Hey everyone! I'm a longtime Linux user who has recently switched to macOS for a bit more stability in my life as I'm starting a family. I've got a hackintosh setup on my HP Elitebook G6, but with Apple moving away from Intel chips, I'm looking for a long-term solution. I've found some second-hand M1 MacBook Airs from 2020 at decent prices, and I'm considering one for my personal projects. I typically work with modern full-stack technologies like Docker, FastAPI, and Next.js, and I'm trying to figure out if the 8GB RAM model is enough for my needs or if I should be hunting for the 16GB version. Would love to hear your thoughts!
6 Answers
I think the M1 Air will serve you well! By the time your projects demand more power, you’ll probably be ready to upgrade anyway. Don’t worry too much about it, it’s a good problem to have when you outgrow your machine!
Consider the specs carefully. The M1 is decent but I'd steer clear of 8GB/256GB versions. A 16GB/512GB setup is more realistic if you plan to run multiple environments. Or consider a different machine that allows for upgrades!
Honestly, if you're doing a lot of dev work, a MacBook Pro would be a better investment for you in the long run.
Your x64 machine isn’t obsolete if it's still doing the job! I switched from an M1 to an M2 and it’s definitely faster for bigger projects. But if you've got under a 1000 files, it shouldn’t be an issue.
My x64 still runs solid, but I'm worried about long-term support. That's why I’m looking for a proper macOS machine.
It really depends on what you're developing. If it’s just frontend stuff, any machine will do, but once you start adding Docker and other dev environments, 8GB might become a bottleneck. I'd recommend getting as much RAM as you can afford—it’ll save you headaches down the road.
I’ve got an M1 Pro with 8GB RAM and I often find myself short on memory, especially with resource-heavy apps. So yeah, I’d say try to aim for the 16GB model if you can swing it.
Same here! I have the same specs and RAM is always tight. More RAM is definitely the way to go!
Thanks for the reassurance! I'm leaning towards the M1 since I don't expect huge projects just yet.