Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Updates MacBook Air Line With Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt and Backlit Keyboards
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)
I should qualify by saying paying the extra £250 as a BTO purchase is nuts as it's way overpriced.
Getting 256SSD if it's standard and included in the price is very sensible.
I should qualify by saying paying the extra £250 as a BTO purchase is nuts as it's way overpriced.
Getting 256SSD if it's standard and included in the price is very sensible.
The updates look good. I'm really happy to hear they have the backlit keyboard now. But I am disappointed they didn't upgrade the camera to HD. Oh well..... Apple always leaves something so you want to upgrade to the next machine.
From the Homepage
"Build-to-order customers can also choose to upgrade to a 1.8 GHz processor and additional solid-state storage."
On Apple.com I see the option for the 1.8 GHz but how do I get more than 256 of storage? I don't see an option for that. Does anyone know?
"Build-to-order customers can also choose to upgrade to a 1.8 GHz processor and additional solid-state storage."
On Apple.com I see the option for the 1.8 GHz but how do I get more than 256 of storage? I don't see an option for that. Does anyone know?
Crap, was too slow on the keyboard.
Apple just came out with one today. $999, comes with a 27 inch monitor built-in, as well as a TB -> FW800 and USB 2 adapter. Even better, has a power supply built in for your MBA.
It's the best one, cuz it's the only one around right now.
Apple just came out with one today. $999, comes with a 27 inch monitor built-in, as well as a TB -> FW800 and USB 2 adapter. Even better, has a power supply built in for your MBA.
It's the best one, cuz it's the only one around right now.
256 is the additional storage, on the 11-inch anyhow. But that's the highest you can get as it is.
ok cool. well i guess not cool..haha Was hoping for a little extra juice.
Still going to pull the trigger.
Great piece of work here, if only fire wire was included, it would have had the complete package. Otherwise good work apple.
T
TheBMill
Guest
Hi all!
I had an 11 inch but sold it months ago in hopes of getting one of these guys. I definitely want to continue the 11 inch thing, because the form factor, to me, is really nice and I didn't mind the reduced screen size.
ANYWAYS:
i5 vs i7 upgrade: is it a huge difference? My ultimate plan is to sell my macbook pro at some point and get a desktop Mac Pro and have this Macbook Air be my only laptop. So, I was hoping to have something that MIGHT be able to handle Final Cut, if in a pinch. Would this upgrade help in that department?
The 256 hard drive option: So stupid expensive! I remember doing okay with 128, but 256 would be a little roomier. And I'm assuming there's no way of swapping out the drive after the fact.
Thoughts?
I had an 11 inch but sold it months ago in hopes of getting one of these guys. I definitely want to continue the 11 inch thing, because the form factor, to me, is really nice and I didn't mind the reduced screen size.
ANYWAYS:
i5 vs i7 upgrade: is it a huge difference? My ultimate plan is to sell my macbook pro at some point and get a desktop Mac Pro and have this Macbook Air be my only laptop. So, I was hoping to have something that MIGHT be able to handle Final Cut, if in a pinch. Would this upgrade help in that department?
The 256 hard drive option: So stupid expensive! I remember doing okay with 128, but 256 would be a little roomier. And I'm assuming there's no way of swapping out the drive after the fact.
Thoughts?
Makes a pretty convincing argument that Apple won't sell any of those new-fangled iPads what with they're lacking even an external optical drive and all. What was Apple thinking?
What Apple is thinking is that over 80,000 consumers per day continue to confirm that an optical drive is not on their must-have feature list when it comes to playing games, watching movies, surfing the web and whatever else folks do an an iPad.
I agree optical drives are still useful, no doubt. Yet there's an undeniable shift away from physical media. You see it not just in software but in music and "print" businesses as well. Just as distribution of books printed on paper, distribution of software and media printed on plastic is on its way out as well.
It's a whole new world out there.
Screen size OR Display resolution? You do know the 13 MBA's screen is the same resolution (1440x900) as the base 15 MBP?
You will need to think about battery life as well. The i7 will suck more juice. If that's not a concern, go for it. FCP will need all the CPU power you can give it.
It has the same resolution as the standard 15" MBP. inches means nothing. It's all about pixels.
Both the 13" MBA and the 15" standard MBP display the exact same stuff and have the same screen real-estate.
the 13 inch Air and MacBook Pro are fairly similar. I'd go with the Pro just for the fact that I can pop in 8gb of ram and the 500gb hard drive. Plus its 100 bucks cheaper.
But first on my list is the i7 Mac mini. No more sharing system and graphics memory
But first on my list is the i7 Mac mini. No more sharing system and graphics memory
I will wait for these models to hit the refurb page and revert it back to Snow Leopard. I find it unlikely that it will not be possible.
T
TheBMill
Guest
You will need to think about battery life as well. The i7 will suck more juice. If that's not a concern, go for it. FCP will need all the CPU power you can give it.
Yeah, I haven't thought about the battery drain. Darn. I suppose I need to be patient to see reviews of how big a drain that is. I do use the 11inch for primarily writing in cafes, so I wouldn't want to limit my time even more. I mean, are we talking 5 hours vs 4 1/2 hours or something more subtle or drastic? I understand these things aren't in peoples hands yet of course!
Minimum 384MB of the 4GB lost to shared video, thats almost 10% and can increase in graphics heavy apps, definately won't be upgrading.
Well that's my entire class AND myself having to buy PC... For those of you with large bank balances, squealing with delight over what I think is madness on Apples behalf... In the UK it is twice the price to buy apple than the US and other countries and all Apple does is change the dollar sign for a pound one!
Although beautiful as a second machine, or for business customers swanning through customs an 11" in great. But it offers a serious problem for screen real estate for the sole PC for someones using it as a serious work platform... 13" you can live with to get going on Mac with student resources. As of today the price of a realistic laptop from apple has overnight gone up from £729 to £999 = £270 ($436) a lot I think you'll agree...
Although slightly slower due do lack of updates, but still a good way of getting the 'Mac bug' it was hard thing persuading people to get a MAC instead of P, now it will be impossible.
So far this year Apple have managed to upset iWeb/hosting customers, Pro Movie customers and cut out the lower end/low budget of the market. But if you're an iPhone owner you're in for a good ride... fools
Although beautiful as a second machine, or for business customers swanning through customs an 11" in great. But it offers a serious problem for screen real estate for the sole PC for someones using it as a serious work platform... 13" you can live with to get going on Mac with student resources. As of today the price of a realistic laptop from apple has overnight gone up from £729 to £999 = £270 ($436) a lot I think you'll agree...
Although slightly slower due do lack of updates, but still a good way of getting the 'Mac bug' it was hard thing persuading people to get a MAC instead of P, now it will be impossible.
So far this year Apple have managed to upset iWeb/hosting customers, Pro Movie customers and cut out the lower end/low budget of the market. But if you're an iPhone owner you're in for a good ride... fools
Makes a pretty convincing argument that Apple won't sell any of those new-fangled iPads what with they're lacking even an external optical drive and all. What was Apple thinking?
What Apple is thinking is that over 80,000 consumers per day continue to confirm that an optical drive is not on their must-have feature list when it comes to playing games, watching movies, surfing the web and whatever else folks do an an iPad.
I agree optical drives are still useful, no doubt. Yet there's an undeniable shift away from physical media. You see it not just in software but in music and "print" businesses as well. Just as distribution of books printed on paper, distribution of software and media printed on plastic is on its way out as well.
It's a whole new world out there.
I don't think many will disagree with the point of an optical drive... However, you can't do without screen real estate and Apple have knocked out the lower end of their market. The difference between 11" and 13" and to not have a low end 13" laptop/notebook is madness... I've tried using an iPad to replace a lot of work I do, but it is no replacement for the versatility of a proper operating system