The 15" MacBook Air is Excellent! Why isn't it more popular?

[Essel]

not hot whatsoever, with internet, office, a bit of photoshop etc.

just upgraded to a new 15" MacBook Air (from a 13" 2015 MacBook Pro) and i'm very impressed, using it in exactly the same way as my old Pro and its fast, battery life is amazing and does everything quick and seamlessly. Not noticing any heat at all, my pro would run the fans when worked hard.

 

[Buadhai]

Yeah, and the retail difference is even less in the US ($100). The street price differs by quite a bit more—about $350—but that's because you're comparing an older M2 Air to a just-released M3 MBP.

I’m not sure if this is true in the US, but in Thailand resellers offer discounts on and seem to only sell base models. If you want a different configuration (16/512), buying from Apple is the only option.

 

[playtech1]

I think the 15 inch Air 'concept' was to address the perceived issue that Apple demanded £2.5k for a large screen laptop, so there might have been a market for a £1.4k large screen laptop.

I think that makes sense on paper, but in practice I suspect the 15 inch Air is not really competing with the 16 inch Pro, but rather the 14 inch Pro and 13 inch M2 Air, the former (particularly M1 Pro models) being quite a lot better for not much more money once the RAM/SSD specs are equalised and the latter being a bit cheaper and more portable.

So the 15 inch Air has a market, but not a very big one.

 

[Adelphos33]

I think the 15 inch Air 'concept' was to address the perceived issue that Apple demanded £2.5k for a large screen laptop, so there might have been a market for a £1.4k large screen laptop.

I think that makes sense on paper, but in practice I suspect the 15 inch Air is not really competing with the 16 inch Pro, but rather the 14 inch Pro and 13 inch M2 Air, the former (particularly M1 Pro models) being quite a lot better for not much more money once the RAM/SSD specs are equalised and the latter being a bit cheaper and more portable.

So the 15 inch Air has a market, but not a very big one.

The 14" Pro models are "better"... But don't really offer much of a screen size advantage over the 13 inch MacBook Air

 

[arcite]

Does it matter how it’s selling? Apple is a multi trillion dollar global megacorp; they make MANY models of Mac’s; so many models I can’t even keep track of them all.

I love my Air 15’ it’s everything a larger screen is supposed to be. If someone doesn’t like it…..well, there are plenty of Macs to use, or even a PC. Use what you like. Don’t worry about how they’re selling. Apple makes a profit on every laptop sold.

 

[profH]

not hot whatsoever, with internet, office, a bit of photoshop etc.

I was very worried about this (especially replacing an Intel 16" MBP i9). Have not had an issue and rarely if ever gets hot during work use (I think maybe only during dropbox synching?). Also, when there has been some heat its been incredibly localized, unlike the Intel MBP - a little spot somewhere around the area above F4/F5, not where I type or rest my palms around the trackpad.

I use istat and it seems to idle from 33-40 (33 right now with light use on MR and iMessage ).

 

[oasantos1]

I had a 15" Air from launch. I was excited for the bigger screen coming from a 13" Air.
It really did everything I wanted it to do with no issues, but the size became an issue. I ended up selling it to a family member.
I ended up getting a 14" M3 Pro, and the size is perfect, and the screen quality is amazing.


*Also the fingerprints on the Midnight color drove me crazy

 

[Amplelink]

I had a 15" Air from launch. I was excited for the bigger screen coming from a 13" Air.
It really did everything I wanted it to do with no issues, but the size became an issue. I ended up selling it to a family member.
I ended up getting a 14" M3 Pro, and the size is perfect, and the screen quality is amazing.


*Also the fingerprints on the Midnight color drove me crazy

I'm with you on this one. The 14" Pro is a terrific deal all things considered.

 

[saber32au]

There is a huge difference and it's in the name, the extra two inches of screen real estate. May not sound like much, but for those of us who had multiple documents at a time it really makes the 15 so much better to work with.

Agree 100%.

I have a 14" work laptop and a 15.6" personal laptop.

I find myself more productive using a larger screen, especially when using split screen mode.

As someone who primarily works uses 1 screen (the joys of working on construction sites, hotels, coffee shops, airports etc etc), I'd happy trade in my 14" laptop for a thin and light 15" laptop...alas that's not an option where I work...

 

[Buadhai]

After reading this thread and the other buying advice thread on the 15" M2 MBA vs the 14" M3 MBP I began to wonder why people who either ditched or decided against the 15" MBA because of its form factor/size went instead for the 14" MBP. If the performance of the MBA was not an issue, wouldn't it make more sense, both logically and financially, to instead opt for a 13" MBA? Am I missing something (an inch, perhaps) or does that "Pro" moniker really mean that much?

BTW, I'm still undecided but am finding that my bought-on-sale M1 8/256 MBA does everything I ask of it. (Well, yeah, a bit sluggish on iMovie, Handbrake and ffmpeg.)

 

[playtech1]

The 14" Pro models are "better"... But don't really offer much of a screen size advantage over the 13 inch MacBook Air

True - but if screen size is the only advantage over the 14 inch Pro then you are asking people to choose between a bigger screen versus a better CPU/GPU, quality of screen, speakers, portability, etc.

There will be people for whom the screen size is that important, but it's not all that many.

 

[saber32au]

If the performance of the MBA was not an issue, wouldn't it make more sense, both logically and financially, to instead opt for a 13" MBA?

It comes down to what YOU value.

The MBP has "better/greater":

* Speakers
* Screen (not only in terms of size but quality)
* Sustained performance in longer CPU/GPU intensive tasks (which isn't relevant in this situation)
* Port selection
* External monitor options (ie it can support more monitors simultaneously)

Whether these items are worth paying extra for over the MBA is down to the user to decide...

Am I missing something (an inch, perhaps) or does that "Pro" moniker really mean that much?

Again that's down to the user.

For me and my use at home, the 14" MBP isn't what I'd be buying...I'd be buying a 15" MBA.

Other people believe it's worthwhile...whether that be due to their requirements for a more powerful machine, the like the "pro" branding, they have money to spend...or any other reason you can think of.

I compare it to the iphone line-up: the "pro" phones...personally I don't value the features offered by the pro phone over the standard phone. But there are plenty of folks who believe paying the premium for the pro phone is worthwhile...

 

[Buadhai]

The point I apparently made poorly was that many people who switched from owning/wanting the 15” MBA mentioned the size as being the main factor. Not so many said that performance or needing better sound or display was the reason. If size were really the main factor, why not buy a smaller machine with the same performance and save a bunch of money?

 

[JPack]

The point I apparently made poorly was that many people who switched from owning/wanting the 15” MBA mentioned the size as being the main factor. Not so many said that performance or needing better sound or display was the reason. If size were really the main factor, why not buy a smaller machine with the same performance and save a bunch of money?

It's the footprint. 14-inch has been the sweet spot for the past many years. The display is big enough to be useful but small enough to be portable. You can't use 15-inch on an airline tray table.

On paper, 15-inch sounds great. But once you hold one, things change.

In the past, you had to choose between low-powered 13-inch designs or high power 15-inch. Not anymore with current processors. That's why you see most business users carry a 14-inch model.

 

[Buadhai]

It's the footprint.

I'll try one more time.

I wonder how many people, for whom an MBA would be perfectly adequate, had decided on the 15" model and then used the footprint/form-factor/size excuse to buy a 14" MPB that they don't really need?

 

[JPack]

I'll try one more time.

I wonder how many people, for whom an MBA would be perfectly adequate, had decided on the 15" model and then used the footprint/form-factor/size excuse to buy a 14" MPB that they don't really need?

Again, footprint. People are willing to compromise and get an awkward 15-inch MBA if it were significantly cheaper. Why make such a compromise when the MBP 14 is only $100 more?

 

[Buadhai]

I give up.

 

[Tenashus1]

I'll try one more time.

I wonder how many people, for whom an MBA would be perfectly adequate, had decided on the 15" model and then used the footprint/form-factor/size excuse to buy a 14" MPB that they don't really need?

I did, and I love the 14". It's a great machine.

 

[Buadhai]

I did, and I love the 14". It's a great machine.

Do you really need it?

 

[Tenashus1]

Do you really need it?

It was just a little bit more expensive than an MBA 15" with 16gb/itb, so I decided to go for it because it looked like the perfect size screen for me. I also do some photo editing work, and it fit that bill as well. The screen is beautiful, and the speakers are great. Like a no brainer for me. Rather have to much than too little in the end. Glad I did it. It's great.

 

[Buadhai]

It was just a little bit more expensive than an MBA 15" with 16gb/itb, so I decided to go for it because it looked like the perfect size screen for me. I also do some photo editing work, and it fit that bill as well. The screen is beautiful, and the speakers are great. Like a no brainer for me. Rather have to much than too little in the end. Glad I did it. It's great.

So, an MBA is probably all you really need in terms of performance, but the superior screen and sound system made ithe MBP worth it to you.

 

[Tenashus1]

So, an MBA is probably all you really need in terms of performance, but the superior screen and sound system made ithe MBP worth it to you.

That's right. But I liked the whole package. More substantial than the MBA without a stutter. Always liked the MBP as well. Hated the touch bar, so I finally got one without it.

 

[Buadhai]

That's right. But I liked the whole package. More substantial than the MBA without a stutter. Always liked the MBP as well. Hated the touch bar, so I finally got one without it.

Well, then, you’ve answered the question posed by the title of this thread.

 

[saber32au]

So, an MBA is probably all you really need in terms of performance, but the superior screen and sound system made ithe MBP worth it to you.

Which is exactly what I mentioned before; it comes down to personal preference and what the USER needs.

The 15" MBA is (at present) the best device for my use, as I value a larger screen (which rules out the 13" MBA), and I don't need the sustained power offered by the MBP.

Others (like Tenashus1) tried the MBA 15, but then found it didn't suit their requirements, and subsequently traded the device for a MBP 14...

 

[Buadhai]

it comes down to personal preference and what the USER needs.

Or WANTS, but doesn’t really need.