Next design overhaul of Macbook Air will be carbon fiber?

[prism1212]

Carbon fiber is lighter and it's durability is comparable to aluminum. A thinner and lighter MBA may be achieved with the use of carbon fiber without sacrificing durability.

In fact, it's used in other technical industries such as race cars and airplanes construction. Other laptop companies have already implemented it into their design, including Lenovo's X1 Carbon and Sony Vaio Pro 13.

With that said, would you guys like to see thinner and lighter MBA's be made out of carbon fiber in place of the silver aluminum body we are all accustomed to?

 

[Jesla]

I'd rather see titanium or some other metal if they change it.

 

[prism1212]

I'd rather see titanium or some other metal if they change it.

Apple has designed a titanium PowerBook G4 in the past (2001-2003). However, the titanium is much heavier than aluminum. Aluminum was simply superior to titanium.

 

[m98custom1212]

I'd rather see titanium or some other metal if they change it.

do you know how expensive titanium is?

 

[Mrbobb]

Next design overhaul of Macbook Air will be carbon fiber?

CC sounds like stiff in one direction only?

A friend of mine with an expensive CC bike says it can take lots of abuse from the road, up/down, but don't ever bang it sideway because it can break. That's what he says.

 

[AXs]

No way. Not carbon fiber. It really sinks while typing - just too much flex. Apple laptops are sturdy.

But Duralumin, now that's a possibility.

 

[filmbuff]

Apple has designed a titanium PowerBook G4 in the past (2001-2003). However, the titanium is much heavier than aluminum. Aluminum was simply superior to titanium.

Ummm no. Titanium is too expensive for the scale of production.

 

[user-name-here]

My vote is for Adamantium

 

[Kissaragi]

Ummm no. Titanium is too expensive for the scale of production.

Well ummm yes. There was a titanium powerbook. Aluminium is just a superior material for laptops.

 

[beautifulcoder]

Aluminum is superior, period. Carbon is lighter but more brittle. It makes manufacturing hell and you can forget about unibody design. Aluminum is still light weight and flexible. Apple has a patent on the manufacturing process that welds three separate sheets together at the molecular level. Aluminum also bends but doesn't break to pieces.

 

[Miltz]

if apple changes the material to carbon fiber I would never never buy a macbook air again. I Love the feel of aluminum. If I wanted carbon fiber I would have gotten a sony.

 

[xnatex]

Apple loves aluminum because it can be recycled easily, which they used to brag about (and maybe still do somewhere on the website) along with the the displays being Mercury free back when the unibody MacBook Pros first came out. Aluminum also dissipates very well which help keeps the insides cooler and makes it cooler to the touch.

 

[ElectronGuru]

Aluminum allows unibody (ti and al before that not nearly as good). Aluminum is cheaper and more reliant. Aluminum conduct heats. The point of CF for a body is all marketing: it's more high tech and harder to find, but that doesn't make it better at everything.

 

[mvmanolov]

My vote is for Adamantium

uhm, yeah the MacbookAir-X - wolverine edition ..... i'd buy it

 

[filmbuff]

Well ummm yes. There was a titanium powerbook. Aluminium is just a superior material for laptops.

I know there was a Titanium Powerbook, I have one. Titanium is much lighter and stronger than Aluminum. That's not my opinion, it's a fact. There are a few reasons Apple may have switched to Al but lightness isn't one of them.

I agree though, Al is a much better material for laptops than CF.

 

[prism1212]

Aluminum is superior, period. Carbon is lighter but more brittle. It makes manufacturing hell and you can forget about unibody design. Aluminum is still light weight and flexible. Apple has a patent on the manufacturing process that welds three separate sheets together at the molecular level. Aluminum also bends but doesn't break to pieces.

Aluminum allows unibody (ti and al before that not nearly as good). Aluminum is cheaper and more reliant. Aluminum conduct heats. The point of CF for a body is all marketing: it's more high tech and harder to find, but that doesn't make it better at everything.

Unibody is possible even for a laptop made of plastic. Apple in fact has made its final white plastic macbook rendition into a unibody design and was released in October 2009.

 

[ItHurtsWhenIP]

I hope no carbon fiber. I almost laughed when I read titanium...Macbooks are already expensive enough, people don't want to pay double or triple what they cost now for no reason.

I do love my iCarbons skin over the aluminum though! (I couldn't make myself cover up the lid, the aluminum with the apple looks too good.)

 

[Jesla]

I'd pay more for titanium……

…..I bet I'm not alone either.

 

[ItHurtsWhenIP]

I'd pay more for titanium……

…..I bet I'm not alone either.

Yes, plenty of people have more money than sense. Thankfully, they aren't the majority in the market.

 

[Jesla]

Yes, plenty of people have more money than sense. Thankfully, they aren't the majority in the market.

'tis your opinion…..mine differs.

Apple is Highend, not for everyone.

Money talks…...

 

[Old Muley]

Carbon fiber has its place in the manufacturing and engineering world. Not so much for computers though. There would have to be a clear structural need to move away from aluminum to CF, and right now I'd be hard pressed to see what that would be.

 

[Stetrain]

I think if they switch materials at this point it will be to move to the LiquidMetal material they bought the rights for a couple of years ago.

As I understand it they're still working on scaling up production of larger parts. The idea is that it's a very durable metal that can be heated and molded like plastic to create the exact shape required.

 

[prism1212]

I think if they switch materials at this point it will be to move to the LiquidMetal material they bought the rights for a couple of years ago.

As I understand it they're still working on scaling up production of larger parts. The idea is that it's a very durable metal that can be heated and molded like plastic to create the exact shape required.

It will probably take years to move from theory to scaling up the production. However, it will be very interesting to see Liquidmetal be used if it becomes a reality somewhere down the line.

 

[merkinmuffley]

I hope not, carbon fiber can splinter and you really don't want to get the shards under your skin. I'd also worry about it's ability to act as a heat sink and pull heat away from the device. I'd much rather see them upgrade the insides of it, what the shell is made of just isn't a big deal to me.

 

[macs4nw]

Apple loves aluminum because it can be recycled easily, which they used to brag about (and maybe still do somewhere on the website) along with the the displays being Mercury free back when the unibody MacBook Pros first came out. Aluminum also dissipates (heat) very well which help keeps the insides cooler and makes it cooler to the touch.

Precisely. Besides other advantages such as cost, strength, weight, a perfect balance between flexibility and rigidity, recyclability, and being easy to machine or extrude, it's thermal properties are a huge reason for Apple to continue to stick with Aluminum for the time being. Until a better material comes along, a thoroughly practical way to deal wlth all those heat generating CPUs and especially GPUs.

I'd pay more for titanium……

…..I bet I'm not alone either.

You might like one made out of Beryllium alloy, the ultimate status symbol…..?