I'm struggling to figure out if this MBA is the machine for me. My goal has always been to have a 13" Apple machine with 16GB Ram and 256GB SSD. Things like portability, battery life, touchbar are not as important to me. Am I now better off trying to get a refurbished 2018 MBP for that CPU?
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The new 2018 Macbook Air
- Thread starter elhungarian
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Thickness/wight and touch ID aside, is the bottom end macBook Pro better than the new iMac, there is only £50 between them. It's a real messy lineup now I think, since so many of the computers are so close in spec.
I would wait for benchmarks. The nTB 13" has some shortcomings and it's pretty early in the life of the new MBA. We don't have full specs, never mind benchmarks.
Or buy it and let us know how it performs.
I'm having the same issue, but tbh the refurbished bit doesn't matter since the prices are practically the same in the UK. For me now it's just on the processor and graphics card. If they're not going to make much difference, I'll go for the air.
The screens are much better on the pro line if you were at all close on deciding between the two
I don't disagree... something is "missing" in the MacBook airs... but.. hopefully its not just wishful thinking that the MBA line continues and improves... would you yourself consider the MacBook Pro over the new MBA?
I was honestly excited for this one but may end up passing.
I really like my 2016 MacBook and its fanless design and only wished it had more ports and a slightly larger screen, more storage options, the updated keyboard, slightly longer batter life, and slightly more powerful.
Well, Apple today released a product that gives me most of those but:
1) Has fans;
2) No 1TB option (I guess I know how iPhone users feel now when Apple skips a tier of storage). Selecting 1.5TB pushes the price way over into "crazy" territory.
What I currently have is perfectly serviceable...it's probably not worth worrying about getting a new one and trying to sell my old one.
Interesting note: a 2018 16/512 MBA is $1,799. A 2017 16/512 rMB is also $1,799....
I really like my 2016 MacBook and its fanless design and only wished it had more ports and a slightly larger screen, more storage options, the updated keyboard, slightly longer batter life, and slightly more powerful.
Well, Apple today released a product that gives me most of those but:
1) Has fans;
2) No 1TB option (I guess I know how iPhone users feel now when Apple skips a tier of storage). Selecting 1.5TB pushes the price way over into "crazy" territory.
What I currently have is perfectly serviceable...it's probably not worth worrying about getting a new one and trying to sell my old one.
Interesting note: a 2018 16/512 MBA is $1,799. A 2017 16/512 rMB is also $1,799....
I woke up with my wallet spread open like it was on its honeymoon; now it's sullen and complaining about a "bad headache."
This was a worst-case scenario update for me. Worst keyboard, worst specs, worst price. All I wanted was a 16/256 laptop that wouldn't break the bank and could handle my workload for the next 5-6 years. I was resigned to just accepting usb-c and had foolishly assumed they would at least put a third one the right side of the computer. Couldn't even make one of the computer's worst features a little bit easier to stomach, could they?
And all for a price so high that you can't help but laugh. At 800 it's a decent buy. At 1000 it's too expensive, but maybe you pay it to stay in the ecosystem. At 1200 to start, and hitting MBP pricing for an acceptable configuration, it's a ****ing joke.
I hate windows laptops with a passion, really and truly, but I'm now going to start doing my research to see what $1000-1200 will get me over on the rougher side of town. Might be time to take a break from Apple for a while and hope that they get their **** together in 3-5 years.
This was a worst-case scenario update for me. Worst keyboard, worst specs, worst price. All I wanted was a 16/256 laptop that wouldn't break the bank and could handle my workload for the next 5-6 years. I was resigned to just accepting usb-c and had foolishly assumed they would at least put a third one the right side of the computer. Couldn't even make one of the computer's worst features a little bit easier to stomach, could they?
And all for a price so high that you can't help but laugh. At 800 it's a decent buy. At 1000 it's too expensive, but maybe you pay it to stay in the ecosystem. At 1200 to start, and hitting MBP pricing for an acceptable configuration, it's a ****ing joke.
I hate windows laptops with a passion, really and truly, but I'm now going to start doing my research to see what $1000-1200 will get me over on the rougher side of town. Might be time to take a break from Apple for a while and hope that they get their **** together in 3-5 years.
That's a good point. The specs on the air don't say how many nits or whether the display is P3.
I am having a hard time to get myself to spend $1500+ on a laptop with 2 cores when it's almost 2019. I really think it's 13" MBP or bust at this point.
The three things I have been dead set on for buying my next laptop
512 SSD - Check
16 GB Ram - Check
Quad core CPU - No dice
I am in the same boat. I was about to purchase but now am thinking along the same lines. I almost think the Pro is a better option. I do not need all of the power though. But I gain ports on both sides, faster processor/graphics. In addition to that it has been out longer and has a better track recored. It looks like Apple is moving to the membrane protected butterfly keyboards so that is the same.
I am going to think about it for 24 hours. I'll probably go with the Pro.
Prices in the UK are insane. I'm going to Singapore for a few months and theirs are looking a fair bit better. Do you know if Apple will honour the warranty worldwide and the same with Apple Care?
Also in the same boat. Really wish I had bought a Pro with the Beats deal, as I could have flipped those headphones on Craigslist for 150-200 bucks to offset some of the Apple Tax. I, like many people here, decided to wait and see what the new Air would be like. Oh boy, what a mistake.
There is more....
The rMBP (including nTB) have a far better screen.
The Air isn’t P3 and only a measly 300 nits compared to the 500nits of the Pro (Plus TruTone).
Even if you don’t need the power, it looks like buying a Pro is far better, unless you strictly care about battery life.
The New Air is also thicker at its thickest point than the TB MBP’s, even though it tapers.
Recycled Aluminim, worse screen, weak CPU and they are still willing to charge so much?
no thanks to the 2nd gen butterfly kb of the nTB
TB is pricey and lacks real F keys which some people may prefer
the question is: is a 3rd gen kb nTB coming anytime soon?
I agree about the TB and yep, not promoting people to get the nTB but making a point how even the screen is a downgrade from the nTB.
Wouldn’t count on a refreshed nTB at all.
Given what we now know the new air to be, Apple has wasted everyone’s time. They could have simply kept the exact same lineup they have and adjusted prices to create market segmentation. The new air is not a new laptop in any meaningful way and certainly did not take 8 years to design. Flabbergasted at the price and the design. I may regret this but based on principle alone it’s worth checking out the surface laptop. I think it is clear that Apple believes the laptop is dead and their new laptop is the iPad Pro. Sorry there are millions of people among your own customers who disagree. I struggle to see how this air is going to sell to the masses at $1200.
Well, people are paying that much for a new phone, so an updated Air at that price looks pretty cheap. Welcome to the New Normal.
Why is this cheaper than a 12" Macbook? I have a 2 year old Macbook 12" and I still love it, and have no reason to get rid of it for something newer.
If it were my money and I needed something new, it would go towards a Macbook Pro which has a better screen.
If it were my money and I needed something new, it would go towards a Macbook Pro which has a better screen.
1350€ for a 128GB Laptop in 2018 doesn't really sound particularly appealing to me.
I kept my MacBook Pro 2009 for... well it’s still working, though two mac operating systems behind. My main computer is a imac 5k, and it’s got another five years easy. For my next laptop, this air looks perfect. Yes, it’s pricey compared to a windows computer, but not by that much, and this operating system is mission critical for me. The heaviest program I use is photoshop. I think I’ll go with a 16 Gig 512 SSD in the spring when I’m ready for a new laptop. Not in love with the keyboard, but I can live when I’m on a plane, and if I’m at a desk of any kind and away from my imac I’ll just bring a magic keyboard (and I love the travel on those boards).
Hey, we could make this the official thread. Just an idea.
By the way, I'm very confused about the new Air, pals... It's like I was all for it, thinking about buying it, and then I discover it has a fan on the headphone jack side. And a dual core processor. And only 128GB for de base model...
It's like... I don't know, I'm confused. Do I need a MacBook Pro (I hate the touchbar but I want to future-proof it, so I'd have to buy the quad-core model), or do I need a Mac Mini + MacBook Air? I'm confused... so much money...
By the way, I'm very confused about the new Air, pals... It's like I was all for it, thinking about buying it, and then I discover it has a fan on the headphone jack side. And a dual core processor. And only 128GB for de base model...
It's like... I don't know, I'm confused. Do I need a MacBook Pro (I hate the touchbar but I want to future-proof it, so I'd have to buy the quad-core model), or do I need a Mac Mini + MacBook Air? I'm confused... so much money...