MacBook Air 15” vs Pro 14” M5 - which would you pick for long-term use?

Hi everyone,

I’m starting a PhD soon and looking to buy a new MacBook that I want to last 7–8+ years. I’ll mainly use it for writing, reading, light analysis testing and coding in R, and general work. Most heavy analyses will run on remote servers, so local performance might not be the main factor.

I’m currently deciding between:

• MacBook Air 15” M5 (24GB RAM, 1TB)

• MacBook Pro 14” M5 (24GB RAM, 1TB)

Main things I’m unsure about:

• Bigger screen (Air) vs better/anti-glare display (Pro)

• Whether active cooling on the Pro makes a difference long-term

• Whether 24GB RAM will be enough long-term

• Comfort for long workdays (especially at home)

For context: I currently use a ~10-year-old MacBook Pro, so I’m used to that, and I’d like my next laptop to last just as long.

Curious what you would pick and why!