u/Charming_Pickle_9545 — reddlx

Hi everyone,

I’m starting my apprenticeship in September and I’m currently planning my tech setup. I’m on a budget and looking for advice on whether to go for a high-spec older Pro or a newer Air.

My Situation:

Budget: 750€ – 1,000€.
Savings Plan: I have 500€ saved up and I’m adding 120€ every month. By September, I’ll have around 1,000€.
Location: Germany (looking at refurbished deals).

The Deal I found: A refurbished MacBook Pro 16" (2021):

Chip: M1 Pro (10-Core CPU / 16-Core GPU)
RAM: 32 GB
Storage: 512 GB SSD
Condition: Excellent, only 87 battery cycles.
Price: Around 850€ - 900€.

The Alternative: Buying a brand new MacBook Air M4 or M5 (13") with 16GB RAM and 512 GB SSD using the Education/Student discount once I start my apprenticeship.

My Thoughts: I really like the 16" Pro because of the 32GB of RAM and the 120Hz XDR display. However, I'm worried about the longevity of the M1 Pro regarding software updates since we are already in 2026.

Questions for you:

Is the M1 Pro with 32GB RAM still a better daily driver in 2026 than a base M4 or M5 Air (which would likely only have 16GB RAM in my budget)?
How concerned should I be about the battery health on a 5-year-old machine, even with low cycles (87)? Does chemical aging play a big role here?
The Update Question: How risky is the M1 Pro regarding future macOS support? I’ve heard about OpenCore Legacy Patcher for Intel Macs—is such a thing even realistic for Apple Silicon once the M1 series gets dropped?
Will I miss out on major Apple Intelligence / AI features if I stick with the older M1 Pro Neural Engine instead of the M4/M5?

Looking forward to your insights! Thanks!