Questions about MacBook Air 13"

[MikePembo951]

Ok, so i’ve decided to buy a Macbook Air 13”. This is my first mac since my old G4 PPC mini in 2005 so i really should be considered a newbie to macs and os x.
Wondering if any mac-savvy people can help answer some questions i have ->

Buying:
1. I know that haswell is out soon, so will apple update their macbook air line to haswell?
2. I understand the dev conference is 10th of June so if apple announce a new haswell macbook air 13” how long would it be before I could actually buy one? (I need it by mid june latest.)
3. Any estimated costs if apple brings out a 13” haswell macbook air? (More/less than current one)

About the 13” Macbook Air:
4. Are the 13” macbook air’s trackpad and keyboard much smaller than 15” pro? Is is difficult to type on compared to a 15” laptop?
5. What is the battery life actually like under normal day to day use? (e.g. using safari, xcode, pages/ms word, numbers/excel? Etc.)

Applecare/Warranty:
6. Is it better to buy from a retail store (e.g. pc world), or direct through the online apple store/ at a retail apple store.
7. Does applecare cover accidental damage or lost/theft?
8. Is it better to buy applecare when you buy the computer or later (maybe on sale at a retail store).
9. Without applecare what does apple repair/cover with standard warranty?

Software:
10. I was thinking about installing windows (not to do much, really just for Visual Studio), is it better to run using bootcamp or as a virtual pc? (If virtual pc; Vmware or Parallels?)
11. Which version of windows do i need to buy? E.g. OEM, full retail....
12. What software does the OS come with? (I’ve heard it comes with garage band which would be great!)
13. Pages and Numbers or Word and Excel?

Thanks all,
Mike

 

[TjeuV]

Ok, so i’ve decided to buy a Macbook Air 13”. This is my first mac since my old G4 PPC mini in 2005 so i really should be considered a newbie to macs and os x.
Wondering if any mac-savvy people can help answer some questions i have ->

Buying:
1. I know that haswell is out soon, so will apple update their macbook air line to haswell?
2. I understand the dev conference is 10th of June so if apple announce a new haswell macbook air 13” how long would it be before I could actually buy one? (I need it by mid june latest.)
3. Any estimated costs if apple brings out a 13” haswell macbook air? (More/less than current one)

About the 13” Macbook Air:
4. Are the 13” macbook air’s trackpad and keyboard much smaller than 15” pro? Is is difficult to type on compared to a 15” laptop?
5. What is the battery life actually like under normal day to day use? (e.g. using safari, xcode, pages/ms word, numbers/excel? Etc.)

Applecare/Warranty:
6. Is it better to buy from a retail store (e.g. pc world), or direct through the online apple store/ at a retail apple store.
7. Does applecare cover accidental damage or lost/theft?
8. Is it better to buy applecare when you buy the computer or later (maybe on sale at a retail store).
9. Without applecare what does apple repair/cover with standard warranty?

Software:
10. I was thinking about installing windows (not to do much, really just for Visual Studio), is it better to run using bootcamp or as a virtual pc? (If virtual pc; Vmware or Parallels?)
11. Which version of windows do i need to buy? E.g. OEM, full retail....
12. What software does the OS come with? (I’ve heard it comes with garage band which would be great!)
13. Pages and Numbers or Word and Excel?

Thanks all,
Mike

That's a lot of Q's:

1/2 Nothing is sure on which devices get an update and if so, what the update will be.
3 : They tend to keep the same price. Could be a $100 difference though.

You say you need it at the latest mid-june. I'd wait anyway, because if the update isn't available yet you could buy the current gen at a reduced price.

4: It's the same.
5: My macbook air 13" holds for about 9hours doing text processing with WiFi and Bluetooth disabled. I'm getting 7 hours when browsing as well.

6: There's no difference. It really depends on where you live ti decide if you're buying the applecare or not. As a consumer in Europe you get two years so the third year extended warranty seems a bit expensive just for one year. If you live in the USA it might be a good idea to consider AppleCare.
7: No
8: You'll have to buy it within the first year after purchase date. There's no difference. It's three years counting from device purchase date.
9: Anything not accidental damage I guess. Screen failure, disk, I even heard of AppleCare covering a loose key in a keyboard.

10: Don't. Unless you upgrade your HD, Ram and processor. And that makes it a pretty expense macbook air ...
11: In premium resellers they sell windows licenses. Don't know in apple stores. I'd go for Windows 7.
12: All the standards you need like safari for browsing, calendar, mail, ... And indeed iLife which has Garageband, iPhoto and iMovie. Garageband is awesome if you're an artist or willing to learn to play an instrument. But there's no office or iWork installed. That's a purchase you'll have to do.
13: I use both. If you're used to working with office, stick to office. If you're willing to try something new, sleeker in my opinion, go for pages.

hope it helped.

 

[Lunfai]

If you are a student try and get a discount, in UK I think students in university get 14.5% off (but we pay 20% tax). But you can free three year warranty.

Also your univesity should take part in Dreamspark which will give you a free copy of Windows 7 or 8.

 

[MikePembo951]

If you are a student try and get a discount, in UK I think students in university get 14.5% off (but we pay 20% tax). But you can free three year warranty.

Also your univesity should take part in Dreamspark which will give you a free copy of Windows 7 or 8.

Thanks, but i'm in sixth form, not going to uni till next year.
My current laptop is an old Acer 5532 (bought about 4 years ago). It's battery doesn't hold charge for any longer than about 30 mins, and is terribly slow.
So I really do need a new laptop.

Still considering a macbook pro 13 since (afaik) you can upgrade the hdd and ram. But from photos it looks much thicker than the air. Also it doesnt have an ssd as standard and the resolution is lower.

 

[Lunfai]

Thanks, but i'm in sixth form, not going to uni till next year.
My current laptop is an old Acer 5532 (bought about 4 years ago). It's battery doesn't hold charge for any longer than about 30 mins, and is terribly slow.
So I really do need a new laptop.

Still considering a macbook pro 13 since (afaik) you can upgrade the hdd and ram. But from photos it looks much thicker than the air. Also it doesnt have an ssd as standard and the resolution is lower.

I would definitely get the air, you should still get something like 5% off, every school is apart of a network that allows you to get a discount that anyone can get.

The pro is a lot heavier, for example you can hold the air with one hand in much more comfortable situations, it's that light. If you have any siblings in Uni, I would definitely try and get the discount as its applicable to once a year purchase.

Upgrading the SSD in MBP will mean you can get a 256 for cheaper, but you will have to so the labour yourself. And it costs money to upgrade which means you might as well sprung for another machine with better specs.

I'd wait for the refresh, the older models will be cheaper and the newer models will give you time to decide. I think there will be some price adjustments. I hope the MBP13 lowers in price as they try a shift attention to their retina line.

I'm upgrading my Air to the rMBP13 when it refreshes. The air is an absolute dream, and runs everything I want, I got a BTO order with 8GB ram. You won regret getting the Air. Even with standard 4GB, there's no way I'd get the MBP.

If your going to uni and want to transport your laptop to classes, then the MBA is a lot lighter. Small things like this count when you need to purchase books that way a ton.

 

[Mrbobb]

WWDC is like in two weeks, u will have lots of Q answered then.

 

[MikePembo951]

thanks for all responses!
just one more question:

In the past when apple has announced devices at conferences like WWDC how close to the announcement can you actually buy the product? (Not just preorder but to actually buy one)

 

[B...]

thanks for all responses!
just one more question:

In the past when apple has announced devices at conferences like WWDC how close to the announcement can you actually buy the product? (Not just preorder but to actually buy one)

Usually within a month unless there a problems with production.

 

[Mrbobb]

Honestly after Q5, we should be charging a bux a question, MR takes 30%