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Buy macbook air now or wait?
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Intents and purposes, you mean. And I don't think it can be. Apple needs to compete with netbooks. An iPad is nice, but even netbooks offer the full featured OS. The MacBook Air is Apple's ultra-portable notebook. The iPad is Apple's tablet device. Besides, the Air is still a viable product for Apple; it's their device that can claim to be the super-thin laptop. It's too "revolutionary".
there are a million posts on this. it's pretty much common knowledge that macbooks will be updated soon, whether that means tomorrow or in 6 weeks. Despite what some might have you believe, nobody here really knows the answer. Whether you wait or not is up to you.
There have been a couple indications that the new AIR is ready to be released. More power was the big feature I read. I would positively, absolutely wait. Within 30 days should do it is my guess.
Wondering the same thing here. I'm in need of a new laptop and have been waiting for the Air update...and waiting...and waiting.
The news today about the SNAFUs in the Australia and New Zealand pricing for Macs was somewhat encouraging for a nearing update. (See today's front page.)
A question of my own: has the rumor mill turned up anything about Air updates beyond the processor? "Buttonless" glass trackpad? Different inputs/outputs. New SSD capacities? New max RAM?
The news today about the SNAFUs in the Australia and New Zealand pricing for Macs was somewhat encouraging for a nearing update. (See today's front page.)
A question of my own: has the rumor mill turned up anything about Air updates beyond the processor? "Buttonless" glass trackpad? Different inputs/outputs. New SSD capacities? New max RAM?
I'm in the same position as the OP.
I'd like a MacBook Air, but hesitant to buy _right now_ with the updates imminent (I'm guessing 3/23).
I've found that the best value with Mac stuff is to wait until an update is released, and to then buy the "just discontinued" product at a sharply reduced price as the old inventory is moved out. Worked well with my last purchase (white 24" iMac bought just after the aluminum models were introduced in 2007).
Since the MBA has never been a big seller, I've also wondered if some of what appears in the "refurbished" section of the Apple store is indeed actually repackaged "new/unsold" stock. Particularly with the 1.86/SSD revision B configuration....
I wouldn't be surprised to see the prices of refurbished MBA revision b's drop even more with the introduction of the revision d's.
I don't really see too much difference between the revision b's and c's (perhaps someone could clue me in?).
I probably won't spend the money on a revision d (MBA will be only an occassional-use travel computer). But I expect to see the remaining stock of revision c's go to the refurb store at good prices (perhaps what the revision b's are selling for NOW), and expect to see the prices on the revision b's go even lower.
To the OP, I would suggest to "hold out" for now. Evaluate the revision b's, revision c's. And when the revision d's come out, be ready to finalize your decision and act. The _best_ values will be refurbished, unless you absolutely have-to-have the latest and greatest.
I'd like a MacBook Air, but hesitant to buy _right now_ with the updates imminent (I'm guessing 3/23).
I've found that the best value with Mac stuff is to wait until an update is released, and to then buy the "just discontinued" product at a sharply reduced price as the old inventory is moved out. Worked well with my last purchase (white 24" iMac bought just after the aluminum models were introduced in 2007).
Since the MBA has never been a big seller, I've also wondered if some of what appears in the "refurbished" section of the Apple store is indeed actually repackaged "new/unsold" stock. Particularly with the 1.86/SSD revision B configuration....
I wouldn't be surprised to see the prices of refurbished MBA revision b's drop even more with the introduction of the revision d's.
I don't really see too much difference between the revision b's and c's (perhaps someone could clue me in?).
I probably won't spend the money on a revision d (MBA will be only an occassional-use travel computer). But I expect to see the remaining stock of revision c's go to the refurb store at good prices (perhaps what the revision b's are selling for NOW), and expect to see the prices on the revision b's go even lower.
To the OP, I would suggest to "hold out" for now. Evaluate the revision b's, revision c's. And when the revision d's come out, be ready to finalize your decision and act. The _best_ values will be refurbished, unless you absolutely have-to-have the latest and greatest.
There is no way I would buy now, I'm waiting for the new models. I just sold my MBP and am currently without a laptop. I want something lighter and more portable, and don't really need "pro" power on the go. I'm waiting for an Apple laptop with current tech, because I can't personally justify the price for what is included right now. Also, 4GB RAM is a must for my use, and the newer trackpad would be nice.
The rev. A Air had Intel graphics and 1.6 or 1.8 GHz Merom CPUs and an 800MHz bus.
The rev. B moved to nVidia graphis and 1.6 or 1.86 GHz Penryn CPUs and a 1066MHz bus.
The rev. C was a CPU speed bump to 1.86 or 2.13 GHz.
For rev. D, I'd like a Core i series CPU, a more current GPU, and 4GB RAM. A buttonless trackpad, more battery life, and an IPS screen would just be icing.
The rev. A Air had Intel graphics and 1.6 or 1.8 GHz Merom CPUs and an 800MHz bus.
The rev. B moved to nVidia graphis and 1.6 or 1.86 GHz Penryn CPUs and a 1066MHz bus.
The rev. C was a CPU speed bump to 1.86 or 2.13 GHz.
For rev. D, I'd like a Core i series CPU, a more current GPU, and 4GB RAM. A buttonless trackpad, more battery life, and an IPS screen would just be icing.