Apple's Confusing Mac Lineup: MacBook Air vs. MacBook

[KPOM]

The 2018 MacBook Air measures in at 0.16 to 0.61 inches thick, compared to the MacBook, which comes in at 0.14 to 0.52 inches. It also weighs 2.75 pounds instead of the MacBook's 2 pounds, but those are really the only differentiating factors.

That’s a big deal. Another way of saying it is that the MacBook Air weighs 38% more than the MacBook and has a bigger footprint.

You can get close to MacBook Air performance with the upgraded MacBook with a 1.4GHz Core M processor, but the MacBook Air is still going to beat it because it's using eighth-generation processors instead of seventh-generation and it costs $1,549 to upgrade to that higher-powered processor.

This is inaccurate. There is no architectural difference between the 7th gen Y and the 8th gen Y. The Kaby Lake i7 in the Pro has the same turbo boost speed as the Amber Lake i5 in the Air. Geekbench scores for the Amber Lake i5 are only 9% faster than the i5 in the 2017 MacBook. The Air might throttle less because of the fan, but then again, it’s possible that the fan is necessary only because of the heat that the Thunderbolt chipset puts out, and makes no meaningful difference in CPU temperatures.

 

[jasonsmith_88]

It’s not the same hooking up a Mac or MacBook to a display without the Apple logo.

Yep, the LG monitors sold in stores are ugly.

Have you actually used an LG 5K monitor? Forgetting the physical appearance, the screen is insane. We have both iMac Pros and LG 5K monitors in our office, and the LG 5Ks blow the iMac screens out of the water. Side-by-side, the iMac screen looks like a bad joke. Sure, the Apple branding would be nice, but at the end of the day it's professionals who are purchasing these screens, and a professional is going to value the quality of the screen over the branding. So if Apple released a new cinema display with the same screen as the iMac, it would flop. They'd have to create screens on-par with the LG 5Ks. Too much work for too small of a market.

 

[NoIdentity]

I think this MBA update is a response to consumers wanting an Air. When the Touchbar mbp was announced, they said the mba is over.

The macbook could easily sreve as the inexpensive light computer. With MBP line offering a bump up. Pricing on the other hand is getting out of hands.

What would make a lot of sense and bring a big number of new users would be a budget mac. Could be a similar form factor as this airbor sometging else. Mid to low specs and an 1080p screen. With low and competitive pricing. A laptop thag wouldn’t wow in performance and specs, but would rather serve as a daily driver for students and people needing something simple.

This would bring a lot of future upgraders in. But you know. Who am I to have this kind of opinions. Better raising prices and alienating customers.

 

[MoXoM]

I really thought they'd drop the MacBook.

Strange that they updated the MacBook with the new Gold colour to match the MacBook Air and dropped the Rose Gold option.

That indicates to me that it is hear to stay. I think it will be the first Mac to have an ARM processor...

Apple really need to drop the price of the MacBook with its current spec.

 

[newellj]

That’s a big deal. Another way of saying it is that the MacBook Air weighs 38% more than the MacBook and has a bigger footprint.

I strongly agree with this. Thankfully, the old monster MBA footprint is now no larger than the MBP, on the other hand.

 

[sosumi99]

Well, clearly Apple can only focus on one thing at a time, which is why you can’t expect the company to put out a coherent product line. It’s not like they hire a lot of engineers or anything.

 

[Mitochris]

...There are way way too many apple products feeling similar niches in at least the laptop lineup ....

Agreed. But its not only the laptops. I looked at my companies purchasing catalog for iPads today. There were 101 different options. Granted, they still sell some older versions, but this is insane for the normal consumer.

 

[jbmatlick]

Apple at its October event unveiled a new 2018 MacBook Air that's been entirely overhauled with a Retina display, Thunderbolt 3, a slimmed down design, a faster processor, and other hardware upgrades.

The new $1,199 machine is a great addition to the MacBook Pro, but there's just one problem - Apple already had a notebook with all of these features. The 2018 MacBook Air is very similar to the 12-inch MacBook, which did not receive a 2018 update.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The 2018 MacBook Air, which Apple is selling for $1,199, is better in almost every way than the 12-inch MacBook, which is still priced at $1,299. It has a larger Retina display, a faster Amber Lake processor, upgraded Intel UHD Graphics 617, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, up to 1.5TB of storage, Touch ID and T2 chip, better battery life, and it costs $100 less (though you're getting 128GB storage instead of 256GB with the base model).

At this point in time, with no update, all the MacBook has going for it is a slimmer body and a lighter weight, but even then, the difference is minute given the revamped design of the MacBook Air.

The 2018 MacBook Air measures in at 0.16 to 0.61 inches thick, compared to the MacBook, which comes in at 0.14 to 0.52 inches. It also weighs 2.75 pounds instead of the MacBook's 2 pounds, but those are really the only differentiating factors.

Right now, there is absolutely no good reason to purchase a MacBook over a MacBook Air, and anyone considering a new Apple notebook that's aiming for portability and good battery life should choose the MacBook Air.

You can get close to MacBook Air performance with the upgraded MacBook with a 1.4GHz Core M processor, but the MacBook Air is still going to beat it because it's using eighth-generation processors instead of seventh-generation and it costs $1,549 to upgrade to that higher-powered processor.

If and when Apple upgrades the MacBook with next-generation Intel chips, it's still going to be almost on par with the MacBook Air if there are no other changes to form factor or specifications, so it's a mystery why the MacBook is still in Apple's lineup and why Apple has opted to have two machines that are so similar.

Prior to the October update, Apple hadn't made significant changes to the MacBook Air since 2015, and it was believed that the machine, which was priced at $999, was sticking around as a low-cost option until component prices for the MacBook came down. With the launch of the new version, that's clearly no longer Apple's plan, and the future of the MacBook and MacBook Air is murkier than ever.

As for the MacBook Air vs. the MacBook Pro, things are a bit clearer. The MacBook Air is still the lower-cost lower-performance option that is ideal for lighter workloads that don't require high-powered software.

All MacBook Pro models, including the 2017 non-Touch Bar models, offer better performance than the MacBook Air's 7W Amber Lake processor, but with the base MacBook Air vs. the base non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro priced at $1,299, there's not a huge difference. When deciding between these two machines, it's going to come down to whether you prefer a smaller form factor and Touch ID or slightly better performance.

What do you think Apple is planning for the MacBook in the future? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Apple's Confusing Mac Lineup: MacBook Air vs. MacBook

[doublepost=1541457942][/doublepost]
I believe two things will happen.

1. Apple updates pricing of the MacBook (12 inch) to something at 899 or so
2. This MacBook gets an iPad arm chip instead of intel.

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

Good article but it's missing the most important thing:

Apple is STILL ashamingly selling the Early 2015 MBA, with a 5TH GEN Intel processor for $999 !!!

A 3.5 year old machine without dropping its price.

That's insulting!

Dude, you make a great point.

I believe that Cook and Schiller decided to keep the obsolete MBA around just to claim "From $999" on the MBA marketing literature. But, nowhere to find, that this MBA is well past-its-sell-date for the unaware.

"You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time," Abraham Lincoln.​

 

[fenderbass146]

Agreed. But its not only the laptops. I looked at my companies purchasing catalog for iPads today. There were 101 different options. Granted, they still sell some older versions, but this is insane for the normal consumer.

True it's different when it's older versions and different sky's with lte, colors, size etc. In reality there is really only three options. iPad mini, standard iPad, and the pro's...pretty simple imo, desktops are the same...mini, iMac, and pro. Sure the iMac and pro all need updates....and I guess the iMac pro kinda is a little out of place. To me it's just the laptops that need desperate amounts of work lol.

 

[Jefe's MacAir]

Eliminate the older MacBook Air (and non Tb Pro). Drop the price of the MacBook to $999. All bases covered, no confusion.

And your maxed out Air has 1.5 TB of memory vs. the 15" MBP's 256. But I get it.

I assume they just offer the huge memory upgrade for people who want just that. A LOT of memory for all their music and movies. All on one machine, everywhere they go, without worry of "do I have enough memory". It's the simplest solution for the target market of the Air.

We're at a strange crossroads in the laptop world. I opted for the new 13" MBP Tb when it was released because it was similarly priced to the MacBook with a slightly larger screen and arguably better hardware, a Touch Bar and fingerprint access. There is a weight and battery penalty. I'm jealous of the wife when we travel and she has that just right size MacBook at 2 lbs.

 

[jayrull]

Actually, it's Tim Cook who is confused. My guess is, Macbook will be phased out soon.

 

[tresmith]

Just shows what happens when a finance guy is making tech decisions.

That's an operations guy to you buddy. lol

 

[bmot]

This is what I often miss from MacRumors: constructive on point criticism. Very well done wrap up of this mess Apple created here.
[doublepost=1541458729][/doublepost]

A 3.5 year old machine without dropping its price.

That's insulting!

A 3.5 year old machine with an 8 year old display.

 

[douglasf13]

I'd discontinue the MacBook in its current form, then once it's discontinued, remove the "Air" from the current MBA and just simply name it MBA, then keep the MBP as is. My two cents.

I was just at the Apple store comparing it to the 12" MacBook (of which I own a couple.) While the Air is small, it's still noticeably larger and heavier than the 12" MacBook, so I'd likely still choose the 12" MacBook, since portability is my #1 concern with these machines.
[doublepost=1541458999][/doublepost]

The MacBook weighs 25% less and is only 65% the volume of the MacBook Air Retina.

Some people pay a premium for an ultraportable.

Bingo. I have a 38mm Apple Watch, an iPhone SE and two 12" MacBooks. If it's a device that's leaving the house, I want it small.

 

[Howard2k]

Apple at its October event unveiled a new 2018 MacBook Air that's been entirely overhauled with a Retina display, Thunderbolt 3, a slimmed down design, a faster processor, and other hardware upgrades.

The new $1,199 machine is a great addition to the MacBook Pro, but there's just one problem - Apple already had a notebook with all of these features. The 2018 MacBook Air is very similar to the 12-inch MacBook, which did not receive a 2018 update.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The 2018 MacBook Air, which Apple is selling for $1,199, is better in almost every way than the 12-inch MacBook, which is still priced at $1,299. It has a larger Retina display, a faster Amber Lake processor, upgraded Intel UHD Graphics 617, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, up to 1.5TB of storage, Touch ID and T2 chip, better battery life, and it costs $100 less (though you're getting 128GB storage instead of 256GB with the base model).

At this point in time, with no update, all the MacBook has going for it is a slimmer body and a lighter weight, but even then, the difference is minute given the revamped design of the MacBook Air.

The 2018 MacBook Air measures in at 0.16 to 0.61 inches thick, compared to the MacBook, which comes in at 0.14 to 0.52 inches. It also weighs 2.75 pounds instead of the MacBook's 2 pounds, but those are really the only differentiating factors.

Right now, there is absolutely no good reason to purchase a MacBook over a MacBook Air, and anyone considering a new Apple notebook that's aiming for portability and good battery life should choose the MacBook Air.

You can get close to MacBook Air performance with the upgraded MacBook with a 1.4GHz Core M processor, but the MacBook Air is still going to beat it because it's using eighth-generation processors instead of seventh-generation and it costs $1,549 to upgrade to that higher-powered processor.

If and when Apple upgrades the MacBook with next-generation Intel chips, it's still going to be almost on par with the MacBook Air if there are no other changes to form factor or specifications, so it's a mystery why the MacBook is still in Apple's lineup and why Apple has opted to have two machines that are so similar.

Prior to the October update, Apple hadn't made significant changes to the MacBook Air since 2015, and it was believed that the machine, which was priced at $999, was sticking around as a low-cost option until component prices for the MacBook came down. With the launch of the new version, that's clearly no longer Apple's plan, and the future of the MacBook and MacBook Air is murkier than ever.

As for the MacBook Air vs. the MacBook Pro, things are a bit clearer. The MacBook Air is still the lower-cost lower-performance option that is ideal for lighter workloads that don't require high-powered software.

All MacBook Pro models, including the 2017 non-Touch Bar models, offer better performance than the MacBook Air's 7W Amber Lake processor, but with the base MacBook Air vs. the base non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro priced at $1,299, there's not a huge difference. When deciding between these two machines, it's going to come down to whether you prefer a smaller form factor and Touch ID or slightly better performance.

What do you think Apple is planning for the MacBook in the future? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Apple's Confusing Mac Lineup: MacBook Air vs. MacBook

Still don't have the full specs though do you? So why is this being published? Why not publish an article with the full specs and benchmarks?

 

[lockerc18]

Good article but it's missing the most important thing:

Apple is STILL ashamingly selling the Early 2015 MBA, with a 5TH GEN Intel processor for $999 !!!

A 3.5 year old machine without dropping its price.

That's insulting!

Well, Apple wouldn't be selling these systems if people weren't buying them.

 

[Nozuka]

Buhuhuu it's so confusing buhuhuhu

More choice is always welcome. They can always cancel it later, when they realize noone buys model XY anymore.

 

[2GoldFish]

They might as well launch a bigger screen MacBook and call it "MacBook Plus".

Then to clear things up even more, they should follow up by launching a smaller screen size MacBook Pro and call it "MacBook Pro mini".

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Basically:
- 12" MacBook: The most useless Mac since its reveal
- 13" MacBook Air: The finest laptop for casual users

OMG No! I've been using Macs since 1995 and to me, the 12" MacBook is my favourite Mac of all time. I use mine for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. I travel the world with my marketing business. This is my only computer. I edit 4K 60fps video daily in FCPX. It's absolutely superb.
I've alway hated the MacBook Air and this new one has nothing great going for it. I certainly do not agree with you that it's the finest in any way. It's a copy of the 12" MacBook but it growing larger, it loses its design and it's more expensive. The TB MacBook Pro is only £350 more but with P3 Wide Colour Gamut display, touch bar, better processor. I honest cannot see who would buy the Air given its huge price. I hate it.

 

[srdunn]

Yep, my wife loves the weight/size of her 12" MB and carries it in her tote daily.

This is 100% correct. My wife totes her laptop everywhere at work and walks a lot as part of her job. She was quite happy to dump her 3rd Gen MBP 11,1 for a MacBook and save 1.46 lbs.

 

[thealkimist]

The major failing is apple is always leapfrogging it's lineup and nothing is ever aligned or in sync. This causes the confusion and it makes people wait for a machine that may/one day in the unknown future to be released.
They should have a hardware update and release everything at once and let people choose which machine they want to buy. Not leave people in the macbook vs air or mac mini vs imac, or even imac vs mac pro state.

People would still be asking the versus scenarios if they updated all hardware in sync.

What you’re describing is not a failing on Apple. There are many other factors that drive product updates, and having a synchronous product update lineup rarely makes sense.

 

[mrboult]

I just can't believe where the cost of all these computers with 128gb of storage as standard. . .

I've been buying base model mac laptops for 20 years and the storage was larger than that 15 year ago. Where are we supposed to put all our stuff? Buy the overpriced upgrades or pay monthly for cloud storage?

It's shameful. And it's why my last mac acquisition was the first 2nd hand Apple purchase I've ever made. .

 

[vladi]

I think they had change of hearts, Air was most likely already canned until they realized it actually could fix MacBook poor sales by reskinning MacBook upgrade. I somehow don't believe MacBook was just a stopgap between old and new Air.

 

[Nismo73]

This might have been said by someone but my thought is they purposely kept the processesor on the low power size because the next "Air" or whatever it will be will have an A chip and they want to show how much more powerful it is compared to this release.