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saintforlife

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
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Typing this on a 13"/1.86GHz/128GB/4GB machine. It still works fine for the most part, but has slowed down a bit in recent times. I also bought a Surface Pro 4 recently thinking it will help me be more productive, but I just can't get used to the detachable keyboard and the kickstand. It just doesn't feel stable or secure as a laptop. I have to baby the SP4 because I constantly fear I will drop it. Using the SP4 also made me realize how much I like the 13.3" screen size. The 12.3" screen on the SP4 just feels too cramped. So getting the new 2016 MacBook for my next machine is out of the question. So now I am hoping WWDC brings some much needed upgrades to the MBA or MBP line so that I can finally upgrade.
 
We have a 2010 11" base model (2GB RAM, 64GB SSD) that we still use primarily for browsing and as a "guest computer". Running El Capitan -- yes it works fine with 2GB RAM! No plans to replace.
 
I have a 2009 MBA -- love it! But it has only 2GB of RAM and 120 GB SSD, so I'm patiently waiting to see if there are any more revisions for the MBA to be announced at the June WWDC...and then I'm buying a new one in July-ish.

And if there aren't any more upgrades announced at WWDC, I'm still buying one, I love the form factor!
 
Mine's the second model 11"... think that might have been 2011? Either way it's still going strong, and Continuity Activation Tool bypassed the only artificial crippling they've done to it. I don't notice any slowness, I just very occasionally wish it had USB 3, and the battery's not so good now (lucky to get much more than 2 hours)

I have no need to replace it, but it does feel dated now compared to the latest Pros (screen resolution, massive border around LCD etc)
Doubt I'd get another Air, as they appear to have become Apple's latest red headed stepchild and I wouldn't be surprised to see them discontinued unless they chug along as a budget model. The latest Pros are thin and light enough, and rumours of the next ones being thinner and lighter still. If they don't ruin the speed or battery life making it thinner I might get the next 13" Pro.
 
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Mine's the second model 11"... think that might have been 2011?

Doubt I'd get another Air, as they appear to have become Apple's latest red headed stepchild and I wouldn't be surprised to see them discontinued unless they chug along as a budget model.

The Air has certainly become the entry level machine, but needs to be kept around for the price point. When they can sell a MacBook for under $1k the Air will be retired.

The 2011 MBA is twice as fast as the 2010, but since then, like the industry as a whole, there hasn't been much in the way of improvements year over year.
 
I have a 2009 MBA -- love it! But it has only 2GB of RAM and 120 GB SSD, so I'm patiently waiting to see if there are any more revisions for the MBA to be announced at the June WWDC...and then I'm buying a new one in July-ish.

And if there aren't any more upgrades announced at WWDC, I'm still buying one, I love the form factor!
The fact that the screen doesn't belong on a 100$ Chromebook (literally) doesn't bother you?
 
Mine is a 2010 Air with 4GB RAM and 256 GB HD

Its doing pretty well - the perfect machine... Running the latest OSX and for the most part it's good.

The touchpad is ultra sensitive - i've learned to cope, but it's a bit crazy due to (I believe) heat from the battery.

The thing goes up to 100 degrees C when making a skype video call VERY quickly - and then starts to throttle and collapse. I'd be really interested to hear from anyone with a 2010 which doesn't overheat when using the latest version of Skype.

I'm looking at replacing it next time Apple do a 0% finance offer but I'm in no rush. I don't want another Air unless it has a retina screen; the 13" Pro is too heavy for me as I write on the go, though I like its power, and the Macbook would be perfect except it needs more ports, and i'm not sure about it not having a fan...
 
I am still using my late-2010 MBA with a 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB 1067 MHz DDR3, and NVIDIA GeForce 320M 256MB. Yes, with only 2gb of RAM it runs El Capitan absolutely fine and also runs all the apps I need. I love my MBA, but I am looking to see what Apple updates soon, and then possibly buy a new MBA or rMBP.

:apple:
 
I have a 2010 air, it's still kicking for me. My desire for something new and shiny will probably win out over necessity honestly. Unless something happens in the future to make it unusable I feel as if it could last me another 3 years easy. But the next retina MacBook upgrade will likely win me over. Or a thinner 13 inch pro. Either way retina is a must going forward. It's the biggest downside to my air.
 
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I have 2011 Air, and it is still going strong. I upgraded to 2015 MB earlier this year and I decided to return the MB and stick with the Air. At the time, there was no different in term of speed between my 2011 Air and 2015 MB. The display and form factor of the 2015 MB is excellent though... I really hope that the Air will get the Retina display this coming refresh. I think, the Air is the only remaining model without the Retina. I am eyeing the 2016 MB M5/M7 model...
 
I have 2011 Air, and it is still going strong. I upgraded to 2015 MB earlier this year and I decided to return the MB and stick with the Air. At the time, there was no different in term of speed between my 2011 Air and 2015 MB. The display and form factor of the 2015 MB is excellent though... I really hope that the Air will get the Retina display this coming refresh. I think, the Air is the only remaining model without the Retina. I am eyeing the 2016 MB M5/M7 model...

I use mine every day. It's a 2010 model with 4gb ram, 256 drive at 2.13mhz running Yosemite. It hasn't slowed down one bit and I have no plans to replace it.
 
Aha! Does it overheat when you Skype? Wondering if it's just mine...

Mine stays at 135-140 degrees fahrenheit, which is like 57-58 degrees celsius (if I did the math right) so I am not sure why yours is getting so hot. It is not technically overheating or else your Mac would shut itself down to protect the CPU, but it is definitely getting hot. Do you use it on anything that could be blocking the fan outlets, are the outlets clean etc. Only other thing I can tell you to do is install smcFanControl and just crank your fan when you use Skype that way it will keep the temperature down and stop the throttling. I do this when I have a lot of intensive apps open and it works very well for the most part. Let me know how it goes!

:apple:
 
Thanks @SRLMJ23 - that's interesting to note.

Yes I already have smcFanControl which is how I know the exact temperature and how my fans are at full within about 2 minutes of starting a video call. It runs at full temp and fans at 6000 until eventually it starts to throttle and the picture and sound start breaking up so i end the call and let it cool down again.

I wonder whether I need to do a clean install of el Cap...
[doublepost=1461797633][/doublepost]
Mine stays at 135-140 degrees fahrenheit, which is like 57-58 degrees celsius

:apple:

Meant to confirm - that is during an actual video call, right?
 
Thanks @SRLMJ23 - that's interesting to note.

Yes I already have smcFanControl which is how I know the exact temperature and how my fans are at full within about 2 minutes of starting a video call. It runs at full temp and fans at 6000 until eventually it starts to throttle and the picture and sound start breaking up so i end the call and let it cool down again.

I wonder whether I need to do a clean install of el Cap...
[doublepost=1461797633][/doublepost]

Meant to confirm - that is during an actual video call, right?


Correct, during a call & running fans on default. I am thinking a clean install might fix things. How did you get on El Cap, upgrade or clean install?

:apple:
 
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I use mine every day. It's a 2010 model with 4gb ram, 256 drive at 2.13mhz running Yosemite. It hasn't slowed down one bit and I have no plans to replace it.
Yeap, I have the very same configuration and running Yosemite as well. It is not my main laptop anymore, but it is a family general usage one now. My wife and kids are using it daily basis.
 
Correct, during a call & running fans on default. I am thinking a clean install might fix things. How did you get on El Cap, upgrade or clean install?

:apple:
I think I last did a clean install for Yosemite so this is an upgrade. A proper clean install takes preparation - I suspect that just reinstalling from a time machine backup could just reinstate the problem...
 
Well, I have a 2011 11" 4GB , 128 SSD and i5.
In my opinion the main-bottleneck is the RAM.
I use Parallels for running Windows and Ubuntu side by side with OS X.
Obviously the MBA isnt made for handlings VM's.
The screen is awfull too. My old Acer had a better screen.

But nevertheless, its working pretty good. I like browsing, watching series, handling with fotos with it. Its a nice media-machine.

Anyway, my next MacBook will be a rMBP 13,3". If the new one will be nice, I'll spend the money. If the new one is garbage, I'll spend the money too, but in an 2015 rMBP 13".

TLTR: I love my MBA, even though 4GB RAM is way too less for my tasks.
 
Be careful playing with smcfancontrol. I used that on my 2008 MBP, ramped the fans up to full and wore them out after a few minutes (they started rattling). Had to get them replaced, fortunately I had Applecare.
 
Not quite as old, but my 2011 11" 1.6GHz/2GB/256GB is holding up beautifully! It runs 10.11 like a champ, and handles everything I throw at it. I use it a fair bit at school (I'm a high school teacher), and it does everything I need and more.

Granted, my main computer in the classroom is a 12" PowerBook, so my opinion of what is speedy may be a tad biased ;)
 
My 2010 11" CTO was covered with an Invisible Shield skin the day I bought it. Two years ago I replaced the battery. This year I replaced the Invisible Shield skin.

It's my "every day carry".

I just added El Capitan and it runs and looks like new. I see no reason to upgrade. For browsing the web, watching videos and light everything else, it's absolutely perfect.

I've wanted Apple to make this exact computer but to reduce the size of the bevel. I love my 2010 CTO and I believe the proper phrase is, "from my cold dead hands..."
-Pete
 
2010 MBA Intel Core 2 Duo 1.86 GHz 256 GB SSD and 4 GB RAM. Checking in.

This champs still does all the things I ask him to do so not upgrading anytime soon until my needs change dramatically.
 
I have a 13" 256gb model and it still performs very well. Occasionally gets laggy but clearing our the caches seems to do the trick each time. The batteries are on about 75% effectiveness so I am looking at the option of getting them replaced. The screen could be better as it is starting to take the imprint of the keys.

Still good for general use and making the odd 4 minute video. No reason to swap it out.
 
Correct, during a call & running fans on default. I am thinking a clean install might fix things. How did you get on El Cap, upgrade or clean install?

:apple:
Alas, the clean install, which took most of a day, as I backed up manually to avoid reinstalling from time machine if possible, did not fix the Skype call -- max temperature problem. :(
 
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