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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2019-11-18, 15:14

My 11-year-old(!) workhorse iMac finally gave it up a couple of months ago. I'm on a borrowed 2013 13" MacBook Pro (2.6GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD). I'm eyeing a refurb 2019 MacBook Air with the following specs for $1,269 (and possible the 128GB version, for a bit less):

- Originally released July 2019
- 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Retina Display and True Tone
- 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch
- 16GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
- 256GB PCIe-based SSD1
- 720p FaceTime HD Camera
- Intel UHD Graphics 617

I no longer do heavy-lifting graphics stuff. Just low-level, screen resolution logos/icons/floorplans/cutaways. Any photo-based type stuff is all screen-res RGB (I haven't done the high-resolution CMYK stuff in ages). And I've dropped Adobe and I use Affinity Designer (and will eventually get Photo and maybe Publisher, as I've been so impressed with Designer for what I do/need).

Here are the requirements for Affinity Designer (quite modest):

Hardware
- Mac Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini
- Intel 64-bit Core 2 Duo or better (from 2007)
- 2GB RAM minimum
- 1.27GB of available hard drive space; more during installation
- 1280x768 display size or better
- Supports regular, retina, and expanded gamut DCI-P3 displays

Operating System
- 10.9 Mavericks
- 10.10 Yosemite
- 10.11 El Capitan
- 10.12 Sierra
- 10.13 High Sierra
- 10.14 Mojave
- 10.15 Catalina

(I'm currently on, and like, Mojave...Catalina kinda scares me a little)

I use the online, web-based Sketchup Free occasionally and that's pretty much it for that sort of stuff.

Then a little iMovie and Garageband, and all the other built-in Apple stuff (Safari, iTunes, Mail, Messages, Preview, TextEdit, Contacts, Pages, etc.).

Knowing all this, my current "graphics life", etc. do you foresee any problems with the 2019 MacBook Air as listed above? Affinity Designer wants 2GB of RAM, I'd have 16GB. I imagine iMovie and Garageband must run somewhat okay if they come preinstalled on the MacBook Air?

For years I've had a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo (2007, baby) and an ATi Radeo HD 2600(?) with 256MB RAM and 3GB(!) of overall system RAM (I know, I know)

I know the clock speed on the Air is much lower, but do several generations of processor help offset that any? And the 16GB RAM vs. 3GB?

I need advice because I've never purchased a 1.6GHz machine with integrated graphics, but when I look at the requirements, it seems doable. Again, no high-res heavy-lifting, no high-end/hardcore video or music production (everything I do has always been more than served by the built-in free stuff from Apple). The Affinity titles are the only third-party things I'd have (and the Photo specs are exactly those of Designer).

I'm looking to mind cost, so I'd like to specifically hover around/discuss the Mac I've shown above. I know I can get a more robust 13" notebook, but I'm not 100% sure I need to at this point. But would I be in a hugely rude awakening if I went with the above Air?
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