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Should I buy a discounted Macbook Air or wait to buy after the WWDC 2018?

  • Wait

    Votes: 23 47.9%
  • Buy the newest Macbook Air

    Votes: 25 52.1%

  • Total voters
    48

belz123

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 30, 2018
6
6
North Carolina
I sold my mid 2013 Macbook Air a couple months ago and have been waiting for the WWDC 2018 to see if Apple unveils any new laptops. However, I keep reading about the butterfly keyboard issue in Macbooks and Macbook Pro computers, which scare me...but I am hoping they update/change the keyboard if they release any new Macbooks. Let me say that I don't really need one for anything more than the internet and email, so I don't really need the best. However, I had my Macbook Air for almost five years and am ready for something different. I have almost $1500 saved, but considering the keyboard issue in newer models, should I just go with a MA at Best Buy at a pretty good discount or should I wait to see what they release at the WWDC? Thanks for the help.
 
Wait for WWDC. Even if you don't need high specs, it'll be supported for a longer time if you buy it when it's released.

The MBA is really due for a refresh or to be replaced by a lower cost MacBook. You'll regret buying it if they release an affordable laptop with retina display in 3 weeks.

Also, you can still buy the previous models at a potentially better discount if you don't like the new ones.
 
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WWDC is right around the corner, I would wait until then. One question though, if all you want a laptop for is Internet and e-mail, why not just an iPad?
 
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I don't really need one for anything more than the internet and email, so I don't really need the best. However, I had my Macbook Air for almost five years and am ready for something different.

The current MBA model will be more than enough for your needs (my friend just bought one and it is awesome in every way). I'd just buy this discounted version.
 
As Glmnet1 said, wait until WWDC to see if anything is announced.

Worst case scenario, you're going to buy the 2017 MacBook Air at a discount anyway after WWDC if they're discontinued.

Best case scenario, they're going to release updated MacBook Airs with the same keyboards but faster CPUs and maybe a slightly better display.
 
As Glmnet1 said, wait until WWDC to see if anything is announced.

Worst case scenario, you're going to buy the 2017 MacBook Air at a discount anyway after WWDC if they're discontinued.

Best case scenario, they're going to release updated MacBook Airs with the same keyboards but faster CPUs and maybe a slightly better display.
i wouldn’t expect a discount on the MBA if it is discontinued. When the 11”MBA was discontinued, there were no sales. Stores just sold their in-store inventory at MSRP.
 
WWDC is right around the corner, I would wait until then. One question though, if all you want a laptop for is Internet and e-mail, why not just an iPad?

I don't type well on phones and iPads and I have documents and things backed up on an external hard drive I'm pretty sure I need a laptop for. Plus, I would rather have a Macbook than an Ipad for really no reason other than I prefer Macbooks (laptops in general, but I am loyal to Apple products).
 
I sold my mid 2013 Macbook Air a couple months ago and have been waiting for the WWDC 2018 to see if Apple unveils any new laptops. However, I keep reading about the butterfly keyboard issue in Macbooks and Macbook Pro computers, which scare me...but I am hoping they update/change the keyboard if they release any new Macbooks. Let me say that I don't really need one for anything more than the internet and email, so I don't really need the best. However, I had my Macbook Air for almost five years and am ready for something different. I have almost $1500 saved, but considering the keyboard issue in newer models, should I just go with a MA at Best Buy at a pretty good discount or should I wait to see what they release at the WWDC? Thanks for the help.

The new butterfly keyboards are useless for actual work purposes. Garbage.

Get a MacBook Air, which has a usable keyboard. Great machine.

If Apple stops making the MacBook Air, it might as well stop making laptops.
 
I don’t think they’ll release new MBAs during WWDC as it’s not important enough. You’d expect to see them announced a couple of weeks beforehand to get them out of the way, if they were coming. But, crickets.
 
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B&H Photo has pretty good discounts right now on most of their advertised MacBook Air configurations. I haven’t seen that before. One can only speculate.
 
I got my new MBA a couple of weeks ago - coming from a dying (or dead) 2012 MBP. Other than my old machine dying I was concerned that any new model would be following the new Apple model and only have USB-C ports and thus I'd be doing the dongle dance which I didn't want. I'm liking the MBA - works great for me - much faster than my old machine and so far fully meets my need.
 
Yes! ... And I have just done it. I replaced my old Macbook pro 2010 with a second hand MBA 2017. I think buying second hand MBA 2017 is a very good deal. Because...

1) It is possible to find cheap one (2015 or 2017) second one if you are patient.

You'll regret buying it if they release an affordable laptop with retina display in 3 weeks..

2) I am convinced that Apple will discard the MBA and so the new mac being released will get more and more expensive. Apple does not seem to be willing to release an affortable mac anymore (not because they don't want but because their newest macbook are slower than the MBA (I heard) so they are trapped. They can not make new MBA faster, better + retina, etc then. People hoped for it, but it can not be otherwise they would not sell their new but slow and more expensive Macbook. So this MBA 2017 is the last MBA.

3) And if it is the last MBA, it is also the last mac with USB port !!!!!!!! and

4) with a keyboard that has no issues.

5) It is still a super thin, super light and pretty mac.

6) It can be upgrade easily with Fast and of many giga SSD (a thing that newer one can not,... the chips are solded)

7) and for many other things I am sure !
 
Last edited:
Yes! ... And I have just done it. I replaced my old Macbook pro 2010 with a second hand MBA 2017. I think buying second hand MBA 2017 is a very good deal. Because...

1) It is possible to find cheap one (2015 or 2017) second one if you are patient.



2) I am convinced that Apple will discard the MBA and so the new mac being released will get more and more expensive. Apple does not seem to be willing to release an affortable mac anymore (not because they don't want but because their newest macbook are slower than the MBA (I heard) so they are trapped. They can not make new MBA faster, better + retina, etc then. People hoped for it, but it can not be otherwise they would not sell their new but slow and more expensive Macbook. So this MBA 2017 is the last MBA.

3) And if it is the last MBA, it is also the last mac with USB port !!!!!!!! and

4) with a keyboard that has no issues.

5) It is still a super thin, super light and pretty mac.

6) It can be upgrade easily with Fast and of many giga SSD (a thing that newer one can not,... the chips are solded)

7) and for many other things I am sure !
[doublepost=1531260587][/doublepost]Best Buy was having a sale on MacBook Air's for $799 about a month ago and I purchased one then. I bought it before the WWDC thinking they still may release a new notebook, but am pretty happy I went with the Air since nothing was introduced at the conference. I sold my 2015 MA in March and was needing a computer. Plus, I didn't want the butterfly keyboard and I still wanted the usb drives. Overall, it was a good decision.
 
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Best Buy still has good prices when you take into account the $150 student coupon. I am thinking of getting a i7 / 512 tomorrow for $1299.
I have been waiting for the MBP for a while but I think for my requirements (Virtual Machine/s) MBA will be sufficient. Cost saving plus ports should be good. I am fine with the screen as my current daily use laptop is a 2010 MBA. I like that its bullet proof and low maintenance (on 3rd replacement battery now).
Can always pick up a 2018 MBP later if required after its proven itself to be trouble free.
 
Better yet, get an older one that has an upgradable ssd.
The 2010 edition MBAIR is still running solid!
 
I sold my mid 2013 Macbook Air a couple months ago and have been waiting for the WWDC 2018 to see if Apple unveils any new laptops. However, I keep reading about the butterfly keyboard issue in Macbooks and Macbook Pro computers, which scare me...but I am hoping they update/change the keyboard if they release any new Macbooks. Let me say that I don't really need one for anything more than the internet and email, so I don't really need the best. However, I had my Macbook Air for almost five years and am ready for something different. I have almost $1500 saved, but considering the keyboard issue in newer models, should I just go with a MA at Best Buy at a pretty good discount or should I wait to see what they release at the WWDC? Thanks for the help.

It depends how much money you want to spend. Remember that a new model will cost more. I bought my macbook about 3 months ago and I am very satisfied and glad. Do you need it for any special work or just office work? Because if you need it to run standard programs and search the internet latest version of macbook air is totally fine.
 
The MB Air is the best deal for people who does not have much money to spend and want a good mac (especially if you got a good deal or a second hand MBA ). I am so happy I went for the MBA 2017. I can not wait to upgrade it with a bigger and faster SSD. I hesitated with a second hand 2015 MBPro Retina... but honestly I prefer a super light weight mac than another heavy and bulky MBP with retina display (even if retina display is amazing... but it won't be my last mac anyway).
 
I sold my mid 2013 Macbook Air a couple months ago and have been waiting for the WWDC 2018 to see if Apple unveils any new laptops. However, I keep reading about the butterfly keyboard issue in Macbooks and Macbook Pro computers, which scare me...but I am hoping they update/change the keyboard if they release any new Macbooks. Let me say that I don't really need one for anything more than the internet and email, so I don't really need the best. However, I had my Macbook Air for almost five years and am ready for something different. I have almost $1500 saved, but considering the keyboard issue in newer models, should I just go with a MA at Best Buy at a pretty good discount or should I wait to see what they release at the WWDC? Thanks for the help.

Just get an iPad Pro.
 
Just get an iPad Pro.

Not if you want, or need, to do serious writing, or a serious amount of writing. For that, you need a decent keyboard.

I have long thought that the iPad - portable and convenient and a superlative device though it is - is designed mainly to allow for the consumption of content, whereas the MBA allows you to create content with ease.
 
Not if you want, or need, to do serious writing, or a serious amount of writing. For that, you need a decent keyboard.

I have long thought that the iPad - portable and convenient and a superlative device though it is - is designed mainly to allow for the consumption of content, whereas the MBA allows you to create content with ease.
I bolded the central word in your statement that makes it spot-on.
thumpsup.gif

This important qualifier often gets overlooked in the ipad vs macbook discussion. It's not an all-or-nothing proposition. The matter is not helped when people take Apple's marketing hyperbole, "the iPad is a notebook replacement" as a certifiable fact.

There is SOME overlap. With a few tweaks on the iOS-side, there could be greater overlap, but Apple is not inclined to do so.
 
I have long thought that the iPad - portable and convenient and a superlative device though it is - is designed mainly to allow for the consumption of content, whereas the MBA allows you to create content with ease.

Yeah, I've never much pushed the boundaries of my iPP myself but there again lots have and your statement in some regards is like is a red rag to a bull, say on the iPad forums, were it not for your very sensible 'mainly' qualifier there at the end.
 
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