no way. the new 14 will take over the 13 inchers and keep the similar price im quite certain.
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.
Should I buy a M1 MacBook Air?
- Thread starter iPad Bro
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Let's hope you are correct. But Apple could just leave the current 13" in the line and sell the 14" as a higher performance version with the latest parts. Like they did in 2016 when the first 13" MBPs with butterfly keyboards were produced and they kept the old 13" around.
Based on how Apple has handled Macs in the past, they will likely raise prices to account for new technologies. The iPad Pro went up with mini-led. I also don’t think Apple intends there to be a huge gap between the 13” MBA and the low-end MBP. The high-end MBP is the notebook that they have yet to release.
That said, we’re all just guessing. Who knows? It sure would be awesome if they actually release a 13” M1 MBP redesign with the new features. Either way, it’s safe to go ahead and buy now. Apple will exchange for you within 30 days I think, when a new product launches.
That said, we’re all just guessing. Who knows? It sure would be awesome if they actually release a 13” M1 MBP redesign with the new features. Either way, it’s safe to go ahead and buy now. Apple will exchange for you within 30 days I think, when a new product launches.
The rumored M2 MacBook Air/MacBook could fill the gap between the current MBA and the M1X MBPs.
I come from HP laptop and Chromebooks, and now I'm very happy with the MBA/8/256.
The only problem: carrying in the backpack a 1100€ laptop is a bigger responsibility than carrying a 350€ one.
I have a similar question but from a price point perspective. I have my eyes on the M1 Macbook too but was not sure if this is the right time to buy it (on the eve of an apple event). I noticed some local authorised retailers have started to offer some discounts on the M1 line, but is this the lowest it's going to get? Are they lowering the price to make way for new hardware release? Will the price jump back up after a new release or go lower or remain the same? I'm eager to jump on the M1 MacBooks because I don't think I can afford any of the latest rumoured releases but at the same time I'm just afraid of making a stupid decision. Any advice?
They will have lowest prices when they become obsolete. Old question: to buy and enjoy or to wait 4ever.
Of course, if You can wait now till oct-nov then wait.
If You can’t, buy the cheapest suitable and sell after buying next better iteration or buy top model now and keep for a longer period of time.
I had bought MBA M1 as a temporary substitute for 15” MBP intending to keep it for mobile tasks while waiting for Mxx MBP. Now my MBA works as a primary rig with the only drawback of 13” screen. 15” M1 MBA would be perfect, but Sidecar with iPad Air works in this area and Universal Control is even more promising. So I am not waiting for 16” MBP anymore in near future
Last edited:
fun fact: 12.9" iPad Pro has larger screen than 13" MacBook Air I suppose, I got both of them btw, the M1 Air might be the best MacBook I've used like since 2013.
Is the bigger screen and increased weight a good thing for a handheld device like an iPad?
I find the 12.9 iPad Pro too heavy and big. I use my iPad Pro a lot in my easy chair or bed (where it hits me in the face when I fall asleep). So I went for the 11" iPad pro. It is big enough to enjoy but hurts less when it hits me. I use the Air at a desk so fewer occurrences of face-screen contact.
it's real big, yes. when I think about it, I see myself using the tablet mostly on the table or in the bed not holding it all the time.
True, but only by a pair of cm^2, making it insignificant. That said I have a harder time with the screen size than my 11" air because it is not 16:9 format like my 11". I can't put my finger on why, but would have preferred 16:9 format like my tv, 27" imac and 11" mba even though I don't watch much video on it.
At least wnen it comes to the Mac, Apple generally keeps prices constant, or reduces them, when it upgrades technology for a product (for the about the same RAM and SSD size). That was the even the case when it went from the 15" MBP to the 16" MBP.
I.e., for the Mac, Apple prices by what I'll call "product slot". It knows there's a certain sweet spot for the pricing for each product slot, and when it upgrades the tech it tries to keep that pricing constant to maintain sales. Here are some examples:
Last Intel MBA, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: $999
New M1 MBA, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: $999
Last Intel 13" MBP, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: $1799
New M1 13" MBP, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: $1699 ($100 less, but it's got two less TB ports).
Starting price of last high-end 15" MPB (2018): $2799*
Starting price of current high-end 16" MBP (2021): $2799
Last 15" MBP, maxed out (2018): $6699*
Current 16" MBP, maxed out: $6699
[The last pair may be a coincidence since, even though they're both maxed out, it's in different ways; but it's amusing/interesting nonetheless that the pricing worked out the same.]
*Source:
Apple’s most expensive MacBook Pro now costs $6,700
4TB of storage, an Intel Core i9 processor, and 32GB of RAM
Last edited:
Harder time with the screen size of the 12.9” iPad or the 13” MacBook? (Not sure what the macbook’s aspect ratio is.)
If the iPad, I’m guessing you prefer 16:9 because you don’t use it much in portrait orientation. 4:3 is better for portrait orientation use, while 16:9 is better for not only 16:9 video, but side by side app multitasking. I presume Apple considers all iPads primarily used in portrait orientation, evidenced by their aspect ratios (4:3 or near), the Apple logo orientation on the back, and the front camera placement. Also previously due to the startup screen Apple logo orientation, but I believe that is changing in ipadOS 15 to match whichever orientation the iPad is in at the time of startup.
I don't have 12.9 iPad (would like, but cannot justify the price). I have the M1 Macbook Air (16GB/1TB). Very nice machine, but the screen ratio of 16:10 (2560x1600) annoys me more than it should.
I disagree. I feel that the camera positioning is a vestigial remnant of the iPad's origin as a toy, rather than a productive device. What started out as a giant iPhone is now a viable main computer, for many users with less demanding use cases than typical enthusiast forum goers.
128 gig iPad+ Logitech keyboard case= MacBook SE.
At least wnen it comes to the Mac, Apple generally keeps prices constant, or reduces them, when it upgrades technology for a product (for the about the same RAM and SSD size). That was the even the case when it went from the 15" MBP to the 16" MBP.
I.e., for the Mac, Apple prices by what I'll call "product slot". It knows there's a certain sweet spot for the pricing for each product slot, and when it upgrades the tech it tries to keep that pricing constant to maintain sales. Here are some examples:
Last Intel MBA, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: $999
New M1 MBA, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: $999
Last Intel 13" MBP, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: $1799
New M1 13" MBP, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: $1699 ($100 less, but it's got two less TB ports).
Starting price of last high-end 15" MPB (2018): $2799*
Starting price of current high-end 16" MBP (2021): $2799
Last 15" MBP, maxed out (2018): $6699*
Current 16" MBP, maxed out: $6699
[The last pair may be a coincidence since, even though they're both maxed out, it's in different ways; but it's amusing/interesting nonetheless that the pricing worked out the same.]
*Source:
Apple’s most expensive MacBook Pro now costs $6,700
4TB of storage, an Intel Core i9 processor, and 32GB of RAMwww.theverge.com
Good points. I agree with you. My point was that I don’t think the entry level 13” MBP gets the redesign and new components. I think it’s gets a similar processor to whatever the next MBA will have and will keep the same design for now.
I see only the high end MBP getting the full redesign, thus my reason for saying it will be “more expensive”. In summary, I don’t think you’ll be able to get the redesign with Mini-LED and new look without spending the $1800 that the current top tier MBP costs.
16:9 is of course nicer for watching movies. 16:10 is better for doing work, since it gives more vertical dimension when you are working in Word or composing/viewing a long email, since it alllows you to see more of your document at a time. For the latter reason, I think most (certainly me included) view the 16:10 as a very nice feature of Apple's laptops.
I’d be shocked if a new m2 MacBook air came out before 2022. Seems unlikely. I think if you want to jump in to the Mac OS, now is a fine time to buy a MacBook Air. In waiting for the big boys, but I have machines I can use while I wait.
But then there are the three vestigial remnants—the camera position, the back Apple logo, and the portrait orientation-optimized aspect ratio. Those three imply to me that Apple still considers the iPad primarily a portrait device, because that’s 3 instances where Apple had to choose between portrait and landscape but chose to favor portrait. It might change in the future, but that’s how it seems now.
But portrait doesn’t mean it’s a toy—it just means portrait.
In principle yes, but apps has adapted to 16:9 by adding tools to each side. As an old programmer I would favor as many lines as possible. But today, I don't do much programming (I try, but health problems makes concentration a big obstacle) and prefereable an external monitor in portrait orientation would be preferrable anyway for code editor.
That's probably true if it wasn't for the current chip shortages. I would expect the M1x laptops to be $100-200 more than the laptops they are replacing.At least wnen it comes to the Mac, Apple generally keeps prices constant, or reduces them, when it upgrades technology for a product (for the about the same RAM and SSD size). That was the even the case when it went from the 15" MBP to the 16" MBP.
I.e., for the Mac, Apple prices by what I'll call "product slot". It knows there's a certain sweet spot for the pricing for each product slot, and when it upgrades the tech it tries to keep that pricing constant to maintain sales. Here are some examples:
Last Intel MBA, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: $999
New M1 MBA, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: $999
Last Intel 13" MBP, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: $1799
New M1 13" MBP, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: $1699 ($100 less, but it's got two less TB ports).
Starting price of last high-end 15" MPB (2018): $2799*
Starting price of current high-end 16" MBP (2021): $2799
Last 15" MBP, maxed out (2018): $6699*
Current 16" MBP, maxed out: $6699
[The last pair may be a coincidence since, even though they're both maxed out, it's in different ways; but it's amusing/interesting nonetheless that the pricing worked out the same.]
*Source:
Apple’s most expensive MacBook Pro now costs $6,700
4TB of storage, an Intel Core i9 processor, and 32GB of RAM