ActivateSaga

ActivateSaga. Content for Web Artisans.

So, I Purchased a New MacBook Air. A Much Needed Business Expense

by · Published · Updated

I finally took the risk, bit the bullet and have purchased a new MacBook Air. I’ve been in desperate need of a new work laptop for awhile now, so this has been a long time coming. I wanted to share my experience so far in using at as my main web development machine.

Note: This is a review of my recent purchase of a MacBook Air. I am also promoting this item. Just so you are aware! 🙂 Cheers!

Why MacBook Air?

I have been using an iMac as my main machine for a couple of years now. It’s great, however, not so great when you want to change scenery or need to work while traveling. I did have a back up refurbished Lenovo laptop but it ran slow. It ran Ubuntu Linux, which I liked, but it the sluggish performance was affecting my workflow. I also hated the keyboard on that particular machine.

MacBook AIr

Here’s was what I needed:

  • Unix workflow. Bash for terminal stuff, which is rad.
  • Design applications. Such as Photoshop, Sketch, etc.
  • An OS that provides amazing, user-friendly applications. Applications that enhance my workflow.
  • Overall, an OS and machine that will be a joy working in. One that will make me happy, thus provide top notch work to the best of my ability. A machine that will help me be my best!

Looks like PCs with Windows or Linux was out of the question. I’m not knocking on either operating systems. I actually like both and they do have their purpose. It’s just that Mac provides the best me with all listed above. It is a great machine for work! That’s what I’m using it for right?

Okay, but Why the MacBook Air? Why Not Just a MacBook?

Originally, I wanted a MacBook to begin with. Though, I was avoiding the newer style MacBooks with the touch bar. They didn’t really appeal to me and I didn’t really like the style. I did like the previous version of MacBooks (2015 version).

MacBook Air

The local Best Buy I purchased the Air from didn’t have those versions of MacBooks, only the newer style. I didn’t like the feel of the keyboard at all. The Air felt a lot closer to home for me. The keyboard was very close to home for me. This was important, since I wanted to enhance my workflow. It felt counter-productive to me to by something with a totally different feel. Also, once I fired up my new machine for the first time, I already knew where to start. It’s very light and I overall love it’s slim design.

To end this section, I think there is a benefit to knowing what you want with your development machine. I knew what I wanted out of my work machine and I should work with something that will make me a productive developer.

MacBook Air

Tooling and Applications

This was a big one for me. For example, when working with MySQL databases, Sequel Pro is my favorite tool. This is a Mac only tool though. Also, like I’ve mentioned above, I will need to use design tools from time-to-time such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch, etc. While using a *nix machine with these tools, MacOS was the only option. I’m thinking of making a separate post for all of the dev tools that I use on Mac (or in general), but I wanted to just point this out. Seems like some the tools I like are only developed for Mac.

Tech Specs

For those who are curious, I wanted to list the tech specs of the MacBook Air I purchased.

  • 1 ThunderBolt port.
  • 2 USB ports.
  • 1 headphone jack.
  • 13 inch screen.
  • 8 GB RAM.
  • 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 Processor.
  • Intel HD Graphics 6000 1536 MB.
  • 249 GB HHD.

Overall, this costed me about $1,400 including AppleCare. This was about $1,000 with out it. I do plan on getting a SSD drive at some point, but the above specs work for me!

MacBook Air

Closing Thoughts

Overall, I am super happy with my new laptop! I couldn’t be happier. I’m looking at this like an investment and I’m sure that this will pay for itself and more in the long run! This is just the first piece of upgrading my workspace and workflow. Along the way, I will share my workspace upgrades and my experiences along the way.

Where you can purchase (Affiliate Link)

If you’re interested in the MacBook Air, here is a link to amazon you can purchase from.

MacBook Air Gear Wishlist (Affiliate Links)

These are just links to gear I wish I had and that I plan on purchasing in the future.

Tyler Souza

Tyler is a very passionate full-stack developer who thrives on a challenge. He specializes in programming (mainly in Python), REST API development, and keeps up with the latest front-end technologies. When not coding, he loves to eat ramen, BBQ, and travel.