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Baconhall

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 1, 2014
7
0
Bestbuy is currently selling the base 11inch for $799. With student discount ($150 off) and my $150 best buy gift card, I can get one for about $500. I'm a college student and plan on taking it to school everyday. Is it worth it? Should I wait for the retina MacBook Air?
 
The Best Buy deal is really solid, today I went with the 13" MBA and planning on using it until I see what a rMBA will look like against updated Broadwell rMBPs. I work in an environment everyday where I see the 11" MBAs next to a 13" and it's really hard for me to recommend the 11" - something to me just feels off, but that's my opinion. Pull the trigger on either though!
 
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Bestbuy is currently selling the base 11inch for $799. With student discount ($150 off) and my $150 best buy gift card, I can get one for about $500. I'm a college student and plan on taking it to school everyday. Is it worth it? Should I wait for the retina MacBook Air?

Nobody knows if there will ever be a Retina MacBook Air. Apple just updated the MBA and reduced the price from $999 to $899, so Bestbuy probably offers the previous model for $100 less than the current model (and for $200 less than the previous model a week ago). For $650, it's a steal. (Hope you realise that you are paying $650, not $500).
 
Nobody knows if there will ever be a Retina MacBook Air. Apple just updated the MBA and reduced the price from $999 to $899, so Bestbuy probably offers the previous model for $100 less than the current model (and for $200 less than the previous model a week ago). For $650, it's a steal. (Hope you realise that you are paying $650, not $500).

OP says they have a $150 student discount and $150 Best Buy gift card. That makes it $500.
 
Bestbuy is currently selling the base 11inch for $799. With student discount ($150 off) and my $150 best buy gift card, I can get one for about $500. I'm a college student and plan on taking it to school everyday. Is it worth it? Should I wait for the retina MacBook Air?

One question you need to answer

1) How important is saving money in this? Retina will be a lot more than $799.99
Very important: Do not wait, you can't afford it.
Not important: Do not wait, and sell this one to buy the new one!

In general, this is a rumour that has yet to see a single part leak out. At this point, no one knows if it even exists. You could wait 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, etc...
 
I am in the same boat OP strongly considering the 13.3" inch for $750 after the discount. I could get the newer model with the 1.4 processor for an extra $100 but I am not convinced if it is worth it.
 
Nobody knows if there will ever be a Retina MacBook Air. Apple just updated the MBA and reduced the price from $999 to $899, so Bestbuy probably offers the previous model for $100 less than the current model (and for $200 less than the previous model a week ago). For $650, it's a steal. (Hope you realise that you are paying $650, not $500).
Hope you realize you were wrong :)
 
One question you need to answer

1) How important is saving money in this? Retina will be a lot more than $799.99
Very important: Do not wait, you can't afford it.
Not important: Do not wait, and sell this one to buy the new one!

In general, this is a rumour that has yet to see a single part leak out. At this point, no one knows if it even exists. You could wait 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, etc...

This will be my secondary computer so saving is pretty important. This secondary computer will probably take a beating since i will bring it to school everyday. how much do you think i can sell it for in 6months?
 
I am in the same boat OP strongly considering the 13.3" inch for $750 after the discount. I could get the newer model with the 1.4 processor for an extra $100 but I am not convinced if it is worth it.

Yea. I rather save $100 than have a .1 GHz increase. Plus the additional discount.
 
I personally jumped on the gun myself apparently my school edu was still active and got the 11 inch Air for 650 before tax not a bad deal.
 
I'm wondering the same thing myself.

I want something just for the couch and the 11" felt a bit small but for $650 that's an extremely good deal...
 
I'm wondering the same thing myself.

I want something just for the couch and the 11" felt a bit small but for $650 that's an extremely good deal...

I had a 13 inch HP DV4 in the past going to 11 inch Air didn't really see a huge difference but definitely the portability factor it fits in a nice messenger bag helps.
 
I decided to order one for $650 ($690 after tax)...I figure if it's too much or an unnecessary sibling to an i7/256/8gb 13" model then I have 15 days to return it. I figured for a little more than an upgraded iPad with a case and maybe keyboard, this might make a little more sense for travel and taking to school if need be.

For $500, I'd be even quicker to at least give it a shot..again, returning it is easy and you get, what I believe to be, enough time to know whether or not it's right for your situation or not.
 
I'm wondering the same thing myself.

I want something just for the couch and the 11" felt a bit small but for $650 that's an extremely good deal...

You can get the 13" for $750 which is an equally good deal. In fact that is what I ended up doing today, and I couldn't be happier. It feels like lightning compared to my mid 2007 iMac that it is replacing.
 
Had a similar choice, debated about it for 2 days. Had been eying a keyboard for my ipad. Decided a full laptop would be the better investment, so trying to sell my ipad now.

Been using the macbook air at work at all day. Loving it. Only complaint is about the wifi disconnecting whenever the computer gets into sleep mode or disables the screen. Been playing around the power savings modes all day. All disabled.

I got an older mbp 13 2010 at home, its a solid laptop, but at 4-5 lbs, you feel it more. Can hardly tell the weight difference of this laptop compared to the old ipad.

I chose the 13" over the 11" for several reasons. Typing, more room to rest your palm on the 13". Battery life is better on the 13". I believe the 13" also is the only one with the SDXC card. I picked up a PNY StorEDGE 128 gb card on amazon for $65 today. Easy way to double storage. Granted not the same as getting a 256 gb HD internally. But its not my main computer. Hopefully I can add a 240 or 480 HD myself in the future (once released).
 
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