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Anyone have experience w\ Speck SeeThru Satin on MB Air 11" 2010 or 2011?

G

getyup

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 2, 2011
294
0
Couple questions regarding the Satin SeeThru (NOT the clear\colored shiny see through shell):

- How much bulk does it add to the top\bottom? I had a speck see thru years back on a macbook pro, and it made it pretty thick. Have they gotten these thinner? I don't want to downplay the slimness of the laptop by putting a hefty shell on it.

- How do the feet in the back and the rubber spots affect it going into a case? Looking at the website, they added two little spots in the back that stick out to allow the lid to be lifted without the whole laptop lifting. On the flip side, how does this affect the unit's ability to fit into neoprene sleeves or suede sleeves?

Overall what are your impressions? I am kinda torn between keeping my new unit naked, or going with the purplish blue or the black. I like that the Apple logo still shines through, very cool. I wish they had a firetruck red, I'd be all over it.

Thanks for the help as always!
 
I played with it in the Apple Store a couple of hours ago. it was pretty thin. But I'm going naked. The MBA is too beautiful to cover it up with plastic... :cool:
 
ZBoater said:
I played with it in the Apple Store a couple of hours ago. it was pretty thin. But I'm going naked. The MBA is too beautiful to cover it up with plastic... :cool:
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I appreciate your feedback :)

That's kinda my thinking as well. The only thing is I had the 2010 from last November until I swapped for the 2011 this last week, so the silver is getting a little boring to look at (yeah, it's all about me, hehe)... so that's why I'm thinking about getting a shell.
 
I'm also interested in people's experiences... But the most important thing I want to know, is do the Speck cases protect ALL corners, in both open and clamshell position? I want to be able to bump the computer against things while using it or sliding it on my desk without anything touching the computer's aluminum corners.
 
Yumunum said:
I'm also interested in people's experiences... But the most important thing I want to know, is do the Speck cases protect ALL corners, in both open and clamshell position? I want to be able to bump the computer against things while using it or sliding it on my desk without anything touching the computer's aluminum corners.
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HEHE, are you playing air hockey with your air? :)

From the photos I've seen it protects all corners on tops and bottoms.
 
I wrote a response in a thread about getting either the Speck or the Incipio I believe. All in all, i got the covers because they give me piece of mind about scratches, but also make it black :D A black macbook air 11 looks really good!
 
Souloni said:
I wrote a response in a thread about getting either the Speck or the Incipio I believe. All in all, i got the covers because they give me piece of mind about scratches, but also make it black :D A black macbook air 11 looks really good!
Click to expand...

What's your impressions on the points I asked about in the first post?
 
I use the Speck charcoal case on my MBA 13 and it has been great. It probably adds 4-5 ounces to the weight, and it feels more like a rubbery matt finish than a plastic finish. What I like is, it adds some rigidity to the chassis, so there less chance of it being stressed in a backpack full of books. And it has protected the Air from random bumps around the house, etc. The weakness of the Speck is the tabs that overlay the case, which can crack if stressed. Before the Speck I used a Radtech slip-on case, which wasn't bad, but it got old slipping it on and off everytime I used it.
 
calvol said:
I use the Speck charcoal case on my MBA 13 and it has been great. It probably adds 4-5 ounces to the weight, and it feels more like a rubbery matt finish than a plastic finish. What I like is, it adds some rigidity to the chassis, so there less chance of it being stressed in a backpack full of books. And it has protected the Air from random bumps around the house, etc. The weakness of the Speck is the tabs that overlay the case, which can crack if stressed. Before the Speck I used a Radtech slip-on case, which wasn't bad, but it got old slipping it on and off everytime I used it.
Click to expand...

Was that the model before the Satin case for MacBook Air? I see current models as Satin See Thru and standard clear See-Thru, which also comes in various colors.
 
Alchematron said:
Black, scratch protection, minimalist look, and soft touch are the reasons why I want this puppy!
Click to expand...

Yeah I think the look is very cool. I just wish someone who claims they have one would answer the questions I posed in the first post. I think there's a lot of people with the old models without the anti-rock feet, or people who don't really have it but just say they do.
 
getyup said:
Was that the model before the Satin case for MacBook Air? I see current models as Satin See Thru and standard clear See-Thru, which also comes in various colors.
Click to expand...

It is probably the prior version, as I bought it on clearance from MicroCenter. I really like the charcoal color, it makes the Air look stealthy, and most people can't even tell it's a computer when the unit is closed.
 
calvol said:
It is probably the prior version, as I bought it on clearance from MicroCenter. I really like the charcoal color, it makes the Air look stealthy, and most people can't even tell it's a computer when the unit is closed.
Click to expand...

What do they think it is? A porn mag still in it's shipping black plastic? ;-)
 
Bloodraw850 said:
I have seen some complain that cases like that cause scratches any truth to this ?:confused:
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I can address that one. When I had mine on the MacBook Pro, the friction between the plastic on the top of the MBP rubbed when dust got under and left scratching. Speck addressed this a couple years ago and now there are standoffs under the lid so it actually stands-off of the direct contact, so no scratching now.
 
getyup said:
I can address that one. When I had mine on the MacBook Pro, the friction between the plastic on the top of the MBP rubbed when dust got under and left scratching. Speck addressed this a couple years ago and now there are standoffs under the lid so it actually stands-off of the direct contact, so no scratching now.
Click to expand...

I might consider getting one that was the only thing holding me back :D Thanks
 
getyup said:
Couple questions regarding the Satin SeeThru (NOT the clear\colored shiny see through shell):

- How much bulk does it add to the top\bottom? I had a speck see thru years back on a macbook pro, and it made it pretty thick. Have they gotten these thinner? I don't want to downplay the slimness of the laptop by putting a hefty shell on it.

- How do the feet in the back and the rubber spots affect it going into a case? Looking at the website, they added two little spots in the back that stick out to allow the lid to be lifted without the whole laptop lifting. On the flip side, how does this affect the unit's ability to fit into neoprene sleeves or suede sleeves?

Overall what are your impressions? I am kinda torn between keeping my new unit naked, or going with the purplish blue or the black. I like that the Apple logo still shines through, very cool. I wish they had a firetruck red, I'd be all over it.

Thanks for the help as always!
Click to expand...

Sorry I didn't address your questions earlier today, I was on my way out! I'll do it now.

1. It's barely noticeable. It adds a line about the size of the rubber on the top lid around the entire notebook. The added thickness is puny in comparison to the rest of the notebook, and that's considering that I am a very tough critic about product aesthetics. Each piece ends up being about as thick as the rubber line running around the lid as well.

Short but simple: It's like layering 3-4 Vinyl stickers on the air. It's not going to add much depth, but also doesn't add any impact resistance.

2. The finish isn't grippy like rubberized accessories you see in the stores, nor is it a hard matte finish. The case adds very little drag and doesn't catch fabrics. It does have a tendency to pick up dust particles, but it's more about feeling the particles rather than seeing them.

Overall: I love it to death, but the price is definitely steep for what it is. I like it because it makes the Macbook Air look a bit more unique with the black accents, but it also gives me peace of mind because the material is resistant enough to protect the metal finish underneath. I wouldn't get the Incipio Feather because it doesn't show the Apple Logo through the back, but I would think that it works a little better because it has vents at the bottom.
 
Souloni said:
Sorry I didn't address your questions earlier today, I was on my way out! I'll do it now.

1. It's barely noticeable. It adds a line about the size of the rubber on the top lid around the entire notebook. The added thickness is puny in comparison to the rest of the notebook, and that's considering that I am a very tough critic about product aesthetics. Each piece ends up being about as thick as the rubber line running around the lid as well.

Short but simple: It's like layering 3-4 Vinyl stickers on the air. It's not going to add much depth, but also doesn't add any impact resistance.

2. The finish isn't grippy like rubberized accessories you see in the stores, nor is it a hard matte finish. The case adds very little drag and doesn't catch fabrics. It does have a tendency to pick up dust particles, but it's more about feeling the particles rather than seeing them.

Overall: I love it to death, but the price is definitely steep for what it is. I like it because it makes the Macbook Air look a bit more unique with the black accents, but it also gives me peace of mind because the material is resistant enough to protect the metal finish underneath. I wouldn't get the Incipio Feather because it doesn't show the Apple Logo through the back, but I would think that it works a little better because it has vents at the bottom.
Click to expand...

Your responses are perfect, you're very good about hitting the points I was looking for. You helped me make up my mind. They're $37 no tax\free 2 day shipping on Amazon, now my only decision is the Black or blueish purple one, hmmmmmmmmmm
 
i had the see thru satin black on my 2010 air. Ads little to no bulk and looks pretty smart too. It cracked/split on both sides. Nothing major but to someone who likes things pristine it was annoying. I emailed speck, sent it back, and they sent me out a new replacement in good time.
 
will0407 said:
i had the see thru satin black on my 2010 air. Ads little to no bulk and looks pretty smart too. It cracked/split on both sides. Nothing major but to someone who likes things pristine it was annoying. I emailed speck, sent it back, and they sent me out a new replacement in good time.
Click to expand...

How did it crack? Damage, or simply weak parts?
 
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