2017 and I am still impressed with MacBook Air 13

[redgreenski]

2017 MacBook Air 13in
Price: $800
8GB RAM
128GB SSD
1.8Ghz intel i5
TN Screen

Keyboard
- Keyboard is substandard compared to recently returned X270
- Keyboard is same as the one on my 2014 MBA 11in which means it's extremely reliable

Screen
- TN screen cannot compare in quality to Retina
- TN screen however uses less battery so my battery life is 12 hours without charge
- TN screen has no backlight bleed unlike some IPS screens
- Apple TN screens are the highest quality IMO
- X270 screen was IPS and better quality but much dimmer
- TN screen is not improved from my 2014 MBA except being much brighter

Hinge
- Hinge is tighter than MBA 2014 11 inch, tighter than MBP 2017
- Hinge does not allow screen wobble unlike MBP 2017
- X270 had similar hinge quality

Ports
- SD card reader
- 2 USB ports
- Magnetic power supply cord
- Better than MBP 2017 due to above
- Better than X270 due to magnetic power suppply

Design/Production quality
- again better than MBP 2017 due to better hinge quality
- otherwise item received without any dents, scratches and put together without any QC issues

Thinkpad X270 was recently returned after 1 week due to design quality issues.

 

[dark_skies]

This is good to see. I view the elimination of HDMI and SD slots a serious mistake on Apple's part. Someone gave bad advice to someone. The fact Apple is keeping around alternatives to the new MBP form factor I think supports this.

 

[green86]

The fact Apple is keeping around alternatives to the new MBP form factor I think supports this.

They kept the 2012 Unibody form factor for 4 years while the Retina was on sale. This is normal behavior for them as they like to offer an older product at a reduced price and doesn't support any sort of speculation, especially from one consumer...

 

[dark_skies]

and doesn't support any sort of speculation, especially from one consumer...

A nice thought, but speculation is inevitable, as Jeri Ryan might say. The criticism of the decision to eliminate the ports was fairly widespread. You are of course correct that their reasons are theirs alone, and they do keep older forms around for a bit. Their move to (temporarily) lower prices on the ever-present dongles shortly after introducing the latest form factor suggests the criticism was heard. One (perhaps just this one consumer?) can hope that some ports - HDMI, SD - which are still "viable" could some day be returned. Those ports are not like the floppy disk and such; there are $10k+ video cameras writing 4:2:2 10-bit 4k video to SD cards, and HDMI is widely employed as the "port of choice" for laptop connections in the brand-new building into which my department just moved.

 

[redgreenski]

A nice thought, but speculation is inevitable, as Jeri Ryan might say. The criticism of the decision to eliminate the ports was fairly widespread. You are of course correct that their reasons are theirs alone, and they do keep older forms around for a bit. Their move to (temporarily) lower prices on the ever-present dongles shortly after introducing the latest form factor suggests the criticism was heard. One (perhaps just this one consumer?) can hope that some ports - HDMI, SD - which are still "viable" could some day be returned. Those ports are not like the floppy disk and such; there are $10k+ video cameras writing 4:2:2 10-bit 4k video to SD cards, and HDMI is widely employed as the "port of choice" for laptop connections in the brand-new building into which my department just moved.

I just recently purchased $1000 camera top of the line for compacts and yes it uses SD card slot. And this is coming for a consumer level camera. So I think both professionals and consumers are suffering on this aspect.

Now here is where I am confused about Apple logic:
MacBook Air supposed to be consumer and ultra thin product. Why am I getting all those ports???
MacBook Pro supposed to be "Pro" product. Why am I not getting ports, quality (Thinkpad like deep travel) keyboard?

I am being sarcastic here but it's quite obvious that Apple no longer makes "Pro" aka "Professional" oriented products.

Still... I am happy with my MacBook and its been almost 2 weeks now.

 

[canvasback13]

I have mid 2013 air, and use it daily. It’s been a work horse. This is the longest I have ever had a computer. Only thing I wish it had was more than 500GB of flash

 

[Mike MA]

I have mid 2013 air, and use it daily. It’s been a work horse. This is the longest I have ever had a computer. Only thing I wish it had was more than 500GB of flash

Count me in with my 2010 Air.