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If Macbook Air was $999, would you buy one?

Would you buy a Macbook Air if it was priced at $999?

  • Total voters
    311
  • Poll closed .
For that price I think I would buy it to mess with at home and to impress afew folks. I really do like it but I think it is overpriced at the moment. I don't mind losing the optical drive, but I need all the other missing ports (ethernet etc.) in order to use it at work. I'll be better off getting a MBP (still a sexy machine:D). I'm looking at ordering one soon..
 
at $999 it would be a quick replacement for my 6 year old ibook........at $1799 it's a "maybe"......I don't use a portable all that often but if I did, then $1799 wouldn't put me off at all since the Airbook would do what I need.
 
No firewire, no big hard drive, no optical drive...no point* It's basically a slower version of my MB, with some fat trimmed.

(* for me)

I want my Penryn MBP. :(

Doug
 
If the 1.6 has the SSD for the same price it is now - I'd buy that. No point in messing around with the 1.8 inch drive - that is just a stop-gap until the SSDs come down in price some more.
 
I think it might actually sell just as well if not better at $1499 as compared to $999. $1499 seems a lot cheaper than $1799, but it would still be enough to make the thinness and weight seem valuable. I think at $999 people would be quick to compare it to the MacBook which has better specs.
 
Of course I would, but I think I may buy one anyway. $1899 is not a bad starting price considering what you get in such a small package. The reason a lot of people here wouldn't is because most who post here frequently are heavy computer users, and an MBA wouldn't meet their needs. That doesn't mean it is not good at what it is supposed to do, though. In fact, looking at the specs, it does it should quite well.
 
netdog said:
This makes the assumption that most won't buy it for $1799 and don't like it priced as such. I think that assumption is faulty.
Click to expand...

No it doesn't. If you'd buy it at $1800 then the answer to the question "would you buy it at $1000" is "yes."

My answer is still no. I have one mac, and don't have a need for any more (especially another notebook). Unlike many here, I actually think the MBA is really cool, but it simply does not have certain things (ports, mostly) that I cannot do without. So replacing my macbook with a macbook air would not be feasible at any price (unless it were so cheap I could also get a mini, all for the price of a macbook :p).
 
donga said:
no. it still wouldn't have the features that i wanted (larger and faster HD, superdrive)
Click to expand...

Do you know that 2.5" SSD drive of similar size typically cost $1000? MacBook Air will use a smaller 1.8" version. Think about that.

Do you know Solid State Drive can be multiple times FASTER than fast desktop 10K raptors? What, you want faster AND cheaper?

Do you know that
"The price is competitive with other laptops in its market segment." [CNN.com]

Of course, we all want Porsche for Honda prices, but in real life, if you want the performance, you have to pay for it.
 
My interest in this computer would move almost perfectly against price. $1800 for something that gets slapped down the block in performance by the MB is too much for me for the weight savings and vanity.

This is an amazing design, and I look forward to further generations, but I am going to stay far back from this new Mac product.

I just hope there will be a way to bluetooth a keyboard to the iphone after the SDK comes out. Honestly, that will be enough for me.

I have my smartphone for the low-end work, and MPB/AirCard for the heavy lifting, and filling the space between is not worth $1800 to me. If I still traveled a ton, I would be all over it, but I am going to let this one pass. Awesome tech though!
 
Yes! Right now, I hate it. It's overpriced and under featured. Hell, it's almost as much as my Macbook Pro cost me. a PRO machine.

Drop it down to $999, and it'll snap one up asap as a 2nd computer. I'd love to, actually..

I'd just never be able to forgive myself for spending almost 2 grand on a computer that I can't even upgrade the RAM or battery in.. especially when an EEE would be just as useful.:eek:

See Apple, I'd be willing to pay $500 for the Apple premium.. but not $1200.
 
Pandaboots said:
Just curious if the price would change people's attitudes/minds towards this computer.
Click to expand...

Of course... The only reason I wouldn't buy one right now is because the fact that they removed a whole bunch of stuff just to shave a few tenths of an inch off the MacBook Pro. If the Air was cheaper, I would definitely buy it, because it has a lot of good uses, and I love the weight/design factor. But right now, I can't see why you would pay $1799 for an Air when you can just get a Pro for $2000 with better stats and its only about .20 inches thicker.
 
netdog said:
This makes the assumption that most won't buy it for $1799 and don't like it priced as such. I think that assumption is faulty.

It is well priced in its market (sorry, but this isn't an EEE). It's market is going to really appreciate it.
Click to expand...

YOU are correct Sir.

Has anyone yet noticed those at MacWorld who physically handled this - love it? I'm gleaning this more & more.
 
nsilva said:
Of course... The only reason I wouldn't buy one right now is because the fact that they removed a whole bunch of stuff just to shave a few tenths of an inch off the MacBook Pro. If the Air was cheaper, I would definitely buy it, because it has a lot of good uses, and I love the weight/design factor. But right now, I can't see why you would pay $1799 for an Air when you can just get a Pro for $2000 with better stats and its only about .20 inches thicker.
Click to expand...

Because it's 2.5 pounds heavier, and has a massive footprint, and some of us have iMacs and such and don't need it for gaming, photoshop, etc?
 
The size and weight changes in the Macbook Air do not justify its price. If it was cheaper, hell ya I'd get one. They look great, but $400+ is too much of a premium to pay only for looks.
 
As great as it would be to see the MBA for under a grand, we'll never see it, and it's not a matter of greed.

Considering the range of estimates of Apple's gross margin for hardware is from about 25% (high industry average) to 50% (iSuppli SWAG), then that would mean the cost of materials range from $900 to $1350. This doesn't account for R&D costs, marketing, production, distribution, etc. Using the more realistic industry margin, and assuming another 15% above that for the non-materials related costs (both direct and amortized), and the actual cost for Apple to manufacture & deliver the MBA is roughly $1550 or so.
 
I don't really understand the "portability" argument... is anyone not able to bring their Macbook with them places? It's a little thicker, sure, but it fits in a briefcase just fine...

The Macbook Air is really cool, but I see no practicality to it... I just wanna play with one in the Apple store :)
 
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