Why Is EVERYONE Buying THIS LAPTOP!?

Recently when browsing on Amazon I was shocked to learn that a 2017 MacBook Air is still the number 13 best selling laptop on all of Amazon. Even with the low price of just $300 can a 2017 MacBook Air possibly be worth it in 2017 even with losing support for the latest macOS software? And what kind of an experience can you expect on this older Mac?

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[davidmccoy]

I think the biggest story here is not the machine itself—it's the fact that people think a laptop made a little over 5 years ago is "vintage." We have all been changed by rapid iteration cycles. COVID has also modified our sense of time. Of course, professional youtubers (no offense Greg) get new machines every year. It distorts the the perception of the machine cycle most people are on. My 2017 iMac is just fine.

[JohnDoe-vtzm]

I am speaking from personal experience when I say that these things last. My family bought 2 of these back in 2017 and only had to change the battery in 2022 to one of them and It still works perfectly for productivity.

[Marngel]

My brother still uses a 2017 MacBook Air, and he loves it for how strong and long lasting it is. What's crazy is that he has a friend who was selling a 14" M1 Pro MBP for $900, and he rejected the offer because his 2017 MBA still works perfectly well for him. Although, I'm glad he turned the offer because I ended up buying that $900 14" MBP instead lol

[tayjn]

Every time I see an older Mac I'm reminded how much I miss the glowing Apple logo

[shantanusaha]

The school I work at has been a Mac school (for student machines) since it started in 2002. I had a big part in that decision, and it hasn't let us down. We have 10-year-old iMacs still serviceable as classroom machines, and the cart of 2018 MacBook Pros is still the one I use for my computer science class (other than the two computers that have cracked screens). The only exception is when we started using a couple of carts of Chromebooks in 2019. The Chromebooks were good for basic tasks like accessing the students' Google Workspace or the Web for research and information retrieval, and the Macs were good for everything else. We were restricted to Windows computers for administration, because all the Department of Ed Intranet apps required Internet Explorer!

[manoelfelipe]

A friend of mine still has a 2013 Macbook Air. He bought it new back then. Till this day it runs surprisingly fast and recently for the first time I cleaned the fan and applied new thermal paste.

[matiasmuttoni]

Before watching the video i'm gonna state why I think its a top seller...

1. Retro design. That design is already considered to be retro, it takes shape of the 2008-2012 Macbook Air that released and hasn't changed since then.

2. Older update capabilities. Users can downgrade and visit OS X High Sierra. This update is similar to the older updates like Yosemite, that released back in 2014. I currently have the Macbook Air 2015, and I was able to downgrade to El Capitan, After that I was able to upgrade to Catalina (My favorite update).

3. Functionality. Its still new, and useful for College, or just Netflix streaming. Its pretty powerful for Mobile games, and can game on Roblox, and Minecraft Java. I have the 2015 model and I can currently play Java, not on great settings, but on good enough gameplay. Runs similar to that of an Xbox 360!

4. Keyboard. The keyboard is the "scissor" mechanism keyboard that was later discontinued on the Macbook Pro in 2015. This keyboard was far more reliable than the "Butterfly" keyboard found on Macbook Pro 2015 & finally on Macbook Air in 2018. this keyboard also has higher backlight leakage and the light travels around the squared keys, people just LOVE that.

5. Backlight Apple Logo. People REALLY just love the glowing logo. It's unique and RETRO. It stands out and not many people see it.

6. Ports. The older Macbooks had more ports. A Macbook Air 2018-2023 still has not moved on from the portless design. only using two to four USB ports (don't remember the amount).

7. It's Affordable. People like the pricing. A Macbook 2017 offers everything I've just listed for a lower price. For anybody who needs a Macbook for School, or just regular neediness, it's reliable.

8. The Body. The body of the Macbook Air 2017 is just comfortable. Its a 13 Inch screen, but easy to type with and it isn't a small form factor. It's larger than the 13" Macbook Air 2018.

9. Speakers. Speakers are housed UNDERNEATH the keys... Where do you get that?? It's something I've just never seen before.


These are all the reasons I believe exist. I mostly feel like it has much more to do with the Nostalgia. People like the ports, Speakers, Apple logo, Display, and form factor.. and its pricing is great. My Macbook Air 2015 is SUPER reliable in Catalina, and I'm using it for college. Later in the future I'll Possibly purchase a Macbook Air 2017 so it equals out after two years with my current one.

[iCrackr]

Software isn’t really an issue because you can actually upgrade this to the current macOS Ventura, just requires patching that an app will just do for you. It’s seamless and you’ll be updated

[Gadgets]

I have the 2013 version which looks exactly the same. It was really starting to show it's age with some lag, but still totally usable for most people who just want to browse the web and do some word processing or excel.

[Prppie]

I bought a refurbished 2017 MacBook Air directly from the Apple Store Online back in 2019. I like it because of the backlit logo. I am a young corporate professional and have an iMac and Alienware at home. However, I still use my 2017 MacBook Air to this date when I'm outside of my home doing my school work as I enjoy signing up for online courses to continuously upgrade my skills and knowledge with new or updated information, and I'm still loving it!

[acalthu]

This is the first video of yours I'm watching. Your articulation of the language is enjoyable, there are so many vloggers (here and on other platforms) whose vocabulary is either limited or they use the wrong synonyms and end up being a joke.

[cash]

It’s still a very viable machine even today for things like web browsing, emails and for word processing or students looking for a budget Mac 💻 while still getting to experience MacOs and the wonderful ecosystem

[MrSamPhoenix]

I still use my Mid-2015 15-inch MacBook Pro. It works perfectly & the battery is still pretty healthy at 97%. That’s impressive considering I bought it brand new back in 2015!

[moppi]

"The software support concerns me"
-Me with my 2012 Macbook Pro running OSX Catalina...

[blnvfvh]

I got my MacBook Air 2017 5 years ago and have been using it nonstop since. I think it works perfectly for what I look for in a laptop. I have actually dropped it a couple of times from more than 2 m height and so the metal bent a bit but there is no problem with it’s capabilities. I am contemplating getting the M1 (really dislike the M2 because of it’s design) but the charging is what keeps me questioning. I think the MagSafe has saved my laptop from major falls so many times I cannot count them.

[blkmamba]

I just purchased this computer-- the exact make, and model from amazon. I have a macbook pro that I got in 2014, which is still going strong, with some issues. I work from home more now so I wanted a macbook just for work from home stuff and for when I travel. Thank you for the review. It confirmed my doubts about the machine, but also reassured me that for what I need it to do it will be a great laptop!

[FigWidIt]

The keyboard on these Macbooks are iconic. Some of the best feeling laptop-keyboards of all time.

[Kymaha]

My macbook air 2013 is the best investment I've made with a product. Now in 2024 I've never had to replace anything and I use it daily.

[SamuelLavoie]

I used this MBA for a while, the turning point was the screen when Retina display started to be mainstream. I can see this 2017 model as a very cheap but still capable machine.

[paulvanobberghen]

I'm still using this very version of the MacBook Air, though I upgraded the SSD to 500GB a while back. Battery is at 78%, but it stays up quite well. This is not my main computer (M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14") though. I'm using it mainly when I'm providing MS Office training outside, where it's connected to a PJ, so the non Retina is not that of much of an issue. Also I keep it mostly because it runs Windows 10 in BootCamp, where most of my training happens. Could run it in Parallels, but that isn't the same as native. And it's a back-up in case the other one has a problem. I like it a lot. Don't plan to sell it anytime soon. Surprised to see I coud still get that kind of money out of it, if I wanted to sell it. And I DO have the original box and power brick!