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I still don't understand why one would get a MBA over...
- Thread starter surjavarman
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To OP: you don't understand because you don't understand.
I once thought as you do now. That's why I got a MBP15" when I decided to go back to school for my graduate study. Since my wife had a 13"MBP, from my subjective opinion I thought that the difference in weight between 13' and 15' are immaterial. But I was wrong. Carrying around a 15"MBP with one or two textbooks was not a fun thing for me.
I also thought that an Ipad would help, in term of portability and minor tasks. Again it turned out that I was wrong too. It's fun to have an Ipad. But when I need to quickly reply an email or reading news on train, I'd rather use my Iphone. Working on my papers or composing long email, or even web-surfing I prefer my MBP since I tend to open several pages at the same time. My Ipad has been left alone collecting dust for over a year now. Maybe it would be used as a toy for my baby. For reading, it's more fun to read on a Kindle than on my Ipad (from my own opinion). I just got a Kindle recently (thanks to the special offer from KSO version for 20% of laptops from Amazon). I am surprised that I read on my Kindle during the last 3 weeks more than on my Ipad during the last one and half year.
I just sold my MBP 15" and got an 27" Imac and 11" ultimate MBA for myself. That would be the best combination that would perfectly meets all my needs. I also sold my wife's 13" MBP and get her a 11" base MBA and she has not been more pleased with it.
Financially, I paid in total around $2,800 for my 15" MPB and Ipad. The same amount of money would get you both the 27" Imac and 11' MBA (with the special offer from Kindle that I believe many Macrumorers here familiar with). You do the math and pull the trigger.
I once thought as you do now. That's why I got a MBP15" when I decided to go back to school for my graduate study. Since my wife had a 13"MBP, from my subjective opinion I thought that the difference in weight between 13' and 15' are immaterial. But I was wrong. Carrying around a 15"MBP with one or two textbooks was not a fun thing for me.
I also thought that an Ipad would help, in term of portability and minor tasks. Again it turned out that I was wrong too. It's fun to have an Ipad. But when I need to quickly reply an email or reading news on train, I'd rather use my Iphone. Working on my papers or composing long email, or even web-surfing I prefer my MBP since I tend to open several pages at the same time. My Ipad has been left alone collecting dust for over a year now. Maybe it would be used as a toy for my baby. For reading, it's more fun to read on a Kindle than on my Ipad (from my own opinion). I just got a Kindle recently (thanks to the special offer from KSO version for 20% of laptops from Amazon). I am surprised that I read on my Kindle during the last 3 weeks more than on my Ipad during the last one and half year.
I just sold my MBP 15" and got an 27" Imac and 11" ultimate MBA for myself. That would be the best combination that would perfectly meets all my needs. I also sold my wife's 13" MBP and get her a 11" base MBA and she has not been more pleased with it.
Financially, I paid in total around $2,800 for my 15" MPB and Ipad. The same amount of money would get you both the 27" Imac and 11' MBA (with the special offer from Kindle that I believe many Macrumorers here familiar with). You do the math and pull the trigger.
OT
speaking of a Kindle, I used to use the new Kindle all the time (that translates to about 5 hours a day).
Now I use a 7" Galaxy tab. Why?
I just like it
They are very well made, and although the battery life stinks horribly, I don't mind this as they are well made, and it has a backlight. They are much more rugged than the Kindle; which actually has the consistency of the pulp it's meant to replace.
Whatever
speaking of a Kindle, I used to use the new Kindle all the time (that translates to about 5 hours a day).
Now I use a 7" Galaxy tab. Why?
I just like it
They are very well made, and although the battery life stinks horribly, I don't mind this as they are well made, and it has a backlight. They are much more rugged than the Kindle; which actually has the consistency of the pulp it's meant to replace.
Whatever
I have? They have the same height so aside from weight and footprint, they feel somewhat identical when carrying; similar to how a 4.3 inch phoen that fills thin doesn't feel as "big" as a 4.0 inch phone that's a lot thicker.
But I mean, I put the thing in a backpack when I'm not carrying it downstairs, I don't see how far I have to walk with the thing in my hands; if it isn't in a bag, it's on a desk or something.
I've used my mother's 15.6 inch toshiba the same way, and that's a lot thicker/heavier; it isn't "that" much more of a burden. Either people are greatly exaggerating or I have no sense of weight and/or depth. It's all personal preference but seriously; they aren't ginormous.
All of the notebooks are pretty thin. Yes some are larger. We all know this. Looking at the tech page shows this. However, I think "some" people put a bit too much emphasis on the size.
Why wouldnt you want a lighter, thinner laptop. There are a few advantages for a Macbook Pro over a MBA but there are disadvantages also. The SSD is SO much faster too.
you forgot the most important thing , MBP looks like a brick in comparison to a MBA , and today its all about looks , slim slimmer slimmest , and especially the 13" of both have actually apart from the thickness no size difference to speak off , some even argument with a ssd inside the MBA,i did not know that one cant under no circumstances get a ssd in a MBP aah there is the weight difference ,i mean we are humans right so we have muscles as far as i remember from school and the weight difference between a MBA and a MBP is nothing a human could not carry around for days on end , and both are far to big for the usual back pockets in jeans too, so you need some sort of backpack for them anyway .....sorry some carry more then 10 times that amount on excessive body weight,so they need to compensate with a MBA
lets face it the MBA is IN , so any reasonable arguments against it are wasted, like trying to convince a innuit to buy a fridge instead of using the permafrost soil in his backyard
you are simply not considered a normal human being if you do not want a MBA , its just you need to have one, only some GEEKS or NERDS would still buy a MBP or?
just bought iBook
the fastest of the originals 466 MHz PowerPC G3 so a real Mac and it is what a laptop should be .....portable , it even has a handle for that purpose , whats the point of a laptop without a handle and it really stands out even today it gets the looks think different ! as i bought Mac's because i didn't want mainstream ....sadly Mac's today are just mainstream , the think different has gone
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Because I can simply BUY a BETTER SSD for 200, put that in the MBP and either have 2 drives or one drive that's better than what comes in the MBA stock. ALL for only 100 dollars more.
I don't want to compromise in performance for design when the MBP is already thin. It's ~1 inch thick. 5 pounds; I mean yea, the MBA is small, but how much thinner/lighter does it have to go? People put so much emphasis on the design when, ultimately, when it's on a table, all that weight reduction simply does not matter. Yes it's lighter, but (and remember, it's all subjective), 5 pounds is pretty light, for me, and I only weigh 135.
Also, 4 gigs of RAM just isn't enough for me, and I know it won't be 1,2,3 years down the line either.
I'm not saying it's a bad product, I like it, but for the price you're paying and the limitations it gives (no RAM upgrade, performance is on par with C2D), I just don't see the point when you can get an upgradable machine that is more powerful for less. AND it has a better screen.
That's comparing the baseline 13 inch of the MBP and MBA of course.
Size isn't everything, and I really wanted it, I really did, but I sat back and thought rationally; I want this to last me for years and I know, with my usage, the MBA would reach it's limit within a year, if that; I'd already not like it as I run Bootcamp for games (space limitation) and I regularly max out the 4 gigs stock in my MBP.
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you forgot the most important thing , MBP looks like a brick in comparison to a MBA , and today its all about looks , slim slimmer slimmest ,
I mean, this is what people are posting. It's his opinion and I cannot say it's right, wrong, bad, or good, but I actually "do" work on my computer, and I simply need the performance to back me up when I'm dropping over a grand on it.
If it was all about performance, i would have simply gotten a m11x from Alienware for LESS than the MBP, with better specs. I love the size and form factor of thinness as much as the next guy, but there's a point where I just don't think it needs to be compromised 'that" much.
Performance is anything but "on par with the Core 2 Duo." The last time I checked, the 1.8GHz i7 puts out numbers that are very close to the 2.3GHz i5, and easily twice as fast as the 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo model. Sure, it has some downsides, but don't make up shortcomings of the MacBook Air that aren't there.
As for the SSD, the one in the Air is about the same as the one Apple offers in the Pro. True, you can get a faster drive with a Sandforce controller, but they tend to be less reliable. Plus, the MacBook Air has a SATA III port on the logic board, so eventually you can replace the SSD if you want when there is a meaningful difference in SSD speeds (and not just the incremental difference of Toshiba/Samsung to SandForce). Plus, it is still an added cost. $1199 for the Pro, plus $200 for a third party 128GB SSD, and you are now $50 more than the cost of an 11" i7, or $100 more than the base 13". True, you get the FireWire 800 port, an optical drive, and expandable RAM, but for those of us who don't need those, it means more money.
1) Along with that ULV graphics card, I would argue yes, that performance is pretty much the same. In terms of rendering, playing games, and other cpu intensive tasks, it's faster, yes, but only by so much.
But that's only half of my argument.
2) I already did the math in my previous post:
Because I can simply BUY a BETTER SSD for 200, put that in the MBP and either have 2 drives or one drive that's better than what comes in the MBA stock. ALL for only 100 dollars more.
But thanks for reiterating my point.
But just to clarify, we all have our respective reasons for owning either the MBP or MBA, nobody is arguing against that. Nor is anybody (I don't think) arguing one is "better" than the other.
There is no "better", only different.
Apple's MacBook Air draws huge crowds, sells out in Hong Kong ahead of China debut
Apples newly updated MacBook Air lineup debuted this week in Hong Kong, attracting crowds and selling out quickly, ahead of making an anticipated splash in mainland China, Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider.
The newly updated MacBook Air is ready to take flight in China, analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said in a note to investors on Friday, Hughes reports. Over the last week, the new thin-and-light notebook went on sale at Hong Kong-based resellers, and was met with long lines and stock-outs.
Hughes reports, Interest surrounding the debut of new MacBook Air models may also have generated increased interest in other products like the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. This past week, stores in Hong Kong were said to be sold out of the iPhone 4, while certain iPad 2 models were also unavailable.
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Note that these are "long lines", not for an iPhone. Not even for an iPad. But for a Mac.
That really says something.
Apples newly updated MacBook Air lineup debuted this week in Hong Kong, attracting crowds and selling out quickly, ahead of making an anticipated splash in mainland China, Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider.
The newly updated MacBook Air is ready to take flight in China, analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said in a note to investors on Friday, Hughes reports. Over the last week, the new thin-and-light notebook went on sale at Hong Kong-based resellers, and was met with long lines and stock-outs.
Hughes reports, Interest surrounding the debut of new MacBook Air models may also have generated increased interest in other products like the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. This past week, stores in Hong Kong were said to be sold out of the iPhone 4, while certain iPad 2 models were also unavailable.
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Note that these are "long lines", not for an iPhone. Not even for an iPad. But for a Mac.
That really says something.
I also considered that route, the resolution even if it's better color wise turned me off the MBP. also this isn't meant to be a desktop replacement for me, more like a mobile office from when i'm out so 4GB is plenty enough.
And that's also a point I don't really comment on, the MBA is a great device and I would have gotten it if I had something else at home.
I see people post setups all the time and ask for recommendations and if they have a machine at home, the first thing I recommend is a 11 inch MBA, simply because of the flexibility it offers when you're out.
Hell, if I had an iMac I would have gotten an 11 inch but I only have money for one computer, hence my reasoning to go with the MBP.
Do the work, throw it in Drop box, and sync it all up when you get home.
If you dont see the appeal of a thinner, lighter notebook than you just wont get it. Its much thinner and its much lighter. Its a very noticeable difference and a lot of people move their laptops around constantly.
I see the appeal, the appeal is obvious.
I'm not stating my opinion like it's a "be all, end all" choice and that it's some final conclusion, that's just how I feel due to what I do on the device.
If you obviously don't need 4 gigs of RAM and you aren't running CPU intensive applications, then yea, the MBA is a great notebook. I never said it wasn't.
I move mine around all day, being a college student. Going from a 5.x pound upgraded blackbook to the new MBP is noticeable in difference. I appreciate lightening the pack.
A
Here's the thing, you can't see beyond you're usage or useage of what you consider work. I don't carry my air in a bag and I think I may have used it maybe twice on a table since I bought it. In my work I use it to write contracts or invoices plus some calculations, all of which the air does very well. For my lessure time I surf the web, watch hulu/Netflix/iTunes, and occasionally game on emulators for the n64, snes, and nes. For that the air does perfectly fine as well. But what it does far better than any other laptop is portability.
Like I said, I don't use a bag, just carry my air one handed like a book and goes with me every where I go (I do service calls, so I'm on the road all day), and is small enough I can use while sitting in the car and fit on my lap between myself and the steering wheel (don't worry, I park the car before using it). I tried a netbook once before and hated it, for even the simple tasks I wanted to do it was just too slow, plus I didn't like having two computers, I want just one that can do it all. I tried bringing my 13" Dell with me, but it was just too big, was a hassle to load it into a bag with the charger then unload it again at night, having to find a Starbucks or someplace I coul set it down to use, and the battery life just sucked, so I would end up just writing everything on paper and typing everything out once I got home. Now I can just do everything on the spot and just relax when I get home.
The 11" ultimate air is the best laptop I have ever owned and except for maybe a Sony viao z fully loaded, I wouldn't trade it for another laptop out there.
I've been lugging a 15in MBP around for years, then I started taking my iPad with me to meetings for notes, but found it too tough to type on, couldn't really present simple ideas on it, and I went back to my 15in. Then my cousin convinced me to try his MB Air for a week, and I was sold. It's got power, great screen, it's light, the keyboard rocks, it's the perfect pro tool for mobile meetings and presentations. I bought the 1.8 i7, and I couldn't be happier.
I have a 13" MBA and I chose that model for school over the MBP because there is at least a 3 block walk from the parking garage to the building that I'm in; and the lighter the computer, the less treacherous the trek!
I'm absolutely loving the MBA, btw.
I'm absolutely loving the MBA, btw.
what is that talk about weight all the time , ok i know most MBP users are now all in hospital with back injuries because its so much heavier then a MBA
come on guys be honest you buy a MBA for the looks and only for the looks and not because of pragmatic reasons , you still need a backpack to carry it and we are only talking about 13" as they are comparable
MBA
Height: 0.3-1.7 cm (0.11-0.68 inches)
Width: 32.5 cm (12.8 inches)
Depth: 22.7 cm (8.94 inches)
Weight: 1.35 kg (2.96 pounds)2
MBP
Height: 2.41 cm (0.95 inches)
Width: 36.4 cm (14.35 inches)
Depth: 24.9 cm (9.82 inches)
Weight: 2.54 kg (5.6 pounds)
ok and you guys want to tell me seriously you are unable to lift a extra 1.19kg (2.64 pounds )
it seems a bit more exercise could not harm
come on guys be honest you buy a MBA for the looks and only for the looks and not because of pragmatic reasons , you still need a backpack to carry it and we are only talking about 13" as they are comparable
MBA
Height: 0.3-1.7 cm (0.11-0.68 inches)
Width: 32.5 cm (12.8 inches)
Depth: 22.7 cm (8.94 inches)
Weight: 1.35 kg (2.96 pounds)2
MBP
Height: 2.41 cm (0.95 inches)
Width: 36.4 cm (14.35 inches)
Depth: 24.9 cm (9.82 inches)
Weight: 2.54 kg (5.6 pounds)
ok and you guys want to tell me seriously you are unable to lift a extra 1.19kg (2.64 pounds )
it seems a bit more exercise could not harm
Are you serious with this? Other than thickness, the MBA and the Macbook Pro look pretty much the same. Is it really that unfathomable that people would want a thinner and lighter version of something they have to carry around all the time? If someone doesn't need all the bells and whistles that come with the pro, why in the world would they get one and carry around the extra weight? What is so difficult to understand here?
what is that talk about weight all the time , ok i know most MBP users are now all in hospital with back injuries because its so much heavier then a MBA
come on guys be honest you buy a MBA for the looks and only for the looks and not because of pragmatic reasons , you still need a backpack to carry it and we are only talking about 13" as they are comparable
MBA
Height: 0.3-1.7 cm (0.11-0.68 inches)
Width: 32.5 cm (12.8 inches)
Depth: 22.7 cm (8.94 inches)
Weight: 1.35 kg (2.96 pounds)2
MBP
Height: 2.41 cm (0.95 inches)
Width: 36.4 cm (14.35 inches)
Depth: 24.9 cm (9.82 inches)
Weight: 2.54 kg (5.6 pounds)
ok and you guys want to tell me seriously you are unable to lift a extra 1.19kg (2.64 pounds )
it seems a bit more exercise could not harm
Uhhh...If you travel a lot, those 2.64 pounds do add up. There is a big difference between carrying it from your desk to your car and lugging it around an airport all day long. I am a big guy in good shape and if you have to lug the extra weight around for a long day of traveling, it does add up.
I agree. In addition to my 2010 MBA I have a 17 inch Santa Rosa MBP and an early iPad. I still use the MBP for ripping CDs to disc but not much else. I use the iPad primarily to read the Daily Oklahoman, which has a first class app for the iPad. Otherwise, though, I hardly use the iPad because its mail client is primitive and document preparation, even something as simple as email, is painfully slow. It sure looks neat, though.
My 2010 MBA runs Windows 7 and Quicken for Windows simultaneously with at least a half dozen OS X without breaking a sweat. I have had my 2010 MBA since last October and it has been so eminently satisfactory, I decided to pass over the 2011 refresh, despite the availability of the i Series chips.
i dont get that
look at those children in kabul afghanistan ,just a example as there are millions of children who do the same around the globe ,they carry water every day sometimes for miles and multiple times a day
![afghanistan-children-carry-water.jpe]()
and you honestly complain about 2.64 pounds more , that proves how degenerated we are in the western developed world today
what should i say i just bought a iBook G3 466mhz that weights 6.7 lbs (3.04 kg), but it does have a very handy feature near all modern laptops apart from the panasonic toughbook i used for work(sold it in favor of the iBook ..no intel in my house any more ) lag ..a handle
look at those children in kabul afghanistan ,just a example as there are millions of children who do the same around the globe ,they carry water every day sometimes for miles and multiple times a day
and you honestly complain about 2.64 pounds more , that proves how degenerated we are in the western developed world today
what should i say i just bought a iBook G3 466mhz that weights 6.7 lbs (3.04 kg), but it does have a very handy feature near all modern laptops apart from the panasonic toughbook i used for work(sold it in favor of the iBook ..no intel in my house any more ) lag ..a handle
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^+1
Aside from the fact that analogies are invalid arguments, the two concepts are so abstract that to draw any kind of similarities between them is just stupid.