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keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
Nobody can say with any certainty.

I personally hope so, or at the very least, the pricing will reduce. They're still fabulous machines and more than capable as a brilliant consumer laptop.
 

grandM

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 14, 2013
1,509
298
Nobody can say with any certainty.

I personally hope so, or at the very least, the pricing will reduce. They're still fabulous machines and more than capable as a brilliant consumer laptop.
it's being sold at a discount of 300 euro
that's nice
shame of that non retina screen
 

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,876
4,797
New Jersey Pine Barrens
The common belief is that Apple will just continue selling the 13" model as-is until demand drops off and/or they are able to introduce a MacBook at the same price point.

But, of course, I agree that nobody can really say with certainty.
 

UL2RA

Suspended
May 7, 2017
999
1,617
Considering the MacBook is thinner than the Air now, I don't really see where the Air fits in. The Air has always had a terrible screen. It's honestly impossible to tell when Apple will update ANYTHING. Your guess is as good as ours.
 
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Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,876
4,797
New Jersey Pine Barrens
Considering the MacBook is thinner than the Air now, I don't really see where the Air fits in.

MacBook prices start at $1300, MacBook Air prices start at $1000. I think that's where it fits in. I know it's not an equal comparison, but Apple would take a lot of heat if they raised the entry price for a Mac laptop by 30%. ;)
 
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UL2RA

Suspended
May 7, 2017
999
1,617
MacBook prices start at $1300, MacBook Air prices start at $1000. I think that's where it fits in. I know it's not an equal comparison, but Apple would take a lot of heat if they raised the entry price for a Mac laptop by 30%. ;)
Yes, I'm aware, but it took a few years before the Air price dropped that low. Maybe the same will happen to the MacBook (which would be nice). As for raising prices, they just raised the price across all of their MacBook Pros, so that's not something they wouldn't do. They also sold the non-Retina MacBook Pro for years for the same price. I honestly have no idea what will happen to the Air, but it just doesn't seem like something they're going to update. I hope I'm wrong or that they update the price of the MacBook to match the Air.
 

grandM

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 14, 2013
1,509
298
Yes, I'm aware, but it took a few years before the Air price dropped that low. Maybe the same will happen to the MacBook (which would be nice). As for raising prices, they just raised the price across all of their MacBook Pros, so that's not something they wouldn't do. They also sold the non-Retina MacBook Pro for years for the same price. I honestly have no idea what will happen to the Air, but it just doesn't seem like something they're going to update. I hope I'm wrong or that they update the price of the MacBook to match the Air.
isn't the processor of the air better than the macbook
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,697
47,106
In a coffee shop.
it's being sold at a discount of 300 euro
that's nice
shame of that non retina screen

The Air (especially one with maxed out specs) is a superb machine, fast, reliable, powerful, portable with superb battery life, - it is perfect for anyone who needs to travel a lot for a living.

Some of us will sacrifice the limitations of the screen for the fantastic combination of power, reliability and portability that it offers.

However, it took Apple several years - until, 2013 - for the Air to become the machine it always had the potential to become.

I had my heart set on an Air from 2008, - I loved the form factor and portability - but at that time they are underpowered and overpriced - much as the rMB is today. In fact, I didn't buy one until 2010, and I didn't buy a great Air until the updates (including superlative battery life) of 2013 had taken place.

For now, I would still prefer a maxed out Air - which, in fact, is what I am writing this post on (8GB RAM/512GB SSD/Core i7) to the rMB.

I expect that over time Apple may improve the power and battery of the rMB, but - as it stands (screen aside), the Air is still a better computer.
 

Yebubbleman

macrumors 603
May 20, 2010
6,005
2,585
Los Angeles, CA
It is extremely unlikely that Apple will update the MacBook Air. The 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro without TouchBar is, more or less, its modern successor. Apple all but stated as much during their October 2016 keynote and the hardware being used further suggests this as that particular 13-inch MacBook Pro model uses the same ultrabook class of CPUs that the MacBook Air has used (whereas the 13-inch model with TouchBar uses the more traditional mobile dual-core CPUs that the 13-inch MacBook Pro has long since used). This also correlates to Apple, more or less dropping the "Air" moniker from their model names.

This all said, if you like the MacBook Air and want a successor product, then good news! One already exists in the form of the 13-inch MacBook Pro without touchbar. And if you want something to replace your 11-inch Air, the 12-inch MacBook should suffice for most use cases.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,697
47,106
In a coffee shop.
It is extremely unlikely that Apple will update the MacBook Air. The 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro without TouchBar is, more or less, its modern successor. Apple all but stated as much during their October 2016 keynote and the hardware being used further suggests this as that particular 13-inch MacBook Pro model uses the same ultrabook class of CPUs that the MacBook Air has used (whereas the 13-inch model with TouchBar uses the more traditional mobile dual-core CPUs that the 13-inch MacBook Pro has long since used). This also correlates to Apple, more or less dropping the "Air" moniker from their model names.

This all said, if you like the MacBook Air and want a successor product, then good news! One already exists in the form of the 13-inch MacBook Pro without touchbar. And if you want something to replace your 11-inch Air, the 12-inch MacBook should suffice for most use cases.

Weight is an issue with the MBP; at present, I have a maxed out 11" MBA - (and I have had a 13" MBA) - and I can easily say it is by far the best computer I have ever had.

Fast - blazing fast - powerful, and exceedingly portable (as a middle aged woman who travels a lot, - internationally - I really value this feature - my old 15" MBP was a terrific computer, but was too heavy which made it uncomfortable to lug around the place; I ended up using it mainly as a desktop); above all, it is exceptionally reliable and the battery life is wonderful.

As yet, the rMB is not the machine (apart from an impressive screen) that the MBA was and is. And - it requires quite a few peripherals to make it workable.
 
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Yebubbleman

macrumors 603
May 20, 2010
6,005
2,585
Los Angeles, CA
Weight is an issue with the MBP; at present.

Comparing the 13-inch Air to the 13-inch 2016 MacBook Pros; we're talking a 0.06 pound difference. Talking about the 11-inch Air is moot as it's definitely gone and, whether you agree with them or not (I, for one, disagree, and I think you do too), Apple believes the 12-inch MacBook to be its successor.

As for the adapter woes; while I empathize, it is worth noting that for the most part, it's not really different from hooking a MacBook Air up to a monitor or Ethernet; you still have to buy an adapter. The only difference is that where your power adapter plugged into the machine at a separate point, you now plug it into whichever parent dongle you are using. I'm not saying it's ideal. But the whole USB-C thing is designed to provide a whole host of connections from a single port.
 

Pugly

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2016
411
403
I think the rMB is it in terms of mainstream Mac. Apple likes to take a 'good enough' approach to power... with the lack of updates and whatnot further reinforcing this. The rMB seems to work fine for the 'regular' tasks that most would get it for.

The only benefits of the air are the:
screen size 12" seems a bit small for a mainstream laptop
ports... which Apple doesn't seem that interested in having anymore
magsafe... which again Apple seems fine with removing this feature
cpu... but Apple would rather a user who wants more power to get a "Pro"

Many of the things that make the Air great are also things that Apple doesn't have on any of it's current computers.

I think when(if) the 13" non-touchbar Pro goes to $1199 or $1299... that'll be the Air replacement for those who want power and portability.

I'd like the choice to be simple, but Apple abandoned the 2x2 pro/consumer desktop/portable grid a while ago... it's more complicated now, especially with the iPad Pro sitting there at the sub $1000 prices.
 

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,876
4,797
New Jersey Pine Barrens
This new front page article is rather surprising: https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/16/new-macbooks-coming-at-wwdc/

"Apple has not updated its MacBook Air since March of 2015 and has been phasing it out in favor of the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, both of which are now thinner than the "Air" model, but Bloomberg suggests Apple is thinking about refreshing it with an updated processor, which would mean the MacBook Air could stick around for at least another few years as a low-cost notebook option. Sales of the MacBook Air "remain surprisingly strong" due to its affordability. "
 

maerz001

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2010
2,501
2,401
Yes after the quad to dual core upgrade on the Mini, 5400rpm HDD iMac and resurrected iPad Air 1, this would be the next logical step.
Maybe Apple got a good deal for Atom processors from Intel.

I'm just waiting for a new DVD drive in the MBP ;)
 
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dacreativeguy

macrumors 68020
Jan 27, 2007
2,033
224
This new front page article is rather surprising: https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/16/new-macbooks-coming-at-wwdc/

"Apple has not updated its MacBook Air since March of 2015 and has been phasing it out in favor of the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, both of which are now thinner than the "Air" model, but Bloomberg suggests Apple is thinking about refreshing it with an updated processor, which would mean the MacBook Air could stick around for at least another few years as a low-cost notebook option. Sales of the MacBook Air "remain surprisingly strong" due to its affordability. "

It isn't that surprising. The MacBook Air 13" has become the lowest priced MacBook at $999. The non-retina 13" MacBook Pro served that same purpose a few years ago. They'll likely bump it to a Sky Lake processor, while everything else gets Kaby Lake. Don't expect anything more like retina screen or anything else.
 

Gasu E.

macrumors 603
Mar 20, 2004
5,066
3,197
Not far from Boston, MA.
Considering the MacBook is thinner than the Air now, I don't really see where the Air fits in. The Air has always had a terrible screen. It's honestly impossible to tell when Apple will update ANYTHING. Your guess is as good as ours.


I need to buy a laptop within the next few weeks, and it will be a Maxed-out Air. I would not touch a MacBook. One port is a non-starter. Design fail.
 

kiwipeso1

Suspended
Sep 17, 2001
646
168
Wellington, New Zealand
I need to buy a laptop within the next few weeks, and it will be a Maxed-out Air. I would not touch a MacBook. One port is a non-starter. Design fail.

Apparently, there is an updated MBA to be announced at WWDC in three weeks time. Wait until then to see if you can either get a new one, or a bargain.
 

dacreativeguy

macrumors 68020
Jan 27, 2007
2,033
224
Apparently, there is an updated MBA to be announced at WWDC in three weeks time. Wait until then to see if you can either get a new one, or a bargain.

Most likely, Apple will bump MacBook and Pro to Kaby Lake, but the port issue won't change, and they'll still keep the performance below the Pro level.
 

bazzz

macrumors newbie
Jun 19, 2007
22
9
I left the mac ecosystem after ~10 years of Macbooks in 2016 (since the Intel switch, bought the first Macbook Pro with x86 after the switch).

While Linux suits my needs as a software developer, I still miss Mac OSX for the non-work related stuff.

I'd buy a new MacBook Air in a heartbeat if Apple decides to update it:

- with an IPS screen (for me it could be non-retina, 1440x900, I'm fine with that)
- more recent CPUs (kaby lake)

I still think, that the current 13" air could be the perfect Apple laptop (size, battery runtime, keyboard, etc.); I MUCH prefer it over the current gen. Macbooks / Macbook Pros.
 

OneSon

macrumors regular
Jan 6, 2013
120
104
I left the mac ecosystem after ~10 years of Macbooks in 2016 (since the Intel switch, bought the first Macbook Pro with x86 after the switch).

While Linux suits my needs as a software developer, I still miss Mac OSX for the non-work related stuff.

I'd buy a new MacBook Air in a heartbeat if Apple decides to update it:

- with an IPS screen (for me it could be non-retina, 1440x900, I'm fine with that)
- more recent CPUs (kaby lake)

I still think, that the current 13" air could be the perfect Apple laptop (size, battery runtime, keyboard, etc.); I MUCH prefer it over the current gen. Macbooks / Macbook Pros.
I with you dude on everything.
 
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