15.3" 8GB RAM Apple M2 MacBook Air Laptop (2023): 512GB $1250, 256GB

ZeeDuck

Nov 13, 2023 3:03 AM

2.4K Comments

Joined Feb 2013

ZeeDuckNov 13, 2023 3:03 AM

2.4K Comments

Quote from gameson

:

this is why i m hesitant to buy mbp due to its ssd and ram integrated to mobo without any chance of replacing it.

but then i don't want to spend money replacing my laptop every couple years, so i m not too sure what to do here... to be fair, i use iphone instead of android, and my iphone last like forever, i still own iphone 6 (released 9 years ago) that can still be used today (although slow, but most essential apps can still run), and i m expecting a macbook would last the same time span

My wife and I are both using 10 year old laptops. Neither were cheap when new. Mine is a Dell CAD computer. My wife's is a Macbook Pro 14. Hers has required no fixes but she also doesn't use it much. I use mine quite a bit. The original battery lasted about 6 or 7 years. Since then the aftermarket batteries have been junk so the system is on it's 3rd aftermarket battery. Certainly if you get one of the more expensive, better built windows machines they can last for many years. This computer feels no slower in every day tasks vs my 2 year old work CAD laptop. I'm sure if I was using a $400 laptop from a decade back I might feel differently. However, this computer had a faster CPU for the time as well as 16gb of ram. Additionally, over time it's moved from being a computer for work to a computer for mostly internet so I'm not expecting it to do things like run modern games or the like. While this computer was $2400 when new, I suspect it will be good until Windows 10 support is dropped.

231338

Nov 13, 2023 11:54 PM

136 Comments

Joined Jun 2019

231338Nov 13, 2023 11:54 PM

136 Comments

I got it during the last prime day, same $1049, 8GB RAM runs super smooth for almost everything. One thing that I do want to call out, check activity monitor, if you swap used is normally less than 2GB, highly suggest that you disable the swap for long term usability. If your swap used is higher than 2 GB, maybe it's a good idea to get the 16GB instead.

TheOnlyWay2Buy

Nov 14, 2023 1:50 AM

230 Comments

Joined Feb 2009

TheOnlyWay2BuyNov 14, 2023 1:50 AM

230 Comments

never ever any deals with 16gb+ ram. Dont believe Apple, all m1, m2, m3 MacBooks struggle with less than 16gb ram and you'll be restarting it often to clear the memory when it taps out. Should come with 16gb standard like all other premium laptops do these days.

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TheOnlyWay2Buy

Nov 14, 2023 1:54 AM

230 Comments

Joined Feb 2009

TheOnlyWay2BuyNov 14, 2023 1:54 AM

230 Comments

Quote from 231338

:

I got it during the last prime day, same $1049, 8GB RAM runs super smooth for almost everything. One thing that I do want to call out, check activity monitor, if you swap used is normally less than 2GB, highly suggest that you disable the swap for long term usability. If your swap used is higher than 2 GB, maybe it's a good idea to get the 16GB instead.

Good suggestion. Another good habit, have your MacBook restart automatically overnight and daily to clear memory. You can automate this in the settings.
I like to have multiple tabs open in safari and regular ran into memory issues with my 8gb M1 MacBook Air, I sold it for an M1 14" MBP and I still tap out the memory on occasion. Amazingly, Activity Monitor frequently shows that it's often due to the Safari Extensions I use that track best prices, lol. I'd never get any MacBook with less than 16gb ram these days, personally.

mamonotaisho

Nov 15, 2023 12:55 PM

248 Comments

Joined May 2020

mamonotaishoNov 15, 2023 12:55 PM

248 Comments

Quote from akg137

:

Costco is the better deal. One extra year warranty from Costco, better return policy. Also Chase freedom 5x back currently

Plus, discount on AppleCare if that floats your boat too.

anonymous2929239

Nov 15, 2023 6:26 PM

5.4K Comments

Joined Sep 2016

anonymous2929239Nov 15, 2023 6:26 PM

5.4K Comments

Quote from TheOnlyWay2Buy

:

never ever any deals with 16gb+ ram. Dont believe Apple, all m1, m2, m3 MacBooks struggle with less than 16gb ram and you'll be restarting it often to clear the memory when it taps out. Should come with 16gb standard like all other premium laptops do these days.

what. ive had my m1 since day 1 release, ive never restarted it or anything due to "memory to low" it always works.

2

anonymous2929239

Nov 15, 2023 8:26 PM

5.4K Comments

Joined Sep 2016

anonymous2929239Nov 15, 2023 8:26 PM

5.4K Comments

Edit wrong post

anonymous2929239

Nov 15, 2023 8:33 PM

5.4K Comments

Joined Sep 2016

anonymous2929239Nov 15, 2023 8:33 PM

5.4K Comments

Quote from noisefilter

:

This is a good deal. In June '23 I paid $1199 at Best Buy for M2 13.6" w/512gb (8gb).
At $1250 for 512gb, this feels like a better deal.
I'd buy this 15" / 512gb M2 if I was in a buying cycle.

For comparison, in Mar '23 I paid $1499 for 14" M1 Pro 16gb/512gb
It's a good machine but I overpaid.

Just ordered m2 13 inch 512 from shopmyexchange for 1099 tax free Good to hear you enjoy it

baav007

Nov 16, 2023 8:16 PM

294 Comments

Joined Aug 2014

baav007Nov 16, 2023 8:16 PM

294 Comments

Got the macbook air 15 inch customized (base model + upgrade from 8gb to 16gb) for $1274 + tax using friend's employee discount. You should try this too if you know someone working at Apple

Edit: I think the 15 inch is a lot better if you don't need much power / don't care much for power. I had a 16 inch late 2021 macbook pro base model (which I also got at a good deal because of Apple gift cards deal from several years ago + friend's employee discount) but traded that in for an Apple gift card earlier this year. I literally did that because it felt so heavy and because I wanted something lighter to feel more modern and less stone age especially in 2023

Last edited by baav007 November 16, 2023 at 12:23 PM.

kevinaaa

Nov 16, 2023 8:22 PM

3.6K Comments

Joined Jan 2015

kevinaaaNov 16, 2023 8:22 PM

3.6K Comments

Quote from suifengls

:

Is 8GB still enough nowadays in 2020s? If need to run an Android emulator.

It's not enough even 10 years ago

kickdeals

Nov 16, 2023 8:27 PM

209 Comments

Joined Nov 2013

kickdealsNov 16, 2023 8:27 PM

209 Comments

how about 13.6" or 14" screen size?

jerkychew

Nov 16, 2023 8:35 PM

86 Comments

Joined Aug 2011

jerkychewNov 16, 2023 8:35 PM

86 Comments

Best Buy had this exact laptop for $999 about a week ago. I would expect that we'll see more price cuts around Black Friday.

Phoking

Nov 16, 2023 9:20 PM

88 Comments

Joined Apr 2004

PhokingNov 16, 2023 9:20 PM

88 Comments

Don't support 8GB anything in 2023, what an absolute joke. I use a MBP for development and I'm always using around 27GB of memory.

1

Medic311

Nov 16, 2023 9:22 PM

30.3K Comments

Joined Oct 2010

Medic311Nov 16, 2023 9:22 PM

30.3K Comments

Highly recommend 16GB

Tourney3p0

Nov 16, 2023 9:33 PM

403 Comments

Joined Nov 2011

Tourney3p0Nov 16, 2023 9:33 PM

403 Comments

Quote from gameson

:

what kind of action? i m considering mbp for the first time in my life, have always been a windows user, but intel sucks

my 5 y/o intel i7 8550u with 32 GB RAM can NOT be used for trading, wtf... i use TOS app, and every day when the bell starts, the TOS app freeze, then anytime during the day, sometime it freeze. first i thought it was the RAM, so upgrade from 8GB to whooping 32GB, still same issue, then that means the cpu has issues.

if a 5 y/o intel cpu can't keep up with a single trading app, then i have to get the fastest available cpu in the market without compromising weight, and that only means MBP, cause if i buy a gaming intel laptop, that laptop is heavy to carry around the world.

Apple uses Intel. You don't understand your problem well enough to diagnose it.

15.3" 8GB RAM Apple M2 MacBook Air Laptop (2023): 512GB $1250, 256GB

$1,050

$1,300

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