Hey all. Am currently a freelance writer that will be transitioning into a full-time remote work come February.

The past few years I've worked remotely, I've always relied on my gaming desktop that doubles up as a work station for me. Come Feb 2022 however, maybe after CNY, I plan on getting a laptop so I can separate work and leisure matters better.

Currently planning to allocate a RM3000 budget to my laptop, though I'm willing to scale up that budget if necessary... My wishlist for a laptop is...

- Fast running with smooth operations
- Will mostly be dealing with the likes of MS Suite and Google Docs (compatibility). Don't foresee myself using Adobe. If Adobe is factored in at some point, it shouldn't matter much right? Given Adobe isn't an intensive designing programming
- Clear and crisp resolution to watch YouTube videos. Suspect I'll be watching some videos for work research purposes
- Lightweight, sleek and ergonomic if possible
- Great battery life, hoping to work at co-working spaces or cafes.

Certain friends have recommended Macbook Air, which costs roughly around RM4600... but I want to hear your thoughts. I'm sure there are other brands out there that may or may not fit the bill. While I initially set my sights on Macbook Air, several non-Apple stan friends of mine have remarked that you're mostly paying for the brand. Meanwhile, some friends have also recommended considering second hand Macbook or any other branded laptops.

Advice please. If I'm missed out something else too, please let me know.

Depend on your requirement:
Asus Zenbook 14x OLED -> Good for designer
Macbook Pro -> For iOS/Mac programmer

For normal MS Office / Google Cloud work -> anything will do, as long as you're happy. 13/14/15 inch, slim / lightweight, back light keyboard, etc.

If under RM3,000..
I guess only a few option
Dell Inspiron 15
Huawei Matebook D15

MS Suite and Google Docs not so CPU intensive. Adobe programs mostly multimedia, you will need capable CPU and GPU, depends which programs you using.

I feel better to get at least 8 cores CPU, i7 or Ryzen 7. Can last longer before feel it is sluggish.
16GB RAM or 32GB if you doing video editing.
Others such as screen and battery size, depends on your need.
RM3,000 might be hard to get such specifications.

How much should I scale up my budget to get a laptop with better specs? Care to share? Also... I have someone offering a Macbook Air for RM3000, they're desperate to let go as they need funds for an emergency. Should I consider the offer? The laptop is quite considerably new if I do say so myself...

For your requirement , get Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, with at least 8g ram, ideally 16g ram, usually comes with SSD drive 1TB. Checkout Lenovo Idealpad 3.

I think your mind is already prone toward Macbook Air

But you need to have that laptop spec, before making any decision.
Macbook Air are entry level laptop / low spec.

I would recommend you get a new laptop instead due to the warranty and newer hardware.
Can have a look at the latest Vivobook
https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/For-Home/Vi...ate-OLED-T3300/

I won't lie . It's always been a dream of mine to own a Macbook since my college days. The times I envied those rich Taylors kids who had the latest macbook, ugh. Are there any particular brands that you would recommend? Unfortunately, spec isn't my forte... So far for non-Apple laptops, I only know Dell, Asus and Lenovo. Everything else feels foreign to me. But also, just to add, the second hand Macbook Air I'm being offered still has its warranty intact :x

Don't need to be expert also can tell u gona kena scam dy

LOL.. could totally see that.
i would suggest you to get know that macbook air specification before hand.
Because usually those buying macbook air (2019 and before) are only getting the lowest spec just for wayang on cafe.
for example : i5 / 8gb ram/128gb ssd
128gb to me is not enough.. not sure about you.
and need to check battery/display/keyboard/hinge condition.

if the MacBook Air (2020 onward) is the latest M1 chip, then its fine cause the lowest spec is M1 chip / 8gb ram / 256gb ssd.
good enough for your MS Suite / Google Cloud work.

Ahaha! I totally feel you. It does feel like a lot of Macbook users are just doing it for shows when they're in a cafe aren't they. Pray tell, can you tell me if having a higher SSD will lead to a faster operation and processing?

Having higher SSD is for your laptop storage..
128gb is just barely enough nowadays for a Mac user if you plan to install Adobe software and some other MS Suite.

256gb is good to have and have some space to breathe for a few years software update that getting larger and larger.

The main different here is the processing power:
year 2019 and below are using Intel i5
year 2020 onward is Apple M1 Chip

the M1 chip totally win Intel i5 by 2 times in operation and processing.

This post has been edited by shinichi88: Jan 26 2022, 05:30 PM

It seems like you're honing in towards the macbook air, so if all is well I believe you should go for it because at the end of the day you'll be the one using the laptop for at least a few years. The ios vs windows war will forever be there, so it's best we ignore the peer pressure of needing a macbook, or choosing a windows laptop over a macbook because there are stereotypes against ios users. Just pick what you like best to use as an everyday laptop, as based on what you're looking for, I'd say there will be not much of a difference using ios or windows, it only depends on your budget flexibility and the aesthetics in life you choose. But if you're using other Apple devices, there will definitely be benefits of using an ios laptop, in terms of convenience, depending on your use. But personally, I use an iphone and a windows laptop, it's works well for me as I find it easier using the windows system. For your reference, here are a few windows laptops that I'd suggest based on your budget:

1. Dell New Inspiron 15 3000
2. Acer Swift 3
3. Acer Aspire 5
4. Huawei matebook D15 R5
5. Microsoft surface laptop go (pretty macbook looking imo)

Hope it helps!

Should be below 4k for the spec I listed. If looking for better things for other such as better or bigger screen, or with dedicated GPU, price will go up more.

As others said, if the Air is with M1 chip then worth it as it is much higher performance than current AMD or previous Intel chip. Alder Lake can top it, but with DDR5, it won't be cheap.

Even with DDR4, the price is bomb: MSI Vector GP66

For your requirements, I will recommend some customised Thinkpad or Thinkbook.

Pick the size you need (14" or 15.6" or even 16"), then customise the display to one with proper color and contrast.

Specs wise anything i5/Ryzen5 with 16GB RAM should do.