Rumored affordable MacBook Air isnt actually new - and I'm not happy

Date:
Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:38:37 +0000

Description:
Rumors surrounding a new budget-friendly MacBook Air have been squashed - instead of a new laptop, Walmart is selling the M1 MacBook Air for $699.

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If last years rumors about a new, more affordable, MacBook, got you excited - then weve got some bad news, as it looks like it could have been referring to the MacBook Air (2020, M1) getting a new price cut to $699.

So, rather than getting a brand-new type of MacBook with a price that could challenge the best Chromebooks out there, as some of the rumors suggested,
the reality looks like its really a four-year-old MacBook with a cheaper - though still not exactly budget - price tag. Even worse, it looks like its only available from Walmart - which will annoy anyone like me who lives outside of the US.

The M1 MacBook Air was first launched in 2020 and was officially discontinued by Apple this month with the launch of the latest MacBook Air models.
However, Walmart is selling the M1 MacBook Air at a better-than-Black Friday price of $699 . For this price, you might think these are refurbished MacBooks, but that doesnt seem to be the case. Before its discontinuation,
the M1 MacBook Air normally retailed for $999.

According to MacRumors , these are brand-new devices and appear to be fresh inventory. So, while Apple is no longer selling the M1 MacBook Air from its own store, it may still be producing new ones for sale elsewhere. It seems like the rumored cheaper new MacBook Air isnt actually new in the way we had hoped, but instead just a discount on a popular, albeit older, MacBook, which is a bit disappointing. Disappointed is an understatement.

While this is good news for people who have been eager to buy a MacBook but remain skeptical because of the price, it is rather disappointing to learn that were not getting an actual new cheaper alternative - especially for
those of us outside the US who cant easily shop at Walmart.

Ive been saving up to buy myself a new MacBook Air for quite some time, and I have to admit I was incredibly excited to hear Apple might try to wiggle into the affordable laptop market and square up against Googles budget
Chromebooks. Dont get me wrong, some of the best Chromebooks on the market right now can handle heavy workloads and do most of what youd expect from a MacBook, but as someone deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, it
wouldnt make sense for me to buy one.

The 2020 MacBook Air still holds up today, and the M1 chip is more than capable of keeping up with everyday tasks, but the fact that its already four years old now does not mean youre going to be spending money on an older machine thats not exactly futureproof. , If last years rumors were indeed talking about the M1 MacBook Air, I cant be too mad (well, I am), but I do hope that we will someday see a new , cheaper alternative to the M3 MacBook Air. You might also like... Google Drive is finally getting a dark mode and this makes me happy Anyone can now browse through Apple Vision Pro apps on
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/macbooks/rumored-affordable-macbook-air-is nt-actually-new-and-im-not-happy


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