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MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Jan 28, 2009
3,716
328
UK
I would take the 2019. You get True Tone plus with the education store you get free beats studio worth £250 (either keep it and enjoy or sell them bringing the price below the refurb.

With regards to the iMac, what size 21 or 27? It will probably be slightly less powerful but have an ssd which makes the machine feel much nippier

Yeh wouod sell the Beats so maybe get £100+ back as market flooding with them think.

It's a 21.5" slim one. A concern maybe is it has a 1Tb fusion and Air Base is 128Gb so would have to use external or NAS? for photo library
 

AlexJoda

macrumors 6502a
Apr 8, 2015
770
590
Air 2018 or 2019 for replacement for a late 2012 iMac Base spec?

Refurb 2018 is £850
Edu 2019 is £988

Wouod air 2018/19 even be an update over my current iMac? Don't need the portability but I'm only one users iMac now and so may as well have a laptop, even though won't use out of house, but just for portability around house.

I would always take the iMac if you don't need the portability of a MacOS based computer. The base 2012 iMac (27") has a quad Core i5 and a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GPU. You can upgrade the RAM to 32 GB and you already have Thunderbolt ports to use a fast external SSD (or even upgrade to an internal SSD if you like). I even carry my iMac around the house and to the garden to have this great 27" quad core experience. The iMac eats any MBA to lunch if you don't need the portability.

If I am on the road I have my 12.9 iPad Pro and sometimes my Surface Go with me. That`s is the ultimate mobile solution for me. If I really need MacOS on the road I still have my 15" 2012 MBP (upgraded to 16GB RAM and a fast SSD) that has the same specs than your iMac and still kills any modern MBA....
 

feard

macrumors member
Jul 25, 2011
60
22
Did you feel any difference with day to day performance?
No I do not. I do not do any intensive tasks. Primarily web, youtube, social media, etc. I also have iPad Pro 11 inch. Prefer the MacBook Air most of the time.
 

MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Jan 28, 2009
3,716
328
UK
I would always take the iMac if you don't need the portability of a MacOS based computer.
I don't need the portability, but there's now only me uses the Mac, and was just thinking for moving around house and using it on TV etc maybe an option.

The base 2012 iMac (27") has a quad Core i5 and a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GPU. You can upgrade the RAM to 32 GB and you already have Thunderbolt ports to use a fast external SSD (or even upgrade to an internal SSD if you like). I even carry my iMac around the house and to the garden to have this great 27" quad core experience. The iMac eats any MBA to lunch if you don't need the portability.
Mine is the 21.5" base, not the exact same spec don't think, but won't be far off suspect. Can't upgrade RAM, wouldn't risk internal SSD upgrade. That's my worry. I do want to upgrade my Mac experience, this 2012 has lasted so well, and if the MBA isn't an upgrade then pointless really.

If I am on the road I have my 12.9 iPad Pro and sometimes my Surface Go with me. That`s is the ultimate mobile solution for me. If I really need MacOS on the road I still have my 15" 2012 MBP (upgraded to 16GB RAM and a fast SSD) that has the same specs than your iMac and still kills any modern MBA....
Don't really take any of my devices out, holiday only really and I have my iPad for that, that's why don't need portability as such but just think maybe could use airplay to my TV for big screen using.
 

will0407

macrumors 6502a
May 20, 2006
608
56
Did you feel any difference with day to day performance?

I've gone from quad core 13" touchbar pro to 13" air and don't feel any difference in performance, and like @feard I find the edges of the air a lot more comfortable. I wasn't using the touchbar at all, so touch id is all I ever really wanted to retain which I obviously have. Managed to get a ridiculous deal on ebay for a 512GB/16GB air, so sold my 512GB/8GB pro and came out over £400 up plus a slightly lighter machine with no performance loss (for my usage type), a more comfortable typing experience and the row of function keys which I've always preferred anyway.

Appreciate the financial gain in my situation is unique as I got lucky on the ebay auction.
 
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sundialsoft

macrumors regular
Sep 2, 2010
163
56
Scotland
I went round and round with my wife comparing the two and she bought the new MBA. It's a very nice MacBook with no obvious faults. She is happy with the keyboard and the display is much better than her old MBA.
 

MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Jan 28, 2009
3,716
328
UK
Still unsure. I want a spec upgrade over my trusty iMac, I think both will. Wish Apple had upgraded the 2019 Air CPU though, to a quad core. Just worried on the dual core. I aim to keep this a long while.

When I've said 4K editing it won't be much but my camera and iPhone are 4K now so all pics are high resolution and video 4K.

Dont mind waiting but hate if slow down when navigating etc
 

rosegoldoli

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2019
957
1,208
I want put in my two cents ;)

i got this machine because when i saw it at the apple store i was mesmerized by the (rose) gold color! its honestly a beautiful piece of machinery! people always comment on it because it is gorgeous.

i went to this from a 13'' MBPr 2015 and honestly, haven't noticed any hiccups between the two besides a slight lag when using photoshop files that take a gigantic amount of space (don't do this often).

its perfect for my needs, i get a great user experience because i adore this color and in the end that's all that matters isn't it?
 
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JuicelessMango

macrumors regular
Nov 11, 2018
169
376
I bought my MBA because I wanted something light and portable that I could drag around with me or use while laying in bed at night.

If I need anything more powerful I have a pretty powerful gaming computer that can serve those needs.
 

jgorman

macrumors regular
Jul 16, 2019
186
108
I have another reason you might want a MacBook Air: servicing it is easier.

For example, the MacBook Air battery is only held by stretch-release adhesive in a bracket, instead of being glued into the case. Apple only charges $129 to install a fresh battery, as opposed to $199 for the MacBook Pro (with Retina Display).

https://support.apple.com/mac/repair/service
 
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Jeffois

macrumors regular
Mar 30, 2010
118
27
For someone trying to decide; can the Air handle my usage? Office apps, (Word, Excel, PPT,) basic stuff like Fantastical and BusyContacts, 1Password. Syncing via OneDrive, Photos, Banktivity, email, web. I mean, it's not like I'm rendering anything. I can't think of what my most processor-intensive thing I do might be--scanning documents? I mean, really, I'm not at all a power user... So will I feel held back by an Air at all?

I know it's only $200, but will that extra money buy me any performance advantage for my use case?

EDIT: Other apps I use regularly: Carbon Copy Cloner, iTunes, Cyberduck. I might want to run a VM to keep a couple of 32-bit apps I use, such as Dreamweaver 4, but I do straight code, no templates, or anything fancy. (My site is as basic as can be.) I just don't think that I'm in need of the more powerful machine, but I am open to the possibility that there's something I don't know that I should...
 
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mollyc

macrumors 604
Aug 18, 2016
6,888
39,080
I bought a MBA in lieu of an iPad and I love it. I also have an iMac so don't need something processor intensive but wanted something portable and light. A tricked out iPad Pro costs more than a MBA and I love having everything I need in one little package. I'm also not a huge iOS fan so don't miss an iPad at all.
 

Jeffois

macrumors regular
Mar 30, 2010
118
27
I bought a MBA in lieu of an iPad and I love it. I also have an iMac so don't need something processor intensive but wanted something portable and light. A tricked out iPad Pro costs more than a MBA and I love having everything I need in one little package. I'm also not a huge iOS fan so don't miss an iPad at all.


I will say this; this is my *only* computer, so it does need to be everything that I need in terms of computing power.
 

vaugha

macrumors 6502a
Nov 3, 2011
611
206
Got delivered mine a few days ago. A terrific machine. Screen is a meh compared to my 2019 15" mbp but the form factor, portability is a win. The only thing that concerns me is the dual core cpu that will become obsolete very fast. I'm concerned that running future macos releases on this machine will become challenging.

I don't mind the butterfly keys but that's b/c I haven't had any issues yet. Highly recommend this machine if you want macos and need a basic computer. My 2018 ipp 12.9" is a far better buy in terms of performance and future proofing. But as a traditional laptop w/ keyboard + trackpad combo for basic tasks, 2019 mba is second to none.
 

jgorman

macrumors regular
Jul 16, 2019
186
108
I think a dual core cpu will be fine for MacOS for the foreseeable future.

MacOS Catalina supports macs dating back to 2012, including the MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012) with its i5-3427U processor. Until recently, all 13-inch and smaller Apple laptops have all had dual core chips.

Some 2011 models came with 2 GB of RAM, which may be the reason Apple limits support at 2012 models.

It would be quite unusual for an OS to need to run 5-8 threads or utilize the computing power of a quad core processor, instead of leaving it for applications to use.
 
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magicschoolbus

macrumors 68020
May 27, 2014
2,301
7,439
Almost a month in on my MBA purchase and could not be happier.

I've had the processor lag maybe once... but I think it was just a hiccup.

I have 512 Gigs and 16 gigs of ram - the fan really never turns on on this thing.. animations are buttery smooth - I've even loaded up 4k videos no problem from the GoPro.

I think people are to obsessed with numbers over real world performance. I know it's only $200 more for a quad core processor so I get it, but when it comes to being "mobile" which is what this laptop really is for me, it's great. I'd say if you are setting up a work station with a monitor, external drives, etc and occasionally want to bring the laptop out for flights or travel then go for the pro - but if you are primarily a mobile user who isn't really rendering anything and just streaming Spotify, using Word, Excel, Outlook, have tons of tabs, google sheets, docs, social media, photos, etc.. the Air is more then enough and better then the pro when it comes to mobile use. Lighter, and the fan.. honestly is there even one inside? You never hear it. Ever.
 
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icloudUser

macrumors regular
May 20, 2019
217
80
I have 512 Gigs and 16 gigs of ram - the fan really never turns on on this thing.. animations are buttery smooth - I've even loaded up 4k videos no problem from the GoPro.

I think people are to obsessed with numbers over real world performance.


You have the numbers on your MBA :p
 

Apple2GS

macrumors 6502
Jul 31, 2016
269
484
US of A
Compared to the 13 Pro, the MacBook Air is lighter, does NOT have a Touch Bar so a real esc key and function keys, but does have a Touch ID and can be found for under $900. Compared to the discontinued MacBook 12, its slightly bigger and the CPU and GPU are faster. Most importantly it adds a second TB3 port.

Cons on the Air: The SSD is slower and starts at 128GB, the 2 TB3 ports are on the same side and are too close together.

I'm getting 500 write/1200 read on the SSD. However, using a TB3 external Samsung X5 I get 1700/2300.
 
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MvdM

Suspended
Apr 27, 2005
380
695
How does Pixelmator pro perform on a MacBook Air 2019? I use a Canon 60d and want to select the best of about 250 raw photos I take in a shoot. Then do some light editing like straightening and color correcting. Sometimes like to play with the special effects like ripple etc.
I am also very curious about the ML Enhance feature.
 
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vaugha

macrumors 6502a
Nov 3, 2011
611
206
My 1tb 2019 mba ssd speeds in case anyone's interested:
 

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