Apple increased the price for its newest MacBook Air by $200 - but I still think it's worth the money

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Apple increased the price for its newest MacBook Air by $200 - but I still think it's worth the money

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Best Buy

It's a beautiful machine, powerful enough for most tasks, and for many (including me) will be well worth the money.

  • The 2018 MacBook Air is the first major update to the Air since 2010.
  • The new computer looks much more modern and sleek thanks to its black bezels and thin profile.
  • It's also pretty powerful, though power users may want to look into the MacBook Pro instead for an extra $100.
  • The 2018 MacBook Air's entry-level price ($1,199) is more expensive than previous generations ($999), but if you want a thin and light Mac, it's still the way to go.

Apple's range of Mac computers are going through some pretty big changes.

The Mac Mini, for starters, got its first update in four years last year, bringing it well and truly into modern times. Alongside that release, however, was something perhaps even more interesting - a revamped MacBook Air, which takes some of the best things from previous MacBook Airs, adds better performance, and refines on the concept as a whole.

But along with the improved design and more powerful specs, Apple has also given the 2018 MacBook Air a price bump, bringing it up from the $999 starting price of the older MacBook Air, up to $1,199. That puts the computer in competition with some of the more expensive Ultrabooks out there, and even puts it in competition with Apple's own MacBook Pro.

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Is the 2018 MacBook Air worth buying, or should you fork out the extra $100 for the MacBook Pro? We put the 2018 MacBook Air to the test.

Read more: The best MacBooks you can buy

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Best Buy

The device comes in at 0.61 inches thick at its thickest, which is very slim.

The overall design

As you might expect, the first thing to notice about the 2018 MacBook Air is its design, and as you would expect from an Apple laptop, it's beautiful. The device comes in at 0.61 inches thick at its thickest, which is very slim. It has a footprint of 11.97 x 8.36 inches, but perhaps more important is the weight, which comes in at a very light 2.75 pounds.

Broadly, the 2018 MacBook Air looks very similar to other Apple laptops, but Apple has made a few changes to the newest addition. For starters, ports have been radically altered. You'll now get two USB-C ports and a headphone jack - and that's it. Considering the rise of streaming services and wireless devices, we think that most will be perfectly fine with the limited port selection - though some, who may prefer to stick with wired mice and older storage means, may need to get dongles and adapters.

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One thing that makes the MacBook Air look like a modern laptop is the black bezels. Apple has done away with the silver bezels on the older device, and replaced them with black glass, which makes the device look more like other Apple MacBooks. We like the change a lot.

Read more: The best laptops you can buy

The keyboard

Another notable change to the 2018 MacBook Air is its keyboard - and there has been a lot of talk about Apple laptops' keyboard.

The 2018 MacBook Air features a third-generation butterfly mechanism keyboard, which means that it shouldn't have as many issues with broken keys and crumbs.

Feel-wise, our relationship with the keyboard was a little complicated. At first, we didn't love it - key travel is far shorter than other keyboards, and that can make for missed keystrokes. Over time, however, we really got used to it, and even grew to like it. Many will try the keyboard once and dismiss it, but we would suggest trying it for at least a week or two before making any judgments.

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The keyboard also appears to have gained an extra key - in the form of a Touch ID sensor in the top right-hand corner. We like the addition. While Apple may have moved away from Touch ID on its phones, on the MacBook Air, it's far easier to log in, use Touch ID, and more.

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Best Buy

The 2018 MacBook Air is available in Gold, Silver, and Space Gray.

The specs

Apple hasn't just made aesthetic changes to the MacBook Air. The company has gotten some serious upgrades for 2018, and they're long overdue.

The base model of the MacBook Air comes with a 1.6GHz 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of solid-state storage. It's not bad for an entry-level device - but ultimately, the MacBook Air starts at $1,199, and that's not an entry-level price. We would have liked to see at least a little more storage, even if Apple didn't want to include an i7 chip as a way to upsell customers.

Despite the sometime slower specs compared to Windows laptops at this price, the computer was powerful enough for most things we needed it for. We largely used it for basic office apps, web-browsing, and emailing, but we were able to successfully use it for running virtual machines in Parallels, and even streaming games through Steam. Suffice to say, while it's not a gaming powerhouse, the computer is more than capable enough for most basic needs.

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Read more: The best routers you can buy for fast Wi-Fi at home

The bottom line

The 2018 MacBook Air has a lot going for it. It has gotten a nice update that includes a refined, yet appropriate design, and updated specs.

There's only one problem - the price.

If Apple had stuck with the $999 entry-level price, the 2018 MacBook Air would have been an absolute home run. At $1,200, however, things are a little more complicated.

If you don't really care whether you use a Windows or MacOS laptop, then we would recommend the Dell XPS 13 or Huawei MateBook X Pro to those who want an Ultrabook, which will offer slightly better value for money.

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If, however, you much prefer MacOS, then things are a little more complicated - after all, the MacBook Pro is only $100 more expensive. Ultimately, if you're looking for performance, then go with the MacBook Pro. If, however, you'd prefer something light and portable, and don't need your laptop to do ultra-high-performance tasks, then we recommend the MacBook Air. Sure, it's not the best in terms of performance for money, but it's a beautiful machine, powerful enough for most tasks, and for many (including me) will be well worth the money.

Buy the 2018 MacBook Air for $1,099.99 (originally $1,199) from Best Buy and Amazon [You save $100]

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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

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