Am I missing something?? Macbook Air poor buy?

[BigMcGuire]

@ The Bad Guy

I don't know... the way I'm using my Macbook Air, I could see myself using this for years (as long as the battery keeps up - considering I've used 26 cycles out of 1000 ever since March?)... I'll RDP a lot for my IT work, type a lot for my programming job (google to figure out code), emails, watch videos on liveleak, and read a TON.

I think if people are gaming on the Macbook Air, lifespan might be more of an issue but if people are like me, they have a gaming system at home for that. So for people like me, the Macbook Air is going to last years.

How many people use Airs as their primary PC? I think the more technical crowd will have Airs complimenting a machine at home while the less technical crowd will have an Air for college work or just checking email with the occasional youtube video and won't be gaming as much (at least not on a PC, maybe console).

 

[rhinosrcool]

One of the main reasons for the pro's success is the HDD size. So many people, especially students, really are impressed with a big HDD. Obviously, you can remedy the size with externals, but that's not on most people's mindsets.

Another big reason is that the pro has an optical drive. Even if their use is diminishing or you can get an external, many feel that it's still a good feature.

Lastly, if someone asks what kind of mac you have, many people like saying "I've got a pro". Silly, but I feel it's true.

At present, I don't have a laptop, but I have had both the 11" and 13" 2011 airs and I loved them. Unfortunately, budget constraints forced me to sell. In the future, I will get another air; just one great laptop.

 

[moehunter]

I have been researching my 1st Mac purchase all summer as I am not a Graphics major or a Game player, the 13 inch Mac-AIR was the common-sense choice,

In Comparison to the other Mac’s the 2012 AIR was upgraded with an Amazing Screen Quality. (Intel HD 4000- 60% faster). I was able to put all Mac’s side by side and the AIR was my clear choice each and every time, A Brilliant Screen and number #1 on my must have List.

The addition this year of SSD makes the AIR Blazingly FAST in comparison to the other Mac’s in a side by side comparison, No non SSD Mac could beat the AIR’s speed.
Yes I know most Classrooms have outlets but still the 7 hour Battery was very high on my list.

USB 3:0 was also huge on my wish List as I keep almost everything on an attached external drive so I require fast transfer speeds between.
The AIR has 2 USB3:0 ports and a Thunderbolt port which I hear is as good as or better than the USB 3:0, but the thunderbolt transfer cable is an additional $49.00. The SD Card Slot is a bonus as I’m an amateur photographer. The 2012 RAM 1600MHz DDR3L was also a welcome addition and was my one and only configuration change upgrading to 8 GB from the 4GB

Weight was 2nd on my list, I’m on a big campus and lugging a huge over weight Lap around isn’t any fun. I also work with it on my knees and from bed or a sitting position so the lighter and smaller the better, (the 11.6 inch was just a hair to small with the 13 inch being just Perfect)

I could keep going but I would suggest anyone create a personalized List of requirement’s, needs and wants.

I’m not rich & I am also paying my own way at school so the fact that all my needs and wants were met in this one very competitively priced machine was more than “AWESOME”

I attend a school where Audi’s and beamers are the norm, as mom & dad are footing the bill they get the most expensive item money can buy, car computer, Clothes, food, Etc. . . But just because it’s the most expensive doesn’t make it the best or the Best fit, I hear Mac poor fit complaints all the time and they will eventually after 2 or 3 machines get it right. . . . .
I have to get it right the 1st time.
Good Luck K

 

[The Bad Guy]

I'd be interested in how you (personally) position the 13" MBP and the 13" MBA. Do you take the customers through a discovery process by analyzing their present and future needs, their budget, their tech savvy-ness, etc., or do you just sell them what they come in an ask for? I ask this because the allure of owning a 13" Macbook PRO at $1199 seems to be what sways people I've spoken to, and who also (mistakenly) view the 13" MBA as a toy.

The average buyer has no clue what they want to buy, as such my sales guys and I take them though all the options. THE very first we'll ask them is "what do you want to do with your computer?" and we take it from there.

A lot of the time the MBA is our recommendation. We certainly don't sell it as a toy...that's the iPad.

But in most cases though (and it doesn't really matter what they've been advised) people "perceive" a bigger HDD, a bigger number on the processor and a DVD burner to be better value. It's as simple as that.

 

[Aaron from KY]

Said somebody with "Unibody Macbook 2.4 GHz, 2GB RAM, 250 GB HDD"

Sarcasm, how does it work?

 

[knarzie]

Sarcasm, how does it work?

Hehe

 

[0038396]

I don't know why the MBA isn't more popular with students. I'm one, and am in love with mine, and know I'm better off than my peers with MBPs.

 

[MathiasVH]

Today (as in RIGHT NOW) anyone who gets a 13 MBP instead of an Air should feel ashamed. The Macbook Air is faster than my 17" i5 MBP, has a better screen than 13" MBP, is WAY faster (SSD - Very few regular students will install one in their MBP) and is just much better suited for a life on-the-go.

Keep it

 

[Moneymiike420]

love my 2012 mba 13" only a week old,question before my exchange period is up...are your MbA 13" loose on the right side making a creaking noise??? Ive searched and read about the screws,but right out of the box mine was making disturbingly sounding loose creaking noises,and am wondering if the 13,15" MBP's are the same way? Really dont wanna get rid of this SSD though its soo fast

 

[archurban]

if you don't want to go the way expensive, just grab macbook pro 13inch. it's way better than any MBA. trust me. you need little more power to handle your reports, homework at school. MBA is not enough. lighter device if you want, then ipad is all the way.

 

[Wokis]

if you don't want to go the way expensive, just grab macbook pro 13inch. it's way better than any MBA. trust me. you need little more power to handle your reports, homework at school. MBA is not enough. lighter device if you want, then ipad is all the way.

Not sure if trolling or uninformed..

 

[MrNomNoms]

The reason I went with the MacBook Pro was simply because I like killing fleas with canon balls. The biggest problem I have with the MacBook Air is mainly its longevity particular when it comes to having an Intel GPU as ones main processor hence the reason I avoided the MacBook Pro 13.3" as well. It really comes down to what you want to use it for - as others have said, who cares what others think of your purchase.

 

[KohPhiPhi]

The truth is that many people regard the MBA as a "toy" laptop, ignorant that it's actually a pretty powerful machine. In fact, most benchmarks show that with a MBA 13" you only lose around 15% in terms of raw power if compared to MBP 13", while you gain in terms of mobility, screen resolution, quietness, etc.

Another whole story is whether the MBA might be on the pricey side (which I believe it is), but it's a fantastic piece of hardware.

 

[sam67uk]

Powerful machine

I'm a professional photographer and I've the 2011 "Ultimate" MacBook Air as my only machine. It's a very fast machine and works smoothly with my 185,000 image Adobe Lightroom library.

Don't underestimate it's power, it's a fast little notebook!