8GB M1 Macbook Air for computer science students?
Summary
TLDRThe script discusses whether an M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD is sufficient for computer science students learning to code. The author shares personal experiences with older hardware and emphasizes that current MacBooks far exceed the performance of their predecessors. They advise students to start with their current laptops, explore coding, and upgrade only when they know their specific needs. The author also touches on the cost of convenience and the importance of not overspending on specs that may not be necessary for most programming tasks.
Takeaways
- 😀 The base model M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD is sufficient for computer science students learning to code.
- 🔧 The speaker's personal experience suggests that older laptops with similar specs were adequate for early development work.
- 🚀 Current MacBook models significantly outperform the older laptops used by the speaker during their initial learning phase.
- 🤔 It's recommended to try coding on an existing laptop before investing in a new one to avoid unnecessary expenses.
- 📚 The choice of programming language or platform might influence the need for a new or upgraded laptop.
- 💡 For new programmers, the base model M1 MacBook Air can be a good starting point.
- 🛠 As experience grows, the need for more RAM or storage might arise due to tasks like running multiple virtual machines.
- 💾 The M1 MacBook's memory swapping feature can help when RAM is insufficient by using part of the SSD as RAM.
- 💰 The cost of convenience is a consideration; upgrading RAM and storage on MacBooks can be expensive.
- 💻 The speaker's current setup includes a 14-inch MacBook Pro with 32GB RAM and 1TB storage for video editing, which may be overkill for most programmers.
- 📈 The decision to upgrade should be based on clear needs and desired outcomes in one's programming journey.
Q & A
Is an M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD suitable for computer science students learning to code?
-Yes, the base model M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD can be enough for new programmers, but as they gain experience, they may want to run multiple virtual machines or manage memory usage more efficiently.
What was the speaker's experience with an older Windows laptop with similar specifications?
-The speaker used an older Windows laptop with 8GB RAM and a 256GB hard drive (not an SSD) to build websites and applications for about two years, which indicates that such specifications were sufficient for learning and early development work.
Why might a student consider upgrading their laptop after starting to code?
-A student might consider upgrading if they find the need to run multiple virtual machines, manage memory usage more efficiently, or if they are tired of transferring files from external hard drives due to limited internal storage.
What is the speaker's opinion on the performance of current base MacBook Pros or MacBook Airs compared to older models?
-The speaker believes that current base MacBook Pros or MacBook Airs significantly outperform the older models they used to learn on, in every possible way, including processing power and storage speed.
What is the speaker's advice for someone who is unsure about their future in coding or the type of development they want to pursue?
-The speaker advises to start coding with the laptop one already has and only upgrade when they know what they want to do and why they need it, to avoid paying for performance they may never use.
Why might a student not want to invest heavily in a high-spec laptop at the beginning of their coding journey?
-Investing heavily in a high-spec laptop at the start may not be necessary because a student's interests and needs might change as they explore different programming languages, stacks, and tools.
What is the M1 MacBook's memory swapping feature and how can it help users with limited RAM?
-The M1 MacBooks have a memory swapping feature that treats some of the SSD storage space as RAM when the physical RAM is insufficient, which can help users manage memory usage in a pinch.
What are the potential downsides of having a lower-spec machine for coding?
-Downsides of a lower-spec machine include the need to manage memory usage, limit the number of open applications and Chrome tabs, and possibly relying on external hard drives for storing source files.
What is the speaker's personal preference for RAM and storage when it comes to their own MacBook Pro?
-The speaker personally prefers at least 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for their MacBook Pro, especially for video editing tasks.
What is the speaker's view on the cost of convenience when it comes to upgrading MacBook specs?
-The speaker acknowledges that while they appreciate the convenience of upgrades, they also criticize Apple for the high costs associated with upgrading RAM and storage.
What alternative device is mentioned in the script for those who might be tempted to code on an iPad?
-The script suggests watching a specific video for insights on why coding on an iPad may not be a good idea, implying that a traditional laptop might be a better choice for coding.
Outlines
💻 Adequacy of Base M1 MacBook Air for Coding Beginners
The script discusses whether an M1 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD is sufficient for computer science students learning to code. The author shares personal experience as a front-end web developer using older hardware and emphasizes that current base MacBook models significantly outperform their predecessors. The author advises new programmers to start with what they have and upgrade only after they determine their specific needs and interests in software development. The script also touches on the potential need for more advanced specifications as one gains experience, such as running multiple virtual machines or managing extensive storage needs.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡M1 MacBook Air
💡RAM
💡SSD Storage
💡Coding
💡Front-end Web Developer
💡Software Development
💡Virtual Machines
💡Memory Swapping
💡Performance
💡Affordability
💡Upgrade
Highlights
Base model M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD is considered for computer science students learning to code.
The speaker's personal experience with older hardware and learning to code effectively.
Comparison of past laptops to current MacBooks, emphasizing the significant performance improvement.
The importance of trying out coding with existing laptops before upgrading.
The possibility of discovering preferred programming languages or platforms before investing in new hardware.
Affordability advice for beginners starting to code without spending excessively on high-spec laptops.
The M1 MacBook Air's capability to handle basic programming needs for most people.
Potential need for more experienced programmers to run multiple virtual machines or manage memory usage more efficiently.
The M1 MacBook's memory swapping feature that treats part of the SSD storage as RAM.
The trade-off between the cost of convenience and the necessity of upgrades for certain users.
Personal preference for higher RAM and storage for specific needs like video editing.
The speaker's recommendation to determine specific needs before upgrading hardware.
The idea that for most people, the base model M1 MacBook Air is sufficient for programming without the need for high-end specs.
The notion that paying a premium for extra performance may not be worth it for the average programmer.
A suggestion to explore coding on an iPad and a reference to a related video.
Transcripts
is the base model m1 macbook air with
eight gigabytes of ram and 256 gigabytes
of ssd storage enough for computer
science students learning to code i get
asked this question several times a week
so here's my opinion around nine years
ago i was a fledgling front-end web
developer learning javascript html and
css and i even tried some c-sharp i was
using an older windows laptop with eight
gigabytes of ram 256 gigabytes of a hard
drive and it wasn't even an ssd hard
drive i built websites and applications
with that laptop for about two years
before i ended up getting my first
macbook pro which was actually a
hand-me-down and that worked fine for me
until i was able to finally afford to
buy my own newer macbook pro were these
laptops good enough for software
development absolutely were they amazing
and perfect nope they were not i had to
manage the number of tabs that i could
have open in chrome same goes for
software but i was able to get by before
i get into why you would want to upgrade
i want you to stop and think about a
couple of things first any of the base
macbook pros or macbook airs that are
being offered right now just completely
stop and crush the performance of those
laptops that i first learned on many
years ago they completely blow them away
in every possible way okay maybe not
every possible way those were the years
when you were still able to at least
upgrade your own ram and hard drives and
laptops if you wanted to if you're
learning to code and you already have a
laptop just try that one first maybe
you're going to end up deciding that ios
development is something that you want
to do and it makes sense to get a new
macbook or perhaps you end up really
liking c sharp or you want to write
software for a windows operating system
or you become a linux junkie there's no
point in dumping tons of money into a
laptop spec out for work that you may
not do get your feet wet coding and then
once you know what you actually want to
do then make the upgrade until then if
you don't already have a laptop maybe
consider just getting something
affordable to get started but if you
have to have a macbook then for most
people the base model m1 macbook air
with the 8 gigabytes of ram and 256
gigabytes of storage can be enough for
new programmers however you might find
that as you get more experience that you
want or need to run multiple virtual
machines or you just don't want to waste
time having to manage your memory usage
or how many chrome tabs that you have
open or applications that you have open
or you're just getting tired of having
to
transfer files back and forth from
external hard drives because that's
where you're having to store your source
files that just kind of comes with
having a lower spec machine now if you
do run out of ram the m1 macbooks will
do memory swapping and will treat some
of your ssd storage space as ram which
can be super helpful and it can help you
in a pinch unless you're using most of
that storage for things like virtual
machines at a certain point you have to
consider the cost of convenience i mean
i'm a really huge fan of macbooks but i
do hate how apple gouges when it comes
to upgrading your ram and storage that
said i am fortunate enough to be in a
place financially where i can pay for
the convenience of upgrades for me
personally i won't go with anything less
than 16 gigabytes of ram and 512
gigabytes of storage especially the ram
upgrade i could make do with less but
that is my bare minimum now i also do
video editing so my current macbook pro
is the 14 inch with 32 gigabytes of ram
and one terabyte of storage but i did
not make that upgrade until i knew
exactly what i wanted and what i needed
and why for most people i think this
would be overkill for programming there
are so many different scenarios and
programming languages and stacks and
tools that i can't definitively say
whether one model is going to be enough
for you you have to decide for yourself
but the best advice i can give you is to
use what you already have until you know
what you want and why you need it and
then make the upgrade so you don't pay a
ton of money for performance you may
never use for most people paying the
premium for the extra 10 to 20 of
performance isn't worth it also if
you're tempted to code on an ipad then
you should check out this video up here
and find out why that may not be a good
idea
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