Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Is your MacBook Air your main computer?
- Thread starter AppleTech22
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Sure!
I switched from a C2D 3.2Ghz, 6GB RAM and 400GB HDD PC to an 11" i5 Macbook Air and I couldn't be happier with it's performance. Soon after purchasing it turned out that I need to be running Parallels most of the time and the MBA doesn't complain about it AT ALL, everything is butter smooth with lots of apps running simultaneously.
The only thing I could complain about is it's battery life - I'm only able to achieve 5 hours estimates if I turn the screen brightness to the lowest possible option and disable every application which isn't vital for my workspace.
On the PC I also used a 22", 1680x1050 display and 1366x768 doesn't feel cramped at all on Lion, thanks to it's full screen apps and Mission Control. It's really great, especially with the Dock on a side.
It's a little monster, trust me.
I switched from a C2D 3.2Ghz, 6GB RAM and 400GB HDD PC to an 11" i5 Macbook Air and I couldn't be happier with it's performance. Soon after purchasing it turned out that I need to be running Parallels most of the time and the MBA doesn't complain about it AT ALL, everything is butter smooth with lots of apps running simultaneously.
The only thing I could complain about is it's battery life - I'm only able to achieve 5 hours estimates if I turn the screen brightness to the lowest possible option and disable every application which isn't vital for my workspace.
On the PC I also used a 22", 1680x1050 display and 1366x768 doesn't feel cramped at all on Lion, thanks to it's full screen apps and Mission Control. It's really great, especially with the Dock on a side.
It's a little monster, trust me.
Yes!
I own a high-end desktop PC and a C2D Vista laptop, but those see very little to no use ever since I bought my first Mac, a MacBook Air 13" (late 2010).
I only use my desktop to play the occasional game, but ever since I am a proud dad, my playing days have become very, very rare.
Now I just use my Air for everything. It's great!
I own a high-end desktop PC and a C2D Vista laptop, but those see very little to no use ever since I bought my first Mac, a MacBook Air 13" (late 2010).
I only use my desktop to play the occasional game, but ever since I am a proud dad, my playing days have become very, very rare.
Now I just use my Air for everything. It's great!
It is now that I upgraded
4gb 128ssd
Keyboard/ mouse
27 LG monitor
500gb usb hard drive
Bookbook for travel
4gb 128ssd
Keyboard/ mouse
27 LG monitor
500gb usb hard drive
Bookbook for travel
Nope, while I love my macbook for its amazing portability it does not satisfy my needs for performance in games and storage. I bought my macbook for school and just on the fly use and it is absolutely amazing for that.
I've been using it as my main for a month and it's fine. Most of my surfing goes on the iPad anyway. No gaming or work on my air ever.
If I was going to use any computer as my main computer, it would have to be either an iMac, or a Windows-based desktop or 13" Windows-based laptop (particularly for the graphics power). Unfortunately there's not enough graphics power in the 13-inch Macbook Pro, and I don't want to lug around a 15-inch Pro!
I know it sounds contradictory to consider an iMac or desktop as a main computer, while saying a 15-inch pro is too big, but the thing is that if I have a laptop as a main computer, I prefer it to be very portable as well -- or else it might as well, to me, be a desktop.In my case, that's exactly how I went:
1x Macbook Air 11-inch
1x Windows 7 Desktop
Works wonderfully for my purposes. It's nice having the luxury of getting to use both operating systems. It's also a ton cheaper to go with a custom built Windows desktop when it comes to hardware price-to-performance.
Last edited:
"Main" computer can be a vague term, especially for someone who has several.
I voted "yes", but with some caveats.
If by "main" computer you mean the primary system I use to access email and the web, that'd be my iPad.
If I add Quicken, FTP, DVD Profiler, and a couple of other "every day" apps that I use, then yes, that is NOW my brand spanking new MBA.
If to that I add hard core gaming, then no, my Dell XPS 720H2C remains my "main" computer running Windows 7 Pro x64 and all my games in all their 2560x1600 glory.
If I had to pick only ONE computer, I'd pick the Air. It can do almost everything I need except hard core gaming, and that is fine by me.
I voted "yes", but with some caveats.
If by "main" computer you mean the primary system I use to access email and the web, that'd be my iPad.
If I add Quicken, FTP, DVD Profiler, and a couple of other "every day" apps that I use, then yes, that is NOW my brand spanking new MBA.
If to that I add hard core gaming, then no, my Dell XPS 720H2C remains my "main" computer running Windows 7 Pro x64 and all my games in all their 2560x1600 glory.
If I had to pick only ONE computer, I'd pick the Air. It can do almost everything I need except hard core gaming, and that is fine by me.
I have the 13 as my main (and only).
There isn't that much difference between 11 and 13.
I don't fully understand how the 11 is truly more portable than the 13 (in your situation in particular).
I see that it IS more portable but the difference isn't that much for the average human. A human & bag can take both - the weight & foot print difference between both really aint that much.
Unless you are a very frequent traveller the 13 is better as main - screen size (eyes) and overall comfort (neck & hand) for longer periods of usage imho.
Yes, guess I can say so.
The MacBook Air is the one I use the most. Although it share time with the iPad 2, and the Lenovo X201 at the office. My MacBook Pro (2007) is bricked and the PowerBook G4 (2004) is too slow for general work.
The MacBook Air is the one I use the most. Although it share time with the iPad 2, and the Lenovo X201 at the office. My MacBook Pro (2007) is bricked and the PowerBook G4 (2004) is too slow for general work.
No.
My primary Mac for the most demanding bulk of the engineering work I do is my Mac Pro.
Then comes my i7 15" MBP, then my 13" MBA.
My primary Mac for the most demanding bulk of the engineering work I do is my Mac Pro.
Then comes my i7 15" MBP, then my 13" MBA.
Well we actually are frequent travelers. We only brought one backpack each and we are intending on doing a round the world backpacking trip after the year in australia, plus other trips while we're here. When you are backpacking every little bit of weight matters because it could be on your back for hours at a time depending on your situation.
And as for the size, I actually feel like the 11" could be a little smaller! I had a 12" powerbook and it was actually smaller from left to right than the 11" because of a change in screen dimensions. It makes the 11" feel HUGE to me. I can't imagine using a 13".
Last edited:
I have a 256gb mba 2010 ultimate, and it works great as a main machine. The only actual thing thats taking up space is the apps for my mac and iOS devices. Altogther i've only used 40 gb so far with everything
Nope.
My main computer is the desktop I built (i5 2500K, 8GB ram, AMD 5850, 2.25TB storage, etc.)
I leave my MBA connected to my TV during the summers, and I use it a ton at school during fall/winter/spring.
My main computer is the desktop I built (i5 2500K, 8GB ram, AMD 5850, 2.25TB storage, etc.)
I leave my MBA connected to my TV during the summers, and I use it a ton at school during fall/winter/spring.