I’m Not a Mac Guy… But This MacBook Air Changed My Mind
Let me start with this: I’ve never been a Mac guy. I’ve always appreciated Apple’s hardware, but I’ve been deep in the Windows/Linux world for years. My work machine is a Framework laptop running a 12th Gen Intel i7-1280P. It's powerful, flexible, and modular. It's exactly the kind of machine a developer like me would gravitate toward.
But recently, I decided to give the Mac another chance. I picked up the new 15-inch MacBook Air M4 (10-core) and set it up for Laravel development. And honestly? I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying it.
Setup Was Shockingly Smooth
Getting my development environment up and running on the Framework took time. WSL2, Docker configs, cross-platform issues, you know the drill.
On the MacBook Air? It just worked.
Homebrew made everything simple. Laravel Sail spun up perfectly. No drama. I was up and building containers within minutes, and the performance is no joke.
PHPStorm and VS Code Fly
I use both VS Code and PHPStorm regularly. On this machine, they feel snappy. There’s zero lag when switching projects, running tests, or navigating code. The M4 chip and unified memory seem to keep everything smooth, even when I have Docker containers, browsers, and a few terminals running all at once.
Laravel Dev Feels Better Here
I don’t know how else to say it, Laravel just feels better on this MacBook. Artisan commands are fast. Container builds feel instant. Even file changes seem to reflect quicker when I’m developing with Livewire.
Is it just the hardware? Maybe. But it might also be that the whole experience from keyboard feel to battery life to screen clarity makes coding on this machine feel focused and distraction-free.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t expect this. I thought I’d try it, nod politely, and go back to my Framework. But for now, the MacBook Air is winning me over.
I’m still not a “Mac guy”… but I might be becoming one. At least for development.