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Hieveryone

macrumors 603
Original poster
Apr 11, 2014
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As much as I love my 12" MacBook, performance isn't what it used to be. I was going to trade it in for a base model MacBook Air. Do you think this is a good idea?
 

Bazza1

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2017
749
578
Toronto, Canada
The 12" Macbook was meant to replace the Air. The 12" Macbook is gone and forgotten by Apple and the Air still exists - so that may suggest the answer.

You probably won't get much of trade-in on it, so yeah, if that's the case, give it to a family member or other relative - but even the base Air M1 will be a significant performance boost. Plus all the keys will likely work.
 

QuietGamer

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2014
215
220
US
If you like the form factor of your rMB then absolutely not. The Air is much bigger/heavier. My Bride will have nothing to do with the Air. To big and heavy she says. I am the admin for her rMB and while I notice a difference in performance it is still a viable daily driver for her. rMB specs: '17, i5, 8GB, 512.

It is up to you to decide if you want form factor or a smidgen more performance/features.
 
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QuietGamer

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2014
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5DE196B0-E061-4B67-9A58-F3387E85E4D1.jpeg
Her MacBook on top of my M1 air.
 

QuietGamer

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2014
215
220
US
In all fairness, that's a 12" screen compared to 13.3", plus weight for more battery. Air 2.8 lbs vs MacBook 2.08 lbs.
That is the point. The air is bigger and heavier. Just showing the size difference. It is the OP call what is more valuable to them.
 
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Hieveryone

macrumors 603
Original poster
Apr 11, 2014
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USA
I'm having a hard time deciding. I'm getting a good deal cost wise. My 12" is definitely not TOO great. It's workable for sure, but I don't know how much longer I will be able to use it before it becomes un-workable.

I feel like I should trade it in while I'm still getting a good deal.

BUT

I absolutely love the form factor. The thinness, lightness, edge to edge keyboard- the portability CANNOT be matched AND you get a FULL operating system. How can you beat that?

So yeah lol
 
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Pugly

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2016
411
403
It's a good buy at the moment. Who knows if Apple will ever go back to the extremes of portability again. Apple rather unceremoniously dropped the 12" MacBook and the 11" MacBook Air. Also they walked back the 12" butterfly keyboard that seemed necessary for the thinness.

Really the current Air is small and light enough to not be a big deal. Smaller would be appreciated, but it's not like the Air is chunky hardware. I was coming from the 11", and this design is about the same width. The biggest downside is the depth, so it's a little harder to use the laptop in the most cramped of spaces. But it's nice having a bigger screen too sometimes.

The performance for value of it makes it easy to not care about the size and shape to me. It's a fanless computer that rarely throttles and is nearly twice as fast as any 13" Mac Apple has ever made. It's also faster than nearly every 15"/16" Mac Apple has made too, even the one released in late 2019. All with the same $999 starting price.(and sometimes even lower on frequent deals)

The next Air design will probably be amazing, but the Air right now is great at everything so it does it really matter?
 

QuietGamer

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2014
215
220
US
“Smidgen more performance/features”

Laughable. The M1 Air is better in every way.
Agreed spec wise, everything but the size. Everyone seems the think the rMB is a POS. My Bride sitting here next to me using her rMB would disagree. It is not laggy, has a great screen and no keyboard issues. I have tried to get her to change to an Air, she is not having it. Happy wife, happy life.
 
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