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Air returns - Why?

Why are you returning the Air?

  • Screen (dim - washed out - both)

    Votes: 62 63.9%

  • CPU

    Votes: 28 28.9%

  • GPU

    Votes: 15 15.5%

  • Other - Please clarify in post

    Votes: 19 19.6%
  • Total voters
    97
raqball

raqball

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 11, 2016
2,323
9,573
Reading the threads here it looks like more than usual are returning their new Air.

So the question is why? Please vote in the poll only if you have returned or are returning..

My main reason was the screen. It's dim and washed out.
 
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Is the screen so bad? I read that they improved the screen. now she's a retina. Was not your screen defective? Does the old macbook air have a brighter screen or better for you?
 
lambertjohn said:
Typing this on a 2018 Air right now. Not a thing wrong with the screen. Bright, crisp and clear.
Click to expand...
Do you have a different mac to compare it to? I remember reading a post on here the other day of a user who said he bought an air from BB and then went and bought one from the microcenter after hearing about it being $200 off there, with the intent to return the BB one, and side by side he said one air was much brighter than the other at max brightness.
 
Visited Best Buy the other day, and tried out the new 2018 Air that was stationed right next to a Space Grey 2018 Pro with Touch Bar. Played around with the brightness on the screens, but I didn't see any major variations. Maybe it's the lighting in the store, but besides the slightly warmer screen on the Air, I could not really tell much difference in quality. Both beautiful screens to me
 
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The screen is really quite good. The quality of the display assembly is better on the air vs the tb mbp. Lots of cases of the display bezel showing light leaks between that and the rubber seal on the mbp.
 
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As i mentioned in my other thread, it came down to cost versus perceived value. At this time of year, Apple deals are pretty common place and for a cheaper price, I was able to purchase a 2017 ntbMBP for $100 less than what I would've spent on a 2018 MBA at the same storage level. Couldn't pass up the deal and wanted the extra power, and I'm now happier and more content with my $1000+ investment. Just took back the Air to my local Apple store today, and they happily did the return. That's what I love about Apple: no questions asked, no guilt. They just want you to be happy with your purchase (and it helps they don't work on commission!)

Your mileage may vary, however!
 
I'm on the fence. Compared to my 2014 MBP, I love the lighter form factor, fingerprint sensor, USB-C... and the keyboard isn't all that bad. In fact, I quite like it.

But the screen is noticeably washed-out, lacks contrast and has a very orange tinge. I don't like it, but I'm not sure if it's purely because I'm able to hold the two side-by-side.

(Also, weirdest thing, as I move the two next to each other to compare, if they touch, the screen of the MBP turns off)
 
Mildredop said:
I'm on the fence. Compared to my 2014 MBP, I love the lighter form factor, fingerprint sensor, USB-C... and the keyboard isn't all that bad. In fact, I quite like it.

But the screen is noticeably washed-out, lacks contrast and has a very orange tinge. I don't like it, but I'm not sure if it's purely because I'm able to hold the two side-by-side.

(Also, weirdest thing, as I move the two next to each other to compare, if they touch, the screen of the MBP turns off)
Click to expand...

The screen is really the only bummer..... I could not deal with it and I tried hard to justify that it would grow on me, that I'd adjust to it or that I could live with it. The more I looked at it, the less I was able to convince myself of those.....

Maybe the 2019 version will address the subpar screen..... If so, I'll happily revisit the Air then..
 
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I am very happy with my new Air. The screen is not an issue and I have no problem with the price. I like many others paid $2199 for the 2012 MBA with 500GB SSD and 8 GB RAM. So with the upgrades for a new design, I think the price is average Apple pricing.

I have been reading all the comments/complaints on the screen, keyboards etc. so that I can be apprised of issues in the event I've missed something and might want to return it. But so far, it's all good.
 
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I returned it at Apple. The fan was annoying, the screen is ok, I didn’t get the battery life that was advertised def not as good as my 2013 one. It just wasn’t worth the $1280 I had to pay with tax.

Went to Best Buy as they sell the 2017 TB pro. Then I asked the lady if they would price match micro center :)

They said yes. Then ended up buying the 2018 MacBook Air again. Tho for $999. Plus 10% in Best Buy rewards becauae of the credit card. At almost $900 this is a great computer. 1,200 -1,300 it’s a rip off!!

The computer is over priced. If it was $999 or 700-900 like originally rumored it would be incredible. Just got another one because of price and I don’t really do much on it other then surf the web and make IMovies every once and a while(haven’t yet but my 2013 Air was able to do it with the 4k videos from my iPhone... this one should too)
 
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crzdcolombian said:
I returned it at Apple. The fan was annoying, the screen is ok, I didn’t get the battery life that was advertised def not as good as my 2013 one. It just wasn’t worth the $1280 I had to pay with tax.

Went to Best Buy as they sell the 2017 TB pro. Then I asked the lady if they would price match micro center :)

They said yes. Then ended up buying the 2018 MacBook Air again. Tho for $999. Plus 10% in Best Buy rewards becauae of the credit card. At almost $900 this is a great computer. 1,200 -1,300 it’s a rip off!!

The computer is over priced. If it was $999 or 700-900 like originally rumored it would be incredible. Just got another one because of price and I don’t really do much on it other then surf the web and make IMovies every once and a while(haven’t yet but my 2013 Air was able to do it with the 4k videos from my iPhone... this one should too)
Click to expand...

Yeah $999 is a good price, and probably where it should be... Even better since you got reward points! I am Elite Plus and can take 5x the points on purchases as long as I use my BB card... Using my BB card and taking the points would have also pegged it at about $899 for me too.....
 
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crzdcolombian said:
The fan was annoying... I didn’t get the battery life that was advertised.

I don’t really do much on it other then surf the web and make IMovies every once and a while.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about all this? If the fan's going, that suggests you're working it quite hard which might explain the battery life.

I haven't heard the fan in mine once.
 
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Mildredop said:
Are you sure about all this? If the fan's going, that suggests you're working it quite hard which might explain the battery life.

I haven't heard the fan in mine once.
Click to expand...

I can’t connect anything to it as I don’t have a USB c dangle yet. I upgrade the operating system. Fat went crazy which ok fine huge file.

2nd time was on YouTube

3rd time was on Black Friday site looking up the deals for next week.

1/3 ok but the other 2 nothing insane.

My old air the fan would go too and that’s fine it’s juat for the price and specs should be a $700-900 machine. With the Apple tax not 1,200.
 
Haha yea my wife has a XS max and I have a XR don’t get the issue with the screen. Fine one looks better but with a screen that small not that big of a deal.

OLed 55+ inch to LCD yea huge diff. When we are taking about 6-7 inches people go crazy or 13. I don’t care if one is HD and one is 4k not that noticeable until you go to big screens.
 
crzdcolombian said:
I returned it at Apple. The fan was annoying, the screen is ok, I didn’t get the battery life that was advertised def not as good as my 2013 one. It just wasn’t worth the $1280 I had to pay with tax.

Went to Best Buy as they sell the 2017 TB pro. Then I asked the lady if they would price match micro center :)

They said yes. Then ended up buying the 2018 MacBook Air again. Tho for $999. Plus 10% in Best Buy rewards becauae of the credit card. At almost $900 this is a great computer. 1,200 -1,300 it’s a rip off!!

The computer is over priced. If it was $999 or 700-900 like originally rumored it would be incredible. Just got another one because of price and I don’t really do much on it other then surf the web and make IMovies every once and a while(haven’t yet but my 2013 Air was able to do it with the 4k videos from my iPhone... this one should too)
Click to expand...
Dang! Based off what I had heard from others, BB didn't price match Microcenter. Had I known that, I may have returned my Air to Apple and repurchased at BB to get them to price match the $1,199 price for the 256gb model. That may have been more worth it to me.

In the end, still happy enough with my 2017 ntbMBP and wouldn't go through another return process. But at $999/$1,199 the prices would be more acceptable.

Also, returning the Air to Apple and buying the BF deal Pro at BB got me BB points which also made it worth it ;)
[doublepost=1542062984][/doublepost]
Cosmo M3 said:
having both the 2017 nTB MBP 13 inch and using this 2018 MBA, the screen brightness complaint is way overblown. I feel like this forum complain about everything and become a running joke on Youtube.
Click to expand...
Just curious, what led to the MBA purchase when you also have the MBP from last year?
 
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Best Buy did it in New Hampshire :) so no tax :) + $50 in reward bucks :)

Just had to drive a little farther then normal.

Will say returning to Apple was super super easy and they didn’t even ask any questions. The guy was like cool no problem.
 
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ndb85 said:
[doublepost=1542062984][/doublepost]
Just curious, what led to the MBA purchase when you also have the MBP from last year?
Click to expand...

I use a 2016 15 inch 2.9 GHz MBP for work, therefore I felt that my 2017 nTB MBP wasn't really needed for what I use it for at home and lightweight work for personal stuff (MBA grad student, spreadsheets, papers, etc), therefore I've decided to go with the new MBA instead.
 
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