Mac users: which year/model 2nd hand Macbook Air 13 is best?

Forums › Mac OS › Mac users: which year/model 2nd hand Macbook Air 13 is best?

Batman

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#204931 23-Oct-2016 16:54

Hi I have never used Mac OS and would like to try in the form of a light and long battery test pad.

Hence a Macbook Air 13.

Was there a model that you won't buy, ie was there a model that was vastly superior in updates to the previous one - I'd like to look out for that one on trademe. I was thinking under $1000, other wise I'd get the XPS 13.

[My other option is a 2016 Kaby Lake Dell XPS 13 i5 matte ... but thinking laterally, as aesthetically its proportions don't look pleasing and the black smudgy carbon fibre was off putting and the keyboard/trackpad isn't as good, but other than that it beats the Air out of orbit]

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#1656648 23-Oct-2016 17:21

Don't buy the first/second generation. They did not have a lot of power and very little HD space. Not sure how the 2011 and previous models are. I have a 2012 Macbook Air 13" (fully specced) and I am still very happy with it.

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Batman

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#1656655 23-Oct-2016 17:49

2012 is what gen?

dusty42

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#1656657 23-Oct-2016 17:55

I'd try to get one with a Haswell or later CPU - much improved power usage, new ones saw 12 hours per charge.

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#1656677 23-Oct-2016 19:11

I have an early 2015 MacBook Air 13" with the 256GB SSD. I picked it up a year ago for around $1300 on TradeMe (as new) with a 3 year warranty. It was retailing for $2200 at the time, so it was amazing deal. The key was getting to know the TradeMe pricing really well. Then search the latest MacBook Air listings very frequently, until a cheap buy now pops up. That's how I buy things on TradeMe, pounce on buy nows well below market value. Sometimes it's only been up a minute and I've bought it : )

I'm very happy with my MacBook Air. I just use it for word processing, internet browsing and some fairly light applications.

FYI: The RAM is soldered, so you can't upgrade your RAM easily. Also, your battery probably won't last anywhere near the claimed battery life.

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#1656686 23-Oct-2016 19:39

Apples got a event on the 28th so might it to wait and see if there's a drop in prices off of people upgrading.

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#1656687 23-Oct-2016 19:43

benokobi: Apples got a event on the 28th so might it to wait and see if there's a drop in prices off of people upgrading.

Ah thanks for the heads up

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#1656688 23-Oct-2016 19:44

Sam91:

I have an early 2015 MacBook Air 13" with the 256GB SSD. I picked it up a year ago for around $1300 on TradeMe (as new) with a 3 year warranty. It was retailing for $2200 at the time, so it was amazing deal. The key was getting to know the TradeMe pricing really well. Then search the latest MacBook Air listings very frequently, until a cheap buy now pops up. That's how I buy things on TradeMe, pounce on buy nows well below market value. Sometimes it's only been up a minute and I've bought it : )

I'm very happy with my MacBook Air. I just use it for word processing, internet browsing and some fairly light applications.

FYI: The RAM is soldered, so you can't upgrade your RAM easily. Also, your battery probably won't last anywhere near the claimed battery life.

So you are the one buying all the buy nows! (Just kidding)

Ok thanks will do

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#1656695 23-Oct-2016 20:09

I'm super happy with my 2013 MacBook Air. I bought it from Apple as a refurbished model, which was cheaper at that time than anything comparable on TradeMe. When you are checking up on prices on TradeMe it pays to compare with the refurbished models (they come as new from Apple with the same warranty, etc and you can add Apple Care).

http://www.apple.com/nz/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

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#1656706 23-Oct-2016 20:57

Ok thanks

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#1656715 23-Oct-2016 21:24

New battery for the Air runs around $90 on Trademe if you're worried about getting a thrashed one. FYI my mid-13 is up to 600 cycles and gets 6 hours.

edit:

coconut battery says this 3 year machine has 89% of the original battery capacity, which is pretty awesome for lithium anything with so many cycles on the clock.

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#1656780 24-Oct-2016 07:47

I've done some reading and determined that the "early 2015" model is what I'm after -

Question: was there a 2016 update to the Air 13?

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#1656785 24-Oct-2016 08:04

Mactracker is a good app for comparison between models and checking specs. iOS and Mac OS versions http://mactracker.ca/

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#1656792 24-Oct-2016 09:08

joker97:

Hi I have never used Mac OS and would like to try in the form of a light and long battery test pad.

Hence a Macbook Air 13.

Was there a model that you won't buy, ie was there a model that was vastly superior in updates to the previous one - I'd like to look out for that one on trademe. I was thinking under $1000, other wise I'd get the XPS 13.

[My other option is a 2016 Kaby Lake Dell XPS 13 i5 matte ... but thinking laterally, as aesthetically its proportions don't look pleasing and the black smudgy carbon fibre was off putting and the keyboard/trackpad isn't as good, but other than that it beats the Air out of orbit]

Interested to know why you want to try MacOS if you have never used it, particularly by commiting to a purchase. FYI, NOT a PC vs Mac comment.

I switched in 2013, rMBP. Not as I was over Windows, but solely as I wanted a new laptop, and for integration to my iPhone and iPad. I didn't do the read everything about switching thing, just learnt and looked up as I went, a bit of a learning curve. In many ways, anything are very similar, or more or less similar, but its also a slightly different mindset. I thought that then. Very happy with the change.

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#1656793 24-Oct-2016 09:18

It's for the missus. My options are vast and giving me a headache - Ipad Pro small 500g, Ipad Pro big 800g, Mac Air 13 1.3kg, XPS 13 Matte 1.2kg, X1 Carbon WQHD 1.1kg, Iphone 6S+ 200g. She doesn't know what she wants. As you can see they are all light things with good battery life, some better than others. ATM she uses the 6+ 99% of the time.

I will buy what's the best deal on trademe :)

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#1656794 24-Oct-2016 09:27

joker97:

It's for the missus. My options are vast and giving me a headache - Ipad Pro small 500g, Ipad Pro big 800g, Mac Air 13 1.3kg, XPS 13 Matte 1.2kg, X1 Carbon WQHD 1.1kg, Iphone 6S+ 200g. She doesn't know what she wants. As you can see they are all light things with good battery life, some better than others. ATM she uses the 6+ 99% of the time.

I will buy what's the best deal on trademe :)

Cool. If you went Apple id go for the MBA over an iPad. Keyboard and screen are much better to than a tablet IMHO. MacOS and Windows are far more flexible than iOS.

iPad is really good for Juice Jam tho! :-) (Level 605 here)

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