M1 MBA conundrum

[macphanatic]

Pretty much decided that a M1 MBA is sufficient for my needs. Definitely want 16Gb for future proofing. Really want to get the 2TB version to keep all my music and photo library on the drive with room to spare. Looks like the 2TB is pretty much order only.

Going by the Apple store in Delaware this weekend (tax free!). They have a 16Gb/1TB M1 in stock. So tempted. Are there any issues with keeping the Photos library on an external and only connecting it when needed? Don't think it's an issue but just concerned that I'm missing something. I would probably pick up a Thunderbolt 3 external case and NVME drive for the library.

[JPK]

I went with the 16gb/1TB for my MBA.

I bought a dock that had a slot for an SDD card where I keep all my music & photos. I plug in a spinny drive for back ups.

Works good. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085ZM...le?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used to keep all my music with me on my old MBA with one of the flush SD cards. I do with the new MBA had an port for a memory card.

JPK

[jdc]

No issues. For basic use, even in the future, 8 GB is prob sufficient, M1 ram is totally different than the past. But if its in your budget no matter.

For just storing photos, Id say a TB case is overkill. NVMe in a $15 10 GB/s case should plenty fast enough.

How large is your photo library? Have you considered making it all cloud based instead of physically on your drive?

[macphanatic]

jdc wrote:
No issues. For basic use, even in the future, 8 GB is prob sufficient, M1 ram is totally different than the past. But if its in your budget no matter.

For just storing photos, Id say a TB case is overkill. NVMe in a $15 10 GB/s case should plenty fast enough.

How large is your photo library? Have you considered making it all cloud based instead of physically on your drive?

Photo library is well over 500Gb. I've been taking digital photos since early 2000. Later years at much higher megapixel rate. Really wish Photos would make it easy to have multiple libraries different places. I know that you can have multiple libraries but switching between isn't exactly elegant.

The Music and Movies library is even bigger than the Photos. I can off load the movies to my NAS and just sync what I want to take with me.

While I would pay a premium for the extra TB of storage capacity, there is a convenience factor of not needing an external drive when mobile.

[jdc]

Sure makes sense.

But Im gonna ask... do you need all 500 GBs worth of photos with you at all times? Throw them in a Dbox or iCloud and store as "online" only. Still able to access and grab full photos...

I don't use photos, but pretty sure to switch libraries you just hold down option when starting photos and choose whichever library you want. Same for creating a new one.

Same thoughts on the movies one. Do you need access to them all all the time?

Everyones workslfow is diff, I get that, just throwing it out there.

Ive dumped my entire music library and just gone spotify. Their library is 10,000X bigger than mine, and if I know Im not going to be near wifi, I just download some music for offline use. But only MBs, not GBs worth.

[RAMd®d]

They have a 16Gb/1TB M1 in stock. So tempted. Are there any issues with keeping the Photos library on an external and only connecting it when needed?


First, $400 for an extra 1T of storage is a lot of money.

Second, 2T of storage on a 'Book is for the well heeled or someone who absolutely needs to keep a lot of stuff on the 'Book at all times.

Are either of those you?


While I would pay a premium for the extra TB of storage capacity, there is a convenience factor of not needing an external drive when mobile.


I understand paying for convenience – I do it all the time, and after a bit, I never think about the price paid, only the convenience at hand, no regrets.

If you can forgive yourself of paying $400 for convenience, then order the 2T version.

But you can easily store a lot of stuff on an external SSD.

I just got a 1T SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD on BF from B&H, up to 2000Mbps.



There are two cheaper 1T versions, 1000 and 500Mps, though the slower SanDisk is actually $10 more, at the current limited time pricing (5 Dec).

There's a 500G version for $90.

Not as fast as Apple's onboard storage, but more than fast enough for video and pics.

Get a B&H payboo store card and your purchases are 'tax free' since B&H gives you an instant rebate on your order of your state's applicable tax.

Now, you can roll your own for less than the SanDisk offerings, but their form factor is extremely easy to carry, say in a front shirt or pants pocket, or a jacket pocket.

No need for a separate case, and if you have a case for your M1, then so much the better.

And this SSD is pretty light, as light as or lighter than the three or four NVMe cases I have (with an m.2 drive inside) so just hang it off a short cable and you're good to go.

It almost sounds like the cost of that extra TB isn't the issue, it's the wait of ordering vs the siren's song of an in stock 'Book.

Good luck with however you choose to roll.

[Rolando]

That $400 difference will buy a lot of cloud storage for a good while.

OTOH, I keep my Macs for a long time, I can see your concern.

[bhaveshp]

I have my 900 GB photos library running on a USB-C external SSD with my M1 Mac. Works great. I use the same SanDisk linked above (2 TB) instead of rolling my own, but it works well enough. I disconnect the drive when needed.

[sekker]

If you want your photos and music with you as you carry that sweet machine around and can afford it, go for it.

The M1 MBA is really a nice machine - and it will serve you well for years. If you find you want to update down the road, I really think it will hold its value (compared to Intel Macs).

[btfc]

In the past I’ve used and recommended ‘iPhoto Library Manager’.


It has been replaced by ‘PowerPhotos’ which I have not tried.