Mac Notebook for Traveling

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

If I need something more powerful than an iPad but something I can take with me while traveling for “everyday use”, which Mac notebook should I consider?

 

Mainly web browsing, email, Accordance, Logos, a few work productivity apps (Office, Mellel, etc).

 

Thanks!

[Michael Hunt]

Any one of the apple silicon machines (Air/Pro etc.) would be more than capable. Buying it as a refurbished one is even better.

 

Really the only other thought would be screen size/quality.

 

 

[Kurt O]

I enjoy using Accordance on my iPad, but the workflow seem to work so much better on my MacBook Air and Pro.  The MacBook Airs are light and are excellent for travel.

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

How well do the M-Series MacBook Airs do with screen recording in ScreenFlow? About the only video editing I’d need to do with one would either be ScreenFlow or Camtasia (I wouldn’t need FCP on it).

[Brian W. Davidson]

My M1 Air has done great with ScreenFlow. I edited and exported about 75 videos a couple of summers ago. It was a flawless, painless process on my M1.

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

Good to know. Thanks! With my academic discount, it seems I could get a decent M2 Air in the $1,600 range (with the memory and storage I’d need). That’s not too bad. I don’t want to over-invest since I use a desktop at home most of the time, and my next major investment needs to be another desktop. I just want something that gives me “enough” power for work on-the-go and even decent ScreenFlow video editing (since that would be the extent of my video editing on-the-go) without being overkill. An iPad isn’t enough due to the limitations of iPadOS.

[JonathanHuber]

I love my m2 air. I don’t do video recordings, but everyday tasks that would drive the fans on my old intel air to full speed are a breeze now. Computer doesn’t even get warm and the battery lasts a really long time **. If money is a factor, a refurbished m1 air is a terrific deal. But I quite like the m2 redesign. 

** It’s hard to overstate how impressive the battery life is on these laptops. I was recently traveling for work and everybody else was scrambling to find outlets to plug in their laptops. My m2 air battery lasted for 3 days. If traveling is part of your use case for this computer, you will be very pleased. 

Edited November 21, 2022 by JonathanHuber

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

Great to know about the battery! Buying new wouldn’t be an issue. It’d be probably next spring before I’d need one (just planning ahead), so by then, I’d easily set aside the funds to get one. 

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

Now that I’m working for Accordance, I’ll probably spring for a M2 MacBook Air once I turn in my PhD dissertation. That way I’m ready in the event I need to use Accordance on the go!