why is Macbook air listed as CAUTION in the buyer's guide?

[kofman13]

so i have a 2019 MBP 13 inch intel i5 i want to upgrade to M chip macbook air. It's temping to get M4 air base model with the apple black friday savings event for $175 off.
but i was looking at Macrumors buying guide, why does it show "CAUTION" for macbook air if they dont expect another until march 2026? and whats with this budget macbook rumor? should i wait?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Don't pay any attention to the caution. There is nothing wrong with the Air.

 

[KaliYoni]

why does it show "CAUTION" for macbook air if they dont expect another until march 2026? and whats with this budget macbook rumor? should i wait?

Note that Caution status is related to MR's estimate of where a given model is in its release lifecycle, not an indication of quality or reliability.

For the MBA 13", I'd say that Q1 2026 is not too far off. Even if the March release prediction is correct, that is only about 120 days from now. January and February are, obviously, even closer. So I think Caution is appropriate given waiting 2-4 months could result in 1-3 years longer before Apple stops providing software updates or puts the purchased model into vintage or obsolete status.

As for waiting, I'd say only you can answer that question. If you need a machine right away, then you can't wait for an undetermined period. But if a new MBA is a want or a nice-to-have, postponing buying until the 2026 MBA and A-series processor Macs are announced might make sense. Or, if you have a better use for the money you would spend on buying a computer now (for example, avoiding paying credit card interest on holiday spending), waiting would be a wise decision.

 

[joeblow7777]

It just means that a newer model is expected within the next 6 months or so. There is nothing wrong with the current model.