u/IllustriousHost7209

I’m starting IB1 this August and mainly need a laptop for normal student stuff like essays, Docs, browsing, research, YouTube, multitasking, etc. I already have an iPad too.

The MacBook is:

• 2020 Retina Air
• Intel i3
• 8GB RAM
• 840 battery cycles
• gets a bit warm sometimes

Do you guys think it’ll last me through IB for the next 2 years without becoming too slow/annoying? Or should I just save for an M1 instead?

I’m currently in 10th grade and starting IB1 this August, so I’m trying to figure out whether this MacBook would realistically last me through IB for the next 2 years, maybe longer.

I already have an iPad (10th gen), so this MacBook retina would mainly be for:

• essays and assignments
• browsing/research
• multitasking for school
• general productivity

I’m not expecting crazy performance — I just want something reliable enough for IB that won’t become painfully slow too quickly.

Specs:

• MacBook Air Retina 13-inch (2020)
• Intel Core i3 dual-core 1.1GHz
• 8GB RAM (3733MHz)
• Battery condition: “Normal”
• Cycle count: 840
• Gets a bit warm during normal use
• Speakers are surprisingly good
• Everything else seems to work fine

Price:

• ₹15,000 INR
• Around $156 USD

I’m also coming from a gaming laptop, so heat/fan noise honestly doesn’t bother me much.

Main things I wanted to ask:

1. Realistically, how long do you think this would last for student use?
2. Is 840 battery cycles a major concern?
3. Would this still comfortably handle IB-level workload?
4. Is ₹15k actually a good deal for this in 2026?
5. If you were in my position, would you buy it or save for an M1 instead?

Would really appreciate advice from people who’ve actually used these Intel MacBook Airs long term.