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15-Inch MacBook Air Rumored to Launch in April as Display Production Begins
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Sure hope so -- that or the MBA M1 gold are the ones I would consider
I hope they price it reasonably at around £1500-£1600, but I’m just going by recent price increases here in the U.K due to the weaker pound. I’m also worried that when they release the 15“ MBA, they will also increase the price of the 13” MBA M2 like they did with the IPad Air 5th gen. But on another note at least the PS5 is now pretty much widely available with good deals at Argos!
Forgot where I heard it, but imagine old M1 MacBook Air goes away. Current M2 MacBook Air goes to $999 and then this new 15" price sits above that in a reasonable area. Maybe it's all M2 (maybe a M2 Pro option on 15"), but we get some sensible upgrades to Wifi/BT on both. That would be ideal for me anyway. From Apple's point of view, the I'm guessing the 15" is a nice place to get a larger margin from those with regular performance needs (enticing them with the larger screen)
just need to buy the larger optionsDon't be surprised if the SSD speed is slow
Could see it go either way. The old Intel Airs supported two external displays (albeit only at 4k, IIRC), so it's not outrageous to think the larger Air could return to two external displays (hopefully this time supporting 5k). It might depend on whether Apple offers the M2 Pro as an upgrade option for the new Air.
As for price, it will definitely be priced lower than the 14" MBP at the same size SSD/RAM. While it will have a slightly larger screen, it will be a worse screen, with a worse microphone, worse speakers, fewer ports/expandability, worse cooling, probably a worse CPU, maybe worse webcam and battery life, too.
The M2 13.3" Air at 16/512 is $1700, or $300 cheaper than the 14" MBP. I think it'll be tough for Apple to justify a $200 premium over the 13.3 just to go to 15.5", but they might try. That would be only $100 less than the 14" MBP, which would be clearly superior in almost every way.
The Air is their volume seller within the Mac line, so it wouldn't surprise me if they segment it this way:
- $1400 (+$200 over 13.3") at 8/256.
- $1800 with base CPU and 16/512. This is the "best value" / longevity config, and would likely receive an enthusiastic response from anyone who doesn't need features only found on the 14" MBP.
- +$100 for the low-end M2 Pro, for anyone who wants just a little more CPU/GPU and maybe two external displays.
- This would bring the 15.5" Air to $1900, $100 less than the 14" MBP, with the same CPU/RAM/STORAGE and worse microphone, speakers, fewer ports, etc., which seem like reasonable trade-offs to me. I'd buy this theoretical $1900 15.5" Air, FWIW.
You just need to buy a config that uses 2 SSD chips.Don't be surprised if the SSD speed is slow
I was thinking Macbook Air Plus or Macbook Air Max. Either way, if the price is right, I'm a buyer. Love my M1 Macbook Air, but would love another couple inches of screen.
This has been Apple's MO for decades. Either pay full price, the edu price, get a small 3rd party reseller discount, or last year's discounted model. That's why the best deal has always been the entry-level MBA. That it's currently the M1 MBA is hilariously sweet and a huge win for anyone buying. Any step up in configuration or model after that and Apple's got you and your money by the balls.
We should also consider another factor, Apple knows that there is going to be a significant demand for this product, so they are unlikely to put maximum effort in it right from the start.
Maybe the Pro CPU variant will debut from next year (with the more efficient M3 Pro) and not starting with the M2.
Next year we should also see some product line laundry with the discontinuation of the 13" Pro and the M1 Air, and the old M2 design should also see a price drop to replace it.
So in 2023 we would have
$999 M1 13" 256
$1199 M2 13" 256
$1399 M2 15" 256
$1799 M2 15" 512/16
$1999 M2P 14"
And in 2024 it would evolve in something like
$999 M2 13" 256
$1299 M3 13" 8/512
$1599 M3 15" 16/512
$1799 M3P 15"
$1999 M3P 14"
What he...? What about a 27 inch iMac, one of the best ever selling Mac desktop computers. We are artists and graphic designers and are going to be stuck with our 2019 27 inch intel computer for ever, it seems. Like someone said earlier, why not stick to the smaller lighter Mac book for those who want something small and light and serve the core artist/graphic arts clients with a continuation of the great iMac line?
Maybe or maybe not, some people don’t have a requirement for many ports and fancy display with high refresh rates and speakers while others prioritize portability hence the 12” MB existed. A sale is a sale for Apple hence we had iMac, iMac Pro, macMini, macStudio and MP.
A 17” did exist and I owned one, however now with slimmer bezels it would probably fit in a smaller shell or accommodate a larger display maybe an 18”. Imagine fitting an Ultra in that portable beast.
I'm not saying it will, but I think it's possible it'll get the lowest end M2 Pro.
For a few reasons:
1. The Air is the best selling Mac, and positioned properly, this new 15" Air could be a huge hit.
2. The extra space in the chassis to allow for a 15" display allows for improved cooling
3. There are some people (like me) who want a bigger-screen laptop and support for 2 external displays, and are not interested in spending $2500+ on the chunky 16" MBP. [It's been implied that only the Pro and higher CPUs support two external displays.]
So mostly, I think it might get the M2 Pro because they can, and because it could make them more money.
Anything other than a size upgrade is just a wish. I have folks all the time ask about the 16" Pro, then choke on the price. But they do love that big screen, they just don't need the power. An M2 with a larger screen that removes that touch bar pro from the lineup would be fantastic!
Apple's supply chain started production of display panels for a new 15.5-inch MacBook Air this month, according to display industry analyst Ross Young, who has a very good track record with rumors about future Apple products over the past few years.
In a tweet shared with his subscribers today, Young said he expects the new MacBook Air to launch in "early April" given that display production is now underway, but it is possible that an announcement and pre-orders could occur sooner. Apple often holds a spring event to announce new products, such as in March 2022 and April 2021.
A new 15-inch display size option would be the largest ever for the MacBook Air and would presumably be offered alongside the existing 13-inch model. The current 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip was released in July 2022 and starts at $1,199.
Young did not provide any additional details about the new model, including whether it would be equipped with the M2 chip or the next-generation 3nm-based M3 chip, which Apple has yet to announce. Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC began mass production of 3nm chips in December, but it's unclear if the M3 chip would be ready by April.
The launch of a 15-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip this spring has been the subject of debate given that Apple is also rumored to be planning to update the MacBook Air with the M3 chip later this year, and there would only be around six to eight months between these refreshes in this scenario. As the release of the new MacBook Air models approaches, hopefully additional rumors will help to clear up the situation.
Young is the CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC). In the past, he accurately revealed that iPhone 13 Pro and high-end MacBook Pro models would feature ProMotion, that the sixth-generation iPad mini would be equipped with an 8.3-inch display, that the current MacBook Air would have a slightly larger 13.6-inch display, and more.
Article Link: 15-Inch MacBook Air Rumored to Launch in April as Display Production Begins
But would that make them as much money as forcing folks to buy an MBP to get things like dual external monitor support?
Apple has a frustrating legacy on some of this
I'm already pissed because this 15" Air has potential to be one of the best Apple products ever, but they will undoubtedly conceive some f*ckery to screw it up in favor of the Pro notebooks.
For me to buy it, I'd need it to have at least 3 Thunderbolt ports (4 would be optimal but not even the Pro have that much) and the ability to drive 2 external displays.
I don't even need the Pro chip, just the ability to drive external displays, even on the M3 refresh.
I'd even swallow some of the usual Apple extortions, like "upgrade the RAM to 16/24 or buy the higher spec if you want that ability", no doubt.
But I already know I'll get mad about it and I'll be forced to continue carrying around the gorgeous, magnificent brick known as the 16" MBP.
For me to buy it, I'd need it to have at least 3 Thunderbolt ports (4 would be optimal but not even the Pro have that much) and the ability to drive 2 external displays.
I don't even need the Pro chip, just the ability to drive external displays, even on the M3 refresh.
I'd even swallow some of the usual Apple extortions, like "upgrade the RAM to 16/24 or buy the higher spec if you want that ability", no doubt.
But I already know I'll get mad about it and I'll be forced to continue carrying around the gorgeous, magnificent brick known as the 16" MBP.
@gpat
I share your frustrations and empathize totally
At least you know already what you're in for ... which should soften the blow a little at least
The MBA 15" will be identical in nearly all ways to the MBA 13" -- save for screen size and very minor spec differences perhaps. That's my prediction. I'd love to be wrong!
I share your frustrations and empathize totally
At least you know already what you're in for ... which should soften the blow a little at least
The MBA 15" will be identical in nearly all ways to the MBA 13" -- save for screen size and very minor spec differences perhaps. That's my prediction. I'd love to be wrong!
I'm already prepared for this year, I wouldn't upgrade from an M1P to an M2 anyway (more like side/downgrade).
But I'm already starting to get pissed when on 2024 they refuse to add dual external monitor support to the regular M3.
Also only having only 2 USB-C ports on a 15" laptop will be a huge deal breaker for my standards.
The screen size appeals to a large number of people.
Not sure. The Air outsells the Pro line quite handily, and there are lots of people not willing to spend $2k+++ on a laptop, not to mention the Pros are heavier and thicker. The Pros are great laptops for people who need that power, but for people who don't, Apple might be able to sell more by making the Air better for those people who don't need all that power (but who would like two monitors.)
Try not to get mad at things that haven't yet happened.
But I'm with you, I'd be very happy for the new Air to support two-displays. Maybe we'll have to wait for the M3 (or later) to get two-display support on the Airs, but I hope not, as I'm in the market for a new laptop very soon.