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has anyone done tests to compare the hdd to the ssd MbA
- Thread starter aep42686
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Wickedly fast
Sorry can't give you typical benchmarks, but this morning I was at an Apple store and I had previously "played" with the 80GB hard drive. Subjectively it feels very quick. Address Book opens in a blink of an eye. Garageband opened in 10 seconds compared to 18 seconds on the 80GB dive (that's the only direct timed test I did). Also opening the lid gets an instant bright screen compared to a 2 second delay on the reg drive. Restart take about 30 seconds to boot up. But there is only about 38 GB left after system SW and apps are installed. So not that much room to wiggle when you have lots of media files.
Sorry can't give you typical benchmarks, but this morning I was at an Apple store and I had previously "played" with the 80GB hard drive. Subjectively it feels very quick. Address Book opens in a blink of an eye. Garageband opened in 10 seconds compared to 18 seconds on the 80GB dive (that's the only direct timed test I did). Also opening the lid gets an instant bright screen compared to a 2 second delay on the reg drive. Restart take about 30 seconds to boot up. But there is only about 38 GB left after system SW and apps are installed. So not that much room to wiggle when you have lots of media files.
I did the test inside the SF Apple Store.
I will say that the SSD is much faster of course, but I do not think it's worth $999 bucks more in my personal opinion. Why pay that much more when you can just wait and get the Macbook Pro thats coming out soon...thats what I'm waiting for
But the answer to your question: yes it's a lot faster to run and open programs, but like it wasn't built to handle multimedia stuff.
I will say that the SSD is much faster of course, but I do not think it's worth $999 bucks more in my personal opinion. Why pay that much more when you can just wait and get the Macbook Pro thats coming out soon...thats what I'm waiting for
But the answer to your question: yes it's a lot faster to run and open programs, but like it wasn't built to handle multimedia stuff.
Thanks
i was only thinking about getting one because of its size. I would only use it for web, music, photos, and office. I got a imac for all my video and stuff. I was gonna get a new mbp, but i just got the imac.
But can you really tell the difference in weight between the mba and the plain mb
i was only thinking about getting one because of its size. I would only use it for web, music, photos, and office. I got a imac for all my video and stuff. I was gonna get a new mbp, but i just got the imac.
But can you really tell the difference in weight between the mba and the plain mb
you can tell the difference of weight. That thing is light!! I was impressed by it. So if you weight is what really matters to you and you're going to do simple things with it, I'd say get the MBA but, you can do much more with a MB now but like I said weight matters that much, get the MBA
I played around with the SSD today.
I guess it all depends on what you're using it for. If you're buying a computer to run benchmarks all day, that's one thing. Or to be a Final cut workstation or something.
But for normal stuff I do on the road, this things seems like it's very quick. Especially launching apps, searching, opening and closing files. and URLs.
Launching multiple apps at once is really impressive.
I can't wait to see what coding in eclipse feels like.
If only I could get my hands on one. I waited too long to order and so I've got two more weeks to wait.
I guess it all depends on what you're using it for. If you're buying a computer to run benchmarks all day, that's one thing. Or to be a Final cut workstation or something.
But for normal stuff I do on the road, this things seems like it's very quick. Especially launching apps, searching, opening and closing files. and URLs.
Launching multiple apps at once is really impressive.
I can't wait to see what coding in eclipse feels like.
If only I could get my hands on one. I waited too long to order and so I've got two more weeks to wait.
Not many people really know the actual specs, but the SSD one is definitely significantly faster than the normal one. How much faster? I don't know. But I wouldn't pay 650 bucks for the upgrade. I don't see who would buy a low-end laptop and then upgrade to the SSD drive.
Notably faster boot with SSD?
I might be interested in the SSD -- not for running programs faster, but for a faster boot-up, if there's a big difference.
I'd really like a small, light laptop that I can take out during a meeting and have it boot up almost instantly -- while an issue or question is still fresh.
I dream of "instant on" someday, like a PDA, but in a bigger computer with a full-featured OS that runs standard applications.
I might be interested in the SSD -- not for running programs faster, but for a faster boot-up, if there's a big difference.
I'd really like a small, light laptop that I can take out during a meeting and have it boot up almost instantly -- while an issue or question is still fresh.
I dream of "instant on" someday, like a PDA, but in a bigger computer with a full-featured OS that runs standard applications.
I never shut down by MBP. I just open it up and use it. Why don't you just do that?
Sometimes I do that with my MBP, it's usually good for a few days before I have to reboot it for one reason or another. But I still wish there were a technology where I could just turn it on and go -- no hibernate, sleep, or other "coma" mode needed.
I timed the boot up times for the MBA and MBP at the Glendale CA store.
NOTE:
1.APPLE store machines are configured differently than retail models..there's a lot going on during the boot up process in the background so that's why these times are so long (my MBP boots in less than 30 sec). but it is a good test of the speed of the drives...SSD is pretty much on pace with the 2.5" drives in the MBP and the 1.8" drive is really slow.
2. the MBP had a ton of apps installed, the MBA had ilife but that was about it
The first MBA I used was a SSD model and I kept saying to myself how fast it was, now i assumed it was the HD model, but turned out to be SSD so that explains why it didnt really feel any different than the 15" MBP next to it. When I tried the HD MBA it really didn't feel all that slow. I think the only place I would notice the speed hit is during boot time.
MBA (SSD) 1:03
MBA (HD) 1:40
MBP 15" 1:00
