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Retina MacBook Air Q&A
Update Published August 15, 2019
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What are all the differences between the "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air models? Which is best for me?
Please note that the "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air has been discontinued. However, this Q&A is up-to-date and can be quite helpful for anyone buying or selling one of these notebooks on the used market.
In what was likely Apple's simplest Mac notebook series in quite some time, there is only one "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air -- the MacBook Air "Core i5" 1.6 13" (Late 2018).
This Retina MacBook Air was sold in two configurations, each of which is offered in three color choices. The two configurations -- which differ by standard storage and price -- are worth evaluating. The similarities are important to understand to determine whether or not the Retina MacBook Air is the best choice for you, too.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Retina MacBook Air 2018, Space Gray)
External Similarities
The "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air uses a razor thin case design that tapers from 0.16 of an inch to 0.61 of an inch (0.35 cm to 1.6 cm) and weighs 2.75 lbs (1.25 kg). Both configurations are available in the "traditional" silver color, a darker "Space Gray" color (above), and a warm-toned gold color (below).
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Retina MacBook Air 2018, Gold)
As its "Retina" nomenclature implies, the "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air features a beautiful 13.3" color widescreen LED-backlit "Retina" display (2560x1600 native resolution at 227 ppi, which displays as a scaled resolution of 1440x900 by default). It also packs an integrated 720p FaceTime HD webcam, a backlit "third generation" butterfly mechanism keyboard, a large "Force Touch" trackpad, and Touch ID authentication.
Wired connectivity includes just two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C connector) ports and an "old school" 3.5 mm headphone jack, but it also is equipped with 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2.
Identification Similarities
The "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air models share the A1932 Model Number, the 3184 EMC Number, and the MacBookAir8,1 Model Identifier.
Because the "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air shares the A1932 Model Number and the 3184 EMC Number with subsequently introduced models, neither is the best identifier to use for the future. However, it can be uniquely identified by the Model Identifier in software.
Additionally, EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature also can uniquely identify all Retina MacBook Air models by their serial numbers.
More information about specific identifiers is provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.
Internal Similarities
Although it is possible to replace the battery, and Apple estimates battery life at an impressive 12-13 hours depending on tasks performed, the Retina MacBook Air models otherwise essentially are sealed and disposable. The Intel 1.6 GHz "Core i5" processor (Amber Lake Y, 8210Y) and Intel UHD Graphics 617 graphics processor are not upgradable at the time of purchase or later.
The RAM and storage in the Retina MacBook Air both are onboard as well and cannot be upgraded after the initial system purchase. However, the standard 8 GB of 2133 MHz "Low Power" LPDDR3 SDRAM can be upgraded to 16 GB at the time of system configuration and the standard 128 GB or 256 GB SSD can be upgraded to 512 GB or 1.5 GB; again, only at the time of initial system purchase.
Model Differences - Comparison Chart
As noted earlier, there are two configurations of the "Late 2018" MacBook Air -- the MacBook Air "Core i5" 1.6 13" (Late 2018) -- which differ only by standard storage and price:
| Processor Speed: | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz |
| Processor Type: | I5-8210Y | I5-8210Y |
| Standard SSD: | 128 GB | 256 GB |
| Order Number (US): | MRE82LL/A (Space Gray) MREE2LL/A (Gold) MREA2LL/A (Silver) |
MRE92LL/A (Space Gray) MREF2LL/A (Gold) MREC2LL/A (Silver) |
| Orig. Price (US): | US$1199 | US$1399 |
| Orig. Price (CA): | C$1499 | C$1749 |
| Orig. Price (UK): | £1199 | £1399 |
| Orig. Price (AU): | A$1849 | A$2149 |
So, which is best for me?
Although the value proposition may have changed somewhat now that the "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air only is available used.
However, because the two configurations of the "Late 2018" Retina MacBook Air are so similar to one another, the bigger question likely is whether or not the Retina MacBook Air is right for you compared to other recent Mac notebooks.
EveryMac.com covers the major differences between the Retina MacBook Air and the similar Retina MacBook and pre-Retina MacBook Air in depth (both of these lines now have been discontinued entirely), but the shortest answer is that the Retina MacBook Air is a solid choice for the majority of users. It is lightweight and fairly powerful with sufficient connectivity for most and a reasonable, albeit not cheap, price tag. It has great battery life, as well.
The even smaller Retina MacBook really only is worth considering for those who want the smallest Mac notebook possible and are willing to sacrifice performance, connectivity, and price to get it. The modestly larger Retina MacBook Pro models are much more powerful, but likely only worth the extra cost for professional users who can put the slightly better display and extra power (particularly for multicore and graphics tasks) to good use.
Just compared to one another, and ignoring subsequent Retina MacBook Air models, EveryMac.com would suggest getting the standard configuration with 256 GB of storage. Because storage cannot be upgraded later, the 128 GB configuration is likely to be inadequate for many users down the road. Personally, we like the darker "Space Gray" color option, but color is personal and definitely up to you.
For those on a tighter budget, an older pre-Retina MacBook Air model also can be a good choice.
In the US, site sponsor Adorama sells new Retina MacBook Air models with free shipping. Other World Computing sells used and refurb MacBook Air models at bargain prices with free shipping, as well. On the other hand, if you need to sell a MacBook Air, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older notebook with an instant quote and prompt payment.
In the UK, site sponsor Hoxton Macs sells used MacBook Air models with a one-year warranty and free next day delivery throughout the UK. Delivery across Europe also is available starting at just £9.99 for two-day delivery to France and Germany.
Also see: What are the major differences between the Retina MacBook, Retina MacBook Air, and pre-Retina MacBook Air? Which is best for me?
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