Bought mine in 2020 and decided to go with Intel. Still works at 3 yrs and 9 months. Sucks tho if they will cut the support in just one or 2 yrs while the M1 sold on the same year will get more than 2 yrs of OS update. :/ I am planning to keep mine for up to 6-7 yrs since it’s a lot of hassle changing laptops and I use mine for work.
Still using mine for work and for occasional gaming. I also noticed that so I just use an external screen at times at clamshell mode. So far it still works and I hate reinstalling everything. Lol I even upgraded my phone and haven’t done that much transfer since I don’t use icloud so much. Will keep my laptop as long as it can function for my work needs.
It is slower than my Mom's iPhone 7. There's no reason to use this MacBook other than school projects. It even runs hot and uses the fan at high RPMs when viewing a normal 1080p video on Safari. I wouldn't consider that a pro-workload, when my 12yo TV and 15yo laptop can do that. There is something fundamentally wrong with this laptop, besides the unexisting heatsink. The RAM management and speed on this device is truly incredible, and the SSD is insanely fast at both read and write speeds, but the CPU and GPU are simply ridiculous, even with a good-ish power management. It is inexcusable for Apple to have released this in 2020 when the M1 was coming right up. It's been almost 4 years and to this day I still feel so goddamn stupid for not doing enough research about the upcoming M-Series... I would advise anyone against this laptop, unless you just need a 200€ computer just so you can do the upmost basic tasks, like looking up a recipe or writing a document. Even with the pre-installed office it struggles to have any graphics "intensive" task performed. I can't run Zoom on it, otherwise the other person will hear my fan, and I can't even make a (Power Point) presentation on the pre-installed Slides app, using on of its (again, pre-installed) "Dynamic Themes". Unless you're a very off-age-specific-target, I wouldn't recommend this device, at all. For what you'll be doing, just get a chromebook. This laptop even struggles opening MacOS's emoji tab... It is just not for anyone that won't be running Linux. Oh, and if you're thinking of running Windows on it, steer clear from Windows 10, or you'll find slowdown and high-fan-activity even by just booting up. It's a no-go, unless truly necessary.
@@lopesmorrenofim Thanks for your perspective - it sounds like you've genuinely struggled with it. Anything more than the very basics seems to be too much for the base model - but it's genuinely confusing because the SSD is fast and the RAM should be enough for the basics? I guess it comes down to the i3 low power CPU.
@@zircoben Yeah, while the CPU really really struggles, I think it’s major problem is not having heat pipes, piling up the CPU’s *AND* the GPU’s generated heat. Both *really* weak pieces of hardware, held back even more by its poor thermal performance. I have still to try the heatpad mod, to see how much it improves performance, but I think it’s just a bad device altogether. nonetheless, I think everyone should steer clear of this device, unless it’s the only option available. I also have yet to try Linux, but windows won’t work properly.
I just purchased one for $30😅. Had infinite boot load . Fixed it and was considering selling but think I’ll just keep it and use it for work related stuff on the go .
Hi Ben! For $250,00 worth it? I found one on eBay Which’s better: i3 or i5? I will use it all day in college. My use it’s only for basics tasks: e-mail, documents, RUclips, Netflix… I pretend stay with it around 5 years, upgrading the software with OCLP I would like get Air M1, but I live in Brazil, here it’s overpriced. My options are MacBook Air 2017 or MacBook Air 2020 Intel (I don’t like the butterfly keyboard)
Hi Luiz! The 2020 is definitely better than the 2017 all around, even if it’s 2020 i3 vs 2017 i5. My one concern with the 2020 is that it’ll probably only get support for another year, because open core won’t get any more support after Apple kills support for Intel macs
How well Does it hold, if compared to a macbook air 8gb the bae model, i have been looking between these two options in the second hand market, and these are quite similarly priced, i use my 2012 upgraded ssd and ram to 16gb not so frequently but occasional use for editing videos mostly in 1080p and sometimes iphone 12 4k 60fps videos under a minute, serves me well, only while exporting the fans kick in, when i came across my friends 2019 16 inches i9, i got mesmerized by the screen size the speaker quality and the humongous track pad, didn’t get to extensively use the 16 inches but the time had kinda fell in love especially with the modern design, m1 are fast and battery back up is amazing for sure, but the the 13 inch screen is kind of asking me to stop and rethink my decision especially with only 256 gb storage, in the second hand market i am getting a minimum of 1 tb with 32gb ram and 4gb radeon graphics, as per my workflow, do you think it is worth it to sacrifice these perks for a machine that is sure future proof but to what extent, i do have to sacrifice a beautiful 16 inches 1tb storage and the amazing speaker, i do not care much of the new os or the perks that come with it, my workflow with the laptop is not that much, half of the time its just sitting on my table idle, which would you recommend for my purpose.
It wasn't even worth it in 2020. Get the M1 released in the same year & save yourself the pain. Surprised there hasn't been a huge lawsuit of angry owners mad at Apple for releasing the M1 just months later!
@@zircoben Makes me feel better cause in Feb 2020 my 2015 MB pro needed a new battery, opted to get it replaced instead of an upgrade cause 5 years for £1k machine felt like a rip off. If I had upgraded I would've got this so swerved a bullet. Great video, love it when people focus on slightly older tech for reviews which many have. Getting the M2 later this year when the education discounts hit
@@d.b.cooper1 Thanks a ton, bro! You definitely made a great move there - even now on the used market the pricing for the 2015 Pro isn't too far off from this 2020 Air? Those are still really neat machines in their own right too. The M2 will be a real treat for you!
I still have an i3 2020 MBA
LOVE IT STILL! Nice review bro…
Thanks a ton, bro!
Bought mine in 2020 and decided to go with Intel. Still works at 3 yrs and 9 months. Sucks tho if they will cut the support in just one or 2 yrs while the M1 sold on the same year will get more than 2 yrs of OS update. :/ I am planning to keep mine for up to 6-7 yrs since it’s a lot of hassle changing laptops and I use mine for work.
How long does the battery last?
Thank you all for checking out this video! Please let me know below any of your thoughts on the computer!
I have the 2020 Intel Macbook Air and the fan comes on all the time I stream videos lol
Yeah, it's struggling... I'm surprised how quickly the thing has aged!
Still using mine for work and for occasional gaming. I also noticed that so I just use an external screen at times at clamshell mode. So far it still works and I hate reinstalling everything. Lol I even upgraded my phone and haven’t done that much transfer since I don’t use icloud so much. Will keep my laptop as long as it can function for my work needs.
Idk WTH people are doing with theirs and why they’re having so many problems but I love mine. I just don’t try to treat it like a MacBook Pro LOL.
It's still able to do the basics, it's true!
It is slower than my Mom's iPhone 7. There's no reason to use this MacBook other than school projects. It even runs hot and uses the fan at high RPMs when viewing a normal 1080p video on Safari. I wouldn't consider that a pro-workload, when my 12yo TV and 15yo laptop can do that. There is something fundamentally wrong with this laptop, besides the unexisting heatsink. The RAM management and speed on this device is truly incredible, and the SSD is insanely fast at both read and write speeds, but the CPU and GPU are simply ridiculous, even with a good-ish power management.
It is inexcusable for Apple to have released this in 2020 when the M1 was coming right up. It's been almost 4 years and to this day I still feel so goddamn stupid for not doing enough research about the upcoming M-Series...
I would advise anyone against this laptop, unless you just need a 200€ computer just so you can do the upmost basic tasks, like looking up a recipe or writing a document.
Even with the pre-installed office it struggles to have any graphics "intensive" task performed.
I can't run Zoom on it, otherwise the other person will hear my fan, and I can't even make a (Power Point) presentation on the pre-installed Slides app, using on of its (again, pre-installed) "Dynamic Themes".
Unless you're a very off-age-specific-target, I wouldn't recommend this device, at all. For what you'll be doing, just get a chromebook. This laptop even struggles opening MacOS's emoji tab... It is just not for anyone that won't be running Linux.
Oh, and if you're thinking of running Windows on it, steer clear from Windows 10, or you'll find slowdown and high-fan-activity even by just booting up. It's a no-go, unless truly necessary.
@@lopesmorrenofim Thanks for your perspective - it sounds like you've genuinely struggled with it. Anything more than the very basics seems to be too much for the base model - but it's genuinely confusing because the SSD is fast and the RAM should be enough for the basics? I guess it comes down to the i3 low power CPU.
@@zircoben Yeah, while the CPU really really struggles, I think it’s major problem is not having heat pipes, piling up the CPU’s *AND* the GPU’s generated heat. Both *really* weak pieces of hardware, held back even more by its poor thermal performance. I have still to try the heatpad mod, to see how much it improves performance, but I think it’s just a bad device altogether. nonetheless, I think everyone should steer clear of this device, unless it’s the only option available.
I also have yet to try Linux, but windows won’t work properly.
@@lopesmorrenofim Good to know. Thank you for your comment and your perspective!
I just purchased one for $30😅. Had infinite boot load . Fixed it and was considering selling but think I’ll just keep it and use it for work related stuff on the go .
Whoa, awesome find!!! Enjoy it, it's a decent little machine!
Hi Ben!
For $250,00 worth it? I found one on eBay
Which’s better: i3 or i5? I will use it all day in college.
My use it’s only for basics tasks: e-mail, documents, RUclips, Netflix…
I pretend stay with it around 5 years, upgrading the software with OCLP
I would like get Air M1, but I live in Brazil, here it’s overpriced.
My options are MacBook Air 2017 or MacBook Air 2020 Intel
(I don’t like the butterfly keyboard)
Hi Luiz! The 2020 is definitely better than the 2017 all around, even if it’s 2020 i3 vs 2017 i5. My one concern with the 2020 is that it’ll probably only get support for another year, because open core won’t get any more support after Apple kills support for Intel macs
Nice review :)
Thank you!
I've got an i5 2020 MBA 512gb and it is really slow and laggy =/
Yeah, it's doable for the basics, but not much. else :/
How well Does it hold, if compared to a macbook air 8gb the bae model, i have been looking between these two options in the second hand market, and these are quite similarly priced, i use my 2012 upgraded ssd and ram to 16gb not so frequently but occasional use for editing videos mostly in 1080p and sometimes iphone 12 4k 60fps videos under a minute, serves me well, only while exporting the fans kick in, when i came across my friends 2019 16 inches i9, i got mesmerized by the screen size the speaker quality and the humongous track pad, didn’t get to extensively use the 16 inches but the time had kinda fell in love especially with the modern design, m1 are fast and battery back up is amazing for sure, but the the 13 inch screen is kind of asking me to stop and rethink my decision especially with only 256 gb storage, in the second hand market i am getting a minimum of 1 tb with 32gb ram and 4gb radeon graphics, as per my workflow, do you think it is worth it to sacrifice these perks for a machine that is sure future proof but to what extent, i do have to sacrifice a beautiful 16 inches 1tb storage and the amazing speaker, i do not care much of the new os or the perks that come with it, my workflow with the laptop is not that much, half of the time its just sitting on my table idle, which would you recommend for my purpose.
Can this mac run adobe premiere?
I wouldn't try it on here. It would run, but it would struggle a lot!
It wasn't even worth it in 2020. Get the M1 released in the same year & save yourself the pain. Surprised there hasn't been a huge lawsuit of angry owners mad at Apple for releasing the M1 just months later!
Absolutely agreed! The M1 is far and away worth any difference in price that the two laptops hold on the used market these days.
@@zircoben Makes me feel better cause in Feb 2020 my 2015 MB pro needed a new battery, opted to get it replaced instead of an upgrade cause 5 years for £1k machine felt like a rip off. If I had upgraded I would've got this so swerved a bullet. Great video, love it when people focus on slightly older tech for reviews which many have. Getting the M2 later this year when the education discounts hit
@@d.b.cooper1 Thanks a ton, bro! You definitely made a great move there - even now on the used market the pricing for the 2015 Pro isn't too far off from this 2020 Air? Those are still really neat machines in their own right too. The M2 will be a real treat for you!
bought it for $350
Awesome, how has it been?
@@zircoben pretty laggy but its ight
@@yadarann yeah, amazing screen, hardware, but the performance of the i3 isn't great anymore :/
@@zircoben Its doo doo butter no cap
@yadarann is it actually 😭 im looking for a good cheap mac for sixth form