Maxed out 11" worth it?

[louis0nfire]

So the upgrade from i5 to i7 is $135, 4GB to 8GB is $90, and 128GB to 512GB is $720. I'm assuming the processor and memory upgrades are definitely worth the extra money; but is even the $270 jump to 256GB worth it? The 11" MBA isn't going to be my main machine, so at most I would be storing apps, a few games, and some media. What's the recommended "sweet spot" betwwen price and future-proof? Thanks.

[Mrbobb]

Nobody buys the 512g if u hafts ask. Plus u can upgrade that later. iTunes lib size and whether u run Windows determines ur storage need.

[coldjeanzzz]

If it's not your primary machine I don't think the processor or SSD upgrades are worth it.

i5, 256 GB, 8 GB would be a nice happy medium IMO. Even the 256 jump might not be necessary if you are only going to install apps+light games+media.

[HarryKNN21]

If you ask me, that's not worth it. With all these maxing out you need to pay MBP money for the smallest machine.

I would only go for storage upgrade and memory upgrade if I buy one in Hong Kong, since I may not be able to buy OWC's flash drive upgrade.

For future-proof, I think you need to consider 13" at least.

[KPOM]

In the 11" model there is a bigger difference between the i5 and i7. Until recently I had an i7 11" MacBook Air (I lost it while traveling and used the insurance proceeds to get a rMBP). The SSD capacity depends more on how much data you plan to store on it. I had the 128GB model from 2008 to 2011 but then upgraded to 256 after that as my needs had outgrown the 128GB model.

For most tasks, the i5 will be just fine and I'd have no issues recommending it to most users. However, if you have any CPU-intensive applications the i7 will be a little faster.

[macrominnie]

Originally Posted by louis0nfire

So the upgrade from i5 to i7 is $135, 4GB to 8GB is $90, and 128GB to 512GB is $720. I'm assuming the processor and memory upgrades are definitely worth the extra money....What's the recommended "sweet spot" between price and future-proof?

A lot depends on your use now and projected into the future. Probably not many people want to use the 11" MBA to be their main Final Cut Pro workhorse.

My suggestion is to only max out the RAM (to 8 GB) and nothing else. The i5 processor speed is decent for the routine stuff most MBA users do. If future common applications get really processor intensive, the MBA i7 would probably also lag (though lag less).

By contrast, there are plenty of common demands for more RAM NOW:
multiple browser windows, RAM hungry OS's (10.8 & 10.9), multiple applications open, virtual machines, (maybe gaming,) etc.

I suggest saving the money on internal SSD and get portable external solutions:
flash drives, external SSD, external HD depending on your storage and portability needs. I've found USB 3.0 flash drives good enough for moving large media files to and from a MBA. And as MrBobb says, you can upgrade later if needed.

[xxcysxx]

Hey, I'd say do it. Do it now, do it quick, before the retina update. The newer retina version of the 11 inch will have its own set of newer problems all over again. The current generation of the 11 inch is perhaps the finest of its kind in terms of reliability and consistency, its been through several refreshes and it certainly shows it in quality and performance. I'm using the mid 2012 11 inch with 2.0 GHz i7 8GB ram and 256GB ssd and the performance and feel is smooth as butter. I love it!
The current generation mid 2012 i7 Mac book air 11 inch has equal or slightly better performance than the early 2011 i7 MacBook Pro 13 inch.
The screen is smaller but still very usable, it has slightly lower vertical resolution than the 13 inch MacBook Pro, however, it has higher horizontal resolution.

[A Hebrew]

No. It is not worth it.

[Lil Chillbil]

I wouldn't go for it personally

[daonesteven]

me neither. For some reason, I'd max out a 13" but not an 11". And I say this even though I own the higher end 2011 11"