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[Updated] Macbook Air 2013 Forecast
- Thread starter blabliblu
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Apple gets rid of plenty of things which make them money. Their MO is to keep the puck moving, fast, well ahead of the competition. Don't wait until people stop buying them, upgrade well before that point (where they're bored/dissatisfied with the product).
I'll go so far as to contend that anything which shows up consistently in the "refurbished" department will get dumped, as it's a sign customers buy them then fast return them as inadequate, trading for something better. We'll see 128GB MBAs dropped soon.
Because you're a community manager for Apple.
But otherwise NOBODY thinks such a weak update would be "perfect"
well gosh - should i have said "perfect for me" instead?
and you're being silly, i'm not a community manager.
Better than being a community organizer. Oh, wait a minute, it's not. The US elected a community organizer to be president....Twice.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks a thousand bucks for an entry-level 11" laptop is a little steep.
There just has to be a price drop.
There just has to be a price drop.
I will probably buy the 2014 macbook air right when it comes out since that's when I'll be starting college.
I want basically everything it has now with
-Faster cpu
-Intel 5000 graphics(they should be out by 2014)
-cheaper
Right now a 256gb 13 inch is $1400, I hope that drops to $1300 by 2014.
I want basically everything it has now with
-Faster cpu
-Intel 5000 graphics(they should be out by 2014)
-cheaper
Right now a 256gb 13 inch is $1400, I hope that drops to $1300 by 2014.
Err, should be out by fall which is a little sooner than 2014
I'm actually hoping for the Intel HD 5100 (or at least an option for it) since that's the max ultrabooks can ship with.
Based on "reasonable" expectations:
The base models will likely be about the same, in terms of general specs (~1.8GHz dual-core i5, 4GB RAM, 1366 x 768 and 1440 x 900). The biggest marketable change may be an increase in battery life to ~7+ hours (11") and ~9+ hours (13").
Hopefully, the base 11" begins to include a 128GB SSD and flash prices drop a bit up the board. It is likely that 8GB will remain the maximum available option on both 11" and 13" models.
Similarly, there will probably not be any enclosure redesigns.
Here are my hopes in decreasing order of interest:
* 11" resolution to 1600 x 900 or greater, with accompanying increase to ~12" lcd and slight decrease in bezel size; 13" to 1680 x 1050 or greater.
* Options for at least one 10W ULV Intel CPU and at least one Intel CPU with improved graphics (likely higher TDP and accompanying decrease in battery life)
* Improved screen tech (no more TN)
The base models will likely be about the same, in terms of general specs (~1.8GHz dual-core i5, 4GB RAM, 1366 x 768 and 1440 x 900). The biggest marketable change may be an increase in battery life to ~7+ hours (11") and ~9+ hours (13").
Hopefully, the base 11" begins to include a 128GB SSD and flash prices drop a bit up the board. It is likely that 8GB will remain the maximum available option on both 11" and 13" models.
Similarly, there will probably not be any enclosure redesigns.
Here are my hopes in decreasing order of interest:
* 11" resolution to 1600 x 900 or greater, with accompanying increase to ~12" lcd and slight decrease in bezel size; 13" to 1680 x 1050 or greater.
* Options for at least one 10W ULV Intel CPU and at least one Intel CPU with improved graphics (likely higher TDP and accompanying decrease in battery life)
* Improved screen tech (no more TN)
1080P is all that's needed to watch HD in full screen mode. WiFi AC is almost a given as you said.
As for NFC capability... Why?
I would hope it's 128GB.
If the reduce the bezel without making the display larger then they will need to make the Air thicker to maintain the battery life.
I hope they redesign the large bezel on the 11inch -> so you can have a 13inch screen in the physical dimension of the current 11inch.
I personally couldn't give a !@#$ whether or not the MBA have retina. And I personally agree that they shouldn't. You want nice screens, be ready to pay -> rMBP.
Not even the PC vendors are pushing devices with anything above 1080p on ~1k machines, why should Apple?
I personally couldn't give a !@#$ whether or not the MBA have retina. And I personally agree that they shouldn't. You want nice screens, be ready to pay -> rMBP.
Not even the PC vendors are pushing devices with anything above 1080p on ~1k machines, why should Apple?
I partly agree with the OP, but feel they may just drop the 64gb 11" option, now that the ipad comes with 128gb storage.
My own predictions:
Retain the 11" and 13" 4gb ram/128gb storage ($999 and $1199 respectively).
Option to upgrade to 8gb ram (I foresee 8gb ram being standard in 2014).
Option to upgrade to 256/512/768 gb storage (maybe the speed of the SSD will improve as well?).
Haswell graphics
Faster wireless
I feel extra ports is unlikely due to lack of space. NFC simply doesn't make sense, much less sim-card slot (you can always tether from your phone). Likewise, Apple is reaping too much savings from essentially recycling the same production model year after year; they are not going to invest in a new design unless the current one suddenly becomes massively unpopular overnight.
All in all, bare minimum changes to keep it current with the competition.
My own predictions:
Retain the 11" and 13" 4gb ram/128gb storage ($999 and $1199 respectively).
Option to upgrade to 8gb ram (I foresee 8gb ram being standard in 2014).
Option to upgrade to 256/512/768 gb storage (maybe the speed of the SSD will improve as well?).
Haswell graphics
Faster wireless
I feel extra ports is unlikely due to lack of space. NFC simply doesn't make sense, much less sim-card slot (you can always tether from your phone). Likewise, Apple is reaping too much savings from essentially recycling the same production model year after year; they are not going to invest in a new design unless the current one suddenly becomes massively unpopular overnight.
All in all, bare minimum changes to keep it current with the competition.
I dont' expect "retina" this year, but I do expect a better panel.
Many of the PC ultrabook vendors have moved on to 1080p displays. I fully expect Apple to add a 1080p IPS display to the 13" Air.
Cost isn't an issue, the panel is widely available from multiple vendors.
Power, heat, graphics performance will be no problem with Haswell.
Many of the PC ultrabook vendors have moved on to 1080p displays. I fully expect Apple to add a 1080p IPS display to the 13" Air.
Cost isn't an issue, the panel is widely available from multiple vendors.
Power, heat, graphics performance will be no problem with Haswell.
No 1080p panel, I fear. That is a 16x9 display, and Apple's whole line is 16x10, excepting the 11" Air.
Quite improbable, in my opinion.
9 hour battery life isn't going to happen on a retina display.
Retina displays draw more power, as evidenced by Apple's previous/current retina products (MBP, iPad 3), all of which use considerably higher-capacity batteries to provide similar battery runtimes to their non-retina counterparts.
Granted, Haswell CPUs might give Apple some headroom in this department to put retina displays in the MacBook Air without losing much battery life. I still believe that this would also require higher-capacity (and thus more costly) batteries in order to achieve comparable battery life.
That I just don't see it fitting in their product roster (yet).
The MacBook is about to supplant the current "old school DVD drive" MacBook being positioned as Apple's entry-level notebook. Rising costs on battery and display just doesn't fit into the picture. Also, what would be the big differentiating point of the MBPr?
I really hope Apple WON'T go for Retina in Airs, simply because it's next to impossible to combine enough power, battery life and such a hungry display in a chassis that thin and light. Not yet.
The 13" MBA that I would definitely buy is:
- Haswell ULV CPUs with 5000 graphics in base models;
- A bit smaller bezel (just to fit the 13" rMBP) and, if possible, less thickness and weight;
- IPS display with the same resolution as current MBAs and more effective AR-coating.
The 13" MBA that I would definitely buy is:
- Haswell ULV CPUs with 5000 graphics in base models;
- A bit smaller bezel (just to fit the 13" rMBP) and, if possible, less thickness and weight;
- IPS display with the same resolution as current MBAs and more effective AR-coating.
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It's not really that much more than your typical windows ultrabook. Shop around, you can't really find a laptop of comparable specs to the air for that price (and those that do exist, are likely inferior to the macbook in one way or another).
