Haswell Macbook Airs reported to launch tomorrow April 29 BUT (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

they are not the fabled 12" retina Macbook Air.
http://9to5mac.com/2014/04/28/new-macbook-airs-likely-launching-tomorrow/

I'll be waiting till WWDC to see what develops if that's the case. I don't want to go smaller than 13", but I will have to see the specifics to determine if a 12" retina beats a 13" standard.

 

[Craig S]

To be annoyingly precise, the Haswell MBAs actually launched last June - I bought one (13") immediately and I love it. Maxed it out with 512 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM. Best damn laptop I've ever owned. Fast, plenty of storage, under 3 pounds, and it just goes and goes and goes... I'm getting 12-13 hours easy on a charge.

My understanding is tomorrow is just a minor bump with the latest revision of the Haswell chips. I'm hoping for the long-awaited Mac Mini refresh, but I doubt it wil happen.

 

[Sam Posten]

Gotcha

 

[DaveF]

I was waiting for the mythical Mac mini update the past year. Having now settled with an used iMac and a new Weber grill, I hope the mini remains mythical...

 

[Thomas Newton]

they are not the fabled 12" retina Macbook Air.
http://9to5mac.com/2014/04/28/new-macbook-airs-likely-launching-tomorrow/

Isn't there already a "Retina MacBook Air", just not by that name? The 13" Retina MacBook Pro is a little heavier than the 13" MacBook Air, and doesn't get as much runtime out of its battery, but by the time you're up to a middle-of-the-line machine, a 13" rMBP isn't all that much more expensive than a 13" Air.

 

[Sam Posten]

Totally different class of machines by weight.I wonder tho, does this hint more strongly that the mythical 12" will be the first iOS laptop? That would certainly shake things up and make a 2 month old real MBAir refresh relevant....

 

[Sam Posten]

And Dave, you know I'm dying for Mac mini and Apple TV to merge

 

[Thomas Newton]

Totally different class of machines by weight.

Are we talking about the same machines? The 15" rMBPs are a different class of machines by weight. The 13" rMBPs are only 3.5 pounds; not that far off the 13" MBA weight of 3 pounds.

 

[Sam Posten]

Official:http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/29/apple-updates-the-macbook-air-with-improved-processors/

 

[Sam Posten]

Are we talking about the same machines? The 15" rMBPs are a different class of machines by weight. The 13" rMBPs are only 3.5 pounds; not that far off the 13" MBA weight of 3 pounds.

That half a pound is important but the physical size is too. Moving to the pro costs more, nets better processors graphics and wildly improved display. They FEEL physically different despite how close they are if you have em side by side

 

[Sam Posten]

Er how close they look

 

[Sam Posten]

Also don't forget the other 'hidden' features in the Air's column:Better battery lifeWhisper quiet fanLower power draw which means it's power brick is tiny. If I remember right the 13" power cable is a significant step up in size and weight, which matters on the go.The 13" Rmbp is a great machine and is cut from the same cot has the Air, but there is a reason why people still treasure the Airs.

 

[Sam Posten]

Ars' take:

Second, murky rumors have suggested that the MacBook Air will be getting an external overhaul this time around, one that might incorporate a high-resolution Retina display. The most commonly cited rumor (though this appears to be sourced from analysts and not from part leaks or other people in a position to know) says that device will be a roughly 12-inch model with a 16:10 ratio screen like the one used in the 13-inch Air and the MacBook Pro lineup, rather than the 16:9 ratio in the 11-inch Air. Guesses as to that display's exact size and resolution vary depending on who you ask.
Color us skeptical about that mystery machine and its exact specifications but the timing for a new design is about right. Apple has been using the same basic chassis for the 11- and 13-inch Airs since October of 2010, and the company tends to spruce up its laptops every three or four years. Even if they don't receive Retina display upgrades, the 1366×768 and 1440×900 panels in the current Airs have been surpassed in quality by comparable PC Ultrabooks. Other OEMs have moved on to IPS displays with better color, contrast, and viewing angles, while the Airs still use lesser twister nematic (TN) panels. Switching to an all-new chassis and display panel takes more time than simply rearranging the chips inside an existing design.

A price cut and spec bump to the 2013 MacBook Airs doesn't preclude a new announcement at WWDC, especially since Apple is willing to announce new Macs months before it's actually ready to sell them

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/04/2013-macbook-airs-get-a-speed-bump-and-a-100-price-cut/

 

[Sam Posten]

Flargh, AKA Peter Cohen of Macworld, lays down the differences in the laptop lineup:
http://www.imore.com/macbook-air-vs-macbook-pro-which-macbook-model-should-you-get

Note that the new Airs do not support Thunderbolt2, which might be an issue for a very small number of buyers.

 

[DaveF]

And Dave, you know I'm dying for Mac mini and Apple TV to merge

With an airport Express. Don't forget the Airport Express!

 

[Sam Posten]

Heck add disks and make it an Airport Extreme!

 

[Sam Posten]

Terrific deal:http://www.macrumors.com/2014/06/16/macbook-air-edu-deals/$950 for a top of the line Macbook Air? Yowza!