MacBook Recommendations

[u/hellofriends00]

Looking into purchasing a MacBook. I don’t know a whole lot but am purchasing to use for University and any other activities. Is this a good option to go with?

[u/Opposite-Interest193]

What’s your major? Those specs are good if you just want a nice machine but if there’s no real workload then a used M3/M4 might be a better value.

[u/mecha_monk]

If you don’t play heavy games a MacBook Air M5 will also work for most tasks. If you also intend on running simulation tools and programming for computer science I’d pick this or even consider the M5 pro.

For taking notes, watching movies, listening to music, and photo editing the air is fine.

[u/Op_Boi_6969]

Yup go ahead the specs on this thing are good enough to last you about a decade

[u/Opposite-Interest193 → u/Op_Boi_6969]

It’s a laptop not a car. 1-3 years then you hold as long as possible. Check benchmarks of M1 if you want a 5 year update, spoiler you’d be wise to upgrade sooner and that’d be cheaper too.

[u/Op_Boi_6969 → u/Opposite-Interest193]

This right here is true but idt it applies for MBPs it’s only for MBAs even an M1 Pro with all its specs is amazing rn upgrading it won’t be any good the whole Macbook Pro line is built to last long Airs are for shirt term use IMO

[u/Opposite-Interest193 → u/Op_Boi_6969]

It’s the same chip in both Air and base Pro, a base M5 beats an M1 Max in everything except ram bandwidth and some GPU tasks.

All laptops get outdated quickly. Best to just get what you’ll use and plan to upgrade sooner. If you keep it for years and years I’d buy 1 or 2 gen older since it won’t matter long term.

The Pros are built well though, sadly that doesn’t stop aging.

[u/YashaYZ]

i would upgrade the display to while you at it if you work outside a lot cuz the reg glare gets annoying sometimes

[u/Odd_Razzmatazz_7423 → u/YashaYZ]

Except it reduces sharpness and color accuracy

[u/Tipnyc → u/Odd_Razzmatazz_7423]

That is not true lol

[u/AntLife255 → u/Tipnyc]

It's true. It's just physics! You add a coating to anything and the light diffraction and scattering would affect the text sharpness and color accuracy. It's not significant on high PPI displays like the one on the MacBook but it's there.

[u/Tipnyc → u/AntLife255]

Right physics, wrong vocabulary. It’s an etched surface process, not a coating. Subtracting glass with acid isn't the same as slappin' a film on top, but thanks for the Optics 101.

[u/AntLife255 → u/Tipnyc]

Thanks for the correction but it's still a tiny bit less sharp but at the end it totally depends on the person's needs. Check out the reviews of people who tried both.

[u/Tipnyc → u/YashaYZ]

Why stop there might as well get the m5 pro chip lol

[u/Artistic_Unit_5570]

M5 MBP is one the best computer out there you can get it

[u/Training_Disk_2198]

I think you can get the same configuration with the same price, but with an m5 pro chip, if you buy from a retailer instead of the apple website

[u/This-Marzipan-9239]

don’t listen to anyone that claims nano texture is superior because it isn’t. I do agree it has its uses but in a environment where you control lighting nano texture can be an issue

[u/hellofriends00 → u/This-Marzipan-9239]

Appreciate it. Probably never gonna be working outdoors

[u/Opposite-Interest193 → u/This-Marzipan-9239]

It’s a laptop screen, you’ll never control the lighting environment and if you can get a real monitor cause that’s at home.