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I can't think of many people that chose a MacBook Air because it's lighter than other laptops? I know that was an original selling point of the machine in 2008, but nowadays it's simply become the "entry level" MacBook.
Actually for me weight was a major factor. It makes commuting with a laptop-bag way nicer and when I head out for something more serious I often have to pack a bunch so the less the laptop weighs the better.

I'd say the M1 Air is the true entry level as it remains in the lineup and is cheaper and "slower". The M2 with its prores transcoder and ability to be specced up above 16GB RAM makes it capable of some interesting stuff.
 
The only thing that will help is a new 12" MacBook, the old one weighed only 920 grams, with further improvements Tim Apple might get it under 800 grams. It is called the Macbook Helium.
 
The only thing that will help is a new 12" MacBook
I loved my old MacBook, the form factor was absolutely perfect for laying in bed with it balanced on my chest or belly to watch stuff before I went to sleep.

The only problem was the lack of performance which was necessary as it was a low powered CPU due to the passive cooling and at times, the base did get quite warm. That wouldn't be such an issue now. A 12" MacBook with a base M1 or M2 chip with the lowest number of cores available would be utterly perfect for that form factor and would still perform rather well.
 
I honestly cannot tell the difference in weight between my 13" Intel (10nm with 4 TB ports) MacBook Pro and my M2 MacBook Air. The only way to know I have a M2 MacBook Air in my hand is because it is thinner.

Maybe the MacBook Air should have been made out of carbon fibre to reduce the weight so that the weight difference is more easily noticeable.
Return it. How dare they make a computer that has any weight. Shame on them!
 
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The only thing that will help is a new 12" MacBook, the old one weighed only 920 grams, with further improvements Tim Apple might get it under 800 grams. It is called the Macbook Helium.
This time around they’ll just leave out the keyboard from the start to enhance longevity. 😂
 
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I’m wondering in which real life scenario weight is a problem? Is your bag too heavy with laptop in it? Or is it too heavy to keep on your lap?
 
For me, weight was also the main reason I chose my M2 Air (otherwise I could have got the 14 Pro for the same price in my country).

And yes, I agree with the OP: macs overall (and it goes for iphones also, btw) are getting heavy - or better put PCs are getting comparatively lighter. Most manufacturers now offer 14" laptops that are significantly lighter than the current Air.

I’m wondering in which real life scenario weight is a problem? Is your bag too heavy with laptop in it? Or is it too heavy to keep on your lap?

Everyday use of the laptop. Carrying it around everywhere in your home, working with it from your lap, travelling with it, everything.
 
if apple would simply remove the internal components, they could make the air a sliver (out of, say, paper), and it would be the thinnest & lightest mac ever...
 
I honestly cannot tell the difference in weight between my 13" Intel (10nm with 4 TB ports) MacBook Pro and my M2 MacBook Air. The only way to know I have a M2 MacBook Air in my hand is because it is thinner.

10e


Maybe the MacBook Air should have been made out of carbon fibre to reduce the weight so that the weight difference is more easily noticeable.

That's a horrible idea. Carbon fibre costs $30 per kg, versus aluminum that's $2 per kg. Building a Macbook out of carbon fibre would cause the price to skyrocket and undo all the price cuts and value Apple Silicon has brought that finally killed the "Macs are overpriced" meme and made non-Apple people love the computers again.
 
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I'm pretty much the exact opposite; make the laptop thicker and heavier... I want a no-dongle / every port imaginable G4-era 17" (or 18", even better!) machine with G3-era hot-swap battery bays and lift-off keyboard that exposes all of the user tweakable guts.

A man can dream...
 
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M2 MBA is not heavy.
As a user of Macbook 12 inch, Macbook Air 11 inch, Macbook Pro 13 inch 2016, and Macbook Air M1, I have to say that M2 is not much heavier compared to 12 inch Macbook, which was truly light. M2 Air certainly does have more weight, but generally is quite a good balance of performance, battery life and weight in a 13.6 inch package (certainly larger monitor size than 11 or 12 even 13.3 inch sizes).
 
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I think the 12" MacBook would have been a success if it were first released in 2020 with the M1 and the "Magic Keyboard," even at $1299. It caught a lot of flak in 2015 for being underpowered and having an unreliable keyboard that it was popular only with a niche smaller than what Apple was willing to support.
 
I loved my old MacBook, the form factor was absolutely perfect for laying in bed with it balanced on my chest or belly to watch stuff before I went to sleep.

The only problem was the lack of performance which was necessary as it was a low powered CPU due to the passive cooling and at times, the base did get quite warm. That wouldn't be such an issue now. A 12" MacBook with a base M1 or M2 chip with the lowest number of cores available would be utterly perfect for that form factor and would still perform rather well.
I will instantly order a new MacBook 12" with an M-SOC when it will be unveiled.
The old 12" was definitely the most beautiful Macbook Apple ever made!
The problems are all fixed now, the butterfly keyboard, the weak processors, I don't know what Apple is waiting for?
Last year there were vague rumours about a new MacBook 12, since then I've been putting a €50 note in my piggy bank every month so I'm prepared!
 
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I can't think of many people that chose a MacBook Air because it's lighter than other laptops? I know that was an original selling point of the machine in 2008, but nowadays it's simply become the "entry level" MacBook.

Some of us - I suspect including many women who travel for work - do (and did). I would imagine that if you examined - or, were able to examine - who actually bought (and loved) the MBA, you would find a great many women in that category.

My first Apple computer was a 15" MBP, and, - while a terrific computer - candidly, I found it too heavy to travel with comfortably.

Thus, I switched to the MBA.

The 13" MBA was excellent, but I adored the 11" MBA, a fast, powerful, reliable, sturdy - and, above all, an exceptionally portable - computer; quite literally, this has travelled the world with me, and I write as a short, middle aged, woman who travels a lot. Portability matters - and matters quite a lot - to some of us.
 
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Some of us - I suspect including many women who travel for work - do (and did). I would imagine that if you examined who actually bought (and loved) the MBA, you would find a great many women in that category.

Yep. I bought my MBA over a 14" MBP specifically because of the difference in weight. I travel a lot for work and every little bit helps. I don't need the power of the MBP, but while I loved the screen and smoothness of 120Hz, I ultimately went with my Air because I felt the MBP was noticeably heavier.

Data point of one of course, but we're out there! :)
 
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