15-Inch MacBook Air Demand Reportedly 'Weaker Than Expected' So Far

[spicynujac]

I don't understand why everyone is claiming M3 will boost sales when the M1 chip performs superbly for almost all Macbook Air kinds of use cases

The biggest benefit of the M3 is going to be battery life. You generally can't tell the difference between a 20% processor speed upgrade, but the superior architecture of the M3 is more efficient which translates into lower power usage and longer use on a charge. Or if Joni Ive has any say, a thinner macbook.

Ideally I would wait for an M3, but battery life for the M2 machines is already great and I'm ready to move to Apple Silicon.

 

[Tagbert]

Not exactly, 15" models are popular because they are the entry level, cheap machines. Only Apple thinks that a bigger machine without justification in specs can be sold at a premium price compared to a smaller laptop.

In the Windows world, the 13” laptops are cheaper than the 15” laptops. No surprise there.

The 15” MBA is only $100 more than the 13” MBA, anyway.

 

[RigSatMe]

15” isn’t portable thing even considering the current form factor. Please bring back 12”!

 

[CloudsNeverDie]

it takes Apple *2 weeks* (even in Cupertino!) to get a 16GB machine to the store, while you can pick up an 8GB today

It's not well known but they tend to stock an "ultimate" configuration in stores too. For the MBA 15", it's 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, with the 35W power adapter, available for immediate pickup almost everywhere. You didn't really need the 1TB, 512GB would have been enough, but since Apple was so kind as to have the 1TB in stock... feel free to hand over your extra $200 for the convenience of walking out of the store with one.

 

[Tagbert]

15” isn’t portable thing even considering the current form factor. Please bring back 12”!

A large number of buyers get a laptop and it spends most of it’s time on a desk, maybe transported between an office an home. Only a subset are really traveling with their laptop. For those people, a smaller box matter, but not for everyone.

 

[falkon-engine]

To review and send them back 🤣

Exactly.

The 15" Air would likely have better sales if the base config had faster and larger amounts of storage and more RAM (512 GB + 16 GB RAM).

The problem with Apple Silicon computers, in my view, is that they are not upgradable, therefore you must purchase storage/RAM that not only meets your needs today, but will meet the needs of tomorrow. And by time you upgrade an M2 15" air to have 512 GB storage, 16 GB RAM, you're in the price territory of an M1 Pro Macbook Pro 14". And the 14" has 3 TB4 ports, the ability to output to multiple monitors, faster multi-core processing, a brighter and more vibrant screen, better speakers. So what's the point in wasting money on the 15" Air?

At this point, Apple's biggest competition is its predecessor chips. And most people needing an Air, probably will go with the 13" for its size and portability. Youtuber's have loud voices yes, and they get a lot of clicks, but none of that means they understand the market place.

 

[slx]

I can spill coffee all over my Mac right now, take it to an Apple store, and get a replacement in under 60 minutes.

I can spill coffee all over my MIL-STD 810G certified ThinkPad, wipe it off the keyboard and continue working. No trip to the repair shop or replacement needed

 

[UMHurricanes34]

The demand for a 15" affordable laptop is big.

This model has only been available for a few weeks. Many laptop shoppers have been priced out of 15" Macbooks for years and never had this option. Those people don't need to buy a new laptop immediately.

People don't buy computers on a whim. The 15" MBA will be a big seller, but it needs time to fit in with people's upgrade schedule.

I also agree the base config is hurting sales. The base price is way lower than I expected, but when you make it a reasonable 16GB/512GB then you are looking at $1700 which is a lot for a laptop.

Then there's the issue that the base model has the slower SSD speeds. Not a huge problem, but a step down from previous models, which is weird.

I still prefer it over the $2,000 14" MBP. Bigger screen and lighter weight trumps the MBP features for me.

Another thing about the base config--it takes Apple *2 weeks* (even in Cupertino!) to get a 16GB machine to the store, while you can pick up an 8GB today. Probably turns off some potential customers that they don't have the 16G in stock. I imagine some walk out with the 14" MBP, others just skip the purchase.

I'll probably buy a 16GB 15" MBA next week to replace my 2015 MBP as its display is developing problems. Otherwise would hold out for the M3. Even then, I'm looking at cutting my storage space in half and losing the USB-A and SD ports (these were also on my old MBA!), which I'm not happy about.

Completely agree. Had the 15” been available on the same day as the M2 13” last year, we may be having a completely different conversation at this point. The launch delay really hurt this model, I think. People purchased the 13” because they couldn’t justify the MBP pricing and now the upgrade cycle has passed. This model will be very successful, and as a business owner, it needs to exist.

 

[mudflap]

It can't power 2 external displays if it could it would have been instabuy for me.
Additionally, the m3 chip is incoming.

Crazy expensive for what it is. Was going to replace my Mid 2015 15" MacBook Pro till I found out it can only handle 1 external display. 😂

You can grab a DisplayLink dock to get around the 1 external display restriction, right? More money, of course.

 

[Ethosik]

Your original post seemed to suggest that the 256 gb was sufficient for use with frequent video editing. It's not nearly enough space for such work, unless, as you later clarified, you're attaching an external drive.

It is??? Guess what. 1 or 2TB isn’t good enough either. I have a 30TB DAS for my work. No Mac other than the Mac Pro maybe can have that much internal space.

I know very few pros that edit on the operating system drive.

 

[Bremse]

I bought this for my wife to replace her 2016 15" Touch Bar MBP. It's much closer in size and weight (a little less on each) to the 15" MBP and miles from the 16", the latter being much heavier and bulkier. It's a really nice laptop. She doesn't need super high performance or tons of ports. However, to make life simple and allow her to store her photos on the machine rather than the could, we got the 2TB model (same as her old MBP) and maxed out the RAM since she has keeps tons of tabs open in various browsers for work. She really likes it, although she misses the Touch Bar (she might be the only person to say this lol).

 

[ombrenelcielo]

I am a believer, bought one immediately after launch and it has been amazing so far

 

[helloapple1]

I got the 15in MacBook Air and I find that my productivity and ability to complete real work has significantly increased compared to using my M1 MacBook Air. I feel the bigger screen makes a huge difference.

 

[GaryGnu]

I'll tell you why people want a 15in laptop, if not larger. Because they want a larger screen. My work laptop is a 17in Dell from 2018 and weighs just over 6lbs. so that's two Airs. I carry it to work every day, a walk about 1.3 miles, so 2.6 in total. It's not heavy, not in a laptop backpack, with the weight distributed.

Why do I have a 17in laptop? Because in 2018 that was the largest laptop available.

Why do I want a large laptop? Because when I'm at client sites, I usually don't have the option to use a second monitor. They don't have one. Sure, I could bring a portable monitor with me, but they add weight. Plus it would have to be small enough (meaning 17" or smaller) to fit in a laptop bag. Anything larger, then I'm schlepping a piece of luggage.

I get some people want smaller, compact, easy to fit in a small shoulder bag or purse, but some of use want, or just flat out need, a larger laptop. I'll do my work on a 15, if I have to, but I don't like it. On a 14 or lower, there just isn't enough screen for what I need.

I have an original 13" Air (sadly recently deceased) and I used it for work very infrequently. It was extremely difficult to use. Everything was just to small, or just flat out didn't fit on the screen, so I was constantly scrolling viewports around.

I get it. Small screens works for you. Great. They don't for me. I'm not even saying the larger laptops are popular, but for the small group of people who need it, we need it.

All I'm asking, on behalf of those that have different needs than you, is please let us have the equipment we need, and not the equipment you need.

 

[El Szomorito]

In the Windows world, the 13” laptops are cheaper than the 15” laptops. No surprise there.

I haven't checked windows laptops since I'm using a mac, but certainly 15" were the cheap ones 5-6 years ago. And after a quick check it's still the case at least with business laptops.

 

[El Szomorito]

BRING COLORS TO THE LINE!!!

Enough with having only these half dead office colors for them.
Orange, green, red, blue, yellow, BRIGHT, BRIGHT!

Oh God please no. The new design is ugly enough already.

 

[Droid13]

Why do I want a large laptop? Because when I'm at client sites, I usually don't have the option to use a second monitor. They don't have one. Sure, I could bring a portable monitor with me, but they add weight. Plus it would have to be small enough (meaning 17" or smaller) to fit in a laptop bag. Anything larger, then I'm schlepping a piece of luggage.

I have no idea what you are carrying or what your constraints might be so this question may or may not be superbly idiotic: Have you ever considered a portable projector?

 

[helloapple1]

I'll tell you why people want a 15in laptop, if not larger. Because they want a larger screen. My work laptop is a 17in Dell from 2018 and weighs just over 6lbs. so that's two Airs. I carry it to work every day, a walk about 1.3 miles, so 2.6 in total. It's not heavy, not in a laptop backpack, with the weight distributed.

Why do I have a 17in laptop? Because in 2018 that was the largest laptop available.

Why do I want a large laptop? Because when I'm at client sites, I usually don't have the option to use a second monitor. They don't have one. Sure, I could bring a portable monitor with me, but they add weight. Plus it would have to be small enough (meaning 17" or smaller) to fit in a laptop bag. Anything larger, then I'm schlepping a piece of luggage.

I get some people want smaller, compact, easy to fit in a small shoulder bag or purse, but some of use want, or just flat out need, a larger laptop. I'll do my work on a 15, if I have to, but I don't like it. On a 14 or lower, there just isn't enough screen for what I need.

I have an original 13" Air (sadly recently deceased) and I used it for work very infrequently. It was extremely difficult to use. Everything was just to small, or just flat out didn't fit on the screen, so I was constantly scrolling viewports around.

I get it. Small screens works for you. Great. They don't for me. I'm not even saying the larger laptops are popular, but for the small group of people who need it, we need it.

All I'm asking, on behalf of those that have different needs than you, is please let us have the equipment we need, and not the equipment you need.

This 100%.

 

[El Szomorito]

In some ways, I guess it’s kind of like:

M1 = i3
M1 Pro = i5
M1 Max = i7
M1 Ultra = i9

But with all the same single core (and way more annoying names).

12 Core Pro and Max have the same CPU core count, what differs is the GPU. So it's more like the 12 core pro and the max are the i7, and the 10 core pro is the i5.

 

[GaryGnu]

I have no idea what you are carrying or what your constraints might be so this question may or may not be superbly idiotic: Have you ever considered a portable projector?

Yes, I have. And if there was a wall to project it on, it would work. Sadly, it's almost always either cubical land or a bench and table on factory floors. We have a very wide variety of clients.

Besides, I've been working on large single screen laptops for so long, my personal workflow is just used to it. I've been doing the same job (more or less) since 1988 and I've been in my current position since around 1996. I've found it easier to stick with the single screen because everything is consistent.

 

[TrancyGoose]

I think that thank god, not everyone is running to line up for purchase of the latest thing ... I am still rocking my 2020 M1 Pro, and it does perfectly what I need it to do, why would I go and spend crazy money on a device, which has a hefty pricetage, i could probably build a decent gaming computer/laptop? Not to mention, it's 2023 and still, a lot of apps require rosetta. I mean, I love apple silicon and all, it's great, but, there is no need to get this thing ....

 

[El Szomorito]

You can grab a DisplayLink dock to get around the 1 external display restriction, right? More money, of course.

Really? At that point I should just buy a desktop for way less than half the price and double the replacement cycle on the Air.

 

[AppleTO]

You can grab a DisplayLink dock to get around the 1 external display restriction, right? More money, of course.

Technically yes, but the DisplayLink connected monitors won’t have any hardware acceleration from the GPU (because they aren’t going through it).

I guess you could argue a DisplayLink dock is kind of a GPU in itself, but with little to none of its own processing, and generally connecting over a much slower USB bus. But, it’s as close to an external GPU as Apple allows.

 

[TheLastUserName]

I have a 2017 15" MacBook Pro. The keys are falling off the (already replaced) keyboard. This is almost my dream replacement (the 16" Pro is way too heavy). I am holding out for the M3. All indications are that it will be a huge improvement from an efficiency standpoint.

 

[Zest28]

No surprise. The 15" MBA is too heavy as it weighs the same as a 14" MBP.

I believe Apple should put a bigger battery in it. If it is going to be heavy, might as well give it a much better life than the 13" M2 MBA.

A 15" MBA with 22+ hours of battery life would justify that extra weight a bit more.