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Gave in and bought 1.86/SSD
- Thread starter cleric
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Scottsdale
Suspended
It's really not worth it to you to wait for WWDC in less than THREE WEEKS? The last two MBA updates have brought GIGANTIC price discounts. The last one dropped the high-end MBA by $700 and low-end MBA by $300. If there is not a big update, a small one would definitely include a lower price.
Too many rumors about the MBA to not get anything in all reality. Something is going to happen, and it was bound to save you some money or get you maybe a hell of a lot better MBA for the same money.
Not trying to rain on your parade, and at least you did buy a refurbished, but I don't understand buying a 19-month-old MBA??? Approaching two years in technology is truly ancient dinosaur tech.
How bad did you need this thing right this minute?
I hope you really like it. I guess it's easy for me to say this because I don't have to wait for an MBA to use an MBA as mine works fine. In late April 2009 my MBA was stolen. I decided not to go buy a seven month old MBA from October 2008, so I temporarily bought a MacBook Al. for $900. I used it until June 2nd when the MBA was updated, and I got a $700 price break over what I would have paid to replace my MBA with an older system that wasn't as nice as the $700 less expensive MBA. Did you not have any alternative system to use for less than three weeks to see if the MBAs got updates at WWDC? I mean the MBA was updated at WWDC last year, so there's some historical data of the MBA getting updates there too.
Good luck with it. I hope you love it.
Too many rumors about the MBA to not get anything in all reality. Something is going to happen, and it was bound to save you some money or get you maybe a hell of a lot better MBA for the same money.
Not trying to rain on your parade, and at least you did buy a refurbished, but I don't understand buying a 19-month-old MBA??? Approaching two years in technology is truly ancient dinosaur tech.
How bad did you need this thing right this minute?
I hope you really like it. I guess it's easy for me to say this because I don't have to wait for an MBA to use an MBA as mine works fine. In late April 2009 my MBA was stolen. I decided not to go buy a seven month old MBA from October 2008, so I temporarily bought a MacBook Al. for $900. I used it until June 2nd when the MBA was updated, and I got a $700 price break over what I would have paid to replace my MBA with an older system that wasn't as nice as the $700 less expensive MBA. Did you not have any alternative system to use for less than three weeks to see if the MBAs got updates at WWDC? I mean the MBA was updated at WWDC last year, so there's some historical data of the MBA getting updates there too.
Good luck with it. I hope you love it.
Veinticinco
macrumors 68020
Disavowed
macrumors regular
That is exactly what you are doing. Do you even KNOW what this person's needs are and the degree of imperativeness that he needed a computer? Furthermore, we don't know how significant a bump there will be in terms of technology, time of availability, and price; all of which may or may not be factors in this person's choice to buy now.
Oh, damn, I forgot you are the last and definitive word on here. Hey, I'm sorry Scottsdale, I didn't mean to rain on your post or anything. 🙄
sushi
Moderator emeritus
Do we know updated MBA's will be introduced at WWDC?
Or are we speculating?
Well said.
Everyone's needs and situation are different. The key is purchase what works for you. 🙂
It's ok I know the risks but I'm fairly confident apple won't be updating til after WWDC and I figure even if there is another Macbook Air the SSD version will be more than I want to spend. Also I'm trying not to get too caught up in the Apple specs/waiting game.
I'm a unix admin but web browsing, iTunes, terminal and a simple java app make up 95% off my use. This will be my main machine I'm sure it more than capable of replacing the mini. All my storage will be mounted by AFP/iSCSI. In fact it will probably feel faster in real world use than the mini because of the SSD.
At least the iPhone update should be more straightforward 😛 .
I'm a unix admin but web browsing, iTunes, terminal and a simple java app make up 95% off my use. This will be my main machine I'm sure it more than capable of replacing the mini. All my storage will be mounted by AFP/iSCSI. In fact it will probably feel faster in real world use than the mini because of the SSD.
At least the iPhone update should be more straightforward 😛 .
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Good luck, congratulations and enjoy it; may both you and your MBA live long and prosper together. Eventually, I intend to treat myself to a MBA, and in thre meantime, truly envy those who have them.
Anyway, I agree with Sushi that performance in laptops has improved exponentially over the past number of years; yes, of course, further improvements will materialise, and probably sooner rather than later, but rather than succumbing to buyer's remorse, enjoy what you have. Then sell, give it away, and upgrade when the fancy takes you.
Cheers and good luck
harleymhs
macrumors 6502a
I too bought a NEW MBA 2.13 SSD.. I didnt want to wait as well.. I bought mine about a month ago. I had a REV A the 1st day they came out and this NEW MBA is a GREAT machine. The biggest issue I had in the past with the REV A was it took 9 hours to charge the battery to get 3 hours of use. Now the NEW one charges in less than 2 hours from 12 percent! And its fast with the SSD. It isnt my main unit. I have a Black Macbook 2.4. & a Macpro. As far as waiting I was happy with the system I bought and charge time was great. I also heard they may discontinue the MBA so I didnt want to take a chance with that issue. So I bit the bullet and I am happy with my MBA..
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Again, congratulations, well done, and may both you and your MBA live long and prosper. Above all, enjoy it.
In any case, I sincerely hope that the MBA is not discontinued, for it is a stunning design and has steadily improved since it was first unveiled/unwrapped/eased out of an A4 envelope with a flourish by the inimitable Mr Jobs a few years ago.
Cheers and good luck
I wouldn't be so confident about the lower price - we live in inflationary times and I don't see much recent evidence of Apple updates coming in at lower prices.
I bought a refurb 2.16 SSD a couple of weeks ago to replace a revision A. I could have waited until June but don't see what the big deal is - I'm not an obsessive nerd (like some who hardly need naming) and don't really care about having the latest and greatest. If a new version comes out and is sufficiently attractive I'll get that in due course. There's way too much angst in these forums about what are incredibly trivial things.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint PPC6850SP)
Cleric: I've been eying that exact same refurb model... as it's so close to the current 2.13 SSD. May I ask a few questions about yours? Does it really seem refurbished, or like an actually new one just labelled "refurb" because it was unsold when the 2.13 Ghz w/ 120-SSD model debuted? Does the battery seem new, or noticibly not new? Does the case seem as perfectly un-dinged as a new one? If you were to watch an hour-long lecture on YouTube with it, would it work OK? Hot? (And if that video were HD, does it still play OK?) Did it have any optional software thrown in? ////// And my final question: I've been wondering - why that model Air gets way more "off", 20%, than the others? Ain't much in the whole refurb store gets that high a % off. This $1,349. SSD 1.86 Air model would seem to represent a "sweet spot": It's almost the same thing as the current 2.13 model (minus 3 watts of battery and a meaningless bit of speed), and might appeal to a savvy buyer seeking value -- who sees any earlier model as having this or that red flag, specs-wise. Yet the % discount is higher. Unless there's a weakness in the product that I haven't heard of that got fixed with the 2.13.... the only explanation I can think of, is that ---- they have a more of them to unload, for some reason such as they made way too many so that when 2.13 arrived -- LOTS of the 1.83-SSD ones were unsold? I don't see any meaningful downside to the one you bought, vs. the 2.13. Am I understanding that correctly? Thanks.
Cleric: I've been eying that exact same refurb model... as it's so close to the current 2.13 SSD. May I ask a few questions about yours? Does it really seem refurbished, or like an actually new one just labelled "refurb" because it was unsold when the 2.13 Ghz w/ 120-SSD model debuted? Does the battery seem new, or noticibly not new? Does the case seem as perfectly un-dinged as a new one? If you were to watch an hour-long lecture on YouTube with it, would it work OK? Hot? (And if that video were HD, does it still play OK?) Did it have any optional software thrown in? ////// And my final question: I've been wondering - why that model Air gets way more "off", 20%, than the others? Ain't much in the whole refurb store gets that high a % off. This $1,349. SSD 1.86 Air model would seem to represent a "sweet spot": It's almost the same thing as the current 2.13 model (minus 3 watts of battery and a meaningless bit of speed), and might appeal to a savvy buyer seeking value -- who sees any earlier model as having this or that red flag, specs-wise. Yet the % discount is higher. Unless there's a weakness in the product that I haven't heard of that got fixed with the 2.13.... the only explanation I can think of, is that ---- they have a more of them to unload, for some reason such as they made way too many so that when 2.13 arrived -- LOTS of the 1.83-SSD ones were unsold? I don't see any meaningful downside to the one you bought, vs. the 2.13. Am I understanding that correctly? Thanks.
sushi
Moderator emeritus
That much is certain.
And when you purchase the latest model you don't necessarily need the top end version. A couple days ago, I assisted a fellow who wanted to purchase a new MBP13. He was worried about whether or not to get the top end, but based upon his needs, he didn't need to spend extra for performance that he wouldn't need, nor use.
I would venture to say that most folks don't need the latest and greatest. That's why Apple continues to offer options. 🙂
Scottsdale
Suspended
I agree it may not get a price break, but history has shown us otherwise for the MBA. If there's a case change everyone will want the new model.
Also, if the OP needed an MBA now, it was absolutely the best choice possible. If I absolutely had to buy an MBA for whatever reason, I would have bought the exact same MBA as the refurbished 1.86 with 128 GB SSD. It's the best value of ANY MBA right now. It runs at the same speed basically as the 2.13 GHz MBA.
I wasn't trying to be negative, I just personally don't understand buying an old MBA. I personally cannot imagine moving forward with an MBA with 2 GB of RAM, but I know that's me. We are all different, but I would have waited three weeks for WWDC. However, some people cannot wait and they want now. My main point was to ask why the MBA was needed now of sorts. I wanted to know if he absolutely needed a computer and couldn't wait or if it was just a matter of having another computer but not wanting to wait for the update. I am trying to figure out the situation to see why the decision was made.
I definitely wish the OP the best with the MBA. Sorry if I came off negatively before, as we're all in different situations which I should realize. I went through not having an MBA for two months after mine was stolen, and it was the worst computer experience of my life going to an aluminum MB... other than the glass trackpad, LOL. So I get not having an MBA and wanting one. I hope for the OP's sake, the new MBA doesn't bring a big price break... but for my sake I would be happy as I will buy the MBA v 3,1 no matter how good or bad of a deal it seems.
edit.
One last thing... my response wasn't far off from the title of the thread... "Gave in" and bought a MacBook Air.
Yea the differences are documented all over here its the whole Rev B vs C argument. One other difference you didn't note is that I believe it ships with Leopard 10.5 not Snow Leopard 10.6, while this is only a $30 difference its worth noting. I can't tell you too much more about it right now since I don't have it, but when I get it in the mail I'll update and let you know.
Concerning the quality of the refurb its my understanding that there was some problem hardware (or maybe someone returning within 14 days on buyers remorse of the 2.13 😛 ) and the offending hardware part has been replaced. It should be perfect but I would say they are perhaps slightly more inclined for the same part to fail again. It is covered by the same 1yr apple warranty. I'm mostly speaking from my experience with refurb iphones.
As far as youtube video I do have to recommend the new flash plugin with hardware acceleration on my mini with 9400m it brought cpu usage down by 50% on HD videos.
Scottsdale
Suspended
Surely they will ship the MBA to you with Snow Leopard on it. The refurbished MBA will be just like brand new. Most people have excellent experiences. I bought three 24" LED ACDs and they were all like brand new.
The $1349 you paid is the absolute best deal for an MBA right now. A 1.86 and 2.13 GHz will run at about the same speed most of the time since the CPU is throttled. The only differences are truly a 3% larger battery and Ethernet to USB cable on the 2009 updated MBA.
I agree the new Flash with h.264 makes the experience much closer to the same experience on Windows with Flash.
In addition, if you needed it right now you did the right thing. Also, many people here, like me, have been expecting an update since October 2009, then was disappointed and started expecting again the first week of 2010... and it's possible WWDC will fly right on by with no MBA update. Enjoy your MBA v 2,1 as it might be still "current" until Early 2011 at the rate Apple is updating its Macs lately.
Good luck with it.
gwsat
macrumors 68000
Cleric -- I agree with your decision to buy the refurbished MBA now. To me, the cardinal rule of computer buying has always been: if you see a computer that will suit your needs now and for the foreseeable future, buy it. Don't ever forego buying what you need when you need it because of the prospect of something bigger, better, more powerful, etc. coming along. Such machines always come along eventually. The problem is that nobody ever knows for sure when any product will be updated, least of all an Apple product. I am sure you wil enjoy your refurbished MBA. Then you can relax and laugh at the rest of us who continue to obsess about an MBA revision that may or may not be coming.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint PPC6850SP)
Cleric: So, what's the good news? I'm guessing you've received it by now. Since the revised one is just a mirage that keeps receding, the refurb model you've bought is of great interest. Are you happy with it?
Cleric: So, what's the good news? I'm guessing you've received it by now. Since the revised one is just a mirage that keeps receding, the refurb model you've bought is of great interest. Are you happy with it?
theLimit
macrumors 6502a
I'm a recent Air buyer as well. When I saw the lackluster update to the 13" MBP, I decided to get something to tide me over until a more substantial update comes along. I was offered a good deal on a six month old 2.13GHz SSD Air for $1200, so I jumped on it.
This is hands-down the best laptop I've ever owned. I've never had a computer that was such a pleasure to use. Plus, it slips right into a file pocket in my briefcase so I end up taking it with me everywhere. The only limitations I've noticed are the 2GB RAM and the 4-ish hour battery life, and I've begun to tailor my usage to work around both. I'm completely spoiled by the size and weight of this machine, I could never go back to something like my previous 15" MBP.
I may sit out this next update and wait to see what next year has in store for the Air. I'm a bit of a junkie when it comes to upgrading my gadgets, but I'll be moving to a new town for a new job soon and may not have the means for a new computer based solely on want.
This is hands-down the best laptop I've ever owned. I've never had a computer that was such a pleasure to use. Plus, it slips right into a file pocket in my briefcase so I end up taking it with me everywhere. The only limitations I've noticed are the 2GB RAM and the 4-ish hour battery life, and I've begun to tailor my usage to work around both. I'm completely spoiled by the size and weight of this machine, I could never go back to something like my previous 15" MBP.
I may sit out this next update and wait to see what next year has in store for the Air. I'm a bit of a junkie when it comes to upgrading my gadgets, but I'll be moving to a new town for a new job soon and may not have the means for a new computer based solely on want.
Congrats Cleric!
I hope you are satisfied with your purchase. I really enjoyed mine while I had it. The only thing it couldn't do is run multiple virtual machines without bogging down (low ram) which I need to do for work. I will certainly be replacing my 15" 2.66 MBP with 256gb SSD when (or if) the new MBA arrives.
Welcome to the world of the MacBook Air!... I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do!
I hope you are satisfied with your purchase. I really enjoyed mine while I had it. The only thing it couldn't do is run multiple virtual machines without bogging down (low ram) which I need to do for work. I will certainly be replacing my 15" 2.66 MBP with 256gb SSD when (or if) the new MBA arrives.
Welcome to the world of the MacBook Air!... I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do!