MacBook Air lifespan - Apple Community (2024)

John Galt

141,024 points

The answer depends on what you mean by "lifespan".

A Mac's useful economic life is about seven years, but there is no limit to how long it can continue to work exactly the same as it did when you bought it. To maximize that useful economic life, then specify its maximum performance, storage, and memory when you buy it. Only you can decide what that may be.

MacMikeInOK

3,598 points

To expand just a tad on what others here have already said:

1. The 7 year average is the span that, beyond it, the Mac will no longer be able to install new MacOS versions.
2. It's also the length of time before you're very close to the time Apple will no longer be able to supply parts for it, as they'll designate it "obsolete" right around that time.
3. Laptop batteries don't last forever, and 7 years is a pretty long time for them to last.

I support the suggestion that, to get the full "lifespan" (your term, not necessarily mine) you'd want to get a current model Mac rather than a model that's 1-2 years old before you even open it.

Saving money is possible for Education and military vets/retirees. Another way to save is to purchase a Certified Refurbished Mac direct from Apple. Certified Refurbished Products - Apple. These refurbished Macs carry the same warranty as a brand new one, and in most cases are virtually identical to brand new. If you want, you can add AppleCare to a Certified Refurbished Mac as well for even more security.

Servant of Cats

7,077 points

MacMikeInOK wrote:

You rarely, however, will see Apple discount models that have been replaced, as they typically remove them from their stores when the new ones come out.

In the case of the MacBook Airs, there is still a M1 MacBook Air in the lineup, starting at the "magic" $999 USD price point ($100 USD cheaper than the least expensive 13" M2 MacBook Air).

IIRC, when the M2 MacBook Airs came out, there was a price increase of about $150 USD, relative to similar M1 MacBook Air configurations. For the extra money, you got a bunch of goodies:

• MagSafe 3 charging port
• Better sound system
• Better Webcam
• Liquid Retina display
• Newer processor
• Option to order 24 GB of RAM
• Option to order a 15" model (not immediately – this came a few months down the line)
• Being a year further away from vintage/obsolete status

I know which I'd pick – if I was in the market for an Air. One of the M2 models. Or maybe waiting a while to see if Apple is going to update the Airs with the M3.

sberman

263,751 points

MacMikeInOK

3,598 points

ARMLINK wrote:

So if I were to purchase an M2 MacBook Air by next year, I will be okay? Also, when Apple launches their M3 MacBook Air models, does this potentially mean the M1 will be obsolete and the M2 model will drop in price?

You'll be fine with going with an M2 MBA by next year. Odds are the M3 MBA won't appear until first quarter next year. You'll start seeing discounts from 3rd party Authorized resellers for models that are going to be replaced approximately 2-3 weeks before Apple releases new models. You rarely, however, will see Apple discount models that have been replaced, as they typically remove them from their stores when the new ones come out.

The deepest discounts on new Macs that I've seen on a regular basis seem to come from bhphotovideo.com, a company that began selling photography equipment but has since branched out to computers and video equipment as well.

(I should also mention here that we are not Apple employees here, and as such do not know anything about when Apple will launch anything).

Sad_Apple_user

8 points