Sell MB for MBA or wait?

[reebzor]

So for a while now I've been planning on selling my white 2.4ghz 4gb ram 320gb BT/AP/SD macbook and purchasing a used or refurbed Macbook air. I've heard a lot of problems with the Rev A's, so I'm looking at a Rev B. Theres none in the refurb store so that leaves ebay. I just dont know if it's worth it to do. I only use my macbook in class or sitting on the couch, so I'm not going to miss the lack of ethernet, cdrom, etc. So what do you guys think, should I sell it or wait until a possible next gen or refurbed Rev B's?

 

[tubbymac]

How much of that 320 gig hard drive do you typically use? That's quite a bit larger than the 120-128 gig hard drives in the rev B Airs. If you can live with a smaller drive I think an Air would be much better than a whitebook.

 

[reebzor]

How much of that 320 gig hard drive do you typically use? That's quite a bit larger than the 120-128 gig hard drives in the rev B Airs. If you can live with a smaller drive I think an Air would be much better than a whitebook.

I have about 160gb free, and thats only because of my windows partition and the amount of movies that I have on here that I dont need. The harddrive space is the least of my concerns as I could easily get by with a 120gb. All of my music and movies is stored and shared from my mini.

What I'm more concerned with is selling my perfect condition never had a problem with whitebook to get a mba that will possibly develop a bad screen, cracked hinge, overheat etc.

 

[rjdiedling]

let me know what you decide to do i am willing to trade you straight up my mba for your mb i meed more hard drive space and was thinking about buying a new one but this may be a better solution. i have a Rev A but just had the hinge issue fixed apple replaced the entire case for the computer with a new one and the new hinge is just as tight if not tighter than ones sitting on shelves at my local apple store. also mine does not have the ssd drive. It has been the perfet computer since i bought it but i just need more space and am tired of carrying around an external drive. let me know if your interested.

 

[tubbymac]

What I'm more concerned with is selling my perfect condition never had a problem with whitebook to get a mba that will possibly develop a bad screen, cracked hinge, overheat etc.

Well if you are fine with the smaller drive I think both machines have their share of "potential" issues. With the whitebook there's always the potential of the cracks in the plastic that were prevalent in that model. With the Air there's always the risk of a cracked hinge in the future.

I haven't heard of an Air developing a bad screen though. The screen itself seems to stay the same over time. Overheating isn't really a problem with the rev B. Many rev B owners do not have heat issues. That was more a rev A thing, and with the latest software updates I don't think anybody gets core shutdowns any more.

 

[michael.lauden]

man i would love a MBA but i don't think i could ever sell my MacBook.

definitely post your ad up on cragslist. i can't tell you how many things (including my mac mini and iPhone) i have got from craigslist that i have never had a problem with!

if you get rid of your whitebook now you may be able to retain more value with a MBA rev B.


i don't think i would have a problem with having a smaller HDD. i have 40 gigs of music but that's what externals are for.

i figure if i'm out and about with my computer - i'll have my iPhone - which has all the music i listen to on it. and when i'm home i can connect to an airdisk.


i only have 67 gigs in use right now - so i figure loose 40 of them and that's only 27 - then lose Spore and that's 23... well in the frame of having a 64GB SSD.


if you could't tell... i've been thinking of getting a MBA

 

[Scottsdale]

I would stay away from the rev A MBA at all costs. Personally, it's just not worth the trouble. Yes, Cool Book helps, and yes the software has gotten better from my original MBA, but I just don't think with ALL of the problems that the rev A MBA is the right path.

Look to the xBench marks between the models. The rev A MBA with 1.8 GHz and SSD performs WORSE than a rev B MBA with 1.6 GHz and HDD.

I have a rev B MBA with 1.86 GHz and SSD. The thing is lightning fast. Boot ups and application opening and even opening large files is extremely fast. It makes my MBA feel much faster than my unibody MB or MBP.

It is perfect for portability. Yet it is powerful when working with a 24" ACD. It really meets my all around needs and wants of a Mac. It is light and beautiful.

The rev C could be a long wait. The rev B is so very good that there is no real reason for Apple to change right now... maybe a thin war with Adamo, but that is not a good thing. Apple does not have a new CPU to move to as the SL9600 which is the next same series chip is not out yet. The 256 GB SSD in 1.8" form is not available yet. There will be some waiting, although it has been 4.5 months. I would go with the rev B and be happy. Good luck.

No matter which rev B you go with, you are going to get a great computer. Get ready to be amazed. Go MBA!

 

[genmic]

I would love love love a MBA, (not that I need another notebook), and I think that with an SSD and the Rev B 9400M I wouldn't even notice much of a difference in speed. The only thing I could not live without is the glass-trackpad on the unibodies. I use the older trackpads and I feel like I'm rubbing a cat's tongue. Is that weird? I know I never minded the trackpad on my classic MBP, but once you go glass...

 

[steve31]

I would love love love a MBA, (not that I need another notebook), and I think that with an SSD and the Rev B 9400M I wouldn't even notice much of a difference in speed. The only thing I could not live without is the glass-trackpad on the unibodies. I use the older trackpads and I feel like I'm rubbing a cat's tongue. Is that weird? I know I never minded the trackpad on my classic MBP, but once you go glass...

Got to agree! After using the glass track pad I could not go back to a regular pad. This is one of the biggest reasons that I will keep my MB till MBA rev c is out.(or till Apple puts out a netbook)

 

[ayeying]

I miss my MBA. Even though it wasn't the speediest or the best in performance (core shutdown, never slowing down fan), it was still my favorite notebook of all time.

 

[Scottsdale]

Got to agree! After using the glass track pad I could not go back to a regular pad. This is one of the biggest reasons that I will keep my MB till MBA rev c is out.(or till Apple puts out a netbook)

I like the glass trackpad a lot too. I didn't like it when I first saw it, but after using it on a MB for several months, I got used to it. What really sucks is using an old MBP after having the large trackpad. Luckily, the MBA already has a big trackpad, but the rev C will definitely use the glass technology next which is slightly better, and I like the built in button design better than the MBA's button. But, I can live with the bigger non-glass trackpad much easier than trying to use the dinky trackpad on the older MBs and MBPs.

 

[reebzor]

Well if you are fine with the smaller drive I think both machines have their share of "potential" issues. With the whitebook there's always the potential of the cracks in the plastic that were prevalent in that model. With the Air there's always the risk of a cracked hinge in the future.

I haven't heard of an Air developing a bad screen though. The screen itself seems to stay the same over time. Overheating isn't really a problem with the rev B. Many rev B owners do not have heat issues. That was more a rev A thing, and with the latest software updates I don't think anybody gets core shutdowns any more.

Yea I just got my top case replaced last week because of the crack, so thats another sellers bonus because its brand new. Anyway, I'll see if I can find someone that will trade me a Rev B straight up for my macbook, Maybe I'd even throw in a couple bucks. Any takers?

p.s. rjdiedling: If you had a rev B I'd totally do it. I can sell my macbook for around $1200-$1300 on ebay and buy a refurbed rev A for $999, so I'd actually save some money.

 

[michael.lauden]

yeah the glass trackpad is SO much better than the older ones. i just don't like the texture of the trackpad - nor the actual polycarbonate tops.

very glad i went with aluminum. aaaaannnd i kinda have to say my iPhone 2G looks way better (IMO) than the 3G

 

[GreggM3]

I have a Black MB (I think specs are 2.2Ghz 4Gig of RAM 320Gig HD) and I also had a 1rst gen MBA. My MBA had a dying HD and when the parts failed to arrive at the Apple store as promised the manager replaced my machine with a new 2nd gen MBA!! I love it even more than my 1rt gen MBA. My MB is now basically a desktop at home that I use for storage and very rarely use. Of course I would love to find a perfect sync set up between the two but otherwise I use my MBA for everyday use. I have had zero problems with the new one.