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!!
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
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.
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.
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!
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 😊
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
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 UA-cam 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!
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.
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 💫✨😝
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.
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 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.
@@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 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 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
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.
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.
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 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.
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 👍🏻
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 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 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.
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'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 UA-cam 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!
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.
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!
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!
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 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.
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
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?
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 👍
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!
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 😉
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
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.
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....
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 ;)
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!
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
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
Hi! May I ask what would be the better buy? This M1 Macbook Air or an Ipad Pro/Air 4? Which do you find more productive? *I would go for the Macbook, but I do really want to use an Apple Pencil to take note on the Ipad as I'm currently a college freshman, and as some don't really mind, I would greatly benefit with the main camera. Thus, is it worth it that I choose an Ipad Pro/Air 4 over the Macbook just because of these? I'm gonna use it as my one and only tool, so it's kinda hard to decide since I value efficiency and productivity that, as I have heard from people, Macbook offers more than an Ipad.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Bad advise ... I'd _always_ suggest you get the 16 GB. You can use swap and the SSD is fast enough, but you'll be cutting into the spare frames of your SSD because there are a finite number of writes you can do before you start using up spare frames.
@@MarkEllisReviews Save up some dough, or wait for a sale or for the price to go down? Seriously, if you're going run workloads which stress these machines go for the 16 GB memory, especially if you expect to keep it long term. Trouble is when you use up the SSD you're in for a logic board and it probably won't be in the warranty period. And last as I recall, Apple doesn't allow you to change the configuration on repair, and you can't upgrade your memory even with a board swap. Right now at AppleInsider (appleinsider.com/articles/20/12/01/holiday-coupon-save-120-to-150-on-these-upgraded-m1-macbook-air-laptops) you can get the 7 core 512 GB for $1249, the 8 core 512 for $1299. As much as Apple likes their device profits, I expect them to push prices down once they recover their R&D costs - I believe they want a second Halo device for entry into the very sticky Apple ecosystem to sell their services, and the Mac is destined to be that second portal. Most people are looking at these first Apple Silicon Macs wrong - these aren't Apple's powerhouse machines: they're simply the annual spec bump of the lowest end Apple computers with DCI-P3 displays, Wifi 6, and the new Apple Silicon M1 SoC. They have the same limitations as the machines they replace - 16 GB RAM and two Thunderbolt ports. These are the machines you give to a student or teacher or a lawyer or an accountant or a work-at-home information worker - folks who need a decently performing machine with decent build quality who don't want to lug around a huge powerhouse machine (or pay for one for that matter). They're still marketed at the same market segment, though they now have a vastly expanded compute power envelope. The real powerhouses will probably come next year with the M1x (or whatever). Apple has yet to decide on an external memory interconnect and multichannel PCIe scheme, if they decide to move in that direction. Other CPU and GPU vendors and OEM computer makers take notice - your businesses are now on limited life support. These new Apple Silicon models can compete speed-wise up through the mid-high tier of computer purchases, and if as I expect Apple sells a ton of these many will be to your bread and butter customers. In fact, I suspect that Apple - once they recover their R&D costs - will be pushing the prices of these machines lower while still maintaining their margins - while competing computer makers will still have to pay Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and nVidea for their expensive processors, whereas Apple's cost goes down the more they manufacture. Competing computer makers may soon be squeezed by Apple Silicon price/performance on one side and high component prices on the other. Expect them to be demanding lower processor prices from the above manufacturers so they can more readily compete, and processor manufacturers may have to comply because if OEM computer manufacturers go under or stop making competing models, the processor makers will see a diminishing customer base. I believe the biggest costs for a chip fab are startup costs - no matter what processor vendors would like you to believe. Design and fab startup are _expensive_ - but once you start getting decent yields, the additional costs are silicon wafers and QA. The more of these units Apple can move, the lower the per unit cost and the better the profits. So ... who should buy these M1 Macs? If you're in the target demographic - the student, teacher, lawyer, accountant, or work-at-home information worker - this is the Mac for you. If you're a heavy computer user like a creative and don't simply want a light and cheap computer with some additional video and sound editing capability for use on the go - I'd wait for the M1x (or whatever) next year. You'll probably kick yourself next year when the machines targeted at _you_ finally appear.
You make some great points above, but I think my advice still has merit for those who can’t (and will never be able to) afford Apple’s exorbitant memory prices. These M1 machines have changed the conversation when it comes to how much RAM you need. Regardless, we both have a point - it doesn’t make either of our advice “bad” 😉
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 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!
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.
I have one question for you, I use my Chromebook for emails, shopping, and streaming video content from several subscriptions, will the 8gb ram be enough for me? I'm getting it because I've heard such good things about this item and I think since you have the 8gb and it's been good for you, I feel it will be good for me as well. It's my very first Apple product at 76 years old so I want to try it.
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
I have the model you are using in this video. I bought it like 7 hours ago. I started watching this video (4k) at 92% of battery charge and ended seconds after the Activity Monitor showed 89%. The remaining time showed between 10 hours and 20 minutes to 9 hours and 56 minutes throughout all this time. At 4K! The battery life is phenomenal here. I hope it is going to serve me well. BTW, since I am writing this in May, and you recorded your video in December 2020, would you have some kind of additional comments after half a year? Did you have the SSD swap issue? Please let me/us know. PS the battery level's estimated time is showing now 10 hours and 16 minutes!
Thank you for mentioning the screen size but my Asus Chromebook has a 16" screen so it also weighs almost 5 lbs and has a fan although you can't hear it when it runs. However, I have to get the one I can comfortably afford and since it's my first one, I will go with the air model. The fact that people still have their older units is quite reassuring as my Chromebook will stop getting auto updates in June of 2030. The Chromebook I have will be my last one for a very long time. But it's got the 12th Gen Corei3 so it's pretty fast. But the MacBook Air has longevity on its side so I should have it for a long while as well. Thank you so much for your in depth review in laymen's terms so I can understand it well. I've been on computers since the 1970's so I'm knowledgeable to some degree. Thanks again!
The change is a big deal though, because iOS has always been a RISC environment. MacOS has always been on Intel's instruction set. First time watching your channel. (Our local band director is a Mark Ellis who also plays trumpet as his primary instrument.)
Thanks for jumping on board! And you're right - this is a big deal. Oh, and sorry to disappoint, but I don't actually play the trumpet - it was a 'joke' present from someone 🙈
@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?
I completely agree that the MacBook Air is an iPad Pro killer. Especially when you can get the MacBook Air on sale now for $799 for the base model. And the equivalent iPad Pro is $1199. Plus you have to pay extra for a keyboard. If you are in the market for an iPad Pro, a MacBook Air is a much better deal. No question about it.
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 UA-cam 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 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!
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 :)
I returned mine. It does not support dual external monitors like my older one. Many people have dual monitors .. Deal breaker
@@Chris-kb6vf Damn - lets hope the next version does.
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
@@jenniferletran1127 Thanks, Jennifer. What will you be doing with the Mac?
@@MarkEllisReviews Basically typing a lot, doing Facebook live videos and some youtube videos editing as well. But more on FB lives, Zoom and typing.
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!!
Thank you so much! Glad my non-numbers approach seems to be hitting the spot with you lot 😄
Yep! I totally agree. I subscribed too 👍
@@priority2 Thank you, William!
subscribed because of this comment
looking forward to more contents ü
@@chowking02 thanks so much!
Bought mine recently. Still exploring the features since it’s my first experience with a MacBook . So far I love it. I’m learning every day.
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?
Been using the M1 Air for a week, I’m a student in college, I highly recommend anyone thinking of getting it. Great review also!
Thank you! I’d imagine that it’s an amazing college device. Kinda makes me wish I’d been born in this generation!
For mechanical engineering?
What's your use case ?
@@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
As long as you don't mind all the crashes, throughout the day !
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.
The portability and power of this laptop coupled with the battery life makes streets better than its counterparts on any OS for everyday use.
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.
I finally replaced my late 2010 MBA with a new base model 2020 MBA. Wow!! What a machine. Great review...
Christ all mighty, I watch tech reviews everyday and I can tell you, you’re soon to get many many more subscribers my friend! 10/10
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!
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!
A refreshing review. It was like listening to a friend. Keep it this way. You stand out from the other so called "professional" reviewers on UA-cam.
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 😊
Not to mention the first reviewer talking about the standby time! Good job and love your reviews.
Love how your energy is not over the top. It's calm and I feel like I'm just chatting with a regular person. Thank you!
No, thank you!
BTW, you can use the Air with your iPad as a second screen
Great point. You just may have sold Apple another Air. I’d wanted one but need more screen real estate. Your idea solves my problem.
How do you do it? :(
Relaxing calm voice. Bravo.
Again - thank you!
I'd probably never shut up if I had such a deep and soothing voice
Why dont you just kiss and make out then?
Agreed. Really nice to hear out the whole clip in that voice.
Delighted with my 8GB, 512GB Air so far. Logic, Final cut, Mainstage, not seen any issues with the 8GB of RAM.
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
Why isn't that on their webpage for the Air?! 😉
I got the smaller 11“ iPad Pro precisely because I anticipated the M1 Air to overlap just a tad too much with the bigger iPad.
Exactly.
1st time watching you, just love ur voice.
Thank you! Flattered!
I just going to write the exact same thing!
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 UA-cam 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!
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.
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 💫✨😝
No such thing as being unreasonably excited ;) You'll love it!
I’ve just bought one. My old one was from 2015. I love it. Was really an upgrade and thin, silent, durable battery…beautiful
I’m a novice but I have it , now just have to learn how to use it !
Same same.... Silver color
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.
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
Totally agree.
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.
Wow - fully converted! Enjoy :)
I bought 16 GB macbook air and that is such a beast
Out of curiosity, What made you buy the 16GB over the 8GB one? I can’t decide which one to get that’s why I ask
8gb is better. M2 chip is coming out, don’t waste $300 on M1 chip
@@jf5926 because foe editing and solid works 16 gb ram is better there will be Time in future when apps will consume more ram
@@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 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 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!
There is a 128 ssd one. In Europe it starts with 256
@@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
@@mikekaylor1226 okays. thanks for the info :)
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.
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.
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 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.
Thank you, Harrison! Glad I was able to settle your mind - you won't regret that decision :)
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 👍🏻
Thank you for watching!
got my Air (base version) last weekend, I bloody love it coming from clumsy desktop PC this really feels like night and day on my desk.
Terrific video, Mark. The plain talk review without all the benchmark stuff is very much appreciated!
Thank you - that means so much. Lots more on the way!
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 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.
Ouch, that's annoying. We'll see more ports this year, I think.
Unrelated: You have a very soothing "radio" voice, I hope you "podcast". Thanks for the review.
You're too kind - thank you. A podcast will arrive sometime this year.
i got mine for 899 education price! its sooo fast for its price. You're getting a great keyboard, great screen, and a really fast chip.
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.
Subbed just listening to that voice for 5 seconds. Very honest and from the heart.
That’s seriously kind of you - thank you!
Same scenario with me, my M1 MacBook Pro has replaced my iPad Pro and it only gets little to no use anymore.
Weird feeling, isn't it? Bit like going full circle...
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.
Wow, that's awesome. Glad I could help - enjoy!
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’ve just updated my 2011 Air to the new 2020 M1 I’m still waiting for it to ship 🚢 I’m getting it next week can’t wait 😜
Exciting!
I finally got it, and it’s great 😊 how much I’ve been missing.
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 UA-cam 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!
You're the Jony Ive of reviewers, dude.
😂 I seem to get this a lot. And I'll definitely take it as a compliment!
This guy is so underrated.. Brother, I just bought the macbook air after your review. saved me $200 from buying a baseline macbook pro
That’s ridiculously kind - thank you. Glad you got the right machine for your needs!
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.
Nope, the screen on the Air is great for photo editing.
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!
I think you've rounded on a pretty decent plan there, Mark ;)
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!
Haha! Watching back, I am a bit too 'hands-on' with it, to be honest. I felt nervous editing the footage!
@@MarkEllisReviews this is definitely the model for rough housing, with no moving parts
Got mine arriving on Tuesday, can't wait. Great video mate. Appreciate it
Had the M1 air base model for a month. It’s amazing.
What happened to it?
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.
Same as me.
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.
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
You won't be disappointed.
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?
Hi Gautam. Absolutely. Probably longer.
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 👍
So glad I could help you save that extra cash, Richard. You have 100% done the right thing and won't regret it at all. I absolutely love the Air.
Could I ask is that deal still available if so where from? (Also from UK)
@@bigpac54 hi, it was Amazon. Doesn’t appear to be the same offer now, but still £50 off from what I can see
Ok, thank you. I will have a look
Can't wait to open and play with mine on Christmas morning 😉🎅🏼
Enjoy!
And his computer
Don’t know why.. but I’m so excited for you..😄
I got myself one and will open it for Christmas! Can wait!
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!
Thanks, Muhammad. The autofocus on my A7Sii is dreadful, which is why I need to manually focus each video. I've got better, as you'll note recently :)
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 😉
Had a 2020 MBP. Sold it to get this and an iPad Air for a second screen. A much better combo.
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
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.
@@640A Sorry about that, I suppose experimental was not the greatest word choice but hopefully you get the point/concern I was trying to get across.
16 GB of RAM will make a difference in the long run, when RAM performance gets lower by age.
Possibly. But how many years would that realistically take for someone to notice a difference?
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....
Thank you so much!
Your audio quality is amazing. What are you using?
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 ;)
I have it, and you should. But my advice always go for max. RAM and graphic (8). Never knows what’s the future will be.
I agree - spend as much as you can on any computer or device you buy.
Just think about the fact that he is comparing this laptop to his 3000$+ MacBook 16inch which was and still is considered a "beast".
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!
Just bought this as my first Mac yesterday and very excited 😁. Watching your review puts me at ease that I made a great choice!
Awesome! Enjoy!
loving mine it even beats the macbook pro 13
Love your conversational style. Good move to not hang up on benchmarks. Just subscribed and looking forward to more fine work.
Thank you, John - that means an awful lot. Lots of good stuff on the way - I promise!
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
Great content! I bought a 16GB MBA and I personally think 16GB is a must considering the future workload
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. What is your workload, just out of interest? If you don’t mind sharing, of course!
how long does it take to export a 20mins 4k60 video?
hv u tried it yet?
@@iGobyy Not yet, but I may do that in a future video...
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
@@niklasd8233 And your reply says everything about this new realm of computing. It's properly exciting.
Hi! May I ask what would be the better buy? This M1 Macbook Air or an Ipad Pro/Air 4? Which do you find more productive?
*I would go for the Macbook, but I do really want to use an Apple Pencil to take note on the Ipad as I'm currently a college freshman, and as some don't really mind, I would greatly benefit with the main camera. Thus, is it worth it that I choose an Ipad Pro/Air 4 over the Macbook just because of these? I'm gonna use it as my one and only tool, so it's kinda hard to decide since I value efficiency and productivity that, as I have heard from people, Macbook offers more than an Ipad.
The most review that got my attention to finish to the end , calm voice tone , great work keep it up
Thanks so much!
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.
great review - I sold my 2020 i5 after 6 months to get one of these
Same thought!
I traded MBP 2020 for one
Y’all are hella spoiled
You guys Traded the pro in for the new air?
@@patrickf8768 yup, no regrets...the battery life alone is awesome
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.
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.
😂 that’s uncanny! Technically, that was actually a demo of the wake up speed, but it boots super quick, too.
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!
Thank you! If you can hold on a couple of months or so, I’d wait and see what follows this initial round of M(whatever) Macs...
@@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!
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.
How much RAM did you buy?
@@_HMCB_ 8g base model. You don't need more than that unless you're doing some really heavy stuff.
Bad advise ... I'd _always_ suggest you get the 16 GB.
You can use swap and the SSD is fast enough, but you'll be cutting into the spare frames of your SSD because there are a finite number of writes you can do before you start using up spare frames.
But what if you can’t afford the £200/$200 upgrade to 16GB?
@@MarkEllisReviews Save up some dough, or wait for a sale or for the price to go down?
Seriously, if you're going run workloads which stress these machines go for the 16 GB memory, especially if you expect to keep it long term. Trouble is when you use up the SSD you're in for a logic board and it probably won't be in the warranty period. And last as I recall, Apple doesn't allow you to change the configuration on repair, and you can't upgrade your memory even with a board swap.
Right now at AppleInsider (appleinsider.com/articles/20/12/01/holiday-coupon-save-120-to-150-on-these-upgraded-m1-macbook-air-laptops) you can get the 7 core 512 GB for $1249, the 8 core 512 for $1299.
As much as Apple likes their device profits, I expect them to push prices down once they recover their R&D costs - I believe they want a second Halo device for entry into the very sticky Apple ecosystem to sell their services, and the Mac is destined to be that second portal.
Most people are looking at these first Apple Silicon Macs wrong - these aren't Apple's powerhouse machines: they're simply the annual spec bump of the lowest end Apple computers with DCI-P3 displays, Wifi 6, and the new Apple Silicon M1 SoC.
They have the same limitations as the machines they replace - 16 GB RAM and two Thunderbolt ports.
These are the machines you give to a student or teacher or a lawyer or an accountant or a work-at-home information worker - folks who need a decently performing machine with decent build quality who don't want to lug around a huge powerhouse machine (or pay for one for that matter). They're still marketed at the same market segment, though they now have a vastly expanded compute power envelope.
The real powerhouses will probably come next year with the M1x (or whatever). Apple has yet to decide on an external memory interconnect and multichannel PCIe scheme, if they decide to move in that direction.
Other CPU and GPU vendors and OEM computer makers take notice - your businesses are now on limited life support. These new Apple Silicon models can compete speed-wise up through the mid-high tier of computer purchases, and if as I expect Apple sells a ton of these many will be to your bread and butter customers.
In fact, I suspect that Apple - once they recover their R&D costs - will be pushing the prices of these machines lower while still maintaining their margins - while competing computer makers will still have to pay Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and nVidea for their expensive processors, whereas Apple's cost goes down the more they manufacture. Competing computer makers may soon be squeezed by Apple Silicon price/performance on one side and high component prices on the other. Expect them to be demanding lower processor prices from the above manufacturers so they can more readily compete, and processor manufacturers may have to comply because if OEM computer manufacturers go under or stop making competing models, the processor makers will see a diminishing customer base.
I believe the biggest costs for a chip fab are startup costs - no matter what processor vendors would like you to believe. Design and fab startup are _expensive_ - but once you start getting decent yields, the additional costs are silicon wafers and QA. The more of these units Apple can move, the lower the per unit cost and the better the profits.
So ... who should buy these M1 Macs?
If you're in the target demographic - the student, teacher, lawyer, accountant, or work-at-home information worker - this is the Mac for you.
If you're a heavy computer user like a creative and don't simply want a light and cheap computer with some additional video and sound editing capability for use on the go - I'd wait for the M1x (or whatever) next year. You'll probably kick yourself next year when the machines targeted at _you_ finally appear.
You make some great points above, but I think my advice still has merit for those who can’t (and will never be able to) afford Apple’s exorbitant memory prices. These M1 machines have changed the conversation when it comes to how much RAM you need.
Regardless, we both have a point - it doesn’t make either of our advice “bad” 😉
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.
That configuration will do you proud - trust me. Come back and let us know how you got on, though!
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!
Thank you very much for subbing and commenting. Awesome - that's a brilliant little set up and very similar to mine. You'll love it.
"I'm not an apple fan boy."
-Imac on the desk.
-Two macbooks on the desk.
desk.
-iPad on the desk.
desk.
-iPhone in pocket.
You're in denial.
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.
I have one question for you, I use my Chromebook for emails, shopping, and streaming video content from several subscriptions, will the 8gb ram be enough for me? I'm getting it because I've heard such good things about this item and I think since you have the 8gb and it's been good for you, I feel it will be good for me as well. It's my very first Apple product at 76 years old so I want to try it.
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
Thank you! And as for your query, depends on your workload, mate. If you're a relatively light user, the base level will do you proud for a long time.
I have the model you are using in this video. I bought it like 7 hours ago. I started watching this video (4k) at 92% of battery charge and ended seconds after the Activity Monitor showed 89%. The remaining time showed between 10 hours and 20 minutes to 9 hours and 56 minutes throughout all this time. At 4K! The battery life is phenomenal here. I hope it is going to serve me well. BTW, since I am writing this in May, and you recorded your video in December 2020, would you have some kind of additional comments after half a year? Did you have the SSD swap issue? Please let me/us know. PS the battery level's estimated time is showing now 10 hours and 16 minutes!
Thanks for the comment. Check some of my recent videos :)
moving from a chrombook to one of these next week.. cant wait!
You'll love it!
Thank you for mentioning the screen size but my Asus Chromebook has a 16" screen so it also weighs almost 5 lbs
and has a fan although you can't hear it when it runs. However, I have to get the one I can comfortably afford and since it's my first one, I will go with the air model. The fact that people still have their older units is quite reassuring as my Chromebook will stop getting auto updates in June of 2030. The Chromebook I have will be my last one for a very long time. But it's got the 12th Gen Corei3 so it's pretty fast. But the MacBook Air has longevity on its side so I should have it for a long while as well. Thank you so much for your in depth review in laymen's terms so I can understand it well. I've been on computers since the 1970's so I'm knowledgeable to some degree. Thanks again!
wattching this on my MBA M1 and agreed the battery life is INSANE!
It really is. But I think I'm increasingly more impressed with its standby time - it just doesn't budge!
Mark I have also the air and the 16inch and the 16inch is getting sold ASAP don't miss the screen as I have a 32in curved-screen monitor, just saying!
I’m jealous of your curved screen. Great setup, though. Which monitor have you gone for?
Absolutely loving my M1 Air.
It's an amazing device, right? Feels like we're at the start of something truly groundbreaking. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Did u upgrade the memory?
@@das4014 16GB
@@bestofutkarsh and storage?
The change is a big deal though, because iOS has always been a RISC environment. MacOS has always been on Intel's instruction set.
First time watching your channel. (Our local band director is a Mark Ellis who also plays trumpet as his primary instrument.)
Thanks for jumping on board! And you're right - this is a big deal.
Oh, and sorry to disappoint, but I don't actually play the trumpet - it was a 'joke' present from someone 🙈
@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?
Hey, Ralph. Mine loses 1-2% overnight, I think. I just close the lid!
I completely agree that the MacBook Air is an iPad Pro killer. Especially when you can get the MacBook Air on sale now for $799 for the base model. And the equivalent iPad Pro is $1199. Plus you have to pay extra for a keyboard. If you are in the market for an iPad Pro, a MacBook Air is a much better deal. No question about it.
Any graphic designers using this base MBA? What are your opinions?
Just ordered a basic MacBook Air today. I'll pick up it up tomorrow! So excited!!))
Yay! Enjoy!
did you upgrade ram?
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 UA-cam 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 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!
Oops! So many numbers in tech reviews :( Thanks for the kind comment, though!