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I just don't see how the iPad and the MBA correlate when it would comes choosing between the two. To me they have completely different functions, secondly the price might come into play on a persons decision. I mean I plan on purchasing a 32GB iPad 2 when they are released next year.
 
They are not really comparable in that sense, yes you can spend more on an air than on a basic 13" MBP but forgetting price for a moment, they are not aimed at the same people.
The air is basically a very posh netbook, the 13" MBP is a "proper" computer.
Not knocking the air at all,it`s great for what it is, but if you need more than web browsing/email/basic apps you will be wanting an MBP.
That 64/128GB storage limit (unexpandable) would soon kill it for me.
 
I purchased the 11" MBA the day they came out (1.4GHZ, 128 GB). Transferred everything from my 15" MBP (i7), and have been using the MBA ever since. Did not intend to use the MBA as my exclusive laptop, but I've found the 11" MBA to be simply amazing. It's fast, the speakers sound great (almost as good as the MBP), HD video runs flawlessly with no stuttering, and the SSD drive is nearly as fast as the Intel X25 I have in my MBP. In sum, the MBA is an exceptionally capable machine, and honestly, it does everything I use my current MBP for. With the migration assistant, it's like I never left the MBP. Everything works, and works well - itunes, safari, mail, and the MS Office apps.

Most importantly, it runs powerpoint presentations just fine. I projected a presentation I gave yesterday with the MBA, and it handled the embedded video and animations flawlessly. This is a main use for my portables.

Granted I've only been using the MBA for about a day and half, but so far, I find it could replace - not just supplement - my MBP. Caveat: for heavy-duty computing tasks, I use a desktop anyway. I'm seriously considering selling the MBP now that the MBA has proven so capable. YMMV.
 
To replace my VERY LOW END 15" MBP it would need to be the best MBA and more.

I could live with a C2D (as that's what I have now), but the 1.86GHz/2.13GHz isn't quite fast enough. Also, 256GB of flash memory? I have a 500GB HD and about ½ of that is used up. 5-6GB of extra space isn't enough. Also, even though I'm running on 2GB of RAM, 4GB with my next computer upgrade is a no brainer. I know the MBA offers this, but the MBP has it as standard. The last (wait, two last things) are the SuperDrive and screen size. I don't use my SuperDrive much, but it's just nice to have it there. Also 13.3" is just a bit small for my liking, though I guess I could live with it.

So, yeah. I'm keeping my MBP.
 
Nope, not dropping a grand on an overpriced netbook, never wanted to when it first came out, and i still don't want to now.

my 15 inch is good for what I'm doing at school. Honestly lugging it to and from the bus stop isn't that big of an issue for me, it's a max 15 minute walk.

If i did want something lighter though, I'd probably pick up a windows netbook. Windows 7 is a half decent OS now, (although aero is still mad confusing for me to use, but i think I'll live). I'm liking the offerings from Asus and what not. So why drop 1200 bucks for something I can get for half the price? (mind you with a battery literally just as long as what the MBA is claiming, having spent a day with my friends Asus, his laptop lasted longer than my mbp).

As a student, I can't justify the value of a mba. Now if the price were brought down 1-200 bucks for the base model, I'd be down to buy.
 
Almost was going to replace my 13" MacBook Pro with an 11.6" MacBook Air but did not for one reason; lack of backlit keyboard.

My wallet is relieved!
 
I really don't need an optical drive or big HDD. I would have no problem replacing my 15" MBA with the fully loaded 13" MBA -- if it had a Fire 800 port. I do a lot of HD video for home movies and I keep all my files on external drives and use an external BD drive.

So, I am seriously considering getting the MBA for work and keeping the MBP for video and heavy photo processing at home. I really do like having one computer for everything, but don't feel like hauling around unnecessary HHD and optical drives that I don't need on the move.

A 2.5 pound 15" MBA with F800 and Gig-E would be perfect for me. Too bad one does not exist.
 
I really don't need an optical drive or big HDD. I would have no problem replacing my 15" MBA with the fully loaded 13" MBA -- if it had a Fire 800 port. I do a lot of HD video for home movies and I keep all my files on external drives and use an external BD drive.

So, I am seriously considering getting the MBA for work and keeping the MBP for video and heavy photo processing at home. I really do like having one computer for everything, but don't feel like hauling around unnecessary HHD and optical drives that I don't need on the move.

A 2.5 pound 15" MBA with F800 and Gig-E would be perfect for me. Too bad one does not exist.


rip out the Optical bay, dump the HDD for a SSD. and you'll no longer be "hauling around unnecessary HDD and optical drives".
 
I won't be replacing my MBP, but will be adding the MBA to the family of Mac's. I'm going to keep the MBP for my heavy audio creation work and will use the MBA mainly for web surfing, email, writing and that is about all.
 
rip out the Optical bay, dump the HDD for a SSD. and you'll no longer be "hauling around unnecessary HDD and optical drives".
Seems that the optical drive is about 0.4 pounds (185 gms). The SSDs are only slightly less weight than the HDDs. However, the 13" MBP is 1.5 pounds heavier than the 13" MBA. So, even after removing the superdrive the MBP would still be 1/3 heavier and a lot thicker. The thickness is a major factor when using the trackpad on a table. The sharp edges of the MPB are just painful on the wrists. No such problem with the low profile MBA.

Sure the MBP has better battery life, but the MBA is good enough and the higher screen resolution is the clincher for me. I was concerned about losing the FW800, but just did a test with my MBP using USB2 and iMovie is completely usable even with HD 1080 footage.

So, it looks like I will actually be replacing my MBP 15 with a maxed out MBA 13.
 
Replaced my MBP 13" 4GB 320HDD with a 13" MBA 2GB 128SSD. Very happy since I don't do anything intensive, just web, email, and word.
 
I for one will be doing so. The MBA will be sufficient enough for 95% of what I do...the other 5% I have a desktop for. I wouldn't have considered the previous gen MBA, simply because it was a tad too expensive. The 64Gb 11.6 I think is fairly reasonable. No backlit keyboard is a bit of a bummer, but not so much as to put me off buying it. The 320m performs slightly better than the 8600m gt, and so effectively I'm just downgrading my CPU from my 2.4Ghz 15" (pre-unibody), but at half the weight I'm happy with that :)
 
if us mbp users even thought of getting a MBA then why didn't you just buy a macbook?

we own macbook PROS for a reason.
 
if us mbp users even thought of getting a MBA then why didn't you just buy a macbook?

we own macbook PROS for a reason.
I bought my MBP for higher resolution (1440x900), more memory (4 MB), faster storage, metal durability and refined look, and firewire.

I now get all of this with the MBA 13" -- except the Firewire. And get a much lighter and refined package in the process.

The new MBAs change everything.
 
Heck no. I love my MBP so much.
Plus, I can't just "replace my MBP with my MBA".
I mean, technically I could, but would I? no.

I have no idea how some people like switching their computers after each revision. Is it really that worth it? Not for me.
 
I'm considering sellying my MBP for a Mac mini or a 21" iMac (my MBP has never left my house and I use it plugged to the wall and hooked up to my 40" tv all the time) and buying an 11".

I don't know though, I don't think I colud give up to its backlit keyboard (how could you come up with such idea, Steve?).

Actually if I hadn't a Wind U100 (Atom N270 1.6 Ghz) with Leopard on it, I'd probably had bought one already.

I'm pretty sure I will buy an 11" when my netbook eventually dies (I hope the 1.6/4/128 GB with backlit keyboard and 7-8 hours battery life will be the base model by then).

Cheers
 
i simply refuse to pay more to get less on the mba. waiting for the hi-res display to pass onto the next 13" mb/mbp for my upgrade.

my gf's gaga all over the high-end 13" mba at the mall. :rolleyes: when jobs tells her to bend over, she does and asks 'how low?'.
 
I love the MBA but you know, my MBP is so much more powerful and when I go on the road (which is often) I want to have all the power I can, not to mention be able to access everything I own on it. So until they upgrade the "Cloud" then I just dont see where the Air fits in between my iPad and 15" i7 Pro.....

My wife has a 13" MBP which for her this makes sense maybe but not for the power user...
 
Seems that the optical drive is about 0.4 pounds (185 gms). The SSDs are only slightly less weight than the HDDs. However, the 13" MBP is 1.5 pounds heavier than the 13" MBA. So, even after removing the superdrive the MBP would still be 1/3 heavier and a lot thicker. The thickness is a major factor when using the trackpad on a table. The sharp edges of the MPB are just painful on the wrists. No such problem with the low profile MBA.

Sure the MBP has better battery life, but the MBA is good enough and the higher screen resolution is the clincher for me. I was concerned about losing the FW800, but just did a test with my MBP using USB2 and iMovie is completely usable even with HD 1080 footage.

So, it looks like I will actually be replacing my MBP 15 with a maxed out MBA 13.

Cool, to each their own,
but sounds like a lot of excuses to get the latest toy from apple :p (my dad does that whenever he's trying to defend the "awesomeness" of ios).

I mean seriously, you were happy with the MBP for so long, obviously there were many reasons for you to like it, but come new apple macbook air and it's like "Hmm suddenly i hate this and this and this about the macbook pro, and the solution to my heartaches will be the macbook air".

Again to each their own, that's just how I'm seeing it and I'm not trying to be offensive.
 
Cool, to each their own,
but sounds like a lot of excuses to get the latest toy from apple :p (my dad does that whenever he's trying to defend the "awesomeness" of ios).

I mean seriously, you were happy with the MBP for so long, obviously there were many reasons for you to like it, but come new apple macbook air and it's like "Hmm suddenly i hate this and this and this about the macbook pro, and the solution to my heartaches will be the macbook air".

Again to each their own, that's just how I'm seeing it and I'm not trying to be offensive.
This was not a knee jerk action and I'm not really hating anything, but the two hour battery life on my current MBP was getting to be a real problem. I spend a lot more time running from meeting to meeting and having to run back to my desk to get the power adapter was getting to be a pain.

In addition, this is my company system and I've had it for 3 years now. The thing is old and I'm scheduled for a company paid upgrade. So one way or another I'm going to get a new toy. :) The only question is what to get?

I was originally looking at getting another 15" MBP, and that would certainly solve my battery problem. But there was the MacBook Air introduction, and I got to thinking...

I have an external Blu-ray burner, and really don't need an internal SuperDrive. Also, I really don't need more more CPU or graphics performance for what I am doing either. I do a lot of HD video stuff at home, and have all that data on giant 3.5" external drives. So, a big internal HDD wasn't really going to help me either. And then there were my friends who upgraded to SSD have been raving about the speed improvements...

I started by pricing MBP 15" with SSD's but that put me over $2300 -- and that is with the bottom of the line MBP 15". Sure, one of these units would probably speed up by video encoding, but any of these systems with SSD was going to be over my budget.

It then became a choice between the MBP 13" and the MBA 13". I concluded that I wasn't going to get much of a performance gain by going with the 13" MBP. Additionally. going to the MBP 13" would mean a significant reduction in screen resolution from what I have already.

To be honest I would go probably with the MBP 13" if it had the same screen as the MBA 13 -- or I would have gone with the 15" if it were about $300 cheaper -- especially if I wouldn't have to deal with the sharp edges on both of the MBPs.

As things are right now the 13" MBA is the best match for my needs.
 
I have my 15" 2.66 I7 MBP . Im all set. I would never make the change. This is all i need, Thanks
 
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