Why are so many people still sticking with the MacBook Air M1?

Many people want the latest technology. They're willing to upgrade from perfectly good devices to the latest ones even if they don't really need them. But lately, some people don't feel that way about their Macs, which are almost five years old.

 

It's still so durable that they're still happy to use it every day. In fact, Macs have improved so much since Apple Silicon (including the excellent M4 MacBook Pro) that they've become the top choice for most people.

MacBook Air M1 is the most reliable laptop you'll ever use

A far cry from previous Intel Macs

 

Many people bought the base M1 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in 2020, and it's been almost five years since then. It's easily the best piece of tech they've ever bought. It got them through high school and college. And after they graduated, it still works just as well as it did on the first day.

I use it a lot every day, and I can confidently say that I've never used a laptop this durable. It can be used for everything: creating apps, light video editing, writing articles, and even a little gaming. Its performance remains the same in all of those tasks; there's no reason to upgrade.

Even the smaller aspects, like the keyboard, trackpad, and speakers, are still great. After trying out a lot of Windows laptops in 2025, none of them have felt this good.

 

What to do to extend the life of your MacBook Air M1

Make the most of what you have

However, it's obviously not practical to leave the same laptop running for long periods of time without making some tweaks or adjustments to your workflow. As mentioned earlier, the machine only has 8GB of integrated memory, which is a bit limited at the moment. The primary browser many people used to use was Arc , but over time it's become almost unusable, even with just a few tabs open.

To be fair, this is an issue with Arc since it is no longer actively developed and could benefit from better optimization. However, users still have to switch their default browser to Safari , which works much better on this machine. That solves part of the problem.

Using Apple apps can also help your system run more smoothly. For example, replace Spotify with Apple Music and switch to Apple's Mail app, which in my experience doesn't take up as much memory. These small changes make your computer more responsive.

 

Of course, there's a trade-off; you have to rearrange your workflow to keep your laptop running smoothly. But it's worth it if it means you can keep your Mac for another two or three years.

When is the right time to upgrade? What should I choose instead?

 

The big question is when is the right time to upgrade. The next device is definitely still a Mac. The reliability and overall experience of Windows laptops are markedly different.

Right now, the M1 is more than enough for most people's current workflows. They only run into occasional issues, such as when they have too many tabs and apps open. If they opt for the 16GB version instead of the 8GB, they can get even more battery life and delay the upgrade.

However, these problems will increase over time. Applications will demand more resources, you will continue to run out of memory more often, and eventually, software updates will stop altogether. When that starts happening regularly (perhaps in two or three years), seriously start thinking about switching.

This time around, people can opt for the entry-level MacBook Pro. While you don't really need a significantly better chip for the job, the much better display, longer battery life, and more ports are definitely worth it. Bloomberg also reports that the M6 ​​MacBook Pro will switch to OLED displays and a thinner design. It's the perfect time to upgrade, and make sure you're getting the most out of your current Mac before you spend the money on a new one.