[HELP] New MacBook Air 2018 Vs MacBook Pro 2017 (Non-Touchbar)

[Dr. House]

Hello! I am going to buy a new apple laptop from taiwan. So here need your help. Please don't start the endless debate of mac and windows. I want suggestions from mac users.

My use is simple I am a doctor with hobby of photography. I already own iPhone and iPad so basically rely on apple ecosystem. My use is quite general with everyday surfing and sometime photo editing. I am buying a laptop after 7 years so keep in mind I am long time user.

For that I am pretty much confused between buying all new macbook air 13" and macbook pro 13" 2017 non-touch bar model.

Macbook air 256GB has 8th gen processor, better keyboard and touch ID = 1,06,000 INR (converted)
Macbook pro 256GB has faster clock 7th gen processor, faster GPU Intel 640 (vs 617 of air), faster charger. = 1,10,500 INR

So price difference is nothing much. One side air is a new machine on other it's more power of pro.

 

[Nerevarine]

Kind of obvious choice with the pro, remember that older butterfly keyboard have issues and may go bad. Apple has 3 years of extended warranty for these devices. Just keep the keyboard dust free and it will work fine.

 

[whitestar_999]

Compared: 2018 MacBook Air versus 13-inch MacBook Pro and 2017 MacBook Air

If you're a casual user, you'll most likely be very happy with the Retina display in the new MacBook Air, but if you're somebody that often uses their laptop outside, or you do color grading or photo editing, we would suggest going with the MacBook Pro.

Though best scenario would be to able to get macbook pro 2018 model in some black Friday deal.

 

[Dr. House]

Compared: 2018 MacBook Air versus 13-inch MacBook Pro and 2017 MacBook Air

Though best scenario would be to able to get macbook pro 2018 model in some black Friday deal.

Taiwan has black friday deals?

 

[whitestar_999]

No,but I thought you might have some way to get products from US there without paying high customs duty.Ignore it if it is not possible.

 

[Dr. House]

No,but I thought you might have some way to get products from US there without paying high customs duty.Ignore it if it is not possible.

You mean one need to give high custom duties after purchasing from taiwan? I mean even after unboxing and keeping in you backpack?

 

[whitestar_999]

You mean one need to give high custom duties after purchasing from taiwan? I mean even after unboxing and keeping in you backpack?

I mean unlike India maybe Taiwan allow buying products online from a country like US without putting too much customs duty.Of course carrying laptop in backpack is duty free in most countries but that would require someone traveling from US to Taiwan or Taiwan to India.

P.S. I thought you are returning from Taiwan & planning to bring laptop with you from there.

 

[Stormbringer]

I would vote for Macbook pro for the better display and performance. Only -ve is the older version of Butterfly keyboard as Nerevarine mentioned.

 

[Dr. House]

I mean unlike India maybe Taiwan allow buying products online from a country like US without putting too much customs duty.Of course carrying laptop in backpack is duty free in most countries but that would require someone traveling from US to Taiwan or Taiwan to India.

P.S. I thought you are returning from Taiwan & planning to bring laptop with you from there.

I mean to say I am from India, my brother is going Taiwan for office work and he will be back India after 4 days. He can get me macbook from official apple store and bring it open in his backpack. I am double confirming that is it possible for him to not pay any customs in such process?

 

[whitestar_999]

I mean to say I am from India, my brother is going Taiwan for office work and he will be back India after 4 days. He can get me macbook from official apple store and bring it open in his backpack. I am double confirming that is it possible for him to not pay any customs in such process?

Then that's fine.I thought you are currently staying in Taiwan & maybe can get products from US black friday deal shipped to Taiwan without paying much custom duty & then bring it back to India(but even if it is possible then I think 4 days stay is too short for product to reach from USA to Taiwan).

 

[Dr. House]

Then that's fine.I thought you are currently staying in Taiwan & maybe can get products from US black friday deal shipped to Taiwan without paying much custom duty & then bring it back to India(but even if it is possible then I think 4 days stay is too short for product to reach from USA to Taiwan).

Yeah! Too complicated process. It's best for him to shop from taiwan apple store and simply bring to home in India.

As per benchmarks new macbook air looks fine to attend everyday task. Old macbook pro has keyboard issue might bother later. Pretty much confused now.

 

[whitestar_999]

If there is an option for getting warranty in India then go ahead with pro else you can take a chance & still go with it relying on your luck(assuming it is not like you will definitely get keyboard issues). If screen colour reproduction is not of that much concern to you then Air is also fine. Only advantage I see for Pro is in its screen & speakers.

 

[Nerevarine]

Apple has international warranty, afaik. clarify with apple store before purchasing.

 

[Dr. House]

Apple has international warranty, afaik. clarify with apple store before purchasing.

Yeah! Apple has international one year warranty everywhere, specially when you're buying from official apple store.

If pro is that good with almost same price range, so what is the point of apple launching so high priced macbook air? Air is 100-150$ overpriced for sure.

And considering all non-touch bar models will be soon "discontinued" as there are no models with 8th gen this year. In 2016 at the time time of new macbook pro launch they said non-touch bar models are for air users and now they have all new macbook air models.
From next year and so on apple touch bar model would be entry level macbook pro.

 

[Nerevarine]

Yeah! Apple has international one year warranty everywhere, specially when you're buying from official apple store.

If pro is that good with almost same price range, so what is the point of apple launching so high priced macbook air? Air is 100-150$ overpriced for sure.

And considering all non-touch bar models will be soon "discontinued" as there are no models with 8th gen this year. In 2016 at the time time of new macbook pro launch they said non-touch bar models are for air users and now they have all new macbook air models.
From next year and so on apple touch bar model would be entry level macbook pro.

Get the pro, it's display is retina and has DCI-P3 color space, something the air doesnt have.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro - Apple Support

This is extended keyboard warranty

 

[Dr. House]

Get the pro, it's display is retina and has DCI-P3 color space, something the air doesnt have.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro - Apple Support

This is extended keyboard warranty

I guess the new production manufacturing models that would be available on official apple store taiwan wouldn't have such issue, in case it has there is an option to be solved. I think I should go with macbook pro non touch bar 256GB.

 

[Nerevarine]

All 2016-2017 models have this issue. Just keep keyboard clean, keep a paper on the keyboard before closing the case. IT will be fine.
Ive been using 2017 15 inch model for 1.2 years and its working fine

 

[Dr. House]

All 2016-2017 models have this issue. Just keep keyboard clean, keep a paper on the keyboard before closing the case. IT will be fine.
Ive been using 2017 15 inch model for 1.2 years and its working fine

Thanks! by the way what is the difference between macbook pro 13 2018 and 2017 displays?

 

[Stormbringer]

Yeah! Apple has international one year warranty everywhere, specially when you're buying from official apple store.

If pro is that good with almost same price range, so what is the point of apple launching so high priced macbook air? Air is 100-150$ overpriced for sure.

Overpricing is something Apple is good at. The Macbook Air and Macbook Pro are directed towards different audiences. The former, towards for students and those who want more battery life.The latter towards professionals who want the more accurate and brighter display with more performance who can comprise on battery a bit.

The Non-touch bar pro model weren't updated to 8th gen processors because Apple wanted to buy the more expensive touch bar models.

In the end, as long you are buying an Apple device, they don't care the overlapping of models.

 

[Dr. House]

Overpricing is something Apple is good at. The Macbook Air and Macbook Pro are directed towards different audiences. The former, towards for students and those who want more battery life.The latter towards professionals who want the more accurate and brighter display with more performance who can comprise on battery a bit.

The Non-touch bar pro model weren't updated to 8th gen processors because Apple wanted to buy the more expensive touch bar models.

In the end, as long you are buying an Apple device, they don't care the overlapping of models.

I guess non-touch bar models are not updated because they are going to launch macbook air in same price range, when they launched non touch bar models in 2016, they simply said it's macbook air replacement and now air replaced that back.