I'm using an M2 Air professionally for around a year now, it's excellent and it makes me seriously question why developers need macbook pro's.

The only limitation I notice is that I can only have a single external display.

> makes me seriously question why developers need macbook pro's

For work I am developing a massive JVM monolith server application and even the M1 Pro 16" takes minutes for it just to start up. Compilation is also slow with millions of lines of code. I have SQL Server running on an x86 Linux VM with Rosetta in Docker. Need all the CPU I can get. The Macbook Air simply has less CPU performance and is thermally throttled. It would waste too much of my time.

For my personal hobby C++ coding, the Macbook Air 8GB would be enough.

Yeah, the single external display is the biggest limiting factor for me. The performance is generally there (except for more heavy compilations). I'm thinking of picking up a M3 Pro Mac Mini when those eventually release to combat the display limitations.

RAM and displays, for sure.

But also, Airs used to be absolutely AWFUL devices in terms of performance when they were still intel. I think the stigma has stuck around.

Honest question，but how do you live with 8GB or RAM? I have 16 now and I run out regularly without doing anything too crazy (though in large part because Emacs and CIDER leak memory like crazy)

Doesn't having to close background applications constantly absolutely maddening ?

You can get up to 24GB RAM on the Air.

did not know that! The Apple webpage somehow threw me off. Thanks. Would be a bit hard downgrade from a 16inch 3:2, but I'll keep it as an option if I need to get a new laptop at some point