Is 256Gb Enough Macbook Air
For most users, 256 GB will be plenty of storage. But when it comes to laptops, more storage is always better, especially for power-consuming tasks. If you think you might need more than 256 GB of storage, it might be worth upgrading to a MacBook Air with more storage capacity.
YouTube channel Max Tech confirmed the basic Air models storage setup is the exact same one found in the M2-powered 13-inch base MacBook Pro, which is also plagued by slower storage. The higher-end 16-inch MacBook Pro starts with 512GB, which you can bump up to 8TB storage. Apples latest MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro both start at 256GB of basic SSD storage–twice the amount some earlier generations had–and are priced similarly.
The MacBook Airs entry-level chips begin with 256GB, with options for 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, and its higher-end alternatives come in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations. Apples latest MacBook Air, for example, can be configured with 256GB or 512GB of storage, and getting the higher-capacity model will set you back another $200–that is a lot. You see, at that same price, you could either move up from 8GB to 16GB of solid-state storage, or go from 256GB to 512GB of SSD storage. Keep memory at 8GB, keep storage at 256GB; unless you have a particular need for more of one of these, either one should suffice.
If you are also working with images or videos, 256GB might not be enough for your needs. For instance, if you only need to make notes and keep some documents and other files, then 256GB is likely to be enough. Truth is, 256GB will be more than enough storage space for an average user, and maybe for even a little bit of professional work.
If you are using your computer mostly for Internet surfing, you could probably get away with using 80% of this 256GB of storage. If you have just 256GB of storage space to play with, then your MacBook is going to fill up really fast. You will likely have to upgrade the laptop at some point, but 256GB is more than sufficient for holding all that you will need for now.
| MacBook Models | Storage |
| MacBook Airs | The MacBook Airs entry-level chips begin with 256GB, with options for 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, and its higher-end alternatives come in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations |
| MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro | Apples latest MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro both start at 256GB of basic SSD storage |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro | The higher-end 16-inch MacBook Pro starts with 512GB, which you can bump up to 8TB storage |
| MacBook Air M2 | The new MacBook Air M2 uses a new higher-density NAND, which provides 256GB of storage using just one chip |
If you are a business student who needs a laptop to take classes and do research, 256GB SSD is plenty of room for you. If you are planning on using your laptop also for gaming or other intensive applications that require lots of space, then 256GB SSD may not be enough. If you are looking to use this laptop as a gaming machine, or you enjoy having all of your favorite music and movies available at any given moment, then the 256GB may not be enough for you.
If you are using the laptop just to browse the Web, send emails, and play some light games, 256GB or 512GB is enough. If you really need more storage, you can augment the drive with an external hard drive, or install an SSD into the available slots in your laptop. Laptops that ship with an SSD typically come with only 128GB or 256GB of storage, which is plenty of room for all of your programs and a fair amount of data. While Apple has made sure all models of the iMac and MacBook come with a 256GB SSD as standard, do not let this fool you.
If you’re interested in Last Macbook Pro With Upgradeable Ram, take a look at my other article
Similar to the MacBook lineup, 4K iMacs also ship with 256GB SSDs as standard, however, the standard 1080p versions can be replaced with only a significantly slower, 1TB HDD. The first Retina MacBook Pro, released in 2012, also came with a 256GB SSD as standard. If you are looking to purchase a brand-new MacBook or iMac at Apples stores, you can, of course, buy the device with the upgraded SSD.
If you are buying any MacBook model (whether that is a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro) and plan on using it as your main machine, purchase one that has over 256GB of storage. Yet, if you were to go on Apples website today and attempt to purchase either the MacBook Air or the MacBook, the base models would still only have 256GB of storage — which is still how much they had back in 2012.
The new MacBook Air M2 uses a new higher-density NAND, which provides 256GB of storage using just one chip. While 256GB SSD tests can reveal differences from previous generations, these M2-based systems are still faster in real-world tasks. The Verge tested flash storage performance on both 256GB and 512GB M2 base models of the new MacBook Air using Blackmagics Disk Speed Test application. Apple disputes that assertion, saying that the new NAND chips used in the M2 MacBook Air are fast enough to deliver better real-world performance compared with earlier models when accessing the SSD.
Despite this, the controversy over the 256GB has obviously caused a lot of people to wonder if they should be upgrading storage instead of the solid-state drive when making the purchase journey for an M2 MacBook Air. With the 2020 MacBook Air, however, Apple has finally upgraded the base-level storage options from 128GB to 256GB solid-state drives, a much-overdue update.
If you’re interested in Battery Going Down While Charging Iphone 6, take a look at my other article
Since I have never recommended going for Apples least expensive device models, the 256GB option is now gone. An extra $200 is not much money in the grand scheme of buying a new MacBook, so I would advise ALWAYS avoiding the base model with 256GB, and opting either for the 512GB model, or, if finances permit, for the 1TB model. The MacBook Pro or MacBook Air with a 1TB drive is going to cost you a bit more, obviously, but if you are going to use your machine for an extended period of time — five to eight years, at most — then paying extra and getting a 1TB SSD is more than worthwhile.
I am writing this piece now on a 2014 5K iMac, after seven years, and the iMac is still running just fine, and I have around 400GB left on its 1TB SSD – or, put another way, almost twice as much storage as the newest base MacBook Pro or Air comes with. The reality is, for most people who do not have (or expect to have) tons of photos, videos, video games, or locally stored music that cannot easily be pushed into the cloud, or onto a backup drive, then 256GB of storage is likely going to be plenty. Unlike the M2 chips, the M2 uses only a single NAND chip to build its 256GB storage capacity (the M1 chips used two).
Is Apple going to stop selling the MacBook Air M1?
Apple will keep the M1 model in stock so that it may continue to be purchased for $999 while the new M2 MacBook Air has a starting price of $1199. Apple revealed at WWDC 2022 that the M1 variant’s price and configuration options will remain at $999 alongside the brand-new, M2-powered MacBook Air.
Is 256GB a lot of storage for a laptop?
Whereas many individuals may get by with 256 GB of memory, gamers will want far more. The majority of professionals advise getting at least 512 GB of space if you just intend to install a few games, while 1TB is required if you want to load numerous AAA titles.
Is 256GB in MacBook Air enough?
Since you’re purchasing a MacBook (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, etc.) and want to utilize it as your primary computer, you should choose a version with a greater capacity than 256 gigabytes. Within a few years, you’ll be grateful that you even doubled the internal capacity to 512 gigabytes.