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Air returns - Why?
- Thread starter raqball
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I can't... I can tap, hold and slide but if I just quickly touch it and slide it brings up the slider. If I tap and hold for a second then I can slide...
Well...although I loved it the price finally made me switch. I paid 1499 and kept thinking for 300 I could get the new 2018 pro with Touch Bar. This machine is my primary machine and I will have it for years to come. I easily think the AIR would have been great but the pro will last me for a long time.
I paid $1,199 after Best Buy price matched Microcenter's $200 Off promo and I still think the extra cost of the Pro may be worth it, especially long-term.
Agreed. I am not saying 300 is an insignificant amount but it was worth it to me.
I'm not really sure any of the 2016-2018 machines are going to be "long-term" purchases. I'm not part of the crowd that says the new keyboards are fatally flawed, but there are enough failure reports, even for Gen 3 keyboards, to make it a doubtful proposition, at least once AC+ (which is probably a must-buy with these machines) expires.
Agree.
I pretty much view all ultrabooks as disposable... Everything is soldered on these days so the cost of repairing them, even for what was once a simple fix, is now astronomical... In many cases you'd be better off buying a new machine if the SSD, CPU, RAM, MB, ect fail..
Apple Care is an almost must have with these machines. A KB replacement alone out of warranty is north of $700.. Say 3 years from now the KB fails. You are looking at $700 (or more) and while it's cracked open you probably want to replace the battery (another $200)... Who is going to spend $900+ to repair a 3 year old machine when you'd be able to buy a brand spanking new recent model for a few hundred more...
3rd gen KB are fairing no better than the 2nd gen but as an added bonus, these new machines might also suffer from T2 chip issues... Apple Care, Apple Care, Apple Care or roll the dice on a 1K repair on a 12 month one day old out of warranty machine.....
I don’t understand this long term argument. The AIR is designed for people that want to do more typical office/student type work and maybe some small editing. The pro is for more video, photos, maybe coding. Both will last the same amount of time for their intended purpose.
Do you know by chance if AppleCare can be purchased after buying the Mac or does it have to be purchased together?
It use to be you had a year to buy it but Apple changed that to 60-days now...
I think with AC+ now if you don't buy it same day you also have to go through a remote check of your machine with Apple to make sure there is no damage before you get covered. I think that's my understanding with what I read. I'll know for sure in a few days.
On that note I've all but decided after 1 full week of ownership of the base model that I am going to keep mine. The nTB was brighter sitting in Best Buy but w/ the Microcenter price match and the fact the $150 off sale was done there was a $300 price difference so it is a no brainer for me.
In spirit with what is being talked about, I view anything in this price range as 3-4 year machines. With the expense of upgrading RAM and storage space plus un-upgradeable soldered components and faulty keyboards I wasn't gonna spend big money on one.
Spend the least amount on one with AC+, when AC+ ends sell it for what you can, buy another, rinse, repeat.
On that note I've all but decided after 1 full week of ownership of the base model that I am going to keep mine. The nTB was brighter sitting in Best Buy but w/ the Microcenter price match and the fact the $150 off sale was done there was a $300 price difference so it is a no brainer for me.
In spirit with what is being talked about, I view anything in this price range as 3-4 year machines. With the expense of upgrading RAM and storage space plus un-upgradeable soldered components and faulty keyboards I wasn't gonna spend big money on one.
Spend the least amount on one with AC+, when AC+ ends sell it for what you can, buy another, rinse, repeat.
I agree, but I don't think we're going to be seeing many of these in use in, say, 2026. There seem to be a fair number 0f 2010 machines still in use today, and lots of 2012 machines. I could be wrong, but I think tech hardware, OS and software changes are going to make these machines obsolete, in practical terms, even if they're still actually operational, but I also think that some of the current hardware design choices are going to have a shorter service life than earlier hardware.
Since there were no adults in the room to talk me out of it, I went out and got the Pro with Touch Bar in place of the new Air. While I was at the store, I decided to really compare the displays to see if there is a difference and if so, just how much.
Well, see for yourself...
Well, see for yourself...
Yep, it's that clear. When I did the same thing in the store, it was even clearer than your photos show. BTW/FWIW, the rMB was much closer to the rMBP than to the rMBA. Still love the wedge front edge of the rMB/rMBA for typing comfort, though...
I bought the AIR specifically for an MBA program so looking 3 to 4 years of good usage tops. It should be perfect for that task...
There is a lot to love about the new Air and now that I am working on setting up the Pro, I can see the differences even more clearly. I am definitely sticking with the Pro, but that's just what I want to do. Here are a few things some people may not realize when considering the two (especially the nTB version since they are so close in price).
Hope this helps anyone still on the fence.
- The Pro is noticeably heavier. I read a few reviews where people say it's not, but I disagree.
- The Pro is slightly less comfortable to type on because of the wedge design (just as @newellj stated earlier).
- The Pro has a quad core processor which is great, but it also kicks up the fans quite a bit. During setup, the Pro got down right hot (probably won't be as much of an issue on the base nTB Pro, as that is also a dual core). The Air was always cool and quiet.
- The Pro has a much nicer display and in my case the brightness really was an issue. I love the Pro display even more, but both are good and the Air will no doubt contribute to better battery life.
- The base Pro does not have Touch ID and that is an awesome feature, even if you already own the Apple Watch.
- The Pro will have less battery
- The Pro charging brick is much, much larger as well. That's a big deal when you travel.
Hope this helps anyone still on the fence.
So, I just tried the swipe gesture on the volume and brightness icons in the Touch Bar and it works. Try it again. Don't press on it or even touch it for a while, just gently swipe with your finger from right to left or vice versa. It will simulate a single "click" of a function key.
That makes it more convenient to make minor adjustment.
Very obvious next to the pro. Without the pro can’t tell as much but definitely not as colorful still.
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To me. Mostly in the sky and persons face and front. Sand dunes not as bright and sky again. If not next to each other would probably be not as bad.
I can tell a difference as I bought the Pro TB first but they all had a light leak between the screen and rubber seal on the top. BUT it wasn’t worth that aggravation and the $400 difference in price. I tried with 3 MbP TBs and they all had that. Bunch of crud for such an expensive laptop. First AIR has been great
I agree. I’ve compared the 2018 air and nTB MBP side by side in 3 different Apple stores in Atlanta and a couple of Best Buy stores and the difference is dramatic in person. Every Air display I’ve seen appears dull, dim and with muted colors....even when compared to the 12 inch Macbook. I guess Apple just decided that the signature feature of the Air has always been the poor display...let’s keep the tradition alive!
The nTB doesn’t have True Tone or the large color spectrum like the TB version. This “difference“ is being way over exaggerated. The Air maybe slightly dimmer but when using in everyday situations you won’t know any better unless doing some kind of editing.