Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
15-Inch MacBook Air Reviews: The Sweet Spot for Performance, Size, and Value
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
99% certain that it has a single SSD module. It's basically the 13-inch MBA, but with a bigger screen + more speakers + bigger battery.
All other aspects are identical to the 13-inch MBA.
Not without an external dongle, however a very good point, a lot of people just want everything for nothing, or they just like complaining 🤣
I think many will continue to choose the 16 inch just for the psychological idea its the best. I wouldn't be surprised with the next major revision in 2025 or 2026 Apple bumps the 16 to 17 inch just to provide more differentiation between the it and the 15 inch Air.
Have you actually heard it? and compared to what the 13" air?
That wouldn't be hard, as it's very poor on the 13"
Having the best, means less chance of a compromise with anything.
I bought my partner a 16 inch MBP a year ago, simply because she found it hard to read the text on the 13" M1, she wouldn't want to change it for the 15" now and lose the LED display and the speakers, because she also watches a lot of content, for me it's too big and cumbersome, so it's 14" M3 when they come out
I've played WoW on a 13" MBA and a 16" MBP and they both feel hot as hell on the bottom whether at low or high graphics settings. WoW Classic ran much cooler tho, so get on the nostalgia grind if you want a cooler experience.
That caveat is the hesitation of many Windows users who want to try a Mac product.
Lots of us use Windows for business and many business software is only Windows based and some are resource hogs. The basic 16Gb/512Gb won't do considering it's non-upgradeable vs many Windows PCs which are upgradeable.
"Microsoft has confirmed that Parallels Desktop for Mac used with Arm versions of Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise editions is an officially compatible solution for customers on Apple M-series based Mac computers."
Many of us still use Windows 10 as 11 stinks so many avoid upgrading existing PCs.
It's always upgrade and cost issues which will add more if a PC users wants to try a Mac product.
It's really interesting to see the tech community thinking this will be the greatest sales success ever.
I think it will do alright and I'm glad it exists, but the masses pushed for ultrabooks. This is big, harder to lug around and find space for in bags and tray tables. I think the 13" will remain the big seller.
I think it will do alright and I'm glad it exists, but the masses pushed for ultrabooks. This is big, harder to lug around and find space for in bags and tray tables. I think the 13" will remain the big seller.
is hardware is capable for about 10 mins, before throttling and all due to lack of fan.
You are doing exactly what my dilemma is. I’m thinking I could manage pretty will with 15” 512 GB and 16 GB. But there would be a couple of concessions (and gains).
Having to think really hard about this……
No, you just keep going when it throttles. It's not like the how it worked with the Intelbooks where it was immediately apparent.
The screen limitation is due to a lack of an extra display controller, likely due to its relatively high cost in die space. A controversial design decision for sure, though.
I bought the 15 inch MBA with 16/256. I needed to stay within budget and decided I could compromise on storage by using iCloud and external SSDs. I’ve decided to not rely on swap memory and go with the memory I really need. It’s an unfortunate compromise as 512GB would have made me much happier, but it is what it is.
Good to see iJustine updated her thumbnail from the 15 foot (15’) Air to the 15 inch (15”) Air.
Still hasn’t found her bottom teeth tho. Sad.
Still hasn’t found her bottom teeth tho. Sad.
And ruin their chances at getting free products from Apple? Lol
Tech reviewers don’t get “free products” they have to send them back.
Yeah, the artificial product segmentation has always been strong with Apple and in some cases, when you at least have a credible (more expensive) way to get your desired features in a given form factor (eg iPhone vs iPhone Pro), I can live with it, but this business of disabling features that are obviously completely possible on the hardware without an actual path to get them makes me sad.
I frequently need 32+ GB of RAM and really preference external monitors but don’t always need the heft of my 16” or 14” MBP and this would be amazing: take my Money.
I am not sure that is true: given the thermals of the Intel MBA that did this without a problem are many times worse than the M2, this is not something I'd suspect is the reason unless there is something very, very problematic with the SoC's thermals specific to the M1/M2 MBA that even teardowns are not showing.
All data points pretty clearly point to artificial product segmentation rather than some technical reason. Which is fine with me, actually, they're a for-profit company, but at least provide customers an upgrade path/premium product point who want maximum portability and this feature. They provided it in the Intel-based MBAs with their vastly inferior thermals and TDP, but have regressed in feature/function here with the M1/M2 SoC.
And likely those 120g are from Apple actually using the proper number of SSD NAND chips to give the best performance in the 14".
This is WAY bigger than "free product": it's "don't be negative or say anything AAPL doesn't like or you're risking your living".
So strictly speaking, yes, but they do send the unit back, but it is well known that Apple (and many other companies) will only work with journalists and reviewers who basically parrot the talking points from the PR brief. Unless you are a very, very established player in the industry, your first critical review of an Apple product that AAPL deems "unfair" or "unwarranted" (or, even just not parroting the product brief) relegates you to having no pre-releases/pre-embargo lift access, and, well, that severely affects your ability to continue to be relevant.
Is that right? Is that wrong? Not going to weigh in on that, but I will say that it does not produce particularly useful reviews for consumers when frank, straight reviews really can't exist.
No, I am not saying Apple explicitly says "you can only say this". Yes, I am saying that the "smart" journalists know what is good for continued success in their profession, and it isn't total candor.
