Schizo macbook pro owner: I miss my MBA!

[PDE]

I sold my macbook pro about a month ago to get a macbook air. I was so excited but had some issues that resulted in three replacements and finally my decision to ask for a refund and get one of the new penryn macbook pros. I just had bad luck and didn't want to keep replacing.


Today I was at tekserve and couldn't stop myself from playing with their demo MBA. God I miss it! My MBP is such a huge, heavy, clumsy machine in comparison! I miss the thinness, the build-quality, the weight and the unity of the machine - and the sheer excitement and fun of using it. The MBP is a great computer, but it feels much less solid in terms of build and design.

the MBA is one of those notebooks that pulls you in, entices you and begs you to use it. It's fun! Not many laptops can do that. I miss it tremendously, but I can't swap again because it will prove my insanity and mac addiction once and for all and my friends will leave me.

:(

[hotsauce]

Wirelessly posted (Apple Communication Device: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

You came to the right place. Go on, go pick up an MBA. Who says you can't have both. Don't worry, we won't judge.

[arcanic]

Wirelessly posted (Apple Communication Device: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

You came to the right place. Go on, go pick up an MBA. Who says you can't have both. Don't worry, we won't judge.

Haha...that's exactly what I did....I carry my Air to work and travel..my pro is now my home desktop...I got it attached to a 28" Viewsonic....*sniff*

Arc:D

[sushi]

Go on, go pick up an MBA. Who says you can't have both.
Heck, why not! :D

[eRondeau]

You came to the right place. Go on, go pick up an MBA. Who says you can't have both. Don't worry, we won't judge.

Well in that case, might as well buy three. My iBook G4 is getting a little tired... :apple:

[AreanFSL]

Looking to do the same! MBP to MBA! :apple:

[avigalante]

So weird... I was at that store today (and I hadn't been in ages)!

[mcvaughan]

Best of both worlds, IMO. My MBP and MBA are two peas in a pod. :)

[rom]

Planned on selling my MBP before I got my MBA... thought that I'd play with the MBA first. Now, I am drawn towards not selling the MBP *AND* keeping the MBA!

I might just sell the MBP with the next iMac/Mac Mini speed bump. :D

[gregk205]

Wirelessly posted (Apple Communication Device: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

You came to the right place. Go on, go pick up an MBA. Who says you can't have both. Don't worry, we won't judge.



I agree.. Go and pick one up.. Its only money.. lol I now have 3 Macs less then a year old... MB,MBA, And my new Penryn MBP will be here tomorrow. Oh and it's Glossy...:D

[PDE]

Hmm, I guess posting about my techno-lust here in the MBA forum was a bad idea! I mean, you guys are all subversive! I don't really want/need two computers, nor can I justify it financially. Just don't like the hassle of having to keep things synced. So the MBA would have to be my main machine, but I think I'd be ok with that. Just don't want to get another lemon.

I feel schizo, but it's hard to go back to the MBP once you've savored the exquisiteness of the MBA....

[PDE]

Macs have turned into a major distraction in my otherwise happy and peaceful life. Living in NYC also means that there seems to be an apple store lurking around every corner, waiting to lure me in and seduce me into parting with money. The more I try to convince myself that replacing my great MBP penryn with a MBA, the more I feel confused and unable to make a decision. I love the MBA, but the MBP makes so much more sense in terms of functionality as a primary computer. What the MBA has going for it is weight, size and gorgeous design but really not much else. I used to think that the MBP was sleek and svelte, but now it seems large and bulky and a real drag to carry around on buses and subways.

Maybe I need Apple therapy? Somebody to help me with my Apple addiction and advise me how to control this really serious bout of applelustitis that I'm going through. After all, it's just a computer! Or is it....? Help......

[xparaparafreakx]

I love my MBA and it comes along with me everywhere I go.

Now before those MBP/MB users come talk about their machine, I have a MBP 17" also so don't even think about going there.

There is nothing wrong with having both machines so start walking to the apple store and get yourself a MBA.

[mac jones]

best leave it alone.

This stuff can be a serious addiction (so can most anything, actually)
And a very damaging one financially.

These people make a joke out of it but they are not your friends and either; could not give a **** , are irresponsible (most likely), or are addicted themselves.

How about that guy who casually says that he replaced his MBP 12 times, to get it 'just right'. It sounded like it was normal for him.(intervention, I think)

Just like a crack house

(no smily faces)

[hotdamn]

best leave it alone.

This stuff can be a serious addiction (so can most anything, actually)
And a very damaging one financially.

These people make a joke out of it but they are not your friends and either; could not give a **** , are irresponsible (most likely), or are addicted themselves.

How about that guy who casually says that he replaced his MBP 12 times, to get it 'just right'. It sounded like it was normal for him.(intervention, I think)

Just like a crack house

(no smily faces)

Listen to him, PDE.
Don't just go out and buy one, consider your finances carefully, truthfully evaluate your options. I know it's damn nice, but at the end of the day, it's just a laptop.
Knowing you have money in the bank is a really nice pillow to sleep on.

[mcvaughan]

PDE,

Go out and get one already!!! :D

[fredrickyoon]

Go on and get it. :)

Bought my 24 inch 2.8 GHz Extreme iMac Aluminium with 500 GB HD in Dec 07
Bought my 17 inch 2.6 GHz MacBook Pro SR Processor with 200 GB HD in Jan 08
Bought my 13.3 inch 1.8 GHz 64 GD SSD MacBook Air in Feb 08

Why not go for everything.

:)

Enjoying everything right now (Apple family).

[Scott6666]

PDE,

Go out and get one already!!! :D

Don't be seduced. Stick with a nice quiet MBP. Save your sanity down the line.

:D

[kockgunner]

best leave it alone.

This stuff can be a serious addiction (so can most anything, actually)
And a very damaging one financially.

These people make a joke out of it but they are not your friends and either; could not give a **** , are irresponsible (most likely), or are addicted themselves.

How about that guy who casually says that he replaced his MBP 12 times, to get it 'just right'. It sounded like it was normal for him.(intervention, I think)

Just like a crack house

(no smily faces)

I agree. Don't listen to people on forums. They don't know your financial situation and many of them seem indifferent to having a budget (and are frankly quite immature). The comments may sound like all fun and games (especially with all the smileys) but can be dangerous if you let them get to you. I know someone who didn't know how to manage their money and know the person is in a financial rut. She was planning to sell her house in another country but due to legal problems, she couldn't. Now she has to return many of her large purchases like TVs and furniture. These purchases may seem trivial at the moment but when you really need that extra $2000 dollars, you'll be grateful that you saved it.

[bcaslis]

Don't be seduced. Stick with a nice quiet MBP. Save your sanity down the line.

:D

While I don't necessarily think the OP should get an MBA (unless he wants to :) ), I don't agree that an MBP is quieter. My MBA with SSD is silent unless the fans are running full blast and that happens only about 1% of the time. The MBP on the other hand is spinning one of those old fashioned things called a hard drive and is much noisier and with some vibration compared to my MBA. ;)

[heatmiser]

best leave it alone.

This stuff can be a serious addiction (so can most anything, actually)
And a very damaging one financially.

These people make a joke out of it but they are not your friends and either; could not give a **** , are irresponsible (most likely), or are addicted themselves.

How about that guy who casually says that he replaced his MBP 12 times, to get it 'just right'. It sounded like it was normal for him.(intervention, I think)

Just like a crack house

(no smily faces)

Listen to him, PDE.
Don't just go out and buy one, consider your finances carefully, truthfully evaluate your options. I know it's damn nice, but at the end of the day, it's just a laptop.
Knowing you have money in the bank is a really nice pillow to sleep on.

I agree. Don't listen to people on forums. They don't know your financial situation and many of them seem indifferent to having a budget (and are frankly quite immature). The comments may sound like all fun and games (especially with all the smileys) but can be dangerous if you let them get to you. I know someone who didn't know how to manage their money and know the person is in a financial rut. She was planning to sell her house in another country but due to legal problems, she couldn't. Now she has to return many of her large purchases like TVs and furniture. These purchases may seem trivial at the moment but when you really need that extra $2000 dollars, you'll be grateful that you saved it.

This is pretty much the only good advice in this thread. I'd advise you to listen to these folks.

[steve31]

I agree.. Go and pick one up.. Its only money.. lol I now have 3 Macs less then a year old... MB,MBA, And my new Penryn MBP will be here tomorrow. Oh and it's Glossy...:Dha ha you got me beat:D when I read this I had to show it to my wife to prove that I am not the only one that needs (wants) both!!! I have been looking at the blk macbook and thinking it would be nice to add a third;) lol

[ddd269]

Even though PDE has asked for help deciding... he already made up his mind to get a MBA. He's got issues like most of us here and will cave in to get ting the MBA. The right thing to do is to save save save, but you know what's going to happen.

[izibo]

Sorry to hear you had to go through 3 replacements. I had to replace my week 2 for a week 11 due to the core-shut down issues... but now I'm as happy as a clam! :D

[markrivers]

i own an MBP.
if ever i'll be getting an MBA, i won't let go of the MBP
and i'll buy the 2nd generation MBA, hopefully all these issues will be addressed by then

[PDE]

So, my dear friends co-conspirators, I ordered a MBA from amazon! I will keep either the MBA or MBP (not both), but since I'm unable to transcend my temporary schizophrenia with my mind alone, I've decided to use them both for a week or so, and see how I feel with them side-by-side. And then I'll decide which one to get rid of/return. because of amazon rebates/no tax, I'll most likely be able sell one of the machines and not lose much money, if any.

To those who cautioned about money: you're absolutely right! That's why only one of the machine can stay with me. I'll update with my findings after a few days of using them.

Cheers!

[hotdamn]

So, my dear friends co-conspirators, I ordered a MBA from amazon! I will keep either the MBA or MBP (not both), but since I'm unable to transcend my temporary schizophrenia with my mind alone, I've decided to use them both for a week or so, and see how I feel with them side-by-side. And then I'll decide which one to get rid of/return. because of amazon rebates/no tax, I'll most likely be sell one of the machines and not lose much money, if any.

To those who cautioned about money: you're absolutely right! That's why only one the machine can stay with me. I'll update with my findings after a few days of using them.

Cheers!

hey, just a suggestion: first thing when you get your macbook air, hit up a videochat for 30 minutes and watch a couple of youtube videos, so you get the overheating issues out of the way.

also, good luck with your decision, god knows it's a hard one.

[bcaslis]

So, my dear friends co-conspirators, I ordered a MBA from amazon! I will keep either the MBA or MBP (not both), but since I'm unable to transcend my temporary schizophrenia with my mind alone, I've decided to use them both for a week or so, and see how I feel with them side-by-side. And then I'll decide which one to get rid of/return. because of amazon rebates/no tax, I'll most likely be able sell one of the machines and not lose much money, if any.

To those who cautioned about money: you're absolutely right! That's why only one of the machine can stay with me. I'll update with my findings after a few days of using them.

Cheers!

Good luck with your decision. I've been trying to do exactly the same thing for the past three weeks between the MBA and a new Penryn MBP. Still haven't been able to decide, but I need to do so soon.

[hotdamn]

for what it's worth, I am sending my macbook air back and getting a macbook pro instead.

it's just so damn unreliable, eventhough it's the nicest mac ever made.
I'm so sad.

[NC MacGuy]

for what it's worth, I am sending my macbook air back and getting a macbook pro instead.

it's just so damn unreliable, eventhough it's the nicest mac ever made.
I'm so sad.

Hotdamn - THAT SUCKS!! I hope your MBP works great. It's a crying shame they're able to sell an idea and product and not have the bugs worked out.

I'm afraid a lot of of this can be attributed to Steve-o's super secret philosophy. These things are so secret they never REALLY get tested until the poor consumer gets them in their hands.

[PDE]

for what it's worth, I am sending my macbook air back and getting a macbook pro instead.

it's just so damn unreliable, eventhough it's the nicest mac ever made.
I'm so sad.

Hmm... that's not encouraging. I have my doubts, but I'm entranced by the light weight, thinness and design. But beauty is not enough: if it's unreliable in any way, it's going back to meet its maker immediately. The MBP I have seems completely and utterly stable and reliable.

[hotdamn]

Also, how come it works better on battery power than plugged in?

If I didn't need a damn laptop so badly, I'd totally go through the trouble of exchanging it until I get my hands on a good one.
I'm a sad panda, this is the nicest laptop I've ever seen, not to mention owned.

[Wingnut330]

I've had my MBA for a month or so and just bought a MBP to replace it. I LOVE my MBA, but I don't plan to take it out of the house much, so the portability wasn't worth the power tradeoff. I may consider another one when the next rev comes out (although mine has performed flawlessly).

Wish I would have known earlier - you could have bought my old MBA!

[hotdamn]

Well quite frankly, I would've loved to, but I am a developer select member, so I get a crazy discount :)

or if you meant the thread starter then I am sorry.

also, boo at 2nd core failing during video chat and peggle. again.

[PDE]

I hope I get one that works well but I keep asking myself why I'm doing this when the MBP is such a great computer? It really has to do with a longing to have a much lighter full computer in my otherwise heavy bag. After years of carrying way too much in my backpack, I want less. But I also love the size and form factor, of course. I'm prepared to make the required compromises (no DVD, no built in ethernet, firewire etc), but I won't compromise on stability and basic functionality. I'll try to keep a positive mindset and hope for the best!

BTW, What's the quickest method to check for core shutdown?

[pinktank]

I think having both the air and the pro is a little ridiculuous, get a desktop for home instead?

[PDE]

I think having both the air and the pro is a little ridiculuous, get a desktop for home instead?

Well, that's why I wrote that I will only keep one. i don't want two computers because I hate syncing....

[rom]

I have both MBA and 15" MBP and seriously thinking of selling the MBP and getting an iMac. I have the MBA for portability already. :)

[PDE]

I have both MBA and 15" MBP and seriously thinking of selling the MBP and getting an iMac. I have the MBA for portability already. :)
Having both does seem a bit redundant... Would you consider a MBA together with a large display as your main system? Or is it simply not powerful enough for your needs?

[PDE]

I should really stop reading these forums. It's painful to see the problems people are having with core shutdown, videochat and freezing MBAs. It seemed like the MBA was similar to the iphone in terms of being an unusually solid rev A Apple product, but perhaps there are more problems than initially was thought?

Maybe I shouldn't even open the box....and just be content with my MBP?

[NC MacGuy]

I should really stop reading these forums. It's painful to see the problems people are having with core shutdown, videochat and freezing MBAs. It seemed like the MBA was similar to the iphone in terms of being an unusually sold rev A Apple product, but perhaps there are more problems that initially was though?

Maybe I shouldn't even open the box....and just be content with my MBP?

Oh heck, open it and see if it works okay. If it doesn't, easy decision. If it does you gots some thinkin' to do...:rolleyes:

[jlanuez]

Go on and get it. :)

Bought my 24 inch 2.8 GHz Extreme iMac Aluminium with 500 GB HD in Dec 07
Bought my 17 inch 2.6 GHz MacBook Pro SR Processor with 200 GB HD in Jan 08
Bought my 13.3 inch 1.8 GHz 64 GD SSD MacBook Air in Feb 08

Why not go for everything.

:)

Enjoying everything right now (Apple family).


What??? March is almost over and No Mac Pro yet?

[jlanuez]

I have both MBA and 15" MBP and seriously thinking of selling the MBP and getting an iMac. I have the MBA for portability already. :)


Now this is the post that makes sense!



.

[PDE]

Oh heck, open it and see if it works okay. If it doesn't, easy decision. If it does you gots some thinkin' to do...:rolleyes:

Yes, that's what I'll do. If it's not working properly I'll return it and stick to my MBP. if it is working properly, I'll think about it and sell whichever one I don't decide to keep. That was the original plan, but I was getting nervous reading all the problems here...

Just hope UPS can deliver sooooooon!


Just for 'fun' I ran a HD 720 Apple trailer in a loop on my MBP for 40 minutes:

Fans: max 2600rpm
CPU: Fluctuating between 30-50% on both cores
Temperatures:

CPU A 56C
GPU Diode 64C
GPU heatsink 52C
heatsink A 51C
Heatsink B 43C
Enclosure Base 32C
memory controller 42C
Airport Card 37C

In other words: it runs cool and quiet even under quite a bit of load. It'll be interesting to see how the MBA does.

[bcaslis]

I should really stop reading these forums. It's painful to see the problems people are having with core shutdown, videochat and freezing MBAs. It seemed like the MBA was similar to the iphone in terms of being an unusually solid rev A Apple product, but perhaps there are more problems than initially was thought?

Maybe I shouldn't even open the box....and just be content with my MBP?

If you read the forums here the MBA is a piece of junk.

But I've had one since 2/3. No problems at all. My only issues with it are I would like more internal storage and there are times (like for photo software) I'd really like a bigger screen. The form factor is a joy and the SSD shows what a silent mac really is. Makes the MBP look clunky and dated. But the MBP (especially the new ones) is clearly more powerful for tasks requiring more CPU or graphics or needing a bigger screen.

As for using the MBA as an only computer with a screen, no I would not. Simple reason, there are times I need an optical drive and more storage (USB drive) active at the same time. Not too often but occasionally. Can't be done with the MBA. You must have the Superdrive in the USB plug (can't use a hub) so I can't hookup anything else.

[bcaslis]

Yes, that's what I'll do. If it's not working properly I'll return it and stick to my MBP. if it is working properly, I'll think about it and sell whichever one I don't decide to keep. That was the original plan, but I was getting nervous reading all the problems here...

Just hope UPS can deliver sooooooon!


Just for 'fun' I ran a HD 720 Apple trailer in a loop on my MBP for 40 minutes:

Fans: max 2600rpm
CPU: Fluctuating between 30-50% on both cores
Temperatures:

CPU A 56C
GPU Diode 64C
GPU heatsink 52C
heatsink A 51C
Heatsink B 43C
Enclosure Base 32C
memory controller 42C
Airport Card 37C

In other words: it runs cool and quiet even under quite a bit of load. It'll be interesting to see how the MBA does.

I've done this. I can guarantee you that in this contest the MBP wins. The MBA normally is quite cool and quiet. But doing this will ship up the fans alot. I've never had it overheat or shutdown a core, but it will get warm on the bottom left and the fan will get up to 6200rpm.

[AMoeini]

It's a completely natural feeling. I was addicted to the iPhone (seriously) from around november until february. It sounds funny, but it's truly not. I still don't even own an iPhone and honestly, I can wait now. But it's a terrible thing, all I did was research iPhone information, watch reviews, interviews, even unboxing videos, it was absolutely ridiculous. The only thing that helped was time, and knowing eventually, it will get an update.

Please don't fall in for one, trust me, the MacBook Pro is an incredible device. Yes, it might have a few extra pounds to it, bigger, and not as easy on the eyes (although, still VERY attractive) but it does and can handle more than the MBA. It's maybe not at slim, but it definitely is way more practical. Unless you need two computers, which I don't think is the situation for anyone unless they need them for work, just admire it, but don't buy it. You really don't need it. And although it might be a while, it will receive and update, and then you can go ahead and purchase one. I still use my iBook G4, and trust me, many times I felt the need to kill for a MacBook. Now, truly I do need a new computer because this thing has maybe 2 gig's of room left and is about to kill me. But hey, 3 and 1/2 year later i'm still using this. There's lots of great things about your MBP, and I advise you keep it and enjoy it. If you get lonely, just head down to Apple and play around with it for a little bit. That's what I do :)

[PDE]

It's a completely natural feeling. I was addicted to the iPhone (seriously) from around november until february. It sounds funny, but it's truly not. I still don't even own an iPhone and honestly, I can wait now. But it's a terrible thing, all I did was research iPhone information, watch reviews, interviews, even unboxing videos, it was absolutely ridiculous. The only thing that helped was time, and knowing eventually, it will get an update.

Please don't fall in for one, trust me, the MacBook Pro is an incredible device. Yes, it might have a few extra pounds to it, bigger, and not as easy on the eyes (although, still VERY attractive) but it does and can handle more than the MBA. It's maybe not at slim, but it definitely is way more practical. Unless you need two computers, which I don't think is the situation for anyone unless they need them for work, just admire it, but don't buy it. You really don't need it. And although it might be a while, it will receive and update, and then you can go ahead and purchase one. I still use my iBook G4, and trust me, many times I felt the need to kill for a MacBook. Now, truly I do need a new computer because this thing has maybe 2 gig's of room left and is about to kill me. But hey, 3 and 1/2 year later i'm still using this. There's lots of great things about your MBP, and I advise you keep it and enjoy it. If you get lonely, just head down to Apple and play around with it for a little bit. That's what I do :)


Thanks for the very rational thoughts. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if my rationality will keep my irrational side in check once I receive the UPS package today. My options are to open the package, use it for a while and sell if I decide not to keep it, or head straight to UPS this afternoon, send it back (and pay for shipping and insurance) and be done with it. I doubt I'll be capable of exercising the restraint needed to not open the box.

I'm not sure this is normal....it's a little scary how a computer can cause this kind of totally irrational behavior!

The bottom line is that I'd be fine with either of the two computers. The MBA might not last me as long, but on the other hand I'll use it more because of the portability. Truth is, I haven't kept a computer for more than two years in a long long time and I doubt I'll do it this time either. No doubt the MBP is a much more versatile computer than the MBA, but it's also big and quite heavy and I often don't feel like bringing it along when I'm out and about. I'd really like something light and extremely portable, even if I'd prefer a more feature-complete laptop than the MBA. As we know, there are always tradeoffs!

[fredrickyoon]

My whole Apple family I'm enjoying and even my wife. The Air compliment portability, the iMac as a stand alone desktop, and the wife's MacBook Pro in the living room.

:)

[jman2003]

sniff sniff, me 2

[PDE]

Well, that was a very quick marriage, honeymoon and divorce! Received it yesterday, unpacked, booted up and immediately noticed that that LCD didn't look good - quite unevenly illuminated with the lower right corner darker and just a generally splotchy appearance throughout. Also the trackpad button felt terrible with the middle sound metallic, the corners not clicking at all and the lower edge with almost no give at all - the worst trackpad button I've used though I think something was wrong with it.


Packed it up today and am returning it. I also stopped by the Apple store to check out other displays and came across the Chimei 9c6F which I compared to the one I have (which is the most common one AUO XX73 or something) - there is a considerable difference in quality, with the Chimei being slightly brighter, much more evenly backlit and with none of the 'grain' (just drag a white window around and you can see the surface texture - on the macbooks, LED MBPs and the Chimei MBA displays you can't see any grain/texture) of the other displays.

So, that's that. Very anticlimactical , but I'm not paying that much without being totally satisfied and the display really was not nice.

End of my story....what a waste of time, but I suppose this settled my decision. For now, at least. :(

[bcaslis]

Sorry to hear your problem. Interesting in that I have the 9c73 display on the MBA and I find it better than the 9c83 display on a MBP. I definitely don't see the dark patches you see and it's brighter than the MBP display.

[PDE]

Sorry to hear your problem. Interesting in that I have the 9c73 display on the MBA and I find it better than the 9c83 display on a MBP. I definitely don't see the dark patches you see and it's brighter than the MBP display.

It's interesting, I compared video playback on the MBA and my MBP matte (9c81) and I felt that the MBA was definitely better for that - more saturation and contrast that made it look great. Perhaps the glossy screen? During video playback the dark areas are not really visible so it looks amazing. The unevenness is mainly visible when working in any window that is light or white - essentially email, word processing and a lot of websites. Could I live with it? I guess, but I was already a little doubtful so this kind of sealed the deal. I love the MBA design and feel, but I might wait until the next revision...if I can! I just don't feel like replacing right now.


Oh, the screen was also not quite as bright as my MBP 9c81, but the difference was very very slight. To me they're both as bright as I'd ever want anyway.

[mcvaughan]

Sorry to hear your problem. Interesting in that I have the 9c73 display on the MBA and I find it better than the 9c83 display on a MBP. I definitely don't see the dark patches you see and it's brighter than the MBP display.

Mine is also 9C73 and find it very bright.

[PDE]

I'm not saying that it isn't bright, just that it wasn't quite as bright as my MBP 9c81, nor as bright as the MBA Chimei 9c6f I saw in the store. It's still very bright though!

[krye]

I sold my macbook pro about a month ago to get a macbook air. I was so excited but had some issues that resulted in three replacements and finally my decision to ask for a refund and get one of the new penryn macbook pros. I just had bad luck and didn't want to keep replacing.


Today I was at tekserve and couldn't stop myself from playing with their demo MBA. God I miss it! My MBP is such a huge, heavy, clumsy machine in comparison! I miss the thinness, the build-quality, the weight and the unity of the machine - and the sheer excitement and fun of using it. The MBP is a great computer, but it feels much less solid in terms of build and design.

the MBA is one of those notebooks that pulls you in, entices you and begs you to use it. It's fun! Not many laptops can do that. I miss it tremendously, but I can't swap again because it will prove my insanity and mac addiction once and for all and my friends will leave me.

:(

Get it. You don't need your friends. You need your Mac!

[krye]

Hmm, I guess posting about my techno-lust here in the MBA forum was a bad idea! I mean, you guys are all subversive! I don't really want/need two computers, nor can I justify it financially. Just don't like the hassle of having to keep things synced. So the MBA would have to be my main machine, but I think I'd be ok with that. Just don't want to get another lemon.

I feel schizo, but it's hard to go back to the MBP once you've savored the exquisiteness of the MBA....

That's what .Mac is for. I have my Mac Pro and my MacBook synced with .Mac and it works beautifully!

[hotdamn]

Get it. You don't need your friends. You need your Mac!

that's such a weird thing to say, even on a mac forum.

PDE: I know exactly what you mean about going back to the MBP, though. Hell, all I do is code Java and/or C (and study, study, study) so I really don't need the power, even-though I know the mbp is the more future-proof alternative, I just can't let go of this tiny little air.
So yeah, I ordered a replacement unit for now. If that turns out to be another lemon, a Macbook Pro and a broken heart it is.

[PDE]

that's such a weird thing to say, even on a mac forum.

PDE: I know exactly what you mean about going back to the MBP, though. Hell, all I do is code Java and/or C (and study, study, study) so I really don't need the power, even-though I know the mbp is the more future-proof alternative, I just can't let go of this tiny little air.
So yeah, I ordered a replacement unit for now. If that turns out to be another lemon, a Macbook Pro and a broken heart it is.

that's kind of how I feel: a macbook pro and a broken heart. When I think more about it, I'm sure that in the not too distant future the MBA will be less of a compromise: one extra USB port, min 120gb hdd, a little better battery life, shorter charge time etc. At that time, it'll be easy to sell my MBP and buy a MBA without losing much money. The MBA will only get better!

Today I was going out and had packed my backpack and just as I was going out (and be out running around all day in NYC) I decided to take out my MBP because it felt too heavy! With the MBA I wouldn't have done that. Less weight and bulk is a HUGE advantage in New York City.

[bcaslis]

I'm not saying that it isn't bright, just that it wasn't quite as bright as my MBP 9c81, nor as bright as the MBA Chimei 9c6f I saw in the store. It's still very bright though!

I haven't really compared to another MBA but I know my MBA is brighter than either a 9c81 or 9c83 MBP display I've compared to. I would guess that you got a lemon because this isn't universal problem.

[ddd269]

i own an MBP.
if ever i'll be getting an MBA, i won't let go of the MBP
and i'll buy the 2nd generation MBA, hopefully all these issues will be addressed by then

What issues? I had my MBA since it first came out and not a problem and the majority of the owners will agree to this. The posts you see here about MBA problems are a small percentage of total MBAs sold. Might I add, these are problems reported by very delicate people.

;)

[PDE]

What issues? I had my MBA since it first came out and not a problem and the majority of the owners will agree to this. The posts you see here about MBA problems are a small percentage of total MBAs sold. Might I add, these are problems reported by very delicate people.

;)

By very delicate people? You mean very discerning customers? Customers who ask for what they pay for....

I never quite understand those who have defect-free machines generalizing about all machines and stating that those who are experiencing defective products are just being sensitive and picky. Why is it so difficult to believe that it's cheaper for Apple to deal with individual customers' complaints (even when it means multiple replacements) than to ensure that most machines are of the highest quality out of the box? I don't know what the percentage is, but I'm sure that Apple coldly counts on a large percent of defects never being noticed by the average customer and that that is part of their strategy to reduce costs. For us who do care about quality and don't want to accept things like uneven backlighting, yellowing of displays, core shutdowns, wobbly MBAs and and other quality issues, Apple's calculation means a waste of our time and money as we replace and repair over and over again. It's really a poor long-term strategy on Apple's part.

If there were a better company to deal with, I'd switch in a heartbeat. and I hope there will be in the future. But that doesn't mean that Apple is satisfactory in terms of quality assurance, just that others are often worse.

BTW, if you received it, would you accept the LCD I posted above?

[bcaslis]

By very delicate people? You mean very discerning customers? Customers who ask for what they pay for....

I never quite understand those who have defect-free machines generalizing about all machines and stating that those who are experiencing defective products are just being sensitive and picky. Why is it so difficult to believe that it's cheaper for Apple to deal with individual customers' complaints (even when it means multiple replacements) than to ensure that most machines are of the highest quality out of the box? I don't know what the percentage is, but I'm sure that Apple coldly counts on a large percent of defects never being noticed by the average customer and that that is part of their strategy to reduce costs. For us who do care about quality and don't want to accept things like uneven backlighting, yellowing of displays, core shutdowns, wobbly MBAs and and other quality issues, Apple's calculation means a waste of our time and money as we replace and repair over and over again. It's really a poor long-term strategy on Apple's part.

If there were a better company to deal with, I'd switch in a heartbeat. and I hope there will be in the future. But that doesn't mean that Apple is satisfactory in terms of quality assurance, just that others are often worse.

BTW, if you received it, would you accept the LCD I posted above?

I won't disagree that the MBP may be a better choice (and probably is for most people). But let's be fair, the only problem you encountered was the screen. I would have agreed and returned the unit. However, you could have gotten another rather than given up. It's fine to say that the MBA is not for you, but it's misleading to quote all these problems. For the record I don't know of anyone complaining about yellowing on the MBA screens like on the MBP screens. The overheating and shutdown of cores is legendary on boards like this, but try like I might I have not even seen a core shutdown on mine. Fans at full speed, yes, core shutdowns, no.

[hotdamn]

On the one hand, I agree with PBE, for this kind of money, you want a flawless machine. If I want a run of the mill ultraportable, I would've picked up an EEEPC.

[PDE]

I won't disagree that the MBP may be a better choice (and probably is for most people). But let's be fair, the only problem you encountered was the screen. I would have agreed and returned the unit. However, you could have gotten another rather than given up. It's fine to say that the MBA is not for you, but it's misleading to quote all these problems. For the record I don't know of anyone complaining about yellowing on the MBA screens like on the MBP screens. The overheating and shutdown of cores is legendary on boards like this, but try like I might I have not even seen a core shutdown on mine. Fans at full speed, yes, core shutdowns, no.

I actually had three MBA previously (I mentioned that in my first post), before I switched to the MBP and then tried again....so while it was 'just' the display, I've already been through a few so didn't have much patience left. I'm fine with that since I have the MBP to go back to, but I do believe that Apple quality control could, and should, be much better. I should be able to count on getting an almost 100% good unit rather than having to worry I might not. And that 100% should be objective - anybody, picky or not, should be able to pick it up and not find any immediate defects. I admit that my experience is both with MBPs and MBAs and that my main issues have been with the MBP LCDs rather than the MBAs. That's not to say I haven't had a lot of issues within a short period with the MBA.

Anyway, I'll just a wait a little to regain excitement and then try again.

[illian]

hey,

i have the same issue with my led screen as in the picture above..but not that bad. i had a second unit at home...and the seconde one had not this problem BUT black was not black anymore (too bright)...so i went with the first mba. i just love how black black really is ;)
if i work i can't see the litte prob with my screen...so i don't care at all..after all it is just a laptop which was build to use!

[bcaslis]

I actually had three MBA previously (I mentioned that in my first post), before I switched to the MBP and then tried again....so while it was 'just' the display, I've already been through a few so didn't have much patience left. I'm fine with that since I have the MBP to go back to, but I do believe that Apple quality control could, and should, be much better. I should be able to count on getting an almost 100% good unit rather than having to worry I might not. And that 100% should be objective - anybody, picky or not, should be able to pick it up and not find any immediate defects. I admit that my experience is both with MBPs and MBAs and that my main issues have been with the MBP LCDs rather than the MBAs. That's not to say I haven't had a lot of issues within a short period with the MBA.

Anyway, I'll just a wait a little to regain excitement and then try again.

Sorry, I didn't realize you had other MBAs, I thought it was only this one.

I do think Apple's QA should be better. Both the MBA and new MBP have some issues that they really shouldn't (yellow displays and buzzing right speaker on the MBP).

[mashinhead]

i remember when the original macbooks came out i went through 4 of them. I lust after a MBA too, but unlike most of my apple lust, I can't actually pull the trigger for some reason. It has nothing to do with the product I guess, It has and intended an useful purpose, but i guess the price is just so not worth it for what I would use it for. I guess maybe its just not meant to be for you. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. Look out for a used one or a refurb in a few months, or wait a year or so, it just don't think it's 'there' yet.