Apple Still Making the "2017 MacBook Air" in Late 2019?

[Ashevillemacservices]

For sometime I have been watching the prices fluctuate on the MacBook Air 2017. I really wanted to get one for a second computer. On Black Friday I decided just to order it for 649.00. The first thing I noticed immediately is it had the final update to Mojave which was released Oct 2019. I downloaded Battery Health 2. It shows everything about the battery. The battery health was 103. That was great. Then I noticed the battery manufactured date and it was September 30, 2019. I know there are magicians but to make these changes through a sealed box of old stock seems unlikely. I can only conclude that apple is still manufacturing them. There are 3 stores involved in this. Amazon, Best Buy and Costco. All stores have had major sales on them. Strangely B&H is not in the equation. Has anybody else purchased one of them and noticed This? I can't find anything anywhere about it.

 

[Falhófnir]

Not impossible or unprecedented for them to do this. If it's still selling well through third party retailers like Amazon, its no skin off Apple's nose to keep quietly making them - they do this quite a lot with 'discontinued' iPhone models.

 

[Ashevillemacservices]

However that is when they are still selling them on the apple site. It's not a secret. This is different. They are officially discontinued. They were removed from apple because people were buying this instead of new computers due to the keyboard issue. The same with the Retina display as soon as the keyboard issue went public. I got mine from Amazon and 2 other people got theirs from Best Buy and they were all made late this year. As far as Apple goes they would tell you otherwise.

 

[yngwietiger]

Yeah, from what I understand, they're still making them (even though it's 2017 specs), or were a few months ago anyway. This is what the guy Best Buy told me. I've also read reviews on Amazon saying that their machine had a 2019 battery (like yours).

So, I don't think they're just sitting around on a shelf.

I'm probably going to buy one from Best Buy tomorrow for $699. The alternative is a new 2019, for $1099.

 

[AxelFoley]

Yeah, from what I understand, they're still making them (even though it's 2017 specs), or were a few months ago anyway. This is what the guy Best Buy told me. I've also read reviews on Amazon saying that their machine had a 2019 battery (like yours).

So, I don't think they're just sitting around on a shelf.

I'm probably going to buy one from Best Buy tomorrow for $699. The alternative is a new 2019, for $1099.

I just happened to check out the Best Buy site for the Apple MacBook Air 2019 and noticed that they have another sale going on and the pricing is lower on this computer even from what it was during Black Friday. Best Buy is now selling it for $850 or $250 off from $1100. This is the lowest I have seen for this MacBook Air 2019 since its release.


Axel F.

 

[Ashevillemacservices]

The 2017 Air is the way to go. So it's a little slower than the new ugly ones with bad keyboards. Everyone is grabbing them. Its a great second computer or even your only one. SSD's are faster and cheaper. Last computer to have replaceable battery and drive. Keyboard that never gives up. Hook it up to a 4k monitor and it works perfectly. $699 is a great deal. 300 bucks off. I've wanted for years and I am thrilled it was made a month ago. It is one of the last "real" apple designs.

 

[Morrissey]

I bought one MBA 2019 on Amazon BF, $799 with slow shipping, even tho I received it three days later... I’ve got a MBA 2016 and the sound/speaker is louder than this 2019.

 

[nicho]

I can only conclude that apple is still manufacturing them.

As I understand it, Apple is required in certain countries to provide brand new units as replacements rather than refurbished ones. This means that they either stop making them and upgrade customers to newer units (e.g. apple watch sport s0 to s1 for the "popping off screen" problem) or they keep making them in smaller numbers, in secret.

And if they're making them in smaller numbers for warranty purposes, nothing to stop them also selling them in bulk for enterprise. The stock those companies sold through could easily have been intended to fulfil a big order that was switched up to the newer mba after apple committed to building them.

 

[yngwietiger]

I just happened to check out the Best Buy site for the Apple MacBook Air 2019 and noticed that they have another sale going on and the pricing is lower on this computer even from what it was during Black Friday. Best Buy is now selling it for $850 or $250 off from $1100. This is the lowest I have seen for this MacBook Air 2019 since its release.


Axel F.

You're right! Thanks for the tip. They must have just dropped it, because I was there yesterday afternoon and it was still $1100.

Hmmm. That makes the new one more tempting. I was just telling my wife (this will be hers), that if it was $100 difference (close enough), it'd be an easier decision.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what would everyone else do? But the new one at $850? Or the 2017 at $700? Maybe it's a no-brainer (new one).

Are there any cons to the newer ones? (KB issues, the need for USB-C dongles, etc)

 

[Ashevillemacservices]

You're right! Thanks for the tip. They must have just dropped it, because I was there yesterday afternoon and it was still $1100.

Hmmm. That makes the new one more tempting. I was just telling my wife (this will be hers), that if it was $100 difference (close enough), it'd be an easier decision.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what would everyone else do? But the new one at $850? Or the 2017 at $700? Maybe it's a no-brainer (new one).

Are there any cons to the newer ones? (KB issues, the need for USB-C dongles, etc)

[automerge]1576334020[/automerge]
Got mine for $649. It's more about just wanting to own this "classic model". Apple has probably sold more of these than any other laptop. Also got the 5% back from amazon. I actually did not want to buy a second laptop with a bad keyboard. This will be a back up when I send my 15" MacBook Pro 2918 in for the keyboard replacement if it goes bad too. Prime day I believe it was 599 but there was a limited supply and a long waiting list. I missed out on that but did get on the waiting list

 

[yngwietiger]

Well, I ended up getting the 2019. Just ordered from Best Buy, will pick up later today.

Had the price not dropped, I would have gotten the older one. But for the small price diff, I'll give the new one a try.

As for the KB, it's supposed to be improved in the 2019 model, and it does fall under the 4 year warranty. And from what I'm reading, people aren't having as many (if any) problems thus far.

 

[Ashevillemacservices]

It's a great deal. BTW if my keyboard on the 2018 MBP fails they will replace it with the 3rd generation version of the keyboard like your 2019. I am guessing if you get a new battery you will get a new keyboard anyway. What I am wondering is how much they charge after the 4 years.

 

[AxelFoley]

Well, I ended up getting the 2019. Just ordered from Best Buy, will pick up later today.

Had the price not dropped, I would have gotten the older one. But for the small price diff, I'll give the new one a try.

As for the KB, it's supposed to be improved in the 2019 model, and it does fall under the 4 year warranty. And from what I'm reading, people aren't having as many (if any) problems thus far.

Good move. I believe that you will absolutely love the 2019 model. I bought mine 14 days ago from Best Buy at $899 when it was on sale. Then it went back up to $1100 and just last night I saw that they dropped the price again to $850. I am going to the store today to get my additional $50 refunded which they will.
The one thing that I absolutely love about the 2019 model is the display. The 2017 model has a 720p display and the 2019 display blows it away in my opinion. You are right and that is that for $850 its a no brainer decision and am glad you went with the new.
One thing you will notice that it only comes with USB-C ports so it may be dongle city and that may limit some amount of portability but I am sure that you can manage it.

Axel F.

 

[jgorman]

It's a great deal. BTW if my keyboard on the 2018 MBP fails they will replace it with the 3rd generation version of the keyboard like your 2019. I am guessing if you get a new battery you will get a new keyboard anyway. What I am wondering is how much they charge after the 4 years.

I think that 2017 MBA is a good machine. I am not sure about the 2019 keyboards. I did get a stuck key on a 2019 MBP.

 

[AxelFoley]

Good move. I believe that you will absolutely love the 2019 model. I bought mine 14 days ago from Best Buy at $899 when it was on sale. Then it went back up to $1100 and just last night I saw that they dropped the price again to $850. I am going to the store today to get my additional $50 refunded which they will.
The one thing that I absolutely love about the 2019 model is the display. The 2017 model has a 720p display and the 2019 display blows it away in my opinion. You are right and that is that for $850 its a no brainer decision and am glad you went with the new.
One thing you will notice that it only comes with USB-C ports so it may be dongle city and that may limit some amount of portability but I am sure that you can manage it.

Axel F.

Well, I ended up getting the 2019. Just ordered from Best Buy, will pick up later today.

Had the price not dropped, I would have gotten the older one. But for the small price diff, I'll give the new one a try.

As for the KB, it's supposed to be improved in the 2019 model, and it does fall under the 4 year warranty. And from what I'm reading, people aren't having as many (if any) problems thus far.

Saturday Night Midnight. Best Buy put the 2019 MacBook Air back to $1100. This is strange because this discount lasted only for two days. Good thing that you bought yours in time and I also went and got my additional price match of $50 refunded.

Axel F.

 

[Cthulhu7747]

I bought mine on December 28th (Best Buy matched Amazon's $699.99 price):

At 83%, I had more than 8 minutes on battery...

 

[Saturn007]

Another data point. I picked up a “certified refurbished” MBA from Apple the other day and the computer's manufactured date was June 10, 2019 and the battery's manufactured date was November 4, 2019 (1 cycle).

Could be clearing out final NEW inventory but labeling them as “refurbs” or still rolling a few new ones off an assembly line somewhere! Or, perhaps more likely, they put a spanking new battery in a returned summer laptopI

By the way, the battery shows full charge capacity of 7,185 — greater than the design capacity of 7,150!