If a RevD MBA is $3000, what are your minimum feasible specs or would you never pay?

I would never again pay 3k for a MBA.

But its not going to have specs that merit $3k thats already been established.

My two Rev Bs work great still. No need to upgrade until the OS makes me. I have lots of HD space still.

Even if it had the same specs as 12-core Mac Pro, I wouldn't buy it. Why? Because I have absolutely no need for such power and IMO spending 3000$ on a laptop is crazy. I only need it for web browsing, email, Word etc, thus I'm not ready to pay much more than 1000€ for it. Everything I want is SSD, 4GB of RAM and better battery. I'm fine with C2D or Intel IGP, they don't affect my usage.

That's just me of course, maybe some of you can fork out 3000$ for a laptop. I wish I could.

Hellhammer said:

Even if it had the same specs as 12-core Mac Pro, I wouldn't buy it. Why? Because I have absolutely no need for such power and IMO spending 3000$ on a laptop is crazy. I only need it for web browsing, email, Word etc, thus I'm not ready to pay much more than 1000€ for it. Everything I want is SSD, 4GB of RAM and better battery. I'm fine with C2D or Intel IGP, they don't affect my usage.

That's just me of course, maybe some of you can fork out 3000$ for a laptop. I wish I could.

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I know where you're coming from, but I think I spent around $2400 on my MBP 15 i7. 3k isn't that much more.

For 3k, it would have to have enough power to be my main machine. That would mean a top of the line processor, at least 8 gigs of ram, and a 13 inch IPS display. It would also need a great GPU. I could compromise on HD space for the ability to carry my workstation around more easily.

I think it's going to go in the other direction, though - cheaper and marginally upgraded.

$3000? <bleep> that. it better come with a tube of vaseline from jobs bending you over. i wouldn't even pay for the currently one!

The people who vote yes and who are willing to spend $3k plus, and actually mean it, are the real intended market buyers for the MBA... and fortunately for us true faithful we're the opinions that matter to Apple if they plan to focus on a luxury 13.3" MBA... however, they might be changing their tune, but I wouldn't understand why as the iPad fills the "netbook" role amazingly well.

I want the high-end incredible MBA that dominates the competition in every way just as the v 2,1 MBA did in October of 2008. I don't care about the price, as long as it has all of the high-end features and caters to the faithful fans.

What is really important to me is innovation. I want Apple to really go back to innovation in the Mac. Meaning appear that it actually gave a damn about the Mac... instead of the continued disappointment over the last year with all resources seemingly dedicated to the iOS software and product lines. What originally excited people about Macs. I want something really unique and forward thinking... like an LCD trackpad that allows true touch but not on the big screen but on the trackpad... could display the desktop in the trackpad and provide touch interface.

Apple has used ideas like silky smooth trackpads, backlit keyboards, unibody frames, magsafe power adaptors, and etc that add real value for the Mac user over PCs... something that doesn't cost a lot of money but allows the user better interactions with their Mac. Money should be able to buy these things...

Scottsdale said:

I want something really unique and forward thinking... like an LCD trackpad that allows true touch but not on the big screen but on the trackpad... could display the desktop in the trackpad and provide touch interface.

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Now that would be very cool. Or an iPod touch built into a Macbook running full iOS! Although it wouldn't have features like an accelerometer or gyroscope.

Approximately £700 more than the 17" MBP I would want:
- 15.4" IPS Display @ 1920*1200 Widescreen
- i7 @ 2.66GHZ
- nVidia 330m 1GB
- 16GB DDR3 RAM
- 5hrs Battery Life
- 256 SSD
- Liquid Cooling
- 3 USB 3.0
- 1 MiniDisplayPort
- SD Card Slot
- 1 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
- 1 Audio In/Out Port
- Free Superdrive
- Glass Trackpad

Scottsdale said:

The people who vote yes and who are willing to spend $3k plus, and actually mean it, are the real intended market buyers for the MBA...

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agreed!

Scottsdale said:

I want the high-end incredible MBA that dominates the competition in every way just as the v 2,1 MBA did in October of 2008. I don't care about the price, as long as it has all of the high-end features and caters to the faithful fans.

What is really important to me is innovation... like an LCD trackpad that allows true touch but not on the big screen but on the trackpad... could display the desktop in the trackpad and provide touch interface.

Click to expand...

I am still hanging in there... hoping...
and this week I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

Otherwise, I will need to compromise... something I'm not used to having to do with Apple. Apple usually pioneer. Apple usually understand what we want and deliver it really well.

I don't want to have to return to the weight of the MBP...
I don't want to have a small, under powered, "almost a laptop"...
oh yes and having a "wow" factor whenever I use it - well that is a bonus too! I'm always happy to see others experience Apple-envy with my Apple products.

willbro said:

Now that would be very cool. Or an iPod touch built into a Macbook running full iOS! Although it wouldn't have features like an accelerometer or gyroscope.

Click to expand...

No, it wouldn't. Why would someone want to look down at a relatively small LCD display when they can look straight ahead at a larger, beautiful display that is in an ergonomically better position.

From what we are learning about a potential new Macbook Air, I believe that there is going to be one of these very obvious, but fundamental innovations that Apple does with their notebooks. Jobs is going to kill of the HDD.

The "story" of the new Macbook Air could be 'The Lightest, most responsive Notebook Ever.'

I really disagree that there is a significant number of people who would buy a $3000 Macbook Air who would not be totally satisfied with a $1500 Macbook Air. I contend that the people who really need all of the storage, memory, processor speed, and graphics power associated with a $3000 would object to the idea of the Air due to its lack of upgradability. On the other hand, I think there is a market for a lightweight notebook that has a desktop class operating system, with a fast processor, enough memory, and good graphics performance and this does not warrant $3000 worth of hardware.

The future of notebooks has been and always will be the Macbook Air, but we are not yet to the point where there are three sizes of Macbook and all based on the principle of the Air.

There is a diffence between things that add value to the use of a product and a gimmick. The unibody enclosure, backlit keyboards, built-in batteries, and glass trackpads add value to the experience. An LCD trackpad that has a display is a useless gimmick. Adding 3G on the other hand, is a value added feature.

Maybe I am not that creative, but if the best that someone who really loves the Macbook Air can come up with in terms of innovation is a trackpad is a display demonstrates to me that there isn't a whole lot of innovation left in a mature product line - speaking of notebooks in general.

I think we would all be better served if we look at the future of all Apple products in the following terms. They will become lighter, more responsive, have better displays and have better power management.

I would not buy one for $3000.

If I bought a MBA I would buy it as a machine that is decently fast, small, lightweight and has reasonable battery life.

For $3000 I would just buy a 13" MBP and an iMac.

The most powerful CPU with 25 TDP
256GB SSD
GPU equivalent to GT 420M in performance
8GB RAM
Matte screen option
Able to run at 100% for at least 90 minutes
not exceed 3.25lb

I would never pay $3k for a laptop. Ever. Maybe a MP if I was making money with it, but no laptop is worth that much.

A top of the line computer is about $1000 these days (baring the Apple premium). Lets add $500 for OS X/Aesthetics. $3000 is too much. $3000/2 is about what I'd expect to pay for a MBA with top of the line everything in it.

As of this writing 32.5% said YES they would pay an obscene $3,000.

No wonder Stevie laughs all the way to the bank.

No wonder it's called "Apple Tax"

I will be the first to admit Jobs is the worlds greatest con man...oops, I meant salesman.

His ability to influence people is certainly impressive.

thejadedmonkey said:

A top of the line computer is about $1000 these days (baring the Apple premium). Lets add $500 for OS X/Aesthetics. $3000 is too much. $3000/2 is about what I'd expect to pay for a MBA with top of the line everything in it.

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Look at the Vaio Z though. Sure $1000 is a premium standard computer, but ultraportables are still pretty darn expensive. The current MBA is more than that.

I paid about $6200 for my first laptop in 1995. I think it came with a 1.2G hard drive. (Fond memories of how 'technically advanced' a machine it was at the time...).

There is no way Apple would sell a new MBA at $3000. They don't have a history of competing in that price range (I wish I were wrong...)

iRun26.2 said:

I paid about $6200 for my first laptop in 1995. I think it came with a 1.2G hard drive. (Fond memories of how 'technically advanced' a machine it was at the time...).

There is no way Apple would sell a new MBA at $3000. They don't have a history of competing in that price range (I wish I were wrong...)

Click to expand...

Wow!
1) Prices have gone up 39% since then so that laptop would cost over $8000 today
2) 1.2GB was pretty big for a laptop

3) the 17" i7 with HR-AG and AppleCare is $2,898

wirelessmacuser said:

As of this writing 32.5% said YES they would pay an obscene $3,000.

No wonder Stevie laughs all the way to the bank.

No wonder it's called "Apple Tax"

I will be the first to admit Jobs is the worlds greatest con man...oops, I meant salesman.

His ability to influence people is certainly impressive.

Click to expand...

To suggest that people who are willing to pay more for a Mac is somehow indicative of naiveté or gullibility or being easily conned is beyond ironic when it comes from someone with "macuser" in their name.

Does one drive an Audi because they are enamoured with the CEO of Audi (whomever that might be)? Probably not.

A simple rule guides my purchasing habits: Which ever company builds the best stuff gets my money. Period.

I'm sure most would agree with me when I say that I am swayed by the products, not the person.

I spent about $3k on my MBP (before the price drops in early '09), but the only way I'd spend that much on a MBA is if outspec'd the pro.

iRun26.2 said:

I paid about $6200 for my first laptop in 1995. I think it came with a 1.2G hard drive. (Fond memories of how 'technically advanced' a machine it was at the time...).

There is no way Apple would sell a new MBA at $3000. They don't have a history of competing in that price range (I wish I were wrong...)

Click to expand...

Actually, you're dead wrong. Apple has reduced the prices of Macs, but it still charges $3000 for Mac notebooks all the time. With BTO options, the MBPs can hit $3000.

When the original MBA was introduced with SSD, it was priced at $3099. If Apple introduces a 256 GB SSD, it will need to raise the prices from current to offset... if it has 8 GB RAM BTO option, that will add money, and it can easily get to $3k.

The ultraportable market has Vaio Zs at over $3k, and other ultraportables approaching that price tag too.

I don't think $3k is out of line, especially if we add in BTO options for the MBA again.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile6.0) Sprint T7380)

Apple likes to avoid maximum sticker shock, by hiding certain things as BTO extras, not available in stores.

So to envision pricing... a $3k luxe model, if both the 256 SSD and the 8 gig RAM in it are BTO, has a base price of maybe $1,999. and if they have no hard drive model, maybe there's just that one $1,999. 13" Air in the stores?

Then at a much lower price point, one or two 11.6" models? $999. and 1,199./1,299.?

That overall set of price points and model proximities, seems plausible to me....

..... even while this speculation about price points and model proximity / "cannibalisation" and the economics of scale, are IMHO the LEAST well-grounded areas in these discussions.

(If the economics of absolutely maximum production scale were as singularly important as we occasionally read here --- Ford would have just 2 products: one car and one truck! Jobs may have once simplified the lineup to 4 to save the company, but the economies of scale surely do not dictate that a company with 14 products, can't have 16.)

I wouldn't these days because I'm quite satisfied with the MBA I own and therefore don't actually need $3000-specs. Right now.
However, were I in the market... well, I still don't know. It would be quite tempting, sure, but still a big chunk of money. But certainly a better investment considering longterm usage than rev C.