Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Images Reveal Colorful New MacBook Air Design
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I would be among those annoyed lol. But I highly doubt they would remove their best selling colour option completely.
I like the look of colourful Macs but I wouldn’t want to own one.
Since you wouldn’t want to own one I’d guess you don’t like the look much at all.
I was actually surprised there wasn’t a Space Gray option with the 24in. iMac. So it could appear specific colour isn’t that sacred with Apple. Rose Gold is quite liked on the MacBook Air and, lo-and-behold, it as well as Space Gray don’t appear to be in the cards for the forthcoming redesigned MacBook Air, assuming the rumoured hues we’ve seen hold true. Then again we could be surprised as rumours are just that.
Thats why I find the colour assumptions for the big new iMac amusing. Past practice might well no longer apply as indications seem to indicate.
Valid points but it's worth pointing out that space grey is one of the iPad Air colors.
The real question is whether Apple would make a Space grey laptop with white bezels and a white keyboard or will there be one laptop color with those in black?
Last edited:
A valid question. I admit I don’t care for Silver on the iPad—somehow I find it rather meh. But I do like Silver on the MacBook and the old iMac and the new 24 as well. The iPad with Silver has white bezels (although Silver is on the back only) and the rumoured MacBook Air is also shown in Silver with white bezels.
IF Prosser's predictions are right, it's notable that, among the explosion of pastels, there is just one 'serious' option: the silver. Given that many don't like pastels, I think Apple would have satisifed more of its customers by including both the silver and space gray, even if it meant reducing the number of pastel choices from six to five.
Indeed, I suspect Apple knows this, and the fact that they limited the understated color choices to just one suggests to me that they are using color choice as a product differentiator, consistent with AppliedMicro's comment:
Likewise, we'll probably see the more sober colorways on the MBP. From a consumer choice POV, it would be nice if they offered more than one sober choice on the Air, and a few colorful choices on the MBP, but Apple's marketing dept. may have decided otherwise.
Indeed, I suspect Apple knows this, and the fact that they limited the understated color choices to just one suggests to me that they are using color choice as a product differentiator, consistent with AppliedMicro's comment:
You can see they did this with the iPhone: The 12 has mostly colorful choices, while the 12 Pro has mostly sober ones.
Likewise, we'll probably see the more sober colorways on the MBP. From a consumer choice POV, it would be nice if they offered more than one sober choice on the Air, and a few colorful choices on the MBP, but Apple's marketing dept. may have decided otherwise.
Interestingly, the first product Apple used these new colors on - the iPad Air - uses black bezels, as opposed to the white bezels on the silver base iPad and the new iMac. Considering how off the leaked renders of the iMac were I’m inclined to wait and see the actual shipping product.
Wait-and-see is the smartest bet. Getting all worked up over what may or may not happen is pointless. At this point, with a release set for later this year, the design and colour schemes are already long locked in to assure availability shortly after introduction. Fretting over what will be revealed will not change anything in anyway whatsoever. It is what it is.
The new MacBook Air will be available in multiple colours, but beyond that there is no certainty. I’m reasonably sure the new Air, like the new iMac, will look better in person than it does in these early renders and pics where the true colour and finish isn’t coming through.
Even so you can guarantee the vocal minority will go nuts over how they feel Apple has lost its way and hasn’t a damned clue what they’re doing despite more than twenty years of impressive success.
The new MacBook Air will be available in multiple colours, but beyond that there is no certainty. I’m reasonably sure the new Air, like the new iMac, will look better in person than it does in these early renders and pics where the true colour and finish isn’t coming through.
Even so you can guarantee the vocal minority will go nuts over how they feel Apple has lost its way and hasn’t a damned clue what they’re doing despite more than twenty years of impressive success.
Last edited:
If they weren’t two tone it would probably look better.
I’d be very surprised if the new MacBook Pro 16 inch models don’t come in space grey. The 27 iMac is maybe. Professionals don’t want to pull out bright red computers in a meeting lol.
As for the look in general, no I’m not a fan of the new design. It needed to remove the chin completely and give added height adjustment. I’m currently using a maxed out 2017 iMac so I’m still good for a year or two. When the time comes to upgrade I’m going down either a Mac Mini or the rumoured Mac Pro Mini route. The new design has put me off iMac completely.
Help me make sense of that. Are you saying you like the colors but something ELSE about them is a deal-breaker?
While the white keys will show dirt faster, if someone isn't cleaning their keyboard you'll know it with the black keys as it is (or worse, feel when you borrow their machine...)
It's interesting that they took the more pastel "front" iMac colors as the cue for the entire machine, rather than the more vibrant back and sides. I kind of like the paler shades for the laptops (probably because they remind me of the classic iPod minis which remain some of the best Apple products to me) but I imagine bolder ones would pop more, and compared to the use case of an iMac I don't think there'd be as much of an issue, usability or design-wise to having the bolder look around the entire case.
It's interesting that they took the more pastel "front" iMac colors as the cue for the entire machine, rather than the more vibrant back and sides. I kind of like the paler shades for the laptops (probably because they remind me of the classic iPod minis which remain some of the best Apple products to me) but I imagine bolder ones would pop more, and compared to the use case of an iMac I don't think there'd be as much of an issue, usability or design-wise to having the bolder look around the entire case.
Vibrant colours are more attention getting and energetic, but for many people they can be something you can tire of quickly. Softer tones are less distracting and less obtrusive.
There is a lot of psychology involved with colour.
There is a lot of psychology involved with colour.
I can tell all the creative professionals, young and old alike, are not on macrumors! I love all the new colors, but the orange is awesome! Typed on my sky blue iPad Air 4! Which I love also
I thought it was pretty cool when Elle wood pulled out her new pink Mac in law school! Pastel colors tend to calm people down as well!
It's obvious that all this new design is not the new "MacBook Air" (it doesn't even have the "air" shape)
but simply the new "Macbook" period.
None of these apple-news analysts haven't mentioned this, but, on the other hand, none seemed to know about the white-bezeled iMac, even hours before its presentation.
I strongly believe that we are going to have 3 Macbook lines: this new thing (iBook colored -and successor to 12" retina Macbook- white bezel M1 Macbook), and of course the Air and the Pro lines.
but simply the new "Macbook" period.
None of these apple-news analysts haven't mentioned this, but, on the other hand, none seemed to know about the white-bezeled iMac, even hours before its presentation.
I strongly believe that we are going to have 3 Macbook lines: this new thing (iBook colored -and successor to 12" retina Macbook- white bezel M1 Macbook), and of course the Air and the Pro lines.
I'm saying they may be nice to look at for a couple of hours but after that it would annoy me and stand out like a sore thumb in any setup.
The silver version is ok, but is let down by the white border.
Overall I dislike the whole design. Chin is still present, way too thin, odd looking white border, no height adjustment for the stand.
I've been an iMac user since 2007 and I really thought they would update a very stale design drastically this year, but that has not happened. It is just another iterative update. The only real difference is the colours.
And you’ll buy one within the next year or two when you’re ready for an upgrade.
Nope, I'm done with iMac. Been planning to move away from an all in one setup for a while and this gave me the final push needed.
I'll be moving to a 3x27" monitor setup powered by a Mac Mini if they are able to run 3 monitors by that point or Mac Pro whether thats the full size version or the rumoured half size incoming model.
Though that will likely happen early next year once I see what they have planned for the whole line up in terms of the Apple Silicon. M1 still can't compete with high end desktop Intel processors currently, which is why they haven't updated the 27 inch iMac yet or Mac Pro.
Hopefully M2 or whatever they call it is a true desktop class processor.
ANY setup? Just not so. Totally depends on the colors in the room. Those other iMac colors may not work for YOUR setup, but that's all you can speak for. The borders are actually light gray according to this video, but I get your point - they're not black. Personal preference. Personally, I think a black bezel would be WAY too stark a contrast for the colors they've chosen so the "white" actually looks much better in comparison. My LG TV has light silver bezels and it hasn't made an iota of difference to me whether in the dark or when the lights are on, so I personally don't get the issue some folks have with non-black bezels, but apparently some people feel very strongly that it affects their viewing experience somehow. I agree height adjustment would be nice. Of course, you forgot the entire profile of the iMac is totally different now and looks like a giant iPad, so the colors aren't the only real difference. Seems like a nice refresh to me. I don't think it needs to be so radically different that it isn't recognizable as an iMac anymore. I think the chin is an integral part of that.