I knew that new ARM MacBooks were coming, but I thought it would be the Pro and the regular MacBook line. Now I feel like I got screwed over buying a MacBook air, released in 2020, and it's already outdated!!
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(Early) 2020 MacBook Air owners feel like they got screwed
- Thread starter antisomnic
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Does it perform worse today than it did yesterday?
Look at the bright side: at least the M1 MacBook Air costs the same as the previous one. It would have hurt more if Apple dropped the price to 899$ 
Generational leaps happen from time to time and somebody is going to benefit a bit (if they buy a machine right after the leap) while somebody else is going to lose a bit (if they buy a machine right before).
Good thing is that if you're not satisfied with the performance of your MacBook Air or you simply want to upgrade to invest your money into something that's more future-proof, you can easily sell your MacBook Air on eBay and you'll still get a decent amount of money back (plenty of people are ready to close an eye on performance if they can just save 200-250$ on a Mac that still looks/feels brand new).
Generational leaps happen from time to time and somebody is going to benefit a bit (if they buy a machine right after the leap) while somebody else is going to lose a bit (if they buy a machine right before).
Good thing is that if you're not satisfied with the performance of your MacBook Air or you simply want to upgrade to invest your money into something that's more future-proof, you can easily sell your MacBook Air on eBay and you'll still get a decent amount of money back (plenty of people are ready to close an eye on performance if they can just save 200-250$ on a Mac that still looks/feels brand new).
I do think there's precedent for this in the consumer electronics space
I may have heard of such a situation before. /s
Joking aside, I have a lingering feeling that it's a symptom of this modern FOMO/Hype culture of new tech releases. After ingesting the latest marketing materials, consumers are intended to believe that their existing (virtually new) hardware is obsolete and will no longer serve them, resulting in insecurity over feeling left behind and hence they jump on the pre-order train like lemmings because, after all, there is no time to spare before this new gadget is made obsolete all over again by the next, marginally improved generation.
Don't fall into the trap, folks. Your hardware will serve you just fine.
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That's technology for you. Fast moving.
It's easier to upgrade with the lowest powered CPU than go straight for the top end range, which is more complex, given top end Macs have discrete GPUs. Apple has to match or exceed the high end performance.
I get that happens with technology, but is it getting that rapid?
Yes, it performs just as well as I got it.
For all I know it may before better than the new one, but I doubt it.
Yes, it performs just as well as I got it.
For all I know it may before better than the new one, but I doubt it.
We’ve beens saying. That non active/non passive cooling scheme is really the source of problem.
Apple should have gone either totally passive, with less performing, but 12” like form factor or MBA with true active cooling. They did neither And what you got is often less stable (albeit more performing) MBA than previous ones (Non retina one)
Apple should have gone either totally passive, with less performing, but 12” like form factor or MBA with true active cooling. They did neither And what you got is often less stable (albeit more performing) MBA than previous ones (Non retina one)
why ? Naively only run Apple apps and some third party ones? The rest run under Rosetta 2. It may be fast running Rosetta 2, but nothing competes to running native apps.
I didn't get screwed because i still need VMWare Fusion, and i ain't gonna run a beta when it gets released.
I would bet a large amount of money that any compatible x64 app running under Rosetta (which I think would be most apps) would run faster in the M1 macbook air compared to the 2020 Intel macbook air.
The reason to feel like you got screwed isn't because you got an Intel model before an Apple Silicon one came out. It's because the Intel 10th Gen Y-series is piss poor performance and that the Air it goes in doesn't have adequate cooling for it. We don't yet know how passive cooling on the M1 MacBook Air will be compared to having active cooling on its 2-port 13" MacBook Pro counterpart, but I would say that the piss poor performance and thermal situation of the 2020 Intel MacBook Air is what sucks. Though that wasn't any different last week.
I'm not doubting that, but Rosetta 2 wouldn't be around forever. I see it only there during the transtion, which still makes native better.. in the long term
I don't feel let down.
I needed the Air to make it through multiple lock downs and WFH periods. I knew Apple silicon versions were on the horizon, but the 2020 Air with new keyboard and reduced price fit my, at the time, needs perfectly.
So far it's the best notebook I've owned. I'll happily jump on the Apple silicon Air train with zero regrets.
I needed the Air to make it through multiple lock downs and WFH periods. I knew Apple silicon versions were on the horizon, but the 2020 Air with new keyboard and reduced price fit my, at the time, needs perfectly.
So far it's the best notebook I've owned. I'll happily jump on the Apple silicon Air train with zero regrets.
Define outdated. Does is complete the same tasks as last week?
Perhaps, slightly more expensive to run, but you get a free heater as well.
'glass half full view!'
Wait until the early adopters have found the problems, software has become native and the systems are a bit mature. You are in the sweet spot!
That would be my opinion, I have bought a cheap(isn) machine to test our software, but otherwise I am content with my 2019 computers.
Wait until the early adopters have found the problems, software has become native and the systems are a bit mature. You are in the sweet spot!
That would be my opinion, I have bought a cheap(isn) machine to test our software, but otherwise I am content with my 2019 computers.
Just call and complain, its what i did for my gf. She bought a 2020 i5 air in June. They're letting her return it ?♂️. Already placed an order for the M1. She's ecstatic, hopefully it doesn't throttle like the early 2020's do.
Who did you call and complain to?
Even I got an MBA in June, and I feel ****** now after looking at the performance and battery gains.
They let me return my 2020 intel bought in Summer and placed a new order for Apple Silicon over the phone. Great service!
If anything it's the opposite. Consumer computer advances have slowed greatly in the last 10-15 years. This has a chance to change somewhat soon, but in this case it's really not the case of rapid development. New architecture makes it seem like it, if this was another Intel refresh, would you have made this thread?
I don't feel like I got screwed. I bought it knowing full well the ARM Macs would be coming out and assumed that I'd be fine with it. I can't stand how bad the thermals are, though, and I hate how it screams at me whenever I look at it for too long.
I'm happy to be selling it on and buying an M1 MBP. Very excited to see where ASi goes and from all the information coming out today... it looks to be going places.
I'm happy to be selling it on and buying an M1 MBP. Very excited to see where ASi goes and from all the information coming out today... it looks to be going places.
It's not getting that rapid but it's always been that rapid. How do you think 386 buyers felt when the 486 came out? I have bought computers where the new model was released between the time I ordered and it arrived to my door.
Just because a new generation comes out doesn't mean the old one doesn't work or needs to be tossed out. I'm typing this on an Intel Mac mini and I expect years of life out of it. It's no faster or slower now than before the M1 Mac mini came out.
You KNEW a substantial change was coming.
You gambled that it would be first implemented in a system different from the one you chose to buy.
Sorry, not sympathetic.
Even as someone who bought a 2020 Air in April. What we currently own still works the same now as it did on Monday.