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MacBook Air Supplies Constrained Ahead of Refresh?

Totally stoked for this refresh (hoping to get a heavily discounted current gen). BL keyboard would be nice, but not essential...that said, I do think it was rather silly for Apple to not include it from the previous gen. IMHO, they intentionally omitted it, so to further differentiate the MBA from the MBP.

Anyhoo...Im excited to see geekbench results for the SB CPU's. Though the IGP wont be anything special:(
 
Scottsdale said:
Most people here are using the 13" MBP with standard voltage Sandy Bridge as a measure of how the HD 3000 would compare in the MBA. The truth is we can expect a 45% decrease or more with an ultra low voltage SB IGP. The clock speed of the Intel SB ULV CPU's IGP is LOWER therefore meaning a slower graphics performance than the Intel HD 3000 used in the 13" MBP. It is not like a standalone GPU whether discrete or integrated that can operate at the same clock speed like the 320m does in the 11" MBA with ULV, 13" MBA with LV, or MacBook with SV CPUs.
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But do you believe this is really an issue? I don't think Apple are viewing even an underclocked HD3000 as a problem, since it really only affects people who place high demands on the GPU (typically gamers or OpenCL users). Even an underclocked HD3000 should still work well with Quicktime or Safari's web acceleration.

I think they see the MBA's market as people who want a business style experience with a highly portable laptop (e.g. email, web, Office) and expect anyone who wants a higher end GPU to look at the MBP. There are, after all, compromises to be made to fit everything into the MBA's form factor, as evidenced by not using SODIMM sockets.
 
powtail said:
The new ones better come with back-lit keyboards, otherwise they will be a big disappointment. I know for a fact, I'm not the only one that thinks that way.
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Not going to happen, it would cannibalize the Pros.
 
Hurry up apple. I am itching to get the 13 inch ultmate on launch day. Give it a backlit keyboard and I will buy with enthusiasm. No backlit keyboard and I will buy with slightly more reserved enthusiasm. Either way just hurry up. I need a new computer and this will be my first mac.
 
johneaston said:
It'll be even slower on your new one when you realise there's no Thunderbolt external drives...
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They will arrive soon enough. Lacie's are coming this summer.


sishaw said:
Not going to happen, it would cannibalize the Pros.
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You do realize the old MBA had a backlit keyboard right? KnightWRX is right, it was a design decision. Has nothing to do with cannibalization--they are already differentiated enough from the MBP.
 
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KnightWRX said:
Nope, I didn't. Read my post again.

Better yet, let me again repeat myself : I attributed the current MBA's success to its current design. I said the lack of backlit keyboard was for sure a design compromise Apple had to make, but in light of the success of this design, the compromise was a wise choice on their part.

Apple didn't remove the backlit keyboard to spite anyone. They didn't do it to "bring it back later to force upgrades either". There probably came a time in the design process where it was either scrap it or lose the design. Seeing how successful this design was, it seems to me the guy who decided to scrap the backlights made the right choice in the end, even if a few users missed the feature.
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I doubt that it was a design decision. the 1 mm doesn't really cut it or make you decide to buy or not to buy, does it. Oh its 1 cm - oh no, 1.1 cm, I won't buy it now...? It fit into the prior version which also had a rounded body (versus the squared one now) so less space inside. So I doubt it is internal space. The famous/infamous on off key - just loose the BL off key and keep the two other (brighter, and less brighter) keys, that would work as well. Battery - just switch it off if you need more battery or have even an automated "more battery life" setting that deactivates it for you. So - why?
 
sishaw said:
Not going to happen, it would cannibalize the Pros.
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Huh? Backlit keyboard is not a differentiating feature, otherwise it wouldn't be present on previous MBA's. MBP users and MBA users are in entirely different categories and having a BLKB is not going to sway people either way.
 
Scottological said:
"Backlit keyboard" is the new "more cowbell."

As in:

OMG Appul totully went bakkwards by not puttting in moar cowbell!!?!

Or:

Quite simply, if Apple fails to inclusify more cowbell in the purported Air update, I shall refuse to purchase it once again! Please, Mr. Jobs, hear our entreaties for MORE COWBELL!
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Seems like crazy talk. Anyways...I wouldnt equate a BL keyboard to "more cowbell"...RAM perhaps?
 
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Am I the only one beginning to feel some are getting too hung up on certain things. If an fps of 80+ on COD 2 on full settings is what you require, this ain't the machine that will deliver it. It just isn't. Get a dedicated gaming laptop. If you want a general all round ultra portable laptop however....
 
Optimus Frag said:
Am I the only one beginning to feel some are getting too hung up on certain things. If an fps of 80+ on COD 2 on full settings is what you require, this ain't the machine that will deliver it. It just isn't. Get a dedicated gaming laptop. If you want a general all round ultra portable laptop however....
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This man speaks sense. An ultra portable laptop doesn't need anything more than integrated graphics capable of accelerating the OS functions that require it and nothing more.
 
On Sale

That they're on sale doesn't necessarily mean a new model is coming out. Best Buy has had EVERY MB, MBP & MBA model on sale the whole month of May. I agree the MBA is due for an upgrade, but, the fact that it's on sale does not mean there's a new model coming. In retail they usually don't drop in price until the new model is actually released.
 
fat jez said:
But do you believe this is really an issue? I don't think Apple are viewing even an underclocked HD3000 as a problem, since it really only affects people who place high demands on the GPU (typically gamers or OpenCL users). Even an underclocked HD3000 should still work well with Quicktime or Safari's web acceleration.

I think they see the MBA's market as people who want a business style experience with a highly portable laptop (e.g. email, web, Office) and expect anyone who wants a higher end GPU to look at the MBP. There are, after all, compromises to be made to fit everything into the MBA's form factor, as evidenced by not using SODIMM sockets.
Click to expand...

Sure it is a compromise to go from an MBA that is capable of OpenCL, light gaming and etc to one that cannot perform those graphics tasks. Many of the MBA users state how their gaming performance has been great on the MBA for light gaming away from their main rig. No, it's not a discrete high performance GPU but the 320m is well capable compared to the HD 3000 and even more troubling is the lower clock speed of the LV and ULV SB IGPs.

Consider this, The original MBA had an Intel IGP in it paired with the Merom CPU. When released it was a joke. It couldn't do anything without overeating, so in October 2008 Apple introduced the Nvidia 9400m which saved the MBA. However, the Intel IGP seriously damaged the brand. Now, the HD3000 is better than the GMA 3100, but is nowhere near an advancement over the nearly three year old 9400m. Consider where it could be with an nVidia chipset GPU beyond the 320m. It is a gigantic step backward in graphics performance. It is sad that freedom of competition didn't prevail.

I just hope Apple actually solves a problem rather than takes a graphics hit to get a faster CPU. That is one gigantic COMPROMISE!

I understand why people want Sandy Bridge but I don't think most people know or take seriously the hit in graphics performance and confusingly think the ULV/LV SB IGP will perform re same as SV SB used in the 13" MBP. It is a mistake to make that assumption. At least the latest SB IGP in ULV variants is producing faster IGP clock speeds than the initial SB ULV/LV IGPs. Ivy Bridge would help too with OpenCL support.

I just think most fail to see the great loss in graphics performance and will not truly comprehend until it's too late.
 
gri said:
I doubt that it was a design decision. the 1 mm doesn't really cut it or make you decide to buy or not to buy, does it. Oh its 1 cm - oh no, 1.1 cm, I won't buy it now...? It fit into the prior version which also had a rounded body (versus the squared one now) so less space inside. So I doubt it is internal space. The famous/infamous on off key - just loose the BL off key and keep the two other (brighter, and less brighter) keys, that would work as well. Battery - just switch it off if you need more battery or have even an automated "more battery life" setting that deactivates it for you. So - why?
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You can doubt it all you want, but knowing Apple, if they had a design going and mid-project found out the LEDs for the backlights didn't fit the case, it's pretty much guaranteed Apple scraps the LEDs.

I'm pretty sure it came down to it as I think.

Cougarcat said:
They will arrive soon enough. Lacie's are coming this summer.
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Lacie's is not a consumer offering though. It's a high-end raid storage array is it not ? Why spend so much money for raid storage that's not connected to your network and that's not portable at all ?
 
powtail said:
The new ones better come with back-lit keyboards, otherwise they will be a big disappointment. I know for a fact, I'm not the only one that thinks that way.
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It is the last factor in my decision, if they get backlit keyboards i am ordering one as soon as they are available, if not probably get a 13" MBP

Full of Win said:
Yeah, no matter how fast they are, how much better they benchmark, ect.... the one factor that will make or break them will be backlit keyboards. Not saying I don't want a backlit keyboard, I just don't think its presence is that critical of an issue.
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For me yeah, i mean it has to have Sandy Bridge, Face time HD camera and thunderbolt but all those features are no brainers really.

A better quality screen and a black bezel would be nice but the only deal breaker is the backlit keyboard.
 
appleguy123 said:
That's odd. I said that because it said in the article that graphics would likely be a "step down."
The article has now been edited, so maybe you're right. :confused::confused::confused:
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It's a step down from the NVIDIA 320m used in the current MacBook Air, but a step up from the 9400m used in the older MacBook Air models (pre-late-2010). On the whole, however, I'm looking forward to the upgrade. I don't do gaming, but would like the improved CPU power for when I use Windows.
 
Scottsdale said:
Sure it is a compromise to go from an MBA that is capable of OpenCL, light gaming and etc to one that cannot perform those graphics tasks.
Click to expand...

What tasks do you believe it will not be able to perform? This is not intended as a gaming machine.

Scottsdale said:
I just hope Apple actually solves a problem rather than takes a graphics hit to get a faster CPU. That is one gigantic COMPROMISE!
Click to expand...

But for most business type users who want a small, portable machine for on the road or for people who want to check email and surf the internet, a quick machine is more important than one with a powerful GPU. It sounds like you want the power of a 15" MBP in an MBA chassis, which I don't think is possible. Not unless Intel grant permission to nVidia or AMD to create an integrated graphics chip capable of hosting an i series CPU.
 
KnightWRX said:
Lacie's is not a consumer offering though. It's a high-end raid storage array is it not ? Why spend so much money for raid storage that's not connected to your network and that's not portable at all ?
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It's a Little Big Disk, so it's portable. But it has two intel 250 GB SSDs, so it'll likely cost an arm and a leg. Hopefully we'll see cheaper consumer offerings by the fall.
 
Most (all?) Macs on sale at BB?

When I was at BB yesterday, it seemed that most Macs were on sale from 5% - 10% depending on the model. It wasn't just the MBAs.
 
powtail said:
The new ones better come with back-lit keyboards, otherwise they will be a big disappointment. I know for a fact, I'm not the only one that thinks that way.
Click to expand...

Yes, Many people want it.
Bring it Apple and make everyone happy.
 
Cougarcat said:
It's a Little Big Disk, so it's portable. But it has two intel 250 GB SSDs, so it'll likely cost an arm and a leg. Hopefully we'll see cheaper consumer offerings by the fall.
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Seems a little big to carry around in a bag. I very much doubt Thunderbolt will ever be a consumer offering. Seems more of an high-end technology for workstations to me.
 
Already have a CD2 Maxed 13" air , but I would'nt mind a maxed out 11" we'll have to see on the price.
 
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