I think so, just make sure it’s the 10th gen i5
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Yes.
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I would get the MBP13 2020
It has much better air dissipation against heat- it is also more powerful with a very small difference in price
$300-400 more, but yeah a pretty substantial upgrade for that.
I think the $400 is worth investing
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I just purchased an MBA with an intel i5 on sale, going to use it for lightweight recording and escaping the windows world while being creative. Hoping to get at least 5 years out of it but now wondering if it will be relevant that long with the new M1?
why not? it can still do what it can do
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But will the software and drivers still support intel hardware over the next years?
I think we have at least another 2-3 years of software updates for intel/universal.
So in 5 years, if you’re okay with running two year old software, and no hardware that requires the most recent drivers, you should be fine. For example, I’m on a 2015 iMac running Mojave in the studio and aside from some recent NI and PA plug-ins, nothing I have installed is less than 2 years old on it. The audio interface didn’t need to be updated because I didn’t update it to Catalina.
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For the next years for shure. But when you want to make it a recording device just make it work once and stick to the config…
If there is no heavy lifting to be done, dont feel bad for not going M1. Use the Intel. It really can do absolutly everything you need. Only if you you are going to need real power then you might think of upgrading. But you would be surprised what you can do with an I5 and Ableton.
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I traded my 2018 6-core 15 inch for the new 13 inch M1, and I am in love. This is the best computer I’ve ever owned.
That’s crazy. I’m think of doing the same with my 2017 tbh. Can you comment on CPU performance in audio apps?
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to test it with all my plugins yet. I’m just so impressed with the amazing battery life, how snappy browsing the web is, how much better the keyboard feels, and how much more I prefer the 13 in form factor.
I’m a fan of the Touch Bar; I’d rather have it than not. The display is beautiful, and the speakers sound better too.
awesome. let us know how you go once you fire up a few plugs
Macbook air 13 m1 here. What do you want to know? Its fast. Im running logic and ableton. Logic runs native ableton through rosetta 2. you won‘t recognize it.
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Been doing music with my 16" 2020 MBP yesterday and this was so unbearable - the fans are louder than my music. Guess now is the time to sell it…
Do all plugins work on your end? Is AU native by nature by the way or is it also handled by rosetta 2?
I’m in the market for a new laptop and am pretty torn between an M1 macbook or a Lenovo T14 with the AMD 4750U. I’m really used to the ThinkPad form factor and enjoy the compatibility of windows but… honestly windows is garbage, and these new macbooks just seem incredibly futuristic in terms of power, battery life and industrial design. Decisions 
Can not speak for all Plugins. Native Instruments seem to work, Abletons work, and Logic all work. AU is not native by Nature. Just the Logic ones.
yeah fans indeed are a big problem. therefor I choose the new Air just to be shure 
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I would not go Windows for Music Production. And now with the new M1 Stuff I would choose Mac over Windows anytime. Look at every single Review. But in the End you can make Music with almost every Pc or Laptop there is.
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