Which M-chip generation for a new MacBook?
Office work runs fine on the base chip; Pro chip only for heavy video, builds, or VMs.
Try this first
- 1Be honest about workload, not aspirational
- 2RAM is more often the bottleneck than chip
- 3SSD size cannot be upgraded after purchase
- 4Scale RAM up before chip up
When to bring us in
Specific pro software: check vendor requirements, don't guess.
See also
- Should we buy or lease laptops as a 5-person company?Both work. Lease is predictable but pricier over the term; buying needs cash and your own depreciation. The difference is mostly admin.
- Is buying refurbished smart or asking for trouble?For office work fine, if from a serious vendor with warranty and a clean OS install. The trap is shady marketplace listings.
- How much RAM and SSD for office work in 2026?Rule of thumb for knowledge work: 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD as a comfortable minimum. 8 GB already feels tight; 32 GB is for heavy tools.
None of the above fits?
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