Apple's 13" MacBook Air gets 8GB RAM as standard
Apple's original thin-and-light laptop wasn't left out of Tuesday's update fray, as all configurations of Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air now ship with 8 gigabytes of RAM.
The road warrior favorite remains available in two standard models: one with 128 gigabytes of built-in storage and the other with 256 gigabytes. As before, storage can be configured upward to 512 gigabytes.
Unlike its smaller sibling, the MacBook Air did not receive a Skylake update. It continues to ship with a previous-gen Core i5, which buyers can swap out for a 2.2-gigahertz Core i7 if required.
All other specifications remain the same.
Without a processor bump, the end of the road may be near for the MacBook Air. What was once Apple's best-selling laptop has been usurped in portability by the MacBook and still has no Retina display, putting it in a somewhat awkward position in Apple's Mac lineup.
The MacBook Air's saving grace -- at least for a while -- may be its price. A base 13" model can be had for just $999, compared to a $1299 entry point for the 12" MacBook.
The road warrior favorite remains available in two standard models: one with 128 gigabytes of built-in storage and the other with 256 gigabytes. As before, storage can be configured upward to 512 gigabytes.
Unlike its smaller sibling, the MacBook Air did not receive a Skylake update. It continues to ship with a previous-gen Core i5, which buyers can swap out for a 2.2-gigahertz Core i7 if required.
All other specifications remain the same.
Without a processor bump, the end of the road may be near for the MacBook Air. What was once Apple's best-selling laptop has been usurped in portability by the MacBook and still has no Retina display, putting it in a somewhat awkward position in Apple's Mac lineup.
The MacBook Air's saving grace -- at least for a while -- may be its price. A base 13" model can be had for just $999, compared to a $1299 entry point for the 12" MacBook.
Comments
We were stunned.
I love my MBA for when I travel, as it much better than trying to just use my iPad.
The single USB-C port MacBook is just not what I need.
It appears Apple has decided to kill off my beloved MBA, so "Just Do It" and stop the slow death.
RIP MacBook Air.
http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbook.html
http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookair.html
like the party is over and the MBA doesn't know when to leave...
The iPad Air (moniker) is then probably also staying for awhile.
I don't understand why Apple is still price gouging on Macs. They have the entire lineup of iOS devices to subsidize their Macs. They should be trying to bring more people into the fold instead of driving people away.
It seems every time I reverse myself and decide I need to get a new Mac, Apple revises its hardware in new ways I don't like. So the Air line is on its way out which likely means the Pros will be getting thinner. Which usually also means a tightly buttoned up piece of hardware with no chance of upgrading or repair by the end user. I guess that isn't too far off from what they have now but I was hoping, naively, that maybe the next round of changes would go the other way.
-kp
The only people who think that way are Pro customers who need a Pro, but always try to see if they can get away with using an Air.
I think deep down we all knew that the MBA was the future and now the MB and most likely the MBP are going to show us just that again. Heck, they are currently only 0.5 lbs apart in the 13" size, narrow that gap, and MBA is an MBP. I will not miss the Air moniker when all macbooks are "airy", will anyone?
Sorry but you are an AI reader and you admit to finding the lineup confusing. And for good reason—it is. The confusing lineup is utter laziness. If the MB is about pushing things forward one port it not good enough (and adapters are disgusting). Imagine paying a minimum of $1,299 for a computer in 2016 and your FaceTime camera is 480p? The height of meanness on Apple's part. No excuses can convince me otherwise. Let's make the best computers God dammit, let's not just say we do. Let's be about the best products first and profit second, not profit first and computers second. If money is why your company exists than it's values are empty.
I want something like a Retina MBA (13" or 14") thin, light and with several ports. And I don't want to pay $2,000 for it, or whatever Apple decides to charge when they introduce the new thin "pro" machine. They should have thinned out the MBA, gave it Retina, made it 14", kept the branding and brought the price to $1,299 with 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD and Skylake. MacBook should be $999 with 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports and a FaceTime camera worth pissing on. And the existing MBA lineup should be thrown in the dump. I like good design, I like things to be clean and well thought out and I don't like feel like I'm being shafted somehow. WTF are you doing Schiller? Next thing this beanbag will introduce iPhone 7 in 16 GB FFS! While your at it why not just remove the FaceTime camera altogether and walk on the stage at WWDC and say "fuck you customers...." and walk off.