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Larger 15-Inch MacBook Air Expected in 2023

UltimateSyn said:
This would be amazing. Just last night I was thinking about how awesome a 15” MacBook Air would be now that the base M1 provides enough power for myself and so many others. And it stays quiet and cool. The 16” MBP has gotten incredibly large and heavy, too.

The only issue will be that they’ll gimp it in areas other than power vs. the MBP. I’d suspect it won’t get mini-LED and ProMotion, which is a real deal-breaking factor for me. I don’t need the M1 Pro or M1 Max, and I could probably give up on the ports, but I still want the ultra-nice screen quality of the Pro.

My perfect laptop would be:
  • 15.2” MacBook Air
  • Fanless M2 design
  • Mini-LED and ProMotion
  • ~18 hours battery life
  • 3.5-3.7 lbs
  • MagSafe and three USB-C
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I would start writing the "For Sale" ad for my XPS 15 if that is what they come up with.
 
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Here we go again... These sweet sweet rumors...

I was waiting for such a device for AGES! Been holding on to my 2012 MacBook Pro forever in hopes of a 15/16" M1 MacBook... Yes, the 16" M1 MBP is a thing now, but the price is a thing as well! Too much for my budget and I don't need the power of MBP...

So I finally made a switch to Windows, because I could not wait any longer... To be honest, it hurts everyday, but I need the Display size!

Buuuut.... If the 16" MBA would really be released, at anything up to 1.500 EUR, I would immediately sell the old (well, new) Windows machine and go "Back to Mac"...
 
blazerunner said:
It'll be highly priced, don't think for a second Apple will do you a favour and price it fairly. They're not your friend. What's likely to happen is that it'll be gimped to the point that it'll make more sense to just throw extra cash on the MacBook Pro.
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If it’s priced as outlined in an earlier post of mine, there’s no reason to throw another $800-$1000 to a 16” MBP. The base will be reasonably priced, but the add-ons will push the price up into 16” territory depending on how much DRAM and storage you add to it. No different than how it’s worked in the past. Apple is not our friend they’re a business like any other, but this hysteria over it costing nearly as much as the 16” MBP is hilarious. Apple wants to sell computers and a 15” MBA isn’t going to start at $1999.?
 
kingtj1971 said:
Yeah, that's my guess too. If they did a 15" Air, it'd have a lower resolution display and lack ProMotion. Also likely Apple wouldn't offer it in "high spec" configurations. So maybe 16GB of memory maximum for it and a 1TB SSD maximum? Would still make a lot of sense though, for many people.

I will also say though, when people complain about how "big and heavy" the 16" MBP is now? I think they forget that it compares most closely to the last 17" Macbook Pro they used to sell. Size and weight between the two of those models is pretty darn similar.
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Yeah, you’re probably right about the spec caps. Especially if it only sees M2 (and not M2 Pro) as a processor option.

When I say that the new 16” is heavy I’m comparing it to my relatively svelte 2016 15” MBP. I think 4.0 pounds and 15.4” was a sweet spot for size and weight; I didn’t like the 0.3lbs they added for the 2019 16”, and the subsequent 0.4-0.5lbs they added for the 2021s. That old 17” MBP was a real clunker, too!

It’s funny, I think today’s sweet spot for the Pros would actually be about 15.2” with the current design. Not as large and heavy as the 16” but a little bit more screen real estate breathing room than the 14”. The Goldilocks model. :) But a 15” Air would be all that much sweeter…
 
My guesses:

Base M2 15” Air 8GB/512GB - $1499
Step up M2 15” Air 16GB/1TB - $1899
Max RAM M2 15” Air 32GB/1TB - $2299
Max RAM/SSD 15” Air 32GB/2TB - $2899

Two Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports, high impedance audio jack and MagSafe 3 jack. Outside chance of an SD Card slot on the right hand side. Just my 2 cents.

EDIT: 400-nit P3, outside chance of 500-nits. Full size Fn keys and Touch ID like 2021 MBP. 45w USB-C charger.
 
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No taper, no sale.

Heavier, no sale.

No MagSafe, no sale.

The slanting front edge, lighter weight, and MagSafe, have been iconic features of the MacBook Air for years.

Maybe they'll bring out a 12” MBA in an 11” size, weighing less than the two pounds of the MacBook with Retina Display. A port on each side, MagSafe, and a good keyboard.
 
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Saturn007 said:
No taper, no sale.

Heavier, no sale.

No MagSafe, no sale.

The slanting front edge, lighter weight, and MagSafe, have been iconic features of the MacBook Air for years.

Maybe they'll bring out a 12” MBA in an 11” size, weighing less than the two pounds of the MacBook with Retina Display. A port on each side, MagSafe, and a good keyboard.
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A 15” MBA is going to be heavier than the current 13” MBA, so you need to adjust your expectations.
 
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I really thinks this 15'' MBA is coming out this year as a surprise. I don't see Apple releasing a different design for the same model for two consecutive years.
 
I don’t see this happening. It sounds like there will be some form of MacBook between the Air and 2021 Pro, so maybe this line would have the option, but I don’t see the base Air getting this option. This rumor has been around for years.

Maybe they come out with a “MacBook” in between the Air and Pro, and this line will have the 15” option?
 
krspkbl said:
please be true. it's ridiculous i need to go for a 16" pro which is overkill in performance and priced too high just because i want a bigger screen.

can't wait to see how apple mess this up or find a way to rip people off more
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It will be $200 less than the 16" Pro. That's how.
 
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Like dozens of folks here, this is EXACTLY the machine I've been waiting for -- a large screen without the need (and expense) of a high-end processor. I've been nursing a nine-year-old 15-inch MacBook Pro, waiting for a new large laptop that won't cost me $2,500. C'mon Apple -- release it!!
 
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Warped9 said:
One glaring thing I’ve always found wrong with 15 or 16in. MacBooks is the lack of a full keyboard including a numeric keypad. It’s absurd.
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No, I don’t want a NumPad on my MacBook Pro ever. It adds to the size of the width of the laptop and it still crams the keyboard up to fit that many keys in there. You are in the minority on that one.
 
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This is a disturbing rumor because it makes me think no Air revisions this year at all. My wife needs a new laptop now and I was trying to hold out till wwdc hoping for a new 13” air. This is the other side of that whole by what you need when you need argument because she basically needs it now, but I could hold out two months if it meant a new m2.
 
krspkbl said:
please be true. it's ridiculous i need to go for a 16" pro which is overkill in performance and priced too high just because i want a bigger screen.

can't wait to see how apple mess this up or find a way to rip people off more
Click to expand...
Well, the RAM/SSD upgrade mega rip off is baked in right from the get go. When I go into an Apple store, the first thing I do is pull my pants down and bend over. It just saves time.
 
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I have been wanting this for years. I don't need the power (or price!) of the MacBook Pro, but that was the only option for a screen larger than 13.3". Bring it, I'll buy it.
 
Dream come true, I would wave goodbye to my m1 air in an instant. Really want a larger screen but have no use for MBP.
 
Base 16" (M1 Pro 10/16 core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) = US$2,500
Base 14" (M1 Pro 8/14 core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) = $2,000
Same chip spec 14" (M1 Pro 10/16 core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) = $2,300
Thus screen size upgrade = $200
but that is Mini LED XDR, so for MBA, possibly more like = $150

Base 13" MBA (M1 8/7, 8GB, 256GB) = $1,000
Base 15" MBA (M1 8/7, 8GB, 256GB) might be = $1,150

Or base 15" might have upgraded minimum specs (typical Apple):
Base M1 8/8 chip spec 13" MBA (M1 8/8, 8GB, 512GB) = $1,250
Base 15" MBA (M1 8/8, 8GB, 512 GB) might be = $1,400

With same RAM/SSD as the Base 14/16" MBP:
Upgraded 15" MBA (M1 8/8, 16GB, 512GB) might be = $1,600

Huge price drop!
 
Air rebranded as MacBook at 13 and 15 inches, Mx chips, no miniLED or promotion.
MacBook Pros remain the same at 14 and 16 inches with Mx pro and max chips + miniLED and promotion.
 
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