New MBA Rev.2, had to take apart.

[NC MacGuy]

Okay almost went 24 hours but temptation won out. Took it apart to see differences between rev. 1& 2. Here's rev. 2. Cleaner than rev. 1:

I'm providing a link on a "how to" replace the heatsink compound from another thread:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=6748970&postcount=6

[deriko100]

Thanks for the pics, Id be scared doing that.

[HeadForTheHills]

Okay almost went 24 hours but temptation won out. Took it apart to see differences between rev. 1& 2. Here's rev. 2. Cleaner than rev. 1:

Superb and you are certainly braver than me :eek:

Looks like the RAM is in BGA packages - I don't seem many people having the equipment to upgrade those !

And big changes to the heat-sink area

[NC MacGuy]

Rev. 1:

[NC MacGuy]

Superb and you are certainly braver than me :eek:

Looks like the RAM is in BGA packages - I don't seem many people having the equipment to upgrade those !

And big changes to the heat-sink area

Exactly. They aren't purely soldered in sticks. Heatsink is way different.

[lenselijer]

Wow the new heatsink is looking good. Can you take some more pictures of it? Maybe it will also fit in the MBA rev.1?

[HeadForTheHills]

The manufacturing date of your SSD is 19th October !

Guess that was the component holding back shipments.

[NC MacGuy]

It definitely won't. Haven't put all the screws back in this one yet, just testing it to make sure the sucker still works..:p

Will take out the two screws and take some more pics.

Yepp, right off the prod. line. Probably why no HDD's are being sent. Looks like they're cutting it close on product components being ready for announced releases - ya' think??

[Grimace]

Well Done!

How is the thermal paste in revB compared to revA? That was always an issue with other Apple laptops.

[HeadForTheHills]

Strange bumps on the RHS of the PCB - is it a composite board with bonded in heatsink or even copper Invar copper layers ?

[pilotError]

I see the SSD is Apple branded like the MB and MBP drives, but that confirms its made by Samsung.

[NC MacGuy]

Well Done!

How is the thermal paste in revB compared to revA? That was always an issue with other Apple laptops.

I uploaded some of Rev A. You can see the difference. Clearly, REV B is way better.

[jessica.]

Well Done!

How is the thermal paste in revB compared to revA? That was always an issue with other Apple laptops.

It almost looks "neater", but the OP would have to say for sure.

OP: Niiiiice! And nice use of a Ryder Cup golf towel!

[NC MacGuy]

Strange bumps on the RHS of the PCB - is it a composite board with bonded in heatsink or even copper Invar copper layers ?

It certainly looks like heat dissipating copper - you can already see it got some hot.. Without taking the whole board out to see what they are actually tethered to, it's just conjecture.

Didn't have enough time for full blown autopsy since I did want to get backing using it today.;)

[mkrishnan]

Nice analysis. Thread temporarily stuck per Jessica's request. :)

[jessica.]

Nice analysis. Thread temporarily stuck per Jessica's request. :)

Thanks :)
This is serious geek porn if you ask me. I think I need a shower I feel so dirty.

[NC MacGuy]

Thanks :)
This is serious geek porn if you ask me. I think I need a shower I feel so dirty.

Kick ass way to spend a Saturday, ehh???:rolleyes: At least this keeps me out of the PRSI cesspool.:p

1st pic is new MBA. You can see the heat sink is much smaller and not attached to the fan shroud as in Gen 1 MBA. Much cleaner design.

[jessica.]

Kick ass way to spend a Saturday, ehh???:rolleyes: At least this keeps me out of the PRSI cesspool.:p

1st pic is new MBA. You can see the heat sink is much smaller and not attached to the fan shroud as in Gen 1 MBA. Much cleaner design.

Weeeeell, I have a few other Saturday ideas, but yes, this sure is cool!

[lenselijer]

Would be nice if you could run 2 terminal windows with yes > /dev/null and tell the cpu temperature from istat pro after 15 minutes.

[mac jones]

Check to see if the dispay connector is the same.

Some of these part may be interchangeable, if not the whole motherboard (you would lose the display port though)

[NC MacGuy]

Would be nice if you could run 2 terminal windows with yes > /dev/null and tell the cpu temperature from istat pro after 15 minutes.

What? Do you want me to break it?:p Running as I type...

Check to see if the dispay connector is the same.

Some of these part may be interchangeable, if not the whole motherboard (you would lose the display port though)

Put it all back together. Sorry
I think some photos I took have high enough resolution to tell. Can enlarge them.

[NC MacGuy]

Okay, a few people keep asking for this. Ran two terminal windows w. yes >/dev/null concurrently for 18 minutes now. Also ran Handbrake today.

Here's the dev/null screenshots:

[zer0tails]

I would like to say thank you to NC Macguy. Really appreciate you doing all this for us :)

I always knew I was getting the Air, but this just makes the decision all the more easier.

much thanks!

[mhnajjar]

Great job OP :)

[jessica.]

^^ Yeah thanks.

[NC MacGuy]

I would like to say thank you to NC Macguy. Really appreciate you doing all this for us :)

I always knew I was getting the Air, but this just makes the decision all the more easier.

much thanks!

You are quite welcome! I've been in your shoes before and I hate it when a thread gets started saying "I Got The XXXX!!!" and they proceed to tell you crap about it. Handbrake encoding today temps. averaged 76-83º. Maybe a blip more but nothing sustained. If you look at the logic board redesign pic's, you can see Apple's done some things for heat dissipation. So far so good..;)

[NC MacGuy]

haha @ midget porn! (makes note)

What is blocked out under the red on the menu bar? :confused:

Ummm, that's the processor usage windows from iStat!:rolleyes:

Quote:
Originally Posted by jessica.
What is blocked out under the red on the menu bar?
Ummm, that's the processor usage windows from iStat!

[NC MacGuy]

What is blocked out under the red on the menu bar? :confused:

Ummm, that's the processor usage windows from iStat!:rolleyes:

[jessica.]

Ummm, that's the processor usage windows from iStat!:rolleyes:

Quote:
Originally Posted by jessica.
What is blocked out under the red on the menu bar?
Ummm, that's the processor usage windows from iStat!

Ummm, that's the processor usage windows from iStat!:rolleyes:

Ok I get it. Sorry I didn't know. :rolleyes:

[mac jones]

BTW

That SSD is a Samsung (as others have said)

You can see the part number clearly.

[Mindflux]

Midget porn, lol.

[OllyW]

BTW

That SSD is a Samsung (as others have said)

You can see the part number clearly.

Having "Samsung" printed on it is also a bit of a give away. :p

[NC MacGuy]

BTW

That SSD is a Samsung (as others have said)

You can see the part number clearly.

Yepp. That's why I zoomed in on it. I couldn't find it listed on Samsungs site but didn't put a lot of effort into it.

[kanpachi]

Hey NC MacGuy,

Would you also mind commenting on the following if/when you have the chance?

- Wireless reception performance. I've heard it's pretty shoddy on the former revision.

- Any issues with unevenness of the unit when placed on a flat surface? Heard that some from the previous revision would rock due to an imbalanced base.

- Any issues when connecting to a large external display? Asked another forum member about this already, but hoping you can reconfirm that there aren't any issues. Core shut downs would be common in the former revision.

- Undesired clicking, buzzing or any other sort of annoying sounds coming from the system aside from the fan?

- Screen discoloration, yellowing, or any sort of poor display quality issues that affected the prior gen MBPs?

I realize I'm asking a lot of questions, but was hoping to get your reliable advice before picking one up myself. Pretty sure this would help others here as well in their buying decision. Thanks in advance.

[NC MacGuy]

Hey NC MacGuy,

Would you also mind commenting on the following if/when you have the chance?

- Wireless reception performance. I've heard it's pretty shoddy on the former revision.

- Any issues with unevenness of the unit when placed on a flat surface? Heard that some from the previous revision would rock due to an imbalanced base.

- Any issues when connecting to a large external display? Asked another forum member about this already, but hoping you can reconfirm that there aren't any issues. Core shut downs would be common in the former revision.

- Undesired clicking, buzzing or any other sort of annoying sounds coming from the system aside from the fan?

- Screen discoloration, yellowing, or any sort of poor display quality issues that affected the prior gen MBPs?

I realize I'm asking a lot of questions, but was hoping to get your reliable advice before picking one up myself. Pretty sure this would help others here as well in their buying decision. Thanks in advance.

1) Wireless reception is about the same as the new MB and MBP, not bad. Absolutely no complaints.

2) Mine is well balanced and has no wobble. My first gen. did a little and I just loosened up the screws on the base a 1/2 turn or so and gave a little twist toward the uneven corner and then tightened them back up. Fixed.

3) I still don't have a display port adapter to check ext. monitors. Will try and pick one up tomorrow since I'd like to know too.

4) No noises. Silent with only fan noise. This is the SSD model so you will here usual HDD sounds if that's what you're looking at. I used to have a MBP that had an annoying buzzzzz. And a MB with a high pitched noise when you did certain things, so I did listen.

5) The screen is as good as my first gen. MBA. The best screen in Apples laptop offerings now, hands down. Even backlighting, bright, true colors and great contrast. Now that the MBP has glossy-gloss only, not much choice if you want a top notch display and the MBA is just that.

One other thing, the iSight still has crappy resolution but can't have everything..:D

[kanpachi]

You rock man, thanks so much for the prompt and detailed response! :)

[epicycle]

I put together a review of my experience with the new MBA R2 so far here:

http://www.wideasleep.com/blog/?p=127

I did some compiling and game play testing in it. I figured I'd answer your questions to :)

1. I have 802.11g (UFO Airport) and 802.11n (TimeCapsule) at home. I can go anywhere in my home and get reception with this new MBA. My old MBP had issues in the far corners of my house dropping occasionally while the MBA has 1-2 bars.

2. No balancing issues here, solid as a rock even with lots of typing.

3. I did most of my migration driving my external 24" cinema display using the display port to dvi adapter. It was awesome and worked seamlessly, no complaints in the least.

4. Other than the fan coming on ;) I don't have any noises. Coming from the old MBP keyboard the chicklet keys are definitely louder but not overly loud.

5. My screen is perfect. I ran Pixelcheck and have no dead or stuck pixels.

I hope this and my review above help ...

[kanpachi]

Hey Epicycle, thanks so much for your helpful feedback. :) Took a look at your blog too - very encouraging as well. I guess I'm gonna have to return this MB for the MBA since you guys speak so highly of it! :D

[kanpachi]

Ah, actually one more thing. Could one of you address the real world performance of the SSD drive as it relates to writes? I know it's fast booting up and everything and the read times are stellar, but how about the writes? I'm pretty sure the SSD in there is an MLC vs. SLC so I'm concerned there might be some stuttering issues when the laptop does small writes as is common with the MLCs (aside from the Intel X-25M which apparently is a one of a kind MLC drive in terms of performance).

[epicycle]

Any idea what I can do to test that kanpachi? Not sure what tool to use for it ...

[kanpachi]

Hmm, I'm not really sure either as I haven't encountered the stuttering issues myself, but when you were migrating stuff from your MBP to your MBA, did you notice any significant lagging? Also, when running normal programs like Adium or what not, are you notice any pausing of that sort or is everything running fluidly?

Thanks again for your help!

[epicycle]

I did a majority of my migrating (70+ GB) via the USB ethernet dongle and it was perfect, no lagging at all. I have Coda, Safari, iChat, Mail, 4 Safari windows (many tabs), Transmit, Twitteriffic, and Omni Outliner all running with no noticeable stuttering at all.

Not sure if that helps at all ...

[kanpachi]

Ah sounds like everything is swell then. Thanks a lot again for the help - much appreciated!

[lenselijer]

thank you for the dev/null testing :)

can you also run it with coolbook running? you can see the cpu speed with this program.

the problem with mba rev1 was that the cpu speed went to 1200mhz when the temperature reaches 80 degrees.

[kanpachi]

Ah, sorry one more thing! How is the hinge mechanism? Is it the exact same as the previous gen Air? I've seen quite a few instances where people have broken hinges for whatever reason - would you say that they're any stronger now or do you need to be pretty delicate with the machine? Can it also bend back any farther than before? The one thing I like about my MacBook is that I can just kinda toss it around open without worrying so much about damaging the laptop.

[twist2b]

I am really impressed. I wonder if even those small changes helped airflow better............ o_O

The 9400 looks sexy as always...

[NC MacGuy]

thank you for the dev/null testing :)

can you also run it with coolbook running? you can see the cpu speed with this program.

the problem with mba rev1 was that the cpu speed went to 1200mhz when the temperature reaches 80 degrees.

I had coolbook on my first Air and I was under the impression the last Air update wouldn't let CB work? Could be wrong but I don't really want to load and pay for it again on this model. I can say, I ran two terminal windows w. dev/nul and continued to surf and even tried viewing a mp4 show and it still worked w. no jerkiness/ dropped frames or loss in video/audio syncing.

Ah, sorry one more thing! How is the hinge mechanism? Is it the exact same as the previous gen Air? I've seen quite a few instances where people have broken hinges for whatever reason - would you say that they're any stronger now or do you need to be pretty delicate with the machine? Can it also bend back any farther than before? The one thing I like about my MacBook is that I can just kinda toss it around open without worrying so much about damaging the laptop.
Not sure if the hinge is redesigned or not. To answer your question, it looks like the previous one but all the real hinge guts are underneath the plastic which I couldn't see. It is tight and in comparison, my Gen. 1 does have some slop of about 1/2-3/4 of an inch. Not sure if it's due to 8 months of use, its design or is faulty but seems to have held up okay. Since it was purchased using AMEX, I get an extra year of warranty. The angle is exactly the same as my Gen. 1.

[lenselijer]

I had coolbook on my first Air and I was under the impression the last Air update wouldn't let CB work? Could be wrong but I don't really want to load and pay for it again on this model. I can say, I ran two terminal windows w. dev/nul and continued to surf and even tried viewing a mp4 show and it still worked w. no jerkiness/ dropped frames or loss in video/audio syncing..

You can use a free tool to see the cpu speed, its called MSR Tools: http://www.olofsson.info/MSR%20Tools.dmg

If the temperature is at max (77 degrees?) with 2 dev/null windows, can you post the cpu speed? It should be 1860mhz and not anything lower.

It would be nice if you can test it for me, this is the only thing holding me back from buying the rev2 macbook air :)

[six.four]

sorry to add on to the endless questions people have for you, but as someone who owns both rev A and B, have you noticed any improvements in charging times for the battery?

[NC MacGuy]

You can use a free tool to see the cpu speed, its called MSR Tools: http://www.olofsson.info/MSR%20Tools.dmg

If the temperature is at max (77 degrees?) with 2 dev/null windows, can you post the cpu speed? It should be 1860mhz and not anything lower.

It would be nice if you can test it for me, this is the only thing holding me back from buying the rev2 macbook air :)

Interesting... 1.59GHz?? And it did throttle intermittently down to 800MHz. Sorry, being honest here:


sorry to add on to the endless questions people have for you, but as someone who owns both rev A and B, have you noticed any improvements in charging times for the battery?

I'm actually only now doing my first cal. on battery but to be truthful - looks like the Gen 1. Ran it down to nothing overnight and it took about 4-6 hours to charge.

[Cynicalone]

^^^^^ Is gay donkey porn a good way to test your new Macbook Air. :eek::D

[NC MacGuy]

^^^^^ Is gay donkey porn a good way to test your new Macbook Air. :eek::D

;)

Google search in background... oops. Got bored of midgets.:p

[NC MacGuy]

Using the MSR Tools monitoring, finally got 1.86GHz sustained but not long. Proc. speed kept jumping around but regardless, everything worked and it didn't overheat, shutdown cores or drop frames in any of the three vid's I was playing simultaneously:

[jessica.]

NC, I have yet another dumb question (ie: iStat), but what significance does "Ran two terminal windows w. yes >/dev/null" have?

[NC MacGuy]

NC, I have yet another dumb question (ie: iStat), but what significance does "Ran two terminal windows w. yes >/dev/null" have?

It's supposed to max out both cores of the processor. This is what a lot of people use to test proc. speed/throttling, heat and monitor core shutdowns.

[gotzero]

Can you take a look at the two track pads and verify that they are in fact the same.

I am looking for confirmation for this so I can work on getting the four-finger multi-touch working. If it really is different hardware there is no point, but I do not believe it is a "totally different" trackpad design...

[Cynicalone]

Reading this thread is making me really want to upgrade now. I'm trying to hold off till Macworld, but I might not make it. :)

[NC MacGuy]

Can you take a look at the two track pads and verify that they are in fact the same.

I am looking for confirmation for this so I can work on getting the four-finger multi-touch working. If it really is different hardware there is no point, but I do not believe it is a "totally different" trackpad design...

It is exactly the same as Gen. 1 BUT four finger scrolling does work. I like the four finger scrolling, it was one reason I held on to my MB for as long as I did.

[aristobrat]

Reading this thread is making me really want to upgrade now. I'm trying to hold off till Macworld, but I might not make it. :)
Same here! :eek:

[jessica.]

It's supposed to max out both cores of the processor. This is what a lot of people use to test proc. speed, heat and monitor core shutdowns.

Mucho gracias seniór.

[gotzero]

It is exactly the same as Gen. 1 BUT four finger scrolling does work. I like the four finger scrolling, it was one reason I held on to my MB for as long as I did.

Can you verify they are the same on the underside? Hopefully they are still apart. LOL.

I want all of the multi-touch I can get, and I do not think we gen 1 owners are hardware limited in this case. I want to get a trackpad-hacking organized if there is something to work towards. ;)

[NC MacGuy]

Can you verify they are the same on the underside? Hopefully they are still apart. LOL.

I want all of the multi-touch I can get, and I do not think we gen 1 owners are hardware limited in this case. I want to get a trackpad-hacking organized if there is something to work towards. ;)

Aside from taking them out, they looked identical. The extra gesture(s) may be an update Apple provides for Gen. 1 users or not at a later date. I'm going to be handing down my Gen. 1 on Tuesday so I may crack them open one more time before I say bye-bye..

Any other requests?

[ghileman]

Same here! :eek:

i just broke down and bought one. went for the SSD too. so much for discipline. :p

[NC MacGuy]

i just broke down and bought one. went for the SSD too. so much for discipline. :p

Congratulations! Hope yours is trouble free and you're happy!!:D

[jessica.]

i just broke down and bought one. went for the SSD too. so much for discipline. :p

I'm wondering if Apple did this on purpose. Put the SSD model out well before the HDD model and let those who simply cannot wait shell out more money for the latest and greatest. I'm holding out for the HDD model, though daily I have to remind myself I don't need the SSD model and the additional cost.

[ercanbas]

I'm wondering if Apple did this on purpose. Put the SSD model out well before the HDD model and let those who simply cannot wait shell out more money for the latest and greatest. I'm holding out for the HDD model, though daily I have to remind myself I don't need the SSD model and the additional cost.

I am in the same boat. All of the reviews have been about ssd that I have been tempted to upgrade but my first gen hdd ran fine so I ordered the hdd again with a processor bump on the MBA 2.0. Although I do much traveling, the hdd held up. I don't have it in me to shell out an additional $500 just for a laptop that turns on and loads programs quicker. I seldom shut it down and I can wait the extra 2 seconds for a program. Perhaps MBA 3.0 when the ssd prices drop a bit more. Until then, HDD me baby!

[makingmusic]

I did a majority of my migrating (70+ GB) via the USB ethernet dongle and it was perfect, no lagging at all. I have Coda, Safari, iChat, Mail, 4 Safari windows (many tabs), Transmit, Twitteriffic, and Omni Outliner all running with no noticeable stuttering at all.

Not sure if that helps at all ...

I've watched the forum all weekend and hope to purchase a MBA after work today. When installing software, did you migrate from an older computer or do a new install? I'm trying to figure if I need a USB ethernet dongle and/or external Super Drive. Also, is there a place in this forum that talks about setting up a network drive? I have 3 external drives on my network but only use them as backup or moving files to another computer at this time.

[epicycle]

I migrated most (90%) of my data over the ethernet dongle connected to a powered USB hub where I had my keyboard, mouse, and an external USB drive plugged in as well. It worked great and was very fast. I did not buy an external SuperDrive drive as can use my wides iMac using Remote Disk.

[amsukalski]

Does opening the MacBook Air up void the warranty? Were there any sort of "warranty void if removed" stickers in there anywhere? I'm wondering about the feasibility of buying the standard HDD model and popping in an SSD later on, when the prices come down. Thanks!

[NC MacGuy]

Does opening the MacBook Air up void the warranty? Were there any sort of "warranty void if removed" stickers in there anywhere? I'm wondering about the feasibility of buying the standard HDD model and popping in an SSD later on, when the prices come down. Thanks!

Void if... stickers, not as far as I can tell. It is easy to upgrade the storage as well as replace the battery. The screws are 00 philips so do be careful not to strip them out or scratch surrounding surface.

[chocolaterabbit]

i read somewhere that apple have placed paper which change colour when you oepn the air, it may have been appleinsider. so i wouldn't rush to open it up.

[Lyrrad]

i read somewhere that apple have placed paper which change colour when you oepn the air, it may have been appleinsider. so i wouldn't rush to open it up.

You're probably thinking of the "liquid submersion indicators" to detect spils. http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/10/15/inside_the_new_macbooks_lsi_battery_hd_and_ram.html

There shouldn't be any issue with opening it up normally unless you break something.

[TerrorOFdeath]

Hi all.

I would like to know:

1. Is it really easy to change the hdd to an ssd? I mean without having the hole thing torn appart?

2. Is it much of a difference in power between the 1.6 and the 1.83 ghz cpu?
I mean i will not do hardcore gaming or something like that. In first place i will use it to watch divx and x264 videos.

Did not really find any benchmarks for the sl9300 and the sl9400.

Maybe someone can answer me this?

Thanks in foreward.

TOD

[ayeying]

The heatsink design is MUCH better now that it doesn't draw heat from the ram chips also. When you have 40+ deg C ram chips also pushing heat into the heatsink, it hurts.

[ducatidoc]

silly stupid question, but just wanted to confirm that the SSD is sata and not pata (it wasnt specified on the apple site, only noted for the HDD). thanks!!

[NC MacGuy]

MBA Gen 1 vs Gen 2. 720p HD Zack & Miri movie from Apple.com/trailers. Gen 1 is a 1.6GHz pictured on left, right MBA in sets is a 1.86GHz Gen. 2 w. SSD. Even taking the SSD & extra 260 MHz out of the equation, the difference in temps. and processor usage is worth noting. You can clearly see the MSR Tools and istat menu:

[Cynicalone]

NC MacGuy you convinced me. :)

So far I'm loving my new MBA. Right now I'm streaming HD video from my iMac and it's still staying just below 70º Celsius. Very happy with my purchase.

[jessica.]

I really wish Apple had not delayed the HDD model. I may go pick up a SSD model tomorrow. I'm growing impatient. :(

NC those are some great tests. Well done buddy!

[icymountain]

I really wish Apple had not delayed the HDD model. I may go pick up a SSD model tomorrow.

I may sound harsh with them... Is it not the reason why they delayed the HDD version in the first place ? To sell more SSDs to early adopters ?

[glitch44]

Thanks for the pics, NC MacGuy.

[Hippie54]

Been reading every thread about first impressions of the mba and it looks really good, it runs cooler and faster and still looks as good as before while doing it.

I am replacing a 2y old macbook 2ghz and while ive really enjoyed this computer 1 thing that i really disslike about it is the "Lift off 6200 rpm fan speed" while doing somthing really basic like watching a low quality movie clip or browsing some sites.

In the other hand it can run logic pro and finalcut really good and often without fans kicking it at all. What i fear from the air is that its fans will run even more often than my old mb,s.

What i would like to see is a stress test maxing out the comptuer for atleast 30 mins while monitoring fans,cpu and heat and see if the air downclocks to counter the heat or if 1 of the cores will shutdown, like the 1.0 MBA would do.

[jessica.]

I may sound harsh with them... Is it not the reason why they delayed the HDD version in the first place ? To sell more SSDs to early adopters ?

Nah I believe it, and I've even written it. ;) I think this was the ploy the play on peoples "I need it NOW and FIRST" emotion. I've tried to hold out but I flop back and forth like a fish out of water. One moment I want it, the next I look at what I should spend that extra dough on and think ... nah!

NC MacGuy has made it entirely impossible for me to not want the SSD Air! I blame him entirely. :p

[mhnajjar]

NC MacGuy, according to your pictured MSR Tools results, I think you do not have the latest updates on the MBA1 since the actual frequency is not locked at 0.8 GHz. On the other hand, it is strange to see that the MBA2 1.86 GHz is locked at 0.8 GHz. What is the use of that extra 1.06 GHz? :confused:

[NC MacGuy]

NC MacGuy, according to your pictured MSR Tools results, I think you do not have the latest updates on the MBA1 since the actual frequency is not locked at 0.8 GHz. On the other hand, it is strange to see that the MBA2 1.86 GHz is locked at 0.8 GHz. What is the use of that extra 1.06 GHz? :confused:

MBA2 not "locked" at .8GHz - it didn't need the extra processing power. I can get it to go up to 1.86GHz if I open 3-4 movies at once.

[mhnajjar]

MBA2 not "locked" at .8GHz - it didn't need the extra processing power. I can get it to go up to 1.86GHz if I open 3-4 movies at once.

Thanks for making it clear :D

[twist2b]

MBA2 not "locked" at .8GHz - it didn't need the extra processing power. I can get it to go up to 1.86GHz if I open 3-4 movies at once.

Yeah, the 9400 apparently processes (GPU wise) VERRRRY WELL.

[aristobrat]

NC MacGuy,

Having owned both versions of the MBA, do you have any comments about the MBA v2 screen issue posted over here?
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=6566330#post6566330

Thanks! :)

[worldburger]

NC MacGuy,
you seem to be the one having the most fun with your new Macbook Air. Do you happen to have photoshop? If you do, I had a small request...

I've linked a file here below (39mp raw). Could you download and open it in PS (as a 16bit) and see how the computer holds up? I'm curious how the processor/fsb/2GB ram/SSD handle this file. I've been editing a bunch of these on a MBP for a while using an external drive and was hoping (more like dreaming), that I could ditch the MBP for an Air for PS/Lightroom.

Normally, I'd test this myself by going to an Apple Store in LA (where I'm normally), but I'm spending some time in Berlin and the Germans a) dont have the new Air yet and b) wont use an SSD as a floor model anyways and c) the exchange/return policy is atrocious here so I can't just order one and try it out :-(

If you are susceptible to coercion, I could mail you a very attractive b/w architecture print...

Thanks if you can, thanks if you can't :-)

David

Link to file:
http://www.jirvana.com/raw_large/p45/Head_P45_CF000103.TIF

[ducatidoc]

props to you nc macguy for making front page of macrumors.

(and of course, for tearing down your new mba)

[jazzflautista]

You should be aware that the guys who designed the Air are following this thread quite closely and are quite flattered by your interest in their work! Go out and buy an Air - it is a great machine!

[MilesInCO]

You should be aware that the guys who designed the Air are following this thread quite closely and are quite flattered by your interest in their work! Go out and buy an Air - it is a great machine!

Can you ask them to put a 1440x900 screen and a 2nd USB port in the next revision?

Better yet, ask them if a Thinkpad X300 LCD fits, and if there's any test points for an unused USB D+/D- on the logic board... it'd be much easier to flywire a 2nd connector in than to reroute the single USB port to a little PCB with a hub chip, and then route one back to the port hatch, and a 2nd to a new home. I think if I cut a hole in the bottom panel next to the magsafe power adapter, I can just make a PCB with a USB type A connector on it, and share the mounting holes with the magsafe and battery:
http://www.ifixit.com/Parts/stream/9/large/8-2.jpg

[twist2b]

Can you ask them to put a 1440x900 screen and a 2nd USB port in the next revision?

Better yet, ask them if a Thinkpad X300 LCD fits, and if there's any test points for an unused USB D+/D- on the logic board... it'd be much easier to flywire a 2nd connector in than to reroute the single USB port to a little PCB with a hub chip, and then route one back to the port hatch, and a 2nd to a new home. I think if I cut a hole in the bottom panel next to the magsafe power adapter, I can just make a PCB with a USB type A connector on it, and share the mounting holes with the magsafe and battery:
http://www.ifixit.com/Parts/stream/9/large/8-2.jpg

There IS unused USB on the REV A (google it).

I am sure this one will be the same.
But still, I would not drill a hole for some extra usb. USB adapters work just fine for me thakn you.

[macbook123]

I had been wondering about this since the MBA first came out: is the thinness limited by the HDD in the lower priced version, or are there other components limiting it to a similar thinness toward the back? With your SSD version you should be able to see whether there's space on either side of the SSD that in the lower priced version is taken up by the HDD. I can't quite figure that out from your pictures.

Thanks in advance for the information!!

[aristobrat]

I think the thickness of the SSD and the regular HDD drives are both 5mm.

[MilesInCO]

There IS unused USB on the REV A (google it).

I am sure this one will be the same.
But still, I would not drill a hole for some extra usb. USB adapters work just fine for me thakn you.

Woah, thanks! I found this link:
http://www.maushammer.com/systems/mba/USB.html

...which has all the info I'd need. However, with the chipset change (nVidia vs. Intel), there's no ICH-8 in the new MBA, so someone will have to find the new testpoint locations for USB (if they still exist). On the upside, there's a chance they are High-Speed (480) vs. the Full-Speed (12) ports on the 1st gen MBA, if they exist.

Thinking about it some more, I bet I could change out the magsafe connector for a little PCB with a barrel plug for power and 1 USB port. It'd use the same header as the magsafe's internal cable does, so the only mod would be soldering flywires for the USB ports, no cutting of the bottom shell required. Although cutting the hole and getting *two* USB ports is really tempting, especially since new bottom shells are only $100 at ifixit.

[The Toddfather]

I put together a review of my experience with the new MBA R2 so far here:

http://www.wideasleep.com/blog/?p=127

I did some compiling and game play testing in it. I figured I'd answer your questions to :)

1. I have 802.11g (UFO Airport) and 802.11n (TimeCapsule) at home. I can go anywhere in my home and get reception with this new MBA. My old MBP had issues in the far corners of my house dropping occasionally while the MBA has 1-2 bars.

2. No balancing issues here, solid as a rock even with lots of typing.

3. I did most of my migration driving my external 24" cinema display using the display port to dvi adapter. It was awesome and worked seamlessly, no complaints in the least.

4. Other than the fan coming on ;) I don't have any noises. Coming from the old MBP keyboard the chicklet keys are definitely louder but not overly loud.

5. My screen is perfect. I ran Pixelcheck and have no dead or stuck pixels.

I hope this and my review above help ...

Nice review, I picked my new MBA today and am impressed. I had the original MBA and was very disappointed by the performance and horrible video, so much so I picked up the new MB to replace it. I really missed the size, so I waited to hear from brave souls willing to purchase and review the revision. Thanks for your information, I'm glad to have the Air replace the MB in my briefcase.

[Ironic]

Nice review, I picked my new MBA today and am impressed. I had the original MBA and was very disappointed by the performance and horrible video, so much so I picked up the new MB to replace it. I really missed the size, so I waited to hear from brave souls willing to purchase and review the revision. Thanks for your information, I'm glad to have the Air replace the MB in my briefcase.

Congrats, so now look forward and not back as it's a beautiful machine.

[NC MacGuy]

Anytime the heatsink is removed from the processors, the thermal paste or heatsink compound must be replaced. I wrote a quick "how to" in reply to another thread. I'm providing the link to that procedure here:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=6748970&postcount=6

[.product]

NC, is the Rev.B heatsink thicker? It looks heavily fortified (lol) but have they changed the actual metal? From taking apart my Rev.A I recall it being very flimsy.

Thanks!

[Ender17]

what's the connector for the SSD? is it standard SATA?
would like to get the HDD version and put a Intel X18-M in there

[glitch44]

what's the connector for the SSD? is it standard SATA?
would like to get the HDD version and put a Intel X18-M in there

Rev A: 1.8" PATA ZIF
Rev B: 1.8" SATA LIF

[Ender17]

Rev A: 1.8" PATA ZIF
Rev B: 1.8" SATA LIF
so, would a normal SATA drive work?
I'm not familiar with LIF

[fteoath64]

so, would a normal SATA drive work?
I'm not familiar with LIF

Nope!. Unless the drive is actually 5 mm thick and you have a mini-sata to sataLIF ribbon cable. :(

[pgflmac]

Has anybody tried X-Plane or the X-Plane demo on Rev B? The scenery graphics has a ripping effect on my Rev A. X-Plane seems like a good test of graphics performance.

[renegrub]

Anyone know if the new Intel 160GB X18-M SDD 1.8" will work with a Rev B MacBook Air? I have the 128GB SSD now, but reviews suggest the new Intel MLC is really must faster. I suspect there might be an issue with the connection type, but I am not well-versed in that. Anyone know? Thanks (in advance).

[glitch44]

Anyone know if the new Intel 160GB X18-M SDD 1.8" will work with a Rev B MacBook Air? I have the 128GB SSD now, but reviews suggest the new Intel MLC is really must faster. I suspect there might be an issue with the connection type, but I am not well-versed in that. Anyone know? Thanks (in advance).

i'm curious about a shootout between the Intel SSDs and the new Sandisk SSDs (http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/08/sandisk-unveils-new-faster-bigger-laptop-ssds/), which (on paper) are claiming faster write speeds.

as far as replacing, i believe the SATA-LIF adapter from your current Apple (samsung?) SSD would fit, but i haven't done it myself so i can't say for sure.

[renegrub]

Just took apart my Rev 2 MacBook Air to see what the hard drive connectors look like. Sadly, it won't work with the new Intel 1.8" 5mm 160GB x18-M hard drive. The SSD in the Rev 2 MacBook Air uses that LIF connector mentioned in other posts. I didn't know what that meant until I took apart my machine. There is a single ribbon connection to the hard drive (must be the LIF connector) that is not what the new Intel drive has. It uses the two connectors (power and data) like on a 2.5" drive (only smaller). Bummer.

[glitch44]

nvm

[kloan]

Just took apart my Rev 2 MacBook Air to see what the hard drive connectors look like. Sadly, it won't work with the new Intel 1.8" 5mm 160GB x18-M hard drive. The SSD in the Rev 2 MacBook Air uses that LIF connector mentioned in other posts. I didn't know what that meant until I took apart my machine. There is a single ribbon connection to the hard drive (must be the LIF connector) that is not what the new Intel drive has. It uses the two connectors (power and data) like on a 2.5" drive (only smaller). Bummer.
lame.

thanks apple.

sure hope someone makes an adapter... otherwise that really pisses me off, was planning on upgrading to SSD when they get cheaper.

[dsevo]

I had coolbook on my first Air and I was under the impression the last Air update wouldn't let CB work? Could be wrong but I don't really want to load and pay for it again on this model. I can say, I ran two terminal windows w. dev/nul and continued to surf and even tried viewing a mp4 show and it still worked w. no jerkiness/ dropped frames or loss in video/audio syncing.


Not sure if the hinge is redesigned or not. To answer your question, it looks like the previous one but all the real hinge guts are underneath the plastic which I couldn't see. It is tight and in comparison, my Gen. 1 does have some slop of about 1/2-3/4 of an inch. Not sure if it's due to 8 months of use, its design or is faulty but seems to have held up okay. Since it was purchased using AMEX, I get an extra year of warranty. The angle is exactly the same as my Gen. 1.

Can you ellaborate about buying your MBA with AMEX? I ordered the $999 MBA from Apple yesterday with my AMEX, and am wondering if I get extra warrantyt because of that. Thanks.

[NC MacGuy]

Can you ellaborate about buying your MBA with AMEX? I ordered the $999 MBA from Apple yesterday with my AMEX, and am wondering if I get extra warrantyt because of that. Thanks.

Yes, you get double the manufacturers warranty purchasing w. AMEX. So if your logic board dumps or HDD fails at 1.5 years, call AMEX, get an estimate for repair and Amex will either pay for repair or give you a credit of original purchase price towards a replacement if repair is super expensive. There is a bit of paperwork to muddle through but it's worth it.

[dudeitsjay]

Yes, you get double the manufacturers warranty purchasing w. AMEX. So if your logic board dumps or HDD fails at 1.5 years, call AMEX, get an estimate for repair and Amex will either pay for repair or give you a credit of original purchase price towards a replacement if repair is super expensive. There is a bit of paperwork to muddle through but it's worth it.

Buy all your electronics with AMEX =D. They cover the costs of repair for double the time like NC said, and do it even better without apple's a-hole harassment-style interrogatories.

[elektrobug]

Question: Is the bottom of the case any different on the Rev A vs Rev B ?

I have a brand new bottom case from a Rev. A that I bought to replace my scratched up Rev A machine but I no longer own it and have a Rev B. Will it fit or will I need a new one?

[pandabearjohnso]

Has anyone found any HDs other than the 120 HD and the 128 SSD that will work in the revB MBA? Also, I'm thinking about buying an 80 GB MBA. Is it possible to upgrade that to the 120 or 128 HD? And finally, does anyone know where to get the 120 or 128 HD if it is possible.

Thanks for you patience w/ my newbie questions :)

[iphoneftw]

Okay, a few people keep asking for this. Ran two terminal windows w. yes >/dev/null concurrently for 18 minutes now. Also ran Handbrake today.

Here's the dev/null screenshots:

midget porn

[kntgsp]

Has anyone found any HDs other than the 120 HD and the 128 SSD that will work in the revB MBA? Also, I'm thinking about buying an 80 GB MBA. Is it possible to upgrade that to the 120 or 128 HD? And finally, does anyone know where to get the 120 or 128 HD if it is possible.

Thanks for you patience w/ my newbie questions :)

The problem on the Rev B and higher is that it uses SATA LIF connectors. So to use a regular 1.8'' SSD like the Intel X18-M you'd need a LIF adapter. I know they make them, but I'm not sure if there's room in the Air to fit both the drive and an adapter as the drive Apple uses has a LIF connector as default.

The drive Apple uses is a Samsung I believe. It is also the only 120/128GB option with LIF for the Air supposedly. I have an X25-M that I tried in a MBP just to see how it performed compared to the Apple default and the read/writes were a little higher, but honestly nothing you would likely notice day to day. Apps open just as lightning quick. The only reason i would upgrade to the X-18M if it's at all possible would be the higher capacity and built in TRIM support for Windows 7. Your sustained read/writes and random 4K writes would be higher on the Intel drive, but to be completely honest, it's nothing an average user notices in a laptop at all.

With regards to updating an 80GB Air, if it's the Rev. B then you can upgrade to a larger 128GB drive. If it's the Rev. A, it uses PATA ZIF connectors, which limits your options slightly more.

[iyass]

hello all i need help here :
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=8755661#post8755661

sorry for posting this here but i'm trying to send any on personal message but this service not active in this forum :(

thx in advance

[wings400]

Okay, a few people keep asking for this. Ran two terminal windows w. yes >/dev/null concurrently for 18 minutes now. Also ran Handbrake today.

Here's the dev/null screenshots:

midget porn WTF!!! :D :D :D

[Shanebenn]

midget porn WTF!!! :D :D :D


How did i miss that? Had to go back and check the original.

[cavendish]

thx a lot.
hope I can do sth like that in the future.