Are there any alternatives?

Apple has slowly lowered the price of the MacBook Air over the past couple of years, and that positions it much better against the competition. The $999 dual-core configuration has direct competition with Dell’s XPS 13, which also uses a dual-core Core i3 processor. Many premium laptops don’t offer lower-powered configurations.

　　Laptops like the ZenBook 13 UX333 or the HP Spectre x360 will serve you better battery life and performance for less money, though you’ll give up the screen resolution and the high-end build quality.

　　If you’re set on a Mac, the MacBook Pro 13-inch is also an option. Its screen and processor are a big step up and it is still the better choice for photographers. Unfortunately, the keyboard is the older butterfly-mechanism version, and it’s expensive to upgrade storage or RAM.

　　

How long will it last?

Apple laptops have a strong reputation for quality, and Apple is more likely than other manufacturers to support products when issues arise. This makes the MacBook Air a good bet if you plan to hold on to it for five years or more.

　　While its performance is already behind the curve, it should remain adequate if your everyday use consists of web browsing, basic productivity, and online streaming.

　　

Should you buy it?

Yes. This is a solid option for Mac buyers who want an affordable daily driver.