# MacBook Air M1 in 2026, still worth buying used? Source: https://forum.geekwithlaptop.com/thread/macbook-air-m1-in-2026-still-worth-buying-used/ Site: Geek With Laptop Forum, category MacBooks Published: 2026-10-18. Updated: 2026-10-20. Replies: 7. ## Question by Kenji W., 2026-10-18 I keep seeing used 2020 MacBook Air M1 laptops come up as the "sensible student laptop" and I am tempted. My classes are mostly coding, writing, spreadsheets and the occasional video call, with maybe some light photo editing for a club. I do not game on a laptop. But it is 2026, Apple has already released macOS 27, and I do not know whether the M1 is about to be left behind. I also read that the base model only has 8GB of memory and that it cannot be upgraded afterwards, and I do not know if that is a real problem for what I do. So, for someone using it for school for the next three or four years: will it keep getting updates, is 8GB okay, and what should I check on a used one so I do not end up with a locked or worn out machine? I would like to avoid the usual mistakes. ## Reply 1 by Sophie Lin, 2026-10-18 I edit video on a MacBook Pro, so I will speak to the memory question. For coding, writing, browser tabs and light photo work, 8GB on Apple silicon is fine because the system manages it well. It starts to hurt with big exports, huge image files, or lots of heavy apps open together. The M1 Air has no fan, which is great for quiet, but long heavy tasks will slow it down as it warms up. For your list, it is a good fit. ## Reply 2 by Owen P., 2026-10-20 I sell these used, so here is my checklist. 1. The seller must sign out of the previous Apple Account and turn off Find My, otherwise the Mac is locked to them and you cannot use it. 2. Check the cycle count and battery condition in System Settings, Battery. 3. Test every key, the trackpad click, both USB-C ports, and the screen for lines or dead pixels. 4. Look for dents at the corners and signs of liquid. Never buy one that is stuck on a login screen "because you can fix it." ## Reply 3 by Tyler B., 2026-10-20 Apple only supports Macs for about three years, so a 2020 one is already dead for updates. Anything after macOS 15 is not going to install on it. Better to find an Intel one, those can at least run Windows games with Boot Camp. ## Reply 4 by Owen P., 2026-10-20 @Tyler B. Boot Camp is not an option on the newer Macs at all, only Intel ones had it, and Intel Macs are the older and shorter-lived side now. For a student, the M1 is the better bet, and I have not had a customer with one stuck without updates. ## Reply 5 by Grace O., 2026-10-20 We have a few of these in the office, three or four years in, and they are still among the least troublesome machines we own. The things that cost us time were storage filling up on the smaller drives and people not updating macOS. Get as much storage as you can afford, because unlike memory it is easier to live with an external drive. ## Reply 6 by Marcus Hale (staff), 2026-10-20 Yes, it is still a sound used buy for your use, with one condition: pick the unit carefully. Apple lists macOS 27 as compatible with MacBook Air with Apple silicon from 2020 onward, so the M1 Air is not left behind. 8GB is fine for coding, writing and light photos. Check the Apple Account lock and battery first. Kenji, the specifics. Apple's own tech specs for the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) list an 8-core CPU, 8GB of unified memory (the 16GB option was configure-to-order only, so it cannot be added later), a 49.9 watt-hour battery, two Thunderbolt and USB 4 ports, and support for one external display up to 6K. Source: [MacBook Air (M1, 2020) Tech Specs, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/111883). On updates, Apple's macOS page states that macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later). The same page's footnotes show that some newer features need newer chips; for example, customizing Siri's voice needs an M3 or later with 12GB of memory. Those are optional extras, not what you described. Source: [macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple](https://www.apple.com/os/macos/). Tyler, that is not right. The M1 is current, and Intel Macs are the ones that run out of support first. Apple does not publish a guaranteed end date, so treat three or four more years as likely, not promised. Owen's checklist is good, and the battery step has its own thread: [how to check MacBook battery health and cycle count](/thread/how-do-i-check-macbook-battery-health-and-cycle-count/). ## Reply 7 by Kenji W., 2026-10-20 @Marcus Hale that is really reassuring, thanks. I will ask for the Apple Account sign-out to be done in front of me and I will look at the cycle count before I hand over anything. I will also get the larger storage if I can. --- Cite as: Geek With Laptop Forum, "MacBook Air M1 in 2026, still worth buying used?", https://forum.geekwithlaptop.com/thread/macbook-air-m1-in-2026-still-worth-buying-used/, accessed 2026-11-10.