Advisable to purchase 11" 2012 MBA over 2011?

[iSingandiDance]

My HP netbook crapped out on me and I'm looking to get something more...modern that can handle iTunes, Chrome, Word, My Docs at the same time without freezing up on me and sending the fan into a frenzy.

I hear SSD can handle such tasks like a champ. I will be getting the base 64GB model, 4GB of RAM. Five, seven years down the road will it make that much of a difference? Should I go for Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge?

 

[Eidorian]

USB 3.0 or bust on that 2012 model. Check the refurb store for them.

 

[Agent-P]

Since it seems like you plan to keep the computer for a few years, I would suggest buying the 2012 model. That will help future proof it a bit. Plus, Ivy Bridge was a refinement over Sandy Bridge, so it is a bit better overall (CPU/GPU). And it will have USB 3.0 ports I might even suggest opting for 8gb of RAM in order to handle whatever the next version of OSX might be. The refurb store should have some good deals.

 

[iSingandiDance]

So even if I can get a deal on the 2011 ($530 shipped) in great condition, go for the 2012?

 

[cocacolakid]

So even if I can get a deal on the 2011 ($530 shipped) in great condition, go for the 2012?

In that case, if you're finding one at a gigantic price difference and it's not a scam, I'd buy the 2011. The Apple Store refurbs in that configuration are $849. The 2012's are a little faster, with slightly better graphics, but the single biggest difference is USB 3.0. If you're planning on hooking up an external USB drive for additional storage or backups, having USB 3.0 is a very nice feature. In real-world use it's about 5-10 times faster than USB 2.0. And if you're planning to use the machine for several years, I think you're going to find 64 GB isn't a lot of room, so you're likely going to use an external drive for extra storage or be wishing you had bought a 128 GB version MBA.

 

[Agent-P]

So even if I can get a deal on the 2011 ($530 shipped) in great condition, go for the 2012?

In this case, I would probably agree with cocacolakid. When you're getting a deal that good (as long as it is from a reputable seller), then I would probably say go for that instead. Eventually though you may want to pick up a bigger SSD and swap it out because you'd be surprised how quickly you'll get through 64gb.

 

[Mrbobb]

So even if I can get a deal on the 2011 ($530 shipped) in great condition, go for the 2012?

At that price, it got to be a personal sale. As long as u know this guy and u don't care about the friendship going sour if it doesn't work out.