Hi Rachelle. I understand your conundrum. In your case, I would not upgrade. Sure, it’s a nice design, and the M2 is tad faster but you won’t really get any other benefits. My strategy would be to buy the Linux machine, and in 6–12 months get the M2 Air via the Apple refurbished store, if you’re still very keen on getting it. As it stands, it would be a waste of money for you. The M1 is a very capable machine and already does everything you need.