Ars Technica review on the 11" MBA

Always nice to read the Ars reviews, a bit more informative than most.

It's funny that Steve said how Apple wouldn't produce a netbook, and yet, that seems to be exactly what they're produced... with one small problem. The price!!

I think the Ars conclusion is very accurate, that this might lead to something more interesting in future - it's not all that interesting in itself.

Thanks for the link.

I'm glad the MBA does not have the sleep light. I can't just close my MacBook and leave it in the bedroom at night, it's just too annoying. The sleep light is cute but I've been having an Alu iMac for 3 years so I'm used to the lack of it. And with the MBA 30-days standby time, you don't really need to know if it's off or sleeping.

I'll be happy to see some comparisons in the future about how performance changes against a unit with 4GB Ram or the 1.6ghz model. I like Ars reviews though, no crazy indepth like Anantech's was but useful.

After playing with one at the store I am rather taken with it. The value proposition of getting anything above the 999$ version is a bit hard though. These reviews keep me teetering back and forth

tibi08 said:

Always nice to read the Ars reviews, a bit more informative than most.

It's funny that Steve said how Apple wouldn't produce a netbook, and yet, that seems to be exactly what they're produced... with one small problem. The price!!

I think the Ars conclusion is very accurate, that this might lead to something more interesting in future - it's not all that interesting in itself.

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First off, thanks for the link. Good review and seemed pretty balanced in their thoughts and testing.

I don't ever recall SJ saying they wouldn't make a net book. He stated net books are cheap, slow computers that can't do anything useful. Also that Apple doesn't know how to make a $500 computer, which clearly they didn't try that either lol.

The MBA is not cheap $$, it is useful and can run full powered applications, has a full size keyboard (except F keys), useable size trackpad. So ultra portable, net book or laptop, terminology doesn't matter if people find a use for it that suits their needs. Personally find it to small just as I did other net books. The 13" MBA will serve my portability needs just fine, the 11" is to limited in several areas for me. (yes I did use one for nearly a week before returning it.)

I'm not really disagreeing that is expensive for what you get but none of the Apple laptops are, so it's no huge surprise to anyone familiar with Apple products. The trade off for crazy thin, light and portable comes at a cost.

I do hope the trend moves to solid state storage soon, it makes the overall feel of any computer much faster and finally kills the huge bottleneck spinning platter based drives have had vs the modern CPU and GPU.

This 11" is a curious thing.

I do recall that SJ said that they wouldn't make a 'cheap' notebook (as in cheap construction).

The 11" Air ain't el cheapo.

(even though mine makes creaking noises around the plastic area)

tibi08 said:

Always nice to read the Ars reviews, a bit more informative than most.

It's funny that Steve said how Apple wouldn't produce a netbook, and yet, that seems to be exactly what they're produced... with one small problem. The price!!

I think the Ars conclusion is very accurate, that this might lead to something more interesting in future - it's not all that interesting in itself.

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It's not a netbook. Netbook's are crippled laptops. What about the 11" MBA is crippled. It is faster than the 13" Macbook and many of the 13" MBP's. Stop making retarded statements!

It took them over 2 weeks to put this review together and they didn't bother to review the 13" either?

THUMBS DOWN. Engadgets review was much better.

mac jones said:

The 11" Air ain't el cheapo.

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In more way than one....

Seem slike everyone is reviewing th 11.6, wish someplace would do a review on the 13.3

runnin17 said:

It's not a netbook. Netbook's are crippled laptops. What about the 11" MBA is crippled. It is faster than the 13" Macbook and many of the 13" MBP's. Stop making retarded statements!

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Sorry but it is a bit crippled. Even if you doubt me, have a look over on Anandtech's just-published review...

The 11-inch MacBook Air is effectively a $999 netbook from Apple.

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http://www.anandtech.com/show/3991/apples-2010-macbook-air-11-13inch-reviewed/11

tibi08 said:

Sorry but it is a bit crippled. Even if you doubt me, have a look over on Anandtech's just-published review...

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Thanks, I looked at the review. It's too bad you quoted them so selectively, because the review said "I call it a netbook because it can do all of the things you could do on a netbook, without any of the performance or quality headaches. You get a great display, a beautiful chassis and much better performance."

That doesn't sound 'a bit crippled' to me.

Those that dismiss the 11.6 MBA have not used it. I was hesitant at first but after a couple days I love it. We also have a true netbook, Dell mini 10V. Trust me the 11.6 MBA is a real computer and not a toy.

freitas said:

Those that dismiss the 11.6 MBA have not used it. I was hesitant at first but after a couple days I love it. We also have a true netbook, Dell mini 10V. Trust me the 11.6 MBA is a real computer and not a toy.

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I concur. The 11.6 MBA that I got for my wife is a way better machine than what the specs would suggest.

It was a good review. Puts Engadget, Gizmodo and all the other tech blogs' to shame.

I still liked AandTech's one better. They wrote it up faster too.

tibi08 said:

It's funny that Steve said how Apple wouldn't produce a netbook, and yet, that seems to be exactly what they're produced... with one small problem. The price!!

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So true. The best netbook ever, and you know it's a Mac because of the obscene price ...

Poor Steve, he's such a lier it's a way of life.

maflynn said:

I don't recall any apple product being cheap, i.e. low priced.

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Their battery charger seems pretty reasonably priced.

Carouser said:

Thanks, I looked at the review. It's too bad you quoted them so selectively, because the review said "I call it a netbook because it can do all of the things you could do on a netbook, without any of the performance or quality headaches. You get a great display, a beautiful chassis and much better performance."

That doesn't sound 'a bit crippled' to me.

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Not sure either of us are going to win this one, but for what it's worth I'd like to point out some other parts of Anandtech's review to you:

The new Airs are slow, they are great for writing and browsing the web (sort of like fast iPads) but they are noticeably slower than the Pro lineup everywhere else.

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If all you do is write, browse the web, write emails and talk on IM - the 11 gets the job done. Ask more of it for long periods of time and I think you’ll be disappointed.

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