Selecting Air vs Pro — M1-Based MacBook (2020)
Continuation (or hopefully, conclusion) to my previous story on agonizing over the switch from iPad Pro to latest M1-based MacBooks
Ok. I had written the below stuff 4 days ago and has been sitting in drafts. Read it and you will know this not how it ended and how messed up I was when it came to deciding between the Air and the Pro. Good news — I finally bought one of them. Go ahead and i will see you at the bottom of this story.
You may want to read my previous story to know how long it has taken me to reach this point.
Well, it came down to few things. One, and I think the big consideration for me at least is, do I want to buy a MacBook that replaces my iPad Pro w/ Magic Keyboard or does it act/supplement as another device. Honestly, I like my iPad Pro w/ Magic Keyboard so much that I cannot imagine not picking it up when needed. Plus, I am realizing the fact that I don’t just stick to using the keyboard on my iPad, but I also use the touch equally to navigate stuff. It’s convenient. Maybe Apple will consider a touch screen for its MacBooks in the future. So I am thinking I will use the laptop when I can, but for anything quick such as browsing or a quick run to a meeting (not in the near future — will it ever happen at all.. God Knows), I will probably use my iPad Pro.
This brings me to the second point. Buy a laptop that can be used for serious workflows/workloads. If I separate my laptop as an another device/screen and not have to bother about ultra-portability, then I can think about the MacBook Pro for all the performance intensive stuff (ML, photo/video editing, etc.). But hey, Pro is equally portable and light.
Lastly, I think I prefer better battery life over anything else (maybe the biggest reason for purchasing it). From the research/reviews I have seen, though Air has a very good battery life compared to many other laptops, Pro can go on for couple of more hours compared to Air — in some cases I have heard users talk about 2 or 3 days of battery life in spite of doing some heavy stuff. What can be more liberating than not having to worry about carrying the bulky charger for every day commute (again.. duh.. when it happens). I was also considering some minor things such as the wedge-shaped design of the Air. Also if I should invest lightly and upgrade in the near future to a more updated version of the M1 chip. But all of these are no big deals in my opinion. I also think the slightly brighter screen and the better sounding speakers on the Pro will help with the content creation (photo/video editing).
So this is it. I am thinking I will go with the M1 MacBook Pro 13-inch. Maybe I will upgrade the ram to 16gb. Still thinking whether or not to go for more storage (if I do, it’s just a luxury), but lets see. Other thing was the color option. Given that gold (big sucker) is not available in the Pro lineup, I am thinking of getting the silver, which is the most popular color option and for a good reason — its the natural color of aluminum and hides away those light scratches due to wear and tear.
Almost there to hit the buy button! Will keep you posted.
How did it end? I bought the base model of M1-based MacBook Air in gold color. Here’s why.
Though all that I have said about the Pro is true, there are few things that are still bothering me. Let me explain.
First, I am still unhappy with the fact that the camera is still 720p. I know Apple will upgrade the camera very soon and I don’t want to feel bad having spent the extra money when that happens. Apple’s latest iMac has a 1080p camera, so its a matter of time and in fact I am fairly confident that the 2021 MacBooks will get it. As I was visualizing my use of this laptop, I was thinking about the excruciatingly long hours I will be spending facing the camera. I am a stickler for how the video shows up on the other end and especially the quality of video. So I guess I will wait to see the next iteration come out with a better camera. I am sure Apple dint anticipate this situation of people spending tons of time on Zoom working from their homes. Just bad timing. Until then, I will invest in the cheapest model such that I can upgrade sooner.
Second, I am still unsure of how effective will I be using the MacBook. For my personal use, as I have mentioned earlier, I have exclusively relied on my trusted 2018 iPad Pro w/ Magic Keyboard (typing this story on it). And when I needed a laptop for those use cases where iPad is ineffective, I usually borrow my wife’s laptop. And hey before you judge me, let me tell you that I spend a lot of time on a laptop just that its my company’s windows device. Unfortunately, due the ridiculous nature of my work, I haven’t been able to spend time on some of personal hobbies and passions. That’s where I thought I could use some help from a MacBook. I am still a little skeptical if I will be able to spend enough time on my personal passions and consequently my MacBook. I know I will feel guilty having spent so much money and not using it as much. MacBook Air is a good middle ground (cost vs benefit). By the way, its is equally good in terms of performance compared to the Pro. Yeah battery life is not as good as Pro, but definitely better than any other laptop out there. So not a big deal.
Lastly, availability. As I said, if I decide to go with a Pro, I want to upgrade the storage and RAM. Now anything fancy (non-base models) is backlogged all the way to end of Jan or Feb. That’s a ridiculously long time. Also, you don’t find the non-base configurations anywhere else. BestBuy has the base MacBook Air ready for pick up today!! If you have been just looking at Apple Store app, just know that there are lots of other places where these devices are stocked up. Lastly lastly, I think I can finally go for the gold color (sucker) that I always wanted.
Haven’t unboxed it. I will definitely let you know soon on how I will like it. Until then, Adios!
