I am one of those living in exile with the MacBook Pro Core i5 2.3GHz 13" (Mid 2017) 256GB SSD. I have had so many problems with this MacBook and not just the keyboard (though I’ve taken it to Apple at least 4 times just for that), I’ve had issues with the logic board (replaced at least once when it totally died on me), and now it’s acting all kinds of weird. Overheating constantly, fan blowing ridiculously loud, and I’ve just grown used to new ways of typing. But like all my Macs, I still have sentimental value to it. I’ve written a book on this, done tons of other writing, teaching, and work. Plus, I have my best set of stickers I’ve ever had on a laptop! I hate to take them off! 
So imagine my own anticipation of the new magic keyboard laptops!
Not to mention that over the past year or so, I have decided to move back to the Air due to my own needs (I don’t really need to have an MBP for the work I do), lots of advice from MPU, and the fact that my other most favorite Mac was an earlier version of the MBA. I was very excited to see that they released the new Airs this week, no better week to have a little fun with Tech.
Money is an issue for me and many of us in this moment of uncertainty, but I also need to have a solid, reliable computer as my work and teaching now moves completely online. So I looking into the trade-in option at Apple. It wasn’t mind-blowing (I feel like they should do better by those of us living with these keyboards!), but I was able to get $570 for my laptop, which helped bring the cost down. I am an educator working at a college so I also get the education store discount. Add in about $100 of credits with using the Apple Card and a couple of other unexpected sources of income, including a check for book royalties that came yesterday that I was not expecting at all! and all of a sudden the MBA comes within reach. So like many of us MPU listeners, I did the next logical step and ordered myself a new computer!
Here’s what I got: 13-inch MacBook Air - Space Gray
With the following configuration:
- Retina display with True Tone
- 1.1GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz
- 16GB 3733MHz LPDDR4X memory
- 512GB SSD storage
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Backlit Magic Keyboard - US English
- Touch ID
- Force Touch trackpad
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
I cannot wait! I post an update here once it comes in about 2 weeks. I was on the fence about the whole thing but then hearing @ismh86’s recommendation on Connected helped me a lot with feeling like this was the right move for me. (Thanks, Stephen!).
A few notes about doing the trade-in. It’s a little confusing at first. In my case here is what I did:
- First you need to sign into the education store
- Go to trade-in after clicking on the MBA page “buy”
- Select “Trade-in” at the top of the page and follow that all the way through to its end
- That brings you back to the previous page and then
- Walkthrough as though you were going to buy the computer.
When you get to the end of that process it will show at the book of your order:
Apple Trade In
Estimated trade-in refund:
$570.00
I hope that helps.
Now the waiting begins.
Anyone else order one?
