The last Macbook Air is the 2017 MBA

[djsick2000]

I am pretty convinced that Apple will phase out the MBA Air and so the 2017 MBA is the LAST MBA ! And that deserve a thread!

I decided to make this thread after I wrote in another thread "Should I buy a MBA". In that thread I emphasis ed that the Latest MBA (2015, 2017) are really good Mac specially considering that they are also the last MBA in my opinion. What do you think ?

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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 !

 

[Glmnet1]

I agree that it's probably the last MBA with that name, keyboard and ports. I disagree that they will only release more expensive ones after that, I think the $999 entry point is a very important part of Apple's lineup and when they discontinue the MBA it will be replaced by something but no one knows what. Probably something similar to the current 12" MB but with an ARM CPU.

 

[djsick2000]

I wish too but on the other hand, Apple has also always wanted to have only 2 types of Laptop, the Macbook and the Macbook Pro... (The "Air" refering to super light weight - not the case anymore - was more of an execption)... so I don't think it will be replaced by anything, even with something that has another name, etc. Plus, technically, they would have to make it worse in performance than their Macbook to reach the $999 entry point and that means very slow (if the 2017 MBA is already faster).

 

[loby]

Though it may seem like the MacBook Air is leaving, what I have read and heard is that it is a seller.

If it is not broke...don't fix it....BUT....Apple has their own "reality distortion field".

But..Tim is a bean counter, so it may still be around UNTIL it is not making money for them.

After manufacturing costs etc...Apple is probably making a killing now on each MacBook Air sold.

Just a minor speed jump and call it a day!

The MacBook Air is "perfection" in Laptops and design.

Steve and Ive made the perfect laptop. What else can you do now...?

Upgrade the screen, speed bump....PERFECTION!

 

[deepen03]

Well technically, there is no "2017" Air. It's using a 2015 Intel 5th gen chip slightly boosted to 1.8 from 1.6.

 

[djsick2000]

Well technically, there is no "2017" Air. It's using a 2015 Intel 5th gen chip slightly boosted to 1.8 from 1.6.

That is not the point of this thread and it is not what I meant in the title. If Apple discontinue the MBA, it means the 2017 model would be the last MBA model ever (wether or not you think the 2017 MBA deserve to be call a new model or not).

 

[Macintoshrumors]

I am pretty convinced that Apple will phase out the MBA Air and so the 2017 MBA is the LAST MBA ! And that deserve a thread!

I decided to make this thread after I wrote in another thread "Should I buy a MBA". In that thread I emphasis ed that the Latest MBA (2015, 2017) are really good Mac specially considering that they are also the last MBA in my opinion. What do you think ?

----------------------------------

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 !

The newest MacBooks are not slower than the air. Stop spewing ******** you heard without doing your research.

 

[djsick2000]

You are right, the baseline 2017 Macbook is not slower than the baseline 2017 MBA BUT... check this out. If you need fact... There are about the same (more or less), no?

On Geekbench (See screenshot for proof) :

1) The 2017 MB, the latest and the baseline one with 1.2ghz, gets : 3521

2) the 2017 MB Air the latest and the baseline one with 1.8ghz, gets : 3326

3) The 2015 MB Air the latest and the Upgraded one with 2.2ghz, gets : 3590.

 

[djsick2000]

I have just checked my 2017 baseline MBA with the application Geekbench and it performs even better than what it is supposed to. See attachment, it gets 3590 (single core)... so technically better than the 2017 MB (3521, see previous post... unless in reality the MB does better as well with the GB application). So I was not that wrong at the end... maybe.

 

[ondert]

You missed the magsafe part. It is the last macbook that has the great magsafe connector.

For the speed comprasion to Core M macbook, I don’t think it is faster than MacBook Air. 2018 MacBook Pro throttling issues showed me Geekbench doesn’t tell anything about throttling, it just measures your cpu capacity, but everyone knows now none of the 2018 lines can keep this. It is the same for fanless macbook Core m. It cannot sustain its performance.

 

[mcaswell]

You missed the magsafe part. It is the last macbook that has the great magsafe connector.

Good point, I still can't believe Apple is voluntarily ditching MagSafe.

 

[djsick2000]

You missed the magsafe part.

Can you tell me more about this (I missed the episode with apple ditching the magsafe) ?

 

[mcaswell]

Can you tell me more about this (I missed the episode with apple ditching the magsafe) ?

I think the MBA is the only remaining computer with a MagSafe port... the MB and MBP have regular USB-C ports for charging.

 

[djsick2000]

Thanks!
And is the Magsafe any better than the USB-C ?

 

[Ulenspiegel]

...Geekbench doesn’t tell anything about throttling, it just measures your cpu capacity...It is the same for fanless macbook Core m. It cannot sustain its performance.

Yes, this is the main problem, always kept back.

 

[mcaswell]

Thanks!
And is the Magsafe any better than the USB-C ?

USB-C is more universal, and I believe that for models with ports on both sides, you can plug into either one. The advantage of MagSafe is that if someone trips over your cord, the plug pops out harmlessly instead of taking your laptop to the ground.

 

[MBAir2010]

MagSafe’s are nice because they light up, detach without the laptop falling and have their own port, but fray very easy after usage.

 

[loby]

MagSafe’s are nice because they light up, detach without the laptop falling and have their own port, but fray very easy after usage.

Agree, I am hoping that Apple designs a USB-C power adapter that incorporates the MagSafe idea. I am not sure why that don't create something. I don't think anyone had a complaint about the MagSafe. Worked better than any power adapter I had ever had, but understand why they absorbed it into the USB-C port.

 

[cincygolfgrrl]

I have it on no authority whatsoever that the MBA successor exists already. It's the MBP without touchbar. Apple will rename it to something without Pro in the name because it's definitely not a pro machine if you measure by high-level performance. With its form-factor all Apple needs to do is replace some parts with less expensive versions (Core M?) then lower the price to around 1,000 USD.

Apple got off track with its laptop line, now they're trying to return to the days of well-defined consumer and and pro versions. The pro machine is for developers, and users of high-level audio and video software.

The MacBook is for people who want a computer and professionals whose job is primarily text and images. That was the MBA's niche. You can compare meaningless performance numbers, but a 2% speed increase means nothing when the computer does what it's supposed to do. Apple is still a few years away from moving to ARM chips.

Whether this happens in 2018 is open for debate, but it will happen.

 

[Closingracer]

I agree that it's probably the last MBA with that name, keyboard and ports. I disagree that they will only release more expensive ones after that, I think the $999 entry point is a very important part of Apple's lineup and when they discontinue the MBA it will be replaced by something but no one knows what. Probably something similar to the current 12" MB but with an ARM CPU.

EWW arm ... I will never buy one with it and if they decide to with Arm in the pro lineup I will gladly go back to Windows which is my preferred OS anyways really.
[doublepost=1533005241][/doublepost]

I have it on no authority whatsoever that the MBA successor exists already. It's the MBP without touchbar. Apple will rename it to something without Pro in the name because it's definitely not a pro machine if you measure by high-level performance. With its form-factor all Apple needs to do is replace some parts with less expensive versions (Core M?) then lower the price to around 1,000 USD.

Apple got off track with its laptop line, now they're trying to return to the days of well-defined consumer and and pro versions. The pro machine is for developers, and users of high-level audio and video software.

The MacBook is for people who want a computer and professionals whose job is primarily text and images. That was the MBA's niche. You can compare meaningless performance numbers, but a 2% speed increase means nothing when the computer does what it's supposed to do. Apple is still a few years away from moving to ARM chips.

Whether this happens in 2018 is open for debate, but it will happen.

Amen I basically overpaid for my 15 inch Pro because I really don't need the power although its nice to have the GPU to play some games with. I honestly wish Apple would make a 15 inch Laptop with the retina screen at a price point of around $1,200. In the end I would still buy it because I prefer the bigger screen then the 13 inch.
[doublepost=1533005307][/doublepost]

Agree, I am hoping that Apple designs a USB-C power adapter that incorporates the MagSafe idea. I am not sure why that don't create something. I don't think anyone had a complaint about the MagSafe. Worked better than any power adapter I had ever had, but understand why they absorbed it into the USB-C port.

Third parties already do


Magsafe is nice but at least now I can just buy a cable off Amazon instead of paying Apple their prices.

 

[frou]

I have it on no authority whatsoever that the MBA successor exists already. It's the MBP without touchbar. Apple will rename it to something without Pro in the name because it's definitely not a pro machine if you measure by high-level performance. With its form-factor all Apple needs to do is replace some parts with less expensive versions (Core M?) then lower the price to around 1,000 USD.

Would love to see Intel's new Whiskey Lake 15W parts in the MacBook Escape 13" chassis. They're quad core, but would fall short of the "Pro" bar due to not having Intel's "Iris" level graphics.

 

[Jg75]

I got the base model MBA 13" last year because I feared that Apple would discontinue the line. Now I regret choosing the base model because it is really dawning on me that we may have to say goodbye to the best laptop ever made, which I have been using since 2010, so I have ordered the i7 - 512 GB version. It is a dream to type on this keyboard and to have all kinds of connectivity in a computer that has NO NEED to become any lighter or smaller...
I have used both the 15" MBP 2015-version, and the 12" MB, and now for the last year I have used the 2017 base MBA and I have to say the screen doesn´t bother me at all, it is a very good screen. I am happy to live with it for the next 10 years, over the alternative, which is to use windows.