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Apple Rumored to Update Non-Retina MacBook Air Line in Late February
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Retina alone is big. I've been telling my mother to wait for this MBA since the last one came out.
The TN low resolution panels on the MBA are simply inexcusable. It would be an improvement to release the MBA with something better, even if it's not a "retina" screen. If the competitors can do it now, then there is no reason for Apple not to.
Not for a while! the CPUs are not even available yet and won't be available for several moths. only the very very base model of the iMac has a CPU that will be available soon.
I hope so too!
I think it will be:
12" rMBA
13"cMBA <-- possibly updated to retina at somepoint but remain at the same form factor
13+15" rMBP
Intel has 3 (4 if you count larger notebook sizes) laptop categories. And Apple should try to make the best notebook they can at every category.
There is the new ultra-ultra thin fanless category: Y-series, Core M, Intel HD 5300, 4.5W, This category is most portable, lowest energy consumption, lowest performance. The new 12" rMBA will fall into this category.
Then there is the original ultra-book category: U-series, corei3-i7, intel HD 6000, 15W, This category has average portability, middle range energy consumption, and medium performance. The current MacBook Airs are in this category. And when they get updated they will stay in this category. Who knows if apple will put a retina display in this MacBook Air series... I really hope they do.
Finally, there is the performance category: also U/M-series technically, corei3-i7, intel iris 6100, 28W, this category has lower portability, higher power consumption, and high performance. The Current and future rMBPs are in this category.
Personally, I am stoked for all three notebook categories. One could argue that apple is going to phase out the current MacBook Air line, and not have a 11.5W ultra book category. But I believe they will keep this category as there are plenty of people that want something more portable than a MacBook Pro, but something more powerful than Core M. And I hope they do keep this line.
I suppose one could count the 47W extreme/power category for larger notebooks.
So this could put the product lineup like this:
13" current non-retina MBA(hope it does get retina) - $999
12" new fanless 12" rMBA - $1199
13" rMBP - $1299
15" rMBP - $1999 (yikes that's a lot still)
Or I suppose it could also look like this:
12" rMBA(new fanless) - $999
13" rMBA(old form factor, updates with retina display) - $1099-$1199
13" rMBP - $1299.
What do you guys think? I am genuinely interested in y'alls opinions.
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And + a Broadwell CPU, it would be an incredible machine! I would hate to see it discontinued
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I'm sure this will be like the old MacBook Pros vs the new MacBook Pros.
Though I agree, they keep old products around too much. By still selling the first-gen mini (as an example) they either have to keep iOS supporting an old chip, or risk irritating customers by dropping support with iOS 9 for a product bought in 2015.
What depressing news this is, the Air has been in desperate need of an update for ages now, and all we are going to get is a slight improvement in processor's.
I can believe Apple is still selling the Air with such a crap screen, overall the chasis needs to be made slightly smaller with a narrower bezel but still 13" (not 12") and have a retina screen, Apple have had plenty of time to do this.
I can believe Apple is still selling the Air with such a crap screen, overall the chasis needs to be made slightly smaller with a narrower bezel but still 13" (not 12") and have a retina screen, Apple have had plenty of time to do this.
The implicit news that the true upgrade to the non-bezel-dominated non-crappy screen 12" MBA has been postponed to Q2 is the nail in the Apple coffin for me. Switched to Android long time ago due to better specs and more satisfying user experience than iPhone/iOS. Now gonna go back to Linux after a decade of Mac. Just have to decide which of the awesome laptops of the competition to buy.
I too am one of the few that feel the retina display is not any kind of deal breaker for me to purchase another Air. Less power than what I have now would be though. I'm very pleased with my 2013 i7/8gb/512. It handles everything I've thrown at it without any stress, fan noise or the cpu or overheating. In fact, when I am processing video with iVi, I'm amazed how the Air never goes above 70° C. My 2010 MBP would consistently be over 90° C while performing the same task. My 2013 MBA is without a doubt the best laptop I've ever owned.
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My main reason for preferring rMBP for a recent purchase (which I ended up returning because of encryption issues) was 16 GB RAM...I like to have that maxed out when getting a new machine.
I also later read about some issues with the graphics performance in rMBPs.
So now I'm waiting for updates. Unfortunately, my current machine seems to be falling apart. I spent $10 to fix a broken foot, and now the power cord has started splaying/fraying, so I will most likely have to pay to replace it...but I have a genius appointment tomorrow to see if Apple will replace it given that they had some settlement for that.
Same here. I'd be interested in the 11" for its superb portability, but the display is so tiny it gets taken up by toolbars til there's a 3"x4" window for your work area left.
...but the bezel is so freakin huge on the existing 11", they could probably fit a 12" display in there as it is without enlarging the form factor.
As much as I'd love another MBA, it really needs a retina display. ...& there just doesn't seem to be a way to squeeze enough battery in that small of a case to power it yet.
A Broadwell version of the current 11" MBA would be very welcome. Yes the bezel is big but I love my 11" MBA.
This would also be good news for touch typists and those who like actual ports on their Macs
You'll be sorry when the next gen comes out. Rumors have a habit of being just rumors.
I think it will more so be along the lines of
11" MBA either nuked sooner or put into comatose (no upgrade) state of $799 as a temporary stop gap.
13" MBA $899 ( move down into the 11" price point.)
12" rMBA $999 [ later perhaps after 11" and 13" moves. Tiggers removal of 11" MBA ]
13" rMBP $1199 [ price drop kills off old cMBP 13" ]
15" rMBP $1899 [ price drop to close gap of 13" models moving down]
Given 13" MBA and 11" MBA at the same price I suspect most folks would buy the 13" model ( the ~0.58 pounds doesn't make that much of a difference. ). The "princess and the pea" folks who are adversely impacted by mere fractions of a pound can move up to the even lighter rMBA model. If weight makes a big difference then it does.
Apple still needs a model at the $899 price point to drive volume. Most people want larger laptops. In the more general Windows PC space , mediocre 15" screens dominate at even lower price points.
In 1-2 years the 12-13" hiDPI panels will sink to same (or lower ) prices of the MBA's current panels. At that point Apple nukes the non hiDPI screens. The hiDPI panels have already sunk enough to wipe out the cMBP 13".
I think 11" disappears. It was far more a move to lower costs than a highly desired screen size. Once the hiDPI screens are affordable there is no good reason to drop that low.
12" stripped of weight and all but one port. lightest.
13" lighter than MBP still has a role if not gutted of ports.
both above sub $1000 and probably in that order price wise long term.
13" MBP without the CPU and port compromises.
The Air's already have great battery life.. so what kind of numbers could we see with more power efficient Broadwell chips in them?
Apple, let me make this simple for you. (You don't even have to pay me)
I (and thousands of others) want:
* slimmer bezel (whether it's 13 inch in currently 11 inch form factor) or (15 inch in currently 11 inch form factor)
* Same or similar MBA dimension. (I don't need it smaller, save that space for bigger battery
* PORTS... I will not bring dongles with me
* retina display (or better)
* fanless
That's not very hard, Dell can do it, I'm sure Apple with it's 700 billion market share can pull it together, right?
I (and thousands of others) want:
* slimmer bezel (whether it's 13 inch in currently 11 inch form factor) or (15 inch in currently 11 inch form factor)
* Same or similar MBA dimension. (I don't need it smaller, save that space for bigger battery
* PORTS... I will not bring dongles with me
* retina display (or better)
* fanless
That's not very hard, Dell can do it, I'm sure Apple with it's 700 billion market share can pull it together, right?
That's is exactly what they did when the introduced the MBA in the first place. The "current lightest weight" contender was the MBP 13". Apple pitched smaller and lighter weight as being worth a price premium over the "old and heavy".
Lighter and better screen traded off for less performance. It has been done several times by several vendors.
It can still be under the 13" rMBP even if it moves down a bit in price. The issue is how to do a less costly than MBA 13" when the screen price is bumped up (Retina hiDPI ) versus the upper grade TN panels on the MBA. Core M is a tad less expensive but not but alot. Similar componets to MBA 13" plus more expensive screen has a very good chance of ending up more expensive than a MBA 13".
There is little to indicate that this isn't a ballon squeeze. Complexity may have been pushed off to the power brick which is still part of the overall system BOM. If have to recharge this "one port wonder" it is going to be odd to nuke every other kind of connection until recharge.
The ports went down on move to the much smaller Mac Pro and that didn't get a cost reduction either. Ports aren't a major driver of costs in the $700-1000 system price range.
and as late as February 28 at 11:59PM??? That would be really late. I'd already be in bed.
^ Yes!!! I have been stretching my current 2009 white unibody for months and months now, upgrading RAM, swapping to SSD, now I'm milking the last remaining life out of my battery (yay magsafe!) just waiting for a brand new, supah schexy machine!! I'm saving my pennies so I can go with all the upgrades out of the box
Can't wait!! Makes this 45 year old man feel like an 8 year old waiting for Christmas morning. Hurry Hurry Hurry Santa Cook!
That's not exactly what they did. They didn't come out with a new Macbook Pro that was lighter but less powerful. They came out with a new computer line that wasn't a competitor of the Pro line. They also didn't call the Pro old and heavy. They served two different purposes and targeted different consumers.