8 ms·

256gb ssd as the minimum spec is criminal in my opinion.

by commandersaki 10mo ago

linsomniac 10mo ago
Is it possibly because 256GB is the minimum spec of the MacBook Air M2?
- downrightmike 10mo ago
  I think they mean that is 2025, 256GB is unreasonably small. Which is true, Apple wants to up-charge hundreds of dollars just to get to the otherwise standard 1TB drive. Realistically, it is reasonable to expect 2TB drives, based on normal progression https://blocksandfiles.com/2024/05/13/coughlin-associates-hdd/ https://blocksandfiles.com/2024/05/13/coughlin-associates-hd...
  - wtallis 10mo ago
    From a supply perspective, 256GB seems ridiculous because you can get way more capacity for not very much money, and because 256GB is now nowhere close to enough flash chips operating in parallel to reach what is now considered high performance. But from a demand perspective, there are a lot of PC users for whom 256GB is plenty of capacity and performance. Most computers sold aren't gaming PCs or professional workstations; mainstream consumer storage requirements (aside from gaming) have been nearly stagnant for years due to the popularity of cloud computing and streaming video.
  - deleted 10mo ago
    [deleted]
  - linsomniac 10mo ago
    That could be, it totally wasn't clear to me that they meant that was unreasonably small hardware vs that's unreasonable for Asahi to say was the minimum you could run on. Honestly, I suspect there are a whole lot of people that could be perfectly happy with 256GB storage on an Air. I mean, sure, I got 2TB for my MBP 5 years ago, but my father-in-law is likely never going to need even close to 256GB on his, which is basically being a Chromebook for him. I just bought a 2TB drive over the holidays and it was $250, so it's not like they're an insignificant percentage of a <$1K laptop.
    - downrightmike 10mo ago
      Oh boy, you got ripped off, a 16TB external drive is listed at $208 here: https://diskprices.com/?locale=us&condition=new,used&capacity=2-&disk_types=external_hdd,external_hdd25,internal_hdd,internal_hdd25,internal_sshd,internal_sas,external_ssd,internal_ssd,m2_ssd,m2_nvme,u2 https://diskprices.com/?locale=us&condition=new,used&capacit...
      - linsomniac 10mo ago
        You must be talking about spinning discs, since we were talking about Macbooks I was talking SSDs but obviously could have been more clear about that. But I'm probably more picky about drives than you are as well, if you're ordering $208 16TB externals. I just ordered a 14TB spinning for $350, but it's a Ultrastar. The SSD I got is the Samsung 9100 Pro, at $190 before tax.
        ppg_hero 10mo ago
        [dead]
deleted 10mo ago
[deleted]
josephg 10mo ago
Why? Lots of people more or less use their computer as a glorified web browser, with some zoom calls and document editing thrown in for good measure. 256gb seems overkill. My girlfriend is somehow still rocking a 2011 MacBook Air. She mostly just uses it for internet banking and managing her finances. Why would she want more than 256gb?
- karteum 10mo ago
  Possibly, but I don't see why those people would buy a new MacBook rather than a used 100$ laptop (which would be both better for their finances but also for the planet...)
  - walterbell 10mo ago
    Battery life?
    - zdragnar 10mo ago
      Go for a midrange Chromebook then. It's all my wife uses, cost about $250 and has better battery life than most laptops on the market.
      - commandersaki 10mo ago
        I don’t know, I kind of like 10 hrs on battery with normal usage and screen fully lit on a 15” screen while not being bulky. Virtually no contenders in that space.
        zdragnar 10mo ago
        https://www.acer.com/us-en/chromebooks/acer-chromebook-315-cb315-3h-cb315-3ht#dynamic-filter https://www.acer.com/us-en/chromebooks/acer-chromebook-315-c... 10 hour battery life, 15 inch screen, not bulky, $200. A bit more money will get you better specs, screen or battery life from this or another brand, but it hits all the spots for someone who doesn't need downloaded software.
p0w3n3d 10mo ago
To think that they had the audacity to sell 8GB RAM too
jama211 10mo ago
Why? I never use that much on my laptops. My desktop sure, but that’s what the cloud is for.

256gb ssd as the minimum spec is criminal in my opinion.

linsomniac 10mo ago

Is it possibly because 256GB is the minimum spec of the MacBook Air M2?

downrightmike 10mo ago
I think they mean that is 2025, 256GB is unreasonably small. Which is true, Apple wants to up-charge hundreds of dollars just to get to the otherwise standard 1TB drive. Realistically, it is reasonable to expect 2TB drives, based on normal progression https://blocksandfiles.com/2024/05/13/coughlin-associates-hdd/ https://blocksandfiles.com/2024/05/13/coughlin-associates-hd...
- wtallis 10mo ago
  From a supply perspective, 256GB seems ridiculous because you can get way more capacity for not very much money, and because 256GB is now nowhere close to enough flash chips operating in parallel to reach what is now considered high performance. But from a demand perspective, there are a lot of PC users for whom 256GB is plenty of capacity and performance. Most computers sold aren't gaming PCs or professional workstations; mainstream consumer storage requirements (aside from gaming) have been nearly stagnant for years due to the popularity of cloud computing and streaming video.
- deleted 10mo ago
  [deleted]
- linsomniac 10mo ago
  That could be, it totally wasn't clear to me that they meant that was unreasonably small hardware vs that's unreasonable for Asahi to say was the minimum you could run on. Honestly, I suspect there are a whole lot of people that could be perfectly happy with 256GB storage on an Air. I mean, sure, I got 2TB for my MBP 5 years ago, but my father-in-law is likely never going to need even close to 256GB on his, which is basically being a Chromebook for him. I just bought a 2TB drive over the holidays and it was $250, so it's not like they're an insignificant percentage of a <$1K laptop.
  - downrightmike 10mo ago
    Oh boy, you got ripped off, a 16TB external drive is listed at $208 here: https://diskprices.com/?locale=us&condition=new,used&capacity=2-&disk_types=external_hdd,external_hdd25,internal_hdd,internal_hdd25,internal_sshd,internal_sas,external_ssd,internal_ssd,m2_ssd,m2_nvme,u2 https://diskprices.com/?locale=us&condition=new,used&capacit...
    - linsomniac 10mo ago
      You must be talking about spinning discs, since we were talking about Macbooks I was talking SSDs but obviously could have been more clear about that. But I'm probably more picky about drives than you are as well, if you're ordering $208 16TB externals. I just ordered a 14TB spinning for $350, but it's a Ultrastar. The SSD I got is the Samsung 9100 Pro, at $190 before tax.
      - ppg_hero 10mo ago
        [dead]

deleted 10mo ago

[deleted]

josephg 10mo ago

Why? Lots of people more or less use their computer as a glorified web browser, with some zoom calls and document editing thrown in for good measure. 256gb seems overkill. My girlfriend is somehow still rocking a 2011 MacBook Air. She mostly just uses it for internet banking and managing her finances. Why would she want more than 256gb?

karteum 10mo ago
Possibly, but I don't see why those people would buy a new MacBook rather than a used 100$ laptop (which would be both better for their finances but also for the planet...)
- walterbell 10mo ago
  Battery life?
  - zdragnar 10mo ago
    Go for a midrange Chromebook then. It's all my wife uses, cost about $250 and has better battery life than most laptops on the market.
    - commandersaki 10mo ago
      I don’t know, I kind of like 10 hrs on battery with normal usage and screen fully lit on a 15” screen while not being bulky. Virtually no contenders in that space.
      - zdragnar 10mo ago
        https://www.acer.com/us-en/chromebooks/acer-chromebook-315-cb315-3h-cb315-3ht#dynamic-filter https://www.acer.com/us-en/chromebooks/acer-chromebook-315-c... 10 hour battery life, 15 inch screen, not bulky, $200. A bit more money will get you better specs, screen or battery life from this or another brand, but it hits all the spots for someone who doesn't need downloaded software.

p0w3n3d 10mo ago

To think that they had the audacity to sell 8GB RAM too

jama211 10mo ago

Why? I never use that much on my laptops. My desktop sure, but that’s what the cloud is for.