4 ms·

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]

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]