MacBook Air vs. Samsung Series 9

[B...]

Well aside from a few Toshiba KIRFs, I don't see many copies anymore. Maybe because PC manufacturers realized that the Air's design might have been revolutionary when it was released, but now it's getting quite stale.

Your redesign barely qualifies as a redesign - it was mainly to accommodate a different port layout. Can you tell the difference between the two below? Maybe, but only after a few seconds of examination - which is the opposite of what a "major redesign" is supposed to accomplish.

Wedge design, SSD standard, better screen, stereo speakers, microphone, more USB ports and 2 ounces lighter.

http://liambean.hubpages.com/hub/New-Macbook-Air-2010-vs-Old-Macbook-Air-2009

Samsung Series 9? Here is the copy: light, thin computer with no DVD drive and a ULV processor with an all SSD architecture (/mostly). It also has a wedge design which is not as pronounced as the Airs, but it is still present.

 

[Steve121178]

the Air is being outclassed in portability, design, and battery life.

Some Ultrabooks may manage better battery life but I am struggling to understand how the Air is being outclassed in portability & design. The whole Ultrabook concept was based on the Air's portability & design!

 

[lixuelai]

Problem with the Series 9 is the trackpad and it is such an integral part of the mobile computing experience that it makes the Series 9 vastly inferior to the MBA despite the great specs.

 

[aarond12]

I previously owned a Samsung Series 9 laptop (Core i5, 1.8GHz). Its trackpad was nowhere near as good as Apple's; the screen was good but the standard 1366x768 resolution (yuck!); the build quality was average with a lot of flex in the screen especially.

I now own a 2012 MacBook Air (Core i5, 1.8GHz), after selling the Samsung. What a difference! The trackpad is wonderful; build quality is excellent (as expected) with almost no flex in the screen or body of the computer. Having 1440x900 resolution on a 13" screen (same as my 1st gen MacBook Pro 15") is nice.

What really amazed me is how much smoother the Air runs. It's all about the OS. Windows 7 felt slow and clunky on nearly identical hardware.

One thing that amused me was Samsung's backup application for Windows. It said, "When Windows has a problem, you can restore..." Heh, they know Windows will blow up!

 

[tanyet]

To me what separates the Air from most ultrabooks is the trackpad, multitouch gestures, a couple of OS features like mission control and expose, and syncing with other icloud devices.

I'd been a windows guy for 20 years (and continue to love windows 7 and most of the things in windows 8) but using an Air was like a revelation. The trackpad alone was worth the price.

Also, I'm not sure why people continue to insist that the Air's are overpriced. They are priced either the same or a little lower than competitive ultra books. The only difference is that when you sell the Air you'll get 50 to 70% of what you paid for it. Try that with a windows machine.

 

[w00t951]

I don't understand - are people not reading the OP or any of the following comments? I specifically said, no internal specs/OS comparisons!

If the Series 9 had OS X, the trackpad would function beautifully, you'd have Mission Control and Dashboard, and you'd be enjoying even longer battery life than under Windows 7. I don't see how this comparison between physical designs merits any consideration of the OS.

And I don't understand what people are talking about when they say that the Series 9 has a wedge design. The top lid and bottom are completely flat. Those posters are either trolling or have severe vision issues.

I also don't understand how having a trackpad, SSD, and thin enclosure makes it a copy of a MacBook Air.

 

[B...]

I don't understand - are people not reading the OP or any of the following comments? I specifically said, no internal specs/OS comparisons!

If the Series 9 had OS X, the trackpad would function beautifully, you'd have Mission Control and Dashboard, and you'd be enjoying even longer battery life than under Windows 7. I don't see how this comparison between physical designs merits any consideration of the OS.

And I don't understand what people are talking about when they say that the Series 9 has a wedge design. The top lid and bottom are completely flat. Those posters are either trolling or have severe vision issues.

I also don't understand how having a trackpad, SSD, and thin enclosure makes it a copy of a MacBook Air.

While the top lid and bottom may be flat, the design goes from thick near the hinge to thin near the trackpad. THAT is a wdge design, in my opinion.

Were there any ultrabooks before the Air (I mean real ultrabooks at a non-atronomical price)? The Air used an SSD and thin enclosure while the PCs were still using HDDs and a thick body. Now, all of a sudden, PCs have SSDs, a large trackpad (one of Apple's signatures) and a thin body (that gets thinner as it goes toward the trackpad). Coincidence?

 

[stchman]

I don't understand - are people not reading the OP or any of the following comments? I specifically said, no internal specs/OS comparisons!

If the Series 9 had OS X, the trackpad would function beautifully, you'd have Mission Control and Dashboard, and you'd be enjoying even longer battery life than under Windows 7. I don't see how this comparison between physical designs merits any consideration of the OS.

And I don't understand what people are talking about when they say that the Series 9 has a wedge design. The top lid and bottom are completely flat. Those posters are either trolling or have severe vision issues.

I also don't understand how having a trackpad, SSD, and thin enclosure makes it a copy of a MacBook Air.

The Samsung Series 9 is slightly thinner in the front than back. This could be called wedge, although it is not as pronounced as the MBA.

All mission control is is a way of displaying virtual desktops. This can be VERY easily achieved using VirtuaWin for Windows 7. With a simple clicks one can switch desktops and show all the apps being used on each desktop. I use VirtuaWin on my Windows 7 installs. Granted, virtual desktops should be built in to Windows 7/8, but easily achieved by a 3rd party app.

OS X Dashboard is VERY overrated IMO, just put the apps you use frequently in the dock.

I get about 5 hours of battery life on my MBA, the Series 9 should get that. Endgadget did a review of the 13" Series 9 and it got BETTER battery life than the 13" MBA. Also the 13" Series 9 is smaller, thinner, and lighter than a 13" MBA. SO making broad sweeping statements that the MBA MUST be better just cause is ridiculous.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/06/samsung-series-9-review-13-inch-mid-2012/

 

[w00t951]

While the top lid and bottom may be flat, the design goes from thick near the hinge to thin near the trackpad. THAT is a wdge design, in my opinion.

Were there any ultrabooks before the Air (I mean real ultrabooks at a non-atronomical price)? The Air used an SSD and thin enclosure while the PCs were still using HDDs and a thick body. Now, all of a sudden, PCs have SSDs, a large trackpad (one of Apple's signatures) and a thin body (that gets thinner as it goes toward the trackpad). Coincidence?

I hate to bring a car analogy, but it fits oddly well here.

Were there any automobiles before the Model T (I mean real cars at a non-astronomial price?) The Model T used an assembly line and a practical, cost efficient design while other cars were still using hand assembly and impractical, expensive designs. Now, all of a sudden, all cars are built using assembly lines and have practical, cost-efficient designs (the Model T's signatures). Coincidence?

 

[B...]

I hate to bring a car analogy, but it fits oddly well here.

Were there any automobiles before the Model T (I mean real cars at a non-astronomial price?) The Model T used an assembly line and a practical, cost efficient design while other cars were still using hand assembly and impractical, expensive designs. Now, all of a sudden, all cars are built using assembly lines and have practical, cost-efficient designs (the Model T's signatures). Coincidence?

No. All modern-day cars copy the Model T. It's the truth, even though you wouldn't know it by looking at one. It IS evident in the left-hand drive, three point suspension, fully enclosed powertrain, two speed planetary transmission, separate head and block etc, JUST AS the Air's contributions are evident in the SSD enclosure, thinness of the design, omission of the optical drive and, yes, a vague wedge shape.

 

[w00t951]

No. All modern-day cars copy the Model T. It's the truth, even though you wouldn't know it by looking at one. It IS evident in the left-hand drive, three point suspension, fully enclosed powertrain, two speed planetary transmission, separate head and block etc, JUST AS the Air's contributions are evident in the SSD enclosure, thinness of the design, omission of the optical drive and, yes, a vague wedge shape.

Well I guess this is where you and everyone else differ. Your definition of "copy" is severely skewed. Your definition of a copy is so broad that literally anything is a ripoff of something else. Every book ever printed? Paper bound between covers. Any building ever constructed? An enclosed structure with the purpose of sheltering people or infrastructure. And on and on.

Copy noun An imitation, transcript, or reproduction of an original work.

By the way, I hope your car doesn't have a two speed gearbox.

 

[B...]

Well I guess this is where you and everyone else differ. Your definition of "copy" is severely skewed. Your definition of a copy is so broad that literally anything is a ripoff of something else. Every book ever printed? Paper bound between covers. Any building ever constructed? An enclosed structure with the purpose of sheltering people or infrastructure. And on and on.

By the way, I hope your car doesn't have a two speed gearbox.

Car analogy aside, my definition of copy for this Samsung Series 9 is that is a ultraportable machine with an aluminum-unibody enclosure, a large-size trackpad, a ULV processor, all SSD storage, no optical drive and wedge design. If you think that is broad, your definition of copy is a bit too narrow.

 

[Carouser]

Well I guess this is where you and everyone else differ. Your definition of "copy" is severely skewed. Your definition of a copy is so broad that literally anything is a ripoff of something else. Every book ever printed? Paper bound between covers. Any building ever constructed? An enclosed structure with the purpose of sheltering people or infrastructure. And on and on.

Uh, yes? I've never heard of a publisher touting their new book design, because they know full well it's not original. Same for architects and a span across two elevations. And of course, same for every MBA look-alike. You can define "copy" narrowly to suit your purposes, but I don't think you're doing anything else than that.

 

[barryf43]

I am looking to upgrade my 2011 MBA. Most of my work is MS Office, and I use Parallels to switch between Mac and Windows on the MBA. I am a big Apple fan, but Office for Mac is a real challenge. I would consider going back to a Windows machine if I found one that could replicate the MBA form and functionality.

I had a chance to play with the Samsung Series 9, i7 1.9 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, Windows 8. I was interested in the MBA form factor with a 15" screen. Performance was good on the Samsung, but not as big a step from my MBA as I had hoped. I had two main issues: The screen was disappointing. It was not as sharp and bright as expected, no matter what settings I tried. The biggest issue, however, was the trackpad. It was awful! Very imprecise. Inconsistent movements. Even the sales guy was struggling with it.

Bottom line: I'm waiting for the new MBA's, hopefully coming in June.

 

[w00t951]

Oh my God. Why I'm wasting my time with you I don't know.

First, I don't care if you think it's a copy. Think what you want.

Second, even if it's a copy, the design is still different enough for it to be considered a different ultrabook. Multiple differences were listed above.

 

[akdj]

You guys are the most immature people I have ever seen, OP is just trying to compare the 2 laptops, grow up.

----------



Ha ha, no.

Plastic is far more durable than Glass, whoever said "Lets make the back of our phones glass!" should be fired, I dropped my iPhone 4 on a wood floor about 1/2 a metre above the ground and the back completely shattered, after a few months I got rid of my crap iPhone 4 and got a S3 and dropped it a few times on the ground both on purpose and accidently, no scratches whatsoever.

The iPhone 4 is an industrial, engineering work of art. If you don't drop it, it'll be fine. Your experiences don't measure up to dozens of 'drop tests' available throughout the Internet. iPhone, regardless whether or not you're a fan or not, leads the world when it comes to design. Period. Each iteration, doesn't matter, they're all incredible design examples. I own an Iphone 5 and Samsung Note. There is absolutely no comparison when it comes to actual 'build quality'

Mate, that's the point of my post. Apple's MacBook Air design has essentially been constant since 2008. While other Macs have been refreshed and feel competitive with PC manufacturers, the Air is being outclassed in portability, design, and battery life.

This is why this post matters - without considering the internal specs, everything else is essentially identical. And it's getting old.

I've already gotten rid of my Series 9 due to WiFi problems - but I still stand by my post. The Air has gotten stale, with its huge screen bezel and unremarkable design.

Kids these days. Always needing a new, fresh, exciting design change. Why? For what it is, again...the MBA is an example of computer design that bests all others that preceded it. It's exactly the reason Intel dumped $300,000,000 into the development of the 'ultra book' for Windows OEMs. They saw the success. They appreciated the design...and most of all, they understood that it was an excellent computer...two pounds. No moving parts, top shelf components and excellent reliability. Professional image, video and design folk aren't buying an MBA to rely on its monitor for final output. It's an excellent example of a TN panel...and knowing Apple's appreciation for retina displays to date, rest assured, an IPS or IGZO panel is sure to not be far behind

Some Ultrabooks may manage better battery life but I am struggling to understand how the Air is being outclassed in portability & design. The whole Ultrabook concept was based on the Air's portability & design!

Exactly! Two years ago, the Windows OEMs---ALL of them were battling in the race to the bottom. Price, build, displays, you name it. Before Apple's success with their computers following the massive iOS inundation...PC manufacturers seemed to be the last to take notice. It was Intel that finally stepped in and asked wtf are you Guys doing? It's time to step up...not only the design, but the guts and internal components

The Samsung Series 9 is slightly thinner in the front than back. This could be called wedge, although it is not as pronounced as the MBA.

All mission control is is a way of displaying virtual desktops. This can be VERY easily achieved using VirtuaWin for Windows 7. With a simple clicks one can switch desktops and show all the apps being used on each desktop. I use VirtuaWin on my Windows 7 installs. Granted, virtual desktops should be built in to Windows 7/8, but easily achieved by a 3rd party app.

OS X Dashboard is VERY overrated IMO, just put the apps you use frequently in the dock.

I get about 5 hours of battery life on my MBA, the Series 9 should get that. Endgadget did a review of the 13" Series 9 and it got BETTER battery life than the 13" MBA. Also the 13" Series 9 is smaller, thinner, and lighter than a 13" MBA. SO making broad sweeping statements that the MBA MUST be better just cause is ridiculous.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/06/samsung-series-9-review-13-inch-mid-2012/

It's not a broad, sweeping statement. The MBA is THE computer to beat right now. All of your comments are subjective. Objectively, not a single PC manufacturer has yet to match the entire 'package' of the MBA. As noted ,any times, the trackpad and its associated software....M/C, Dashboard....not to mention the included, productive software you get with a Mac. The series 9 is a good attempt but not quite to the level of the MBA. Hopefully the Window's manufacturers will continue to refine theirs. Competition is good for all. At this time though, the MBA is the one to beat.
And BTW...Engadget isn't the end all review site. Certainly not one I'd trust with the purchase of a computer. Anand, Notebook check, Ars...even TechCrunch IMO are much better 'review' sites that Engadget. My 2012 13" Air easily enjoys 6-7 hours of battery life. This is at 70-80% brightness with several apps up n running. That nothing to turn your nose up to. Especially considering just a half decade ago, two hours was considered 'decent'

Well I guess this is where you and everyone else differ. Your definition of "copy" is severely skewed. Your definition of a copy is so broad that literally anything is a ripoff of something else. Every book ever printed? Paper bound between covers. Any building ever constructed? An enclosed structure with the purpose of sheltering people or infrastructure. And on and on.



By the way, I hope your car doesn't have a two speed gearbox.

Show us Samsung examples that pre-date the MBA. HP? Dell? Sony was the only one actually working this direction, albeit with plastics and hybrid SSD/HDD storage. I'm not sure you're really open to understanding anyone's logic in this thread but I thought his example was a damn fine analogy. Samsung isn't stupid for attempting to 'copy' the design of the MBA. It's a successful sell. Lots and lots of Macs are being sold these days...in fact, in the last couple of surveys, Apple has been the only manufacturer to continue selling more YOY or quarter to quarter. There's something to this. The public has recognized the build quality, support,software included....and the option to leave security measures in the rear view mirror.

Again, Intel was the antagonist here. They saw the success Apple was enjoying with the Air. With their chips. They decided to inject the money, the advertising and promotion....as well as the Low power chips for the design to be effective and energy efficient.

 

[agaskew]

(Ignoring the ****storm of comments from the 12 year olds in this thread)...

OP: I'd like to know if you compared the hinges and screen wobble between the 2 machines.
I use a laptop on the train quite a lot and a slightly wobbly screen or loose hinges is a big problem.
In fact, in the stores where rows of laptops/ultrabooks are set up I go along the rows giving all the screens a wobble. Some of them are really loose. (The best non-Apple machines in this regard seem to be the HP Ultrabooks.)

 

[Steve121178]

OP: I'd like to know if you compared the hinges and screen wobble between the 2 machines.

I can't comment on the Samsung as I don't own one, but I find the design of the MacBook's to be exceptional in this area, right up there with ThinkPad design. Due to the construction there isn't the 'wobble' that most other notebooks have.

It's the unibody design that helps make it so sturdy.

 

[stchman]

It's not a broad, sweeping statement. The MBA is THE computer to beat right now. All of your comments are subjective. Objectively, not a single PC manufacturer has yet to match the entire 'package' of the MBA. As noted ,any times, the trackpad and its associated software....M/C, Dashboard....not to mention the included, productive software you get with a Mac. The series 9 is a good attempt but not quite to the level of the MBA. Hopefully the Window's manufacturers will continue to refine theirs. Competition is good for all. At this time though, the MBA is the one to beat.
And BTW...Engadget isn't the end all review site. Certainly not one I'd trust with the purchase of a computer. Anand, Notebook check, Ars...even TechCrunch IMO are much better 'review' sites that Engadget. My 2012 13" Air easily enjoys 6-7 hours of battery life. This is at 70-80% brightness with several apps up n running. That nothing to turn your nose up to. Especially considering just a half decade ago, two hours was considered 'decent'

I gather you've been called an Apple fanboy on many occasions.

I like the MBA, I own one, I just don't think the MBA is the perfection you tout it to be.

While I do agree that the trackpad is the best in the business, OS X has many shortcomings.

1. Finder sucks
2. iTunes is a horrible pig
3. No way to effectively adjust font size (my eyes are not as good as when I was young) so eye strain is a concern.
4. Not everything "just works" with OS X (NTFS, EXT 2/3/4, network printers).

So you declaring OS X to be some kind of Saviour is rather ridiculous.

 

[akdj]

I gather you've been called an Apple fanboy on many occasions.

I like the MBA, I own one, I just don't think the MBA is the perfection you tout it to be.

While I do agree that the trackpad is the best in the business, OS X has many shortcomings.

1. Finder sucks
2. iTunes is a horrible pig
3. No way to effectively adjust font size (my eyes are not as good as when I was young) so eye strain is a concern.
4. Not everything "just works" with OS X (NTFS, EXT 2/3/4, network printers).

So you declaring OS X to be some kind of Saviour is rather ridiculous.

Excellent both reading AND comprehension skills bud. Go back. Re-read the quote that you quoted from me. Once done, please re-quote in THAT specific response that I ONCE mentioned OSx as some kind of 'savior'...or for THAT matter, where I even mentioned OSx??? My entire response was on topic. About the MBA. Other than the extra 'software' included in OSx (iPhoto, iMovie, dashboard and mission control, GarageBand and I love terminal...), you lost me. Completely. Sorry iTunes doesn't work for you. It's definitely not a 'pig' but if for some reason you can't figure it out...there are plenty of third party options available that you should be able to wrap your mind around...be able to play your music and movies and enjoy your MBA. Good luck

AFA being an Apple 'fanboy'. Really? That's what you gleaned from my response? Again...excellent reading/comprehension skills--- Using this term, on this site, seems a bit ridiculous don't you think?

Good. Lord.

I hope soon you're able to figure out finder. Maybe visit an optometrist....and best of luck to you on your search for the ultimate OS! Perhaps if you're interested in discussing the merits of OSx itself you should start your own thread specific to OSx. Not misquoting individual responses to highlight your own misgivings about a subject completely off topic, with absolutely nothing to do with what folks are discussing.
J

 

[stchman]

Excellent both reading AND comprehension skills bud. Go back. Re-read the quote that you quoted from me. Once done, please re-quote in THAT specific response that I ONCE mentioned OSx as some kind of 'savior'...or for THAT matter, where I even mentioned OSx??? My entire response was on topic. About the MBA. Other than the extra 'software' included in OSx (iPhoto, iMovie, dashboard and mission control, GarageBand and I love terminal...), you lost me. Completely. Sorry iTunes doesn't work for you. It's definitely not a 'pig' but if for some reason you can't figure it out...there are plenty of third party options available that you should be able to wrap your mind around...be able to play your music and movies and enjoy your MBA. Good luck

AFA being an Apple 'fanboy'. Really? That's what you gleaned from my response? Again...excellent reading/comprehension skills--- Using this term, on this site, seems a bit ridiculous don't you think?

Good. Lord.

I hope soon you're able to figure out finder. Maybe visit an optometrist....and best of luck to you on your search for the ultimate OS! Perhaps if you're interested in discussing the merits of OSx itself you should start your own thread specific to OSx. Not misquoting individual responses to highlight your own misgivings about a subject completely off topic, with absolutely nothing to do with what folks are discussing.
J

Exactly, reading your previous posts Apple can do no wrong in your eyes. Everything Apple makes is just as it should be.

I understand how to use Finder, but that means it does not suck. Finder needs to support SSH, be able to create archives of more than just .zip, how about having the ability to do some shell commands. For the "ultimate" OS, these things should already included.

I also understand how iTunes works, still does not make it NOT a pig. There are MANY others here on the forum that concur with me. I actually use Banshee for my music duties and find it far superior to iTunes, but I am more of an Ubuntu user.

Just because I disagree with you you insinuate I am beneath you intellectually.

I get it, you LOVE Apple products, but do simply say they are the best in a blanket statement is ridiculous.

Don't get me wrong, I think my MBA is a great machine, great trackpad, but OS X lacks in some areas.

FYI, iPhoto, iMovie, and Garage Band are not included by default in OS X, they need to be purchased for $14.99 each.

 

[DisplacedMic]

I don't understand - are people not reading the OP or any of the following comments? I specifically said, no internal specs/OS comparisons!

If the Series 9 had OS X, the trackpad would function beautifully, you'd have Mission Control and Dashboard, and you'd be enjoying even longer battery life than under Windows 7. I don't see how this comparison between physical designs merits any consideration of the OS.

And I don't understand what people are talking about when they say that the Series 9 has a wedge design. The top lid and bottom are completely flat. Those posters are either trolling or have severe vision issues.

I also don't understand how having a trackpad, SSD, and thin enclosure makes it a copy of a MacBook Air.

If onlys and justs were candies and nuts, then everyday would be un de donkfest!

----------

Mate, that's the point of my post. Apple's MacBook Air design has essentially been constant since 2008. While other Macs have been refreshed and feel competitive with PC manufacturers, the Air is being outclassed in portability, design, and battery life.

This is why this post matters - without considering the internal specs, everything else is essentially identical. And it's getting old.

I've already gotten rid of my Series 9 due to WiFi problems - but I still stand by my post. The Air has gotten stale, with its huge screen bezel and unremarkable design.

i think you're being silly. they're selling over a million per quarter, and the ultrabook boom in late 2012 that was supposed to kill the MBA just didn't.

2012q4 sold almost 250,000 more MBAs than 2012q3 and the MBA accounts for almost 10% of all Apple laptop sales.

it's doing fine.

you still have your "stale" MBA but you had to get rid of your Series 9?

i'm starting to think you're trolling

 

[w00t951]

If onlys and justs were candies and nuts, then everyday would be un de donkfest!

----------



i think you're being silly. they're selling over a million per quarter, and the ultrabook boom in late 2012 that was supposed to kill the MBA just didn't.

2012q4 sold almost 250,000 more MBAs than 2012q3 and the MBA accounts for almost 10% of all Apple laptop sales.

it's doing fine.

you still have your "stale" MBA but you had to get rid of your Series 9?

i'm starting to think you're trolling

I'm starting to think you lack basic reading comprehension skills. I explicitly stated that there are WiFi problems, which are unrelated to the external design of the product.

And who said they would kill off the MBA? I'm commenting that the design is fresher on the Series 9 compared to the MBA.

And yes, we'll compare a PC market that has been in existence from "late 2012" to a product line that has been around since 2008.

 

[DisplacedMic]

I'm starting to think you lack basic reading comprehension skills. I explicitly stated that there are WiFi problems, which are unrelated to the external design of the product.

And who said they would kill off the MBA? I'm commenting that the design is fresher on the Series 9 compared to the MBA.

And yes, we'll compare a PC market that has been in existence from "late 2012" to a product line that has been around since 2008.

are you serious with this?

 

[dyn]

I don't understand - are people not reading the OP or any of the following comments? I specifically said, no internal specs/OS comparisons!

Yes and then you went on comparing battery life which is highly dependant on those specs you didn't want to discuss (think about the cpu used, how big the screen is, what resolution it runs at, which gpu is being used, how many cells the battery has, etc.) as well as starting by giving almost the full specs of the Samsung and leaving out the MBA specs completely. If you want people to follow your guideline then at least give the correct example (and thus delete the battery life part and the Samsung specs).

The other parts of the review are subjective. Design, how good the keyboard and trackpad are, if the resolution on the display is enough are very personal items. It is nice to hear that someone likes the Samsung (or the Air for that matter) but it doesn't add anything. People still need to go out and use the keyboard, trackpad and display for themselves and see if they like them. The trackpad will probably something people will be disappointed about. It seems that the majority of users that have ever used a trackpad on a Mac dislike any other. For people who haven't used an Apple one before this won't apply. That seems to be the only constant. It's the discussion after the OP that makes the topic interesting.