Bootcamp 64gb

Yes, it will be fine.

 

It should be fine, but it will be a bit tight under both OS X and Windows. If you are getting a 2012 MacBook Air you might consider getting a 32GB USB 3.0 flash drive with a decent read/write speed (I've seen 70-80MB/s) for about $30 and install Boot Camp on that.

 

Can you finally install Windows via Boot Camp on an external device?

 

You can do this in Parallels, yet that costs $. I wasn't aware that bootcamp allowed you to put a windows partition and run it off USB. Someone may provide further insight.

 

I think you can with a workaround:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3772137?start=0&tstart=0

Anyway, Parallels is $50, so that's halfway toward the cost of a 128GB model. If you will be using Windows only for gaming, Boot Camp is a better solution.

 

I don't think 64GB will feet your needs. Half of both partitions will be practically occupied by the operative systems. Add some applications and that leave you with 10-12 GB for your games (and the files you will store on the computer like mails, music etc.), you will able to have at most a couple of games on the partition and without free space you will incur in memory penalties. 128GB are the minimum to run 2 OS without too much problems.

Macbook Air are not the best machines for what you want to do. With lov voltage cpus, integrated graphics and thin form factor they don't run games smoothly and get hot fast. You should get at least a macbook pro 13'' or maybe a mac mini.

 

The fans will run at full speed within Boot Camp.

 

64GB is mighty tight for dual boot. Even if you can manage to install both OSes and trim the fat down, it'll leave you with very little room for applications and medias. If time is on your side I'd recommend saving a little bit more and get the 128GB model.

 

Save more. You most likely won't live a minute with 64 GB.
I have 128 GB And I'm dying just to get one more byte. Just look at my storage!

20 GB iTunes Music Library
70 GB Applications
10 GB Base OS Files
20 GB Documents

That's on my MBA. My requirements are supposed to be:

20 GB iTunes Music Library
150 GB Applications
10 GB Base OS Fules
20 GB Documents and Files
500 GB 1080p Movies

Overall: 700 GB

 

But those are your requirements.
Maybe the OP does not have those, especially since movies can be stored externally (no need to have access to them 24/7), even music can, if one has a big library.
And a 70 GB Applications folder is not that common.
I have 10 to 20 GB of applications, depending on the project I work at.
A normal consumer probably has less than 10 GB.

But I agree, that 64 GB is quite small, I have such an SSD in my iMac and it sometimes gets quite small, and I don't even use Boot Camp.

OP, is there no way you can get another 100 USD to get the 128 GB model?

 

64GB to run both OSX and Windows 7 sounds like a whole lot of pain to manage.

With just the OS and swap/page files you'll be left with less than 15GB in each so how long will it be before you're having to remove software to install new software? My guess will be not that long and whilst external drives are great for media and the like, not so much fun always needed one connected just to get stuff done. Kind of defeats the object of a small light laptop.

Save some more money and get at least the 128GB. I have a 256GB model and even then have to juggle things every now and again (my Windows partition is 60GB now!)

 

External storage is a major headache. You have to bring Microusb-usb cables and a clunky huge External HDD. More wires for you to tangle on the bag. More hassles.

I hate external storage.

 

As I grew up with external storage (I now have twenty external HDDs or so), I can live with it. I also have plenty of small 2.5" USB HDDs, capacities range from 250 GB to 1 TB, one enclosure even has its cable permanently attached to the housing, thus no extra cable is needed.