What's everyone's plans? Waiting for Skylake or buying now?

I took the plunge AND wait for Skylake.

(btw, I doubt the performance issues were due to the amount of RAM)

Paulg2uk said:

Probably due to the processor then?

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more likely Yosemite

Well, if you want an Air, you should go ahead and get one now. They've most likely seen their last internal upgrades, what with the smaller and thinner Macbook being released...i.e. the Macbook is the new MBA.

In other words, the MBA probably won't be getting Skylake at all.

Paulg2uk said:

Really so maxing out the processor, RAM and SSD drive would make a little difference but not much?

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What are you refering to?
What did you do on the macbook in the store?
How was performance not good?
Did you monitor the system via activity monitor?

Paulg2uk said:

Not much really just emails, safari, basic stuff really. I guess it was less snappy than what I'm used to. But not a major issue. Maybe the Apple store's wifi was playing up when surfing safari.

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Describe "less snappy".

Safari performance obviously depends on internet speed and not the macbook.

Paulg2uk said:

Hey guys,

I just wanted to get an idea of what everyone is gonna do now that the dust has settled a little. Are you gonna wait till Skylake comes out? or buy in the next few weeks?

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I seriously doubt the current MBAs will be updated with Skylake. So your wait may be a long one..

Yep

I agree. I'm currently using a Mac Mini quad Core i7 with SDD Boot drive and 16gb ram and will be replacing my 2008 Macbook Pro 13 inch 2.26 Dual Core 8gb ram shortly with the MBA 2015 Dual Core 2.2 GHz with 8gb Ram and 256gb Flash. This will be a lot faster coming from my 2008 MBP. I would have upgraded a long time ago, but I knew I didn't want another MBP and wanted a MBA with performance that is just as fast as a pro. Looking at the benchmarks, it is in the same league as the previous Macbook Pro 13 inch before the new 2015 with Touch Force.

MyopicPaideia said:

Well, if you want an Air, you should go ahead and get one now. They've most likely seen their last internal upgrades, what with the smaller and thinner Macbook being released...i.e. the Macbook is the new MBA.

In other words, the MBA probably won't be getting Skylake at all.

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Base 2015 is great value right now, buying a base 2014 new is also really great because it's so cheap at $800-900.

Very unlikely to see a new MBA lineup. There is no way that they'll run both an 11.6 inch, and a 12 inch, and let them both be thin and light, both have 10h battery, both have retina, both have skylake etc. But let them have different branding (MB vs MBA) and make it confusing and let the MB be thinner and lighter than the MBA.

So it's going to be killed off. And the best way to do that is to not give it the things people will want and need in the next few years:

Retina is one of them: people will come to expect it in 2016 when paying $1k+. Hell the MBA isn't even Full HD.

It's also quite likely that Skylake will get improved battery & performance. Especially with the new die shrink in 2017 it'll be even cheaper. And just like the MBA went from $1800, with a $1k option to get a 64gb SSD, the MB will also get cheaper and probably become an entry level device at $1k at some point, but thinner, lighter, and with twice as much base storage and memory as the 11" MBA, and retina. And with all devices in the world switching to USB-C, and the MB getting an extra port, you'll be needing dongles for your MBA.

Meanwhile in 2016-17, the 2015 MBA models will start to get outdated and will stop getting sold.

Then in 2020+ they'll probably return with an even thinner & lighter Air lineup without any ports, allowing it to be super thin, and with everything wireless, even charging, with some new alloy to make it light yet strong. And then they'll retire the MB lineup again. All the while the Pro remains the Pro for professional use.

I also think there'll be a 14" MB with thinner bezels the same size of the 13" MBA today, but thinner and with a full-width keyboard, maybe in 2016 or 17, like what the 12" is to the 11.6", the 14" will be to the 13.3".

So I don't expect a new MBA. But the MB is probably going to be a great machine next year. In any case I'm getting a MBA, it's a great little machine. If I'd waited for a retina MBA since 2013 I'd have been really disappointed, waiting too long isn't always a great idea when you've got no certainty it'll ever come. Sure if Apple promised a new MBA with retina and skylake next year I might hold off.

Buying now.

I have the Ivy Bridge 13" rMBP - and it works well for my needs. I am going to be sitting tight until that machine stops keeping up with my requirements. I don't expect that will happen in the Skylake time frame. Maybe in 2 - 4 years from now.

I just picked up at Best Buy a NEW 2014 base 11" for $720. At that price, why wait. Now we have a 2010 15" mbp, a 2014 MBA 13" base, the 11", a mac mini, an iMac and a few others around. PLUS a variety of android tablets. enough already!

Just bought last week. I also feel it is probably the last revision of the Air, but who knows.

Paulg2uk said:

I just wanted to get an idea of what everyone is gonna do now that the dust has settled a little. Are you gonna wait till Skylake comes out? or buy in the next few weeks?

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I'd say it depends on what you're after:

MacBook: wait for the reviews & better availability of USB-C stuff.

MBA: Buy now for the reasons posted by others here.

rMBP 13": Probably buy now - its just been bumped with force touch etc.

rMBP 15": Probably wait, since it seems likely these will get bumped with the new trackpad in a few months when the Broadwell-H processors come out. (That said, I must get into a store and try out the new trackpad in case it sucks...)

Skylake could be a long wait.

I have been needing a laptop for sometime. I could barely wait for this update to arrive. As I need it immediately. The new MacBooks are beautiful but have crap specs.

So I bought now. 256 ssd, 8 gigs of ram, i5 model. All my i7 needs are done at home on my main CPU.

I have no regrets either. I would buy into Skylake later on when the macbook airs and pros all have the gold and space grey colors. These are coming later on down the line.

If you have laptop needs now then buy now. This update is fast and solid.

Alx9876 said:

I have no regrets either. I would buy into Skylake later on when the macbook airs and pros all have the gold and space grey colors. These are coming later on down the line.

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Doubt the Air line is every going to get Skylake to be honest. With the new MB line (retina, thinner, force touchpad, smaller, lighter etc), there's no reason to keep the Air line around any longer.

Except for the 1st gen MB. When you get a 2nd gen MB, with a 12" version and a 14" version (the size of the 11" and 13" MBA, but smaller bezels and thinner, with retina, force touchpad and skylake), the air will likely be discontinued.