I’m going to talk about PC specs here, and yes, I have a monster rig. I’m not bragging; I frequently work on video production and graphics, and I need all of that power. That’s how I justify it to myself, anyway.
Last year, I built a PC with an RTX 4070, a 13th Gen i7 processor, and a measly 8TB of internal storage. It’s served me well since, allowing me to produce over 100 videos in that year alone, and hoard so much game capture that I’ll need to add more terabytes pretty soon (note to self).
Never mind, I’m not beating these bragging allegations.
I also have a laptop, which I worked on before that PC – it’s a relatively powerful Razer Blade 15, and it still holds up now with a design that remains sleek compared to the majority of gaming laptops. However, if you’ve ever used gaming laptops, you’ll know the battery life is horrendous, and as sleek as they come, they’ll still be hefty.
So, forget all that; I bought an M4 MacBook Air. Because I’m financially responsible.
Gaming, Productivity, Browsing: I Need It All (Probably)
I’ve been thinking about getting a MacBook for about a year, since I used to have one years ago. I want a slim laptop for travel and ease of use in a coffee shop, or even just working on the sofa instead of my desk without needing to worry about lugging something huge around or plugging it in. It’s not necessary, but let me cope with this mess of a world through my way, i.e., large, frivolous purchases.
Apple’s Silicon chips have been consistently impressive for a few years now, so I had no real hesitation in what I could expect from the M4. I opted for the Air because it’s the ‘cheapest’ (I use that word liberally) and because it’s the smallest, lightest, and easiest to throw in a bag and still manage to do full-scale video production on.
I don’t have an iPhone, an iPad, or an iMac – I’m not at all in Apple’s ecosystem, so this is entirely a standalone device.
Something This Small Shouldn’t Be This Powerful, But I Love It
Even as someone who doesn’t use any other Apple products at the moment, this is easily one of the best devices for portable work without compromising on power, longevity, or just how good it looks. Honestly, despite not having other devices, I love Apple’s product aesthetics.
And while the Air doesn’t have a fan or any method of cooling other than boasting a thin design, it’s kind of a beast when it comes to games, too. I probably wouldn’t recommend long sessions on demanding titles, but the fact that it can handle Resident Evil 4 Remake, Death Stranding, and modded Minecraft is one hell of an accomplishment. I’ll probably just play Balatro or Stardew Valley, though.
Games aside, it’s able to handle significant levels of productivity through Adobe apps like Premiere, Photoshop, and Lightroom, with no trouble multitasking between many of these. The more you do, the quicker the battery will drain and the Air will heat up, but it never really crops up as an issue too often.
Anyway, have I convinced you that it’s a good purchase yet? Have I convinced you that I’ve convinced myself that it’s a good purchase? Maybe.
