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Comment by eloisant | Hacker News Reader

I guess Apple just wants everyone to buy retina displays, and don't care about people using what they believe is "legacy" hardware.

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This wouldn't be a problem, if

1) They had Retina MacBook Air 2) They actually have a Monitor Line, that is Retina+ Display, Super great colour accuracy etc.

For 1st point Apple doesn't seems to care, and 2nd point, Apple should at least have a list of Monitor that work best or up to their "Standards". Or on sale at Apple Store.

These attention to details, in its ecosystem weren't as obvious when Steve were here. But recently they have started to show cracks everywhere.

This is a good indication they will remove the Air from the lineup this fall and replace it with a lower-end MacBook.

Who is buying the MacBook Air right now anyway? The pro is lighter, smaller, faster and better performance for the money. They are very similarly priced I am not sure why anyone would purchase the air given the updated 13 MBP is available.

The smallest (11") macbook air weighs about 1kg, and it doesn't have that fucking retarded keyboard.

I have chronic pain and the idea of paying an extra almost half kilo in weight for my laptop is enough that I gave a Windows PC a try for a year.

Sadly they don’t make the 11” anymore, and the retina 12” is too crippled for ‘power user’ use.

They still sell the 11-inch Air through education channels. You can buy one from a e.g. university's store if you or someone you know is student/staff/faculty/alum.

It's cheaper, fast enough, and has a non-garbage keyboard.

I've opted to use the MBA exclusively at work for years now. I have not found anything that beats the size and weight of it while still giving that level of power. The form factor is one of my top considerations, so a Pro isn't really something I need or want because the extra horsepower doesn't really add much for my needs.

I can dock it at my desk and hook it up to two huge displays and a bigger keyboard, and then not be burdened when traveling.

> the extra horsepower doesn't really add much for my needs

Can you say what your needs are? I'm skeptical that I would be happy with the speed of my compiler on an Air.

Mainly I've got multiple browser windows open with way too many tabs. I use a plugin to prevent them all from being actively loaded, but still have a ton active at any one time.

I also usually have one or more Excel windows open for data analysis, possibly Powerpoint or Keynote, and then some other lightweight stuff (Spotify, Sublime, etc.).

I also am most frequently using this across two 27" Thunderbolt displays (and if I'm desperate for a 3rd, I can open the MBA screen in addition).

I'm not a developer, so my needs may be less intensive than yours.

> I'm not a developer

Yep, I guess that was the root of my question, thanks. :)

> I have not found anything that beats the size and weight of it while still giving that level of power

The current MacBook pro is only .05 pounds heavier than the 13 inch MacBook air, and noticably thinner than the air's thickest point. They are basically the same form factor at this point.

The 13" MacBook Pro with no touchbar is more or less the upgraded MacBook Air with Retina Display that everyone has been asking for for years.

I have to disagree. I bought both a 2017 air and a 2017 mbp 13” to compare, and ended up returning the MBP. The screen on the MBP is far and away better, which made it a painful choice. On the other hand, the air was superior for the keyboard, and also for noise/heat, and of course several hundred dollars in price. The MBP didn’t really feel any faster for the type of work I was doing on it.

Most annoying was that the MBP fan was kicking on in high gear consistently when I was doing nothing of note, while the air very rarely does so. It’s always cool and quiet, which I love.

If they just threw a retina screen on it, the current Air could be a hell of a computer for several more years.

I recently went from an Air to MBP 13" (not out of choice, work requirement) and the keyboards are horrible on both. The only noteworthy thing on the MBP one to me is the reliability issues, comparing the actual typing quality is apples to oranges.

But what I have realized is that in reality it's very rare that you have to actually use a laptop keyboard. Maybe only like once a week do I not use a proper USB keyboard, i.e. if having to visit a client or something.

Do you travel a lot? The only upside I can see of the lighter form factor is if you have to carry it around in airports quite a bit.

No, but I do schlep it home every day. Plus, when I am running around to meetings all day, it is just convenient.

The non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro is £1249 vs the Air’s £949. That’s a big difference for a lot of people. People like my partner, who doesn’t care that it’s essentially 4-5 year old hardware with minor revisions.

I would never buy an Air myself because that screen is pure trash, but she genuinely doesn’t care.

> Who is buying the MacBook Air right now anyway?

I am. I want a keyboard that's not absolute garbage to type on.

That keyboard was awesome! My new MacBook has lost 3 keys in 1 year. Welcome to the future.

I really miss my MacBook air.

I bought one two months ago as a secondary machine because my old Air died.

For the majority of the consumer, which is 80% of the market, 10% of market are nerds and professional each. Of which many of those are price sensitive, and the $999 MBA is the entry level machine which Apple offers. And as of right now, it is ridiculously over priced even by Apple standards.

There are the two LG ultrafine displays specially made for MacBooks that are sold solely through Apple.

And look at their stellar ratings and reviews.

"Hey, we know you probably spent $1200-2500 on a laptop. Buy a $700 or $1300 monitor to go with it!" (And sorry, $700 for a 21" monitor is ... meh).

I run 32 inch displays at work at 4k at 1x. It is great. Luckily I use Windows so I get crisp text.

> buy retina displays

External retina displays don't exist.

HiDPI displays aren't available in a number of common monitor sizes.

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