u/Dynomastic

Ram or display size?

Hey everyone,

I’m really stuck choosing between two MacBook Air M4 options and would appreciate some advice:

Option 1:

- 13-inch display

- 24GB RAM

- 512GB storage

Option 2:

- 15-inch display

- 16GB RAM

- 512GB storage

For context:

- I have 2 years of high school left, and then I’ll be doing a 4-year Computer Science degree (AI/ML stuff)

- So I want this laptop to last me around 6 years total

- I’ll be doing coding(web dev, python, c++), multitasking, ML work, and general student stuff

For background :

I’ve been using a 2016 Dell Inspiron (15.6") for years, with i3 5005U 12/ 256, so I’m used to a bigger screen. I’m worried that the 13-inch might feel too cramped, especially for coding.

So I’m confused:

-> Should I prioritize more RAM (24GB) for longevity and performance?

-> Or go for the bigger 15-inch display for comfort and usability?

Would love to hear from people in CS or devs who’ve faced a similar choice.

Thanks!

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u/Dynomastic — 10 hours ago