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2013 Macbook Air 11" i7 What To Avoid?

R

rockstarinlife

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I am about to buy a new 2013 Macbook Air 11" i7 512GB before my next business trip.

When I bought my 2011 MBA, I remember that one of the SSD brands were slower than the other.

For the 2013 MBA 11" i7 what should I avoid?

SSD Brand? Is one faster than the other

Display Brand? (I think I remember reading something about the LG hurting peoples eyes?)

I will mainly use it for travel. I will use it for light video editing and light web graphic design work.

Thanks and appreciate the tips 🙂
 
Just buy the computer and enjoy it. How does anyone enjoy anything when they're constantly looking for problems. So sad.
 
When you buy the MBA, do you really get to choose between brands of SSD? I don't recall seeing that option and I don't see it now on Apple's website.

In all honesty, what are you going to be doing that warrants an i7 on a MBA? That seems like a wasted $150 to me.

Personally, I have no need for the 512GB SSD, but I get that others do.

But I really don't think it's that customizable.
 
I got an 11" i7/8gb/512gb this summer myself and I love it. I looked up the ssd and display when I got it, but I don't even remember what it was. The 512 ssd is really fast, over 700mb/s read and write so I am happy with that. Have not seen any reports of slower 512 ssd's.

The screen just isn't great on the 11" model IMO. It's not terrible either though. I use mine at home with a big external screen most of the time, but I love the portability when I travel. And it's just cool to have such a powerful computer in such a tiny package.

I think the only way to choose things like screen or ssd is to purchase, find out what company made them, then exchange if you don't get the one you want. It might take a bunch of tries to get what you want that way. Doesn't seem worth it to me, but I have seen other threads here where people say they did that...
 
GoCubsGo said:
Just buy the computer and enjoy it. How does anyone enjoy anything when they're constantly looking for problems. So sad.
Click to expand...

Please dont cry or feel sad for me 😉

When I bought my 2011 MBA 11" i7 they were manufacturing them with 2 different brands of SSD. One was significantly faster than the other.

I even went to the Apple store and tested 2 models at the store with exporting a iMovie video file and a few other simple tasks. It was something like 10-20% faster on one SSD vs the other SSD.

So... why wouldnt I care?

You would be stupid not to care.... unless you just used the MBA for email and web browsing.

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dbroncos78087 said:
When you buy the MBA, do you really get to choose between brands of SSD? I don't recall seeing that option and I don't see it now on Apple's website.

In all honesty, what are you going to be doing that warrants an i7 on a MBA? That seems like a wasted $150 to me.

Personally, I have no need for the 512GB SSD, but I get that others do.

But I really don't think it's that customizable.
Click to expand...

You dont get to really choose, other than opening the box and turning on the MBA to see what you got. If you dont like it... you return it.

I want the fastest model because I use it for work and travel. Sometimes I need to export a video fast before I speak on stage.

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Mrbobb said:
^this.

Are u going to keep returning them until u hit the right combo?
Click to expand...

When I bought my 2011... I actually told the apple employee I will pay for this and open it up to see which SSD I got. If I got the slower SSD, then I will return it until I get the right one.

Fortunately I only had to open 2 boxes and got it. Meaning I only had to do one return while I was still at the store.

----------

In case anyone else is interested....

I posted this question on the Apple forum as well, and got a good answer (from PlotinusVeritas) to my question:

For the 2013 MBA 11" i7 what should I avoid?

SSD Brand? Is one faster than the other

128gig SSD are made by Sandisk......256gig SSD and 512gig SSD are made by Samsung

Apple uses both LG and Samsung LCD screens on the current Air

The LG screen is less contrasty than Samsung, and a hair more 'flat', however I have a LG screen and prefer same.

Its not the brand but the SIZE .......larger SSD in the current Air are faster due to SSD density

"The 512GB Samsung SSD found in our 13-inch model offers roughly a 400MB/s increase in write speeds over the 128GB SanDisk/Marvell SSD"

http://blog.macsales.com/19008-performance-testing-not-all-2013-macbook-air-ssds -are-the-same
Click to expand...

So it seems I dont have to worry about the SSD. The screen brand is really the users preference and some prefer the LG and others prefer the Samsung.
 
rockstarinlife said:
Please dont cry or feel sad for me 😉

When I bought my 2011 MBA 11" i7 they were manufacturing them with 2 different brands of SSD. One was significantly faster than the other.

I even went to the Apple store and tested 2 models at the store with exporting a iMovie video file and a few other simple tasks. It was something like 10-20% faster on one SSD vs the other SSD.

So... why wouldnt I care?

You would be stupid not to care.... unless you just used the MBA for email and web browsing.
Click to expand...
If you must know, I use my MBA to get me further in my career. /shrug

I didn't say I didn't care, sorry you didn't read that correctly. I said stop hunting for problems but you're well on your way with that so I'll bow out. Enjoy the lemon, computer, whatever it may be in the end. The screens are horrid and I would absolutely worry about the hinges.
 
rockstarinlife said:
Please dont cry or feel sad for me 😉

When I bought my 2011... I actually told the apple employee I will pay for this and open it up to see which SSD I got. If I got the slower SSD, then I will return it until I get the right one....
Click to expand...


Say what?? 😱 I feel more sad for that Apple Store employee.

It's an SSD. There's really not much between the two. Why make other people's lives difficult for something so minor.
 
rockstarinlife said:
When I bought my 2011... I actually told the apple employee I will pay for this and open it up to see which SSD I got. If I got the slower SSD, then I will return it until I get the right one.
Click to expand...

I wonder if this type of behavior is common enough such that Apple has ever changed how tightly they specify components of future designs.

Certainly it has got to be expensive for Apple if a customer opens many boxes before finding the slightly better component (since all rejected computers must be sold at the cheaper 'open box' price). On the other hand, I wonder what percentage of buyers shop this way. Probably not that many.

What if the 'good' SSDs were rare? At what point would customers doing this practice see the extra time spent opening many boxes be worth the sum of time saved not waiting for a slightly slower SSD?. Would multiple trips to multiple Apple stores be worth it?

In the end, it all seems rather humorous.
 
Last edited:
The screen "issue" if there ever was one, was blown out of proportion. Most people don't notice a difference; if you have color issues, use a hardware color calibrator.

The SSDs are all very fast. That's all that should matter. The 512GB ones are all made with Samsung controllers I believe (I haven't seen one with anything else).

All the rest of the parts are just about the same; maybe you'll get Samsung memory, maybe Hynix memory.

Personally I like Samsung memory (and I have that one my MBA), but it wouldn't bother me one bit if it didn't (my rMBP has Hynix memory).

And I'm pretty sure Apple uses difference suppliers for their batteries. I don't know of any comparisons on this topic.

rockstarinlife said:
When I bought my 2011... I actually told the apple employee I will pay for this and open it up to see which SSD I got. If I got the slower SSD, then I will return it until I get the right one.

Fortunately I only had to open 2 boxes and got it. Meaning I only had to do one return while I was still at the store.
Click to expand...

And after the third one, you'll have manager coming over telling you to get lost or he'll call the cops.
 
You should also check foe any loose screws

rockstarinlife said:
I am about to buy a new 2013 Macbook Air 11" i7 512GB before my next business trip.

When I bought my 2011 MBA, I remember that one of the SSD brands were slower than the other.

For the 2013 MBA 11" i7 what should I avoid?

SSD Brand? Is one faster than the other

Display Brand? (I think I remember reading something about the LG hurting peoples eyes?)

I will mainly use it for travel. I will use it for light video editing and light web graphic design work.

Thanks and appreciate the tips 🙂
Click to expand...


They could cause a short circuit
 
Boyd01 said:
The screen just isn't great on the 11" model IMO. It's not terrible either though. I use mine at home with a big external screen most of the time, but I love the portability when I travel. And it's just cool to have such a powerful computer in such a tiny package.
Click to expand...

I don't know if they use a better, same or worse display now than they did on the 2010 MBA 11", but mine looks fine and the viewing angles are just fine.
 
To the OP - do yourself a favor and just purchase the device. If you are happy with it, continue to use it. If you are unhappy with it, return it for a refund.

This seeming concern about which components are use to assemble device X are, IMNSHO, a bit silly.
 
I'd get the Air with the IGZO display, which will come early next year. 😀

You know, if you care this much about performance, just get a Pro instead. Your config costs more than the top model 13" MBP Retina. For an extra pound in weight and less money you get:

- A more powerful computer built to do actual work
- A screen thats way better and Retina as well
- Just a better overall computer if you're so worried about performance that a 10-20% SSD speed difference worries you.

A little too much OCD to be honest! Apple products are made to be enjoyed. Enjoy them and have fun.
 
iLuvMyMacToo said:
Say what?? 😱 I feel more sad for that Apple Store employee.

It's an SSD. There's really not much between the two. Why make other people's lives difficult for something so minor.
Click to expand...

Why would you feel sad for the apple employee? Not like they get paid on commission or spending an extra 15 minutes and having to scan more than one box is really not that hard.

They are not volunteers or work for free.

Im not being rude to them.

If im buying something... I want the best of what I am getting. You can have the left overs...haha

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osx11 said:
I'd get the Air with the IGZO display, which will come early next year. 😀

You know, if you care this much about performance, just get a Pro instead. Your config costs more than the top model 13" MBP Retina. For an extra pound in weight and less money you get:

- A more powerful computer built to do actual work
- A screen thats way better and Retina as well
- Just a better overall computer if you're so worried about performance that a 10-20% SSD speed difference worries you.

A little too much OCD to be honest! Apple products are made to be enjoyed. Enjoy them and have fun.
Click to expand...

I might just grab the 13" MBP with retina and when the new Air comes out with retina... then I will give the pro to one of my kids 🙂

OCD is a disease and its not cool to make fun of diseases 😉

If I was in a wheelchair... would you make fun of that too?

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Mrbobb said:
I just want to know which exact store allow this so maybe I can scoop up some open box deals! 😉
Click to expand...

That was in the Pleasanton CA store. But I will probably go to either the Newport Beach CA or Irvine Apple store this time.
 
DisplacedMic said:
Do you actually have OCD? No? then yes, we would make fun of you if you were in a wheelchair, but didn't need to be.
Click to expand...

uhm... for some people 12-1500 is quit a bit of cash... solo its not really surprising that a person would want to make sure they are getting the best product. it is not untrue that some apple products get through the qc line with issues!


So opening the box and inspecting the things is not really such a tragedy of customer demand!!!
 
mvmanolov said:
uhm... for some people 12-1500 is quit a bit of cash... solo its not really surprising that a person would want to make sure they are getting the best product. it is not untrue that some apple products get through the qc line with issues!


So opening the box and inspecting the things is not really such a tragedy of customer demand!!!
Click to expand...

that has nothing to do with what I wrote - read the thread!
 
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