Apple MacBook Air 13.3" M1 (2020 Model) $1,097 + Delivery ($0 to Metro/ C&C) @ Officeworks

1510
Apple MacBook Air 13.3" M1 (2020 Model) $1,097 + Delivery ($0 to Metro/ C&C) @ Officeworks
Go to Deal
Ljmlbourne on 12/07/2024 - 10:14 officeworks.com.au (4377 clicks)
Last edited 12/07/2024 - 12:21 by 1 other user

First time poster, please be gentle.

Seems to have dropped a further $100, to a very low $1,097. Does not appear to be active stock in store, but available for free Metro delivery, or Click and Collect from Monday 15th July (at least in Melbourne).

I noticed that Walmart in the US have the Macbook Air M1 2020 on an exclusive retailing arrangement for USD$650 - I wonder if this is the case in Australia for Officeworks?

Apparently in the US they are still being manufactured by Apple for this promotion - this is not stock left-over nor refurbished.

Computing 13.3inch Apple Computer Laptop

Related Stores

Officeworks
Officeworks

Comments

    • corbz on 12/07/2024 - 10:21
      +43

      got 1 year old macbooks for this price?

      • bumluffa on 12/07/2024 - 21:33
        +3

        So why buy a MacBook?

    • smartazz104 on 12/07/2024 - 10:21
      +13

      The new hardware doesn't do anything significantly better to justify the price maybe?

        • Jake T on 12/07/2024 - 12:31
          +10

          Was this comment written by AI?

    • jmlbourne on 12/07/2024 - 10:26
      +36

      Some ideas come to mind:
      -It's newly manufactured, with a usual Apple warranty starting today
      -It runs the latest operating system, and all the latest AI stuff announced at WWDC
      -It's perfectly adequate for many many users (school work, light/moderate Office, browsing the web, media consumption)
      -A very sharp price compared to the RRP on the M2 and M3 machines.

      I would concede that:
      -It doesn't have a dedicated MagSafe port like the M2/M3 versions - you need to use one of the two USB ports for charging.
      -It has the old wedge style body. Some people prefer this, and in particular this has no notch on the screen like the M2/M3 versions.

      • Zondor on 12/07/2024 - 11:24
        +7

        I prefer USB C over Magsafe. I don't want two chargers for my phone and laptop.

        • noisymime on 12/07/2024 - 12:19
          +5

          The new one gives you the option though. It's already fairly limited with just the 2 USB-C ports, having to use one of them for charging can be a bit of a pain, at least with the magsafe you can charge and still have 2 ports available.

      • klonky on 12/07/2024 - 12:05
        +2

        Also only allows one external display

        • derekek on 12/07/2024 - 12:25
          +4

          Unless you use displaylink dock

      • anti-hero on 12/07/2024 - 15:12
        +3

        no notch on the screen is a big plus,
        some stupid people in Apple introduced the ugly notch in macbook air 2 and 3

    • chamzoo on 12/07/2024 - 10:26
      +27
      1. User does not require top of the line hardware for simple tasks
      2. User does not have sufficient funds
      3. User does indeed have sufficient funds, but recognizes that top of the line hardware is not required for simple tasks
    • netsurfer on 12/07/2024 - 10:31
      +9

      FOMO on missing out on a discounted product. It's OZB.

    • Brianqpr on 12/07/2024 - 11:30
      +1

      Its still a very decent laptop and would be fine for 95% of people. But lets pay hundreds more for the new one with barely noticeable performance improvement. My son is in year 12 and still uses a 2017 Macbook Air at school every day. Does everything he needs with no trouble.

    • Kanjus on 12/07/2024 - 11:53
      +1

      Still manufactured to wean the last intel mac users onto Apple chips.

    • mooreshady on 12/07/2024 - 19:21

      so agree. Who wants a 4 yo new product?

    • Daabido on 12/07/2024 - 20:00

      The four year old ones come with proper capitalisation.

    • garage sale on 12/07/2024 - 21:05
      +1

      means the bugs have been worked out “ mature” technology vs bleeding edge …

    • John Doh on 13/07/2024 - 08:07
      +1

      Because new ones still 8GB/256GB and more expensive.

  • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 10:31
    +38

    Apple hardware ages incredibly well. I bought one of these back on release and its still as quick to start up as it was the day I got it, the battery lasts about two week based on sporadic usage, averaging out to about 1-2hr per night of basic emails, youtube and life admin crap.

    It is legitimately the perfect life admin device, I cannot recommend it enough even at 4 years old. I don't know the PC market that well at the moment but I would be willing to bet there isn't a single laptop on the market that comes close to the first gen MBA at this price point as an allrounder.

    • kaikor on 12/07/2024 - 10:34
      +5

      lol i can sure 2nd this, typing from my 2012 macbook pro now, every single parts including HDD in it still the original ones.

      • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 10:36
        +7

        Oh man, my missus just upgraded to one from the 2012 macbook pro, the only reason we did that is because the battery is on last legs and it didn't seem financially viable to replace the battery. The 2012 will forever be ours though, ill do the battery swap myself. Those things are amazing.

        • kaikor on 12/07/2024 - 10:42

          Correct my battery is definitely totally F'ed, if not plugging in once it went down to 85%, it will just kill itself, not even any low battery warning for a proper shutdown, so need to fully plugin now. Wonder how much is after market battery?

          • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 10:50

            @kaikor: I could find no brand ones for about $80 but I am not sure how much I trust those.. One of those things do we really wanna cheap on a component when everything else is made so well. Its something I am battling with myself..

            • Misha Bakunin on 12/07/2024 - 11:01
              -4

              @doobey1231: A battery is a battery, sure might not be quite as good but it's not going to ruin your machine (most likely anyway), just get the cheaper one.

              • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 11:59
                +3

                @Misha Bakunin: No a battery isn't a battery. The build quality and materials do actually matter with this stuff and most likely from a stranger on the internet unfortunately wont help me if that battery does decide to blow the whole computer.

                • kaikor on 12/07/2024 - 12:15
                  +1

                  @doobey1231: Absolutely, thats why i rather just have it fully plugin than changing over to a dodgy sh|t battery and blow my macbook up

                • garage sale on 13/07/2024 - 01:14

                  @doobey1231: got after market battery off ebay for my intel macbook pro, doesn’t hold as much power as an original battery , gets a bit more life out of the macbook though .

      • 51OL on 12/07/2024 - 10:57
        +1

        I recently "updated" my mid 2012 mbp with a new battery (no name brand for about $46) and new 16gb ram from kingston that was about $20++ off ebay. Works like brand new. I also did change it up to SSD many many years ago.

        Works perfectly fine except that it weights a BRICK. Boots under 30 seconds. Only annoying thing is that it won't upgrade OS beyond Catalina 10.15 so a few apps can't be used. But for everyday netflix, word document, internet 9gag surfing, it's perfect!

        • bio on 12/07/2024 - 11:22
          +3

          Only annoying thing is that it won't upgrade OS beyond Catalina 10.15 so a few apps can't be used.

          You can probably install the latest Sonoma using the OCLP. It even supports graphics acceleration (Legacy Metal) for the mid-2012 MBP:

          https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/

          • 51OL on 12/07/2024 - 11:30

            @bio: Thanks will give it a go!

      • cheekymonkey97 on 12/07/2024 - 11:04

        My 2012 MBP Retina has considerably slowed down for even normal usage like browsing, emails, etc. I strongly doubt yours hasn't…

        • orangutan on 12/07/2024 - 11:10

          My 2012 MBP non-retina hasn't, not sure what's wrong with yours.

          • cheekymonkey97 on 12/07/2024 - 14:29

            @orangutan: What OS you running?

            • orangutan on 12/07/2024 - 21:33

              @cheekymonkey97: The latest Catalina 10.15 it can get, 16Gb RAM and a 2Tb Crucial SATA SSD, not noticing slowdown, unless when I’m bored and stupid enough to load FCP and edit 4k video… which honestly is really hard to do. I once also tried to split the load and used it to encode a bunch of iPhone .mov videos to .mp4 with Compressor to save on storage space, no doubt it was much slower than my newer i9 MBP.

              • cheekymonkey97 on 12/07/2024 - 22:33
                +2

                @orangutan: Think it’s my 8GB letting me down. Soldered to the board too so can’t upgrade it…

                • orangutan on 13/07/2024 - 07:34

                  @cheekymonkey97: Another possibility is network activities. Did you enable any cloud account on the machine, like iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, or even self-hosted Nextcloud? Or did you create any persistent connection to network storage? Finder can be very unresponsive when pinging network resources but didn’t get a response.

        • entropysbane on 12/07/2024 - 11:21
          +3

          Replace the HDD with an SSD and it will seem like a new machine.

      • BargainShopaholic on 12/07/2024 - 14:21

        Same I still use my 2012 MacBook Pro (non retina), changed to SSD & upgraded to 16GB RAM years ago, still works well.

        Although sometimes it shuts down or a static screen shows up if I move it too fast or abruptly, should probably check it out but I haven’t gotten around to it.

    • kozb on 12/07/2024 - 10:57
      +1

      FWIW, I am currently using a 2013 Macbook pro retina version bought in early 2014 as my daily driver till date. Their HW really ages well indeed. It was pricey when I bought it that time, but my peers who bought lenovos and HPs around the same timeline, are on their third laptop now.

      • 811b11e8 on 12/07/2024 - 13:21

        2013 was a cracking year; I also used 2013 as my daily driver for almost a decade.

        The screen finally gave in; it now has a big line through the middle. I still used it the other day as I needed to read an SD card, and the 8x other PCs/Laptops around our house didn't have an SD card reader.

    • facesareblurredx on 12/07/2024 - 11:00

      seconded. id say im fairly acquainted about the pc/laptop market, i got one of these bad boys a couple years ago and am still using it. there's not a single laptop in the market that beats this unless youre a power user.
      i use it for web dev and the usual YT and netflix before bed, i dont think ill upgrade for the next 5 years at least.

    • cnut on 12/07/2024 - 11:09
      +1

      My 2013 Air from the DJ/DSE closing down sale for $350 still works fine.

    • PainToad on 12/07/2024 - 11:12

      My MacBook Pro 17” 2017 with 16GB runs absolute dog shit, runs hot and the battery life is under an hour.

      That’s with the battery getting replaced mid life as a part of the Butterfly keyboard.

      I’ve used Macs my entire life. I will continue to. But man that model was a real turd.

      • noisymime on 12/07/2024 - 12:21
        +3

        The whole 2016-2020 (Pre M1) era was BAD for Apple. Partly it was Intel's fault, but Apple insisted on making thinner and thinner designs that constantly thermally throttled as a result. I had a 2019 MBA at one point and it was honestly the worst laptop I ever had. Changed to a 14" M1 MBP and it's easily the best laptop I've ever had.

    • braddsey on 12/07/2024 - 11:13
      +5

      I'm not anti-mac / anti-apple, but just to provide an alternate perspective on PC's…
      I have a Thinkpad x230 that I purchased new from Lenovo for $449 back in 2014, and I immediately put an SSD in it. I was still using it until about 16 months ago when used it to do a whole lot of technical upskilling & professional certifications (as well as all my general life admin). It served me well over the years and spent a good portion of its life as a HTPC so got plenty of use.
      The only reason I upgraded to a new machine is I no longer have external monitors and needed a bigger screen, and I was starting new job where a BYOD device was required. The x230 is still going strong, having been handed down to my father who uses it for email, MS office stuff and web surfing. Other than the SSD, the only upgrade I ever made was to replace the original battery with a $30 after market battery.

      TL;DR - quality PC's, treated well, also have good lifespan!

      • entropysbane on 12/07/2024 - 11:32

        Lenovo machines of that vintage were still basically IBM. So much better built than a dell latitude of the time, for example.

        These days comparing an MBP build quality against that of a Lenovo laptop, say a P series workstation would be a reasonable use case comparison (we have both in this household). It is obvious which is better built, and the MBP and p14s at similar high specs doesn’t reflect well Lenovo even price wise. Aluminium vs plastic case for example. And in comparison the Lenovo runs a lot hotter and off wall power is a slug and the battery doesn’t last long before needing a recharge.

        That said, the p14s is upgradable after purchase, which I think a big tick. And as it is a work CAD beast, I don’t care if it only lasts three years.

        • braddsey on 12/07/2024 - 11:56

          My upgrade was to a P14s (via this deal: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/763172), which I use for about 10 hours daily. It's not sexy or shiny and doesn't leave the house often. Gut-feel I get 4 hours battery before I get the 20% battery warning. The only time I get unhappy with battery is when I plug in devices (ie. I use an iPad as an external monitor which insists on charging via the laptop power even when at 100% battery on the ipad). I don't notice heat or noise, but use cases vary and I'm probably a "lite power" user. I'm expecting good years out of this one.

          Perhaps next purchase will be for something a little more beautiful…

      • superroach on 12/07/2024 - 12:48

        I have a X220, and while it's still a good laptop, I wouldn't use it now. The only redeeming feature is the keyboard. The rest of it, repairability, etc is moot because the cpu is ancient, and chews through battery to keep it on a modern functional level. If you rely on it to underclock to a battery safe level, it's painfully slow - slower than a chromebook.

        So yes a good lifespan, but not advisable today.

    • sallan75 on 12/07/2024 - 11:18

      At this price point, there plenty of laptops that can compete with this as an all-rounder.

      • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 11:50
        +3

        Feel free to link some.

        • sallan75 on 12/07/2024 - 12:03

          What a laptop for $1097 than can quote "averaging out to about 1-2hr per night of basic emails, youtube and life admin crap." Of yeah you are going to need a super computer in the PC world to handle that work load.

          • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 12:10
            +2

            @sallan75: You say this with sarcasm but I am being serious. Full machined alloy chassis, proper speakers, good quality keyboard, glass trackpad, good display and 1-2 hours of use per day for two weeks without needing to be charged.

            • braddsey on 12/07/2024 - 12:54
              +2

              @doobey1231: Not looking to enter the spat… but that's a very specific list of features that very nicely fits this MacBook, and I wouldn't even know how to search for laptops to that spec. I think the general point is that for $1100, you can get a lot of laptop to suit the needs of most home users.
              That doesn't undermine that this is a great price for a MacBook that will suit the needs of someone wanting a Mac based device.

              • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 12:58

                @braddsey: You entered the spat by commenting, but its not really a spat either.

                You understand what allrounder means right? This is simply a device that covers all the basics without compromising on anything, and I am happy to concede my opinion but I am yet to see anyone post anything that really covers all the bases of a good quality basic laptop.

                • Aureus on 12/07/2024 - 16:44
                  +2

                  @doobey1231: But it is compromising. If the things you listed is the most important things you look for in a laptop, then Mac is probably the best option. You are listing Mac strengths.

                  If performance per dollar is more important, then Mac doesn't make sense. Just look how much computer you can get for a grand.
                  https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/854579

            • garage sale on 13/07/2024 - 01:21

              @doobey1231: i have hp windows laptop and macbook air …problem with the windows laptop is it vents from underneath, so can’t put on a doona or overheats, the macbook sucks air from a slot at the back and out the keyboard so can be used on a doona, my work microsoft surface pro vents like the macbook, but it’s a $2000 laptop ….

    • Brianqpr on 12/07/2024 - 11:35
      +3

      Agree with this. I'm certainly no Apple fanboi, I don't use their phones (the rest of my family does) and think they are overrated. Their Air laptops however are great value in my view. Bought this laptop for my wife about a year ago and its perfect. Great build quality/battery life and does everything we need with ease.

    • goliath on 12/07/2024 - 12:58

      I've got a MBP from 2015. Still OK for most of my work, but there're some small problems:
      - The rubber on the frame of the screen began to age and melt
      - Had the two speakers replaced due to sound issues.
      - Fan sometimes got noisy

  • kaikor on 12/07/2024 - 10:35

    Wonder when will we see this goes $999? Or worth to paid just under $300 more for M2 13" Air instead from edu store?

    • orangutan on 12/07/2024 - 11:13
      +3

      I would prefer getting M3 Air 8/256 from edu store, add 10% off with gift card bring it down to $1424.61, that's about $330 more but you get the latest version. Btw, Woolworth is going to have 10% Apple gift card sale (in EDR points) next week.

      • tempco on 12/07/2024 - 11:32
        +2

        I agree. M3 means you can a fairly decent performance bump, no SSD issues like the M2, being able to use 2 external monitors, Magsafe and longer support from Apple. No brainer for an extra $330.

  • cunningdrew on 12/07/2024 - 10:41
    +1

    This is a very good deal. Apple hardware you can expect to use for 10 years. So you can have an entry level Apple Mac here for just over 1k for 7 years. Cheap.

    • browser on 12/07/2024 - 10:45

      Very true.

      Bought a MacBook in 2015, daughter used it all the way from year 7 to third year uni, only just recently upgraded to a M3 air.

      There's still life in it, but need a new battery.

    • PainToad on 12/07/2024 - 11:14
      +6

      You can expect it to turn on for 10 years. Not sure if expect a 10 year lifespan out of a device with 8GB of ram and 256GB of storage.

  • jakeau on 12/07/2024 - 10:43
    +1

    I have had this machine for sometime, look, its very much usable but is beginning to show signs of ageing.

  • DEvok on 12/07/2024 - 10:46

    The older the apple, the wiser it gets, really worth every penny getting this.

  • edfoo on 12/07/2024 - 10:48
    +8

    No specification shown? Let me guess, still the crappy 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD?

    • SimAus007 on 12/07/2024 - 10:54
      +4

      Don't need to guess, just click on the link, but yes, a crappy 8GB RAM… "MacBook Air 13.3" M1 8-Core CPU 7-Core GPU 8GB/256GB Silver"

    • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 11:51
      -7

      This comes up every single time and every single time the answer is the same, a base macbook air is perfectly fine with 8gb of ram.

      • PainToad on 12/07/2024 - 11:57
        +6

        It’s perfectly fine for some limited use cases.

        • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 12:00
          -1

          Not even limited use cases. If you are buying a base model macbook air for anything more than social media, light editing, emails and media consumption, you are simply buying the wrong product. You don't need more ram, you need a different product sku.

      • SimAus007 on 12/07/2024 - 12:00
        +4

        For very basic use, yes.

        • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 12:06
          -3

          Well yes, thats exactly what a base model macbook air is targeted at, very basic use. If you think you need more than 8gb of ram then you need to look at a different model.

      • taki on 12/07/2024 - 12:20

        Until AI demands much more. New iPhones will come with 16GB RAM to enable AI. Last year iPho 15 * + will not work with less RAM

        • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 12:27

          People are hedging too much importance on this AI phase, which isn't true AI anyway. I wouldn't worry too much about AI for a while yet.

          • SimAus007 on 12/07/2024 - 12:36
            -3

            @doobey1231: Says the Apple fanboi because Apple doesn't have AI (correct as a marketing term), STILL lol
            You'll be praising them when they finally get it going ;)

            For the record, I own an iPhone, but I am not Apple brainwashed like so many. They make a lot of mistakes and are mostly slow to market new tech nowadays.

            Apple is by no means a good corporate citizen, they love to block out any competition and use all the excuses in the world for it, yet they've just been forced to open their tap and go payment gateway in the EU due to the regulators pulling them over the coals for anti-competitive behaviour.

            • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 12:54

              @SimAus007: No I say it because it legitimately isn't actual AI yet. It cannot learn from you in the way you might think it can. Its an improvement for sure but anyone hedging their purchase on AI capability at this point is just buying into the marketing lingo.

              You can b*tch and moan all you like about apples dodgy practices, I am not going to defend them because I am not a fanboy in the slightest.

              • SimAus007 on 12/07/2024 - 12:57

                @doobey1231: Of course, we aren't even close to real AI, that is many years away (if at all), no argument there, which is why I said it is correct as a marketing term, as much as "Apple Intelligence" is their "AI" ;)
                It's all just marketing terminology.

                • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 12:59
                  +1

                  @SimAus007: So can you explain what you are conveying? You come in here calling me a fanboy simply because I am stating something that you agree with anyway..?

                  • SimAus007 on 12/07/2024 - 13:03
                    +1

                    @doobey1231: It is AI from a marketing point of view, as much as "Apple Intelligence" and 8GB won't be able to handle that. Why wouldn't you worry about AI, I use it daily and it's incredible for productivity, it's a huge leap forward.
                    You may not see the benefits if all you use is Apple-owned apps and hardware.

                    • doobey1231 on 12/07/2024 - 13:11
                      +3

                      @SimAus007: Because I don't use AI, along with literally anyone else looking at this laptop. Its not necessary, that is the entire point I am putting across, if you are looking for a laptop that can work with AI you wouldn't even be considering a 2020 m1 MBA. Like I said, too much importance put on AI. The original comment made was "until AI demands much more" - this implies that the average user in the market for a MBA will ever even use it in the first place, thats my point, they don't, so frankly AIs requirements for running are irrelevant for this product.

                      • SimAus007 on 12/07/2024 - 13:15
                        +2

                        @doobey1231: Fair points, good argument. Being able to debate respectfully is a skill, kudos for that :)

            • smartazz104 on 16/07/2024 - 12:27
              -1

              @SimAus007:

              but I am not Apple brainwashed like so many

              Sounds like you are brainwashed by something else…

      • maverickjohn on 12/07/2024 - 18:23
        +1

        Dude I love Mac's. But in no way is it ok for still pumping 8gb RAM for a base model.
        This is a 2020 model so can be a bit more forgiving but coupling it still with the M3 is just BS..
        They can easily afford to accommodate 16g at the same price point but refuse to do so.. the longevity of these Mac's won't last as long as when I bought my MBA in 2011

        • GregRust on 13/07/2024 - 08:52

          I don’t understand this POV. I have this exact laptop and never run into any issues, it works really well.

  • dclee12 on 12/07/2024 - 10:51

    Looking to get 1st mac to tie in all the IOS devices the family uses. Nothing fancy, just basic photo editing, browsing etc.

    Was thinking macAir, or M1 Mini desktop. We have existing pc laptops and home desktop.

    Am wondering how well the Air works with 2nd monitor setup, and conversely how well a Mini works with remote desktoping via PC Laptop? Thanks.

    • TheVoices on 12/07/2024 - 10:54
      +1

      M1 Air works fine with a single external monitor, but can't use more than 1 (unless you workaround with DisplayLink etc. but it's fiddly).

      Never tried to remote desktop into a Mac from a Windows laptop, but you could just plug the mini into the screen.

    • tempco on 12/07/2024 - 10:56
      +1

      Works great with a monitor but keep in mind it’ll just leave one port free. You are also restricted to only one monitor (though I think there’s a workaround).

    • netsurfer on 12/07/2024 - 11:02
      +1

      Unless you have a USB-C monitor, you will need a dongle. If you want 4K and HDR, the safest bet might be the Apple official dongle. If you don't care about HDR, you could opt for a cheaper 4K/60Hz dongle.

      Remote desktop to Mac Mini, good question, I generally do the other way around… but there is a youTube video explaining how to do it:
      Remote Access your Mac from Windows 10 with VNC client

  • tempco on 12/07/2024 - 11:00

    I have the 16gb version - it’s a great machine. Only upgrading to the M3 15” as it wasn’t available back in the day. If screen size wasn’t an issue I’d probably keep my trusty M1 for 5+ years.

  • rhyme324 on 12/07/2024 - 11:05

    My M1 Air is still going strong after 3 years of use

    • littlesoldier on 12/07/2024 - 11:06

      same, I bought the same base model nearly 4 years ago, still going strong!

    • beltdrive on 12/07/2024 - 11:49
      +2

      I mean.. I'd hope so? It's only been 3 years.

      • rhyme324 on 12/07/2024 - 15:41

        4 years in Nov this year. Nearly 4

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join