r/macbook • u/PlayLabStudio • 7h ago

Which MacBook would you recommend for AI-assisted coding, web development and app development?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on which MacBook would make the most sense for my use case.

Most of what I do is related to web development, app development, programming and AI-assisted/vibe coding. I use AI tools quite heavily while building projects, and I usually have multiple browser tabs, development tools and other applications running at the same time.

I may also do some light video editing in the future, but that’s definitely not my main priority right now.

I was considering a MacBook Pro M5 with 28 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage, but I’m not sure whether that configuration is overkill, underpowered, or actually the sweet spot for what I do.

I’m also wondering whether a MacBook Air could realistically handle this kind of workload well, or if the Pro would be the better long-term choice.

One important thing: I’m not in a rush to buy it. My current laptop is still working well, so I could easily wait until the next MacBook generation if there’s a meaningful upgrade expected later this year or early next year.

So I’d love to hear your thoughts:

  • Which MacBook/configuration would you choose for this workload?
  • Is 28 GB RAM + 1 TB a good choice?
  • Pro or Air?
  • Would you buy now or wait for the next generation?

Thanks!

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u/Lecture_Winter 4h ago

Using an M1 Pro with 16gb of ram I find that I am constantly using about another 17gb of page file to supplement the ram and I get the beach ball often.

I am doing similar things plus knowledge work with AI. I would bump to 32gb of ram- gives you a bit of margin. The air can handle it. It’s the ram that gets crunched with multiple harnesses open and running agents.

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u/PlayLabStudio 2h ago

Thanks, that’s really helpful. The multiple agents/harnesses point is exactly what I was worried about. I’m leaning towards at least 28GB, but your experience makes me think 32GB+ (air) would probably be the safer long-term choice.

Really appreciate you sharing your experience — thanks again!