The same reason purchasers of the rmb "keep repeating your/their personal purchase justification drivel." 1st amendment, personal opinion etc etc etc etc. You are not that myopic are you? As I believe I've said elsewhere, I actually plan to get one when the price comes down to a realistic level, when there is at least one more port, and when the processor is upgraded. For now, I believe the MBA 11" base is superior, not much heavier, not much bigger (maybe a bit smaller) but doesn't have retina which, at least for me, I can live without. As for touchpad, the current TP and certainly the current KB are just fine. And at $600 less for the base, one can't go wrong.
Oh Ruggles...
How does any of the above jive with calling the rMB nothing more than an iPad, and telling everyone who values a high resolution screen that they've drunk the "Retina koolaid"?? Nobody is similarly going over to the MBA section of the forums and blindly bashing it, and comparing it unfavorably to the rMB are they?
That is some serious backtracking there, and you've already voiced your opinion freely in literally every thread where you've been able to squeeze in a comparison to the 11" Air, and have been equally freely and consistently met with derision for concluding that the MBA is somehow obviously superior.
Also, what's with the 1st Amendment silliness? You do realise you are on a privately owned and operated forum, with censorship, where privileges can be revoked for breaking the forum rules? And that you are also in an international community quoting the USA's Bill of Rights? You actually can't say (write) whatever you want here.
Unfortunately, the rMB will never, ever be within what you consider your value for money price range according to your personal criteria as you have stated them. It also is rather absurd that you would assert this in the first place. It comes standard with 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD in the base model. Not half of both like your MBA. Its processor costs the same as makes no difference. It's screen/panel assembly is much more expensive, especially when calculated at scale, than the antiquated panel on the MBA. It contains numerous other new components which also are more expensive, especially at scale, like the keyboard, battery assembly, and trackpad.
It is easy to keep the price down on a product that uses 5 year old technologies and components and slap the latest processor in it.
I can see a base model with specs like the current rMB go down in price to around $1000 but not for at least 3 more years, just like the MBA if you will recall. You could definitely not get the base 11" Air for $600 in 2011, I can tell you that. And you still can't today, from Apple directly.
You and I have already been through the different pros and cons of each machine - I laid out a pretty objective list for you in another thread - Remember I am a long time 11" MBA owner - and pretty much you choose your priorities, and whatever you value most will make your decision for you.
For me, if I were to get an MBA today, I would get the i7 8GB RAM/512 GB SSD model, because I always get the maxed CTO models. At that point, the price difference is negligable and for my professional use case and needs, the
VASTLY superior screen and the portability, every ounce saved,
FAR outweigh the minimal real life user experienced speed difference of the processors. At this level, for me, it would be ridiculous to choose the MBA over the rMB. For you, maybe, $899 (Base 11" Air) vs $1299 (Base rMB) can't go wrong with the MBA is true, but for me, it is $1649 (Maxed 11" Air) vs $1749 (Maxed rMB) can't go wrong with the rMB - and is equally true!
How you can sit there with a straight face and suggest that the rMB is just an iPad with a keyboard is well outside the realm of reasonable, and leads me to believe the comment, similar to several others you have made regarding the rMB, was made maliciously with the intention of getting a reaction.
