Macbook Air, the worst Macbook ever, don't buy it

[bubulol]

Yes man, i am not saying MBA sucks, its a terrible laptop, MBA with TN panel + low res is no longer a good laptop in 2016
I was a big enthusiast of MBA but i wanted so hard Retina display on MBA since years, remember, rumors announced MBA + Retina display since years...
Instead of pushing MBA on the top, they throw it into the abyme of their Macbook range
That's mean Apple no longer consider MBA as viable laptop nowayday
It doesnt mean its a bad laptop at all, it does mean it has outdated components (screen, MBA 11 specs not updated this year)

 

[ron7624]

Hello, i ve been since long time a big Macbook Air enthusiast but i ve sold mine some month ago, why?
I think its worst Macbook in 2016, le met explain
- 11/13, new Macbook is very close if not smaller than 11, MBP 13 is also just behind MBA 13 in term of size/weight

- Both resolution are awful, everything is blurry, you literally see every pixel on the display
You cant use 1366x768 in 2016 while your iPhone has almost same resolution if not higher (i am not even talking about Android smartphones which have 2k/4k resolution LOL)
Your own phone have bigger resolution and better pitch LOL

- TN panel, that would be my main blame about MBA, i couldnt use it in couch, on the bed, TN suffers from viewing angle, poor colors and less contrast than IPS
Its a big no no in 2016

Maybe MBA is more powerful than Macbook, maybe more connectivity but you wouldn't use a TN panel display and such low resolution, i have it in my first netbook before Macbook Air was introduced by Tim Cook

For Apple users, if you like the portability of 11, get new Macbook, if you like the best compromise of size with 13, go on MBP 13, you wont regret it

I am not trolling lol, i believe Apple made the right choice, new Macbook has everything for an ultraportable, portability, great display...
The only thing which i disagree, its about pricing, its such pricey
That would explain why Macbook Air is so popular, because its cheaper!

Nope. I love my 11" MBA. It is fast, it is capable and the screen is just fine. You are flat wrong, but your opinion is just that, YOUR opinion and your are welcome to express your opinion.
MY opinion is the MBA is the best computer I have ever owned. It is my workhorse, it makes my living for me and I love it. Love it.
There are 3, computers on my desk, and of the three, this is my main and most used computer. They are not all Apple computers, just 2 of them are, but the MBA is by far the best. Please have your eyes checked and go pick on something that needs picking on lol.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Nope. I love my 11" MBA. It is fast, it is capable and the screen is just fine. You are flat wrong, but your opinion is just that, YOUR opinion and your are welcome to express your opinion.
MY opinion is the MBA is the best computer I have ever owned. It is my workhorse, it makes my living for me and I love it. Love it.
There are 3, computers on my desk, and of the three, this is my main and most used computer. They are not all Apple computers, just 2 of them are, but the MBA is by far the best. Please have your eyes checked and go pick on something that needs picking on lol.

Very well said.
(And by the way, the rMB does not outperform the MBA for the reasons contained in post #68).

 

[AFEPPL]

Geekbench takes a minute to run. Not much time for heat to build up.

Not many people do anything that takes longer than a minute to run, so its more than a fair test.

 

[akimoriRyuuji]

Not many people do anything that takes longer than a minute to run, so its more than a fair test.

It depends on what your usage is. However, it is generally going to fall short for more intensive tasks. The difference is thus; the Air can do what the Macbook can't, but the Macbook can do some of the things the Air does faster.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Nope. I love my 11" MBA. It is fast, it is capable and the screen is just fine. You are flat wrong, but your opinion is just that, YOUR opinion and your are welcome to express your opinion.
MY opinion is the MBA is the best computer I have ever owned. It is my workhorse, it makes my living for me and I love it. Love it.
There are 3, computers on my desk, and of the three, this is my main and most used computer. They are not all Apple computers, just 2 of them are, but the MBA is by far the best. Please have your eyes checked and go pick on something that needs picking on lol.

Very well said. And a post with which I am in complete agreement.

My position is pretty much the same. The 11" MBA is easily the best laptop I have ever had, and is a superb workhorse. And yes, it is the computer that I make my living from, too.

This computer has - quite literally - travelled the world with me and had never given me a minute's bother. Fast, powerful, reliable, portable, with an excellent battery life, decent memory, and sufficient slots to be able to do things, it is what I had been hoping for since I first switched to Apple in 2008.

Very well said.
(And by the way, the rMB does not outperform the MBA for the reasons contained in post #68).

Again, agreed.

 

[AFEPPL]

It depends on what your usage is. However, it is generally going to fall short for more intensive tasks. The difference is thus; the Air can do what the Macbook can't, but the Macbook can do some of the things the Air does faster.

I dont agree, the MBA is just so dated now.
Geekbench shows the potential of the rMB device. I cant imaging anyone taking the MBA unless they are on a budget and if you want performance the rMBP is the one to buy.

Hopefully it will just be retired at WWDC when/if they release a thinner rMBP.

 

[jerwin]

Not many people do anything that takes longer than a minute to run, so its more than a fair test.

i think that would-be-benchmarkers get bored if the tests take forever. Benchmark developers need to simulate loads that are realistic and robust.

Personally, I would like to know how long it takes to OCR a text but
a) Abby Finereader is proprietary
b) interesting source texts are hundreds of megabytes in size
c) the process takes a good fraction of an hour to complete.

Photoshop tests, while slightly less obscure, still require an expensive license.

I suppose that the closest free aproximation to this sort of complex workload is to use a standardized TeX book-length document with lots of graphics, and to time the results.

 

[akimoriRyuuji]

I dont agree, the MBA is just so dated now.
Geekbench shows the potential of the rMB device. I cant imaging anyone taking the MBA unless they are on a budget and if you want performance the rMBP is the one to buy.

Hopefully it will just be retired at WWDC when/if they release a thinner rMBP.

I do believe you are mistaken. The Macbook is not more performant than the Macbook Air. If you desire performance and you don't want a Pro, then you would elect to purchase the Air. Or you know, buy a computer from an alternate vendor which would provide a better deal.

Make no mistake. I would not recommend anyone purchase the Macbook Air currently. Its time is past.
But I would strongly recommend against buying the Macbook, in the same wise. I would argue that of all Apple's latest offerings, the Macbook is not worth the money.

The Air is far from the worst Macbook, however.

 

[cincygolfgrrl]

Wow! I took a week away from MR; the MBA page exploded.

I've read most of what the OP has written. I've concluded that he (assumed male) communicates his opinions well enough to be understood, but his response comprehension is seriously lacking. Example: I haven't read where he's allowed others to have opinions even though many responders have been gracious in their defense of the MBA.

While reading, I wondered if the OP sells retina-exclusive components and is trying drum up business. Probably not. I'm just stumped by his intransigence. Once upon a time I accused a poster of being a "retina troll". I got in trouble. I won't do that here.

Anyway, despite getting an iMac I continue to use my 2011 MBA 11" i5/128/4 to do lots of stuff almost every day. I'm an old lady who can't tell the difference between retina and non, yet the OP would browbeat me until I accept his premise and go purchase something I neither want nor need.

 

[bebo]

the MBA is more powerful than 12" MBr. Screen is worse than the MBA. Would I like the MBA to have th retina screen? yes, then I'd get the MBP.

We have both laptops in our house. Wife and I both prefer my MBA to her MB retina. Both serve our purposes.

Things we both wish could be done. 1) Add more RAM 2) Upgrade HD (just did on my MBA, not an option on MBr).

 

[bubulol]

Wow! I took a week away from MR; the MBA page exploded.

I've read most of what the OP has written. I've concluded that he (assumed male) communicates his opinions well enough to be understood, but his response comprehension is seriously lacking. Example: I haven't read where he's allowed others to have opinions even though many responders have been gracious in their defense of the MBA.

While reading, I wondered if the OP sells retina-exclusive components and is trying drum up business. Probably not. I'm just stumped by his intransigence. Once upon a time I accused a poster of being a "retina troll". I got in trouble. I won't do that here.

Anyway, despite getting an iMac I continue to use my 2011 MBA 11" i5/128/4 to do lots of stuff almost every day. I'm an old lady who can't tell the difference between retina and non, yet the OP would browbeat me until I accept his premise and go purchase something I neither want nor need.

Yes, english isnt my native language but i can speak and write in 3/4 languages, so more than you native english only! (take that)
If you can't see the difference between Retina display and non Retina-display (+ the resolution size), there is nothing i can do

(viewing angles from TN display)

 

[akimoriRyuuji]

I see the difference. I just don't care.

 

[AFEPPL]

I do believe you are mistaken. The Macbook is not more performant than the Macbook Air. If you desire performance and you don't want a Pro, then you would elect to purchase the Air. Or you know, buy a computer from an alternate vendor which would provide a better deal.

Make no mistake. I would not recommend anyone purchase the Macbook Air currently. Its time is past.
But I would strongly recommend against buying the Macbook, in the same wise. I would argue that of all Apple's latest offerings, the Macbook is not worth the money.

The Air is far from the worst Macbook, however.

The test is the test... it's clearly faster and without dispute by an independent and universal test.
The rMB outscores the =<MBA 2015. period.

I'm not saying the MBA is the worst macbook ever, but i would say its the weakest one in the range right now.
Regardless, if you're on a budget and want a laptop form device it will and does work - however; like all the mac range you have to make a compromise.

 

[Roller]

Yes, english isnt my native language but i can speak and write in 3/4 languages, so more than you native english only! (take that)
If you can't see the difference between Retina display and non Retina-display (+ the resolution size), there is nothing i can do

(viewing angles from TN display)

Your boasting about your proficiency in "3/4 languages" (which I'll assume means that you can at least converse in four) doesn't help your case, I'm afraid. It just makes you seem like a smug jerk. The point that you seem to have missed, which I made earlier, is that your thread title is so provocative that it nullifies what you said in your original post. If your intent was to dissuade people from purchasing an MBA by pointing out its deficiencies, you've largely failed. However, if you chose the title to gain notoriety here, you've probably succeeded, though it will be short-lived.

 

[bubulol]

1. I never stated my opinions are better than your, typical from american to judge/interpret any opinion
2. The thread title is ofc course provocative but it doesn't mean my opinions are
3. Not boasting at all, in fact, american believe everyone does speak fluently english, you are not even the most spoken language, its Mandarin, followed by spanish as well..
Basic english is enough for me, not really interested about learning english (there are richer languages to learn, no offense)

 

[Scepticalscribe]

1. I never stated my opinions are better than your, typical from american to judge/interpret any opinion
2. The thread title is ofc course provocative but it doesn't mean my opinions are
3. Not boasting at all, in fact, american believe everyone does speak fluently english, you are not even the most spoken language, its Mandarin, followed by spanish as well..
Basic english is enough for me, not really interested about learning english (there are richer languages to learn, no offense)

Why the need to be so stubbornly dismissive of those who differ from you?

It may surprise you, but not everyone here is from the US - some of us are Europeans.

Yes, the thread title is provocative, and the way you respond to viewpoints that choose - or dare - to disagree with your stated opinions is deliberately provocative; my sense of your posts is that you deny others the right to disagree with you.

Seriously, if your aim is to persuade others of the merits of your point of view, your thread and your posts are not the best way to try to set about achieving this.

 

[akimoriRyuuji]

The test is the test... it's clearly faster and without dispute by an independent and universal test.
The rMB outscores the =<MBA 2015. period.

I'm not saying the MBA is the worst macbook ever, but i would say its the weakest one in the range right now.
Regardless, if you're on a budget and want a laptop form device it will and does work - however; like all the mac range you have to make a compromise.

I can't even.

This is a processor benchmark. In other words, the processor inside the Macbook is better than the processor in the Macbook Air.

That does not mean that the Macbook will always be a better performer than the Macbook Air. There are many more parts to the equation. The processor is pretty important and will indeed indicate a general level of better performance.

BUT this does not mean that the Macbook will perform better in all areas. I ask that you learn about CPU Throttling and what it means. If you can't do that; I'll explain it thus.

CPU frequency is increased to reach workload demands. (performance will peak)
CPU gets hot.
CPU frequency is decreased to prevent overheating. (performance will plummet)
CPU cools.

And the cycle repeats. Thus is the case of the Macbook. But the Air?

CPU frequency is increased to reach workload demands. (performance will peak)
CPU gets hot.
Fans turn on and cool the CPU. (performance stays near constant)

The CPU may even be throttled but much much less than the Macbook's processor would be in the same case.

 

[AFEPPL]

I work for one of the big technology companies on high end in memory system, i could write a book on CPU throttling!
The rMB IS faster than the MBA on the geekbench test and in general usage in the range of the benchmark pattern. You are attempting to defend the undefensible based on your own prejudice and purchasing patterns.

 

[Roller]

1. I never stated my opinions are better than your, typical from american to judge/interpret any opinion
2. The thread title is ofc course provocative but it doesn't mean my opinions are
3. Not boasting at all, in fact, american believe everyone does speak fluently english, you are not even the most spoken language, its Mandarin, followed by spanish as well..
Basic english is enough for me, not really interested about learning english (there are richer languages to learn, no offense)

No matter how reasonable your opinions about the MBA are—and I actually agree with some of what you said about it—the title has the effect of negating them or causing people to bypass the thread entirely.

Just out of curiosity, what is your native language?

 

[andreyush]

I work for one of the big technology companies on high end in memory system, i could write a book on CPU throttling!
The rMB IS faster than the MBA on the geekbench test and in general usage in the range of the benchmark pattern. You are attempting to defend the undefensible based on your own prejudice and purchasing patterns.

Ow cmon...How is it faster? Who will work on Logic Pro or Photoshop on a rMB?
How is it faster on daily usage? (web surfing, office etc.)

 

[AFEPPL]

Look at the numbers. The M5 and M7 CPUs out perform the ones in the =<2015 MBA, what else do you need?

 

[Ulenspiegel]

I can't even.

This is a processor benchmark. In other words, the processor inside the Macbook is better than the processor in the Macbook Air.

That does not mean that the Macbook will always be a better performer than the Macbook Air. There are many more parts to the equation. The processor is pretty important and will indeed indicate a general level of better performance.

BUT this does not mean that the Macbook will perform better in all areas. I ask that you learn about CPU Throttling and what it means. If you can't do that; I'll explain it thus.

CPU frequency is increased to reach workload demands. (performance will peak)
CPU gets hot.
CPU frequency is decreased to prevent overheating. (performance will plummet)
CPU cools.

And the cycle repeats. Thus is the case of the Macbook. But the Air?

CPU frequency is increased to reach workload demands. (performance will peak)
CPU gets hot.
Fans turn on and cool the CPU. (performance stays near constant)

The CPU may even be throttled but much much less than the Macbook's processor would be in the same case.

It is the explanation why the rMB is not a better performer than the MBA. It is simple physics. Ofc laws of physics can be denied but still the apple descents and not ascents from a tree.

 

[andreyush]

Look at the numbers. The M5 and M7 CPUs out perform the ones in the =<2015 MBA, what else do you need?

What about MBA with i7 vs rMB with m7 ?

 

[SusanK]

I love my MBA's
[doublepost=1465184432][/doublepost]

Just out of curiosity, what is your native language?

complaining lol