Redesigned MacBook Air Reportedly Planned for 3Q 2013 Launch, Possibly with Retina Display

[kobyh15]

Originally Posted by KPOM

There is already only a $100 price difference between the i7 Air and the base rMBP (whose full voltage processor has similar performance). It's possible that Apple will leave a non-Retina "budget" option for a time. It's also possible that, like today, they will use a lesser quality display (lower color gamut and/or contrast) to improve yields and keep the price differential.

Agreed. They would have to do something to distinguish the Air and rMBP lines.

[Slackula]

Whatever they come up with I'm sure it will be magical and revolutionary.

[technopimp]

Oh no, but I JUST bought a 2012 MBA. Whatever will I do now?

[MacBird]

I certainly hope they won't use a retina display for the next MBA. On retina displays, low resolution images look less detailed than on standard displays, which is not good for photography websites.

All I want in an updated MBA is an IPS display and maybe a smaller bezel.

[Artful Dodger]

This thread cracks me up with all those saying the 11" Air couldn't handle or have enough power to have a Retina display Nice to see those signatures with an iPad 3 powering a Retina display so…yeah.

Anyone watching that Apple has tested certain factors in the iPad line and then applied those to the computer line albeit to a better suited scale/modified need with the hardware. And as for price, if it cost that much extra the iPads would be way more expensive than they are…

[TouchMint.com]

While I know the air 11 and 13 could run retina I just dont understand why they would do it. I just dont see what separates the 13inch air and 13inch retina besides the screen,a light processor bump and a few cm in size.

[marvin4653]

Originally Posted by durruti

+Anti-glare, matte, please.

That right there is what dreams are made of.

[Krauser]

Originally Posted by Dwalls90

That would almost require a dedicated GPU, and would provide too much cross over with the Air and Pro w/ Retina. I don't think the 11" could drive retina, and there is already a 13" Pro w/ retina.

Seems like a bogus rumor.

The 13" Pro Retina doesn't have a dedicated GPU, and that does just fine. And with Haswell shaping up to have a much better integrated graphics solution, that only makes it more likely that retina resolutions are possible on the Air. The issue here isn't the horsepower. Even the HD4000 has more than enough horsepower for these displays. The issue here is accommodating a big enough battery within the form factor of the Airs, and that's difficult without a redesign making them thinner (not going to happen... we all know Apple) or a breakthrough in battery efficiency (not going to happen by Q3 2013). Haswell will help make up some of the efficiency issues in battery life if Retina were adopted by the Air line, but there's not going to be enough of an increase in efficiency to make up for the loss of adding a retina screen to an Air with the same battery capacity.

TL;DR: The Airs won't have retina screens in the next refresh.

[guzhogi]

Just thinking: the 3rd & 4th gen iPad have resolutions of 2,048 × 1,536, which is quite a bit higher than the MBA's. How does the iPad's GPU compare to that of the MBA's?

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by FSMBP

Don't they already have 13" Air Retinas...13" rMBP? It's not like Apple didn't try to design the 13" rMBP to be as thin as possible.

Don't use logic. It just confuses folks

[Ryth]

Originally Posted by Krauser

TL;DR: The Airs won't have retina screens in the next refresh.

If the Airs come out later in the summer...it's a good bet that they do have Retina.

[Jenriquegm]

Originally Posted by FSMBP

Don't they already have 13" Air Retinas...13" rMBP? It's not like Apple didn't try to design the 13" rMBP to be as thin as possible.

True, is like having an iPad 2 upgrated to retina display

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by Astroexe

maybe Microsoft's "Surface" Tablet-and-PC-hybrid will have an effect on Apple's flagship Light, Portable and Ultra-useable Notebook.

Maybe. If it stops being outsold by the iPad, iPad mini, current MacBook Air etc. and maybe if it stops getting panned in the reviews

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Originally Posted by phillipduran

Microsoft Surface killer?

You mean the Surface that was supposed to be an iPad Killer, MacBook Air Killer and rMBP Killer rolled into one?

[iLilana]

Originally Posted by iphone495

I would be shocked if the next MacBook Air doesn't come with a retina display. REAL SHOCKED!

I would... they currently have a MBP 13 inch with retina. Putting a retina on the air would kill the price point.

[TSE]

I could see them doing away with the 13 inch air and just having an 11 inch model, branded as just "MacBook".

[ronm99]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but with the price drop of the 13" retina MacBook Pro I believe there is no longer a price premium for the retina display. The retina version starts out with a higher end configuration, but if you configure a 13" non-retina MacBook with 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD, the price comes out to $1499 which is exactly the same as the retina version.

[Bill Killer]

Originally Posted by Mad Mac Maniac

I would love it if the MBA got design inspiration from the iPad mini!!

No.

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Adding Retina to a MBA model effectively fills the gap of users, like myself, who want the incredibly display of the rMBP but do not want to give up the incredible MBA form factor.

On top of that, Apple is trying to greatly improve a current product by offering a top-shelf model of a proven winner, yet you all are against it because it's not how you would define a MBA?

[jeblis]

I bet you'll see a retina MacAir. The big advantage of the upcomming Haswell processors is the integrated graphics performance which will greatly help push the pixels for the Air and 13" macbooks. (It will help power on the 15" model)

[macness]

I wonder if it will come in the black slate colour if the iPhone 5 and iPad mini?? Scuff gate to the max. Lol

[SSD-GUY]

If they do make a MacBook Air 13 Retina, then who would buy the rMBP 13?

Just think about it, apart from the retina display, there is pretty much no difference between the rMBP 13 and the MBA 13.

Apple tried to fit a Retina display on the thinnest machine possible whilst not compromising on battery life/power etc, it's called the rMBP 13.

[melendezest]

You know what I'd like to see?

A smaller bezel with the same screen size (and thus, smaller form factor), or a smaller bezel with a larger screen within the current dimensions.

Retina or not, I just don't see the need for such thick bezels on their screens.

Retina or not, a larger screen is easier to read than a small one.

C'mon, Apple.

EDIT: Dang it, someone beat me to it. At least I'm not alone, though..

[Ryth]

Originally Posted by iLilana

I would... they currently have a MBP 13 inch with retina. Putting a retina on the air would kill the price point.

Putting a retina on the iPad would kill the price point....

Sound familiar?

The 13" MBP is going to basically become the 13" MBAR. There are too similar to have both exist now.

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Originally Posted by SSD-GUY

If they do make a MacBook Air 13 Retina, then who would buy the rMBP 13?

Just think about it, apart from the retina display, there is pretty much no difference between the rMBP 13 and the MBA 13.

Apple tried to fit a Retina display on the thinnest machine possible whilst not compromising on battery life/power etc, it's called the rMBP 13.

That's why they both won't exist and will be one in the same.

The MBPR will only be

A) 15" only
B) 13" MBPR will receive a dedicated GPU chipset

[Krauser]

Originally Posted by SSD-GUY

If they do make a MacBook Air 13 Retina, then who would buy the rMBP 13?

Just think about it, apart from the retina display, there is pretty much no difference between the rMBP 13 and the MBA 13.

Apple tried to fit a Retina display on the thinnest machine possible whilst not compromising on battery life/power etc, it's called the rMBP 13.

If they're able to cram a quad core Haswell chip into the 13" Pro (which could very well happen with the power savings offered by Haswell and the improved thermals of that architecture as well as the new chassis design), that's all the reason to get a 13" Pro over the 13" Air if it ships with retina. Even if it doesn't go quad core (which, let's be honest, is likely it won't), the full power non-low voltage processors in the Pro's are nicer for the professional work anyway.

And to be honest, I really don't see them going to retina in the air in the next refresh. I'd rather have the Air be the cheaper, affordable, macbook for everyone and keep all the battery life it can get rather than get a retina display and potentially skimp on battery life, price, or both.

The Air has its place. Would I love a retina screen in it? Sure, who wouldn't, but it isn't at that point yet and I'd much rather see the Air be the affordable MacBook it is than potentially compromise and gain a high resolution display. The 13" Pro fills that niche right now perfectly. It's practically the 13" Air anyway.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by SSD-GUY

If they do make a MacBook Air 13 Retina, then who would buy the rMBP 13?

Just think about it, apart from the retina display, there is pretty much no difference between the rMBP 13 and the MBA 13.

Apple tried to fit a Retina display on the thinnest machine possible whilst not compromising on battery life/power etc, it's called the rMBP 13.

1. Those who need the faster non ULV Core i5/i7 processors.
2. Those that need more flexible display support (dual TB ports)

It's also possible that Apple delivers Retina displays that aren't IPS and that could be a difference as well.

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Originally Posted by jrswizzle

Minimally thicker and heavier - sure they take longer to charge, but that wasn't what you said. You said you didn't want to sacrifice battery life.

But regardless there is always the tradeoff of battery life for more pixels. It doesn't matter how you handle it. Any one (or a combination of) these 3 things will always happen. a) make the device bigger/heavier to maintain the same battery life b) improve processor/battery tech to maintain same battery life and/or c) reduce battery life. All other things being equal, the retina display will ALWAYS sacrifice battery life compared to a nonretina display 10 times out of 10. That's my point.

Now I would gladly take that tradeoff (sacrificing battery life) if weren't for the additional performance issues and cost increases that are associated with it. Now I don't claim to know better than Apple, but I don't think that the current technology is good enough to make a rMBA without unnecessary cost, battery drain, and performance degradation. Especially as an entry level consumer device. Sure as you mention, they could keep both... but how many times will they continue to fork their product lines...

*gasp* I just had a thought... They if they do fork it, they will likely take the same approach they did will the MBP. i.e. keep the current MBA design and issue out a completely new design for the rMBA.... then I will be quite torn indeed....