I can confirm that here in Canada we have not received the price drop. It also seems to be the only product sold by Apple here that doesn't have price adjustments to account for our weaker dollar.
Pretty much entirely. $999 CAD is only $911 USD so Canadians have really had this deal for a while now. It also looks like Apple's sites for other countries have all reflected a price drop by now so I'm assuming a drop to $899 in Canada is out of the question.
The problem with that line of thinking is when our dollar is higher...the prices never drop up here.....it's only ever a one way price gouge. Eff u 'merica.
Regardless,
I hate to say but articles like this one are blatant proof of a pro-apple ulterior motive at anandtech, likely to do with direct investment in stocks, or perhaps even direct kickbacks. Seriously guys, a 100mhz speed bump deserves an "article" ? This is not journalism, it is direct advertising, and the reason why anandtech has been, and will continue to decline in readership.
This is the first time i've visited the site in ages.... and what a surprise, on the front page, im instantly reminded why.
Sent from my mac mini, connected to dual thunderbolt displays...I'd be happy to provide proof i drink the apple kool aid to anyone doubting me..
This ain't about fanboyism, its about right or wrong.
I think this officially might be the last comment i ever make here after reading this site for over a decade. Been here since university way back in the year 2000. I mean seriously, im actually kinda sad.
It ok to like apple, its ok to advertise for them, but its not ok to do that under the guise of unbiased journalism....if there is such a thing anymore.
You cant expect people to believe conclusions in your "real" articles after publishing crap like this. Why don't you guys just go give each other handjobs around Steve Job's tombstone while your at it????
I don't own any Apple products nor do I particularly like any of them but you have to acknowledge that the MacBook air is the one of, if not the, most popular (based on sales) laptop going and it just got a bit faster and significantly cheaper.
I'm not saying that all news outlets should shout it from the roof tops but lets be real here; there are a huge amount of people that are interested in news like this as it directly affects them and as such Anand will publish articles on it.
It is only a small pipeline story after all, it's not even a full blown article.
This isn't an "article" it's a pipeline story, getting the same attention as such stories as nVidia adding a game to their GeForce bundle. You're really getting your panties in a bunch over nothing...
1) MacBook Air is one of the best ranked ultrabooks over the past decade 2) Reporting on Apple draws viewers, including you! 3) The refresh isn't out of line for the site; right next to the pipeline entry is one about a GeForce Game Bundle and the Acer Switch 10 4) Having to say, "This isn't about fanboyism" actually means it probably is 5) You leaving kind of proves that point
To me it is not about the fact that there is an article about this- it does make sense if an article about nVidia games does. It's the tone and content of the article that's an issue.... The "Apple continues to accept nothing less than intel 5000 GPU" without mentioning the still crappy screen that would be a sticking point for many, if not, most here. (l was surprised by how crucial screen rez and quality wore to my job as a lawyer...it is not only a point for artists , gamers and developers.) The price drop isnews but paying anywhere near $1,000 for a TN panel is madness. (Looks like Apple is starting to feel the pressure, though...)
Anyway l also come here less and less for the same reason dsumanik doesn't. It no longer feels authentic, for whatever reason.
As somebody looking to buy a MBA, I found the article really useful and interesting to read and relates to Apple's future roadmap, so it's not just PR, what the heck is your problem? In case you hadn't noticed, the readership of this site are discerning, not mindless, trolling shills like on Dailytech.
Thailand price drop is ฿1,000 (~$30). Much less than in the US, probably because of the difference of exchange rate between now and the last time the price was cut.
I hope they never put a retina display on them. Battery is the most important attribute in these things. I just hope they upgrade both models to a 1080p nice IPS screen, with great colors and outdoors visibility.
IPS is also a power hog compared to TN. I hope they put both an IPS and Retina display in the MBA in the next major update, which I think it most likely with a single 12" size. The 11" is just a too small, especially at a 16:9 aspect ratio and the 13" is now too close to the MBP after the MBP eschewed the HDD and ODD.
But this is Apple so expect them to only do this when they can keep the battery life at least close to where it is now.
As far as I understood it they were putting the IGZO Sharp based display thats in the current gen iPad Air to minimize power draw, thats also why the wait for Broadwell (fanless aside)
Doesn't want retina, but asks for 1080p screen. Do you not know what you want?
Regardless, I suspect the reason they are shooting for a single size retina screen is to benefit economies of scale just a little bit more. 1 display size is cheaper than 2. I also expect them to use IGZO transistors to help with the power problem.
In and of itself I don't see a conundrum with not wanting Retina but wanting 1080p. The pixel count for 1080p is definitely lower than what a Retina would be at the current size displays if we assume they'd do a pixel doubling like every other device that has gone Retina, but still high enough to be in the "good" category. That said, I think only going to 1080p because of pointless desire to have the same resolution from one Android phone to one's HDTV would be remiss, especially for a windowed OS. Going Retina with a pixel doubling when the technology allows it to happen without affecting mobility and longevity of use is the right way to go.
Apple will never go for providing a full 1920x1080 of area on a 13" screen....mainly for usability reasons. People would complain about everything being so small. I personally don't have an issue with it, but others do.
It's an option on the 13" rMBP, but the default is still 1440x900.
It's not an option on the 13" rMBP. That one has scaled "retina resolutions" up to 1680x1050. Only the 15" retina has a scaled resolution equivalent to 1920x1200.
I doubt that VERY much. Apple is doing the pixel doubling to keep the UI elements large enough. With 1728x1080 on a 12" screen you need to have really good eyes to work with this. This isn't "good", it's really bad.
Yeah, geeks everywhere love more space for windows on the screen over everything, but Apple isn't primarily (if at all) catering for geeks. Even at the current resolutions the size of UI elements on the current MBA's screens borders on too small to be comfortable.
Great points! I didn't fully understand some of the conversation here and you cleared it up. That probably sounds sarcastic, but I'm being sincere. Thanks!
I'm not sure what you're doubting VERY much. You doubt Apple should do nothing with the resolution until it can double it, because the rest of your comment seems to agree with what I stated.
Yes, I doubt that Apple will go with a resolution of 1728x1080 on a 11/12/13" screen. The resolution will either be lower than that (to have UI elements that aren't microscopically small) or high enough to make scaling possible in a nice-looking way. What's so hard to understand about that? Apple did the same with the 13" MBP.
You are right on the 2560x1600. Same with the Mac Mini, though I wonder if that is official or actual. I had an old PowerBook that listed 1600x1200 as maximum for external monitors, but hooked up 1920x1200 Dell monitor to it with no problems (got all 1920 pixels).
It's definitely official, but I'm sure you could hack it to support a higher resolution in some fashion, but it definitely won't support UHD 4K @ 60Hz. The MBAs doesn't have HDMI so you can't even get UHD 4K @ 30Hz from that port.
I suppose we should ask if anyone was able to get UHD 4K @ 30Hz to work over TB1 on the MBPs? I think those 2012 MBPs also had the Intel 5000 iGPU.
There is still no TB2 so the bandwidth would be lacking for UHD@60Hz and since there is no HDMI port it's likely not going to be support except via a hack at 30Hz.
I'm not sure this is a release related to the delay. It seems to be a way to just move old stock and make it so the broadwell announcement is about that chip in the mba and with a hires display only. Maybe as a pre back to school announcement so they move even more product with the upper middle class kids all begging mom and dad to get them a new mba and iphone.
What does that say about Skylake? Intel said that despite Broadwell being delayed that Skylake wasn't. If broadwell comes out in early 2015 for devices as well as planned Broadwell K for desktops what does that say about Skylake Q2 release? Broadwell would be deprecated one quarter after it's debut, seems ridiculous to think Skylake wouldn't be delayed but then Skylake would miss out on the super profitable back to school season just as broadwell did this year which intel, apple etc. must be furious about. So if Skylake comes out later what does that say about the typical tick tock candence release schedule, no more Q2 releases? Or some mixing & matching?
Hi folks. Can someone break it down for me in basic terms? I've been flirting with a new MBA for about 3-4 years. Every year when it comes out, I read a ton of people saying the NEXT year is the one to get. First it was Ivy Bridge was going to be the game changer. Then Sandy Bridge. Or the reverse of that. Who cares. Then Haswell. Now Broadwell? I really thought I was going to buy it last year but so many people ripped the display for not being IPS and looking like shit off-axis that I held off. Who in the hell would care about .1 in processor speed? I like how your "improvement" could be 0-3%. Zero. Only Apple.
In general if you can wait, do it, the future will always hold better products.
Right now though the MacBook AIrs are quite good, performance is solid, storage is very fast and SSD upgrades aren't too crazy costly anymore and battery life is excellent. So long as you don't need the high DPI display they're great machines and won't disappoint, while if you do the Retina MBP 13 isn't too much more and doesn't compromise size too much so is another good option.
I think the 13" MBA is a pretty nice sweet spot right now. We know we are at least 6, more likely 9 months away from a Broadwell MBA, and that will probably come in a 12" form factor. I prefer 13", the battery life is outstanding right now, performance is very good, especially I/O with the PCI-E SSD.
I guess if you can wait up to 9 months, need a retina, don't mind 12" screen, and can not afford another $200 for the MBP, then you should wait for Broadwell MBA. Otherwise MBA/MBP are very good options.
The only "real" news I see is the CPU bump. While the MSRP is $100 lower, the street price of the MBA has already been there on a lot of outlets. It's just making the price drop official and permanent. Which fits Apples strategy, they want people paying MSRP for their products, instead of paying $100 less, than a $100 higher MSRP product.
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Ian Cutress - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Does anyone know if this is just a US price drop, or a worldwide one? I haven't been monitoring the cost of the low end models here in the UK.Brandon Chester - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
I can confirm that here in Canada we have not received the price drop. It also seems to be the only product sold by Apple here that doesn't have price adjustments to account for our weaker dollar.solipsism - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
I seem to recall that the Canadian price drops have come oddly later (later in the day) than other markets.tipoo - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
I guess they cancel each other out, partially.Brandon Chester - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Pretty much entirely. $999 CAD is only $911 USD so Canadians have really had this deal for a while now. It also looks like Apple's sites for other countries have all reflected a price drop by now so I'm assuming a drop to $899 in Canada is out of the question.dsumanik - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
The problem with that line of thinking is when our dollar is higher...the prices never drop up here.....it's only ever a one way price gouge. Eff u 'merica.Regardless,
I hate to say but articles like this one are blatant proof of a pro-apple ulterior motive at anandtech, likely to do with direct investment in stocks, or perhaps even direct kickbacks. Seriously guys, a 100mhz speed bump deserves an "article" ? This is not journalism, it is direct advertising, and the reason why anandtech has been, and will continue to decline in readership.
This is the first time i've visited the site in ages.... and what a surprise, on the front page, im instantly reminded why.
Sent from my mac mini, connected to dual thunderbolt displays...I'd be happy to provide proof i drink the apple kool aid to anyone doubting me..
This ain't about fanboyism, its about right or wrong.
I think this officially might be the last comment i ever make here after reading this site for over a decade. Been here since university way back in the year 2000. I mean seriously, im actually kinda sad.
It ok to like apple, its ok to advertise for them, but its not ok to do that under the guise of unbiased journalism....if there is such a thing anymore.
You cant expect people to believe conclusions in your "real" articles after publishing crap like this. Why don't you guys just go give each other handjobs around Steve Job's tombstone while your at it????
jimbo2779 - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
I don't own any Apple products nor do I particularly like any of them but you have to acknowledge that the MacBook air is the one of, if not the, most popular (based on sales) laptop going and it just got a bit faster and significantly cheaper.I'm not saying that all news outlets should shout it from the roof tops but lets be real here; there are a huge amount of people that are interested in news like this as it directly affects them and as such Anand will publish articles on it.
It is only a small pipeline story after all, it's not even a full blown article.
jaydee - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
This isn't an "article" it's a pipeline story, getting the same attention as such stories as nVidia adding a game to their GeForce bundle. You're really getting your panties in a bunch over nothing...michael2k - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
1) MacBook Air is one of the best ranked ultrabooks over the past decade2) Reporting on Apple draws viewers, including you!
3) The refresh isn't out of line for the site; right next to the pipeline entry is one about a GeForce Game Bundle and the Acer Switch 10
4) Having to say, "This isn't about fanboyism" actually means it probably is
5) You leaving kind of proves that point
ESC2000 - Thursday, May 1, 2014 - link
To me it is not about the fact that there is an article about this- it does make sense if an article about nVidia games does. It's the tone and content of the article that's an issue.... The "Apple continues to accept nothing less than intel 5000 GPU" without mentioning the still crappy screen that would be a sticking point for many, if not, most here. (l was surprised by how crucial screen rez and quality wore to my job as a lawyer...it is not only a point for artists , gamers and developers.) The price drop isnews but paying anywhere near $1,000 for a TN panel is madness. (Looks like Apple is starting to feel the pressure, though...)Anyway l also come here less and less for the same reason dsumanik doesn't. It no longer feels authentic, for whatever reason.
robinthakur - Friday, May 2, 2014 - link
As somebody looking to buy a MBA, I found the article really useful and interesting to read and relates to Apple's future roadmap, so it's not just PR, what the heck is your problem? In case you hadn't noticed, the readership of this site are discerning, not mindless, trolling shills like on Dailytech.brookheather - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
UK prices have dropped £100.k2_8191 - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Japan prices have also dropped by about 10k yen.I believe this price drop is worldwide.
mr_tawan - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Thailand price drop is ฿1,000 (~$30). Much less than in the US, probably because of the difference of exchange rate between now and the last time the price was cut.gingofthesouth - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
New Zealand prices dropped between $190 and $250.https://ging.co.nz/before.png
https://ging.co.nz/after.png
apertotes - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
I hope they never put a retina display on them. Battery is the most important attribute in these things. I just hope they upgrade both models to a 1080p nice IPS screen, with great colors and outdoors visibility.solipsism - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
IPS is also a power hog compared to TN. I hope they put both an IPS and Retina display in the MBA in the next major update, which I think it most likely with a single 12" size. The 11" is just a too small, especially at a 16:9 aspect ratio and the 13" is now too close to the MBP after the MBP eschewed the HDD and ODD.But this is Apple so expect them to only do this when they can keep the battery life at least close to where it is now.
jcknows0 - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
As far as I understood it they were putting the IGZO Sharp based display thats in the current gen iPad Air to minimize power draw, thats also why the wait for Broadwell (fanless aside)jeffkibuule - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Doesn't want retina, but asks for 1080p screen. Do you not know what you want?Regardless, I suspect the reason they are shooting for a single size retina screen is to benefit economies of scale just a little bit more. 1 display size is cheaper than 2. I also expect them to use IGZO transistors to help with the power problem.
solipsism - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
In and of itself I don't see a conundrum with not wanting Retina but wanting 1080p. The pixel count for 1080p is definitely lower than what a Retina would be at the current size displays if we assume they'd do a pixel doubling like every other device that has gone Retina, but still high enough to be in the "good" category. That said, I think only going to 1080p because of pointless desire to have the same resolution from one Android phone to one's HDTV would be remiss, especially for a windowed OS. Going Retina with a pixel doubling when the technology allows it to happen without affecting mobility and longevity of use is the right way to go.1080p = 2073600 pixels (11.6" = 190 PPI)
1080p (16:10 / 1728x1080) = 1866240 pixels (13" = 153 PPI)
11" MBA = 1016064 pixels (135 PPI)
11" MBA (Retina) = 4064256 pixels (270 PPI)
13" MBA = 1296000 pixels (113 PPI)
13" MBA (Retina) = 5184000 pixels (227 PPI)
stacey94 - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
So you want 960x540 of working space?Apple will never go for providing a full 1920x1080 of area on a 13" screen....mainly for usability reasons. People would complain about everything being so small. I personally don't have an issue with it, but others do.
It's an option on the 13" rMBP, but the default is still 1440x900.
Tegeril - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
It's not an option on the 13" rMBP. That one has scaled "retina resolutions" up to 1680x1050. Only the 15" retina has a scaled resolution equivalent to 1920x1200.uhuznaa - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
I doubt that VERY much. Apple is doing the pixel doubling to keep the UI elements large enough. With 1728x1080 on a 12" screen you need to have really good eyes to work with this. This isn't "good", it's really bad.Yeah, geeks everywhere love more space for windows on the screen over everything, but Apple isn't primarily (if at all) catering for geeks. Even at the current resolutions the size of UI elements on the current MBA's screens borders on too small to be comfortable.
Bkord123 - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Great points! I didn't fully understand some of the conversation here and you cleared it up. That probably sounds sarcastic, but I'm being sincere. Thanks!solipsism - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
I'm not sure what you're doubting VERY much. You doubt Apple should do nothing with the resolution until it can double it, because the rest of your comment seems to agree with what I stated.uhuznaa - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
Yes, I doubt that Apple will go with a resolution of 1728x1080 on a 11/12/13" screen. The resolution will either be lower than that (to have UI elements that aren't microscopically small) or high enough to make scaling possible in a nice-looking way. What's so hard to understand about that? Apple did the same with the 13" MBP.solipsism - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
What I do get is why you say you doubt that and then repeat what I said. You are therefore not doubting me but agreeing with me.darwinosx - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
You presume they can't do both. The 13" retina is only marginally thicker than an Air with a smaller circumference and it does just fine.tecsi - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Despite Apple's specs not mentioning this, will Intel 5000/TB2 port support 4K monitors?Sure hope so.
solipsism - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
The new MBAs don't have TB2 and their Tech Specs page lists 2560x1600 as the max supported resolution on an external display.purerice - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
You are right on the 2560x1600. Same with the Mac Mini, though I wonder if that is official or actual. I had an old PowerBook that listed 1600x1200 as maximum for external monitors, but hooked up 1920x1200 Dell monitor to it with no problems (got all 1920 pixels).solipsism - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
It's definitely official, but I'm sure you could hack it to support a higher resolution in some fashion, but it definitely won't support UHD 4K @ 60Hz. The MBAs doesn't have HDMI so you can't even get UHD 4K @ 30Hz from that port.I suppose we should ask if anyone was able to get UHD 4K @ 30Hz to work over TB1 on the MBPs? I think those 2012 MBPs also had the Intel 5000 iGPU.
tecsi - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
[Double post--wasn't sure whether to,always post at end (probably best) or immediately after specific comment]Yes, but the Apple page also doesn't say rMBPs support 4K@60hz, and they do. The new OSX specifically talks about 4K support for rMBPs.
So there is reason to believe that the MBAs will perhaps also support 4K.
This would create an incredible 4K-ready installed base for Apple to sell a TB2 4K display into, which I suspect would be introduced at WWDC.
solipsism - Thursday, May 1, 2014 - link
There is still no TB2 so the bandwidth would be lacking for UHD@60Hz and since there is no HDMI port it's likely not going to be support except via a hack at 30Hz.tecsi - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
Yes, but the Apple page also doesn't say rMBPs support 4K@60hz, and they do. The new OSX specifically talks about 4K support for rMBPs.So there is reason to believe that the MBAs will perhaps also support 4K.
This would create an incredible 4K-ready installed base for Apple to sell a TB2 4K display into, which I suspect would be introduced at WWDC.
jcknows0 - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
You need TB2 for 4k@60Hz. Airs don't have this, even the updated ones.toyotabedzrock - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
I'm not sure this is a release related to the delay. It seems to be a way to just move old stock and make it so the broadwell announcement is about that chip in the mba and with a hires display only. Maybe as a pre back to school announcement so they move even more product with the upper middle class kids all begging mom and dad to get them a new mba and iphone.Steve Bischoff - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
It seems that with cheaper NAND these days Apple would give you a little more storage. When I had 128Gb it was sort of mildly irritating.tipoo - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Yeah, if they can do this price drop it would seem they should have at least shot for 256GB minimum first.Tegeril - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
If they'd done that it'd be like two price drops in one. You are still saving $100 if you choose to go with the 256GB option.tipoo - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Any idea when Broadwell macbooks are slated for?MikhailT - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Any time in 2015. Intel's not able to get it out this year, so they're doing a small spec bump instead.I'd suspect '15 MBA is going to be a huge update with TB2, 14nm CPUs+ better IGP, retina display, and so on.
AnandtechLegacy - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
What does that say about Skylake? Intel said that despite Broadwell being delayed that Skylake wasn't. If broadwell comes out in early 2015 for devices as well as planned Broadwell K for desktops what does that say about Skylake Q2 release? Broadwell would be deprecated one quarter after it's debut, seems ridiculous to think Skylake wouldn't be delayed but then Skylake would miss out on the super profitable back to school season just as broadwell did this year which intel, apple etc. must be furious about. So if Skylake comes out later what does that say about the typical tick tock candence release schedule, no more Q2 releases? Or some mixing & matching?Bkord123 - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
Hi folks. Can someone break it down for me in basic terms? I've been flirting with a new MBA for about 3-4 years. Every year when it comes out, I read a ton of people saying the NEXT year is the one to get. First it was Ivy Bridge was going to be the game changer. Then Sandy Bridge. Or the reverse of that. Who cares. Then Haswell. Now Broadwell? I really thought I was going to buy it last year but so many people ripped the display for not being IPS and looking like shit off-axis that I held off. Who in the hell would care about .1 in processor speed? I like how your "improvement" could be 0-3%. Zero. Only Apple.frostyfiredude - Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - link
In general if you can wait, do it, the future will always hold better products.Right now though the MacBook AIrs are quite good, performance is solid, storage is very fast and SSD upgrades aren't too crazy costly anymore and battery life is excellent. So long as you don't need the high DPI display they're great machines and won't disappoint, while if you do the Retina MBP 13 isn't too much more and doesn't compromise size too much so is another good option.
jaydee - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
I think the 13" MBA is a pretty nice sweet spot right now. We know we are at least 6, more likely 9 months away from a Broadwell MBA, and that will probably come in a 12" form factor. I prefer 13", the battery life is outstanding right now, performance is very good, especially I/O with the PCI-E SSD.I guess if you can wait up to 9 months, need a retina, don't mind 12" screen, and can not afford another $200 for the MBP, then you should wait for Broadwell MBA. Otherwise MBA/MBP are very good options.
wiz329 - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
How about that Haswell rMBP review? That coming anytime soon?tipoo - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
By the time the Broadwell MBP is out :Pjaydee - Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - link
The only "real" news I see is the CPU bump. While the MSRP is $100 lower, the street price of the MBA has already been there on a lot of outlets. It's just making the price drop official and permanent. Which fits Apples strategy, they want people paying MSRP for their products, instead of paying $100 less, than a $100 higher MSRP product.