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Who's going to buy a new 2018 Air, and why?
- Thread starter lambertjohn
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You mean that thing with a 320x240 pixel screen? Where everything looks like a 1990 Nintendo game?
Why would you recommend that? The new MacBook Air is a better machine in a number of ways:
Retina display
Stereo speakers
Touch ID
Thinner lighter and 17% less volume
16GB Ram option
Thinner bezels
13 hour battery life for video playback
This new 2018 is better than the 2015 MacBook Air! The only reason I haven’t mentioned specs is because we haven’t seen benchmarks yet.
"essentially the same exact model"
The poster is obviously joking. Or is looking at the specs of the 2015 MBA and thinking that those are the specs of the brand new MBA.
When I need a new laptop, I'd consider this Air. I'm still rocking my 2015 13" rMBP. I was hoping the Air would get a big update, and it did so I'm happy about it.
I ordered the MacBook Air (16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and space gray) last night. Had a few MacBook Air (11-inch late 2010 and 13-inch mid 2012) in the past and connected to the 27-inch ACD. 2 years ago, I bought a 12-inch MacBook (base m3 model) from my coworker. It had been great especially for traveling. I sold it 3 months ago in hope for the 2018 model. Now the MacBook Air has better ports compared to the MacBook and not much heavier, I clicked buy. My mum is still using the 15-inch MBP from mid-2010 and this year MacBook Air can be a good upgrade.
I've not upgraded my Mac since 2012 when I bought a 15" RMBP. I've now finally decided to go for the new MBA. I need something a little smaller and don't need the cpu power of a pro anymore so this is a good upgrade for me.
I do have an early 2014 11" MBA which I bought last year on ebay to use with my Fractal Audio Axe FX setup. I'm in two minds weather to sell that now as it comes in quite handy sometimes but I'd like to get a new 4k monitor at some point to replace my Apple Cinema Display so I might end up selling it to fund that.
I do have an early 2014 11" MBA which I bought last year on ebay to use with my Fractal Audio Axe FX setup. I'm in two minds weather to sell that now as it comes in quite handy sometimes but I'd like to get a new 4k monitor at some point to replace my Apple Cinema Display so I might end up selling it to fund that.
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" I am too poor to afford anything cheap".
My last laptop was MBA 2012 and since I always get the i7 processor that machine is still going strong to this day.
I looked at the 2018 MBA. The sales talk was quite enticing but when I look at the specs I think they've put in too little for my liking. No i7 took it off the table for me. They have held back a lot for next years big announcement....and anyway I tend to avoid the first iteration of any significant apple release.....I am sure i another 2-3 years this will be a truly great machine. But not now.
The MBP TB 2018 with i7/16GB and 512GB SSD worked out just a few hundred bucks more....and I am SURE the specs will see me through a lot more years. I got that instead.
My last laptop was MBA 2012 and since I always get the i7 processor that machine is still going strong to this day.
I looked at the 2018 MBA. The sales talk was quite enticing but when I look at the specs I think they've put in too little for my liking. No i7 took it off the table for me. They have held back a lot for next years big announcement....and anyway I tend to avoid the first iteration of any significant apple release.....I am sure i another 2-3 years this will be a truly great machine. But not now.
The MBP TB 2018 with i7/16GB and 512GB SSD worked out just a few hundred bucks more....and I am SURE the specs will see me through a lot more years. I got that instead.
Thinking of the Gold MBA. Beautiful machine.
I have missed the MBA 11" I had earlier, but this is almost same size.
Had iPad since I sold old MBA, it's great for some things, so I'll keep having one around.
Thinking of the iPad Pro 11" later, still have an Air2 that works fine for now.
But I want a real keyboard, don't think the Smart Keyboard can compare.
But for the sake, I will go and check it out in a store, so I'm certain.
I will read up a bit, checking review, on the new Air for awhile. No hurry, and haven't decided what spec I need yet.
I have missed the MBA 11" I had earlier, but this is almost same size.
Had iPad since I sold old MBA, it's great for some things, so I'll keep having one around.
Thinking of the iPad Pro 11" later, still have an Air2 that works fine for now.
But I want a real keyboard, don't think the Smart Keyboard can compare.
But for the sake, I will go and check it out in a store, so I'm certain.
I will read up a bit, checking review, on the new Air for awhile. No hurry, and haven't decided what spec I need yet.
I had a good LOL when I read this.
Screen was indeed terrible but that ain't the only reason I had issues w/ it. Viewing angle was so anal that I couldn't even move the screen 5 degrees, otherwise the screen became like half baked potatoes.
Loved the wedge shape design though. There is nothing like it on the industry and no other competitor makes a laptop chassis like apple.
i love my 2011 13" MBA and i really want to upgrade but the reliability of the gen 3 keyboard and concerns on whether the UHD 617 can push that retina display without any framedrops has me worried so i will wait for reviews.
Is the UHD worse than the 615 in the Macbook? I would assume it's an improvement in which case it should be fine?
My wife uses a 2016 12" MacBook, and it's fine. Not 100% smooth, but not much worse than my 2016 nTB MBP (which is also not 100% smooth, especially when invoking Exposé/Mission Control). UHD617 should be faster than HD515, so I assume it should also be fine.
However, based on my previous experience, I think it would struggle when driving 2 displays at the same time.
However, based on my previous experience, I think it would struggle when driving 2 displays at the same time.
Yeah that's exactly what I'm talking about, it drives me crazy when it's not super smooth.
I'm split between the new MBA, or just paying more and getting the quad core MBP. I'm going to wait for detailed reviews to come out and benchmarks, and the ifixit before I make a decision. I'm sure the MBA would be a big improvement from my current computer but I don't want to buy it if I'm going to be wanting to upgrade again in a couple years. Hell, maybe I'll just wait for the 2020 MBA with the A13X Bionic 
I couldn't agree with you more.
For now my Early2015 MBA does everything I need for a lightweight laptop. For me the lack of ports is disappointing and the new MBA reminds me of a slightly bigger MacBook with an extra USB-C port. If Apple only added the SD and USB-A ports on the right side of the computer like they did in the past they would have a great laptop...
I think he’s comparing the early 2018 MBA to the 2015 MBA. He says they’re he exact same device.
They’re basically the same (not exactly as he says, but close).
There is a new 2018. It has new CPU and logic board, new display (retina), possibly improved wifi etc. It’s not the same laptop at all. Not even close.
yet it opens the internet just as well, checks email just as well, etc
most machines in the last 5 years are perfectly fine day to day
For sure. I’m sure they’re both good. I’m just saying that there is a brand new MBA that has just been announced I’m the last week. It’s faster, smaller, has a retina screen, no longer fanless. It’s a totally different device.
The brand new MBA just announced is different. That is very obvious. The early 2015 MBA that I have thru the early 2018 MBA spec for spec are identical machines. I realize this thread is about who is going to buy a "new" 2018 retina MBA but for some the new MBA is a disappointment.
It would be nice if there was an option to have either a dual-core i7 processor, or quad-core i7 processor with their current selectable RAM/SSD option. Given the choice, I would have gone with the i7 Processor (quad-core ideally) and 16GB/512GB SSD. Perhaps the next revision of the MBA will have better options to choose from...
For now I'm content using my Early-2015 i7/8GB/512GB NVMe MBA...
It would be nice if there was an option to have either a dual-core i7 processor, or quad-core i7 processor with their current selectable RAM/SSD option. Given the choice, I would have gone with the i7 Processor (quad-core ideally) and 16GB/512GB SSD. Perhaps the next revision of the MBA will have better options to choose from...
For now I'm content using my Early-2015 i7/8GB/512GB NVMe MBA...
That's a 13" Macbook Pro. They already make that. What you're saying is you want a 13" MBP for the price of the MBA. Yes that would be nice.
Can't wait to see the new retina MBA in Apple or Best Buy store, especially since they kept the old MBA, which I am happy about for family and friends that want to just surf, and do school papers and always wait for a sale where they are around $700.00 at Christmas or No Tax time here in summer time. I own a 2012 MBA base model and because I do very light computing and no problem at all with the screen, could go years without a NEW one. But I want a NEW one in the next 1-3 years, or however long it takes to get to the $999.00 base price ( and someone have a sale ). I have no problem being a few years behind. But I want the NEW Retina MBA really bad. I think because it is NEW and shiny and the color's Let us know how you like your new rMBA
Let us know how you like your new rMBA