Hey, you lovely lot. I've got lots more coming on M1 Macs (including buying guides for each version), but I thought you might like to see how my initial two weeks with the baseline Air went :)
Not really techie here and first time to watch your vlog and I did enjoyed it a lot. I am about to buy my first ever Apple product and wnated to buy the macbook air m1 but I am unsure if I should buy the Apple M1 Chip with 8‑Core CPU and 7‑Core GPU 256GB storage (and then upgrade memory to 16gb) or Apple M1 Chip with 8‑Core CPU and 8‑Core GPU 512GB storage? Price is almost the same if I upgrade the first one to 16gb unified memory. Which choice is better? Need some guidance
A tech reviewer that doesn't beat us over the head with graphs, specs and benchmarks. Just honest reviews explained in layman's terms and honest opinions. How refreshing. Smashed that "SUBSCRIBE & BELL" buttons. Yeah!!
Totally agree on the battery life. I've had mine for a week and I leave it unplugged all day and literally NEVER worry. A big part of my job is zoom calls and I don't even have to be plugged in for those. It's truly amazing.
some awesome features which make macs a bit more productive: hot corners, multiple desktops, and learn the multi-finger gestures on the trackpad. check out snazzy labs on youtube for macOS tips and tricks too
@@drumbum7999 how can multiple desktops make you more productive? I have a Linux that is able to do the same, but I never use it because so far I found no usage case for me. How do you use it?
@@NoorMohammad-fr3td Probably not you’ll have issues using softwares in engineering unless you use the school computers for labs and projects. Surface book for school Mac book for personal
Brilliant video. Talks to regular users. Just received MBA M1 two weeks ago after exchanging our MBA 2020 Intel. We thought we’d end up feeling like losing a few hundred dollars (trade-in value). Not the case at all. We paid that extra money for major upgrade. Love they kept same design - and new keyboard keys. It feels like an iPad Pro. We’ll keep using the latter as our portable machine - and MBA M1 as a desktop computer. Both the ‘18 iPad Pro and MBA M1 have been game-changers, longer-term buys. Software behind hardware at time of purchase. (Now need to find perfect hub/adapter/charger that won’t disconnect our Zoom calls when wired - last used in ... the 90s; speaking of, Zoom had already upgraded to support M1s).
Thanks so much for your feedback! I wonder how many people have done the same thing as you and upgraded their recent MBA Intel purchase to an M1 machine? That 'loss' in trade in is definitely an investment in my book. Enjoy!
I really appreciate that comment, Jied - helps me focus on what matters with this channel. Genuinely chuffed it came across in that way - it's been the goal since day one 😊
Will - that's so kind, thank you. We're right at the start of this journey, and it's growing quicker than I ever anticipated. But you're here from the start - thank you!
Mark, this was fantastic! in fact, ive gone ahead and subscribed. i am anything but a "gearhead" or "computer person". im a soon to be 50 old dude from New York. i never got into much computer stuff. Bought my first apple laptop in 2011 on Black Friday, a MBP 15". Bought it because it looked cool in the store and had a few bucks off. i had more money than sense at the time, and it served me well. Towards the end of 2015, it was struggling and the B button stopped working. A friend of mine gifted me (unknown to me at the time) an "Early 2015 MBP 13" with retina screen". Thats what im on watching your video typing this up with right now. About 18 months ago, (not long after the apple care expired, go figure lol) the battery started to swell pretty badly. i had the battery replaced at a local mom and pop computer place, ran me about $200. Figured that was cheaper then a new machine at the time. The guy who worked on it said it was a great machine, worth the repair. Well, last night i discovered that I THINK that the battery in it now, is starting to swell. You see, im the old type of fella that leaves his laptop plugged in 24/7. That is something that i have now learned that i MUST quit doing., and have learned the expensive way. Now this MBP is nearly 6 years old. When i went to the apple website, i saw that they have some new MBPs and MBAs with this "M1" Chip in it. So, off to RU-vid i went, to look for real reviews on these machines. You see, i use this computer for leisure.... watch YT, Social Media, Netflix, the usual crap that we all do. The only "stressful" thing i do on it is play Pokemon ONLINE, which is a "Computer Game" i suppose, and it sometimes makes the fan in the laptop start a-spinning pretty good. All of this to say, i REALLY enjoyed your review here, as i felt like you were talking to me like an everyday person. i think that this MacBook Air with the M1 Chip is something that i could enjoy for the next 5 years or more. i would appreciate your feedback, if youve got the time. -Eric
Thank you, Eric - your lovely words are the kind of words that keep me focused on building this channel. I'm glad I was able to offer some assistance in this video. Given your usage, I would just get yourself the base level M1 Air. It's an incredible machine and will last you for many years - I've been bowled over by the performance given its price ("Apple Tax" aside). You won't regret it - particularly when you experience the battery life! Thanks again for tuning in and subscribing - lots on the way!
It's a strong contender, Roberto - I agree. I am, however, looking forward to seeing what arrives on the Windows side for comparison purposes. I think it's fairly inevitable we're going to see a shift towards M1-style computing from other manufacturers.
Hi! 😃 It seems like you’re a Mainstage user. I’m actually planning to buy my first macbook for Mainstage purposes and some 3rd party plugins. I usually use piano patches layered with pads, strings, bells or e.piano. Do you think an 8GB RAM M1 Macbook Air would be enough for me? Or I would need a 16GB RAM? If I’m a backup keyboardist, I usually handle strings, organs, brass, and some synth sounds. Would the M1 Macbook Air be enough for me? Thank you in advance for answering my question 🙏🏻😃
@@jbmagx Yeah, mine doesn't even break a sweat using Mainstage, or Logic for that matter. Last rehearsal I had Mainstage running keyboard patches (a few layered up patches too), Reaper running backing tracks and Safari controlling my Soundcraft Ui24r mixer. My old 16GB 2015 Mac Pro would frequently struggle to process this, with the whole rig stuttering, causing clumps of notes to sound after they'd been played. The M1 Mac has had absolutely no problems doing what's asked of it. I too was a bit concerned that 8GB wouldn't be enough for what I need but I'm the impatient sort and couldn't bear a month waiting for the 16GB to arrive. I'm happy I didn't wait now since with Mainstage, Safari and Reaper open I still have 2GB of physical RAM free and I've never noticed a shortage of RAM even with Final Cut, or chunky Logic projects.
@@wattage2007 wow, thanks for the fast reply! What you’ve said makes me almost convinced in getting the M1 Macbook Air. 😃 If I’m gonna go with the Air, I’ll probable order the 16GB 512GB version. By the way, may I ask if you’re just using the stock patches of the Mainstage or you’re using some 3rd party plugins too? 😃
June Birth Magoncia All stock Mainstage instruments at the moment. With logic I have a few plugins I use which seem to be running under Rosetta. Isotope Neutron for one. When I open its window, it’ll take a second or two to display but other than that you’d never know they were being translated to Rosetta and CPU performance doesn’t seem to be affected. Early days obviously as there aren’t many plugins optimised for M1 but when there are, I’ll be filling my projects with them!
@@wattage2007 Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Been searching Mainstage forums or groups, and you’re the first one to confirm that the Mainstage runs perfectly fine on the M1 Macbook Air even on the 8GB RAM model. I was really hoping to spend less as the pro gets expensive as the RAM and storage increases.
Fast operating system + fast hardware + great battery life + silent + high resale value + best service + Apple ecosystem benefits + great price = M1 Macbook Air
Picked up a M1 MBA last week. LOVE IT. smooth and fast & with the right accessories, I can do anything I could do with my 2012 MBP. Great screen, keyboard. Best Air yet.
This is the beginning to the next iteration for apple. It makes sense design wise they didn't change the aesthetics because they want to gauge feedback on performance rather than the light being taken purely from that. I think they proved the point, and moving forward we will get a redesign of the laptop itself in a year or two with chip upgrades or software updates
I bought the 8 gig air educational version with 128 SSD, for $799.00. It is the best computer I've owned. Runs everything really well. I am currently teaching remotely with my students using Google classroom and Google Meet. I have Safari open with 3 or 4 tabs going, demoing Photoshop and Final Cut Pro. My 2017 Macbook Pro 15 has the fans going bonkers in about 2 minutes, the Air of course has no fan, but it doesn't get hot and it doesn't slow down one bit. Absolutely Amazing!
@@nelsont.3673 Education Market only. I ordered it without looking closely, thinking that everyone had said the base model had 256. It works fine, I have a fast external 1 TB drive when I'm editing video or photos. Everyday work it is incredibly fast.
@@mikekaylor1226 hi Does it works for you with the 128? I am about to buy the one with 256 and not sure if it will be enough.. I will use it for university and studying and stuff like that
Just bought the M1 8 Core GPU 16GB RAM. Apparently it’ll arrive on Monday. This will be my first Mac 💻 and I think I’m unreasonably excited. Looking forward to all my dreams coming true now 💫✨😝
I love my MBA. I've always had windows computers and this was my 1st apple experience. I love everything in it, except the mail app - that sucks. But luckily you can install Spark. It's completely silent, fast, and the screen is amazing.
I bought one, first MacBook in 10 years. I'm usually a pc guy, but this thing is ridiculously speedy and nicer than any windows laptop I've ever used. at first I wasn't sure about the keyboard, but after just a day of use, I already type on it faster than I do on my mechanical keyboard, now I just have to decide if I need apple care plus.
@@user-ti2xi9bd4u Mac with m2 chip will be very costly but I know m2 will be the best...I am happy with my Mac for student like me this is good and for engineering and for future 16 gb ram is better than 8 I think
@@kanchanprasad7170 there will be an issues with the M2 chip too.....because the M3 chip will be better. If you’re not careful you delay forever waiting for next years improved chip. For most people M1 will be fine for many years. M2 will be better....M3 will be even better and M4 will be better than all of them.
I bought my first computer in 1995 (running Windows 3.1). Since then I've never owned any Apple device and have been rather scornful of those who did. This is the machine that converted me. Compared to the 5 year old Dell XPS 13 it replaced, this machine is a quantum leap in every way. All day battery life, snappy performance, instantly on as soon as the screen is lifted, best keyboard I've ever used on a laptop, far and away the best trackpad...all my doubts were confounded. I'm a Mac user. That's going to take some getting used to. I think I'll be okay.
I am glad you mentioned the stand-by battery life that is something many reviewers overlook. Thanks for the good review. I would recommend getting at least 512g ssd if not the 1tb.
Thanks! I'm not sure why others aren't mentioning it, but it is by far the best laptop I've owned when it comes to standby time, and that's a big deal.
I follow your opinion on this M1 for 99%. Especially about replacing my Ipad, I bought a 10.5 " Ipad last year and now bought this Macbook (my first ever) and since then the Ipad has not been used anymore. Took the Macbook on holiday instead of the Ipad, like you said, it doesn't take up as much more space. On the other hand, I had some problems. Already 3 times when using Chrome and watching a Zoom webinar from about an hour, a notification pops up that Chrome is using too much memory, and from that point on the Macbook freezes for seconds to a minute and restarts. And I am not an intensive user. But I would definitely recommend this Macbook to everyone!
Thanks for getting involved, Arno! It's a great device, and has been a bit of an iPad killer for me - when it comes to productivity stuff. And, personally, I just stay away from Chrome as much as I can on MacBooks - it's just dreadfully inefficient, resource-wise and I hate the thought of anything needlessly sapping the battery!
Thanks so much for this review. I’m actually in a position where I could either have an Intel Mac or a M1 Mac, I bought the N1 Mac about two weeks ago but it’s not too late to switch. I have been an iPhone user for 10 years, but this is actually my first Mac, I’m getting really annoyed with the windows world, and I’m really happy with the switch I made. After watching this review, I’ve decided I really do want to just keep this machine, because it is so portable.
8 Meg of Ram version for £887 from a well known department store who sell food as well, delivered the next day to my local store and collected following an email to say come and collect. Its replaced my 9 year old 15" Macbook Pro and it's out of this world. Main use is photo processing which it sails through using Lightroom and Photoshop and Photo Mechanic and not just a few photos can be a couple of thousand over a weekend. Thanks for your review.
I just ordered the m1 MBP. I debated for a long time about whether to get more Ram or not and did end up getting the extra RAM. I figured that when I use the computer I do like to have loads of tabs, windows and apps open for productivity. I also figured that while 8GB might be fine for now, 16GB will make it a little easier to sell the machine when it is time to upgrade. You cannot upgrade the machine now so I do think the best way to spec these new computers is to get the highest spec version you can possibly afford. If your use case changes, you have to buy a new computer to get better specs.
I must be suffering from ONOS (Overlyprotective New Owner Syndrome). Seeing how you all handle your MacBooks like it's nothing and here I am afraid GENTLY gripping it by both sides to set it down GENTLY on the table without making a sound, etc lol. Wish I could be more like you!
Thanks! I'm using a Rode NTG1 recording into a Zoom H4N Pro. Post-processing carried out with stock Logic plugins. Still a fair bit to do with the room, but I'm glad the effort isn't going unnoticed ;)
It’s crazy you said that about the iPad Pro. I have a 4th Gen 12.9 with Magic Keyboard, and I waited to see the new iPad Pro before ordering a MacBook Air. After seeing the Spring Loaded event I opted to order a MacBook Air, 16g with 1 TB SSD. It was cheaper than getting the same specs in an iPad Pro M1.
I switched out my base 16" for a base M1 and I'm happy (a spare $1000 AUSD in pocket too). I figure when it starts slowing down I'll get an Apple Silicon iMac. Still cheaper with this combo than a powerful 16" + 5k monitor.
I've recently purchased a 4k drone and noticed my 7 year old windows laptop couldn't cope with ANYTHING! after a lot of reviews I have decided to buy a M1 Macbook air 8GB for some simple editing. Can't wait to take delivery in a few weeks. Thanks for the honest review 👍🏻
Really like the way you did this review, speaking to “regular” people. Re the ipadPro, I actually prefer the simplicity of iPadOS as I don’t do any video editing or coding. But it sounds like you even prefer the M1 for basic tasks. If you were just watching video content, emailing and doing light MS Word and Excel, which would you prefer: the IPad Pro with Magic Keyboard or the M1 MBA? Thanks.... and you’ve got a new sub here.
Thanks, Scott - really appreciate that! If those were my main tasks I think I'd still opt for the MacBook Air. I just find macOS akin to a comfortable pair of old shoes ;) If I was just consuming stuff, then probably the iPad.
I want the iPad pro so bad, because of the apple pencil and take great notes. I have a nice and old MacBook Pro, but if I didn't none of them. I would def choose the MacBook whatever type. You never know when you will have a see a new app or software u might want to try out. Even if it is a Windows-only app, you can always do more in a MacBook rather than with an Ipad at least for now. I just don't like to be forced to always check whether I have certain functionalities/software in my Ipad that I could easily have in a MacBook. Just my opinion, but u should go for the MBA given that the apple pencil is not a major part of your workflow. Cheers
dude just get it if you got the upgraded ram and hardrive model its still the same price for apple care.. even for the base model for a laptop its always worth it harder to control the environment using a laptop especially on the go more chances for to drop that bitch and break it imo
I'm getting 8/256 Air too, for heavy 4K video editing. I think they can likely optimize the OS in terms of memory management when there are background tasks that might slow down rendering, if at all, they can likely make sure the RAM goes to front video editing tasks mainly, or some way to select RAM-important apps that should get RAM priority when multi-tasking. I think that fast SSD memory swap will be plenty enough and will only get better. And for storage expansion I just plan to use external SSD and bunch of external HDDs too.
I think that almost everyone who wants an M1 laptop should get the Air, however if you are planning on doing "heavy 4K video editing" you definitely should get the pro because it has a fan and can sustain higher loads over time. You might also benefit from the RAM and you most definitely would benefit from upgrading the storage since the usb-c transfer speeds are about 20-25% of the internal SSD speeds. There are an abundance of RU-vid M1 reviews testing video editing in particular, so go look it up. If I were you I'd probably wait for the rumored MBPs next year. They will most likely have a lot faster SOC, more ports, bigger screens and be a lot more suited for your needs.
Great points, and I'd be inclined to agree regarding opting for the MBP (or, at least, 16GB in the Air), or waiting until next year. That said, if I had to use my 8GB Air solely for video editing over the next few months, I would, and I'm editing exclusively in 4K these days. How amazing that's even a thing, right?
@@mplovecraft I don't believe the fan is even barely used on the Pro. If I lose 5% or even 10% of rendering speed on the Air vs the Pro, due to very very slight throttling after running for like 10 minutes of rendering or so, (only for long video render projects), I do not think that is worth a 30% higher price. The performance improvement in rosetta2 apps is more than 10% with a fan/more RAM but I for sure don't plan to use rosetta2 apps for anything intensive. Same thing for the RAM and SSD, I do not believe the overpriced Apple RAM/SSD upgrades make any difference with the performance. Same thing for using external SSD, I will try the 2000MB/s external SSD at about 8x cheaper per TB than paying the Apple internal SSD upgrade. For stuff like video rendering and video editing, I am dure it will work exactly same off external SSD as internally, I can get 2TB external for the price of a 256GB internal Apple upgrade. I actually seen youtuber show faster video rendering to/from external SSD compared to internal ssd only. The Air 8/256 is the only correct choice. I will never pay more than $999 for an Apple laptop, it doesn't matter if Apple doubles, triples or quadruples the performance cores (I think just run more M1 chips in parallel) on a future "Pro/iMac" device, Apple will way way overprice such a device. My plan is just to sell my 8/256 M1 Air a few months from now, as soon as a much cheaper Qualcomm/Mediatek or Rockchip alternative runs 4K video editing smoothly on a sub-$300 or sub-$400 Chromebook or Win10 on Arm laptop. Sorry $999 for an Arm laptop I think is way overpriced, but I have to get one for now because there is no other way I can smoothly edit my 4K60 videos on an Arm laptop. It'll be local unlike than my current $15/month Shadow cloud video editing pc.
I think you should choose the air with 16gb RAM and 256GB storage. Because M1 pro and air are are not so different and for editing you will need 16GB RAM. So you can save bucks by getting 16gb ram instead of pro!
Your video helped me realise that the 16GB/512GB M1 I had on order from Apple (delivery mid Feb) was a higher spec than I needed, so I've now changed it to an 8GB/256GB from Currys which I collect tomorrow, and saved myself £450. Thanks for the video.
The difference for me was only £100, so went with the 16gb so I wouldn't ever wish I'd gone bigger. I probably would never need the extra 8GB, but didn't want to take the chace
I really like the screen on my M1 MBA (and I have the Evo edition of the Dell XPS 13). Reviewers seem to be constantly put off by the bezels on the MBA but I don't notice them one bit. Also, the resolution on the Apple seems to be the sweet spot for battery life.. If you compare the sum of the parts of both laptops, the Dell is a distant second and it cost $600 more.
I tried out the M1 MacBook Pro in Best Buy. They had FCPX installed and some 4K footage so I went to town for 20 minutes as if I were working on a project. Yep, the power of the M1 is pretty unreal lol. My Surface Book 2 has a much better keyboard and screen, but as a portable editing machine, the M1 Air and Pro are untouchable monsters.
I just ordered the base model Air and am trading in my 2015 MBP 15". Thanks very much for the video....oh, and my main set up is the new Mac Mini 16/512. It will be great to have them together I think. Thanks again! Subbed!
Hello! This was a very enjoyable and comprehensive review, and I've definitely made up my mind to buy it. I have a question though: I don't do any hard work, but I've been advised that it would be better to buy the 16 GB one so it will run nice and smooth for many years. So, in those terms, how indispensable do you think it is to buy that version? Thanks in advance for any advice you may give me, and keep up the good work :)
Thanks, Alejandro! In terms of running nice and smooth for many years, it depends entirely on what you’re doing with the laptop. 8GB can last just as long for many users 😉
Thank you for this review, I've just ordered the Macbook Air M1. I have ordered the 16Gb. I have had Macbook Pros for over 10 years now and presently have early 2013 15" pro. I decided not to go for pro this time ,because for my needs I couldn't justify the cost of a new pro. I toyed with buying an Ipad Pro, but by the time I had added the keyboard etc the cost was almost the same, and the reviews for using an Ipad actually on your lap with the keyboard wasn't great for stability. So this is my first venture into the air and a new processor too. I don't do loads and loads of video editing, but do photo work, (not professionally ) so I feel the air would be fine for my needs, Hope I'm not disappointed , but from what Ive read I don't think I will be
Someone did a breakdown to explain the performance for video editing etc. Basically M1 supports latest codecs in hardware significantly improving its performance for rendering compared to Intel. M1 is state of the art.
Nice review man, I need help with something would you recommend me to buy the base model or wait until next year for the next version? (I have a 2011 lenovo and I started to study this week) I think a can survive with this one for one more year but this M1 mackbook has all my attention
Bought the base model in space gray.. it's a beast!! Blows my Dell XPS 13 with 16g of Ram and I-7 10th gen out of the water. If you own Intel stock, sell every share.
I agree this is a very good laptop. There is one big problem. Lack of ports mean that when you connect your 27” Cinema Display you are not able to connect a ssd drive. The Thunderbolt Display needs the M1 connected to power. As soon as power is removed you loose the display. Bad in my opinion.
I’m in the market for a new Mac and these M1s are certainly tempting me away from the default 16” MacBook Pro. Thanks for the review and good luck with the channel!
@@MarkEllisReviews sadly / fortunately a change in work situation requires a new machine :) I’m super excited to see what the 16” flag ship model replacement will look like. I guess I’ll take the plunge, use the machine and eBay it when the new beasts arrive!
What about the screen on M1 Air in terms of photo editing? Does it look dull? I am choosing now between Air and Pro 13 . I don't like the design of Pro, but I am the one who works with full brightness on.
16gb isn’t a must have anymore. You cannot compare 16gb ram with an intel processor and 16gb ram inside an arm architecture processor. Inside the M1 processor 8gb ram will be fine for 99% of the users
I am gone buy it for sure! need to collect little extra money for 16Gb RAM. Good review and your camera needed to be on auto focus, something off about focus in video. Can't describe it but its there!
Crazy, right? Slightly "I've just been a little bit sick in my mouth" when you consider the price difference between these two laptops... but crazy and exciting all the same.
Yes! I’ve been waiting for a MacBook that has great performance for such a long time. I am upgrading to the M1 Air from the 2011 11inch MacBook Air! It arrives soon and I know I will blown away!
I heard you say 16-inch version when you were talking about buying 16GB version if you're one of the people that like having headroom, so I came to see if anyone else noticed xD Absolutely awesome video though, currently awaiting my 16GB version to show up on Friday :D cant wait!
While watching this I was thinking "I wonder what the boot up time on this is, maybe I should look for a video.." and boom, you just showed me. Mind reader.
Fantastic review, definitely left a like. One thing is that I found you moving the devices around a lot quite disorientating, not sure if that’s something maybe considering moving forward. Love the content though!
Great video, Mark! I just picked up an M1 MacBook Pro 13 (8 gb) about a week ago. It’s my first Mac after years of being a PC guy, and I have to say, I’m very impressed! I don’t do any extremely heavy lifting in my workflow, so it has been perfect for me. I don’t see myself ever going back to a Windows PC for my main machine. Really looking forward to what Apple does next with these chips!
Thank you! I have a feeling Apple might tempt a few Windows people over. Although both platforms have their merits, and I think Apple's efforts with the M1 are going to instigate a bit of a CPU revolution. And yes - I cannot wait to see what they do next :)
Hello Mark, if I go onto purchase a MB Air 8GB, 256GB SSD, would it comfortably last for 4 years for me given I do average kind of daily tasks, no heavy video editing, average browsing, MS Office tasks, streaming videos?
Best review yet! All the Americans talk and talk and talk, banging on with all this tech talk that most of us have no clue about using 16 words when 3 would do! British guy just talks in plain language expressing what its like to use succinctly....
Thinking of going for the 512gb MBA (it comes with the 8 core gpu) for photo editing and some 4K editing. Just don’t feel like spending a lot of extra cash just for a fan on the MBP.
I originally purchased a M1 MacBook Pro 16Gb & 512, your video helped me decide to send it back and change to M1 Air 8Gb & 512 (I found a deal for £1150). Based on my experience so far I'd much rather have the additional £550 in my pocket. For what I use it for the performance difference isn't that huge and the MacBook Air is a great way to go. Thanks very much 👍
@Mark - You said at Time 2:47 - "you lose a couple of percentage" --> what percentage is it approximately ? I lose around 15 percent on my macbook air m1 within 8 hours. Do you go to sleep or do you turn off the Macbook completely?
Your voice is everything so soothing. Great review. I’ve come from using dell waiting for my Mac air I’ll be working on their and editing videos reviews I see so far say the pro because of the fan have you had issues with overheat etc
Definitely looks like i'm getting the MBA with 16gb of RAM until the redesign in 2021 drops, if I can even justify needing more power than what this things putting out lol Cool review tho, no benchmarks just experiences, got a very personal touch I dig it:)
Sounds like a plan to me, Jordan, and thanks so much for your kind comments. My style isn't for everyone, but that's what makes RU-vid such an awesome place for advice and insight. I'm just personally far more interested in how devices _feel_ and I think you sometimes lose sight of that when looking at specs and benchmark results.
I’m still using my 2015 MacBook Air and was considering selling it and putting it towards this. *I changed my mind for one reason.* This is the first generation of the M1 chip, so we can consider these laptops as experimental. So I decided to just wait until the 2nd generation of M1 releases.
It may be Mac's first custom chip but it's by no means Apple's first chip, they've been working/making their own SOC since 2008! Apple doesn't do ''experimental'' products as Google does, they test everything internally, when they bring something to the market...it's as finished and polished as a product can get!
Totally understand your concerns over this, however the M1 feels incredibly polished, if that helps at all, and it lives off the back of over a decade of chip development on iOS products.
Very interesting comment about the iPad. I’m looking seriously at the Macbook air precisely to replace my iPad 12.9” pro (1st gen). The 1st gen is a heavy beast and, by the time you add in keyboard and/or stand and power supply, you’re looking at very little difference in weight with the Macbook air. The other option was to upgrade to a more recent, more powerful and lighter iPad Pro but, despite trying really hard, I just can’t make iPadOS work for me as productively as MacOS. Life is a constant stream of workarounds with iPadOS. Will I miss the touchscreen? Not really. I mainly use Lightroom and the trackpad is just as effective for local adjustments. If I want to “relax with a book”, then I’ve got an iPad mini for that. Decision made I think!
Indeed it is. It's such an interesting comparison between those two products. Keep an eye on the channel - lots of content on the way on this sort of stuff.
Yes, for me getting a M1 MBA has really put a damper on my IPad Pro and Magic KB usage. Workflow that was always awkward on the iPad for me is no longer an issue because I won’t be using it for work. Will use the iPad for content consumption but work now 95 % on the MBA M1.
I love Apple stuff, mate. It just works for me and my business. But I reckon Windows would if I headed into that world, too. I’ve genuinely never understood the fierce brand loyalty that has created this whole ‘fanboy/girl’ thing. It’s tech - not football. Fun fact: my favourite smartphone of the last five years is the Pixel 4a.
Thank you! Haha - although, I genuinely don't understand the term "fan boy/girl" when attributed to tech. I love tech - have done all my life (and yep, I have a leaning towards Apple stuff as my channel demonstrates). But this is tech - not football ;) (p.s. I know you weren't suggesting any of that, but the topic does fascinate me).
Thanks for this review Mark! The way you explain things, it’s just awesome that I subscribed immediately to your channel 😃 By the way, I noticed you have a keyboard in the back, are you a keyboard player? I was hoping you can give me some advice. I’m actually planning to buy my first macbook and been considering the M1 Macbook Air as it is not that expensive as the pro. Planning to use Mainstage and maybe some few 3rd party plugins like Keyscape Piano Sounds or Korg’s softsynths. Do you think the M1 Macbook Air is enough for me? 😃 If I’m playing as a solo keyboardist, I usually use Piano layered with pads, strings, and e.piano. When playing as a 2nd keyboards, I usually play the strings, organ, brass, and some synths. Thanks in advance for the answer 🙏😃
Hey! Thanks for giving me your time and subscribing - I’m really flattered by your feedback. I do indeed play, but nowhere near as much as I should - that’s going to be a bit of a New Years resolution, I think. As for your query, I haven’t tested the Air yet with music production and soft synths, but intend to next year. It’s therefore tricky to give you informed advice, but my gut feeling is that it’d work fine for your requirements. Stay tuned to the channel for more on this!
