2012 vs 2018 MBA

[Jacobi]

I've been rocking a mid-2012 MBA with a 1.8GHz i5 and 8GB RAM for the last 6 years -- almost 7 now. It still runs quite well, although is starting to show its age sometimes. If I buy a new 2018 MBA with comparable numerical specs (8GB RAM, i5 base level processor) will it be noticeably faster, even though the specs look the same on paper? Is RAM and processor tech better than in 2012 by a significant margin?

A secondary question is: how bad is the new MBA keyboard -- am I better off waiting a year to see if they change away from the faulty butterfly system?

Thanks for your help

 

[MBAir2010]

The MBA we own really runs fast enough and is more responsive than my newer macmini.
Even with tape holding the cover together, power button non functional and i switched key usage yesterday, i”m happy and will not replace the MBA this month as planed, but i would wait, the new ones are 200 more buckaroos than ours, if they dont sell enough, the price might go down to a normal one.

 

[Ruskes]

The 2018 MBA models have 2 known problems
1- Build in Camera (very low resolution)
2-Keyboard(use transparent keyboard cover to protect it)

As for the speed, it will be fast until you load it up with Garbage apps, but the SIP will help you preventing that.

 

[AustinIllini]

I've been rocking a mid-2012 MBA with a 1.8GHz i5 and 8GB RAM for the last 6 years -- almost 7 now. It still runs quite well, although is starting to show its age sometimes. If I buy a new 2018 MBA with comparable numerical specs (8GB RAM, i5 base level processor) will it be noticeably faster, even though the specs look the same on paper? Is RAM and processor tech better than in 2012 by a significant margin?

A secondary question is: how bad is the new MBA keyboard -- am I better off waiting a year to see if they change away from the faulty butterfly system?

Thanks for your help

We can't really answer the butterfly system other than to tell you most of us haven't seen anything because the device is 6 months old.

I'll fall back on this: yes, the 2018 MBA is going to be a lot better than the 2012 in every measurable metric, but if the 2012 works, you can always hold off.

 

[Macdctr]

The new MBA only comes with the i5 processor. You no longer have a choice of the i7 processor like in the previous gen MBAs.

You can expand to 16GB memory for an additonal $200, 512GB storage for another $200 and 1.5TB storage for a wopping $1000. That's it.

With reports of washed out retina screens and faulty butterfly keyboards as well as only having two USB C ports.... no thanks. I'll pass and keep using my current MBAs (see sig below) which have more ports and have been very reliable.