8 ms·

The MacBook Air is not a luxury device. That meme is out of date

pseufaux 2y ago
Curious what criteria you're using for using for qualifying luxury. It seems to me that materials, software, and design are all on par with other more expansive Apple products. The main difference is the chipset which I would argue is on an equal quality level as the pro chips but designed for a less power hungry audience.
ozim 2y ago
Maybe for you, but I still see sales guys who refuse working on WinTel where basically what the do is browse internet and do spreadsheets - so mainly just because they would not look cool compared to other sales guys rocking MacBooks.
- stevage 2y ago
  I don't buy this "looking cool" argument. I have used both. I think the Mac experience is significantly better. No one is looking at me.
  - ozim 2y ago
    I provide laptops to people from time to time. They expect to get a MacBook even if company is Windows and they don’t have any real arguments.
lolinder 2y ago
I can't buy a MacBook Air for less than $999, and that's for a model with 8GB RAM, an 8-core CPU and 256GB SSD. The equivalent (based on raw specs) in the PC world runs for $300 to $500. How is something that is twice as expensive as the competition not a luxury device? EDIT: Because there's repeated confusion in the replies: I am not saying that a MacBook Air is not objectively a better device. I'm saying it is better by metrics that fall strictly into the "luxury" category. Better build quality, system-on-a-chip, better OS, better battery life, aluminum case—all of these are luxury characteristics that someone who is looking for a functional device that meets their needs at a decent price won't have as dealbreakers.
- spurgu 2y ago
  Really? You can find a laptop with the equivalent of Apple Silicon for $3-500? And while I haven't used Windows in ages I doubt it runs as well with 8 GB as MacOS does.
  - lolinder 2y ago
    Sure, then try this one from HP with 16GB RAM and a CPU that benchmarks in the same ballpark as the M2, for $387: https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-i7-11370H-Micro-Edge-Anti-Glare/dp/B09NL8JTB6/ https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-i7-11370H-Micro-Edge-Anti... The point isn't that the MacBook Air isn't better by some metrics than PC laptops. A Rolls-Royce is "better" by certain metrics than a Toyota, too. What makes a device luxury is if it costs substantially more than competing products that the average person would consider a valid replacement.
    - zlsa 2y ago
      I'm not sure a machine that benchmarks half as fast as an M2 can be said to be in the same ballpark. MacBook Air (2022): https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/macbook-air-2022 https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/macbook-air-2022 Ryzen 5 5500U (CPU): https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/amd-ryzen-5-5500u https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/amd-ryzen-5-5500u Ryzen 5 5500U (APU, similar laptop): https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/compute/6751456 https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/compute/6751456
    - wiseowise 2y ago
      No offense, but you sound like a garbage salesman at flee market trying to sell his junk.
    - breuleux 2y ago
      > the average person would consider a valid replacement But what is that, exactly? If you look at all aspects of a laptop: CPU, RAM, SSD, battery life, screen quality, build quality, touchpad, OS, and put them in order of importance for the average consumer, what would be on top? I don't think it's the tech specs. For instance, I would be willing to bet that for a large number of consumers, battery life is far more important than the tech specs, which means that a valid replacement for their MacBook must have equivalent battery life. You also have to consider things like the expected lifespan of the laptop and its resale value to properly compare their costs. It's not simple.

Curious what criteria you're using for using for qualifying luxury. It seems to me that materials, software, and design are all on par with other more expansive Apple products. The main difference is the chipset which I would argue is on an equal quality level as the pro chips but designed for a less power hungry audience.

ozim 2y ago

Maybe for you, but I still see sales guys who refuse working on WinTel where basically what the do is browse internet and do spreadsheets - so mainly just because they would not look cool compared to other sales guys rocking MacBooks.

stevage 2y ago
I don't buy this "looking cool" argument. I have used both. I think the Mac experience is significantly better. No one is looking at me.
- ozim 2y ago
  I provide laptops to people from time to time. They expect to get a MacBook even if company is Windows and they don’t have any real arguments.

lolinder 2y ago

I can't buy a MacBook Air for less than $999, and that's for a model with 8GB RAM, an 8-core CPU and 256GB SSD. The equivalent (based on raw specs) in the PC world runs for $300 to $500. How is something that is twice as expensive as the competition not a luxury device? EDIT: Because there's repeated confusion in the replies: I am not saying that a MacBook Air is not objectively a better device. I'm saying it is better by metrics that fall strictly into the "luxury" category. Better build quality, system-on-a-chip, better OS, better battery life, aluminum case—all of these are luxury characteristics that someone who is looking for a functional device that meets their needs at a decent price won't have as dealbreakers.

spurgu 2y ago
Really? You can find a laptop with the equivalent of Apple Silicon for $3-500? And while I haven't used Windows in ages I doubt it runs as well with 8 GB as MacOS does.
- lolinder 2y ago
  Sure, then try this one from HP with 16GB RAM and a CPU that benchmarks in the same ballpark as the M2, for $387: https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-i7-11370H-Micro-Edge-Anti-Glare/dp/B09NL8JTB6/ https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-i7-11370H-Micro-Edge-Anti... The point isn't that the MacBook Air isn't better by some metrics than PC laptops. A Rolls-Royce is "better" by certain metrics than a Toyota, too. What makes a device luxury is if it costs substantially more than competing products that the average person would consider a valid replacement.
  - zlsa 2y ago
    I'm not sure a machine that benchmarks half as fast as an M2 can be said to be in the same ballpark. MacBook Air (2022): https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/macbook-air-2022 https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/macbook-air-2022 Ryzen 5 5500U (CPU): https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/amd-ryzen-5-5500u https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/amd-ryzen-5-5500u Ryzen 5 5500U (APU, similar laptop): https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/compute/6751456 https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/compute/6751456
  - wiseowise 2y ago
    No offense, but you sound like a garbage salesman at flee market trying to sell his junk.
  - breuleux 2y ago
    > the average person would consider a valid replacement But what is that, exactly? If you look at all aspects of a laptop: CPU, RAM, SSD, battery life, screen quality, build quality, touchpad, OS, and put them in order of importance for the average consumer, what would be on top? I don't think it's the tech specs. For instance, I would be willing to bet that for a large number of consumers, battery life is far more important than the tech specs, which means that a valid replacement for their MacBook must have equivalent battery life. You also have to consider things like the expected lifespan of the laptop and its resale value to properly compare their costs. It's not simple.