Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple's New MacBook Air Tops 'Consumer Reports' Ratings

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,733
39,679



141249-macbook_air_2010_profile.jpg


The Loop reports that popular ratings and reviews magazine Consumer Reports has released its latest ratings of notebook computers, and Apple's new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models have topped their respective categories.

The 11-inch MacBook Air scored 67 points out of a possible 100, easily outdistancing the second-place Toshiba Satellite and its 51-point score.
The 11-inch model received a "very good" rating for ergonomics and display, a "good" rating for performance and "fair" ratings for versatility and speakers. Consumer Reports also found the MacBook Air had battery life of 6.25 hours. The Toshiba's battery life came in at 5.5 hours of battery life.
Click to expand...
The 13-inch model faced stiffer competition, but still managed to finish on top of its category with a score of 78, two points better than the Toshiba Portege.
The 13-inch MacBook Air scored "very good" for performance, ergonomics, and display. It also scored "good" for speakers, "fair" for versatility and had 7.5 hours of battery life.
Click to expand...
Despite some reports of display issues with the new MacBook Air, the notebook does seem to be proving relatively popular, generating significant buzz and demand appearing to force Apple to bump shipping estimates for the entry-level 11-inch model slightly to 1-3 business days.

Article Link: Apple's New MacBook Air Tops 'Consumer Reports' Ratings
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/11/10/apples-new-macbook-air-tops-consumer-reports-ratings/
AAPLaday said:
So does that make Consumer Reports view valid again now after the iPhone verdict? :D
Click to expand...

Exactly the first thing I thought about. Will "MacRumors" go wild with praise for Consumer Reports or will people stick to what they said last summer about Consumer Reports being a meaningless rag. :rolleyes:

roland.g said:
But they don't come preloaded with OS X 10.6.5 and iTunes 10.1.
Click to expand...

Considering neither of those versions are currently the current versions, what does it matter ?
 
I always take Consumer Reports' computer and electronics ratings with a grain of salt... even if I happen to agree with them.

They are much better at rating dishwashers and blenders.
 
Honestly if I didn't have to design-on-the-go I'd sell my 15in MBP and get the 11in for travel. I've grown to like it.
 
I could care less how they report; I'm educated enough in the world of electronics to make my own purchasing decisions. Be that as it may, this new MBA 13" kicks my rev-b's bootie.

Miss the BL keyboard though- there, I said it.:D
 
KnightWRX said:
Considering neither of those versions are currently the current versions, what does it matter ?
Click to expand...

I was pointing to the fact that while Android/iOS marketshare data, and critical response to the MBAs is worthwhile news, most of the buzz around here today and this week is the imminent release of both those as they are undoubtedly a precursor to iOS 4.2 and indicative of its impending release.
 
I got the 13" MBA with 128/4 GB. I love it. I'm a heavy duty user (a programmer) but I can totally see this replacing my MBP 17 for 90% of the stuff I do.

The only thing I don't like is the keyboard -- it has lost its ruggedness, the spaces bar often misses the occasional beat and loss of back-light is a real shame.

Not sure it can replace the iPad though, for casually checking emails and Twitter in the evening (when the kids take most of my attention).
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/8B117)

Looks like CR finally got something right. Doesn't excuse their stand on the iPhone, however: tops on their list but "do not recommend.". LOL I guess Apple's figures from last quarter put that nonsense to bed right quick.
 
That is great. Now, imagine an even lighter and smaller MacBook Air (7-inch). The Mac in your pocket. That would be fantastic.
 
LOL

I half expected the story to read, "MacBook Air Tops 'Consumer Reports' Ratings -- but the company fails to recommend it due to...(insert joke here)"

I'm seriously impressed with the new MacBook Air. I didn't much like the rev. A model. This edition is a real contender for my next Mac purchase.
 
roland.g said:
I was pointing to the fact that while Android/iOS marketshare data, and critical response to the MBAs is worthwhile news, most of the buzz around here today and this week is the imminent release of both those as they are undoubtedly a precursor to iOS 4.2 and indicative of its impending release.
Click to expand...

So you were pointing out... what exactly ? If you aren't interested in this news item and only want to know about some kind of OS release that does or doesn't matter, don't click on it.

Geez. :rolleyes:

Personally, I don't give a flying **** about 10.6.5 or iTunes 10.1 or iOS 4.2.
 
KnightWRX said:
Will "MacRumors" go wild with praise for Consumer Reports or will people stick to what they said last summer about Consumer Reports being a meaningless rag. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You seem to have confused their surveys with their editorial opinions.

This is akin to saying "You don't like bananas? Then how can you like Oranges?"

They're different and I can have different opinions of each of them.
 
Flowbee said:
I always take Consumer Reports' computer and electronics ratings with a grain of salt... even if I happen to agree with them.

They are much better at rating dishwashers and blenders.
Click to expand...

Why? Because you know something about computers?

Do you know anything about dishwashers? What about hardwood flooring? Lawn tractors? Counter surfaces? Pharmaceuticals?

The arrogance which people demonstrate on forums like this is hilarious. There isn't a single person on this forum or any other that is an expert on everything that CR covers.

CR is a magazine aimed at as many people as possible, not just computer geeks and so it covers as many products as possible. Similarly guys who work in construction will have little need for buying advice on house materials but they probably do need help with consumer electronics because they spend their days not sitting in front of a computer.

Somehow I don't think the vast majority of MacRumors posters have much clue about when and where to use cembonit even if they know how to reset the PRAM on their Mac. :rolleyes:
 
Small White Car said:
You seem to have confused their surveys with their editorial opinions.

This is akin to saying "You don't like bananas? Then how can you like Oranges?"

They're different and I can have different opinions of each of them.
Click to expand...

I don't recall anyone pointing out specifics about which sections of Consumer Reports they were targetting back this summer with the whole iPhone 4 story. The statements were plain "Consumer Reports is a dinosaur and they are not relevant".

I love backpedaling.
 
have to agree

Flowbee said:
I always take Consumer Reports' computer and electronics ratings with a grain of salt... even if I happen to agree with them.

They are much better at rating dishwashers and blenders.
Click to expand...

i usually believe them for everything except computers
 
AAPLaday said:
So does that make Consumer Reports view valid again now after the iPhone verdict? :D
Click to expand...

The problem with CR on the iPhone is that they added new criteria based on stuff they became aware of through the media. Go to CR's website-- the iPhone is still listed as highest rated, but "not recommended". While CR says they performed additional testing that showed there is a signal problem, they have not changed their ratings nor their scoring methodology. In other words, they started with an objective, level-playing field scoring methodology, then reacted to a media frenzy that was totally non-scientific to hedge.

The problem with this is, on what basis would CR change their recommendation if Apple fixed the problem? CR generally performs their testing for a product class in a specific cycle, but they went out of cycle to dis-recommend the iPhone via this special test. Do we have to wait for the next smart phone report to get the special test re-done? Will CR re-run the special test if Apple comes out with a revamped model, say the Verizon iPhone? Will CR wait for the media reaction to decide exactly what criteria to use this time? Will CR revamp their tests to include testing for the signal reliability issues for which they site the iPhone?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back