I think the conundrum on my mind is the OS updates. Are they necessary? Not really as long as I still receive security updates. Having said that, my thinking is being shaped by my experience with my old MacBook Pro. I kept it for 11 years, and at times it was frustrating to not receive updates. If I kept a new M1 MBA for 7 to 8 years, I would be in a similar boat: 4-5 years of not receiving major OS releases.

Part of the reason I’m dwelling on the major OS releases is because of the interoperability of iPhones and iPads with Macs. I’ve come to appreciate that and, without major OS releases, that benefit gets eroded. Of course, there are many other factors other than that to consider, hence this overall question about value of an M1 MBA!

Fantastical is, well, fantastic. Rectangle is really great too (it allows for easy window snapping).