How to upgrade my MacBook Pro to MacBook Air?

For the uses you describe, the M1 would be way more than adequate.

The latest version of Banktivity (formerly iBank) runs on all current Macs. They have information on upgrading from previous versions at https://www.banktivity.com/upgrading.php

and

https://www.banktivity.com/support/articles/banktivity-for-mac/how-do-i-import-my-existing-banktivity-data-into-banktivity-8/

Quicken for Mac is also an excellent option and will import Banktivity files.

It's easy for me to spend your money 😀 but perhaps you should chat with an Apple sales specialist who might help you to decide: https://contactretail.apple.com/Help

If you ask me I don't like buying Version 1 of anything, and the M1 was the first Apple Silicon chip for the Mac. Whatever the M1 does, the M2 will do faster. Will you notice the difference? Probably not, unless you were to painstakingly compare the two simultaneously, side-by-side.

Nobody ever regrets buying a faster Mac, or more memory, or more storage. Personally I suggest you give far more consideration to making sure the Mac has enough storage. This site is full of concerns from people who bought the cheapest, most modestly configured Mac and are now regretting their decision because they wound up using it for purposes they had no way to foresee when they bought the Mac. It's a bit disheartening for helpers like us to say there's nothing we can do about it now, since the Mac's configuration (storage, memory) cannot be changed once it has been built.

That's why I wanted to draw your attention to the fact you had your previous Mac for quite a long time. Some people prefer to upgrade every couple of years. For them, it's less of a decision.

I think you will benefit from chatting with Apple.

I think either the M1 or M2 would work fine for you, based on your typical usage. I would recommend getting either with 16GB RAM, as I'm just not convinced 8GB RAM should even be offered.

Regarding making the choice between the M1 and M2, for the price difference I'd choose the M2. There should soon be deals offered on these, as it's rumored Apple will be launching M3 versions within the next month or two (although only Apple knows for sure). The other point to consider is when Apple will stop supporting it. The M2 would provide an extra year over the M1.

Just my $0.02 worth.

There are M3 iMacs and 14" M3 MacBook Pros out now. The M1 MacBook Airs are the only new Mac that are still using M1-series chips.

https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/?modelList=MacBook-Air-M1,MacBook-Air-M2,MacBook-Air-M2-15

If you compare the M1 and M2 MacBook Airs side-by-side, you'll see that

• The M1 models lack a MagSafe 3 charging port.
• The M2 models have much better sound systems (at least on paper).
• The M2 models appear to have somewhat better Webcams and displays.
• The M2 models can be ordered with up to 24 GB of RAM (vs. up to 16 GB).
• The M2 models come in a choice of 13" and 15" sizes.

You might notice some of these differences more than you would notice the difference in processor speeds.

You had your MacBook Pro for over a decade. How long do you intend to keep your new Mac? If it is a similar amount of time, how would you answer that question a decade from now? The price difference is $100. How much is that price difference, per year of ownership?

Final question: Who answered your question, you or me?

If you are interested in using two external monitors, be aware that Mac notebooks using base-level M1, M2, and M3 chips support only a single external monitor. To get support for two (or more) external monitors, you need a 14" or 16" MBP with a Pro or Max processor. (See Technical Specifications for details.)