What MacBook to go for?
Discussion
I’d been putting off buying a new one for a while waiting for the new pros to come out but they are more expensive than I’m willing to pay for what I need.
I mostly only use a laptop for a bit when I need to write and print something out, ordering online as it’s easier on some websites and I do use a bit of music software but mostly for running my guitar through and amp modelling.
I’m coming from an early 2015 13 inch i5 MBP with a 128GB SSD and 8 GB of ram so anything would be an upgrade!.
Would one of the new Airs or the old 13 inch version of the MBP be ok?, or is it really worth paying the extra for one of the new ones?.
I tend to keep a laptop 5 or 6 years so I want something that will last me that amount of time and not be completely obsolete for my usage after that time.
I mostly only use a laptop for a bit when I need to write and print something out, ordering online as it’s easier on some websites and I do use a bit of music software but mostly for running my guitar through and amp modelling.
I’m coming from an early 2015 13 inch i5 MBP with a 128GB SSD and 8 GB of ram so anything would be an upgrade!.
Would one of the new Airs or the old 13 inch version of the MBP be ok?, or is it really worth paying the extra for one of the new ones?.
I tend to keep a laptop 5 or 6 years so I want something that will last me that amount of time and not be completely obsolete for my usage after that time.
I'm in the same place, except I have a late 2013 15" MBP.
I think I'd pay the extra for the new 14" MBP - it has proper ports (e.g. HDMI, SDXC, etc), plus a MagSafe charge connector. It also gets way more CPU power, which you may or may not need. It's the ports that really make the difference for me on this one. I also think the additional CPU / GPU may be useful for future applications and software....
I think I'd pay the extra for the new 14" MBP - it has proper ports (e.g. HDMI, SDXC, etc), plus a MagSafe charge connector. It also gets way more CPU power, which you may or may not need. It's the ports that really make the difference for me on this one. I also think the additional CPU / GPU may be useful for future applications and software....
The new Pro’s look excellent so if you are on the fence it might be worth putting the extra in.
I have similar light uses and was holding out for a 14” Pro but it became urgent as my 2010 MBP battery swole up rendering it unusable so I bough an entry Air at the start of the year. It does absolutely everything I need with aplomb. Battery life in my light use is very good so while I loved MagSafe I am not tied to the wall like I was on the old MBP.
That said if I was buying new right now the 120hz screen in particular would appeal - not sure if my man maths would get me to making it worth an extra £800 but we will see if I can get there!
If you use a lot of accessories the extra ports might be helpful too.
I have similar light uses and was holding out for a 14” Pro but it became urgent as my 2010 MBP battery swole up rendering it unusable so I bough an entry Air at the start of the year. It does absolutely everything I need with aplomb. Battery life in my light use is very good so while I loved MagSafe I am not tied to the wall like I was on the old MBP.
That said if I was buying new right now the 120hz screen in particular would appeal - not sure if my man maths would get me to making it worth an extra £800 but we will see if I can get there!
If you use a lot of accessories the extra ports might be helpful too.
CrouchingWayne said:
The new Pro’s look excellent so if you are on the fence it might be worth putting the extra in.
I have similar light uses and was holding out for a 14” Pro but it became urgent as my 2010 MBP battery swole up rendering it unusable so I bough an entry Air at the start of the year. It does absolutely everything I need with aplomb. Battery life in my light use is very good so while I loved MagSafe I am not tied to the wall like I was on the old MBP.
That said if I was buying new right now the 120hz screen in particular would appeal - not sure if my man maths would get me to making it worth an extra £800 but we will see if I can get there!
If you use a lot of accessories the extra ports might be helpful too.
I’m in a similar situation, my one now needs the power cable permanently attached, as soon as you disconnect it power goes off.I have similar light uses and was holding out for a 14” Pro but it became urgent as my 2010 MBP battery swole up rendering it unusable so I bough an entry Air at the start of the year. It does absolutely everything I need with aplomb. Battery life in my light use is very good so while I loved MagSafe I am not tied to the wall like I was on the old MBP.
That said if I was buying new right now the 120hz screen in particular would appeal - not sure if my man maths would get me to making it worth an extra £800 but we will see if I can get there!
If you use a lot of accessories the extra ports might be helpful too.
It’s not that I can’t afford the extra for the new version, it’s just more a case of :O £1900 for a laptop?!.
It would be nice to have the new model but just questioning if it’s worth it for my usage.
Port wise I only really plug in an external hard drive with the traditional USB ports for backups and sometimes sync my iPhone by cable but that’s about it so I think either model would work for my needs as I will need to get an adapter anyway.
Walter Sobchak said:
I’m in a similar situation, my one now needs the power cable permanently attached, as soon as you disconnect it power goes off.
I'm still on a late 2013 MBP and had the battery changed by Apple a year or so back - fixed price and they effectively changed the whole of the base of the machine except the case.Still suits my needs just fine - although I do fancy a mew M1 MBP...
Walter Sobchak said:
I’m in a similar situation, my one now needs the power cable permanently attached, as soon as you disconnect it power goes off.
It’s not that I can’t afford the extra for the new version, it’s just more a case of :O £1900 for a laptop?!.
It would be nice to have the new model but just questioning if it’s worth it for my usage.
Remember the new MacBook 14” has 16gb/512gb as base which makes it better value. It also has an incredible screen and upgraded sound.It’s not that I can’t afford the extra for the new version, it’s just more a case of :O £1900 for a laptop?!.
It would be nice to have the new model but just questioning if it’s worth it for my usage.
If you really don’t want to pay the extra, you can get either of the older M1 laptops or you could wait for the new Air next year?
I’m in exactly the same position.
I have an early 2018 non-touchbar 13” MBP, and was waiting for the new 14” model, because I wanted the better screen, more ports again, better battery life, and a couple of other bits.
But… It is now very clear the new MBP is not for people like me, it is for people who are editing the next Star Wars film in 8K video, and is priced accordingly.
It is also bigger, chunkier, and heavier than my current MBP, which is also a downer as I travel with mine a lot, and was hoping for something at least as thin and compact as the current one.
It seems to me that loads of people were buying the MBP range and using it as the ‘regular’ MacBook, and Apple have decided to aim the new MBP very much towards the professional heavy-duty users, and redirect the rest of us towards the Air.
Much of it is probably psychological in a way. I have always owned MBP’s, this is my third, and now I feel like I’m being pushed to ‘downgrade’ to an Air like some sort of second class citizen, but the reality is that the M1 Air will absolutely demolish my current Intel i5 MBP in outright performance and battery life, so I don’t know what I’m worried about.
In short, I will probably change to an M1 Air, but at the same time be a tiny bit miffed I’m not getting the new 14” screen and a few more ports.
Then what will happen is that Apple will refresh the Air with a new design and the 14” screen, and at that point I will be kicking myself for not waiting 12 months
I have an early 2018 non-touchbar 13” MBP, and was waiting for the new 14” model, because I wanted the better screen, more ports again, better battery life, and a couple of other bits.
But… It is now very clear the new MBP is not for people like me, it is for people who are editing the next Star Wars film in 8K video, and is priced accordingly.
It is also bigger, chunkier, and heavier than my current MBP, which is also a downer as I travel with mine a lot, and was hoping for something at least as thin and compact as the current one.
It seems to me that loads of people were buying the MBP range and using it as the ‘regular’ MacBook, and Apple have decided to aim the new MBP very much towards the professional heavy-duty users, and redirect the rest of us towards the Air.
Much of it is probably psychological in a way. I have always owned MBP’s, this is my third, and now I feel like I’m being pushed to ‘downgrade’ to an Air like some sort of second class citizen, but the reality is that the M1 Air will absolutely demolish my current Intel i5 MBP in outright performance and battery life, so I don’t know what I’m worried about.
In short, I will probably change to an M1 Air, but at the same time be a tiny bit miffed I’m not getting the new 14” screen and a few more ports.
Then what will happen is that Apple will refresh the Air with a new design and the 14” screen, and at that point I will be kicking myself for not waiting 12 months
I have a similar issue to you guys - 2013 MBP that has been excellent, until the battery started to die and then the keyboard and trackpad stopped working about 6 weeks ago. I have been waiting to see the new MBPs, but also am not sure the cost and power is worth it for me - generally just browsing the web and using word/excel. I'm presuming that the M1 Air would be more than ample for this, but I do like magsafe. Perhaps I just need to accept it and get the 'entry' 14" M1pro. The very broken laptop is forcing some sort of decision rather than endless procrastination!
Flying machine said:
I have a similar issue to you guys - 2013 MBP that has been excellent, until the battery started to die and then the keyboard and trackpad stopped working about 6 weeks ago. I have been waiting to see the new MBPs, but also am not sure the cost and power is worth it for me - generally just browsing the web and using word/excel. I'm presuming that the M1 Air would be more than ample for this, but I do like magsafe. Perhaps I just need to accept it and get the 'entry' 14" M1pro. The very broken laptop is forcing some sort of decision rather than endless procrastination!
Just be warned - there is quite a large list of software products and utilities that don't yet support being installed on M1 hardware. (Think Antimalware products etc) . Check your preferred one is ok etc. JiggyJaggy said:
Some advice please...
I have a 2016 MBP and it works fine. The latest 2021 MBP Pro/Max are way more power than I need. Im thinking of going for the 2020 MBP M1 version. Is the battery on those significantly better than the 2016-2019 MBP?
Good question, and the answer is:I have a 2016 MBP and it works fine. The latest 2021 MBP Pro/Max are way more power than I need. Im thinking of going for the 2020 MBP M1 version. Is the battery on those significantly better than the 2016-2019 MBP?
The 2016-2019 Intel 13” MBP’s have a battery life of 11 hours Vs 16.5 on the M1 13” (claimed).
If considering the 2020 13” MBP M1 vs Air M1, then this might be useful to you:
https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/face-off/macbook-air-...
For what it’s worth, I would personally be going for the Air M1 over the 13” MBP M1, for the following reasons:
The Air M1 is £200 cheaper.
The Air has ‘proper’ F keys instead of the Touchbar.
They both have the same processor/memory/ports.
They both have the same 13” Retina screen.
The Air is thinner and lighter.
The only significant thing the 13” M1 Pro does better is 16.5 hours battery Vs 14.5 hours on the M1 Air, but your wouldn’t complain about either of them to be honest.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 20th October 14:06
Lord Marylebone said:
But… It is now very clear the new MBP is not for people like me, it is for people who are editing the next Star Wars film in 8K video, and is priced accordingly.
I'm wondering if Apple will end up launching an intermediate Macbook. Bit beefier than the Air with HDMI out for presentations and a few more ports, but nothing like as serious as the 14" MBP. That feels about the level I want to be shopping at.I agree the current 13" MBP looks like a pointless thing in the range.
xeny said:
Lord Marylebone said:
But… It is now very clear the new MBP is not for people like me, it is for people who are editing the next Star Wars film in 8K video, and is priced accordingly.
I'm wondering if Apple will end up launching an intermediate Macbook. Bit beefier than the Air with HDMI out for presentations and a few more ports, but nothing like as serious as the 14" MBP. That feels about the level I want to be shopping at.I agree the current 13" MBP looks like a pointless thing in the range.
Air - as is
MacBook - Same kind of processing power as the Air but with ports and 14” or 16” screen.
MacBook Pro - as is
But perhaps the Air has turned out so good that it effectively leaves no room for a MacBook?
I’m sure Apple have a grand plan…
Lord Marylebone said:
JiggyJaggy said:
Some advice please...
I have a 2016 MBP and it works fine. The latest 2021 MBP Pro/Max are way more power than I need. Im thinking of going for the 2020 MBP M1 version. Is the battery on those significantly better than the 2016-2019 MBP?
Good question, and the answer is:I have a 2016 MBP and it works fine. The latest 2021 MBP Pro/Max are way more power than I need. Im thinking of going for the 2020 MBP M1 version. Is the battery on those significantly better than the 2016-2019 MBP?
The 2016-2019 Intel 13” MBP’s have a battery life of 11 hours Vs 16.5 on the M1 13” (claimed).
If considering the 2020 13” MBP M1 vs Air M1, then this might be useful to you:
https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/face-off/macbook-air-...
For what it’s worth, I would personally be going for the Air M1 over the 13” MBP M1, for the following reasons:
The Air M1 is £200 cheaper.
The Air has ‘proper’ F keys instead of the Touchbar.
They both have the same processor/memory/ports.
They both have the same 13” Retina screen.
The Air is thinner and lighter.
The only significant thing the 13” M1 Pro does better is 16.5 hours battery Vs 14.5 hours on the M1 Air, but your wouldn’t complain about either of them to be honest.
Edited by Lord Marylebone on Wednesday 20th October 14:06
You should be in sales because you just made me order an M1 Air! lol. Thanks for the excellent advice.
JiggyJaggy said:
A perfect summary sir and you have answered my needs completely. I don't think the extra 2 hours on the M1 MBP vs M1 Air is too significant when my 2016 MBP lasts 11 ish hours and is almost enough" for my daily use.
You should be in sales because you just made me order an M1 Air! lol. Thanks for the excellent advice.
I only know this stuff as I’ve been trawling through it all these last couple of days trying to decide what to buy!You should be in sales because you just made me order an M1 Air! lol. Thanks for the excellent advice.
Going to go for the M1 Air.
Even the £999 base model will be quite a bit faster, have twice the SSD storage, and better battery than my current 2018 MBP.
Seems a no brainier and will tide me over for 3 years or so.
Lord Marylebone said:
For what it’s worth, I would personally be going for the Air M1 over the 13” MBP M1, for the following reasons:
...
They both have the same 13” Retina screen.
...
Not quite true, the screen on the Pro is much brighter and it also has internal fans. In summer I could sit outside in the bright sunshine and work perfectly, my old macbook without a fan overheated pretty quickly and the screen was hard to see. Worth the extra £200 for me just for that....
They both have the same 13” Retina screen.
...
cb31 said:
Lord Marylebone said:
For what it’s worth, I would personally be going for the Air M1 over the 13” MBP M1, for the following reasons:
...
They both have the same 13” Retina screen.
...
Not quite true, the screen on the Pro is much brighter and it also has internal fans. In summer I could sit outside in the bright sunshine and work perfectly, my old macbook without a fan overheated pretty quickly and the screen was hard to see. Worth the extra £200 for me just for that....
They both have the same 13” Retina screen.
...
My laptop will spend 90% of it’s time closed and in a dock, connected to my two desk screens, and the rest of the time it will be in my bag or on a desk when I visit client offices. So it needs to be light, thin, good battery life, and have decent performance. For me, it looks like the Air M1 is ideal.
Most of my usage is emails/Outlook, Word, Excel, and occasional Lightroom use (for my photography hobby).
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