What Laptop Should I Choose for Programming and Design?

Any of the M-series MacBook Air models should work well for beginner development tasks. You can easily build websites, write scripts, and more without running into issues, except for really heavy development tasks like large databases or advanced machine learning. I recommend using what you have for as long as you can before upgrading; it saves a ton of money!

I've been using Macs for development for over 20 years, and I can't see myself switching back to Windows. If you're just starting out, the models you're considering should be perfectly fine!

Personally, I think getting as much RAM as possible is key. I upgraded my setup to a 64 GB Mini PC because my 16 GB laptop just couldn't keep up, especially with memory-heavy tasks like Docker and AI tools. For the M-series MacBooks, just pick whichever one feels right for your size and weight preferences, and aim for more RAM if you can!

If you're not specifically limited to x86 architecture, I'd suggest going for the MacBook Air. If you can swing the budget for the 15" with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, that'd be ideal. Just a heads-up, the M2 version has a real requirement for 512GB because the 256GB has slower read/write speeds. The larger screen is also a nice perk; plus, don't forget to check out Apple's refurbished store for savings! Also, if you need to run any OS-specific software, just set up a virtual machine.