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

[Tom8]

I'm probably being incredibly dense here, but can someone tell me why having a smaller bezel would have an impact on the size of the keyboard? I've seen a couple people raise that point in this thread, but can't figure out what the relationship between the two is.

[claus1225]

The retina display is nice but only if you have the samsung display.

If you have the LG display, you better off returning it or exchanging for another unit.

My 2009 model actually has better looking display than the LG retina display.

[splitpea]

Originally Posted by Tom8

I'm probably being incredibly dense here, but can someone tell me why having a smaller bezel would have an impact on the size of the keyboard? I've seen a couple people raise that point in this thread, but can't figure out what the relationship between the two is.

If they decrease the bezel size without increasing the panel size, then the overall dimensions of the machine are smaller. This leaves less space for the keyboard.

[buysp]

I think we will have to wait till Broadwell for retina to be included in the MBA range. This year i'd expect a new body and IPS display only.

[newdeal]

Originally Posted by Ryth

Haswell my friend.

And no more MBP 13" most likely.

That's why it's happening.

You think Haswell will be efficient enough they can strap that display on an air and I think your delusional, maybe I am uninformed but the ipad 3 has a larger battery than an 11.6" macbook air just to power retina and it runs arm and a much smaller screen

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by newdeal

You think Haswell will be efficient enough they can strap that display on an air and I think your delusional, maybe I am uninformed but the ipad 3 has a larger battery than an 11.6" macbook air just to power retina and it runs arm and a much smaller screen

Having Haswell won't make or break a machine with a high pixel density display, since OSX uses a composited desktop handled mostly by the GPU. And even that won't be greatly strained unless you're running graphics intensive programs at native resolution.

[dkshaq]

If we concert about thickness, battery life and retina display, they can just replace the current Intel process to ARM"A7"!!. this way you can keep the same size, battery life and you can get a retina display.

that was one of the previous rumor, change all the airs to ARM based process.

[yakapo]

If they put the haswell gt3 and a 256 gig ssd (standard) in the new macbook air, I'm going to have to somehow convince my boss to get me one.
Not that I'm even making use of the i5 in my 2011 macbook air.

[Tech198]

So, does this keep on-par with the 13' Macbook Pro Retina's ?

My focus has now shifted as my next Mac now, not buying a MBA (although how thin can you keep an Air even though it will be Retina), but now focused on the MBP 13'

In fact, my current MBP non-Retina 2012 is $100 more expensive, with a slightly slower CPU. Thats tell me allot :P


Maybe its time for an upgrade. Since it sure seems like Apple doesn't wanna keep around these non-Retina MBP's any longer.

In this day and age, everyone will wanna go Retina

[Ryth]

Originally Posted by Carouser

What if they just change the name then?

If it was a Mac Supreme what would its specs requirement be?
If it was a Mac SuperDo what would those requirements be?

I think it's amazing how you can tell what the product should have given it has PRO in the name. Is there like a reference book somewhere that says "if you name a product X, it's supposed to have Y"? Thanks in advance.

Well considering they've said time and time again what the Pro line is for and how they've marketed it, yes they should follow through with the 'correct' naming moniker for the 13". It's not "Pro" worthy.

Like the one user said right after you posted your reply to mine, it's for those higher end users in video, audio, production, etc that need high GPU and processor needs.

When you release a MBPro 13" without even a dedicated GPU that is required by most of the Adobe apps, yes, they should be called out for it. You cannot use the 13" MBPR as a "Pro" machine in the medium to high end video/graphics world. How do I know? Because I work in that world and that machine will not cut it. We tested it over at the Mac store and it choked big time on After Effects and Premiere and Final Cut/Avid.

Even the MBPR 15" had issues. Could it pull the job off...yes...but barely doing some tasks due to the lack of having a 2GB GPU. A 1GB GPU is a joke on that machine.

----------

Originally Posted by newdeal

You think Haswell will be efficient enough they can strap that display on an air and I think your delusional, maybe I am uninformed but the ipad 3 has a larger battery than an 11.6" macbook air just to power retina and it runs arm and a much smaller screen

Of course they could strap that display on an Air. They have that display being powered by Ivy Bridge right now in the 13" MBPR and Haswell is a 'tock' in the cycle so it's going to be much better then Ivy.

What's delusional is that you aren't considering 'other' changes coming to the Air. When they do something new like this, there will be changes to most components on the inside. Just like a new screen, there will be new advances in the 'guts' of the machine that will be able to pull it off.

[1nteresting]

Why doesn't Apple just focus on graphics? They continue to use sucky integrated graphics for most of their machines. If you want a machine with O.K. dedicated you have to get a 15" at $1800.

[Ryth]

Originally Posted by 1nteresting

Why doesn't Apple just focus on graphics? They continue to use sucky integrated graphics for most of their machines. If you want a machine with O.K. dedicated you have to get a 15" at $1800.

That OK dedicated chip in the 15" sucks. It's just a mid range mobile. They need to put the high end GTXs in the MBPR's.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebooks.html

[Navdakilla]

Originally Posted by Mattjeff

This is good news for me... Bad for my bank account.

No kidding.
Love my 11" air, but thinking of selling that and getting a 13"

[1nteresting]

Originally Posted by Ryth

That OK dedicated chip in the 15" sucks. It's just a mid range mobile. They need to put the high end GTXs in the MBPR's.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebooks.html

I completely agree. Apple has been way behind in performance for too long. If they put a high end dedicated graphics card in their Retina Macbook Pros for $1,800 (no, not $4,000 please), I'd be all over it. If I can get a $1k amazingly built Asus with a 2gb 660M, I should be able to get a $1,800 Macbook Pro retina with a 680M at least.

[Tech198]

I guess Apple will always be behind graphics.....

While they do step up, never to a fast GPU by any means, i guess their real, and only goal is make it stand out..

And, while this works. the tech side of windows people are rolling around laughing, having a field day. :P

Its not all about eye candy.... Apple needs to learn that....

In that case 256MB VRAM would still be in with non-i processors..

If it was left to Apple alone, we'd probably be still be running these outdated machines, all this time Apple not worrying, just as long as people come to their store to buy stuff (and while it remains to look good, they will).

GPU need a big over-haul.. Particularly the laggy issues with Retina as is.

That alone, would make any user switch.. "Retina" or no "retina" since its Apple's own term.... They can make up anything they like can't they?

[HurryKayne]

mmm..i guess they will maintain dual cores plus adding retina in the Air
while putting quad cores haswell in the retinas macbook pro 13
maybe next year quad cores will land on Air too but this will make
Air and 13 very similar...maybe in 2014 the 13's retina will have back
its lost discrete Gpu?I really hope so...this with the Falcon Ridge^^(on 2014)

[stockscalper]

Wow, I never knew I was using an entry level computer until I read this article.

[Chupa Chupa]

Originally Posted by Shaun, UK

I don't think they will merge the MBA and MBP lines. They may look similiar but they are two very different machines targetting two very different markets. Apple has always tried to have a "consumer" and a "pro" machine in their lineup.

I do agree with you on the 13" model though. I honestly don't see the logic behind having two 13" models and no 17" model. I hope they ditch the 13" MBP and bring back the 17" model.

I think you may have misunderstood what I wrote. I didn't mean Apple would merge the entire MBA and MBA lines, just the 13" models. There isn't much "pro" about the 13". Maybe if they put a discrete video card, but otherwise the basic difference is the MBP has more ports and a Retina screen. Add Retina to the MBA, and the difference isn't all that great.

[Shaun, UK]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

I think you may have misunderstood what I wrote. I didn't mean Apple would merge the entire MBA and MBA lines, just the 13" models. There isn't much "pro" about the 13". Maybe if they put a discrete video card, but otherwise the basic difference is the MBP has more ports and a Retina screen. Add Retina to the MBA, and the difference isn't all that great.

I agree with you but why not just keep the 13" MBA and ditch the 13" MBP. They could always upgrade the MBA to add more ports, etc to make it more useful. I agree with you the 13" MBP is not really a pro machine, it's just a way of squeezing more profit out of Mac users who need a small/light/portable laptop but prefer to get a "pro" machine. They should either make it a proper pro laptop or like I say drop it and bring back the 17" model instead which is what I would prefer.

The lack of a 17" MBP and the fact that the Mac Pro has just been discontinued here in Europe (after a long death march I might add) means that pro users are having to buy an iMac if they want a larger screen. I just find it too unwieldy to use a 13" laptop plugged into an external monitor.

[Tech198]

+1.

They have a proper pro laptop..... Its the 15-inch Macbook Pro Retina.

I think what would happen, is Apple is aiming for everyone to buy one, and fill the gap, so reducing it every now and then, too the point, it will become much more affordable.

I also agree here, the MBA is light and that is what Apple was aiming at for travelers. Or for for hat just want something light.

However, I also agree about that "middle man" that people like me what something light, but need a larger screen without needing to connect it up via a dongle while at the same time, still be light to carry like a paper weight (to some degree anyway.)

And in some cases, 17' is just too large to carry round.

While its good for graphics, web design, photo's, you can do the same on the 15' Retina, and get the extra benefits of the sharper resolution. This is i think where Apple is headed, with "soon to be dropping prices again" , to fill the gap.

However, in all other cases, ya, you'll still need that external display, but the Apple can't please everyone.

By the way, Apple needs a server ........ Yes you can have an 27 inch iMac and run serve on that, but what about the DYI upgrades ?

Unless i'm mistaken, this could actually be a reason Apple to do this.... aka.. Eliminate the "Mac Pro" so users will be forced into getting the iMac as a "pro" machine, taking on faith they'll never be able to upgrade themselves again.

Apple is not really never been about customization.... so maybe this is the "cut off point" ...

Then again, it always happens i could be completely wrong.

[Colpeas]

Bollocks, Apple should rather focus on aspect that users really care about, like improving Air's battery life. Retina on MBA is pointless, very few people use it for tasks that require a top-notch LCD.
I think that display type should remain the main difference between Air and Pro, otherwise Air will start to cannibalize Pro's sales. Retina display and dedicate GPU should remain MBP-only (but 13" rMBP should get a decent GPU as well, it is technically possible)

[poldidak]

Originally Posted by Builddesign

...And get rid of that enormous bezel !

Originally Posted by ECUpirate44

Yeah seriously, it looks terrible

Yeah, terrible, like the iPad 9" bezel does. But seriously, do you think it looks that bad? I'm looking at my MBA 13 and wondering if it the bezel width would be less obtrusive if it was black like the MBP bezel.

[ECUpirate44]

Originally Posted by poldidak

Yeah, terrible, like the iPad 9" bezel does. But seriously, do you think it looks that bad? I'm looking at my MBA 13 and wondering if it the bezel width would be less obtrusive if it was black like the MBP bezel.

Definitely. It's the silver of the bezel that makes it so bad, not the size so much.

[help4desk]

Originally Posted by stockscalper

Wow, I never knew I was using an entry level computer until I read this article.

Mee too.
MBA 2012/i5/4G/128SSD

[LotusLord]

Originally Posted by Tech198

...
By the way, Apple needs a server ........ Yes you can have an 27 inch iMac and run serve on that, but what about the DYI upgrades ?

Mac Pro can be configured as a server. Fairly easy to upgrade.