MacBook Air is Apple’s smallest laptop weighing about 2.8 pounds. This device is also affordable, hence appealing to a larger population. With Apple products featuring higher quality and hence pricing compared to similar products in the market, you may want to know how durable a MacBook Air is.
So, how durable is the MacBook Air? The MacBook Air has better durability due to less moving parts like having solid state drives (SSD) used for storage. The SSDs don’t have the moving parts like the older HDD drives had, making them tougher and longer lasting, as there is less chance of the SDD drives becoming damaged through mechanical issues.
SSD drives have made computers more reliable and given them extra durability, as these drives don’t have the moving parts that the traditional HDD drives had. The SDD drives are made using flash memory chips that can hold onto data even when there is no power available from the MacBook Air.
The HDD drives on the other hand, has a spinning element that stores the data through it’s magnetic coating. A special arm (head) is used to read and write data on the magnetic coating and it’s this arm that can become susceptible to damage including wear and tear.
The SDD drives are faster than HDDs allowing for quicker boot up times and faster read and write operations. As the SDD reads and writes differently to the HDD, which uses it’s arm to find the location where the data is stored or going to be written to.
A large number of read and write operations are better handled by the SDD, as it uses memory maps to work out where data is and where data should go. The HDD can become it’s own worst enemy with large amounts of data transfer as it needs to keep spinning it’s data holding element to find the correct places to read and write to.
Over time the number of read and write operations a HDD drive can complete, will affect it’s overall durability as the components used may start to wear, causing issues in reliability as well as speed in maintaining operations.
Based on the operating system, the MacBook Air will last between 7 and 10 years, after which it will be ideal to replace. By the seventh year, your device will have hardware damages, with the battery requiring replacement in most cases.
Beyond this point, Apple will not support your device’s software, and should anything go wrong with your device, it will be impossible to get accessories to fix it. To confirm the latter, you can check the list of obsolete Macs.
You will notice that Apple does not provide parts for Mac not sold for over seven years but consider them vintage. Hence, if your MacBook Air becomes too old, you may not get a hardware or software fix even if you visit an Apple store.
While getting a better quality device guarantees you a good experience. This is not lasting as the device will age over time, requiring repair or replacement. Read on to understand how durable MacBook Air is in the section below.
Your MacBook Air can last up to 7 years, depending on your use. Beyond these years, your device will start experiencing issues, including random shutdowns and degraded battery. While repair may solve some of these issues.
It ceases to be an option after some years due to the availability or lack thereof of accessories and apps, necessitating replacement. An aging MacBook Air will also fail to support recent software updates by Apple, making you prone to security and malware vulnerabilities.
While five to seven years is the ideal time to replace your MacBook Air, this is not always the case, depending on your usage. Hence, depending on whether you are a heavy or light user, your laptop will give certain signals at different timings, indicating the need for replacement.
First, you will know it is time for a replacement if your MacBook Air cannot run certain software. In most cases, this will occur after the seventh year for all users. By the seventh year, Apple will have newer models in the market and will stop releasing software for your model. this will leave you with no choice but to upgrade your device.
You will also know it is time to upgrade if your apps start slowing down. However, before replacement, try formatting your device to improve the speed. Reformatting will make you lose your data, and you should back up in the cloud beforehand.
If your apps slow down soon after reformatting, you may as well consider a replacement. However, an app slowing down should not be the only factor sparking replacement. This is because, in most cases, it is an indicator that your laptop cannot handle the tasks you want to use it for.
Users online complain that while their MacBook Air lasts for up to 7 years, the batteries cease to function as soon as the fourth or fifth year. When this happens, you may want to upgrade your device.
However, as time goes on, replacement may be challenging as Apple makes these batteries difficult to repair. This means that you will have to go back to an Apple Store if you need a battery replacement in the future instead of the affordable repair shops and dealers around you.
Apple’s design of the MacBook Air is such that you need custom tools to remove the battery, making this replacement difficult for local stores to undertake.
While the Apple’s MacBook Air body comprises aluminum, it is prone to scratches and will lose its aesthetic appeal even with good care over time. In addition, dirt will accumulate on the keyboard and other parts, and replacement is necessary.
However, you can protect your device with a MacBook case to extend the need for replacement due to aesthetic appeal. If your device loses its aesthetic appeal in combination with any of the above faults, a replacement is viable.
Lastly, you will also know it is time to replace your MacBook Air if it does not synchronize with other Apple products. These include your iPhone, Apple Watch, or Apple TV.
When considering repair or replacement, you should note that MacBook Air comes with a one-year warranty catering for hardware defects. If you break your screen or drop your MacBook Air, you should brace yourself for hefty bills, which is why you should protect your device with a casing as much as possible.
Also, depending on how old your device is, a repair may not be worth it. For instance, a MacBook Air that is five years and more will be difficult to repair, and it may be upon you to salvage the broken part on eBay or other online stores and get an Apple Service provider to help you with the replacement.
Still, this will be very expensive. Also, there is no guarantee that AppleCare will help you with this option as these vintage parts are not always available or covered by your warranty.
Does MacBook Air Break Easily?
Introduced in 2008, the MacBook Air features advanced lightweight models with long battery life and high resolution, making them better than previous releases. These features come at a cost, and I will help you understand whether your MacBook Air can break easily.
The MacBook Air does not break easily, given its build quality and by using more durable components like SDD drives. While this is the case, the lack of repairable parts necessitates an investment in Apple Care insurance since even the best computers can break under some circumstances.
With respect to the hardware, Apple designed the MacBook Air with an aluminum body, which is a cleaner and designer-oriented body than former Macs with plastic bodies. Aluminum is unlikely to crack but is more prone to scratches.
Still, the aluminum body is a plus, as it makes your device resistant to damage after falling. The battery glued to the body is also likely to become loose after a fall.
MacBook Air uses a solid-state drive, making it more resistant to mechanical damage. Unlike the standard hard disk drive, the SSD is flash-based, allowing you to move freely without fear of damage. On the other hand, the HDD can damage in case of sudden movement, drops, and vibrations, given the nature of moving parts in the drive.
On the flip side, the MacBook Air lacks a protective glass layer on its display, hence higher risks of damage. Apple removed this feature as of July 2013. Hence, if your laptop falls, the screen can damage easily. The screen model, infused with the computer, makes it impossible to repair or remove, and in the case of damage, you will have to take it for full servicing by Apple.
Since MacBook Air is not immune to breaking, there are certain best practices to enhance durability. For instance, avoid slips, drops, and falls, which are the easiest ways to break your MacBook Air.
Your laptop can fall if your bag slips from your shoulder or you turn at your desk and push your device to the floor or against the wall. Consider a slip-resistant case for your laptop to prevent it from sliding from your desk or bag to prevent these incidents.
The MacBook Air screen is another part that can easily break with poor management. Online users report screen cracks without external pressure or force application. However, probable causes include the presence of debris between the screen and MacBook Air body while you shut it.
In this case, the screen will crack if you shut your laptop forcefully. Earbuds are another culprit for screen damage. While these accessories are not dangerous, they could shatter your MacBook Air screen. Hence, avoid leaving your earbuds in and be careful while closing your laptop lid lest you damage the screen.
Acting out can also break your MacBook Air. Your device will break if you slam your device across the wall or floor due to high emotions. Hence, consider an impact-resistant sleeve to secure your device if you get angry quickly.
Screen lifting or folding the screen too far will crack the hinges and, over time, break them. Until you repair the hinges, you will not use your device. Also, this damage may stretch to the internal cables running through your screen, affecting functionality.
Hence, to limit how far you open your MacBook Air, consider a case with this limitation. Your MacBook Air should last its full lifespan with the above practices before replacement.
Caring for your MacBook Air screen is necessary as screen damage can be costly. Most screen damages will render your MacBook Air dead and unusable. If you are lucky, Apple will service your device, but you will part with hefty amounts for the same.
Depending on your model, you will spend up to 600 dollars for a new display installation. If your screen cracks but the device remains functional, your overall user experience will degrade as looking through a cracked screen is tasking. Worse, you will not effectively do animation or editing on such a screen.
How Long Does a MacBook Air Usually Last?
While there is a standard number of years, you expect to use your MacBook Air before you start to experience issues with aging, your frequency of use will affect its durability. This explains the different times users replace their devices.
On average, MacBook Air will last seven years, after which you require a replacement. These years can decrease depending on your nature of use. If you use your laptop for animation, gaming, or editing, the RAM and storage limitations will become an issue over time, requiring a replacement before the seven years are over.
On the other hand, if you use your MacBook Air for web browsing, YouTube, or Netflix, it will last you longer than the standard laptops on the market.
Your MacBook Air will exhibit good performance in the first few years after purchase. However, this performance will start slowing down from the fourth year, but your laptop will still be useful. You may have to replace the battery in the fifth year, as its performance will likely be poor.
By this time, most people will opt to upgrade their MacBook Air, though, with a new battery, your device can serve you for more years. However, by the seventh year, you will have no option but to upgrade your device, especially if you use it beyond web browsing.
Since MacBook Air can survive for five years or less with heavy users, most users wonder whether it is worth buying this device. If you bought the optional RAM upgrades and graphics cars, your device would last longer.
It is important to determine the kind of user you are, whether you are a light or heavy user. A heavy laptop user uses their device for video, gaming, animation, editing, and other CPU-intensive tasks. These users consider their laptops a workhorse and use them for more than 5hours daily.
You can upgrade to a MacBook Pro as it will likely last up to 7 years with fewer issues, given its stronger specs than the MacBook Air. If you are a moderate user, MacBook Air will serve you right as it can handle multiple tab browsing, school and work documents, YouTube, Netflix, and others better than a windows PC.
Summary
MacBook Air will last up to 7 years, but this duration will vary with usage. Heavy users with CPU-intensive tasks will replace their devices sooner than lightweight users who use their devices for web browsing, Netflix, or YouTube.
Still, your device will show signs of aging by the fifth year, including failure to synchronize with other Apple devices, degraded battery, and incompatibility with OS updates. While reformatting your device and buying a new battery may resolve the problem, consider a replacement for the best experience if your device is old enough.
Apple designed the MacBook Air with an outer Aluminum case that makes it resistant to breakages. However, you can break your device if you exert pressure when opening or closing it, given that the MacBook Air screen lacks a screen glass protective layer. To avoid hefty repair costs, invest in a protective case since Apple will not cover most of these damages under warranty.
