Saw Midnight Today - Not a Fan

[darinzook]

I was at the mall with the family yesterday, and parked at and walked through Best Buy. They have one of the mini Apple Stores inside, and I was surprised to see that the new MacBook Air's were on display.

The new midnight color is gorgeous. Especially with the black keyboard, it just looks really really sharp. That said - it was completely covered in fingerprints. It was crazy how dirty it looked. I have no doubt that people will have a different experience on their own personal machines - but there will be a process to keep it clean, for sure.

My wife picked up a Starlight (10/16GB/1TB) at our actual local Apple Store (40 min away) on Friday, and I really think she made the right call. My work issued space gray MBP pics up some fingerprints but not too bad. My personal MBP (14") is silver, and I don't seem to have too many issues with fingerprinting - tho keeping fingerprint oils off the keyboard is still a chore. But this thing seems to suffer from fingerprinting in a way that we haven't seen since the black MacBooks circa 2006/2007. I understand why people are excited about it, but the upkeep will be real!

 

[MauiPa]

is it just me, or is the obvious answer to not get the midnight? Is there some other intent with this post, cause I am missing it

 

[Asiatic Black Hebrew]

is it just me, or is the obvious answer to not get the midnight? Is there some other intent with this post, cause I am missing it

It is a matter of personal opinion. A few posters here just feel that their opinions are fact. The best bet is to go take a look at the color & make the call for yourself. There are many people who are very happy with the color & some who despise it. To each their own.

 

[Adelphos33]

is it just me, or is the obvious answer to not get the midnight? Is there some other intent with this post, cause I am missing it

People seem to have been looking for more unique colors - whether they were the blue/yellow/etc originally rumored, or this Midnight, so some are disappointed that the newest color has this fingerprint issue. I agree, however - Midnight all in all looks worse than all three other options. Starlight is the best color for MB2 MBA, followed by Silver then Space Grey.

 

[inglishmayjur]

Does "Not a fan" in the title of this thread refer to the fact that the M2 MBA is passively cooled? 😜

 

[Apple_Robert]

More woe is me fingerprint posts. Reality is getting more distorted by the day here on MR.

 

[bcaslis]

People who don't wash their hands should not get midnight. However, if you do and you clean the MBA occasionally, it's not really a problem. I got mine on Friday and it's fine.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I got mine on Friday and it's fine.

It is only Monday you know - haha

 

[bcaslis]

It is only Monday you know - haha

Wow, did you count the days all by yourself? Good job selectively quoting to remove all the context.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Wow, did you count the days all by yourself? Good job selectively quoting to remove all the context.

It was just some humor
I got what you were saying..

All in good fun
Apologies

 

[ivaren]

People who don't wash their hands should not get midnight. However, if you do and you clean the MBA occasionally, it's not really a problem. I got mine on Friday and it's fine.

I agree. I finally checked it out in the store, and seriously. The fingerprint magnet problem people are hysteric about is a non issue for me. The midnight looked and felt so good. I am now sure of my preorder choice.

 

[cosmogrammar]

I don't have an Apple Store near me so I can't seem them in person tough because I am very torn between Midnight and Starlight at the moment. Think I'm gonna go Starlight though, if only because it seems like the safer choice.

Tbh I have never noticed fingerprints on my Space Grey MBP, though, and I'm sure they're there.

 

[PatriotInvasion]

Same here. Saw pics on the forum and didn’t like them. Went to my local store to confirm and glad I did. Not a fan (not even thinking about fingerprints), but looks like a typical Windows laptop.

Have to disagree with this. Here are some typical Windows laptops from Dell, HP, and Acer. A deep deep navy blueish black aluminum MacBook Air is quite unique. If anything, Silver and Space Gray would fall more into that category in 2022.

 

[DHagan4755]

I've seen midnight model in the bright Apple Store & also in the relatively darker environment of Best Buy. The fingerprint issue is definitely there, but this issue is a tad overblown, in my opinion. These computers are manhandled at the stores. Space grey had fingerprints albeit slightly less noticeable - but still there. I'm not saying this is NOT a problem, but it is NOT going to be a problem for all but the OCD among us.

(The view at Best Buy)​

 

[turbineseaplane]

@DHagan4755

Good pics

I have to say, I wish they were still writing MacBook Air on there

It looks better to me -- looks classier (to me)

 

[DHagan4755]

Have to disagree with this. Here are some typical Windows laptops from Dell, HP, and Acer. A deep deep navy blueish black aluminum MacBook Air is quite unique. If anything, Silver and Space Gray would fall more into that category in 2022.

Whilst at Best Buy this afternoon, I saw a Chromebook with a deep navy finish. It was more blue than midnight however. I wasn't too interested in the Chromebooks, so I didn't catch what brand/model it was.

 

[DHagan4755]

Also, some people have remarked that the midnight color is reminiscent of a Windows laptop. Now having seen the new midnight color in the flesh, it's absolved any Windows laptop vibes from my point of view.

 

[fisherking]

@DHagan4755

Good pics

I have to say, I wish they were still writing MacBook Air on there

It looks better to me -- looks classier (to me)

i never understood it. i bought it, i own it. i already know it's a macbook air; why do i need that under the screen? i think it looks classier without that.

 

[Dick Whitman]

At first it was cool to preorder midnight. Then it was cool to cancel your initial preorder and reorder space grey. Lol jk. But this is what I ended up doing after seeing midnight in person and talking to one of the Apple employees. The guy I spoke with said that it was very difficult to remove fingerprints from the midnight color after initially setting up the demo units the night they arrived. I was originally drawn to the black/blue tones of the midnight color but after seeing them in person I thought, “Do I really want a blue (or blueish) MacBook?” Not really, especially when my external keyboard and trackpad (and iPhone) are all space grey. What was interesting about the midnight color is that at certain angles it looks completely black while at other angles it looks like a dark, almost indigo blue. It’s very classy but the implementation (i.e., using aluminum for such a dark color) is what ultimately gave me reservations. The estimated delivery date for my new order is still showing as 8/2 - 8/9, which I really hope doesn’t slip but we’ll see.

 

[DHagan4755]

i never understood it. i bought it, i own it. i already know it's a macbook air; why do i need that under the screen? i think it looks classier without that.

The branding below the display was take it or leave it for me. Apple only got rid of the branding one other time: when they introduced the first retina MacBook Pro. That first retina MacBook Pro's hinge necessitated ditching the branding below the display. When the branding came back in 2016, people griped, so it's gone again. The irony was the branding below the display in 2016 was a throwback to the previous MacBook Pros & PowerBooks but the real throwback in design is happening now & the branding is no longer there.

 

[PatriotInvasion]

I really wanted to like Starlight but found myself seeing way too much silver and just longing for gold. I miss the more yellow champagne gold of the original 12" MacBook and think it was the perfect shade - wish they went back to that rather than slightly warmer silver.

 

[Chateaunole-du-Pape]

Have to disagree with this. Here are some typical Windows laptops from Dell, HP, and Acer. A deep deep navy blueish black aluminum MacBook Air is quite unique. If anything, Silver and Space Gray would fall more into that category in 2022.

I think the issue, though, is that in most qualities and levels of light, the blue largely disappears, and you're left with a dark gray that doesn't appear much different from many Windows laptops, particularly business-oriented ones.

 

[Chateaunole-du-Pape]

I really wanted to like Starlight but found myself seeing way too much silver and just longing for gold. I miss the more yellow champagne gold of the original 12" MacBook and think it was the perfect shade - wish they went back to that rather than slightly warmer silver.

Funny... Starlight is the first gold(ish) shade of anything I have ever wanted from Apple. Everyone has different tastes, I suppose!

 

[DHagan4755]

Funny... Starlight is the first gold(ish) shade of anything I have ever wanted from Apple. Everyone has different tastes, I suppose!

My first starlight experience was startling: I thought it was silver. Not to infer that's a bad thing, it's just that it's subtle. I think that's what Apple was going for here.

 

[sjperformance]

At first it was cool to preorder midnight. Then it was cool to cancel your initial preorder and reorder space grey. Lol jk. But this is what I ended up doing after seeing midnight in person and talking to one of the Apple employees. The guy I spoke with said that it was very difficult to remove fingerprints from the midnight color after initially setting up the demo units the night they arrived. I was originally drawn to the black/blue tones of the midnight color but after seeing them in person I thought, “Do I really want a blue (or blueish) MacBook?” Not really, especially when my external keyboard and trackpad (and iPhone) are all space grey. What was interesting about the midnight color is that at certain angles it looks completely black while at other angles it looks like a dark, almost indigo blue. It’s very classy but the implementation (i.e., using aluminum for such a dark color) is what ultimately gave me reservations. The estimated delivery date for my new order is still showing as 8/2 - 8/9, which I really hope doesn’t slip but we’ll see.

Exactly what I did. Just received my pre order which is a midnight. Yesterday I went to apple store and wasn’t a fan. Took out my iPhone and ordered a space grey. I also have your same shipping dates. I will not be opening the one I received today. I will be returning it to apple store this weekend. Only a 10 min drive. The one I received today is basic config. The space gray I upgraded to 512gb/67w power brick.