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toddsimon

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 14, 2014
94
8
I'd like to replace a 2011 mb pro with an air. Should I wait or purchase now? When do you think the new model will be released and do you think it will have a retina display?
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
31
located
According to several threads in the last few days, buying now is a good option if you do not want to wait till Q3 or even Q4 of 2014, or even 2015.
 

Koodauw

macrumors 68040
Nov 17, 2003
3,951
190
Madison
I think all the rumors point to a 12'' retina MBA in Q3 or Q4. It could easily be pushed back.

I have a 2011 MBA that I will probably upgrade at that time.

You could always buy now, and sell it if something better comes out. The refurbs are a great way to go if you decide to do that.
 

toddsimon

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 14, 2014
94
8
Now that amazon charges tax where I live (Nashville, TN) where's the best place to buy one?
 

Yr Blues

macrumors 68030
Jan 14, 2008
2,687
889
I think all the rumors point to a 12'' retina MBA in Q3 or Q4. It could easily be pushed back.

I have a 2011 MBA that I will probably upgrade at that time.

You could always buy now, and sell it if something better comes out. The refurbs are a great way to go if you decide to do that.

I bet they're streamlining the laptop selection

11.88" MBA
13.3" rMBP
15.4" rMBP

Cuts down on indecision.
 

michaelsviews

macrumors 65816
Sep 25, 2007
1,477
467
New England
I'd like to replace a 2011 mb pro with an air. Should I wait or purchase now? When do you think the new model will be released and do you think it will have a retina display?

Retina Display = less battery time, supposedly. As for buying now, why not the next processor bump will not be till the fall , well according to the rumors / postings.

Go for it, you have the 14 day return policy
 

psik

macrumors 6502
Aug 21, 2007
422
33
I have a rMBP 13" and a MBA 13" at work, plus a MBA 11" at home. Out of the three I prefer the MBA 11", display and all.

I know it is hard to say, but why? If the retina not supposed to be sharper, vivid, higher in pixels, and more crisp to the eye? Is that something not the eye prefers?
 

lagisibuk

macrumors 6502
Jun 25, 2013
335
11
I think you should buy today, dont wait until new release.
actually apple will release on "early - mid - latest" model, it's mean : feb, june and october.

hmmm, from the rumors i have been read, many people say about 12". but i'm really confuse with this screen spesification, because AIR 11" is 11,6 real. what means about 0.4" inc?
 

oklaonion

macrumors member
Mar 24, 2011
90
0
I just bought an 11 inch MacBook Air last week. I had good reasons though, not the least of which was that I technically didn't "own" a computer. I was kind of going between my crappy work laptop and wife's old MacBook so this was not ideal.

Ultimately, it depends on your needs and preferences. I wanted the smallest, fastest, and cheapest MacBook I could get (for preferably less than $1,000. Display is kind of secondary to me (although the Retinas are nice), I'm not really the type to need the best at all times. If they even do introduce a Retina Air it almost has to take a battery hit and the battery life is one of my top priorities. Also, I needed it sooner rather than later. Who knows when the MBA gets its refresh?

Those were my reasons/priorities. Come up with a list of your own and you'll be set
 

DmbShn41

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2009
295
2
Now that amazon charges tax where I live (Nashville, TN) where's the best place to buy one?

Best place is the Apple Refurb Store. You can get an entry level 11" for $849 plus tax, free shipping. Entry level 13" for $929 + tax, free shipping. Significant savings, and you still have a 1 year warranty, plus 14 day return policy, plus all benefits of a new laptop. Only downside to Refurb store are no build to order options. Buy them as is in terms of options. Highly recommend this if the standard builds are suitable for your needs.
 

T'hain Esh Kelch

macrumors 603
Aug 5, 2001
6,327
7,171
Denmark
What's wrong with the current mb air screen?
That comment confuses me, as I find the current MBA display quite good.
Personally I find it horrible.
What's good about it? Low resolution compared to almost every other ultra-portable laptop these days, with terrible viewing-angles and colors.
Exactly. Especially the resolution, even when I don't give much for Retina, and lack of color saturation is what ticks me off the most.
 

toddsimon

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 14, 2014
94
8
This is my current setup, would the current mb air with 4gb of ram, be noticeably faster than my current machine?
 

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Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,972
46,429
In a coffee shop.
Having read your post, I'm curious as to why you wish to get an Air.

At the moment, there are two great reasons for buying an Air; uber-portability, and excellent battery life (in the 2013 models).

Of course, the retina screen is nicer than the current MBA screen, and, no, I have absolutely no idea when Apple will add the retina screen to the MBA line-up, but, I expect it to happen sometime over the next few years.

For me, retina - while really good - is not a deal breaker, whereas speed, portability and excellent battery life all are.

Re your situation, if you need a computer (or if your old one is showing signs of increasing age - i.e. many beach balls are making an appearance, when you attempt even a mundane and relatively undemanding action), buy one; if, however, you merely want one, perhaps you should wait until there has been a more radical update.

And, re actual purchases: I doubt you'll go far wrong with a refurb; you will get a fairly generous discount, along with a full warranty.

Whatever you decide, the very best of luck with it.
 

EwanMcTeagle

macrumors 6502
Mar 26, 2012
261
43
Lodz, Poland
This is my current setup, would the current mb air with 4gb of ram, be noticeably faster than my current machine?

Honestly, I can't see reasons for changing your 13 MBP. I have a similar late 2011 model with 8GB RAM and SSD. Compared to the latest high end 13" MBA I have at work I don't see much difference in everyday tasks. Obviously the battery life is insane on the MBA, but in terms of computing power I can't notice significant advanages of the MBA. Bottlenecks in both cases are the servers that I have to connect to - some of them are located abroad and they tend to "beachball" Finder and Bridge on both machines. In terms of web browsing, In Design, Photoshop (both in light use) etc. I don't see much difference.
Of course it's your money and your decision, but I would definitely wait a year or two. First off, to make the current computer "work" for the money you had spent on it and secodnly to see the direction in which Macs will go. There's a big chance that the next MBA will only see a slight bump thanks to new processors, but some significant changes will happen in 2015. Anyway, no offence, it looks you don't really need to change, you just want to. If so I wuld control my urges:) and wait. If the next MBA turns out to be a gamechanger or delivers functionality you desire, then you can buy anytime. If not, you can still get the older model for a better price.
PS. The MBA should definitely get a better display - the current one is OK, but working with it I always get the feeling that it doesn't match the "state of the art" level of tech of the rest of the computer represents.
 

toddsimon

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 14, 2014
94
8
so I bought the mb air today (couldn't pass it up for 899 at best buy) and need to erase my old macbook so I can sell it. What's the easiest and best way to do this? I want to sell it with a clean os and I don't have any OS media or usb keys.
 

lokerd

macrumors 6502a
May 2, 2010
595
4
Beaumont
Any chance the next round of MBA will have a touch screen?

I currently have a 13" MBA, 128gb SSD, I think 2012. I need USB 3, and I need 256gb SSD.

I am currently leaning toward getting a Yoga II Pro i7, with the 256gb.

It doesn't really matter to me what OS I am using because I use all four off and on all day (iOS, Mac, Windows, Android). I am sitting in front of a PC with three screen and an 21" iMac running 4 TV screens in my classroom right now. I also have iphone 4s and Note 3 on my hip every day.

Point is, I am not stuck on the next iteration of latops going back to PC as I have alternated back and forth as each has some advantages.

What is important to me is to get a hybrid. I may be willing to wait if Apple will go that way, but I am going to need the larger drive and USB 3 before the next football season as I shoot for a paper and use the laptop to make a 9:30pm deadline.

Thoughts?
 
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