MacBook Air for college and pentesting: buy M3 after the release of MB air M4 or wait for M5?
Hi! I'm looking to buy a MacBook Air for college, taking lecture notes, and professional tasks. My main use cases include running virtual machines, pentesting tools (Kali Linux, Metasploit, etc.), and multitasking (browser, terminal, and note-taking apps simultaneously).
I’m considering two options:
Buy MacBook Air M3 right after the release of MacBook air M4 (February~ 2025), when M3 might drop in price.
Wait for the release of M5 (Fall 2025) and then get either MB air M3 or MB air M4 at a discounted price.
Key details:
- I don’t urgently need a laptop right now, but it would be helpful (e.g., for notes and using as a tablet).
- A laptop will definitely be necessary for college and professional use in the future.
- My budget in three months will be around $1200–1400 (after my savings account matures).
Should I buy the M3 after the release of M4, or would it be better to wait for M5 and go for a more future-proof model at that time?
Updated: Due to numerous comments, I will add that I have a 1 year limit (beginning in 2026), so please do not write comments like "then wait for M20 in 2044". 🙏
(Если вы знаете русский будет лучше)