I had mixed feelings when Apple ditched the wedge in favor of a more traditional form factor for the M2 MacBook Air. Does it feel a bit like a burn? Of course, but at least there was no wedge went It was still an M1 Air.
Except now that the M3 Air is here, it’s discontinued. Now, it really is the end of the wedge period and I can’t help but feel bored.
Logically speaking, losing the wedge shape doesn’t affect how the new Airs work. I know because I have one: a 15-inch M2 MacBook Air. It’s thin, thick, and the battery lasts forever. I didn’t pay a nickel for it. These are the defining characteristics for Air – wedge-less or not.
But I also have an M1 MacBook Air that I use for work. Lately, jumping back and forth between the two, I’ve come to appreciate the wedge more than I thought I would. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I find it easier to type on it. When I’m writing a manuscript, the sloped edge under my palms is more comfortable. When I tuck it under my arm while walking through the office, it just feels better. I have owned MacBook Airs for many years. It was actually the first time I bought with my own money. I still get that vague feeling when I unzip my backpack and see that wedge waiting in the laptop sleeve.
However, it is more than just an unusual design preference. For me, the wedge represented a clear and distinct identity for Air.
I loved everything about my first Air. After breaking my back in college lugging a 17-inch Dell Latitude, the ultraportable design felt like a miracle. The tapered profile made a huge difference every time I opened my backpack. in lieu of that’s it A thin slab, I could carry a laptop and many other things at the same time. A weight was literally lifted off my shoulders and that feeling of freedom? This is what makes Air such a great product.
Over the years, this image has embedded itself in my psyche. I see it in coffee shops, airplanes, offices, etc., and for whatever reason, it has become a visual cue that helps me get through business. ahMy mind thinks, Look at all these parts. I have reached the work area. I vividly remember spending an afternoon in a cafe in San Francisco ten years ago, finding several groups of young entrepreneurs dreaming of the next big thing. Most of their ideas were clearly terrifying, but the energy was electric. All of them were pushed on MacBook Airs.
The latest Airs, with their flat profiles and square corners, look a lot like the Pro with fewer ports, but as the Pro gets slower and lighter, there’s no guarantee that when I pick one up, I’ll know what is which. It used to be that when I compared a MacBook Pro versus a MacBook Air, there were distinct differences. But as I wrote in my M3 MacBook Pro 14 review, the lines between the two are starting to blur. The differences between the 13-inch Air and the 14-inch Pro are obvious, but it’s getting messy in the middle. Buying a 15-inch Air means you’re giving up a real weight advantage — the 14-inch Pro weighs 3.4 pounds while my 15-inch Air weighs 3.3 pounds. Depending on your configuration, you may not be saving money. When I ran the numbers for myself a few months ago, I was seeing a $100 difference.
Moving on, what’s there to help make an Airbus differ from the MacBook Pro? A slightly thinner profile? Maybe, if you’re the colorful type, a bright color? (Apple isn’t nearly as punchy with colors as it could be.) Like I said, weight isn’t necessarily a plus in the air column. ports? are ports Really the basic thing standing between an Air and a basic MacBook Pro? It feels wrong.
Today when I woke up, I did not expect to feel any kind of wedge. But looking back, a wedge-shaped wind was present during some important parts of my life and career. Now that I can not get another? I’m holding on to this M1 Air for as long as possible.