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Buy now or wait for ML???

G

GREEN4U

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 24, 2010
680
396
I've been planning to buy a MBA 13.3/i7/128/4GB for school and all this time I'd been planning to wait until ML was released so it could be native on my machine. After all, what would be the purpose of getting something new and having to update it so soon.

I really want ML. However, now I'm hearing that ML is glitchy and may have some issues I thefirst release. Would that be the case even if it comes native? It would be a shame if a new computer had those issues. In the end, I want the smoothest computer possible.

Obviously the window for having Lion is closing fast and I have to make a decision. I'd like to know the truth about this kind of stuff and what you guys think. Thanks a lot!
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,031
7,872
Just get it now. That said, even if it ships with Mountain Lion, unless Apple changes the firmware it should be able to be "downgraded" to Lion. In any case nothing will magically change with the 2012 MacBook Air once Mountain Lion is released. The hardware will still be the same.

Also, as for Mountain Lion, the GM is pretty stable from all accounts. Of course, there will be bugs, and there will be a 10.8.1 a few weeks after 10.8.0 ships. That's true of any OS release.
 
T

tjcad

macrumors newbie
Jul 29, 2010
16
0
GREEN4U said:
I've been planning to buy a MBA 13.3/i7/128/4GB for school and all this time I'd been planning to wait until ML was released so it could be native on my machine. After all, what would be the purpose of getting something new and having to update it so soon.

I really want ML. However, now I'm hearing that ML is glitchy and may have some issues I thefirst release. Would that be the case even if it comes native? It would be a shame if a new computer had those issues. In the end, I want the smoothest computer possible.

Obviously the window for having Lion is closing fast and I have to make a decision. I'd like to know the truth about this kind of stuff and what you guys think. Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

I don't think you can get an i7 processor with the 128gb SSD. You need the 256Gb SSD model to get the i7. (Might be different in your country but 99% sure that you can't).

Most of the time you always upgrade, although in most cases its a minor upgrade. But you can always think of this as like this. You will have the opportunity to do a complete format and installing ML which is a plus since you don't have to worry about "how come my installing is __ and I only have __ space left." To add if you don't have Lion you get both Lion and ML, dunno if that's a good deal to you but you get 2 for 1. :D
 
PBG4 Dude

PBG4 Dude

macrumors 601
Jul 6, 2007
4,272
4,482
tjcad said:
I don't think you can get an i7 processor with the 128gb SSD. You need the 256Gb SSD model to get the i7. (Might be different in your country but 99% sure that you can't).

Most of the time you always upgrade, although in most cases its a minor upgrade. But you can always think of this as like this. You will have the opportunity to do a complete format and installing ML which is a plus since you don't have to worry about "how come my installing is __ and I only have __ space left." To add if you don't have Lion you get both Lion and ML, dunno if that's a good deal to you but you get 2 for 1. :D
Click to expand...

You can only get the i7/128GB SSD on the 11" MBA. The 13" forces you into a 256GB SSD if you want the i7.

Also agree with get it now with Lion and install ML when it comes out at the end of the month. This way you have Lion which is solid, just in case there is an issue in ML that would stop you cold.
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,031
7,872
tjcad said:
I don't think you can get an i7 processor with the 128gb SSD. You need the 256Gb SSD model to get the i7. (Might be different in your country but 99% sure that you can't).
Click to expand...

That's true. You can get an i7 with 128GB on the 11.6" model, but not the 13.3" model.
 
G

GREEN4U

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 24, 2010
680
396
Sorry guys I meant i5.

Thanks for the advice so far. Usually how long does it take before the Apple stores start selling units with the new OS pre-installed?

I was also thinking that if I got the computer now w/ Lion, I could install ML maybe a year or two later with my $100 B2S App Store gift card. That way I could perhaps have a more solid version. Thoughts?

Sorry for the overthinking - I haven't personally bought a new Mac in 7 years and haven't updated an OS since I updated to Leopard 4 years ago. That whole experience was bad. It made my Powerbook slow and laggy. I'd hate to have a new computer that is the same way. At the same time, I want the newest OS as it is a new computer.
 
T

tjcad

macrumors newbie
Jul 29, 2010
16
0
Just get it now.

I highly doubt ML will slow down your brand new MBA.

Since you want both (stable and "latest and greatest" OS) with this option you have a choice to go with either one (without purchasing the other).

Besides the faster you get it the more time you will enjoy the MBA and forget about over thinking things (peace of mind is a wonderful thing ;) ).
 
B

bit density

macrumors 6502
Mar 5, 2004
398
2
Seattle
You get a free update to ML when it comes out...

I am not sure what the issue is, or what all the replies mean...

You can install it whenever you want.
 
RightMACatU

RightMACatU

macrumors 65816
Jul 12, 2012
1,423
1,132
192.168.1.1
GREEN4U said:
...
Sorry for the overthinking - I haven't personally bought a new Mac in 7 years and haven't updated an OS since I updated to Leopard 4 years ago. That whole experience was bad. It made my Powerbook slow and laggy. I'd hate to have a new computer that is the same way. At the same time, I want the newest OS as it is a new computer.
Click to expand...

I was in the same boat about L/ML. I almost bought one last week but since it's a custom order I still have to wait a few weeks (Best Buy special order, paid over 24 months, no fees...), I said f'it and I'll wait another two weeks to get ML.
 
K

kodeman53

macrumors 65816
May 4, 2012
1,091
1
RightMACatU said:
I was in the same boat about L/ML. I almost bought one last week but since it's a custom order I still have to wait a few weeks (Best Buy special order, paid over 24 months, no fees...), I said f'it and I'll wait another two weeks to get ML.
Click to expand...

I doubt 2 weeks will be enough for ML to be the default version of OSX on MBAs.
 
V

vodkaPT

macrumors regular
Jun 10, 2012
106
27
Lisbon, Portugal
It's stupid but I face the same question.

I know that is easy to further install ML in an 2012 machine and will free. But, dunno, looks much more comfortable receive already the ML in the box.

And since that in my case will be also a custom model ( 8GB), it's expectable (or not?), that, will say, after 25 of July, the mba leave the manufacturing with ML pre-install.
 
G

GREEN4U

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 24, 2010
680
396
vodkaPT said:
And since that in my case will be also a custom model ( 8GB), it's expectable (or not?), that, will say, after 25 of July, the mba leave the manufacturing with ML pre-install.
Click to expand...

On the Apple website, after July 25, I believe it will say something like 'Ships with Mountain Lion' under the description. That should give you a pretty clear answer.

Since I'm going to the store to buy it though, I'm wondering if they would have a few w/ ML and others still w/ Lion, and if I'd be able to choose one or the other (for example, is there anything on the box that gives it away)?

Funny thing is I worked at an Apple store a few years ago but now I can't remember any of what happened b/c it didn't apply to me back then. Haha...
 
D

Dan--

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2008
237
23
I'm in a similar boat, but about to buy a 13" MBP to replace my late 2006 MB, which is currently running Snow Leopard.

If I buy the new MBP before 7/25, would that qualify me to use Lion essentially free on the old MB? (Doesn't look like it'll run ML.)

Just weighing that against having to do an "upgrade" on the OS, which in my limited experiences have gone well, but I always hear horror stories.

Thanks
 
OneMike

OneMike

macrumors 603
Oct 19, 2005
5,815
1,795
Previously when they used physical media, I remember them putting a disc with the new OS in the box.

Pretty sure with mountain lion you'll just have to upgrade at home till the lion stock is depleted and they'll maybe assist with upgrade in store for those with slow connections, etc..

I'm thinking I'll just wait till ML to buy. More that I'm undecided on which I want than anything else.
 
Seamaster

Seamaster

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2003
1,137
215
Surely it's marginally preferable to have ML preinstalled in the recovery partition?
 
oneMadRssn

oneMadRssn

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
5,981
14,006
Seamaster said:
Surely it's marginally preferable to have ML preinstalled in the recovery partition?
Click to expand...

Doesn't installing ML also update your recovery partition?

Also, the MBAs support internet recovery which can download a somewhat recent build right away. Seems this would be even more up to date than whatever you have in the recovery partition.
 
mohsy90

mohsy90

macrumors 65816
Feb 4, 2011
1,332
2
New York
oneMadRssn said:
Doesn't installing ML also update your recovery partition?

Also, the MBAs support internet recovery which can download a somewhat recent build right away. Seems this would be even more up to date than whatever you have in the recovery partition.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's what I assumed as well, It's a network update so it will check with Apple and confirm the hardware. So any of the new systems purchased since the WWDC would automatically get the latest build, which in this case would be mountain lion starting July 25th.
 
oneMadRssn

oneMadRssn

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
5,981
14,006
I would be annoyed and partially surprised if Apple continued to offer 10.7 via Internet Recovery to Macs that were properly upgraded to 10.8. After all, right now internet recovery will offer you the latest 10.7.x version available, why not 10.8 as well?

During the initial install of 10.8, maybe it will update the internet recovery system on your mac to ask for 10.8 when using it. Or perhaps it will register your serial number with having 10.8 in some database.

In any case, it would be super lame to have to install 10.7.x and then update to 10.8 when trying to do a "clean install".
 
M

malone

macrumors member
Jan 24, 2008
46
0
This is good to know. What about Internet Recovery? How does the MBA know whether to download Lion or ML from the internet?

Or, asked differently, when we install ML, does it also update the notebook's firmware so that it knows to download ML from the internet instead of Lion?

RightMACatU said:
Yes, the Recovery Partition will be updated to ML.
Click to expand...
 
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