Skip to main content

The MacBook Air doesn’t need a price cut, it needs a redesign

Image used with permission by copyright holder

A new report from a reliable source has indicated Apple is looking to release a cheaper MacBook Air later this year. Obviously, we don’t know the specifics yet, but it’s an interesting report, especially when compared to the January report that the MacBook Air was going to be replaced later this year.

It could come in the form of a dramatic price cut of the 12-inch laptop, or in a complete redesign of the MacBook Air — either way, it’s time for something new in the entry-level market, not just a price cut. Apple has been riding the wave of the MacBook Air for years, selling it on name recognition alone. According to Apple, it was meant to be discontinued a long time ago, but has stayed in circulation due to how well it sold. An update has been a long time coming.

Recommended Videos

Regardless of the direction of this new laptop, there are a few things Apple has to do to fix the problem. Here are the most important — a fresh 1080p display, an 8th-gen Intel processor, and some Thunderbolt 3 ports.

According to the results from our poll, people are looking for something new in the MacBook Air, not just a price cut. But the prospect of Apple continuing to sell the current MacBook Air at a cheaper price is definitely possible. After all, it’s been doing it for years.

Selling an outdated laptop at a cheaper price isn’t the same as designing a product for that specific price point. It’d be the equivalent of Apple selling the iPhone SE — a phone that looked like the iPhone 4 — without completely updating the internals when it came out. Apple’s been doing this for years with the MacBook Air. Not cool.

The cheapest MacBook will always sell well, even with an old design and outdated internals. Giving it another price cut is just taking advantage of that fact, rather than building something innovative for the entry-level market, like the original MacBook. It doesn’t need a Touch Bar and all the fanciest new features. It just needs to be a solid computer at a decent price. If Apple pull that off, we’ll consider it a great budget laptop again.

Luke Larsen
Luke Larsen is the Senior Editor of Computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.
Massive M4 MacBook Pro leaks have been ‘confirmed’ to be true
Russian YouTuber Romancev768 with what is claimed to be a real M4 MacBook Pro unit.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen a spate of leaks showing off what are alleged to be the upcoming M4 MacBook Pro. From photos of retail boxes to full-blown unboxing videos, the internet has been awash with the next MacBook Pro, despite the fact that Apple hasn’t even announced it yet.

Despite the constant media attention, there have been consistent doubts about the leaks -- for some, they just had a few too many question marks to be trusted. Yet Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has just dropped a bombshell by throwing his weight behind the leaks, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: “I can confirm that these are indeed Apple’s upcoming M4 MacBook Pros.” Gurman is one of the most accurate and consistent Apple leakers in the business and claims to have sources deep inside the company. So, when he says something is genuine, there’s a good chance he’s right.

Read more
These M4 MacBook Pro leaks are a goldmine of secret info
Russian YouTuber Romancev768 with what is claimed to be a real M4 MacBook Pro unit.

Apple's known for locking down its secrets under lock and key. But not these past few weeks.

The company hasn’t even announced the M4 MacBook Pro, yet we’ve apparently learned pretty much everything there is to know about the upcoming laptop thanks to a series of purported high-profile leaks and unboxing videos that have shown off the device from every angle. For a firm as security conscious as Apple, having the MacBook Pro spoiled in this way is close to catastrophic.

Read more
These M4 MacBook Pro leaks are getting insane, and I don’t know what to believe anymore
An open MacBook Pro on a table.

Apple has yet to announce an October Mac event, but leaks for the M4 MacBook Pro continue to circulate. A new tweet from Apple leaker ShrimpApplePro and a new Russian unboxing video have been spotted by Tom's Hardware, giving this possibly true and definitely unprecedented Apple leak more steam. The tweet claims a seller on a private Facebook group has 200 units of the M4 MacBook Pro for sale, adding: "This is probably the biggest warehouse leakage I've ever seen."

https://x.com/VNchocoTaco/status/1843133165302591861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1843133165302591861%7Ctwgr%5E3d007d4bc86ddf38301ce5446103d04c8e8215f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tomshardware.com%2Flaptops%2Fapple-macbook-pro-m4-leakage-gets-serious-with-200-units-reportedly-up-for-sale-on-social-media

Read more