And the battery lasts much less! No comparison. The MB is beautiful, every time I see it I want to buy it. But in terms of overall performance, no way.
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MBA with Retina?
- Thread starter musiclvr
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sracer
macrumors G4
No you can't. The rMB is NOT an MBA w/retina. The only thing they have in common is that they are both lightweight and run OSX.
It's the closest thing, really.
We all know the CPU isn't quite the same, but Apple is showing us their way: either you want the MBA's CPU or the rMB's retina display. Pick whichever matters the most for you.
sracer
macrumors G4
Well that is different than your hyperbole of "You can already get a MBA with retina, it's the new Macbook".
You can use that same answer in response to someone who wants a lighter/smaller Macbook Pro. 🙄
The MBA has 2 USB 2.0 ports, separate magsafe charging port, (and on the 13" MBA, SD card slot). The rMB has none of those.
Cheffy Dave
macrumors 68030
It's the future my friend, I spent quite a bit of time at the Apple Store, judging speed, keyboard/trackpad, I'd have NO PROBLEM at 67 adjusting to both, you younger guys will just eat it up, come on don't be an OLD FART!
Cheffy Dave
macrumors 68030
CmdrLaForge
macrumors 601
I agree. Just adding a Retina display to the MacBook Air would be perfect for me even if we lose a hour of battery life. I have played with the new MacBook and it is too small for me. Not the screen.The palm rest to the right and left of the keyboard aren't large enough for me. I use my Air for hours at a time sitting on my lap and I need a place for my hands to rest while typing.
This. I was torn between a rMB and a rMBP13 and ended up buying the rMB after falling in love with it in the store.
Then I lived with it for a couple of days. I felt like I was using a toy. As stillone mentioned, I didn't realize that I position my hands to the left and right of the keyboard. On the rMB they just hung off the side.
Returned it for a chunkier rMBP. It's not as sexy, but it's much more solid.
I have read a lot of threads about the MBAs fate and I often wonder... 'Do people want a laptop called Air, or do they want an Intel U Series laptop lighter than a 13in MBP?'
For me, the requirements is simple: I need something much lighter than a 13in MacBook Pro, with a high resolution 13-15in screen, thunderbolt 3, and a U-series or faster processor. The MacBook doesn't cut it. The current line of Core M is the bare minimum of useable performance. You don't need to turn your head far to find people complaining about it.
Intel has various lines of CPUs so that its partners can build various lines of laptops. It is highly unlikely Apple would abandon the U-series chips. The U-series gives companies the ability to deliver excellent performance in a form factor that is highly portable relative to the higher end chips. Core M isn't that... It delivers extreme portability by delivering low end performance.
Apple may never produce another laptop labeled "Air". But they will not abandon the U series line of chips. It would leave a significant gap in their portfolio. I fully expect the Air to be refreshed with Retina, TB3, and possibly wireless charging (A key feature of Skylake). We may even see a 14in screen! The new MBA may even see a radical departure in materials (iPhone 5c).
New MBA or not... there is a gap to be filled by the Intel U series processor. There are amazing laptops being developed with it including some that are lighter than the MBA, with higher res screens, more RAM, etc... Don't expect Apple to give up this space because they have a lighter laptop than the "Air".
CmdrLaForge
macrumors 601
Give it time. Guess why Apple kept the air for now. In 2-3 years cpu performance for the MacBook will be fine.
So what do you think will differentiate the Y-series (Core M) chipsets to the U-series?
CmdrLaForge
macrumors 601
Power consumption and speed? What I am saying is that the macbook will have in a few years a powerful enough processor, either Y or U depending on how they evolve.
But that's actually not true.
Skylake is just rolling out. And Intel has just announced a 3rd generation CPU line based on 14nm tech....
In fact I would go so far as to say CPUs won't change much over the next 2-3 years, leaving the MacBook in a weird spot.
In the long run it is hard to say how the Y Series boxes will pan out. But based on current performance and Intels roadmap there is no way Apple could drop the U series chips without leaving a huge gap in the product line.
CmdrLaForge
macrumors 601
Well let's see where the 10nm process will take us in 2017-2018. I assume in 2018 much better performance per watt.
Turnpike
macrumors 6502a
MAYBE..... Maybe the 12" isn't an upgrade/replacement for the 13" MBAir, maybe they are going the other way around the block, and the current 12" is an upgrade to the 11" Air, and soon we will see a replacement to the 13" Air with a Retina version and slightly slimmer body?
Technarchy
macrumors 604
Cost is a massive factor. The value prospect of the MacBook is just not there for me.
As a product it actually doesn't make much sense to me. I'd rather pick up a MBP, or load a MBA up with an i7 and 8GB of RAM.
This is actually what I suspect.
The 11in MBA is likely toast. For those that want that level of portability the MB is it, and it may be viable with a Skylake based Core-M. I suspect, and hope, we will see a 14-15in MBA.
A Retina MBA with Thunderbolt 3 would get me to drop money right now. I sold my MBA a few years ago in anticipating a rMBA... I've been without a personal Apple laptop since. But because I see so much potential in the Skylake platform, everything from Thunderbolt 3 for external GPUs and even wireless charging (yes Skylake is capable of wireless charging!!!) there is no way I'm surviving the next year without buying a new laptop. I hope its Apple that delivers the compelling machine but if not... there are some pretty sweet laptops on the market that will get the Skylake touch.
Nitpick and turn it whichever way you feel most comfortable with, it doesn't change anything to the fact that the MBA is now likely not going to get a Retina display because Apple is pushing the rMB as its successor - not the same specs, but lighter, thinner and with a better display.
jdmar2004
macrumors member
My first Mac was an 09 13" MBP and I fell in love with OSX. I used that as my main machine until October of last year when it was replaced by a base 11" air. I love this air but recently bought my wife a new 15" rMBP for us to have as our primary machine. Using a retina screen on my iPad and iPhone doesn't bother me when I then get onto my air, but going from the rMBP and then back to my air causes me to feel the need for an upgrade. The rMB simply isn't powerful enough so I'll be replacing my 11" Air with a 13" rMBP. The weight difference is only a little over a pound, which I was able to shave off my my EDC by buying a lighter briefcase. Even if the 13" air got retina, I would still choose the pro. Some web based apps that i need for work do look horrible on the retina screen bc of the scaling but I can live with it.
jdmar2004
macrumors member
Photo and video editing are the main reason I bought the 15" rMBP. The games I run don't require too much power and the air does fine, but I should still be able to edit photos and video on the rMBP a little faster than the rMB. The screen on my 11" air is also too small, and the rMB isn't larger by much.
Lots of people complain that even basic OS responsiveness is sluggish. It's a likely two or three CPU revision away from being something I would consider.
Lots of people also complain that the rMBP is sluggish. It takes some CPU/GPU power to drive all these pixels. But ultimately the framerate for these UI animations isn't really relevant when trying to determine how much actual work you can do with a computer.