Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

imHappy

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 27, 2011
187
14
Hello guys,

Im getting a ultimate macbook air 13" in a month.

Basically i want to keep this expensive machine as much as possible, perhaps 3 years or more!

I heard that the ram is soldered which is why im getting the 4gb ram but is the battery soldered aswell? since im planning to use this laptop as much as possible im sure i will need a battery replacement in the future and it would be awfull if i couldnt replace it!.

Im asking this to make sure im getting a safe buy :)
ps: I heard only the 2008 MBA battery can be replaced while the 2011 not <- please tell me this is not true.

Thanks in advance!
 
From what I gather, the MBAs are due for upgrades early this Summer (around June?).

Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt are the main upgrades; someone more in tune with the rumourmill might want to chime in^^

Since you're buying in a month, I'd wait it out and see what the upgrades bring. At the very least, if you're not a fan, you can pick up a cheaper refurb :)
 
The battery tech Apple currently uses in it's laptops is the best in the industry. Don't worry about the life of the battery-"The built-in battery of your MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air is designed to deliver up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles before it reaches 80 percent of its original capacity" (apple.com.)

The battery should certainly outlast the life of Apple Care (3 years.) If not, Apple will replace it for you.

I LOVE MY MBA.
BEST. LAPTOP. EVER.
 
i really don't care about sandy bridge power because i don't need it for the task ill be doing :) also, im not changing the 320m graphic card for the integrated of intel which many reviews have negative comments about it.


back to the topic please! i need a factual answer that tell me that apple can ACTUALLY replace the battery for the new mac book air (late 2010)
 
I think you're mixing two different concepts here. The parts on the MacBook Air aren't user-serviceable and can't be *upgraded* without voiding the warranty. 4GB RAM is a smart move if you want to keep the machine as long as possible for that reason. However, not being able to upgrade a component is very different from a component needing replacement if something goes wrong. If you experience problems with your battery in the course of normal use, correcting those problems should be covered by your Apple Care warranty or possibly as a paid out-of-warranty repair if it happens after Apple Care runs out.

You should, of course, read the details of the warranty to be sure what would be covered and what wouldn't. But it's definitely not true that the battery can't be replaced at all--it just shouldn't be replaced by you.
 
back to the topic please! i need a factual answer that tell me that apple can ACTUALLY replace the battery for the new mac book air (late 2010)

LOL. Are you serious??

OF COURSE APPLE CAN REPLACE THE BATTERY THE PLACE IN YOUR MBA.

You think Apple would give you a battery that they can't replace? :rolleyes:
 
Thanks RealScience, that was basically the only answer i needed! :)

so i guess i will proceed to buy this baby asap.
 
I think the confusion is that Apple no longer offers laptops that feature a quick and easy change of a discharged battery with a freshly charged battery by opening a door or cover and simply taking out the old and putting in the new.

Apple can easily replace a defective battery that's dead or won't hold a charge or whatever with a new battery and will either do so for free if it's under warranty, or for about what you'd pay for the cost of a battery if not under warranty.

In return for a fixed battery, you get a more rigid frame and longer battery life.
 
It is not user-replaceable.

Well obviously, you can take the whole machine apart and then replace the battery. You can do that with anything.
 
Yep I think its a good buy I had an ultimate mba but I traded it away for a 11 inch ultimate which is b/c i thought it was more portable but I felt uncomfortable so I changed back to a 1.86 ghz 4gbs ram and I thought the ultimate runs more smoother than what I had now (alot more..) sadly. So i think its a great buy if you dont want a sandy bridge processor on your mba
 
guys, would the c2d with nvidia 320m run autocad smoothly? im not saying HARDCORE autocad works, but some basics?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.