Is the 2017 Air with I7 and 8GB RAM the exact same computer as the 2015 Air with the same specs?

[Rory76]

Just wondering as I have the fully loaded 2015 13” Air but recently came across a great deal on the ‘17 model. If no difference, what about in terms of how long Apple will support the device with software updates?

 

[Macdctr]

I have the same setup with my 2015 MBA. I would say that people who have a 2015 MBA 2.2GHz i7 8GB laptop should be able to have the same software updates as the current gen MBA with the same exact setup.

 

[Rory76]

I have the same setup with my 2015 MBA. I would say that people who have a 2015 MBA 2.2GHz i7 8GB laptop should be able to have the same software updates as the current gen MBA with the same exact setup.

I agree as I assume they are really the exact same computer with the exception of the release date/year...

 

[Fancuku]

The i7 Air is exactly the same. The only difference between the 2015 and 2017 models is that they bumped up the speed of the i5 in the 2017 model from 1.6 to 1.8.

 

[Boyd01]

what about in terms of how long Apple will support the device with software updates?

Here's Apple's policy regarding "obsolete" and "vintage" computers. However this only applies to getting the hardware serviced, you may still be able to get software updates for a longer period. But for hardware, the "clock starts ticking" when Apple stops production of a computer. I don't think this is really carved in stone however.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201624

"Mac products may obtain service and parts from Apple or Apple service providers for 5 years after the product is no longer manufactured"

 

[Mrbobb]

I keep my laptop hardware for longer than 5 year but I dunno how many here do. Hardware out of warranty are typically too expensive to repair anyways.

Software... it should be no problem EXCEPT Apple recent blip about CHANGING FROM INTEL TO APPLE'S OWN, this could be MAJOR as when they switched from Motorola to Intel.

 

[Macdctr]

Storage drive improvements such as use of M.2 NVMe drives that work on the fully spec'd 2015 i7 MBA should also work on the spec'd 2017 i7 MBAs...

 

[dogslobber]

Software... it should be no problem EXCEPT Apple recent blip about CHANGING FROM INTEL TO APPLE'S OWN, this could be MAJOR as when they switched from Motorola to Intel.

Think it’ll be pretty smooth as most apps only require a recompile from Intel to ARM.

 

[Smeaton1724]

Future Mac OS support for hardware is interesting, in the grand scheme of things 2015 to 2017 Macbook Air's at least are pretty much the same thing. In future the OS could go the route of having iOS chips as well as Intel, ARM only, or they just bake it into existing hardware and restrict features to devices with say 8GB RAM or more.

Personally I'm not sure buying a Mac in 2018 you'll get the same decade of support that people have got used to since they shifted to Intel. Mac OS is lacking the Home app, Watch app, Swift playgrounds - which are core to Apple's future of - Home automation, wearables and coding. Then combine that with iPhones X's and iPad Pro's benching 10,000 and Macbook 12'' only pulling in 6,000, even Macbook Pro's bringing in 8,500!

It really wouldn't surprise me in 2019 to see Mac hardware running fully on ARM with a MAC OS alot more iOS like and running iOS apps, the existing hardware just wouldn't get the iOS apps but would run existing Mac Applications just like they do now.