Recommend me a refurb

[Greg Edwards]

TL;DR should I get a 14" M1 MBP over the M2 Air in nearly 2024?

My 2015 15" is showing its age. It's served me very well and got me through working from home during covid admirably, but it's time to pass it on (I also have an itty-bitty 2016 12" MacBook that I'll likely move along as well).

I'm looking at getting a refurb from Hoxton Macs (I'm in the UK), with a budget of up to around £1,500. Trouble is, I can't decide whether to go for the 13" M2 Air or 14" M1 Pro. They both have their pros and cons. I know this was discussed to death upon the release of the M2 Air, but time has moved on since then which raises new questions.

There's a couple of hundred quid difference between similarly specced machines (1TB SSD and 16Gb ram and max GPU cores).

I know the M1 MBP is better in most respects - better screen, more ports and much better speakers (which is quite a big deal for me). But I do love the lighter form factor of the Air and it's fanless design. Although the M1 is still smaller and lighter than my current 15" behemoth that never leaves the house!

I don't need an uber-powerful, bleeding-edge machine. I use a company-supplied windows box for my office job as a graphic designer, but I still occasionally work on my own artwork at home, but nothing too demanding. I use Lightroom Classic for processing my photos (non-professional - mainly travel and family photos) - although I tend to edit more on my iPad as the mac is too much of a faff to use sometimes for basic edits (battery knackered), but a better laptop with uncompromised battery performance would get used more. I'm also a keen musician. Although I use headphones a lot, have good speakers in a laptop is very handy.

But there's a nagging voice in the back of my mind.

It's now 2023. The M2 Air is still current, the M1 MBP is a two-year-old machine (and was discontinued nearly a year ago). I aim to get as many years as I can out of a new machine, Will the M2 Air last longer? That said, Apple still sells the M1 Air, so maybe we can assume the M1 MBP will be supported for just as long? Apple silicon is new territory, so we can't be sure how long each model will be supported just yet.

I'm inclined to go with the M1 MBP, despite its age and larger form factor.

What say you, hive mind?

 

[robgendreau]

TL;DR should I get a 14" M1 MBP over the M2 Air in nearly 2024?

My 2015 15" is showing its age. It's served me very well and got me through working from home during covid admirably, but it's time to pass it on (I also have an itty-bitty 2016 12" MacBook that I'll likely move along as well).

I'm looking at getting a refurb from Hoxton Macs (I'm in the UK), with a budget of up to around £1,500. Trouble is, I can't decide whether to go for the 13" M2 Air or 14" M1 Pro. They both have their pros and cons. I know this was discussed to death upon the release of the M2 Air, but time has moved on since then which raises new questions.

There's a couple of hundred quid difference between similarly specced machines (1TB SSD and 16Gb ram and max GPU cores).
I know the M1 MBP is better in most respects - better screen, more ports and much better speakers (which is quite a big deal for me). But I do love the lighter form factor of the Air and it's fanless design. Although the M1 is still smaller and lighter than my current 15" behemoth that never leaves the house!

I don't need an uber-powerful, bleeding-edge machine. I use a company-supplied windows box for my office job as a graphic designer, but I still occasionally work on my own artwork at home, but nothing too demanding. I use Lightroom Classic for processing my photos (non-professional - mainly travel and family photos) - although I tend to edit more on my iPad as the mac is too much of a faff to use sometimes for basic edits (battery knackered), but a better laptop with uncompromised battery performance would get used more. I'm also a keen musician. Although I use headphones a lot, have good speakers in a laptop is very handy.

But there's a nagging voice in the back of my mind.

It's now 2023. The M2 Air is still current, the M1 MBP is a two-year-old machine (and was discontinued nearly a year ago). I aim to get as many years as I can out of a new machine, Will the M2 Air last longer? That said, Apple still sells the M1 Air, so maybe we can assume the M1 MBP will be supported for just as long? Apple silicon is new territory, so we can't be sure how long each model will be supported just yet.

I'm inclined to go with the M1 MBP, despite its age and larger form factor.

What say you, hive mind?

I would get the one with the XDR display, the MBP. It has display HDR, up to four stops. Unquestionably a better display, and this is photography, where that matters.

 

[tsinsf]

Trying to stay on top of the Mac up to date model is a fools errand. Whatever you buy will be "out of date" in six months. You need to decide if a slightly larger screen is important to you. And the other important thing to consider is the CPU and to a lesser degree the GPU under the hood. The faster they are the longer it will future proof your laptop.

 

[wilberforce_1]

M1 MBP unless portability is your #1 priority.

I have a 14" M1 MBP and in no way is it technologically old. M2 and M3 are relatively minor improvements on M1; they all have the same basic Apple Silicon architecture.

 

[atsangarides]

With the M3 released not long ago, there's so much m1/m2 MBP on sale on eBay even sealed.

I had used Hoxton before and no complaints there.

I recently upgraded from a 15" MBP 2017 i7 16GB ram to an M2max 32GB ram 14" MBP and I am blown away!!!

I have stopped using my 11" iPad Pro m1! It's going on sale.

 

[lightandaprayer]

Is it an Apple refurb or from a third-party? Apple Certified refurbs are available on the Apple UK Website .

I would select the MBP over an MBA for the better typing experience of the MBP. But if you don't care about the keyboard action, never mind. . .

 

[Greg Edwards]

Thanks for yes. Funnily enough, I've been exploring HDR editing in Lightroom recently and trying to get to grips with it as I've mentioned elsewhere on these boards. My iPhone and iPad Pro both support HDR so this is worth considering, and looks to be where the future of digital photography is going.

 

[Greg Edwards]

Trying to stay on top of the Mac up to date model is a fools errand. Whatever you buy will be "out of date" in six months. You need to decide if a slightly larger screen is important to you. And the other important thing to consider is the CPU and to a lesser degree the GPU under the hood. The faster they are the longer it will future proof your laptop.

Absolutely, I'm quite aware of that. Hence why I'm still using a 2015 MBP and looking at the M1 MBP. I've never bought a Mac brand new - always a refurb or used, and often a generation behind. It's only the iPhone that I ever buy new, and usually skip two or three generations before upgrading. But this is the longest I've held off upgrading a Mac in some time.

I also realise it's impossibly to future proof, and in this brave new Apple Silicon world the old rules don't apply - so I'm just unsure whether an M1 MBP in nearly 2024 is too old. As I understand it, the M1 Pro is a better processor than the M2 in the Air, despite the older technology and the M2's faster single-core speed. It appears the M1 Pro is better and faster in every other aspect.

 

[Greg Edwards]

M1 MBP unless portability is your #1 priority.

That's where my thinking is inclined. My 15" MBP doesn't leave the house. It's just too cumbersome. But really, it doesn't strictly need too. I think I like the idea of the Air's design and form factor more than need it.

I have a 14" M1 MBP and in no way is it technologically old. M2 and M3 are relatively minor improvements on M1; they all have the same basic Apple Silicon architecture.

Exactly what I need to know. But It does strike me that they're churning new generations out at an alarming pace. I just wonder what the support roadmap is for them.

 

[Greg Edwards]

With the M3 released not long ago, there's so much m1/m2 MBP on sale on eBay even sealed.

I had used Hoxton before and no complaints there.

Thanks. Good to know Hoxton are well regarded. I'll check out sealed units on eBay.

I recently upgraded from a 15" MBP 2017 i7 16GB ram to an M2max 32GB ram 14" MBP and I am blown away!!!

I have stopped using my 11" iPad Pro m1! It's going on sale.

I doubt I'll ever ditch my iPad. I'm too attached to it.

 

[Greg Edwards]

Is it an Apple refurb or from a third-party? Apple Certified refurbs are available on the Apple UK Website .

Third party - via Hoxton Macs . They seem to be the best value for used and refurbs. I found them via a MacWorld article listing recommended resellers.

I've bought directly from Apple's UK refurb store a few times before. Whilst you're guaranteed getting a device that's as good as new, the savings don't appear to be as good as they used to be and the choice is quite slim. They rarely have the configuration I want. Hoxton have more choice, they're cheaper and a range of grades. I'll only pick "excellent" to ensure getting the best possible. If I have a problem I can return it.

Looking right now the only MBP's they have are 16" models.

I would select the MBP over an MBA for the better typing experience of the MBP. But if you don't care about the keyboard action, never mind. . .

I'm not as sensitive to keyboard designs as some others are, even though I spend all day attached to one. I can type just as comfortably on my 2015 MBP scissor keyboard as on my 2016 Macbook's butterfly, and my iPad magic keyboard, or Apple wired USB keyboard I've had for over 10 years. Heck, I use a chunky, cheap Logitech wireless at work that's about as far from low profile as you can get.