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MBA isn't good anymore
- Thread starter UBS28
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What made me want an 11" laptop from Apple (starting years ago) was my friend's original Sony VAIO 11". The form factor was amazing, I loved it, but even then his Sony was cheap and flimsy (plastic). He ended up using scotch tape on it to keep it together after not owning it long, and the hinge ended up breaking as well as the frame around the screen started breaking away. What the reviewer said is exactly why. It's a very nice machine, but you have to treat it very, very gently if you expect it to last without coming apart through normal everyday use. I've suggested the Sony line for people wanting a Windows machine (I even convinced my friend to buy the Sony for his first laptop). Personally, though, I think the MBA's build quality is far, far superior, so I'll stick with the MBA 11" (which I just love).
Macbook pros do have a consistent build quality. The frame cracks on the bottom screwhole for 2006-2007 models. The Back cover comes unglued on 2008-2009 models. The logic board dies on 2010 models, the cpu throttles on 2011 models.
Sony had the Trinitron, Playstation, Walkman, and HR series of digital 2" tape machines in the 80s. IMO, everything else they make is bunk, including the VAIO.
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It's a great laptop. Too bad I don't like windows. It outshines the air in my eyes.
You could always throw linux on it. That's pretty much what i do for any non-Mac I end up using for a project. Especially on a Sony. They add WAY too much bloat on their factory installs.
Way too much bloat. I remember back in the day they were bloatless. I do think carbon fiber is a gimmick for a laptop that could have been made from plastic. Sure it weighs less than metal and looks cool but come on.
And your reason to start this thread is what? Troll?
Clearly the MBA is still a great device. If you like Windows and Sony, fine. If you want touch screen on a laptop, fine. People need or want a laptop with a keyboard when they need to do large amount of data entry. A touchscreen serves little purpose in this context. If I want touchscreen, I'll use a tablet (read iPad).
I wonder how many Sony's will be sold vs MBA's.
This forum is called MacRumors for a reason.
Clearly the MBA is still a great device. If you like Windows and Sony, fine. If you want touch screen on a laptop, fine. People need or want a laptop with a keyboard when they need to do large amount of data entry. A touchscreen serves little purpose in this context. If I want touchscreen, I'll use a tablet (read iPad).
I wonder how many Sony's will be sold vs MBA's.
This forum is called MacRumors for a reason.
That Sony Vaio Pro looks nice but it ain't cheap.
I configured 256gb with 8gb ram with base core i5 and total was $1569.
http://store.sony.com/c/Pro-Series-Notebooks/en/c/S_PRO_SERIES_PAGE
$250 more than the MacBook Air core i5/256gb/8gb ($1315 with company discount)
I tried touch screen laptop and returned the previous windows laptop after 2 weeks.
And Sony battery life is around 6 hours real time vs MacBook Airs 10 hours real time (for 13 inch model).
http://allthingsd.com/20130618/power-testing-can-two-new-laptops-really-last-all-day/
MacBook Air has much better battery life.
Sure screen looks nice on Sony but its no biggie to me. I think MBA screen is nice enough.
I configured 256gb with 8gb ram with base core i5 and total was $1569.
http://store.sony.com/c/Pro-Series-Notebooks/en/c/S_PRO_SERIES_PAGE
$250 more than the MacBook Air core i5/256gb/8gb ($1315 with company discount)
I tried touch screen laptop and returned the previous windows laptop after 2 weeks.
And Sony battery life is around 6 hours real time vs MacBook Airs 10 hours real time (for 13 inch model).
http://allthingsd.com/20130618/power-testing-can-two-new-laptops-really-last-all-day/
MacBook Air has much better battery life.
Sure screen looks nice on Sony but its no biggie to me. I think MBA screen is nice enough.
It won't even let you upgrade the memory to 8GB on the 11" model, and the GPU is an intel 4400... Just with those two things the 11" MBA has a significant edge, imo.
This thread is dumb, and I can't think of any reason it may have been started other than trolling.
This thread is dumb, and I can't think of any reason it may have been started other than trolling.
Its a good comparison. Yes everyone here will prefer a mac but still sony has made a great laptop that spec for spec is better. If you don't like the touchscreen then fine don't use it. Its still nice to have it.
I think the prices vary between countries. I did the same spec as you did and I got:
Sony 13 - £998.99
Apple 13 - £1209.00
Huge difference there.
The configuration I got was £859 for the 13" model. Same RAM and HDD as base MBA, so that makes it £90 cheaper.
Sony also gave me a 4 year warranty for free, whereas a 3 year warranty is an extra £199 from Apple.
The Vaio looks nice but I think it also comes down to OS. I haven't used Win 8 and honestly, from the little that I have played with it at stores, it doesn't seem like I can get into the whole "Start" page. However, I love the new UI Windows Explorer has. I just wish there was a way to completely disable the "Start" page.
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She's pretty good with her reviews, though.
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That is one nice looking Sony laptop
She's pretty good with her reviews, though.
Battery life is king period! I say this as I look for my power cable knowing its upstairs and I will never get this comfortable when I come back down.
I was in a similar boat with laptop shopping. I've never owned a Mac, and bought the 13" air. Even after seeing the Sony i have no regrets:
-I've never liked touchpads until owning a mac. Its the first laptop where I feel like a mouse is inferior. In this review, and others, theyre having to fight with the touchpad (like where shes just trying to hit play on a video and switches to the touchscreen)
-keyboard flex and overall build quality of apple devices trumps the cheap plastic elsewhere
-Battery life
-Windows 8 is just an OS i cant get used to. I've tried on my old laptop that ran it fast, but man...Metro is awful and I can only see metro apps being useful on a device like the Thinkpad Helix or Yoga where it can go into tablet mode(not just touch). Who wants to use their laptop then reach across the keyboard.
-OSX is quite a delight. Finder is the only thing i really hate about it.
-And the one thing that really annoys me...Every PC laptop has some sort of issue. Touchpad, flex, poor build quality, fan noise, overheat/throttling...you name it..Every one of them has some sort of issue, even going into the $2000 range i couldnt find a laptop that was compact and didnt have those issues.
I dont care if 1080p screens come around. The Air's screen is beautiful to me. Windows requires it for multitasking, but after using OSX ill never look back at windows for a laptop(desktop is another story as im a gamer). Multitasking on OSX with the workspace switcher/app full screening/gesture switching has just made me fall in love with the device.
Overall, im done with the maintenance/issues/Drawbacks of PC laptops.
OP is at the bottom of the class for reading comprehension. Time for remedial English lessons if that's his conclusion from the Verge review.
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I bet it feels flex but carbon fiber isn't cheap or weak. I think its a waste on a laptop that would probably be just as light if it were plastic.
I played around with the Vaio at the Microsoft store today, actually.
Good points:
Good points:
- 1080p effective resolution (greater than the MBA and the 13" rMBP).
- Lightest laptop ever.
- Haswell seems to ensure decent-ish performance and battery life.
- Keyboard is good.
- The screen is seriously too glossy. It's even glossier than the Air's.
- Windows 8 is awkward to use without using the touchscreen.
- It does flex an awful lot, but that's the cost of using carbon fiber.
I looked at the Vaio Pro and it was a nice piece of gear, but Windows 8 is a non-starter. Makes me appreciate the simple elegance of OSX even more. Plus battery life of the Viao is not even close to the MBA without the extended battery.
Apple knocked it out of the park with the update - while others are trying to build the "Air Killer" with high-res screens, Apple focused on what mobility users really want - all day battery life!
Apple knocked it out of the park with the update - while others are trying to build the "Air Killer" with high-res screens, Apple focused on what mobility users really want - all day battery life!
The battery life thing isn't 100% fair, since it does weigh about a half-pound less than the 13" MBA. Sony claims 6 hours or so without the extended battery, which is almost what Apple claims for the 11" MBA (which is approximately the same weight as the Vaio).
That said, Windows 8 is extremely awkward to use without touching the screen at least some of the time.
