These two laptops sound like a dream! But I'm sure Apple will find some way to **** them up though. White bezels...
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Upcoming MacBook Air Models Rumored to Feature Two New Display Sizes but Miss Out on Mini-LED Technology
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
One thing I do not get is that Apple currently offers five different iPad sizes, may offer four different MacBook sizes, but is thinking of reducing iPhone offers (its most popular product by far) to just two different sizes (apart from the legacy SE model).
I learned from Apple that they don't pitch too many products too close to well selling products. Right now the Air design is old and a redesign will happen, but its still a budget laptop, so any significant technology incorporation that is more expensive be it better SoC to better display quality could prove it too close to MacBook Pro.i dont give a **** about mini led it sucks. just give me a 15 or 16" macbook air. even better...give me a 15/16" macbook air with OLED
I think some would like to see the redesign drive a couple of displays, thinner bezel, improved webcam, better speakers, slightly larger screen, come in multiple colors. 4K IPS screens seen to dominate still in this price range.
I'm ambivalent about the loss of the wedge. Thinness is still cool, but I think there might be a way to make it thin AND squared-off. Remember, the wedge shape creates an illusion of thinness at the edges, despite being pretty thick in the middle.
Apples’s modern design language has all the hallmarks of a Jeep. I miss Jon Ivy steering Apples’s hardware & software designs.
For me, it's not about the absolute thinness at all.
The tapered wedge is specifically the great part.
Makes it easy to pick up and with the air, it seems to get the front edge down closer to the surface better, which really helps with typing and arm/wrist/hand comfort right there.
Also, the huge new "feet" on the Pros are just -- oof -- not great (to me)
Totally overkill there. I hope that's a Pro thing only and/or they are way more minimal on the new Air
The keyboard on my new work 16" M1 Pro is miles better than my old 2016 16". Ive's obsession with thinness was responsible for that brittle, uncomfortable, abomination of a keyboard. I'll take current day any day.
I wonder if this will be what will fill out the 13" MacBook Pro's price point.
I'll miss the wedge though. It's mostly an illusion, but it's easier to carry and grasp on the thin side. It also fits intno my messenger bag better.
I hide the menu bar, so the notch would hamper my use... I'd probably set it up to shrink the screen size and lose the top part of the screen.
It's clear Apple doesn't like having ridiculously small devices anymore, but why does the iPad mini get an amazing redesign... but the 12" MacBook (and probably the iPhone mini) can't coexist in these lineups. Now that Apple isn't hobbled by hot intel cpus, they could just fire up those designs again... well I guess a little thicker with a new keyboard. I guess I'll have to see the size of the 13"... a nearly bezel-less 13" would be pretty small.
I'll miss the wedge though. It's mostly an illusion, but it's easier to carry and grasp on the thin side. It also fits intno my messenger bag better.
I hide the menu bar, so the notch would hamper my use... I'd probably set it up to shrink the screen size and lose the top part of the screen.
It's clear Apple doesn't like having ridiculously small devices anymore, but why does the iPad mini get an amazing redesign... but the 12" MacBook (and probably the iPhone mini) can't coexist in these lineups. Now that Apple isn't hobbled by hot intel cpus, they could just fire up those designs again... well I guess a little thicker with a new keyboard. I guess I'll have to see the size of the 13"... a nearly bezel-less 13" would be pretty small.
They allow more cooling air underneath than the almost non-existent feet under the previous ones.
I like the idea of this, but last time they tried (the polycarbonite MacBooks) the palm rests went all to hell after a couple years' use.
I prefer the tapered front because I find it more comfortable to type on. I used a MacBook Pro for a while a few years ago and that sharp edge was always digging into my palm.
Mom: If the rest of the world jumped off a cliff, would you do too?
On a serious note, you CAN know the true size. Simply look at the tech specs. They'll say, for instance 15.3in for the screen diagonal. Not sure how that's any harder than 38.9cm. People who aren't used to the Imperial system can easily convert measurements online. I do this all the time. No big deal. Spending many years and lots of money switching an entire nation from Imperial to exclusively metric? Sort of a big deal.
I liked mine too but it got SO HOT! I repurposed a bamboo cutting board specifically so I could use it on my lap comfortably.I would not mind plastic for cost reasons, had 13.3" Black Macbook, really liked it
I also think we should clarify the difference between the wedge, and the Jony Ive contouring. They seem to get lumped together.
We could maintain the wedge, yet move to the radius that the new MBPs have adopted.
You remind me that my iBook G4 is still lying in a corner of the living room, and it's sturdy and almost bulletproof.
13” MacBook Air is 13.3” and 2560x1600, which works out to 227 ppi.
Notch/strip in MacBook Pros are 74 pixels. If we were to assume the same Air screen size plus extra notch, it would be 2560x1674 at 227 ppi = 13.5”.
That’s very close but not exactly 13.6”. Not sure if that’s rounding error, slightly incorrect rumour, or if they’ve tweaked the below-notch screen size a bit.
The old 15” MacBook Pro was 15.4” and 2880x1800, which works out to 220 ppi.
Let’s say they increased that pixel density to 227 ppi and added the 74 pixel band. That would get you 2880x1874 which is 15.2”.
EDIT to add tl;dr:
Old 13" MacBook Air 2560x1600 resolution + 74 pixel notch bar, at prior 227 ppi = New 13.5" 2560x1674 screen.
Old 15" MacBook Pro 2880x1800 resolution + 74 pixel notch bar, at new 227 ppi = New 15.2" 2880x1874 screen.
Last edited:
You need to understand what the difference between design and engineering is before making comments like this.
Somehow, we've survived all this time, so I see no real point in such a major undertaking. If it were actually causing major issues, then that would be different, but it's not.
Fired up the old 11 inch MBA the other day and put MacOS 12 on it. The low res screen was a bit of a surprise initially (quickly get used to it), but otherwise good to go. A great little machine.
the failure point for the 12 inch rMB was the single port. Acceptable in an iPad limited with current iPadOS, but never in a laptop.
Or 12, 14, and 16" MBA, and 12, 14, and 16" MBP. A beautiful product line. This idea that only pros want big screens, and only low power users want small screen portability, is ridiculous.
Anyway, it is actually refreshing to hear they are making a 15" MBA. I'm guessing there have been a lot of requests for it, and Apple listened.
I think the 12” MacBook will make a return. It was dropped because it had no where to go (performance wise)… until now. The M2 is going to turn it into a little monster of a machine!
you are right, that was Steve/Ive's era.
Now with John/Johny and Tim, it is changing a bit, example Mac Studio...
If you think about it is two different things actually - one never existed before and one existed always, traditional form of PC is still alive and kicking...