Macbook Air (or Mini) for Pro Apps Bundle

I'm considering buying my first Mac (either a new Macbook Air or Mini) with M1 and 16GB RAM, primarily for music production with Logic Pro X. Since the Pro Apps Bundle for Education is available for the same price as Logic Pro X alone, it makes sense to buy that bundle. My questions are for people already using this bundle with the Air or Mini:

1a) What size SSD is working well for you with maximum 40 tracks audio and maximum 6 virtual instrument tracks (integrated with Logic)? I already have a Glyph 1TB USB-C Portable HDD for audio files and could get another for Logic sample library if needed.

1b) Same question if I started using the other pro apps like Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor or MainStage?

2) There's a $50 savings by selecting 7‑core GPU instead of 8‑core GPU. Is there a significant difference in performance?

2b) Same question if I started using the other pro apps like Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor or MainStage?

3) Any strong argument for Air or Mini for this scenario?

Thank you so much for your help!