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Archive 2019 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?

  
 
mdude85
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


Hi everyone,

I've got a Macbook Air from mid-2013 (1.3GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5, 8GB 1600 mhz RAM, 256 GB SSD).

I use it pretty much just for Lightroom since I've got my phone for most other basic computing tasks, and I am not a gamer. My LR catalog has about 15,000 photos in it right now, so it's not as speedy as it once was.

I was wondering if it makes sense for me to upgrade to a new (or refurbished) Macbook Pro? I'm looking at refurbished models from 2017 (2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 8GB 2133MHz RAM, 256 GB SSD).

I would like to get into more video production just for fun, but I'm afraid that my current system may be too slow for that.

Do you think I'll see a noticeable difference in processing speed in the upgrade? Is there something I should focus on for faster/better photo/video editing, such as more RAM or better video card? Or should I save my $$ until my Macbook Air kicks the bucket? Thanks.



Jul 11, 2019 at 12:50 PM
rw11
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


No. Either get the rumored Sept/Oct 16" MacBook Pro, or wait for it to depress prices on other models.


Jul 11, 2019 at 01:12 PM
mdude85
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


rw11 wrote:
No. Either get the rumored Sept/Oct 16" MacBook Pro, or wait for it to depress prices on other models.


Thanks for the reply. I'm not looking for a larger laptop than what I have now, the 13" size works for me, and when I need a bigger screen I can connect it to an external monitor.



Jul 11, 2019 at 02:24 PM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


I would wait for whatever models have the new improved keyboards. I bought a new MBP last December and hate hate the keyboard. And don't forget that you can't upgrade the ram or hard drive in any of the more recent models. I would absolutely make sure you have 16 gb of ram and a 1 tb drive.


Jul 11, 2019 at 03:09 PM
theroadtaken
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


I completely agree with Peter, wait for new keyboards and save up to max the ram/storage. Based on the rumors it sounds like this will be the last batch of upgrades with the unreliable butterfly keyboard.

Chris



Jul 12, 2019 at 08:44 PM
jharter
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


Get a 2TB SSD and max RAM if you can afford it. How do you manage 15K photos plus new projects on a 256 GB drive? Seems like you should be running out of room. If you use an ext drive for photos then you could get by with a smaller SSD but it would be nice to have a fast USB-C external HD.


Jul 13, 2019 at 07:13 AM
Sharona
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


I'm tagging on here since I also need to upgrade from my 2011 Macbook pro 17-inch. I would like to know what I'm missing if I just go with the Macbook Air this time around. I am editing on an NEC Spectraview monitor. If I didn't have the monitor I'd be tempted to just get an iMac.

What is better about the Macbook Pro? Thanks



Jul 23, 2019 at 02:20 PM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


Don't forget that all of these new models only have USB-C ports and even with adapters, they don't play nice with tethering cameras, which are mostly USB3. I have several types of adapters because none of them work reliably. And after typing on this new one for the last week as I wait for a new keyboard for one of my older MBP's, I am upping my level of hate for this keyboard about 18 notches. I've been typing for over 50 years and have had a variety of Mac keyboards over the years but this is the first POS where there are typos in virtually every goddamned word in every sentence due to this keyboard. Hard to explain why it's so bad, only that it is and that I am seriously considering, and I mean this quite literally, taking an 8 lb. sledge hammer to this and then sending it back to Apple. It'd be worth a couple of grand just for the satisfaction.


Jul 23, 2019 at 02:29 PM
Sharona
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


Peter Figen wrote:
Don't forget that all of these new models only have USB-C ports and even with adapters, they don't play nice with tethering cameras, which are mostly USB3. I have several types of adapters because none of them work reliably. And after typing on this new one for the last week as I wait for a new keyboard for one of my older MBP's, I am upping my level of hate for this keyboard about 18 notches. I've been typing for over 50 years and have had a variety of Mac keyboards over the years but this is the first
...Show more

How well do they play with exterior monitors? Thanks




Jul 23, 2019 at 03:46 PM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


Exterior monitors. No problem. Just plug 'em in. Of course you need the right cable.


Jul 23, 2019 at 03:56 PM
Arka
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


The keyboards on the post 2015 MacBooks really are the worst. Wait for that to change.


Aug 03, 2019 at 01:52 AM
yelloguy2
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


Typing this on a 15" Macbook Pro with touchbar - I could not agree more on how bad the keyboard is.

I have a 13" 2014 MBP for photos and I like the keyboard much better.

On the external monitors, USB-C is a bliss. Since it carries power from the monitor to the laptop, you are left with one less cable on your desk. Small, but significant change, IMHO.



Aug 05, 2019 at 06:34 PM
Arka
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Time to upgrade my old Macbook Air?


yelloguy2 wrote:
Typing this on a 15" Macbook Pro with touchbar - I could not agree more on how bad the keyboard is.

I have a 13" 2014 MBP for photos and I like the keyboard much better.

On the external monitors, USB-C is a bliss. Since it carries power from the monitor to the laptop, you are left with one less cable on your desk. Small, but significant change, IMHO.


The keyboards are actually terrible enough that Apple is rumored to be ditching them (after three efforts to make them more durable and extending keyboard warranties to 4 years) and introducing a sane keyboard design this year.

It's really shocking to me how Apple could go in one generation from having one of the best keyboards in the business to the absolute worst. As if the pre-2016 MacBook keyboards needed a redesign! In my experience, Apple's had amazing keyboards on their computers ever since the Titanium Powerbook! These post-2016 designs are a peculiar aberration that Apple has peculiarly doubled down one, even as Apple's own employees complain about how their clickety-clack echo in even Apple's loud "open office" plans while markedly increasing errors in typing even after one grows accustomed to them (as I have).

I refuse to pay any of my own money for a new MacBook until this terrible keyboard goes away (and the touchbar too... sheesh that was a horrible idea).



Aug 06, 2019 at 10:21 PM





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