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MacBook Air 13" 2011: 128 or 256 SSD?

MBA 13": 128 or 256 SSD

  • 128 SSD

    Votes: 64 44.4%

  • 256 SSD

    Votes: 80 55.6%
  • Total voters
    144
ryan.apham said:
I understand the first part. You can go with the 256 SSD option or use online storage services.

However, I cannot get the grasp of what you are trying to say in the second part. What does not exist :confused:? What prices are insane :confused:? As far as I am concerned, 1-2 TB HDDs (not SSDs) are really cheap these days mate. My friend bought a Lacie 1 TB HDD for £100, and its size is like 2 iPhones 4.

When there is a new norm for HDD storage size, you can easily sell your HDD via eBay, and buy whatever it is the new 'norm'.
Click to expand...

£100 is even a lot for a 1tb drive ;) they're like 80$ in amazon, which is something around 70 pounds
 
orfeas0 said:
£100 is even a lot for a 1tb drive ;) they're like 80$ in amazon, which is something around 70 pounds
Click to expand...

Firstly, just to clarify with you, $80 is actually around £50 according to today's exchange market :D.

Secondly, the drive is very small (2 iphones 4) and it does not require you to use an additional cable to charge even when you plug it in a USB port.

So if the drive that you are talking about satisfies the 2 criteria above, I will buy it immediately without any hesitation (the drive must be brand new of course) :D.
 
256.

I run Lion on a 150 gig partition, Windows 7 via Bootcamp on the rest.

Best of both worlds.
 
You can also upgrade the SSD yourself, though it isn't cost effective right now. I bought the 256, but I will be upgrading to 512 as soon as it is around $300(I'm okay waiting for a long time).
 
I would Pick the BIG one.

If you plan on keeping the machine, whenever you go to sell it the 128GB drive will be failing from favor much faster than a 256GB.

In 3 years the 256GB will be like the 64GB is now.
 
noteple said:
I would Pick the BIG one.

If you plan on keeping the machine, whenever you go to sell it the 128GB drive will be failing from favor much faster than a 256GB.

In 3 years the 256GB will be like the 64GB is now.
Click to expand...

The resale value won't be much higher. You would be lucky to recoup the premium you pay. It makes no sense to spend $2 just to gain an extra $1 later.

Example: on eBay right now (looking at Buy It Now only) you can find original 16GB iPads for around $350, with one unit around $330.

So that means 32GB ones sell for $450 right? Nope. 32GB ones are around $375-$380 (with shipping), with one or two units at $360.

So basically, those people paid a $100 premium but that is resulting in just $20-$30 in added resale value on average.

If those people bought it only to maximize resale value, they would have been better off keeping the $100.

$499 iPad resold for $350 = $149 loss
$599 iPad resold for $380 = $219 loss

My point is that making a decision to get upgrades if you don't need them just to "maximize resale value" is a financially losing proposition. Only get the upgrades if YOU need them.

And in two or three years time if you decide to KEEP the machine longer but need more space, you can always use the money you saved toward an even better/bigger/faster SSD for your MBA.

And let's be real here, if you are a techie, holding onto one computer for over 3 years is not a position you want to be in unless money is real tight.

With the 13" you can also get SD cards, so if you get really desperate for more space you can get SD cards for media for less money (especially in a year or two as SD card prices go down).
 
Last edited:
I returned my 13/128 because I couldn't get my iTunes small enough to dip below 115GB. The plus was a) I got the 20% Amazon deal on the 13/256 AND b) it has the Samsung SSD!

I would say 256 increases your chance of a real SSD.
 
Can I upgrade to, let's say, 512 SSD later when the price drops? The Macbook Air is so small and tight, I am afraid that it will not be possible. Some one please shed some light on me.
 
appleguy123 said:
The SSD is the only replaceable part.
Click to expand...

Is it more economic to buy the 128 SSD at first and then get replaced by a 512 SSD, or to buy the 256 SSD and do the same?

I an not trying to be stingy and I will not do so, I think a mini external HDD will be just fine, but just want to see responses from real 'marginal buyers' and 'economists' in this forum.
 
ryan.apham said:
Is is more economic to buy the 128 SSD at first and then get replaced by a 512 SSD, or to buy the 256 SSD and do the same?

Not trying to be stingy, and I will not do so, I think a mini external HDD will be just fine, but just want to set a question for real 'marginal buyers' or 'economists' in this forum.
Click to expand...

Well spending less on an SSD you are going to replace in the future seems savvy. Who knows how long it will be until a 512gb SSD in blade form is affordable though?
 
Gregintosh said:
The resale value won't be much higher. You would be lucky to recoup the premium you pay. It makes no sense to spend $2 just to gain an extra $1 later.

Example: on eBay right now (looking at Buy It Now only) you can find original 16GB iPads for around $350, with one unit around $330.

So that means 32GB ones sell for $450 right? Nope. 32GB ones are around $375-$380 (with shipping), with one or two units at $360.

So basically, those people paid a $100 premium but that is resulting in just $20-$30 in added resale value on average.

If those people bought it only to maximize resale value, they would have been better off keeping the $100.

$499 iPad resold for $350 = $149 loss
$599 iPad resold for $380 = $219 loss

My point is that making a decision to get upgrades if you don't need them just to "maximize resale value" is a financially losing proposition. Only get the upgrades if YOU need them.

And in two or three years time if you decide to KEEP the machine longer but need more space, you can always use the money you saved toward an even better/bigger/faster SSD for your MBA.

And let's be real here, if you are a techie, holding onto one computer for over 3 years is not a position you want to be in unless money is real tight.

With the 13" you can also get SD cards, so if you get really desperate for more space you can get SD cards for media for less money (especially in a year or two as SD card prices go down).
Click to expand...


Its not about the money. You will always lose out as memory becomes cheaper over time.

Its about the capacity. Bigger drives are more popular.
Lion and bootcamp on my 256 have room to breath.
On a 128 it would barely fit.
So again I would pick the BIG one. :)
But hey thats just me.
 
Seriously if you need more than 200GB, you need an external hard drive. So get the 128SSD and save the money for an external hard drive. :)
 
I ordered the 256 GB 13" model, because I need the storage for Bootcamp. Some programs I use are not available for Mac OS X.
 
We will begin to see a range of TB external drives using SSD, which will of course reduce the price per GB, allowing you to reduce your dependence on big internal drives - given that is part of the point of TB, it's direct connection and access to the computer. The question is whether more external drive makers beat computer makers to the punch - someone will start buying tons of SSD drives (hmm, maybe Apple?), reducing their own costs and possibly driving them higher for other manufacturers, but that is just my guess.
 
128 gig is just too small for today's storage needs. I would buy bigger even if you can afford it. I dont want to spend time juggling if I can help it.

For those with large iTunes libraries. I use a program called Supersync to offload old TV shows, movies, pod casts etc to a portable drive. It makes the copy process easy and helps me to reduce my core library size.
 
ryan.apham said:
Firstly, just to clarify with you, $80 is actually around £50 according to today's exchange market :D.

Secondly, the drive is very small (2 iphones 4) and it does not require you to use an additional cable to charge even when you plug it in a USB port.

So if the drive that you are talking about satisfies the 2 criteria above, I will buy it immediately without any hesitation (the drive must be brand new of course) :D.
Click to expand...

Sorry, my bad. It's 80 pounds, not $.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Passport-Es...5JK4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1316432623&sr=8-2

Not bad though. huh?
 
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ryan.apham said:
I understand the first part. You can go with the 256 SSD option or use online storage services.

However, I cannot get the grasp of what you are trying to say in the second part. What does not exist :confused:? What prices are insane :confused:? As far as I am concerned, 1-2 TB HDDs (not SSDs) are really cheap these days mate. My friend bought a Lacie 1 TB HDD for £100, and its size is like 2 iPhones 4.

When there is a new norm for HDD storage size, you can easily sell your HDD via eBay, and buy whatever it is the new 'norm'.
Click to expand...

Sorry by TB I meant ThunderBolt, since some people seem to believe TB will be mainstream by 2012.
 
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