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HacKage

macrumors 6502
May 14, 2010
499
906
The fact that Apple still can’t make a sub $1000 retina MacBook Air or MacBook is pretty laughable.
They can, of course they can, but why would they? If they know people will pay $1000 then they aren't going to change much. Apple has never been about giving people cheap devices.
 
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[AUT] Thomas

macrumors 6502a
Mar 13, 2016
774
972
Graz [Austria]
Let's hope the 12" Macbook gets Thunderbolt USB-C and Touchbar...
spect ratio of the Airs is bad... so even with Retina I'm not interested in those...

And, yes we definitely need a new Mini...

That's why I prefer the Mini... fits the pocket... if necessary even the backpocket of a jeans...
snip_20180817124602.png snip_20180817124546.png
 

tubomac

macrumors regular
Aug 26, 2013
169
571
Japan
I really hope for new Macs a little bit more affordable.
I know that most of people posting here are from America and they don't care
about other markets outside the USA however the Apple success is granted thanks to what they call "scale economy", some products are possible to be made because they will be sold in huge numbers. The point here is that Macs are much more expensive compared to the USA even in countries where cost of living is cheaper. I believe that if Apple doesn't make cheaper laptops a lot of customers around the world will give up buying them. Personally I'm not a photografer, I use my mac a lot for my work but I can do my stuffs using a PC with no problems, I just prefer the Macs, I love the macs and I enjoy their ecosystem. However last Macs are too expensive, they are even 0% repairable (included the keyboard!) and I will not buy a new mac next time, unless I see something cheaper. I'm convinced that there are a lot of guys in the same situation and next step for them will be to stop buying iPhones and alla the rest of Apple devices. It's obvios! The main feature here is the ecosystem, but if I don't buy a mac anymore I will not need to buy iPhone too.
 

bluecoast

macrumors 68020
Nov 7, 2017
2,213
2,633
If this is true, it’s incredible that Apple’s entry level laptop is getting so expensive.

Absolutely macs have better cases and trackpads than nearly all pc laptops but the ‘Apple premium’ for their macs is now getting ridiculous.

I wonder if the iPad Pro really is going to have trackpad support this time and that that is going to be the entry level computer that regular people are going to pushed towards.

Whatever the case, with ARM claiming that by 2019/2020, 5w processors based on their designs that will be able to be in products that are comparable to the average i5 15w processor, makes me hopeful that a cheap MacBook will arrive - just in 2020 :/
 
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theluggage

macrumors 604
Jul 29, 2011
7,489
7,340
Apple’s product lines are becoming a mess!

...unless this $1200+ MacBook is going to completely replace the $1299+ non-touchbar MacBook Pro. That would make the range make a bit more sense (esp. as the non-TB models didn't get an update in July).

The fact that Apple still can’t make a sub $1000 retina MacBook Air or MacBook is pretty laughable.

The market in a bit of a weird position at the moment: most competing sub-$1000 (or even low $1000s) laptops still only have 1080p screens (which are probably dirt cheap due to their ubiquity), while $400 tablets are sporting retina displays...

I think the problem may be MacOS and its non-scaleable UI - 1400 x 900 seems to be the "sweet spot" for a non-retina 13" Mac , 1920x1080 or 1680x1050 at 1:1 would make things too small for many, but aren't high enough to start using pixel-doubled or non-integer scaled modes (and the latter need a slightly decent GPU)...
 

tim0409

macrumors regular
Jun 6, 2010
186
129
I sold my iPad mini and thought I would use a Kindle and my iPhone X instead but I really miss it and would definitely buy an updated one. With hindsight the iPad mini has been my favourite Apple product; it's the perfect size to carry around all day (much better for browsing etc. in a coffee shop than a phone), great as an ereader and for surfing on the coach. I find the 10" iPad too big for my usage.
 

one more

macrumors 601
Aug 6, 2015
4,504
5,657
Earth
Today's DigiTimes report also claims Apple will use the September event to announce the "launch schedule" for its wireless AirPower charger, costing in the region of $160-$190. Apple previewed its multi-device AirPower charging mat at its iPhone X event last September, and confirmed that it will be released at some point in 2018, but it has yet to reveal how much it will cost. An earlier rumor citing "industry insiders" has suggested a price point of around $149.

No wireless charger can match the speed and power of the wired ones yet. Yes, it is convenient to have these charging mats lying around places to top up the compatible gadgets, but then it gets really expensive.
 

Dave245

macrumors G3
Sep 15, 2013
9,763
8,005
$1200 MBA makes no sense. When has DigiTimes ever been right?

They are hit and miss, they have been right in the past BUT they are not as accurate as Mark Gurman and Ming Chi Kuo. Both Ming Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman have also said that a new lower priced MacBook is in the works for later this year however they haven't said exactly how much, Mark Gurman did say that one of them will be $999 at the lowest cost.

Personally i think:

12"MacBook at $999 - updated specs but still low powered M series
13" MacBook OR MacBook Air with retina display $1,200 - 14nm Kaby Lake architecture

I believe that it was delayed, as Mark Gurman himself said that Apple delayed this new Mac twice, both in later 2017 and again at WWDC, the original plan was for them to announce it late last year, they rearranged it to WWDC this year but Mark Gurman again said that Apple had to delay it until later in 2018. I believe that Apple was waiting on the chips from Intel but decided to change because Intel 10nm CPus have been delayed until second half of 2019.
 
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sdc512

macrumors newbie
Aug 17, 2018
3
15
northwest Georgia (US)
I have the current MacBook 12” and a 10.5” iPad Pro. I am pretty close to selling my MacBook and moving wholly to the iPad Pro. For me, this is the most impressive piece of tech that Apple has released in years. It is blazingly fast, and the ProMotion display is simply amazing. Side by side with a regular iPad, it’s extremely noticeable. I love the device. And for some reason, I find that my typing on the Smart Keyboard is more accurate than when I type on any other type of keyboard, from the low-travel of the MacBook to some clicky mechanical keyboards I own for my iMac.

So yeah...this fall may see me sell both MacBook and 10.5” iPad Pro and get a fancy new 12.9” iPad Pro, especially if we get the small bezels and Face ID.
 

tomscott1988

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2009
707
674
UK
I actually really like my macbook. Its the base 2015 and although the geekbench results are woeful it actually is a really quick little machine and doesn't really struggle with any normal daily tasks and runs lightroom pretty well.

That being said... They just arent worth the money. They are amazingly portable and it does make a big difference over the MBP but one port and dual core mobile processors... £1299 to start its just insane. Especially if you spec it up to the i7 and bigger SSD its in the base 2018 MBP prices and that destroys it in every measure.

The second hand market hasn't warmed to these either. I didnt think these were worth the money and I paid £650 for mine a year old with apple care and 14 cycles... now they are worth around the £500 mark 3 years later.

What would be more interesting to me is if they made a 15" version, many people would like a bigger display but not necessarily the performance or want to pay £2299 start for a 15" MBP.
 

Dave245

macrumors G3
Sep 15, 2013
9,763
8,005
I actually really like my macbook. Its the base 2015 and although the geekbench results are woeful it actually is a really quick little machine and doesn't really struggle with any normal daily tasks and runs lightroom pretty well.

That being said... They just arent worth the money. They are amazingly portable and it does make a big difference over the MBP but one port and dual core mobile processors... £1299 to start its just insane. Especially if you spec it up to the i7 and bigger SSD its in the base 2018 MBP prices and that destroys it in every measure.

The second hand market hasn't warmed to these either. I didnt think these were worth the money and I paid £650 for mine a year old with apple care and 14 cycles... now they are worth around the £500 mark 3 years later.

What would be more interesting to me is if they made a 15" version, many people would like a bigger display but not necessarily the performance or want to pay £2299 start for a 15" MBP.

I think the fact that they didn't update the none touch bar MBP at the same time as the 2018 MBP's says something, this 13" MacBook could replace that model and the Air with the current 12" MacBook dropping to $999, the long stated rumour that it was delayed because Apple wanted to put a 10nm inside it but has now changed to the 14nm Kaby Lake because Intel delayed them until 2019 makes sense, Mark Gurman stated this early in the year after Apple had the intention of announcing it at WWDC but later changed the plans (according to Gurman)
 
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manu chao

macrumors 604
Jul 30, 2003
7,219
3,031
Yes, but it won't have 4:3 aspect ratio making it a poor (and very expensive) choice for ebooks.
You're right of course. But I wonder if (soon to be) existence of the 6.5 iPhone at a $1000 is a reason why Apple is apparently sort-of EOL-ing the iPad mini. Partly because for some tasks a 6.5" phone can substitute a 7.85" tablet (probably movie watching as the 16:9 crop on the 6.5" iPhone is very close in size to the same crop on the 3:4 7.85" iPad mini). And partly because Apple rather sells $1000 phones for those purposes than $400 tablets.
 
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