There’s A New MacBook Air With Increase In Speed, But You’re Not Gonna Like It
It seems Apple is not letting go of the MacBook Air. The recently concluded WWDC 2017 event saw the announcement of a new Air – well, sort of. The only thing that has changed is a bump in the processor’s speed. Apart from that, everything stays the same. It doesn’t even get a new chip.
Apple did not really focus on the upgraded MacBook Air 2017, since there was nothing to focus on. You would catch the mention of the laptop if you were paying attention, but if you were a casual watcher, you would have probably missed it. The announcement came as part of the refreshed Mac lineup, and while the other MacBooks have not-so-significant changes, the Air’s update was rather laughable.
Instead of a 1.6GHz 5th generation Intel Core i5 processor, MacBook Air 2017 now has a 1.8GHz 5th generation Intel Core i5 processor, according to Mac World. Yes, it’s exactly the same aside from the increase in megahertz. While the latest Pros – with Touch Bar and without – and 12-inch variant got the 7th generation Kaby Lake chips, the Air still has the outdated one.
This only means that Apple intends for the MacBook Air to die out soon – slowly. The entry-level MacBook proved to be still popular even though the last major update was years ago. It is cheaper than the 12-inch MacBook and the Pro variants, but it still capable in day-to-day use. The smaller model is thinner and lighter, yet the Air is thin and light enough to be carried around all day.
The MacBook Air is proving to be an important piece in Apple’s lineup, hence why the Cupertino company could not axe it so suddenly.
MacBook Air Models And Prices
The cheapest MacBook Air you can buy right now with the refreshed processor is at $999, and you get 128GB solid-state drive, 8GB RAM and Intel HD Graphics 8000. For $200 more, you can bump up the storage to 256SSD with the same specs.
The new MacBook Air can be bought online.
New iPad Pro Is An Alternative
If you’re not a fan of the 12-inch MacBook’s low specs and high price, the refreshed iPad Pro may be an alternative. Targeted for the professional consumers, the tablet delivers good performance and portability. Apple’s new ad even markets it as a computer that can do pretty much everything in the form of a tablet, CNET reported.
https://youtu.be/fKk4BUfrYp8
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the new 10.5-inch variant sport an A10X processor, which, based on benchmark results, is a huge upgrade from the A9X on the original iPad Pro. This makes it more powerful than most PC laptops, so it is the perfect substitute for the MacBook Air.
The Cupertino company offers a keyboard attachment to those who needs to do a lot of typing on their iPad Pros. With apps from the App Store, an iPad Pro can really offer that computer experience. Some people even use their device with a mouse.
On top of that, the upcoming iOS 11 has iPad-exclusive features that makes it look more like a desktop computer. The only caveat is that certain programs that cannot be replaced with apps cannot be installed in the iPad Pro. The advantage is that your screen is a touchscreen and it looks beautiful.
Come to think of it, the iPad Pro may also be a factor why the MacBook Air is dying out. Apple is aggressively pushing the tablet as a PC replacement. It’s no wonder why they think that the entry-level laptop is no good anymore. Will the young 12-inch MacBook be next?
How about you? Are buying the new MacBook Air or are you considering the iPad Pro instead?
[Featured Image by Brian Kersey/Getty Images]
