Macbook Air '10. Still worth it?

[Bell In The Box]

Hi everyone!

I'm having doubts about getting a 13" Macbook Air 2010.
Here's the story: I want to buy my first Mac, but I live in Brazil and here technology related things are usually bloody expensive. So, there's this store that is selling the Macbook Air 13" 256GB 2GB Ram for R$2999 (1616$). The 2011 (13" 256GB 4GB Ram), is about R$5199 (2800$) and the 2011 (13" 128GB 4GB Ram) is about R$3799 (2047$). Yes, that much of a difference.

So, do you think that the 2010 256GB it's worth it? Even if only 2GB of Ram and outdated processor?

As for my use, I would be using it for college stuff (office/some engineering programs), running Windows 7 too, and casual gaming (as Source Engine games).

Thanks

PS.: It's my first post on Macrumors BTW. =)

 

[stark4]

2010 MBA will be fine for what you will be using but those prices are super expensive. Do you know anyone that live in US and buy it for you?

btw welcome to macrumors.

 

[orfeas0]

what the hell? Do they have a 40% tax on electronics in Brazil, or?
Anyway, better get the 2010 if it's so much cheaper... Although, it would be best to find a 4gb version of the 2010 model.

 

[Bell In The Box]

Yeah, it is that expensive. Our government isn't nice when it comes down to taxes. And even if I knew someone in US it would be expensive to bring here. I believe the importation tax for eletronics is about 60%. The max you can spend outside the country without the tax is 500$.

And I cannot get a 4GB model of 2010 since those were only sold by apple directly and not by retail stores like this one I mentioned.

The 2010/256/2/13" is the best of the last generation I can get.

There's also the 2010/128/2/13" for R$2599 (1400$)...
Would this one be a better option in my case or I should stick with the 256GB one idea?

Thanks for the "welcome" stark4.

 

[iDemiurge]

Fala Bell in the Box!

Sou brasileiro também, but I'll reply to your post in English 'cause I reckon it's against the rules to do otherwise.

I don't know how much storage you need. In my opinion however you'd be better off sacrificing the 256 SSD for some extra RAM. I have a 2011 11" with 4 gigs of RAM, which I bought here in Germany. I often run a Win XP virtual machine with VMWare Fusion in it (so pra rodar a ***** do dicionario Houaiss que nunca foi lancado pra mac!). When the virtual machine is running I can easily use > 3 Gb RAM with only some internet browsing and a couple other light apps open on the side. That despite the fact that I have allocated only 512 Mb to Windows and adjusted the settings on the virtual machine so that it won't go eating up ram like crazy. You said you want to run Win 7. If you do it through bootcamp 2 GB might be ok. On a virtual machine I can tell you it's not.

Espero que tenha ajudado!

 

[bigeasy_uk]

Could you not get a friend from a different county to buy it for you then send it to you with a made-up receipt for $499?

 

[iDemiurge]

Could you not get a friend from a different county to buy it for you then send it to you with a made-up receipt for $499?

Not that simple. Customs officers have the authority to make an estimate of the goods' value regardless of what the receipt says. As to what comes to laptops however I've heard some people have gotten away with buying them abroad, getting rid of the box, installing some apps, putting some stickers on the back, and claiming it's not new and it's for personal use only. Officially you have to register valuable items when you leave the country, but I lot of people simply forget about it.

 

[kulimer]

I'd say nay, technology moves forward, don't dig back. what you are getting really aren't a bargin, it's just a lower price for older computer.

 

[alq]

Hi Bell,

Eu nao sou Brasileiro, but I live here in Brazil and I have a 2010 Macbook Air 11" (Ultimate, how they like to call it here). I just bought it in July this year, just before the new 2011 model appeared.
I hardly didn't use it.
I bought it to use with Traktor for DJing, but it never went out of my home, since I am concentrating more on producing music than on DJing.
The only downside for might be the German keyboard layout ;-)
If you are interested, I would sell it - I'm staying in Curitiba - just drop me a message.

alq.

 

[cookie.monster]

Wouldn't it be cheaper for you to buy mba on Ebay or travel to US?

 

[molala]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (iPhone; Opera Mini/6.1.15738/25.894; U; en) Presto/2.5.25 Version/10.54)

Ebay item would have to go through Brazilian customs.

And Airfare to US would be steep.

To the OP - if you can't get the 4gb/128 2011 model that's about usd2000, i'd go for the 2gb/128 2010 that's around usd1400. Good luck!

 

[tigres]

Fly to Florida and buy it.

 

[Bell In The Box]

Hello everybody and... olá para o pessoal do Brasil que respondeu.

To iDemiurge: I would not run Windows on a VM in this case, especially with 2Gb. I would use some programs that are heavy for VMs too (like Matlab, LabVIEW and AutoCAD etc...).

To bigeasy_uk, cookie.monster and tigres: Like iDemiurge said, it's not that simple to bring something here. Custom officers would probably be a problem in this case.
Also, about me going to US, the flight tickets would cost me 1270$ alone. Not to mention a hotel and the money to spend over there.

To alq: Thanks, but the 11" wouldn't do for me. I need the bigger screen. As I mentioned, something that is easy to carry, light and with the power a notebook offers (to run those programs I also mentioned).

To kulimer: I know what you mean. I'm graduating in engineering. But the price is the main concern here. It's 2800$ vs 1616$ for the 256Gb.

To molala: I'm thinking about it. But I'm not sure if 128Gb would be enough for me. Since I probably would split the hd to run Windows. On the other side I have external storages that could do the job with non-crucial files, but would reduce my portability.

Should I wait for the ultrabooks and/or the mba 2012? See what they will be packing and stuff. But I don't think the price is going to be very different here in Brazil. I'd say probably above the 1600$ price range, since Intel is trying to keep it at 1000$ on the "normal countries" lol.

Thanks to everyone that replied (or is replying).