New macbook airs!!!

[KohPhiPhi]

This is a rather "bleh" update to be honest. It's evolutionary rather than revolutionary:

Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge
4gb RAM to 8gb RAM
256gb SSD to 512gb SSD
HD3000 to HD4000

So, basically, they've kept the same laptop, simply updating it to 2012 standards (while increasing the price tag too, by the way )

I was expecting a bit more from this update: new display, smaller bezel, better battery life, etc.

 

[Beanoir]

I think peoples expectations are too high sometimes. The refresh of the MBA line-up has been pretty good to be fair in terms of what people have been wanting (more RAM, larger flash card, HD camera).

The general belief on the forum (judging by the recent poll) was that Apple wouldn't include a higher res "retina" screen on the MBA refresh anyway...

 

[sarah11918]

^^

While true, I'd be going from 4GB/128GB/Core2Duo to 8GB/512GB/i7. Plus, I'll be getting backlit keyboard and Facetime HD. Given that I have no real complaints about the machine as is, I didn't need a revolutionary change. This evolutionary change is enough for me to upgrade from the 2010 model.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

This is a rather "bleh" update to be honest. It's evolutionary rather than revolutionary:

Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge
4gb RAM to 8gb RAM
256gb SSD to 512gb SSD
HD3000 to HD4000

So, basically, they've kept the same laptop, simply updating it to 2012 standards (while increasing the price tag too, by the way )

I was expecting a bit more from this update: new display, smaller bezel, better battery life, etc.

You forgot the higher speed SSD.

 

[jameswdmb]

I just ordered a 13" Air....256 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM, i7 Processor, & my 27" Thunderbolt display arrived today.....the only thing I am not happy about is that I have to wait for the Air to ship to me. I tired calling local Apple stores and none could confirm that they would have stock of the upgraded Air, so I ordered online to try and ensure I received it this week (fingers crossed).

I was gearing up for buying a MacBook Pro before the announcement, so I was pleased with what they had for the Air. Short of a quad core option, I got everything I could have hoped for.

 

[CausticPuppy]

This is a rather "bleh" update to be honest. It's evolutionary rather than revolutionary:

Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge
4gb RAM to 8gb RAM
256gb SSD to 512gb SSD
HD3000 to HD4000

So, basically, they've kept the same laptop, simply updating it to 2012 standards (while increasing the price tag too, by the way )

I was expecting a bit more from this update: new display, smaller bezel, better battery life, etc.

The revolutionary update already happened last year with Sandy Bridge. Wait until the Haswell MacBook airs with retina displays come out.

 

[g808]

I decided to upgrade from my late 2010 model 11" MBP. This update improves my current processor (1.6 C2D), doubles my memory to 8GB, and hard drive to 256GB. What's not to love?

 

[jsolares]

According to the tech specs, the new Airs, despite having the Intel HD Graphics 4000, still only support one external display (and the internal one):

"Intel HD Graphics 4000
Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 2560 by 1600 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors"

I thought that the former Intel graphics just could not handle 3 displays, but I know the new one can, so I wonder why Apple decided to maintain this limitation. Artificial differentiation between the Pro line? Seems unnecessary.

Please report back if you know / hear differently.

Thanks!

Intel HD 2500/4000 support three display outputs in a select variety of configurations on desktops. The output is still done over the PCH so it could be a mobile limitation, outputs, or pathing on the logic board for output.

I hate disagreeing from a position of intellectual weakness, but I can't find anywhere that the 3 independent display functionality of the HD 4000 is limited to desktops. In fact, this demo was done with a lappy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOHBkFOyckY

It will depend on the Thunderbolt chip used by apple, for the 2011 Airs they used the 1 port model, which internally only has one input for display port, whereas the chips used in the other laptops support two thunderbolt ports and have inputs for two display ports.

so pathing on the logic board for output it seems.

 

[Kaylor]

Can't this be done on 4GB of ram ??

It can, but heavy when using heavy programs for school I run into slowdowns and page outs like mad. 2GB for windows and 2GB for OS X doesn't cut it at that point for me and it's annoying.

 

[therealseebs]

We are in a retina display world.

Devices without dense displays are not interesting. Maybe for OLPC or some $99 giveaway device with a new bank account ... anywhere else, retina or fail.

Wow, that's... seriously, what are you talking about? I'm using a 1080p monitor. It's almost two feet from me. I cannot see the pixels in it. I assume it'd look a little sharper if it were higher resolution, but since I cannot see the pixels, I don't much care.

Yeah, retina's sorta cool. Have you compared performance between the previous gen ipod touch and the retina ipod touch? Hint: One of them is unusably slow for a lot of purposes, possibly because it has to push four times as many pixels.

I like my Air for what it's for, which is NOT "having an amazingly powerful display"; it's "being portable and having okay battery life".

 

[Jaro65]

LOL, you're funny! (You're joking right?)

Imagine that retina display would suck the battery right out of the Air's at this stage of the game. Someday, but not yet.

Agreed, plus a retina screen needs some firepower to push all those pixels through. Not something the onboard graphics could handle very well.

 

[SurferMan]

So there was no battery update for longer life??

 

[jgc]

Bleh update? Yeah. Right. I don't think I could have asked for anything more.

A better processor, faster SSDs, USB 3.0, all for $100 less. And I can add 8 gb RAM. So really, I get faster processor/SSD/RAM/more RAM/USB 3.0 for the same price as the last gen. What else could anyone want?

And for those who go all the way, 512 gb storage. Man. I'm impressed.

 

[GizmoDVD]

Bleh update? Yeah. Right. I don't think I could have asked for anything more.

A better processor, faster SSDs, USB 3.0, all for $100 less. And I can add 8 gb RAM. So really, I get faster processor/SSD/RAM/more RAM/USB 3.0 for the same price as the last gen. What else could anyone want?

And for those who go all the way, 512 gb storage. Man. I'm impressed.

Exactly. What is this "increasing the price tag" non-sense? Does he mean because Apple offered a bigger sized SSD?

 

[jgc]

Exactly. What is this "increasing the price tag" non-sense? Does he mean because Apple offered a bigger sized SSD?

I think the issue is coming from non-U.S. countries. I live in Canada and the base price of each MBA is now +$30 in CAD compared to USD (so a $999 MBA is $1029). I saw the writing on the walls though when the new iPad was $519. Our dollar has been fluctuating below the USD recently so it's only fair. It sounds like people in Europe are experiencing higher prices this gen, presumably due to poor Euro performance? I don't know, don't pay attention.

In Canada the base model is $30 more expensive since the slight price bump but every other model is now $70 cheaper ($100 price drop overall but $30 Canada price bump). Considering they doubled the RAM and all the other features, the price staying put on that base model is quite fair. I'm still shocked they lowered the prices on all but the base model.

 

[dgdosen]

I decided to upgrade from my late 2010 model 11" MBP. This update improves my current processor (1.6 C2D), doubles my memory to 8GB, and hard drive to 256GB. What's not to love?

I'm in the same boat... but need to say, those refurb deals on SB are kind of nice

 

[Eidorian]

I'm in the same boat... but need to say, those refurb deals on SB are kind of nice

If anyone ever releases one of those coveted Thunderbolt to external PCIe GPU cases (I am looking at you MSI.), I might pick up a refurbished 13" Macbook Air. I can no longer live with 1280 x 800 and the 13" Macbook is still on it!

I can live with a bus powered video card for laptop gaming since I am probably going to be stuck on a desk anyways instead of melting my lap.

 

[macbook pro i5]

Bleh update? Yeah. Right. I don't think I could have asked for anything more.

A better processor, faster SSDs, USB 3.0, all for $100 less. And I can add 8 gb RAM. So really, I get faster processor/SSD/RAM/more RAM/USB 3.0 for the same price as the last gen. What else could anyone want?

And for those who go all the way, 512 gb storage. Man. I'm impressed.

Not everyone lives in the amrican bubble here in New Zealand its increased by 89 dollars,which is not a big deal,and the RAM upgrades are cheaper then some of the 3rd party shops

 

[freddiecable]

me as well

i travel a lot and don't need crazy cpu power. but since the "new mbp" is - new - i'm teased by it.

I am torn between the Air and the Pro... I am leaning towards Air, but I can't get into the Apple Store website to look at them.

 

[PeterJP]

I see this as a driving force for reducing OWC SSD prices...

Hi,

so do I. Comparing (here in Belgium) the MBA 11" with 8GB and a 64GB SSD + the 240GB OWC 3G, it's still €80 cheaper than getting one from Apple with the 256GB SSD. The main reason why I would go that route is to be certain that I get a good SSD. Okay, any SSD will blow my socks off (never used one before), but reading about the difference between the Samsung and Toshiba SSDs, I prefer getting the better one.

By the way, does anybody know officecell.co.uk ? Is it reliable ? I found a direct link to a 480GB OWC for $199 but I doubt it's legit. If it's allowed, I can post the link here.

EDIT: the merchant offering that ultra-cheap 480GB was disabled by OfficeCell, so it wasn't legit. Was to be expected.


Peter.

 

[Skoopman]

Prices - currency performance?

Cheers,
OW

The Euro has the same value as 2 years ago. That can't be the reason for the price increase.

 

[jgc]

Not everyone lives in the amrican bubble here in New Zealand its increased by 89 dollars,which is not a big deal,and the RAM upgrades are cheaper then some of the 3rd party shops

Well I'm Canadian (we only got a drop of $70) but still. It's odd to hear that the price has been dropped in some markets but increased in others.

 

[macbook pro i5]

Well I'm Canadian (we only got a drop of $70) but still. It's odd to hear that the price has been dropped in some markets but increased in others.

I am sorry I was in a bad mood.

 

[palpatine]

A perfect update. I sold my 2011 MBP for the 2012 MBA. USB 3.0 support was a nice surprise, but so was the extra RAM option. Combined with Ivy Bridge you have one really powerful machine. I wouldn't upgrade from a 2011 MBA to it, but it is definitely an improvement.

By the way, I was disappointed with the MBPs (with the exception of the outrageously expensive and outrageously beautiful MBP retina). I love the 13" display, but it really needs better resolution. They should have just killed the 13" rather than hobbling it with outdated specs.

 

[spriter]

Good update for me. Upgrading from rev a base model to 13" with 8gb so I'm expecting a nice performance and battery life bump.

As nice as the retina mbp is, it's not a portable machine. And the 11" MBA feels like a bit of a toy (to me!). Plus small screen and significantly less battery life ruled that out.