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Here’s what I’d like to see with the MacBook Air redesign, after seeing MacBook Neo

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Why This Matters

The introduction of the MacBook Neo challenges the traditional MacBook Air lineup, offering comparable or better specs at a potentially lower price point. The upcoming MacBook Air's transition to OLED displays and improved thermal management could significantly enhance user experience and device performance, influencing consumer choices and industry standards. These developments highlight Apple's ongoing efforts to innovate in display technology and thermal efficiency across its Mac lineup.

Key Takeaways

Apple unveiled the MacBook Neo earlier this month, and in my opinion – it completely breaks the MacBook lineup as we knew it. If you’re someone who previously bought a MacBook Air, and you don’t need 16GB of RAM for heavier multitasking – why wouldn’t you buy the MacBook Neo now?

In my eyes, the MacBook Neo is just as good of a general purpose laptop as the MacBook Air was, and besides more RAM, a much faster processor (though still a thermally limited one), and a larger display, it doesn’t feel like MacBook Air has much going for it – at least for now. Here’s how I’d improve it.

Better display

Luckily, this one is already in the rumor mill, and isn’t a farfetched dream.

In 2028, MacBook Air is rumored to make the switch to OLED, just two years after the MacBook Pro. It’ll be the fifth major Apple product to do so, following iPhone, iPad Pro, this year’s iPad mini (rumored), and the redesigned MacBook Pro.

And while it will be gaining OLED like the MacBook Pro, it probably won’t be gaining touch support. From Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman:

At this point, Apple hasn’t decided whether to bring touch to any Macs beyond the MacBook Pro (a model that’s slated to arrive as early as at the end of this year). So I highly doubt touch is being considered for Apple’s lowest-tier Mac. The popular MacBook Air would make more sense to come first, but even that isn’t due to get an iPhone-style OLED screen for at least two years.

Nonetheless, this’ll be a pretty substantial improvement for MacBook Air, putting it a league above MacBook Neo.

One thing the rumors doesn’t make clear is whether or not it’ll have 120Hz. To me, this feels like an easy add for the price point. People are ultimately buying MacBook Pro for peak performance, better thermals, and having the best of the best – and MacBook Air could easily include 120Hz without cannibalizing MacBook Pro.

Better thermals

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