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MacBook Air 11.7

pauljbax

pauljbax

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 16, 2005
79
24
Alright, I will be honest. I am a fan of R2-D2. I like his small but cute stature. Which leads me to the MacBook Air 11.7. Another cute work piece of technology. Apple's first and last attempt to jump in to the NetBook craze.

I currently own the 2011 MacBook Pro 17 inch. The second to last version so it is totally awesome. Easy to upgrade as most of you know. The machine currently has a 750G SSD and 8 gig of ram. The mother board was replaced a year or so ago when Apple had a recall. Not only did they replace the motherboard, but they also gave me new Ram (since I had a third party brand in there), a new HD (since I had a third party brand in there) and I whined about the battery life and I even got a new one of those too. Fast forward, the MBP now has a OWC SSD drive. Runs perfect, even with the missing 8g of ram.

Back to the MBA 11.7.

I have found myself more productive on a laptop then an iPad due to my part-time work as a writer. However, the 17 inch in bed is a tad much. I am think I would like its little cousin since I can access all of my files in the cloud if need be. And, to be honest, the machine seems so unique that it just may be a Mac collectors item some day. However, with our wants come a price tag. Is this machine worth the $839.00 or $999.00 at this stage in the Mac game, with all of the new more powerful options via the MacBook?

Side note: I have a 24 inch external Mac Monitor (thunderbolt) that the little guy can connect to as needed.

Pricey alternative? Well worth the money? I would hate to wait too long and the machine not be available brand new any more.
[doublepost=1479240142][/doublepost]Wow, here is a kicker... B&H had it new last week but no more...
 
I'm a big fan of the 11inch air. I think for the right kind of user, it's the perfect machine. I carry mine with me 90% of the time. All the things I thought I would do with the iPad as a portable computer, I'm actually able to do the 11inch Air. There's just something satisfying about having a great keyboard available at a moment's notice to look up information or get work done.

It has it's flaws, but nothing that's a deal breaker.

It has enough power to do the Logic Pro X projects I do with about 20 software instruments. It has the ports I need to connect all the usb accessories I use. macOS has great features for using the small screen, and the Air does all these without a hitch. I am constantly swiping between 3 or more spaces running Logic, and it never lags.

I have the i7, and it's performance is about 90% of a 13inch MBP... even the new ones. The i5 is probably more than capable for everyday tasks or even beyond that.

It's sad to me that Apple is focusing on the iPad so much, because with a little bit more refinement these 11 MBA are absolutely perfect as a mobile computer. Keyboard screens aren't as good as the MBAs keyboard. Attaching a mobile keyboard always has the build up take down, aspect... which really eats into the portability. And using an iPad for work without a good stand is basically useless. Unless you are watching a movie or reading a webpage, a tablet's form is not very productive.

If you can get over the screen quality and the large bezel, you'll get a nearly perfect mobile computer.
 
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pauljbax said:
Which leads me to the MacBook Air 11.7. Another cute work piece of technology. Apple's first and last attempt to jump in to the NetBook craze.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, the 11" MBA has absolutely nothing to do with the "netbook craze." I have owned Samsung and Asus netbooks and also have an HP tablet with netbook internals running Windows 7. Cheap, underpowered junk that was no bargain at any price. The MBA never aspired to be that, it has always been an expensive, powerful computer in a small package.

A MBA has been my primary computer for almost 6 years now, I started with a 13" i5 2011 model. Upgraded to an 11" i7/8gb/512gb model in 2013 and still love it. I use some demanding software like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, 3d software, photoshop, etc. The battery life and size make it perfect for travel.

The Apple refurb store has three 11" models in stock at the moment: http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_air/11

No i7 models, but the i5/8gb/512gb is not bad for $1189. I paid almost $1800 for my i7/8gb/512gb back in 2013!
 
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pauljbax said:
Is this machine worth the $839.00 or $999.00 at this stage in the Mac game, with all of the new more powerful options via the MacBook?
Click to expand...
Exactly, depends on priorities.
Cheaper, ******** screen, regular ports and slightly better specs vs more expensive, great screen, 1 port, crappier specs.
Leaving aside the slight difference in size and weight and the MagSafe port.

I think it all boils down to whether you need the ports or not and whether you think the screen matters or not.

I personally went for a MBA 13" over the MB because it was cheaper and it packs more power (it's my second computer so I don't need a MBP-wise power), and the ports.
Also I remember watching a good article about video editing on the MBA 11", it was little powerful enough to do 1080 at least, so that's a win-win for me.
 
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Thanks for all of your replies. I think the most important port is the display port since I have the 2009 external monitor. My primary use would be working on books when not in front of the external. Boyd01, does the excessive scrolling bother you with the 11 inch?
 
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I am pretty used to scrolling, but it's certainly no substitute for a big external screen and it will seem constrained if you're used to 17" also. If my usage pattern required me to use the built-in screen all day, I might not be so happy. But when I'm travelling, I feel the power, size/weight and great battery life are a reasonable trade-off for a screen that isn't optimal.

OTOH, the 16:9 screen is great for watching movies. :)
 
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I am confused. Perusing the various sites. Was the last MB Air an i5 or an i7?
[doublepost=1479358403][/doublepost]Looks like both. i7 is upgrade but both are same year.
 
pauljbax said:
I am confused. Perusing the various sites. Was the last MB Air an i5 or an i7?
[doublepost=1479358403][/doublepost]Looks like both. i7 is upgrade but both are same year.
Click to expand...
I've had my 11" 4/128 MBA for about 2.5 years and it is a terrific little workhorse. I'm a big fan.

It's not my primary computing device. I have an iMac for that. The MBA shares mobile computing duties with my 12.9 iPad Pro. What I've found is that the best "bargain" (relatively speaking and IMO) is the entry level 11" MBA. Apple's pricing for upgrading RAM, storage, and processor are not reasonable.

I've modified how I use OSX to accommodate the smaller screen of the MBA. I set the dock to the right (rather than the bottom) and auto-hide. Considering the widescreen aspect ratio of the 11" MBA, there's more horizontal space to spare than vertical.

I also run apps in fullscreen mode and use trackpad gestures and hotkey combinations to switch between apps.

In that respect, these two adjustments give a real iPad "feel" to interacting with apps.

Because the 11" MBA doesn't have an SD card slot, I use a nano USB thumbdrive (Sandisk makes some good ones) that I generally keep inserted... though there apparently was a change introduced with macOS Sierra that causes regular read accesses to the drive that reduces battery life.

Sadly, the 11" MBA has been discontinued and when they're gone from the retail channels, they are gone for good. So there's no opportunity to wait for a sale, but really to rush out and buy one if you want one before they are gone.

I am NOT a fan of refurbs. But if you don't mind, there might be a few on Apple's site.

UPDATE: Best Buy has a 4GB/256GB 11" MBA on sale $999 ($100 off) That surprised me... the local Best Buy in town here even has them in stock!
 
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As someone who absolutely loves his 11" Air, I'd think of MacBook just for the display.

I have a 2011 15" Pro, and the 2014 11" Air. The 15" rarely leaves due to its size. I've been debating what laptop to get, and I'm torn between getting a Macbook for the retina screen.

Man, I love my Air though. Like you I'm a writer and generally use Ulysses which works great on the small screen.

Also, which iPad do you have? I do most of my writing on my iPad Pro with the smart keyboard, actually.
 
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Brammy said:
As someone who absolutely loves his 11" Air, I'd think of MacBook just for the display.

I have a 2011 15" Pro, and the 2014 11" Air. The 15" rarely leaves due to its size. I've been debating what laptop to get, and I'm torn between getting a Macbook for the retina screen.

Man, I love my Air though. Like you I'm a writer and generally use Ulysses which works great on the small screen.

Also, which iPad do you have? I do most of my writing on my iPad Pro with the smart keyboard, actually.
Click to expand...

I have the iPad 2. Well, today I made the plunge and ordered the 11 inch with 8g ram. I know the hard drive is always upgradeable, however the ram is not. I found one new for 975.00. I will let you know my thoughts after it arrives.
 
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pauljbax said:
I have the iPad 2. Well, today I made the plunge and ordered the 11 inch with 8g ram. I know the hard drive is always upgradeable, however the ram is not. I found one new for 975.00. I will let you know my thoughts after it arrives.
Click to expand...
What year? Only OWC makes aftermarket SSDs and I've heard iffy things about them.
 
Brammy said:
What year? Only OWC makes aftermarket SSDs and I've heard iffy things about them.
Click to expand...

I bought the latest greatest, 2015. This is the first computer I have bought since 2011. Should be interesting. However, when you upgrade your hard drive as I have, it seems like a new computer either way. My biggest fear is file sharing since I have had an iMac and a MBP in the past and it seems I was always getting my files messed up. Hopefully the cloud will cure all of that.

If I have a file in iCloud but am not on the internet, is there still a copy on my Mac that is accessible or will I always need an internet connection?
 
pauljbax said:
I bought the latest greatest, 2015. This is the first computer I have bought since 2011. Should be interesting. However, when you upgrade your hard drive as I have, it seems like a new computer either way. My biggest fear is file sharing since I have had an iMac and a MBP in the past and it seems I was always getting my files messed up. Hopefully the cloud will cure all of that.

If I have a file in iCloud but am not on the internet, is there still a copy on my Mac that is accessible or will I always need an internet connection?
Click to expand...
If you are on Sierra it's a dicey. Sierra can just keep a shortcut to your iCloud document.The problem is, no one seems to understand the logic to it. The safe answer is before you know you're going to be without internet to quick open the files to make sure they're there.

Another option is to use selective sync with something like OneDrive or Dropbox. i have a lot of scanned magazines and the like that I don't need kept on my mac that I just keep on those services and don't download them.
 
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Well, I have the new MB Air...and have not opened it. I noticed that you CANNOT find the model with 8g of ram anywhere on eBay or Amazon in NEW condition, Mint in the box. I am considering throwing it up on Amazon for 1600.00 to see what happens...thoughts?
 
I have a 2014 11" MBA that I had CTO - that is, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD and an i7 Core.

It is fast, reliable, powerful and extremely portable. The battery life is also excellent. Portability and power matter to me - I travel a lot for work - and this is a fantastic computer. In any case, I love it, and it has - quite literally - travelled the world with me.
[doublepost=1480441490][/doublepost]
pauljbax said:
Well, I have the new MB Air...and have not opened it. I noticed that you CANNOT find the model with 8g of ram anywhere on eBay or Amazon in NEW condition, Mint in the box. I am considering throwing it up on Amazon for 1600.00 to see what happens...thoughts?
Click to expand...

Personally, I wouldn't buy it from you, not at that price, and not in those circumstances.

(You never mentioned the memory; what size is the SSD? A core i5, or i7?).

If I were in the market for a new 11", I'd wait and see what turns up as an Apple refurb.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
I have a 2014 11" MBA that I had CTO - that is, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD and an i7 Core.

It is fast, reliable, powerful and extremely portable. The battery life is also excellent. Portability and power matter to me - I travel a lot for work - and this is a fantastic computer. In any case, I love it, and it has - quite literally - travelled the world with me.
[doublepost=1480441490][/doublepost]

Personally, I wouldn't buy it from you, not at that price, and not in those circumstances.

(You never mentioned the memory; what size is the SSD? A core i5, or i7?).

If I were in the market for a new 11", I'd wait and see what turns up as an Apple refurb.
Click to expand...

Understood...was just taking advantage of the supply and demand. However, my MBP 2011 has officially been deemed as retired next year so...looks like the little guy is next in line.
[doublepost=1480479442][/doublepost]"Apple plans to add select 2009 to 2011 model Macs to its vintage and obsolete products list on December 31, 2016, according to an internal memo seen by MacRumors.

The following Macs will be classified as either vintage or obsolete in the United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011)
• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2011)
• Mac mini (Early 2009)
• MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009)

The aforementioned Macs will no longer be eligible for hardware service or new parts from Apple or Apple Authorized Service Providers, except in Turkey and California, where Apple will continue to provide repairs and documentation for up to two years, or December 31, 2018 in this case, as required by local statutes.

Vintage products are those that have not been manufactured by Apple for between five and seven years. Obsolete products are those that were discontinued by Apple more than seven years ago. Apple and Authorized Service Providers make no distinction between obsolete and vintage products outside of Turkey and California."

So, theoretically the machines listed will still run the upcoming operating systems, but they are no longer sanctioned to be serviced, correct?
 
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