• Re: On Topic: Road trip with the MacBook Air

    From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Thu May 28 18:07:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/25/26 8:40 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 5/25/26 17:27, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/25/26 8:42 AM, -hh wrote:
    On 5/24/26 21:53, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/23/26 11:52 PM, Alan wrote:
    Oh, look!

    Suddenly, the previous text has been snipped!

    "I'm very happy to have allowed the M series MacBook line to mature >>>>> before making the switch. This computer continues to delight and
    amaze."

    That is an explicit statement that every MacBook prior to the the
    one you purchase wasn't "mature" and couldn't "delight" or "amaze".

    Exactly where did I say that a M1 was a dog of a computer?

    The vs M1 the M4 has a better screen, faster GPU, MagSafe and better
    USB connectivity. If I had bought the M1 I probably would have
    upgraded by now.

    That M1 vs M4 comparison sounds like a reversal of your prior comment:

    "I also said that until the M series Macs the G-series/Intel hardware
    was not an advantage over x86 Windows."


    I saw reviews like this:

    "The transition from the Apple M1 to the M4 brings massive gains in
    processing speed, memory efficiency, and hardware design. For a
    side- by- side comparison of capabilities, see this MacBook Air M4
    vs MacBook Air M1 Review."

    But your above statement indicates that there were massive advantages
    in Intel-to-M1, does it not?




    https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/apple-macbook-air-m4-vs-air-
    m1_id7134

    Read all 15 upgrades please. More value, same price, or nearly so.

    You lie when you say M1 vs M4 is just a few tweaks.

    The title of that article is:
    "Apple MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M1: Finally time to upgrade?"

    Plus it also has 'read more' links to:

    "Apple MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M2: A small step or a big leap?"

    "Apple MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M3: Decent improvements but no
    major reasons to upgrade"

    It is sufficiently evident IMO that there's been incremental changes
    in each generation, such that the point of this article is that as
    great as the M1 was when it originally came out back in 2020 (~5.5
    years ago now) that ongoing progress makes it worth considering
    finally replacing it.

    Of course, based on priors it is really that same upgrade cycle
    question for x86 based Mac laptop owners that should be looked at,
    which includes the question of "what took you so long?"


    -hh

    Fact: the M4 had quite a few upgrades versus the M1, including a much
    faster CPU.

    Nope:
    the M4 has some upgrades vs the M3.
    ...and the M3 had upgrades vs the M2.
    ...and the M2 in turn had upgrades vs the M1.

    Splitting hairs but it makes my point. I waited until the cumulative
    upgrades, not only the M series processor, but others items too, made it attractive enough to switch. See more below.>
    Opinion: It was a significant upgrade

    You're trying to compare a 2025 versus 2020 in a technology product
    where its high rate of change has been coined as from "Moore's Law."


    I have my opinion, others have there's. To me is was significant. YMMV.

    Because you're finally making the transition over from x86.

    For regular Mac users, 80-85% of them had already transitioned from
    Intel x86 to M chips by the end of last year.  Those that have yet to do
    so are 'Laggards' as per Everett Rogers' Technology Adoption curve.

    But better late then never, of course.


    -hh

    My 2021 standard of comparison when the M1 was new was the 15.6" Dell
    XPS with 2 tb drive, 32 gb RAM, essentially same i9 processor as the
    last Intel MacBook Pro. It also had the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, ~4k
    OLED screen, and HDMI and SD card ports. Remember, I did also buy a
    ~$3,000 M1 MacBook Pro that bricked and was returned. Bought the Dell a
    few days later. Never considered the M1 Air.

    Except for battery life (and those loud fans) the Dell XPS was much more computer than the 13" M1 MacBook Air. The Dell was a bit over $3,000
    too. I was working on some consulting projects that needed that level of storage and computing power.

    Hardly a laggard x86 machine was that Dell. This year the Air itself,
    and now retired, all changed since 2021 and by quite a lot. For a little
    over $1,000 the Air more than fits my current needs. Actually, only
    about $500 net cost after deducting the XPS sale proceeds.

    Had the Air not improved as much as it did I would probably still be
    putting up with the Dell's poor battery life.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Fri May 29 08:45:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/28/26 18:07, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/25/26 8:40 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 5/25/26 17:27, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/25/26 8:42 AM, -hh wrote:
    On 5/24/26 21:53, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/23/26 11:52 PM, Alan wrote:
    Oh, look!

    Suddenly, the previous text has been snipped!

    "I'm very happy to have allowed the M series MacBook line to
    mature before making the switch. This computer continues to
    delight and amaze."

    That is an explicit statement that every MacBook prior to the the >>>>>> one you purchase wasn't "mature" and couldn't "delight" or "amaze". >>>>>
    Exactly where did I say that a M1 was a dog of a computer?

    The vs M1 the M4 has a better screen, faster GPU, MagSafe and
    better USB connectivity. If I had bought the M1 I probably would
    have upgraded by now.

    That M1 vs M4 comparison sounds like a reversal of your prior comment: >>>>
    "I also said that until the M series Macs the G-series/Intel
    hardware was not an advantage over x86 Windows."


    I saw reviews like this:

    "The transition from the Apple M1 to the M4 brings massive gains in >>>>> processing speed, memory efficiency, and hardware design. For a
    side- by- side comparison of capabilities, see this MacBook Air M4
    vs MacBook Air M1 Review."

    But your above statement indicates that there were massive
    advantages in Intel-to-M1, does it not?


    https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/apple-macbook-air-m4-vs-air-
    m1_id7134

    Read all 15 upgrades please. More value, same price, or nearly so.

    You lie when you say M1 vs M4 is just a few tweaks.

    The title of that article is:
    "Apple MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M1: Finally time to upgrade?"

    Plus it also has 'read more' links to:

    "Apple MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M2: A small step or a big leap?"

    "Apple MacBook Air M4 vs MacBook Air M3: Decent improvements but no
    major reasons to upgrade"

    It is sufficiently evident IMO that there's been incremental changes
    in each generation, such that the point of this article is that as
    great as the M1 was when it originally came out back in 2020 (~5.5
    years ago now) that ongoing progress makes it worth considering
    finally replacing it.

    Of course, based on priors it is really that same upgrade cycle
    question for x86 based Mac laptop owners that should be looked at,
    which includes the question of "what took you so long?"


    -hh

    Fact: the M4 had quite a few upgrades versus the M1, including a much
    faster CPU.

    Nope:
    the M4 has some upgrades vs the M3.
    ...and the M3 had upgrades vs the M2.
    ...and the M2 in turn had upgrades vs the M1.

    Splitting hairs but it makes my point.


    Hardly. To use an automotive analogy, you're trying to compare a 1961
    DeSoto to a new car today and you're feigning amazement at how much
    change has occurred.


    I waited until the cumulative
    upgrades, not only the M series processor, but others items too, made it attractive enough to switch. See more below.

    Not quite, because as you pointed out below, you did also try an M1 MBP
    a few years back.

    Opinion: It was a significant upgrade

    You're trying to compare a 2025 versus 2020 in a technology product
    where its high rate of change has been coined as from "Moore's Law."


    I have my opinion, others have there's. To me is was significant. YMMV.

    Because you're finally making the transition over from x86.

    For regular Mac users, 80-85% of them had already transitioned from
    Intel x86 to M chips by the end of last year.  Those that have yet to
    do so are 'Laggards' as per Everett Rogers' Technology Adoption curve.

    But better late then never, of course.


    -hh

    My 2021 standard of comparison when the M1 was new was the 15.6" Dell
    XPS ...

    Which was an x86, but you didn't keep your M1 MBP long enough to make a
    well informed comparison.


    Remember, I did also buy a
    ~$3,000 M1 MacBook Pro that bricked and was returned. Bought the Dell a
    few days later. Never considered the M1 Air.

    You had some glitch & got impatient, so you bailed on it. That doesn't
    mean that the MBP was a bad computer.


    Except for battery life (and those loud fans) the Dell XPS was much more computer than the 13" M1 MacBook Air. The Dell was a bit over $3,000
    too.

    The longer that the Apple M series laptops were out, the more that we
    realized that Windows x86 battery life really did suck. I found my
    Dells to have been worse in that regard than the Lenovo's I had prior,
    but few (if any) were anything more than "good". I can even recall
    slogging around a spare battery on trips for one of them.

    I was working on some consulting projects that needed that level of
    storage and computing power.

    And of course, you do know that you can re-run those consulting
    projects' models to cross-test your "computing power" claim.


    Hardly a laggard x86 machine was that Dell. This year the Air itself,
    and now retired, all changed since 2021 and by quite a lot. For a little over $1,000 the Air more than fits my current needs. Actually, only
    about $500 net cost after deducting the XPS sale proceeds.

    Had the Air not improved as much as it did I would probably still be
    putting up with the Dell's poor battery life.

    How much has the Air's battery life improved since its M1 version?

    As per this review...

    <https://www.laptopmag.com/laptops/macbook-air-13-inch-m4-vs-macbook-air-13-inch-m1-is-it-worth-upgrading>

    "All the laptops Laptop Mag reviews go through the same battery life
    test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits
    brightness. On this test, the Air M4 lasted an impressive 15 hours and
    42 minutes, outlasting the Air M1 (14:41) by about an hour.

    The Air M4 is clearly the longer-lasting winner here, but with just an
    hour separating the two laptops, overall battery life shouldn't affect
    your buying decision."

    ...the answer is that the jump in battery life vs the likes of x86 Dells occurred with the M1, way back in 2021.

    As I said: "But better late then never, of course."

    -hh
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Fri May 29 14:12:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/29/26 8:45 AM, -hh wrote:
    My 2021 standard of comparison when the M1 was new was the 15.6" Dell
    XPS ...

    Which was an x86, but you didn't keep your M1 MBP long enough to make a
    well informed comparison.

    Did not have them at the same time. But, I ran complex regressions on
    both and the solution times were similar.



    Remember, I did also buy a ~$3,000 M1 MacBook Pro that bricked and was
    returned. Bought the Dell a few days later. Never considered the M1 Air.

    You had some glitch & got impatient, so you bailed on it.  That doesn't mean that the MBP was a bad computer.

    A total bricking is not a glitch. I never said that the M1 MBP was a bad computer. The one I received was. The Apple Store would not replace it.
    Repair was going to take some time, and I was under a deadline.



    Except for battery life (and those loud fans) the Dell XPS was much
    more computer than the 13" M1 MacBook Air. The Dell was a bit over
    $3,000 too.

    The longer that the Apple M series laptops were out, the more that we realized that Windows x86 battery life really did suck.  I found my
    Dells to have been worse in that regard than the Lenovo's I had prior,
    but few (if any) were anything more than "good".  I can even recall slogging around a spare battery on trips for one of them.

    I was working on some consulting projects that needed that level of
    storage and computing power.

    And of course, you do know that you can re-run those consulting
    projects' models to cross-test your "computing power" claim.

    I cannot do that. I do not have the computers or access to the stats
    software in use at the time.>

    Hardly a laggard x86 machine was that Dell. This year the Air itself,
    and now retired, all changed since 2021 and by quite a lot. For a
    little over $1,000 the Air more than fits my current needs. Actually,
    only about $500 net cost after deducting the XPS sale proceeds.

    Had the Air not improved as much as it did I would probably still be
    putting up with the Dell's poor battery life.

    How much has the Air's battery life improved since its M1 version?

    Not much, but other features have, and my comparison was to the Dell,
    not the M1 Air.


    As per this review...

    <https://www.laptopmag.com/laptops/macbook-air-13-inch-m4-vs-macbook- air-13-inch-m1-is-it-worth-upgrading>

    "All the laptops Laptop Mag reviews go through the same battery life
    test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits brightness. On this test, the Air M4 lasted an impressive 15 hours and
    42 minutes, outlasting the Air M1 (14:41) by about an hour.

    The Air M4 is clearly the longer-lasting winner here, but with just an
    hour separating the two laptops, overall battery life shouldn't affect
    your buying decision."

    ...the answer is that the jump in battery life vs the likes of x86 Dells occurred with the M1, way back in 2021.

    Yes it did, which is exactly what I said. Here is what did change that
    is important to me:

    CPU/GPU speed significantly faster
    Standard 16 vs 8 gb RAM
    4 vs 2 speakers
    MagSafe vs no MagSafe
    Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6
    Slimmer chassis
    Same $999 base price as M1. I upgraded to 512GB storage and paid $1,199.
    The M1 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage was $999 +$400 over the base 8GB
    and 2156GB configuration. So, better performance, lower price, even
    lower if you add general inflation. Admittedly same was true for the M3.

    Display, weight, and battery life are similar.

    I do not use MagSafe and the Apple 30 watt OEM charger at home. My 100
    watt plugable dock supports fast charging at home on a single USB cable. MagSafe is in my travel kit.

    Finally, with the Dell I bought an extended protection plan. I have
    AppleCare+ on the M1. That Dell plan expired in December.


    As I said:  "But better late then never, of course."

    Never is a long long time. I'm glad I waited on the M4, do not regret
    waiting on the M5 that came out just a little later.

    Earlier in a different thread I stated intentions to buy a Neo to
    replace an aging HP. Given the rumors on Neo v.2 I'll wait on that to
    come out.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sat May 30 06:06:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/29/26 14:12, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/29/26 8:45 AM, -hh wrote:
    My 2021 standard of comparison when the M1 was new was the 15.6" Dell
    XPS ...

    Which was an x86, but you didn't keep your M1 MBP long enough to make
    a well informed comparison.

    Did not have them at the same time. But, I ran complex regressions on
    both and the solution times were similar.

    That the times were similar on an M1, it illustrates that the Apple M
    series CPU has been adequate all along.


    Remember, I did also buy a ~$3,000 M1 MacBook Pro that bricked and
    was returned. Bought the Dell a few days later. Never considered the
    M1 Air.

    You had some glitch & got impatient, so you bailed on it.  That
    doesn't mean that the MBP was a bad computer.

    A total bricking is not a glitch.

    Yes, it broke. What mattered was how you coped with it: you stomped
    into a store and demanded an immediate & full replacement. That may
    happen for a pair of socks at Sears, but not for non-cheap stuff.

    I never said that the M1 MBP was a bad computer. The one I received was.
    The Apple Store would not replace it. Repair was going to take some time, and I was under a deadline.

    Yet you've had similar instances where you had a PC go down and your
    solution was to not wait for repair, but just did an outright purchase
    of another PC.

    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could have
    chosen to do something similar here. For example, instead of demanding
    an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a retail outlet, just
    purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after the first one is serviced,
    return the second unit for a full refund within the 30 days window.


    Except for battery life (and those loud fans) the Dell XPS was much
    more computer than the 13" M1 MacBook Air. The Dell was a bit over
    $3,000 too.

    The longer that the Apple M series laptops were out, the more that we
    realized that Windows x86 battery life really did suck.  I found my
    Dells to have been worse in that regard than the Lenovo's I had prior,
    but few (if any) were anything more than "good".  I can even recall
    slogging around a spare battery on trips for one of them.

    I was working on some consulting projects that needed that level of
    storage and computing power.

    And of course, you do know that you can re-run those consulting
    projects' models to cross-test your "computing power" claim.

    I cannot do that. I do not have the computers or access to the stats software in use at the time.

    Moot point now, because you stated above that when you did have both the
    M1 and x86 laptops that "...I ran complex regressions on both and the
    solution times were similar."


    Hardly a laggard x86 machine was that Dell. This year the Air itself,
    and now retired, all changed since 2021 and by quite a lot. For a
    little over $1,000 the Air more than fits my current needs. Actually,
    only about $500 net cost after deducting the XPS sale proceeds.

    Had the Air not improved as much as it did I would probably still be
    putting up with the Dell's poor battery life.

    How much has the Air's battery life improved since its M1 version?

    Not much, but other features have, and my comparison was to the Dell,
    not the M1 Air.

    Precisely my point: it hasn't changed much with the M4, because the M1 generation was when/where the massive battery life advantage over the
    x86 PCs started, which was all the way back in 2021.


    As per this review...

    <https://www.laptopmag.com/laptops/macbook-air-13-inch-m4-vs-macbook-
    air-13-inch-m1-is-it-worth-upgrading>

    "All the laptops Laptop Mag reviews go through the same battery life
    test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits
    brightness. On this test, the Air M4 lasted an impressive 15 hours and
    42 minutes, outlasting the Air M1 (14:41) by about an hour.

    The Air M4 is clearly the longer-lasting winner here, but with just an
    hour separating the two laptops, overall battery life shouldn't affect
    your buying decision."

    ...the answer is that the jump in battery life vs the likes of x86
    Dells occurred with the M1, way back in 2021.

    Yes it did, which is exactly what I said.

    Nah, you tried to imply that it wasn't until the M4 that Apple's huge advantage in battery life vs the x86 laptops became present.


    Here is what did change that
    is important to me:

    CPU/GPU speed significantly faster
    Standard 16 vs 8 gb RAM
    4 vs 2 speakers
    MagSafe vs no MagSafe
    Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6
    Slimmer chassis
    Same $999 base price as M1. I upgraded to 512GB storage and paid $1,199.
    The M1 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage was $999 +$400 over the base 8GB
    and 2156GB configuration. So, better performance, lower price, even
    lower if you add general inflation. Admittedly same was true for the M3.

    But that comparison should have been vs the x86 Dell, not the 2021 "What
    If" M1 ... right?

    Likewise, if the M1 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage was $999 +$400 over
    the base 8GB & 256GB configuration, then what was it that you were
    buying in 2021 that you claimed above was costing you ~$3,000? Or if
    I've gotten that wrong, then you were comparing a $1500 M1 versus a Dell
    which cost you twice as much? "You could have bought two of them!" /s

    Display, weight, and battery life are similar.

    I do not use MagSafe and the Apple 30 watt OEM charger at home. My 100
    watt plugable dock supports fast charging at home on a single USB cable. MagSafe is in my travel kit.

    It generally makes sense in a static desktop setup to have fewer wires.
    A USB-3 type, such as with a dock, achieves this and minimizes
    setup/teardown time/effort as well as the number of cable make/break
    points which introduce wear & tear. Fortunately, I've found the quality
    of Apple's USB-3 ports to be more rugged than I've found Dells to had been.


    As I said:  "But better late then never, of course."

    Never is a long long time. I'm glad I waited on the M4, do not regret waiting on the M5 that came out just a little later.

    Of course, had you made some different choices on handling a hardware
    failure, you could've had this benefit five years earlier.


    Earlier in a different thread I stated intentions to buy a Neo to
    replace an aging HP. Given the rumors on Neo v.2 I'll wait on that to
    come out.

    YMMV. I'm of the opinion to buy what I need, when I need it, although
    with an eye on what otherwise makes strategic sense to do so. Impending
    hard drive shortages are a recent example. But the ticking of our
    biological clocks are now becoming a more evident time factor too, so
    the satisfaction of "wants" are becoming more liberalized a tad. For
    example, after some rides up front, I'm not sure that I'll choose to go
    back to the more frugal Economy seating on long duration flights.


    -hh


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sat May 30 23:21:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/30/26 6:06 AM, -hh wrote:
    A total bricking is not a glitch.

    Yes, it broke.  What mattered was how you coped with it:  you stomped
    into a store and demanded an immediate & full replacement.  That may
    happen for a pair of socks at Sears, but not for non-cheap stuff.

    Except that is not at all what happened. I took it in, had it evaluated,
    and calmly requested a refund when the staff confirmed it needed repair.
    As it was just within the 2 week grace period the refund was immediate.


    I never said that the M1 MBP was a bad computer. The one I received
    was. The Apple Store would not replace it.  Repair was going to take
    some time, and I was under a deadline.

    Yet you've had similar instances where you had a PC go down and your solution was to not wait for repair, but just did an outright purchase
    of another PC.

    Right, on the road in Utah, on vacation, on the way to Monterey CA for a consulting gig. The hard drive failed. I went to the WalMart across the
    street an plopped down $1,000 for a new HP. Still have it. I was not
    about to take a day or two out of the trip to see if it could be fixed.
    Upon returning home I removed the faulty drive and destroyed it. The PC
    went to a recycle bin. Data files were reloaded from and online backup
    on the way to Monterey.


    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could have
    chosen to do something similar here.  For example, instead of demanding
    an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a retail outlet, just purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after the first one is serviced, return the second unit for a full refund within the 30 days window.

    Except the Apple grace period is 2 weeks, not 30 days. I asked about
    your strategy and the store could not guarantee a 2 week repair
    turnaround. Thinking about it now, I recall they did not have another
    exact replacement in stock either.

    https://www.apple.com/shop/help/returns_refund

    "You have 14 calendar days to return an item from the date you received it."

    "Only items that have been purchased directly from Apple, either online
    or at an Apple Retail Store, can be returned to Apple. Apple products purchased through other retailers must be returned in accordance with
    their respective returns and refunds policy."

    Very surprised that you do not know that.

    $1,000 to replace that broken PC in Utah was not a material financial
    event.

    Back to the MBP. I took the ~$3,000 refund and applied almost the entire amount to the Dell purchase. They had a 10% discount if you financed
    with Dell. Took that then paid it off a week later.

    And BTW, last year we bought 2 new cars and wrote checks for the net
    amounts. I have not financed purchases since we paid the house off over
    20 years ago. Our two credit cards are paid off monthly.

    And, I'm not going to share any updated personal financials. The stock
    market has been VERY good to us the past years.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sat May 30 21:48:42 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 2026-05-30 20:21, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/30/26 6:06 AM, -hh wrote:
    A total bricking is not a glitch.

    Yes, it broke. What mattered was how you coped with it: you
    stomped into a store and demanded an immediate & full
    replacement. That may happen for a pair of socks at Sears, but
    not for non-cheap stuff.

    Except that is not at all what happened. I took it in, had it
    evaluated, and calmly requested a refund when the staff confirmed it
    needed repair. As it was just within the 2 week grace period the
    refund was immediate.

    So with that refund, you could have immediately bought a new unit...

    ...putting paid to your claim that you didn't get a replacement because
    they wouldn't give you one, doesn't it?



    I never said that the M1 MBP was a bad computer. The one I
    received was. The Apple Store would not replace it. Repair was
    going to take some time, and I was under a deadline.

    Yet you've had similar instances where you had a PC go down and
    your solution was to not wait for repair, but just did an outright
    purchase of another PC.

    Right, on the road in Utah, on vacation, on the way to Monterey CA
    for a consulting gig. The hard drive failed. I went to the WalMart
    across the street an plopped down $1,000 for a new HP. Still have
    it. I was not about to take a day or two out of the trip to see if
    it could be fixed. Upon returning home I removed the faulty drive
    and destroyed it. The PC went to a recycle bin. Data files were
    reloaded from and online backup on the way to Monterey.


    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could
    have chosen to do something similar here. For example, instead
    of demanding an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a
    retail outlet, just purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after
    the first one is serviced, return the second unit for a full
    refund within the 30 days window.

    Except the Apple grace period is 2 weeks, not 30 days. I asked
    about your strategy and the store could not guarantee a 2 week
    repair turnaround. Thinking about it now, I recall they did not have
    another exact replacement in stock either.

    https://www.apple.com/shop/help/returns_refund

    "You have 14 calendar days to return an item from the date you
    received it."

    "Only items that have been purchased directly from Apple, either
    online or at an Apple Retail Store, can be returned to Apple. Apple
    products purchased through other retailers must be returned in
    accordance with their respective returns and refunds policy."

    Very surprised that you do not know that.>

    I'm not at all surprised that you didn't quote this part of the same page:

    'Exchange an item

    If you purchased your item from Apple in the U.S., you can take it to
    any U.S. Apple Store for an exchange. Item exchanges are, of course,
    subject to in-store product availability. It's a good idea to check if a product is in stock by visiting apple.com and then seeing if it's
    available for pickup at a store nearby.'
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sun May 31 07:22:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/30/26 23:21, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/30/26 6:06 AM, -hh wrote:
    ...
    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could have
    chosen to do something similar here.  For example, instead of
    demanding an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a retail
    outlet, just purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after the first one
    is serviced, return the second unit for a full refund...
    ...

    And BTW, last year we bought 2 new cars and wrote checks for the net amounts.

    But Tommy's "not going to share any updated personal financials"...

    In any event, the Hondas or Subarus (or whatever) which Tommy buys
    typically aren't all that expensive, especially the net after trade-in.

    I have not financed purchases since we paid the house off over
    20 years ago. Our two credit cards are paid off monthly.

    But Tommy's "not going to share any updated personal financials"...

    FYI, there's some nasty fine print in the Capital One terms change for Discover Card holders: one can no longer use your retained "cashback"
    credit to pay off a monthly balance without incurring a penalty.

    The legal language is wonky, but it means that one must use new cash
    (from an external account) to pay at least the "minimum monthly balance"
    each month, even if one could otherwise pay off the balance in full from
    an existing cashback balance.


    And, I'm not going to share any updated personal financials.

    Too late, since you already _tried_ to do that in the above.


    489,080

    The stock market has been VERY good to us the past years.

    Of course, the numbers exist only on paper until it is converted to
    cash/cash equivalents.

    Classically, one does that by taking gains out of Equities, prior to the overvaluation bubble popping. The challenge is the YMMV on personal
    risk tolerance as the Market climbs its wall of worry, as the rate of
    gain is greatest during the last part of the melt-up, where risks are
    highest. It is the fortunate person who no longer needs to play that
    risk game.


    -hh
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sun May 31 07:22:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/31/26 00:48, Alan wrote:
    On 2026-05-30 20:21, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/30/26 6:06 AM, -hh wrote:
    A total bricking is not a glitch.

    Yes, it broke.  What mattered was how you coped with it:  you
    stomped into a store and demanded an immediate & full
    replacement.  That may happen for a pair of socks at Sears, but
    not for non-cheap stuff.

    Except that is not at all what happened. I took it in, had it
    evaluated, and calmly requested a refund when the staff confirmed it
    needed repair. As it was just within the 2 week grace period the
    refund was immediate.

    So with that refund, you could have immediately bought a new unit...

    ...putting paid to your claim that you didn't get a replacement
    because they wouldn't give you one, doesn't it?

    Hmm...that does seem quite odd.


    I never said that the M1 MBP was a bad computer. The one I
    received was. The Apple Store would not replace it.  Repair was
    going to take some time, and I was under a deadline.

    Yet you've had similar instances where you had a PC go down and
    your solution was to not wait for repair, but just did an outright
    purchase of another PC.

    Right, on the road in Utah, on vacation, on the way to Monterey CA
    for a consulting gig. The hard drive failed. I went to the WalMart
    across the street an plopped down $1,000 for a new HP. Still have
    it. I was not about to take a day or two out of the trip to see if
    it could be fixed. Upon returning home I removed the faulty drive
    and destroyed it. The PC went to a recycle bin. Data files were
    reloaded from and online backup on the way to Monterey.

    So for the want of just a replacement HDD, an otherwise still functional
    PC laptop was totally scrapped? Sounds like its age must have had been stretched way beyond conventional lifecycles/etc.


    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could
    have chosen to do something similar here.  For example, instead
    of demanding an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a
    retail outlet, just purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after
    the first one is serviced, return the second unit for a full
    refund within the 30 days window.

    Except the Apple grace period is 2 weeks, not 30 days. I asked
    about your strategy and the store could not guarantee a 2 week
    repair turnaround. Thinking about it now, I recall they did not have
    another exact replacement in stock either.

    https://www.apple.com/shop/help/returns_refund

    "You have 14 calendar days to return an item from the date you
    received it."

    I stand corrected on 30 days, but its a moot point since Tommy has said
    that he was within the 14 day returns period.

    "Only items that have been purchased directly from Apple, either
    online or at an Apple Retail Store, can be returned to Apple. Apple
    products purchased through other retailers must be returned in
    accordance with their respective returns and refunds policy."

    Very surprised that you do not know that.>

    I'm not at all surprised that you didn't quote this part of the same page:

    'Exchange an item

    If you purchased your item from Apple in the U.S., you can take it to
    any U.S. Apple Store for an exchange. Item exchanges are, of course,
    subject to in-store product availability. It's a good idea to check if a product is in stock by visiting apple.com and then seeing if it's
    available for pickup at a store nearby.'

    It would appear that the non-availability would have had something to do
    with how Tommy claimed to have bought the M1 "and paid $1,199", yet he
    then "took the ~$3,000 refund and applied almost the entire amount to
    the Dell purchase."


    -hh
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sun May 31 06:33:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 2026-05-31 04:22, -hh wrote:
    On 5/31/26 00:48, Alan wrote:
    On 2026-05-30 20:21, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/30/26 6:06 AM, -hh wrote:
    A total bricking is not a glitch.

    Yes, it broke.  What mattered was how you coped with it:  you
    stomped into a store and demanded an immediate & full
    replacement.  That may happen for a pair of socks at Sears, but
    not for non-cheap stuff.

    Except that is not at all what happened. I took it in, had it
    evaluated, and calmly requested a refund when the staff confirmed it
    needed repair. As it was just within the 2 week grace period the
    refund was immediate.

    So with that refund, you could have immediately bought a new unit...

    ...putting paid to your claim that you didn't get a replacement
    because they wouldn't give you one, doesn't it?

    Hmm...that does seem quite odd.


    I never said that the M1 MBP was a bad computer. The one I
    received was. The Apple Store would not replace it.  Repair was
    going to take some time, and I was under a deadline.

    Yet you've had similar instances where you had a PC go down and
    your solution was to not wait for repair, but just did an outright
    purchase of another PC.

    Right, on the road in Utah, on vacation, on the way to Monterey CA
    for a consulting gig. The hard drive failed. I went to the WalMart
    across the street an plopped down $1,000 for a new HP. Still have
    it. I was not about to take a day or two out of the trip to see if
    it could be fixed. Upon returning home I removed the faulty drive
    and destroyed it. The PC went to a recycle bin. Data files were
    reloaded from and online backup on the way to Monterey.

    So for the want of just a replacement HDD, an otherwise still functional
    PC laptop was totally scrapped?  Sounds like its age must have had been stretched way beyond conventional lifecycles/etc.


    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could
    have chosen to do something similar here.  For example, instead
    of demanding an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a
    retail outlet, just purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after
    the first one is serviced, return the second unit for a full
    refund within the 30 days window.

    Except the Apple grace period is 2 weeks, not 30 days. I asked
    about your strategy and the store could not guarantee a 2 week
    repair turnaround. Thinking about it now, I recall they did not have
    another exact replacement in stock either.

    https://www.apple.com/shop/help/returns_refund

    "You have 14 calendar days to return an item from the date you
    received it."

    I stand corrected on 30 days, but its a moot point since Tommy has said
    that he was within the 14 day returns period.

    "Only items that have been purchased directly from Apple, either
    online or at an Apple Retail Store, can be returned to Apple. Apple
    products purchased through other retailers must be returned in
    accordance with their respective returns and refunds policy."

    Very surprised that you do not know that.>

    I'm not at all surprised that you didn't quote this part of the same
    page:

    'Exchange an item

    If you purchased your item from Apple in the U.S., you can take it to
    any U.S. Apple Store for an exchange. Item exchanges are, of course,
    subject to in-store product availability. It's a good idea to check if
    a product is in stock by visiting apple.com and then seeing if it's
    available for pickup at a store nearby.'

    It would appear that the non-availability would have had something to do with how Tommy claimed to have bought the M1 "and paid $1,199", yet he
    then "took the ~$3,000 refund and applied almost the entire amount to
    the Dell purchase."


    -hh

    When you lie all the time, they start to get hard to remember.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sun May 31 10:56:27 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/31/26 12:48 AM, Alan wrote:
    I'm not at all surprised that you didn't quote this part of the same page:

    'Exchange an item

    If you purchased your item from Apple in the U.S., you can take it to
    any U.S. Apple Store for an exchange. Item exchanges are, of course,
    subject to in-store product availability. It's a good idea to check if a product is in stock by visiting apple.com and then seeing if it's
    available for pickup at a store nearby.'

    About that, as I clearly stated my Apple store did not have in-store
    stock of the MBP I had purchased. There is no "nearby store".
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sun May 31 12:20:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/31/26 7:22 AM, -hh wrote:
    It would appear that the non-availability would have had something to do with how Tommy claimed to have bought the M1 "and paid $1,199", yet he
    then "took the ~$3,000 refund and applied almost the entire amount to
    the Dell purchase."


    OMG, now you have totally lost it! $1,199 is the 2026 price I paid for
    this M4 Air I am using right now. The 2001 M1 MBP was a bit over $3,000,
    as was the Dell. To be fair that MBP cost included Apple mouse and
    keyboard which were also returned. The M4 Air works great with the same keyboard and mouse I had in 2021. Same Dell monitor, HP Envy Photo and
    HP Laserjet printers too. I had a VERY old USB A-only expansion hub and
    a USB A power-only hub that were both replaced with a modern plugable
    brand Thunderbird docking solution for monitor, power, SD cards, and 2x
    USB drives.

    Hugh, give it up. You don't know Apple's return policy, can't keep
    purchases 5 years apart straight, and offer advice without full
    knowledge. You are starting to look very foolish.

    Asides: The aging Toshiba that the $1,000 HP replaced in 2017 was worth
    very little for parts. I was under time pressure and elected to trash
    it. What little it was worth was not material to me. I still have that
    HP. It's happily running Windows 11 25H2. But by 2021 and the consulting
    job I was working on I wanted something faster.

    And I forgot to remind you that in 2021 Windows for ARM running in
    Parallels was a Beta version with no certain future. I was doing my
    project stats in an Excel add-in, Windows-only Analyze-It. Why? It had
    all I needed and was only about $150 a year to rent. Ran fine, but in
    the back of my mind I was wondering if Microsoft was going to ever
    release the beta as a finished project. That plus the time pressure also played a role in going back to Windows. In 20-20 hindsight Parallels has
    a Microsoft-supported Apple M CPU compatible Windows version.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Sun May 31 16:10:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/31/26 12:20, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/31/26 7:22 AM, -hh wrote:
    It would appear that the non-availability would have had something to
    do with how Tommy claimed to have bought the M1 "and paid $1,199", yet
    he then "took the ~$3,000 refund and applied almost the entire amount
    to the Dell purchase."


    OMG, now you have totally lost it! $1,199 is the 2026 price I paid for
    this M4 Air I am using right now. The 2001 M1 MBP was a bit over $3,000,
    as was the Dell.

    Not lost, but mislead, because you previously said:

    "The M1 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage was $999 +$400 over the base 8GB
    and 2156GB configuration."

    So what's really going on is that your list of M1 vs M4 base specs (eg,
    8GB vs 16GB RAM) wasn't actually applicable to your 2021 purchase,
    because that MBP M1 (nor with 16GB+512GB bumps) didn't cost the $3K that you've now claimed that you spent.


    To be fair that MBP cost included Apple mouse and
    keyboard which were also returned.

    Oh, so in 2021, an Apple mouse & keyboard cost $1,000 each?
    Your math isn't mathing.


    Hugh, give it up. You don't know Apple's return policy, can't keep
    purchases 5 years apart straight, and offer advice without full
    knowledge. You are starting to look very foolish.

    Nah, I've just never had any warranty claims to be so sharp-penciled on Apple's exact return policy.

    Nor is it my job to keep track of every last detail on every one of your (many) claims.

    But now that it has been brought back into my attention, you've created
    the appearance of trying to compare a minimal-spec 2021 M1 MBP to a
    current M4 MBA, despite your actual 2021 M1 MBP allegedly cost $3,000.
    That's a far cry from being a minimal spec machine you used in your M1
    vs M4 comparison in this thread.

    Asides: The aging Toshiba that the $1,000 HP replaced in 2017 was worth
    very little for parts.

    But of course it wasn't worth much, because it wasn't a running machine.


    I was under time pressure and elected to trash it.

    Once back at home with both PCs, what was the time pressure?


    What little it was worth was not material to me. I still have that
    HP. It's happily running Windows 11 25H2. But by 2021 and the consulting
    job I was working on I wanted something faster.

    Which you found that the M1 MBP did (before it failed, of course).


    And I forgot to remind you that in 2021 Windows for ARM running in
    Parallels was a Beta version with no certain future. I was doing my
    project stats in an Excel add-in, Windows-only Analyze-It. Why? It had
    all I needed and was only about $150 a year to rent. Ran fine, but in
    the back of my mind I was wondering if Microsoft was going to ever
    release the beta as a finished project. That plus the time pressure also played a role in going back to Windows. In 20-20 hindsight Parallels has
    a Microsoft-supported Apple M CPU compatible Windows version.

    But if that's the case, then why did you buy the M1 MBP in 2021 anyway?


    -hh


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Mon Jun 1 16:36:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/31/26 7:22 AM, -hh wrote:
    On 5/30/26 23:21, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/30/26 6:06 AM, -hh wrote:
    ...
    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could have
    chosen to do something similar here.  For example, instead of
    demanding an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a retail
    outlet, just purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after the first
    one is serviced, return the second unit for a full refund...
    ...

    And BTW, last year we bought 2 new cars and wrote checks for the net
    amounts.

    But Tommy's "not going to share any updated personal financials"...

    In any event, the Hondas or Subarus (or whatever) which Tommy buys
    typically aren't all that expensive, especially the net after trade-in.

    I have not financed purchases since we paid the house off over 20
    years ago. Our two credit cards are paid off monthly.

    But Tommy's "not going to share any updated personal financials"...

    FYI, there's some nasty fine print in the Capital One terms change for Discover Card holders:  one can no longer use your retained "cashback" credit to pay off a monthly balance without incurring a penalty.

    The legal language is wonky, but it means that one must use new cash
    (from an external account) to pay at least the "minimum monthly balance" each month, even if one could otherwise pay off the balance in full from
    an existing cashback balance.


    And, I'm not going to share any updated personal financials.

    Too late, since you already _tried_ to do that in the above.


    489,080

    The stock market has been VERY good to us the past years.

    Of course, the numbers exist only on paper until it is converted to cash/cash equivalents.

    Classically, one does that by taking gains out of Equities, prior to the overvaluation bubble popping.  The challenge is the YMMV on personal
    risk tolerance as the Market climbs its wall of worry, as the rate of
    gain is greatest during the last part of the melt-up, where risks are highest.  It is the fortunate person who no longer needs to play that
    risk game.


    -hh

    Just responding to your poverty claim without giving any numbers at all.
    I do not have a Capital One card. That really stinks. And it looks like
    the flat rate is 1.5% compared to 2% on our Visa and Mastercard accounts
    with no account credit redemption limits.

    You are right about the current market risk. And it's looking a bit
    frothy these days. But I have never had any luck trying to time the
    market. The long game has served us well. Until it doesn't of course.
    Which is why I have diversified into some less volatile funds.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Mon Jun 1 16:51:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 5/31/26 4:10 PM, -hh wrote:
    But now that it has been brought back into my attention, you've created
    the appearance of trying to compare a minimal-spec 2021 M1 MBP to a
    current M4 MBA, despite your actual 2021 M1 MBP allegedly cost $3,000. That's a far cry from being a minimal spec machine you used in your M1
    vs M4 comparison in this thread.

    It was not a minimal spec M1 MBP.

    One of Apple's standard configuration was

    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD

    and I paid $200 to upgrade RAM to 32 gb. Add keyboard, mouse and tax the
    total was over $3,000 even with my education discount.

    The base model was

    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    Why do you think I quoted $3000?
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Mon Jun 1 22:07:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/1/26 16:51, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/31/26 4:10 PM, -hh wrote:
    But now that it has been brought back into my attention, you've
    created the appearance of trying to compare a minimal-spec 2021 M1 MBP
    to a current M4 MBA, despite your actual 2021 M1 MBP allegedly cost
    $3,000. That's a far cry from being a minimal spec machine you used in
    your M1 vs M4 comparison in this thread.

    It was not a minimal spec M1 MBP.

    We've since figured that out.

    One of Apple's standard configuration was

    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD

    and I paid $200 to upgrade RAM to 32 gb. Add keyboard, mouse and tax the total was over $3,000 even with my education discount.

    The base model was

    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    Why do you think I quoted $3000?

    Because what you bought in 2021 simply wasn't the base model that you
    just used in your hardware specs comparison to the M4. It would have
    made more sense for you to have used your 2021's hardware specs.


    -hh
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Mon Jun 1 22:11:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/1/26 16:36, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/31/26 7:22 AM, -hh wrote:
    On 5/30/26 23:21, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/30/26 6:06 AM, -hh wrote:
    ...
    Given your recurring claims of high fiscal prosperity, you could
    have chosen to do something similar here.  For example, instead of
    demanding an immediate replacement of the bricked one at a retail
    outlet, just purchase another M1 MBP outright, and after the first
    one is serviced, return the second unit for a full refund...
    ...

    And BTW, last year we bought 2 new cars and wrote checks for the net
    amounts.

    But Tommy's "not going to share any updated personal financials"...

    In any event, the Hondas or Subarus (or whatever) which Tommy buys
    typically aren't all that expensive, especially the net after trade-in.

    I have not financed purchases since we paid the house off over 20
    years ago. Our two credit cards are paid off monthly.

    But Tommy's "not going to share any updated personal financials"...

    FYI, there's some nasty fine print in the Capital One terms change for
    Discover Card holders:  one can no longer use your retained "cashback"
    credit to pay off a monthly balance without incurring a penalty.

    The legal language is wonky, but it means that one must use new cash
    (from an external account) to pay at least the "minimum monthly
    balance" each month, even if one could otherwise pay off the balance
    in full from an existing cashback balance.


    And, I'm not going to share any updated personal financials.

    Too late, since you already _tried_ to do that in the above.


    489,080

    The stock market has been VERY good to us the past years.

    Of course, the numbers exist only on paper until it is converted to
    cash/cash equivalents.

    Classically, one does that by taking gains out of Equities, prior to
    the overvaluation bubble popping.  The challenge is the YMMV on
    personal risk tolerance as the Market climbs its wall of worry, as the
    rate of gain is greatest during the last part of the melt-up, where
    risks are highest.  It is the fortunate person who no longer needs to
    play that risk game.


    -hh

    Just responding to your poverty claim without giving any numbers at all.

    Poverty? Nah, just recalling your purchasing behavior, since its quite unlikely at your age to have significantly changed:

    2001 Honda Accord EXL $21K MSRP; Used less; figure -25% = $16K
    2011 Honda Accord EXL ... $23K MSRP; Used less; figure -25% = $17K
    2003 Toyota Highlander ... $24K MSRP; Used less; figure -25% = $18K
    2015 Honda CRV EXL .. $28K MSRP
    2015 Honda Civic EXL .. $23K MSRP
    2019 Honda Insight Touring .. $29K MSRP
    2022 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring .. $29K MSRP, but with "almost no depreciation" on the Insight, <$5K net

    2025: "2 new cars and wrote checks for the net amounts."

    From Google, all 2025 Honda models & MSRPs:

    Civic Sedan: Starting at $24,250
    Civic Hatchback: Starting at $24,950
    Civic Si: Starting at $29,950
    Civic Type R: Starting at $44,795
    Accord: Starting at $28,295
    & Accord Hybrid Touring: Starting at $39,300
    HR-V: Starting at $25,100
    CR-V: Starting at $30,100
    Passport: Starting at $44,400
    Pilot: Starting at $39,900
    Odyssey: Starting at $41,920
    Ridgeline: Starting at $40,150
    Prologue (EV): Starting at $47,400

    Paramaterizing:
    current trade-in values:
    $21.5 to 25.2K: 2022 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
    $12K to $15.5K: 2019 Honda Insight Touring
    Midpoint ~$35K

    Assuming a 2025 Accord Hybrid Touring & CR-V, the likely outlay would
    ballpark to: ($30K+$40K+$15K options/misc)-$35K) = ~$50K.


    I do not have a Capital One card.

    Not Applicable; this was noting that Capital One has bought out Discover
    and this was within their new terms for those Discover card customers.

    That really stinks.

    Yes, its going to be quite a nasty surprise to customers.


    And it looks like the flat rate is 1.5% compared to 2% on our Visa
    and Mastercard accounts with no account credit redemption limits.

    They've messed with that too: some are up to 5% cashbacks, but there's
    also an elimination of any cashback for some discount stores/clubs.


    You are right about the current market risk. And it's looking a bit
    frothy these days. But I have never had any luck trying to time the
    market. The long game has served us well. Until it doesn't of course.
    Which is why I have diversified into some less volatile funds.
    There's also the aspect of having "won the game", as it gets to where
    there's effectively no good reason to foolishly tolerate higher risks,
    even when one doesn't need the money.


    -hh
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Tue Jun 2 11:01:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/1/26 10:07 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 6/1/26 16:51, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/31/26 4:10 PM, -hh wrote:
    But now that it has been brought back into my attention, you've
    created the appearance of trying to compare a minimal-spec 2021 M1
    MBP to a current M4 MBA, despite your actual 2021 M1 MBP allegedly
    cost $3,000. That's a far cry from being a minimal spec machine you
    used in your M1 vs M4 comparison in this thread.

    It was not a minimal spec M1 MBP.

    We've since figured that out.

    One of Apple's standard configuration was

    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD

    and I paid $200 to upgrade RAM to 32 gb. Add keyboard, mouse and tax
    the total was over $3,000 even with my education discount.

    The base model was

    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    Why do you think I quoted $3000?

    Because what you bought in 2021 simply wasn't the base model that you
    just used in your hardware specs comparison to the M4.  It would have
    made more sense for you to have used your 2021's hardware specs.


    -hh

    You have totally lost the plot. Let's start over.

    The 2021 comparison was a M1 MBP vs. a Dell XPS. Specs, price and
    performance were similar. Both were intended to replace a 2017 HP Envy
    for a very large dataset's statistical modeling. Both had SSD tech vs.
    the HP's hard drive. A huge advantage for running large dataset stats.

    The 2017 HP is in the basement, running Windows 25H2, and used for a
    flight sim and a few other pieces of Windows only software. Not sold,
    not trashed, still useful after 9 years.

    The 2026 M4 Air purchase has nothing to do with the 2021 MBP/Dell/HP
    decision. Lots has changed, mainly no more consulting projects. The M4
    Air is subjectively more responsive than the 2021 XPS and has no fan
    noise. It is also much improved over both M1 Air and MBP CPU specs,
    smaller and lighter than both the Dell or MBP. In other words, quite
    elegant.

    Remember I said that after describing my intended use the Apple Store
    rep told me to take the M4 Air home and try it versus the Dell. Two
    weeks to bring it back for a full refund if not pleased. Can't lose on
    those terms. Did just that.

    Sold the Dell and kept the M4 Air. Deducting the proceeds from the Dell
    sale the net cost was only a few $000. Well worth the difference.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Tue Jun 2 11:27:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/2/26 11:01, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/1/26 10:07 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 6/1/26 16:51, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 5/31/26 4:10 PM, -hh wrote:
    But now that it has been brought back into my attention, you've
    created the appearance of trying to compare a minimal-spec 2021 M1
    MBP to a current M4 MBA, despite your actual 2021 M1 MBP allegedly
    cost $3,000. That's a far cry from being a minimal spec machine you
    used in your M1 vs M4 comparison in this thread.

    It was not a minimal spec M1 MBP.

    We've since figured that out.

    One of Apple's standard configuration was

    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD

    and I paid $200 to upgrade RAM to 32 gb. Add keyboard, mouse and tax
    the total was over $3,000 even with my education discount.

    The base model was

    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    Why do you think I quoted $3000?

    Because what you bought in 2021 simply wasn't the base model that you
    just used in your hardware specs comparison to the M4.  It would have
    made more sense for you to have used your 2021's hardware specs.


    -hh

    You have totally lost the plot. Let's start over.

    The 2021 comparison was a M1 MBP vs. a Dell XPS. Specs, price and performance were similar.

    But you posted this:

    [quote]
    Yes it did, which is exactly what I said. Here is what did change that
    is important to me:

    CPU/GPU speed significantly faster
    Standard 16 vs 8 gb RAM
    4 vs 2 speakers
    MagSafe vs no MagSafe
    Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6
    Slimmer chassis
    Same $999 base price as M1. I upgraded to 512GB storage and paid $1,199.
    The M1 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage was $999 +$400 over the base 8GB
    and 2156GB configuration. So, better performance, lower price, even
    lower if you add general inflation. Admittedly same was true for the M3. [/quote]

    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?


    -hh
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Tue Jun 2 15:11:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    But you posted this:

    [quote]
    Yes it did, which is exactly what I said. Here is what did change that
    is important to me:

    CPU/GPU speed significantly faster
    Standard 16 vs 8 gb RAM
    4 vs 2 speakers
    MagSafe vs no MagSafe
    Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6
    Slimmer chassis
    Same $999 base price as M1. I upgraded to 512GB storage and paid $1,199.
    The M1 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage was $999 +$400 over the base 8GB
    and 2156GB configuration. So, better performance, lower price, even
    lower if you add general inflation. Admittedly same was true for the M3. [/quote]

    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    Because my circumstances changed and I was responding to Baker's
    questioning M1 Air vs. M4 Air differences.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From CrudeSausage@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Tue Jun 2 15:21:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/2/26 15:11, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    But you posted this:

    [quote]
    Yes it did, which is exactly what I said. Here is what did change that
    is important to me:

    CPU/GPU speed significantly faster
    Standard 16 vs 8 gb RAM
    4 vs 2 speakers
    MagSafe vs no MagSafe
    Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6
    Slimmer chassis
    Same $999 base price as M1. I upgraded to 512GB storage and paid
    $1,199. The M1 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage was $999 +$400 over the
    base 8GB and 2156GB configuration. So, better performance, lower
    price, even lower if you add general inflation. Admittedly same was
    true for the M3.
    [/quote]

    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    Because my circumstances changed and I was responding to Baker's
    questioning M1 Air vs. M4 Air differences.

    No matter how anyone looks at it, the reality is that even the
    entry-level M4 machines are spectacular. They provide awesome
    performance with silent operation which results in an operating system
    that is impressively responsive.
    --
    CrudeSausage
    ThinkPad E595 running Ubuntu 26.04
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Tue Jun 2 16:19:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    So, let's take a stab at that


    Base 2021 MBP Specs
    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    My MBP's Specs:
    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD


    Base 2026 13" M4 Air specs

    $999, Apple M4 CPU, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD.

    My M4 Spec:
    $1,199 with 512GB SSD upgrade

    All else except screen size about the same. I wanted the smaller and
    lighter Air version versus the 16" MBP and the 15" M4 Air. With that
    smaller size I got less weight, no fans, and similar perceived
    performance. The smaller screen helps offset the GPU difference.

    And, I paid $1,500 less than the 2021 M1 MBP. Not the same exact specs,
    but my needs have changed significantly. The 2021 M1 Air is faster than
    the 2017 HP, but as shown versus the 2026 M4 Air a lot has changed.

    Now if we compare my M4 Air to the base 14" M4 MBP the Apple list price
    was $1,599. Given my lower demands now versus 2021 I could not justify
    the extra $400 for the MBP.





    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Tue Jun 2 16:46:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/2/26 16:19, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    So, let's take a stab at that


    Base 2021 MBP Specs
    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    My MBP's Specs:
    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD


    Base 2026 13" M4 Air specs

    $999, Apple M4 CPU, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD.

    My M4 Spec:
    $1,199 with 512GB SSD upgrade

    All else except screen size about the same.

    Oh, so the CPU/GPU speeds are all the same?
    And 16 vs 32 vs 8 gb RAM doesn't matter anymore?
    Nor 4 vs 2 speakers?
    Or MagSafe vs no MagSafe?
    Let alone Thunderbolt 5, 4 vs 3?
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging?
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera?
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6?
    Slimmer chassis?


    I wanted the smaller and
    lighter Air version versus the 16" MBP and the 15" M4 Air. With that
    smaller size I got less weight, no fans, and similar perceived
    performance. The smaller screen helps offset the GPU difference.

    But of course there's also the 14" MBP.


    And, I paid $1,500 less than the 2021 M1 MBP. Not the same exact specs,
    but my needs have changed significantly. The 2021 M1 Air is faster than
    the 2017 HP, but as shown versus the 2026 M4 Air a lot has changed.

    Except for how you were pointing out all of those differences prior.


    Now if we compare my M4 Air to the base 14" M4 MBP the Apple list price
    was $1,599. Given my lower demands now versus 2021 I could not justify
    the extra $400 for the MBP.

    Except for going from a 13" to 14" display.


    -hh
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Wed Jun 3 07:58:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/2/26 4:46 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 6/2/26 16:19, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    So, let's take a stab at that


    Base 2021 MBP Specs
    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    My MBP's Specs:
    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD


    Base 2026 13" M4 Air specs

    $999, Apple M4 CPU, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD.

    My M4 Spec:
    $1,199 with 512GB SSD upgrade

    All else except screen size about the same.

    Oh, so the CPU/GPU speeds are all the same?

    No, the core numbers are about the same

    And 16 vs 32 vs 8 gb RAM doesn't matter anymore?

    Yes it does, but 16 is enough now, was not in 2021

    Nor 4 vs 2 speakers?
    Or MagSafe vs no MagSafe?
    Let alone Thunderbolt 5, 4 vs 3?
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging?
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera?
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6?

    Yes they do, but above is 2021 MBP spec vs not 2021 Air


    Hugh, you have aggregated all the specs for the 2021 MBP and Air versus
    the 2026 Air and lumped them together to create a confusing comparison.



    I wanted the smaller and lighter Air version versus the 16" MBP and
    the 15" M4 Air. With that smaller size I got less weight, no fans, and
    similar perceived performance. The smaller screen helps offset the GPU
    difference.

    But of course there's also the 14" MBP.

    Covered below.



    And, I paid $1,500 less than the 2021 M1 MBP. Not the same exact
    specs, but my needs have changed significantly. The 2021 M1 Air is
    faster than the 2017 HP, but as shown versus the 2026 M4 Air a lot has
    changed.

    Except for how you were pointing out all of those differences prior.


    You are confusing the 2021 model spec comparison


    Now if we compare my M4 Air to the base 14" M4 MBP the Apple list
    price was $1,599. Given my lower demands now versus 2021 I could not
    justify the extra $400 for the MBP.

    Except for going from a 13" to 14" display.

    Not material to me.



    -hh

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Wed Jun 3 08:32:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    Tom Elam <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/2/26 4:46 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 6/2/26 16:19, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    So, let's take a stab at that


    Base 2021 MBP Specs
    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    My MBP's Specs:
    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD


    Base 2026 13" M4 Air specs

    $999, Apple M4 CPU, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD.

    My M4 Spec:
    $1,199 with 512GB SSD upgrade

    All else except screen size about the same.

    Oh, so the CPU/GPU speeds are all the same?

    No, the core numbers are about the same

    So then you were lying when you claimed this differentiation. Check.

    And 16 vs 32 vs 8 gb RAM doesn't matter anymore?

    Yes it does, but 16 is enough now, was not in 2021

    But it was a trivial price change then.


    Nor 4 vs 2 speakers?
    Or MagSafe vs no MagSafe?
    Let alone Thunderbolt 5, 4 vs 3?
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging?
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera?
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6?

    Yes they do, but above is 2021 MBP spec vs not 2021 Air

    Doesn’t matter, because a 2021 MBP was what you bought.


    Hugh, you have aggregated all the specs for the 2021 MBP and Air versus
    the 2026 Air and lumped them together to create a confusing comparison.

    Nope: I quoted what you posted, so all aggregation and lumping was by you.


    I wanted the smaller and lighter Air version versus the 16" MBP and
    the 15" M4 Air. With that smaller size I got less weight, no fans, and
    similar perceived performance. The smaller screen helps offset the GPU
    difference.

    But of course there's also the 14" MBP.

    Covered below.

    Only in that you went smaller in 2026, not 2021.

    And, I paid $1,500 less than the 2021 M1 MBP. Not the same exact
    specs, but my needs have changed significantly. The 2021 M1 Air is
    faster than the 2017 HP, but as shown versus the 2026 M4 Air a lot has
    changed.

    Except for how you were pointing out all of those differences prior.

    You are confusing the 2021 model spec comparison

    No, I started with a quote of what you said were noteworthy differences.


    Now if we compare my M4 Air to the base 14" M4 MBP the Apple list
    price was $1,599. Given my lower demands now versus 2021 I could not
    justify the extra $400 for the MBP.

    Except for going from a 13" to 14" display.

    Not material to me.

    It depends. I’ve used various sizes and find that going below 14” quickly gets marginal. Especially with age and vision correction needs. It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability.

    -hh


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Thu Jun 4 08:44:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    Tom Elam <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/2/26 4:46 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 6/2/26 16:19, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    So, let's take a stab at that


    Base 2021 MBP Specs
    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    My MBP's Specs:
    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD


    Base 2026 13" M4 Air specs

    $999, Apple M4 CPU, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD.

    My M4 Spec:
    $1,199 with 512GB SSD upgrade

    All else except screen size about the same.

    Oh, so the CPU/GPU speeds are all the same?

    No, the core numbers are about the same

    So then you were lying when you claimed this differentiation. Check.

    And 16 vs 32 vs 8 gb RAM doesn't matter anymore?

    Yes it does, but 16 is enough now, was not in 2021

    But it was a trivial price change then.


    Nor 4 vs 2 speakers?
    Or MagSafe vs no MagSafe?
    Let alone Thunderbolt 5, 4 vs 3?
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging?
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera?
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6?

    Yes they do, but above is 2021 MBP spec vs not 2021 Air

    Doesn’t matter, because a 2021 MBP was what you bought.


    Hugh, you have aggregated all the specs for the 2021 MBP and Air versus
    the 2026 Air and lumped them together to create a confusing comparison.

    Nope: I quoted what you posted, so all aggregation and lumping was by you.


    I wanted the smaller and lighter Air version versus the 16" MBP and
    the 15" M4 Air. With that smaller size I got less weight, no fans, and >>>> similar perceived performance. The smaller screen helps offset the GPU >>>> difference.

    But of course there's also the 14" MBP.

    Covered below.

    Only in that you went smaller in 2026, not 2021.

    And, I paid $1,500 less than the 2021 M1 MBP. Not the same exact
    specs, but my needs have changed significantly. The 2021 M1 Air is
    faster than the 2017 HP, but as shown versus the 2026 M4 Air a lot has >>>> changed.

    Except for how you were pointing out all of those differences prior.

    You are confusing the 2021 model spec comparison

    No, I started with a quote of what you said were noteworthy differences.


    Now if we compare my M4 Air to the base 14" M4 MBP the Apple list
    price was $1,599. Given my lower demands now versus 2021 I could not
    justify the extra $400 for the MBP.

    Except for going from a 13" to 14" display.

    Not material to me.

    It depends. I’ve used various sizes and find that going below 14” quickly
    gets marginal. Especially with age and vision correction needs. It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability.

    -hh




    We make rational decisions at a point in time. Decisions based on
    knowledge and what you want achieved at that time. Then time goes by.
    Lots of things change. You make another similar decision and it's
    different from prior. Both were valid decisions at the time they were made.

    You are very fond of projecting your criteria onto others. Take screen
    size. I thought 13" might not to work either. Then I tested that. Gained
    some useful knowledge. It does for me on a Mac. I have 20-20 vision at
    screen distance, and have since cataract surgery ~15 years ago. Made a decision and kept the Mac.

    Have you tried the 13" MacBook Air? YMMV
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From CrudeSausage@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Thu Jun 4 14:59:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/4/26 8:44 AM, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    Tom Elam <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/2/26 4:46 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 6/2/26 16:19, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    So, let's take a stab at that


    Base 2021 MBP Specs
    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    My MBP's Specs:
    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD


    Base 2026 13" M4 Air specs

    $999, Apple M4 CPU, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD.

    My M4 Spec:
    $1,199 with 512GB SSD upgrade

    All else except screen size about the same.

    Oh, so the CPU/GPU speeds are all the same?

    No, the core numbers are about the same

    So then you were lying when you claimed this differentiation. Check.

    And 16 vs 32 vs 8 gb RAM doesn't matter anymore?

    Yes it does, but 16 is enough now, was not in 2021

    But it was a trivial price change then.


    Nor 4 vs 2 speakers?
    Or MagSafe vs no MagSafe?
    Let alone Thunderbolt 5, 4 vs 3?
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging?
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera?
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6?

    Yes they do, but above is 2021 MBP spec vs not 2021 Air

    Doesn’t matter, because a 2021 MBP was what you bought.


    Hugh, you have aggregated all the specs for the 2021 MBP and Air versus
    the 2026 Air and lumped them together to create a confusing comparison.

    Nope: I quoted what you posted, so all aggregation and lumping was by
    you.


    I wanted the smaller and lighter Air version versus the 16" MBP and
    the 15" M4 Air. With that smaller size I got less weight, no fans, and >>>>> similar perceived performance. The smaller screen helps offset the GPU >>>>> difference.

    But of course there's also the 14" MBP.

    Covered below.

    Only in that you went smaller in 2026, not 2021.

    And, I paid $1,500 less than the 2021 M1 MBP. Not the same exact
    specs, but my needs have changed significantly. The 2021 M1 Air is
    faster than the 2017 HP, but as shown versus the 2026 M4 Air a lot has >>>>> changed.

    Except for how you were pointing out all of those differences prior.

    You are confusing the 2021 model spec comparison

    No, I started with a quote of what you said were noteworthy differences.


    Now if we compare my M4 Air to the base 14" M4 MBP the Apple list
    price was $1,599. Given my lower demands now versus 2021 I could not >>>>> justify the extra $400 for the MBP.

    Except for going from a 13" to 14" display.

    Not material to me.

    It depends.  I’ve used various sizes and find that going below 14”
    quickly
    gets marginal.  Especially with age and vision correction needs.  It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability. >>
    -hh



    We make rational decisions at a point in time. Decisions based on
    knowledge and what you want achieved at that time. Then time goes by.
    Lots of things change. You make another similar decision and it's
    different from prior. Both were valid decisions at the time they were made.

    You are very fond of projecting your criteria onto others. Take screen
    size. I thought 13" might not to work either. Then I tested that. Gained some useful knowledge. It does for me on a Mac. I have 20-20 vision at screen distance, and have since cataract surgery ~15 years ago. Made a decision and kept the Mac.

    Have you tried the 13" MacBook Air? YMMV

    13" is not a big enough screen... unless it has the sharpness of the
    ones Apple uses.
    --
    CrudeSausage
    Zephyrus G14 2021 running on Ubuntu 26.04
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Thu Jun 4 15:39:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    Tom Elam <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    Tom Elam <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/2/26 4:46 PM, -hh wrote:
    On 6/2/26 16:19, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/2/26 11:27 AM, -hh wrote:
    That M1 does not represent the M1 which you bought back in 2021

    Why didn't you make the above comparison to your 2021 M1's specs?

    So, let's take a stab at that


    Base 2021 MBP Specs
    $1,999: M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD

    My MBP's Specs:
    $2,699: M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD


    Base 2026 13" M4 Air specs

    $999, Apple M4 CPU, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB RAM 256GB SSD.

    My M4 Spec:
    $1,199 with 512GB SSD upgrade

    All else except screen size about the same.

    Oh, so the CPU/GPU speeds are all the same?

    No, the core numbers are about the same

    So then you were lying when you claimed this differentiation. Check.

    And 16 vs 32 vs 8 gb RAM doesn't matter anymore?

    Yes it does, but 16 is enough now, was not in 2021

    But it was a trivial price change then.


    Nor 4 vs 2 speakers?
    Or MagSafe vs no MagSafe?
    Let alone Thunderbolt 5, 4 vs 3?
    Fast charging up to 70 watts vs no fast charging?
    12mp 1080p camera vs 720p Facetime camera?
    WiFi 6E vs WiFi6?

    Yes they do, but above is 2021 MBP spec vs not 2021 Air

    Doesn’t matter, because a 2021 MBP was what you bought.


    Hugh, you have aggregated all the specs for the 2021 MBP and Air versus
    the 2026 Air and lumped them together to create a confusing comparison.

    Nope: I quoted what you posted, so all aggregation and lumping was by you. >>

    I wanted the smaller and lighter Air version versus the 16" MBP and
    the 15" M4 Air. With that smaller size I got less weight, no fans, and >>>>> similar perceived performance. The smaller screen helps offset the GPU >>>>> difference.

    But of course there's also the 14" MBP.

    Covered below.

    Only in that you went smaller in 2026, not 2021.

    And, I paid $1,500 less than the 2021 M1 MBP. Not the same exact
    specs, but my needs have changed significantly. The 2021 M1 Air is
    faster than the 2017 HP, but as shown versus the 2026 M4 Air a lot has >>>>> changed.

    Except for how you were pointing out all of those differences prior.

    You are confusing the 2021 model spec comparison

    No, I started with a quote of what you said were noteworthy differences.


    Now if we compare my M4 Air to the base 14" M4 MBP the Apple list
    price was $1,599. Given my lower demands now versus 2021 I could not >>>>> justify the extra $400 for the MBP.

    Except for going from a 13" to 14" display.

    Not material to me.

    It depends. I’ve used various sizes and find that going below 14” quickly
    gets marginal. Especially with age and vision correction needs. It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability. >>
    -hh




    We make rational decisions at a point in time. Decisions based on
    knowledge and what you want achieved at that time. Then time goes by.
    Lots of things change. You make another similar decision and it's
    different from prior. Both were valid decisions at the time they were made.

    You are very fond of projecting your criteria onto others.

    Nah, I merely took your own list from this past week and noted how it seems that you radically changed within days.

    Take screen
    size. I thought 13" might not to work either. Then I tested that. Gained some useful knowledge. It does for me on a Mac. I have 20-20 vision at screen distance, and have since cataract surgery ~15 years ago. Made a decision and kept the Mac.

    Have you tried the 13" MacBook Air? YMMV

    I’ve spent some time with the MBA specifically in the Apple Store, but settled on MBP. Over the years, I’ve used laptops with screen sizes from 12” to 17” to understand the trades. Similarly so for desktop screen setups; probably one of my favorites was a matched pair of Apple 24” LED Cinema Displays.

    -hh

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  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Thu Jun 4 15:39:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    CrudeSausage <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/4/26 8:44 AM, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    ….  Especially with age and vision correction needs.  It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability. >…
    13" is not a big enough screen... unless it has the sharpness of the
    ones Apple uses.

    It’s not screen sharpness as much as one’s visual acuity (vs age). For our visual perception peaks by age 20-25, and it’s all downhill from there…even notwithstanding cataracts surgery, because that doesn’t restore max PD.

    -hh



    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From CrudeSausage@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Thu Jun 4 16:42:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 2026-06-04 3:39 p.m., -hh wrote:
    CrudeSausage <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/4/26 8:44 AM, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    ….  Especially with age and vision correction needs.  It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability.

    13" is not a big enough screen... unless it has the sharpness of the
    ones Apple uses.

    It’s not screen sharpness as much as one’s visual acuity (vs age). For our
    visual perception peaks by age 20-25, and it’s all downhill from there…even
    notwithstanding cataracts surgery, because that doesn’t restore max PD.

    I'm starting to see my own vision worsen, but it's not significant yet.
    I'm mostly just noticing that I have a lot more trouble reading the tiny
    print on the labels of products.
    --
    CrudeSausage
    M4 MacBook Air
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  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Fri Jun 5 03:39:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/4/26 3:39 PM, -hh wrote:
    CrudeSausage <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/4/26 8:44 AM, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    ….  Especially with age and vision correction needs.  It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability.

    13" is not a big enough screen... unless it has the sharpness of the
    ones Apple uses.

    It’s not screen sharpness as much as one’s visual acuity (vs age). For our
    visual perception peaks by age 20-25, and it’s all downhill from there…even
    notwithstanding cataracts surgery, because that doesn’t restore max PD.

    -hh



    At 80 my eyes are just fine in good light. Tested 20-20 for close and
    20-40 distant at my last FAA medical. But at night? I don't fly at night nowadays. My artificial lenses are clear as the day installed, but that
    does not fix the decline in the rod cell health. It's noticeable.
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  • From -hh@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Fri Jun 5 06:28:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    CrudeSausage <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2026-06-04 3:39 p.m., -hh wrote:
    CrudeSausage <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/4/26 8:44 AM, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    ….  Especially with age and vision correction needs.  It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability.

    13" is not a big enough screen... unless it has the sharpness of the
    ones Apple uses.

    It’s not screen sharpness as much as one’s visual acuity (vs age). For our
    visual perception peaks by age 20-25, and it’s all downhill from there…even
    notwithstanding cataracts surgery, because that doesn’t restore max PD.

    I'm starting to see my own vision worsen, but it's not significant yet.
    I'm mostly just noticing that I have a lot more trouble reading the tiny print on the labels of products.



    Yup. And the degradation of max PD is why night vision goes to hell.

    At age ~80, it’s <4mm, which vs peak of youth is an aperture area loss of ~70% for light gathering, which can also affect what one can resolve;
    classical photometric line pairs go from B&W to grey…

    <https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/11/6/191613/66487/Regulation-of-pupil-size-in-natural-vision-across>

    -hh

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  • From Tom Elam@[email protected] to comp.sys.mac.advocacy on Fri Jun 5 09:00:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

    On 6/5/26 6:28 AM, -hh wrote:
    CrudeSausage <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 2026-06-04 3:39 p.m., -hh wrote:
    CrudeSausage <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 6/4/26 8:44 AM, Tom Elam wrote:
    On 6/3/26 8:32 AM, -hh wrote:
    ….  Especially with age and vision correction needs.  It
    appears that 14”-15” is the sweet spot for utility vs transportability.

    13" is not a big enough screen... unless it has the sharpness of the
    ones Apple uses.

    It’s not screen sharpness as much as one’s visual acuity (vs age). For our
    visual perception peaks by age 20-25, and it’s all downhill from there…even
    notwithstanding cataracts surgery, because that doesn’t restore max PD. >>
    I'm starting to see my own vision worsen, but it's not significant yet.
    I'm mostly just noticing that I have a lot more trouble reading the tiny
    print on the labels of products.



    Yup. And the degradation of max PD is why night vision goes to hell.

    At age ~80, it’s <4mm, which vs peak of youth is an aperture area loss of ~70% for light gathering, which can also affect what one can resolve; classical photometric line pairs go from B&W to grey…

    And the rod cells diminish, further compounding aperture loss.


    <https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/11/6/191613/66487/Regulation-of-pupil-size-in-natural-vision-across>

    -hh


    If you are having issues reading small print one item not mentioned is
    lenses clouding.

    Another very seriious issue is macular degeneration (MD), an age-related
    eye disease that damages the macula, leading to the loss of sharp,
    central vision. While it does not cause total blindness and peripheral
    vision typically remains intact, it can make everyday tasks like
    reading, driving, and recognizing faces difficult. One symptom is
    difficulty seeing fine details, or having a fuzzy spot in the center of
    your vision.

    Lenses clouding can be corrected by new lenses. There is no cure for MD.
    But onset can be slowed. See an eye doc.

    My 103 year old mother-in-law is legally blind from severe MD that
    started about 10 years ago.
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