWM. That could determine their selection of an MBA over an MBP without regard to any listing or consideration of pros and cons.
Even if, at some level, one contends the 14” MBP is a “smarter” decision for many or most people, especially when going for more RAM and HD capacity (far more features for not much more money), other factors that are negatives for some or many people can add up — for *them*. Longer battery life, less weight, and lap comfort-balance are important. Others may still want a tapered front edge or a smaller trackpad.
Yet another factor is one's acceptance of dongle madness! If one is accustomed to simply sliding their cameras' SD cards into a slot, having to hunt up a dongle can look as a real nuisance.
The recent addition of the 15” MBA as another choice leads to even more confusion.
This is where Apple's product lines and pricing schemes leave me cold. Tim Cook & Company think they're so clever pricing different models so closely, especially after upgrades, but it produces discomfort, excessive decision-making, and uncertainty among many buyers. That makes the purchase ultimately unsatisfying — many are first nagged by the question of which to buy and, later, by whether they made the right choice. For many, it leads to passionate defenses, rationalizations, or warranted justifications for their choice.
The mere existence of so many threads here on MR about MBA vs. MBP, and the contretemps they produce, is proof positive of that.
Perhaps that is marketing genius, leading people to upgrade on a later or even then next cycle, but it's frustrating to buyers. it probably leads to many returns! The product lines and models should be more clearly drawn — priced more obviously different — and the choices more obvious.
So, should I get a 13” M1 MBA, 13” M2 MBA, 15” M2 MBA, or 14” M1 or M2 MBP to replace my 2015 13” MBA?
With 16 GB or 1TB? Will PWM bother me? Can I live with dongles? Will the 15” balance comfortably on my lap? Will the M1 MBA screen crack?
🙈 👍🏽👎🏽 ❌
Argh!
The thing is everyone wants something different. I want the biggest screen possible at a reasonable price, so I might get 15A eventually. I just have to check one out to see how easy it is to read.
I appear to be one of the lucky ones sensitive to PWM. I have a 2021 16" MBP now and seem to get by for the most part. Does the 15" MBA not have PWM?
It does seem to have different screen technology. I remember not being able to use the MBP because text just didn't seem crisp enough. That hasn't been an issue on the MBA.
It completely depends on what you need it for. It makes zero noise and it's incredibly light. Unless you absolutely need the extra horsepower, or you are doing tasks that may cause heat throttling due to the fanless design, the Air is a pretty amazing laptop.
For me I don't do video editing or photo editing so it is easy. MBA is more than enough for me and I don't need an MBP
I really like what many have said before, if you ever hesitated between a MBA and a MBP, you probably don't need a MBP.
...well, I was under the impression, regardless of an adapter, the MBA simply cannot handle dual external monitors.
Are you saying otherwise?
How to Use Dual Monitors with MacBook Airs (M1/M2/M3 Chips)
I actually purchased this MacBook Air and set it up successfully with dual monitors, I’ve compiled these FAQs to help those in the same situation.
planetofthepaul.com
My Experience with The MacBook Air with 24GB RAM (You Don't Need PRO)
There's so much bad echo-chamber advice around this 24GB MacBook Air online. No wonder you're confused. Here's my experience after using one for 11 months.
planetofthepaul.com
Again I think it is important to just look and feel and try the devices you are considering in person.
I think a lot of people just buy a Pro because they perceive it to be better when in real life they may think otherwise.
PWM seems to be more related to M series chips and how they render content than the actual display. Some people say the mini led screen bothers them the worst when it comes to PWM sensitivity. Some people hate IPS backlight bleed. I will say if you can handle the PWM the look of the mini led is more vibrant and blacks are much darker. BUT there is an issue with blooming that some people are sensitive to and others are not.
I would not recommend the M1 chips if you are buying a new laptop now for the simple reason is in a few months or early next year the M3 will be out and it will feel rather dated. With Apple chip development the year over year difference is not that big but a couple generations or more it will feel much slower. In my experience the M1 Max felt slow to me on web browsing and opening applications. But the M1 is still a good chip. On an iPad it is pretty amazing.
Screen size and weight are things you need to consider. Do you just sit your laptop on a desk and don't move it? Do you use it all over the place, do you travel with it? If you just use it at a desk and never move it then get the largest screen you can. Also if it sits on a desk then fans and vents are not an issue.
I use my laptop everywhere, on my lap, bring it with me, on my bed, etc. For me weight, portability and having no fans has been one of the best parts of the air.
So you have to think about how you use your laptop and what you are comfortable with.
I had an M1 13" MBP and a 15" before it with Intel so I have a lot of dongle adapters from that time so I don't have an issue with only two thunderbolt ports at all. I always have a laptop case with pockets so my dongle just lives in a pocket.
Another suggestion of you can afford to float some money is to buy whichever one you think you might like best and test it for a couple weeks. Try to use it heavily during that time and see how it does with your work flow. If it works, keep it and if not try a different size and model and just keep testing until you get something that fits.
Very nice post, Saturn.
You should bear in mind that when Jobs decided to replace a crowded lineup with 4 simple products, each one aimed to specific needs it was a different time. I would dare to say it was another era.
In the early 90's people were not in a close relationship with computers as we are today. The introduction of iphone and ipad in our daily routines have shaped a lifestyle based on digital production and consumption. This new lifestyle has merged regular people and tech enthusiast into a new consumer profile: Everybody.
Today, people are opener to understand how computers works and how it would help them producing something new. Those folks want options to make decisions. That's what you will find in genre discussions, for instance. Everyone wants to be personally involved in questioning the status quo and defining themselves as unique human beings.
That's why we have a lot of overlapping products in Apple's lineup. The magic in it is that, somehow, Apple managed to build those different computers with simple internals: The same M1 silicon in 6 different products: iMac, Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, MacMini, iPad Pro and iPad Air. All sharing the same basic motherboard design, being produced by multiple suppliers with simple designs (note how simple they are) that would surpass the most advanced windows machines out there, delivering everyone a fantastic and unique machine for each one nedds.
I went and purchased a MBP and MBA (Both M1's) to see the difference. Im not an elite professional but am a heavy user. The thinking was the battery of the MBP would be significantly more than the MBA but it is about 10-15% more. Not enough to warrant relinquishing the MBA for its portability and form factor.
I'm sticking with my MBA. There is something so straight forward and effortless about the design.
I'm sticking with my MBA. There is something so straight forward and effortless about the design.
Is the reverse also true?
If you have ever hesitated between a Macbook Pro and a Macbook Air, you probably can't get away with an Air?
