Need a laptop.. buy now?

[ron7624]

I know WWDC in in a couple of days. My delima is that I am going out of town on the 24th and I want to buy a 13" MBA. I don't need a rocket but will need 8gb of ram. I have an early 2015 11" MBA which has 8gb ram and a 512 flash storage drive but I've only used 74gb. I am thinking about getting the 128 flash storage, I mean my 11" is packed with my work info and I don't use it for anything else. I will probably go for the 256 just because on windows machines I would fill up a tb easily. (rambling..sorry)

Advice on when to buy please!!
Do you guys think WWDC will change anything that will be available before June 24th?

I make my living with the 11" MBA but also use a Mac Mini in conjunction. It takes using 2 computers for my job.

 

[xlii]

If you NEED a new computer you buy now. If you want a new computer you should wait till the new models come out even if that is in the fall.

 

[ron7624]

Yeah, this is in the need category.

 

[Hal~9000]

I needed a computer (was slumming along with a iPad Mini 2 + BT keyboard... ugh), so when I saw I could get the Macbook Air 11" for $599 at Best Buy I absolutely pounced on that bad boy!

Happy I did as its the best laptop I've ever owned and an absolute pleasure to carry around everywhere with me. Good luck

P.S. keep your eyes on slickdeals for Macbook deals, thats how I found mine. Also you can sign up for Best Buy student coupons (anyone can, and they currently have a $100 off Macbook coupon for those who do) which might make the decision to buy the MBA that much easier.

 

[gnasher729]

WWDC opens on Monday, 13th (two days time). There _may_ be something new announced. But it may be weeks or months until you can buy. If you can wait until Monday, I'd wait. If something new comes out and is available immediately, and suits your needs, go for it, otherwise buy the most suitable product of the ones available now.

 

[sunapple]

So.. you need a new MacBook because yours is too small? Is it already to slow after one year?

Anyways, I'd wait another two days. It's just two days.

 

[ron7624]

So.. you need a new MacBook because yours is too small? Is it already to slow after one year?

Anyways, I'd wait another two days. It's just two days.

No, I need another MacBook because I use 2 Computer simultaneously when I work. And I will be traveling out of town and cannot take a desktop with me.
I will however wait another two days and see what might be coming down the pike at WWDC

 

[Reksy]

I'm waiting as well. If it's a no-hardware event though I will be very disappointed.

 

[ron7624]

I just finished watching it n my Apple TV. A lot of cool software innovations but no mention of hardware.

 

[Boyd01]

A lot of cool software innovations but no mention of hardware.

12:02 pm: That's a wrap on the WWDC 2016 keynote. As expected, there were no hardware announcements.

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/13/live-coverage-wwdc-2016/

 

[tentales]

I just finished watching it n my Apple TV. A lot of cool software innovations but no mention of hardware.

Terribly disappointing WWDC. Although, whenever new MacBooks will come out, I'm expecting the same crappy keyboard travel as on the current rMBs.

Just fyi, you could get the 13" MBA (which now comes std. with 8GB) and buy the "often on sale" 128GB version, then swap the SSDs if you need more storage in your 13" vs your 11".
The only difference is that the 11" uses 2x PCIe SSDs and the 13" 4x.
For me, 600MB/s is plenty fast. Like you, I also have a MacMini as my 2nd Mac.

 

[ron7624]

Terribly disappointing WWDC. Although, whenever new MacBooks will come out, I'm expecting the same crappy keyboard travel as on the current rMBs.

Just fyi, you could get the 13" MBA (which now comes std. with 8GB) and buy the "often on sale" 128GB version, then swap the SSDs if you need more storage in your 13" vs your 11".
The only difference is that the 11" uses 2x PCIe SSDs and the 13" 4x.
For me, 600MB/s is plenty fast. Like you, I also have a MacMini as my 2nd Mac.

Actually I'm finding out that 128 GB is all I need so that's going to help my wallet a great deal. I'll be going to the Apple Store with in the next day or two just to play with the 13 inch.

 

[tentales]

Actually I'm finding out that 128 GB is all I need so that's going to help my wallet a great deal. I'll be going to the Apple Store with in the next day or two just to play with the 13 inch.

That's great. Just know you have the swap option. The 13" MBA battery life is truly great. It's been my goto travel device. Cross-atlantic flights, 3 movies, 2+hrs work and 20% battery capacity to spare by the time I hit the hotel room

 

[navaira]

play with the 13 inch

I hope you enjoy that

I've also got a 128/8 model from 2015, I stored everything I need on it and I've still got over 30 GB free. But I do all the heavy lifting on iMac and Hackintosh, the Air is mostly a typewriter. I bought it in November, expecting an update in two weeks, then in March, then in June. I'm pretty happy with it.

@tentales, is it easy to replace the SSD? I don't think I'd dare to open mine...

 

[theluggage]

Do you guys think WWDC will change anything that will be available before June 24th?

So that would be a "No" - but it was worth waiting just in case.

There's no date for the next "update opportunity" and there is bound to be some weeks' notice of an event before a major update to the laptop range. If there is a "quiet" launch in the immediate future, I doubt it would be more than a stop-gap spec bump of the existing rMBPs. So if you need it now - fingers crossed and buy.

Of course, Apple moves in mysterious ways - and the rMBPs are still overdue for an overhaul, which could render the Air obsolete by slimming-down the 13" rMBP.

I'd suggest looking harder at the 13" rMBP 8GB/128GB @ $1300 - which used to be about the same price as the Air with the 8GB RAM option, but since Apple bumped the base $1000 Air to 8GB RAM in March that's a slightly easier call (I still think the rMBP is better bangs-per-buck if you can put up with the slight weight increase and can stand another $300).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Personally, I'd recommend a minimum of 256GB memory for a laptop these days.

Even three years ago, I found 128GB fairly limiting.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Actually, my recommended minimum - for 2016 - would be 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD.

This is because 128GB will be eaten up very, very quickly, and the computer will start getting sluggish once you are down to your final 20GB of space.

 

[ron7624]

I wasted several hundred dollars buying the 512, but future proofing does make sense with the 256 GB although I'm only using 71gb of the 512 after a year of full time use.
I do like maxed out stuff lol.