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Retina MacBook Air Q&A
Update Published December 5, 2020
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What are the "pros and cons" of the Retina MacBook Air? Is it for me?
Please note that the Retina MacBook Air has been discontinued. However, this Q&A is up-to-date and can be quite helpful to anyone buying or selling one on the used market.
To help determine whether or not a 13" Retina MacBook Air is the best Mac notebook for you, a quick -- and objective -- "pros and cons" can be just what you need.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Retina MacBook Air)
For those who prefer a more in-depth evaluation, EveryMac.com also provides detailed comparisons of the "Late 2018", "2019" and "2020" Retina MacBook Air models, now all discontinued.
However, for those most interested in the highlights, this fast rundown will be ideal:
Pros:
- Beautiful, high-resolution "Retina" display.
- Sleek, lightweight aluminum case with a now classic "tapered" design.
- Attractive silver, dark "Space Gray," and gold color options.
- Solid performance and excellent battery life.
- Replaceable battery.
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
- Clever, versatile "Force Touch" trackpad.
- Touch ID authentication.
- Likely reliable "Scissor Switch" keyboard (2020 models).
- Least expensive new Apple notebook when released (starting in 2019).
Cons:
- Display is modestly dimmer than the display in the Retina MacBook Pro series (although the "2019" and "2020" Retina MacBook Air models have a better display than the original "Late 2018" model).
- Processor, RAM, and storage all are soldered to the motherboard and cannot be replaced or upgraded which will limit the usable life of the notebook.
- The "third generation" butterfly mechanism keyboard in the "Late 2018" and "2019" Retina MacBook Air models is improved compared to some earlier -- even worse -- keyboards of the same type, but it still has limited "travel" and awkward directional keys.
- No "MagSafe" power connector.
- Relatively expensive compared to many Windows notebooks.
So, is the Retina MacBook Air right for my needs?
Ignoring subsequent MacBook Air models, most likely. For the majority of users, the Retina MacBook Air is a solid choice. It is both fairly lightweight and powerful and has sufficient connectivity for most users. It has great battery life, too.
In a nutshell, the even smaller -- and also discontinued -- Retina MacBook really only was worth it for someone who wanted the absolutely smallest new Mac notebook and didn't mind sacrificing performance, connectivity, and price for size (and given that Apple discontinued the notebook entirely, apparently few were willing to make those trade-offs). Likewise, the modestly larger Retina MacBook Pro models are quite a bit more powerful, but likely only worth the extra cost for professionals who can make the most of the slightly better display and extra performance.
In the US, site sponsor Adorama sells new Retina MacBook Air models with free shipping. Other World Computing and JemJem sell 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.
In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a variety of used MacBook Air models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.
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