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Need to replace laptop. Macbook Air vs Macbook Pro (15"/14", M5, 24GB 1TB)?
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Date: September 16th, 2026 10:08 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater The Pro is about $350 more.
For those who have used both, is the Pro worth the extra cost?
What differences did you actually notice in day-to-day use?
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Date: September 16th, 2026 10:09 AM Author: At-the-ready toilet seat institution i have an air and it's great for normie shit. are you making audio/visual stuff? downloading massive files? if not, hard to justify the pro. i'd rather have the extra inch on the air than performance stuff i'm not going to notice. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137580) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 10:14 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater Which Air do you have?
The main reason I’m considering the Pro is the fan. My current Air gets ridiculously hot. I usually have a ton of stuff open: Microsoft 365, spreadsheets, video calls, Chrome with 20+ tabs, etc. |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:58 AM Author: At-the-ready toilet seat institution m4 15" (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137793) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 2:15 PM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater Do you use it heavily? Does it get hot?
How much RAM does yours have? I'm considering 24GB and wondering if the fan in the Pro might be more than I actually need with that much RAM. |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 2:12 PM Author: Primrose learning disabled field lol I keep hearing this about the M4/M5 macs (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138187) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 2:16 PM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater Yeah but depends on the amount of RAM. If it has 24GB+ then you might not need to worry that much. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138213) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:01 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137649) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:03 AM Author: stirring jap market my son has the air and i have a pro
i feel like the extra $ are worth it, but its probably marginal for an average user |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:27 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater Describe the difference to make the extra $ worth it. ty (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137715) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 2:14 PM Author: stirring jap market better battery life mainly. also, more of a subjective factor, but it feels more solid. in any case, i'm not sweating an extra $400 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138200) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:28 AM Author: transparent karate why replace it? my laptop is macbook air from 2019 and it is getting really sluggish, might be time soon (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137717) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:28 AM Author: appetizing tripping box office windowlicker macbook pro, baby (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137720) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:40 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater I like how everyone responds without explaining jack shit. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137752) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:49 AM Author: appetizing tripping box office windowlicker I just wanted to insinuate that you're a huge fucking faggot low energy bitch (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137777) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 6:22 PM Author: irradiated elite locale useless brakes https://youtu.be/qwb_McI74rY?t=12 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138660) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 7:04 PM Author: appetizing tripping box office windowlicker this is what I imagine all macintosh users look like (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138768) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:35 AM Author: indigo marvelous gaping circlehead Get the pro with maxed out ram. It's great for running local ai models. Otherwise get the air with extra HD because its lighter. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137737) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:44 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater Currently have the Macbook Air M1 from 2020. I need a bigger screen, more RAM and more storage. So Macbook Air M5, 15", 24GB, 1TB seems TCR.
However, Macbook Pro M5, 14" with the same specs is just $350 higher in price. Trying to decide if those $350 will ever be of use before those 24GB and 1 TB run out in ~5 years.
How many AI models do you run at once? I'm running just 2. |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:42 AM Author: aromatic church coldplay fan I ordered both and kept the pro. Air definitely feels much lighter and more portable if you care about that. I ended up going with the pro because I use it to record music and wanted the extra processing power, I wanted the biggest screen possible and you get an extra inch, and I like having a dedicated hdmi port for court instead of using a dongle (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137760) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:48 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater So you record music professionally?
Did you get the Macbook Pro M5, 16"? How many GB in Ram and Storage?
Total price? |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 6:14 PM Author: aromatic church coldplay fan No im just in a band as a hobby. Professionally I do law (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138648) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:57 AM Author: At-the-ready toilet seat institution it's funny how they badger you into it by offering a 14" pro, a 15" air, and a 16" pro. why no 16" air or 15" pro? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137789) |
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Date: September 21st, 2026 12:29 PM Author: scholarship 16” air would’ve made the decision harder. Air is definitely better for poasting and light work on the couch (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50147275) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 11:55 AM Author: umber dashing puppy forum Get an ipad pro. Better oled screen and can do everything (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50137785) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 2:11 PM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138182) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 3:49 PM Author: abusive hairraiser principal's office I have a pro; wife has airbook. Pro has more ports and display is a bit better. Probably worth $350 difference, but airbook is perfectly fine and thinner and lighter though slightly bigger screen. Can’t tell any performance difference. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138435) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 3:52 PM Author: stirring jap market need that HDMI PORT for hooking up to the TV (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138444) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 4:14 PM Author: umber dashing puppy forum https://www.apple.com/shop/product/mw5m3am/a/usb-c-digital-av-multiport-adapter (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138457) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 6:54 PM Author: Primrose learning disabled field $70 and it's not even Thunderbolt? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138732) |
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Date: September 17th, 2026 11:27 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater The Pro has a fan. Wondering if it helps at all. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50139990) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 7:47 PM Author: diverse abnormal gas station have to get the pro pro for the nice oled screen. pro chip on pro model (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138869) |
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Date: September 16th, 2026 8:22 PM Author: appetizing tripping box office windowlicker dassa pro terr (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50138952) |
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Date: September 17th, 2026 5:44 AM Author: walnut multi-colored feces Get a MacBook Air unless you're using it to code or run ai models or edit video
Even then I'd still get an air and use it to harness a headless Mac Studio for anything heavy |
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Date: September 17th, 2026 11:26 AM Author: diverse abnormal gas station my pro feels like an ancient alien device. I could literally beat you to death with it (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50139985) |
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Date: September 17th, 2026 11:26 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater Get the Air simply because it's ~$350 cheaper or the Pro not worth the $350+?
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Date: September 17th, 2026 11:28 AM Author: diverse abnormal gas station get a used m3 pro pro for like $1300 on amazon. these niggers are coping with their faggy "air" model. that is something u buy for your wife to do OF (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50139992) |
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Date: September 17th, 2026 11:32 AM Author: lemon cracking address volcanic crater I need 24GB Ram and 1T Storage. For $1300 you get 8GB Ram and 250 GB.
This is the exact reason I'm replacing the one I have now. |
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Date: September 17th, 2026 12:10 PM Author: diverse abnormal gas station i copped a 1T with 18gb RAM for 1300 last month nigga (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50140131) |
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Date: September 17th, 2026 12:12 PM Author: diverse abnormal gas station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW4GNV69
maybe it was 1400 |
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Date: September 20th, 2026 8:29 AM Author: cowkebe I'm cool spending $1k more if it buys me several additional years of useful life + superior performance.
Two scenarios:
1. Spend $2,500 on a higher-spec machine: If it gives me ~8 years of useful life, I'd buy two over 16 years = $5,000 total. I'm getting substantially more RAM/storage/performance and fewer years spent fighting the machine.
2. Spend $1,500 on a lower-spec machine: If it gives me ~4-5 years of useful life, I'd need three machines over 15 years = $4,500 total. And if I’m already running into RAM/storage/performance limitations after a couple of years, I'm not really getting 5 years of equivalent use out of each machine.
The first machine will not only last longer, it will be nice to use and has a ton of perks for only around $500 more in 15 years, so why go cheap? I literally speak from experience after having bought some cheap shit I regretted. |
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Date: September 21st, 2026 12:45 PM Author: TurboGrafx-67 My m3 air has 24gb ram and 2tb and was like $1300 new from microcenter (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50147300) |
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Date: September 21st, 2026 1:59 PM Author: cowkebe Did you get it right before the launch of the M4? It's hard to believe you got 24GB and 2TB for barely $1300 unless you got it recently or it's refurbished.
I don't want to worry about laptops for at least 6 years. I found one that's around $2800 but will give me a ton of shit:
Macbook Pro M5, 32GB, 1TB, Nanotexture. This should guarantee I won't deal with any shit for at least 6-7 years.
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Date: September 21st, 2026 10:54 PM Author: TurboGrafx-67 Yeah it was a clearance special the week of m4 release (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5904229&forum_id=2�id.#50148667) |
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Date: September 21st, 2026 12:56 PM Author: michael doodikoff I have the air 15".
ended up also getting an air 13" for travel.
Both are great and I don't see a point in the pro these days. The silicon chip "air" smokes audio performance with intense plugins.
Taking abuse. |
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Date: September 21st, 2026 2:10 PM Author: cowkebe You don't see the point of getting the Pro? But you don't have one and never did, so how would you know?
I use my Air the way I use my kitchen. I want to be cooking five things at the same time. If it's a small kitchen, you're fucked. You have to finish the first thing because there's no room for the other four.
With a big kitchen, you can have everything out and not worry about space.
If I have 20+ tabs, video calls, Microsoft 365, a ton of spreadsheets, plus WhatsApp, Slack, Teams... do I really need to be closing shit so everything else can run?
With my current laptop, I reached a point where video calls started freezing, or I'd miss part of the conversation because I had too many tabs open. I had to start closing them. That's a waste of time and productivity.
So IDGAF. I'm getting a top-of-the-line fucking machine. |