Is the 128GB upgrade and 4GB RAM upgrade really "worth" it? I'm a student and live on a budget so trying to find the best bang for my buck!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Teardown of Apple's 11.6-Inch MacBook Air Underway
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Is the 128GB upgrade and 4GB RAM upgrade really "worth" it? I'm a student and live on a budget so trying to find the best bang for my buck!
TRIM is something that's implemented within the OS, not by the chip maker. Unless Apple has added TRIM support to OS X, it's still not here.
The M11x has a 64 Wh battery, the Air has a combined 34 Wh. The Air is 0.68" thick at it's thickest point, and that isn't where the batteries are. Meanwhile the M11x, is 1.29" thick. Who would have thought that having twice the thickness would lend itself to having a battery with twice the capacity.
The Air's battery life is great considering what it is working with.
i think 13" has powerful CPU than 11" MBA, we have to see the tear down of 13" MBA as well.
11" CPU - Ultra Low Voltage - good for battery life less performance
13" CPU - Low Voltage - good for performance and less battery life
all the four CPUs are good in power efficiency compared to Standard Voltage CPUs found in 13" MB/MBPs
If you're looking for beefy hardware, you're not who Apple is aiming these MBA's towards. So it makes sense you wouldn't be excited.
These are aimed at the moderate user who values low weight and very thin and needs something more than an ipad. That's who Apple is aiming at with these models.
worth noting the 256gb graphics memory is shared so on the 2gb models that makes it even less, got to be the 4gb model, does anyone know if its available in store or online only?
Absolutely not IMO! Unless your going to be storing lots of files on there or using demanding applications the stock system will be fine for casual web usage.
yes, among all the four models $1299 13" MBA is very good for what it is. IMHO
Why would you want an "A5" processor? It's would probably be an arm based architecture and it is substantially slower than any core 2 duo CPU. The arm is great for IOS devices but for a full blown OSX machine, it'd be too slow. And the nvidia graphics integrated GPU is significantly faster than the core i3/i5 integrated graphics. What you do lose in sticking the Core vs Nehalem is Turbo Boost (in i5 processors only) and a slight performance clock to clock withe the core microarchitecture.
Why anyone would pay high-end notebook prices for high-end netbooks is beyond me. You can buy an Acer Timeline series with better specs and for half the price. 
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-T...JJJY/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1287697206&sr=8-9
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-T...JJJY/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1287697206&sr=8-9
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Most impressive, but you are not a Jedi yet.
Sounds like the smart move for the budget-conscious is to order the 4GB of RAM with the stock 64GB SSD and hope for the third party/aftermarket to catch up. If this is even possible - the best I can envision is being able to buy a larger capacity SSD directly from Apple and/or eBay. But, folks like RunCore, NewerTech, and Other World Computing have pulled a few rabbits out of the hat over the years.
I didn't realize the backlit keyboard had gone away on this model, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, I don't really look at the keyboard when I'm typing, but it's very helpful for the once in a while when I do.
Wonder what Rev. 2 of the 11" will change or add? There seems to be some wiggle room with SSD size, battery capacity, and the backlit keyboard (which, given that the current rating is for 5 hours, would have probably seriously eaten in to this).
Definitely a good start for Apple's "netbook," but Rev 2 next year will likely be the refinement that this could use.
Sounds like the smart move for the budget-conscious is to order the 4GB of RAM with the stock 64GB SSD and hope for the third party/aftermarket to catch up. If this is even possible - the best I can envision is being able to buy a larger capacity SSD directly from Apple and/or eBay. But, folks like RunCore, NewerTech, and Other World Computing have pulled a few rabbits out of the hat over the years.
I didn't realize the backlit keyboard had gone away on this model, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, I don't really look at the keyboard when I'm typing, but it's very helpful for the once in a while when I do.
Wonder what Rev. 2 of the 11" will change or add? There seems to be some wiggle room with SSD size, battery capacity, and the backlit keyboard (which, given that the current rating is for 5 hours, would have probably seriously eaten in to this).
Definitely a good start for Apple's "netbook," but Rev 2 next year will likely be the refinement that this could use.
I wouldn't get too excited for anyone looking for a user replaceable SSD. It looks like this is a new form factor LIF module and not the normal kind at all. It's much thinner and the pin counts are off. You can't just take any LIF module and plug it in, it probably won't even fit.
Also the report earlier about TRIM support on the controller is nice, but who knows what kind of firmware Toshiba has put on it at the request of Apple. Plus OS X has no support for TRIM yet.
The SSD model THNSNC***GMDJ doesn't exist anywhere but the MBA. It seems like it is based on the same series of GMxx which could be HG3 series. That would bring it's speeds to 250MBps Read and 180MBps Write according to Toshiba's site.
The GMDJ part of the model number distinguishes the form factor, and as I mentioned it is unlike any other SSD we have seen before. The GMMJ form factor comes close but it's far too wide and doesn't match up with the slot at all.
It seems like if you want to replace the SSD you are left with having to buy from an Apple parts dealer unless this form factor becomes more common.
MacBook Air Module:
LIF module from a Dell Mini:
Also the report earlier about TRIM support on the controller is nice, but who knows what kind of firmware Toshiba has put on it at the request of Apple. Plus OS X has no support for TRIM yet.
The SSD model THNSNC***GMDJ doesn't exist anywhere but the MBA. It seems like it is based on the same series of GMxx which could be HG3 series. That would bring it's speeds to 250MBps Read and 180MBps Write according to Toshiba's site.
The GMDJ part of the model number distinguishes the form factor, and as I mentioned it is unlike any other SSD we have seen before. The GMMJ form factor comes close but it's far too wide and doesn't match up with the slot at all.
It seems like if you want to replace the SSD you are left with having to buy from an Apple parts dealer unless this form factor becomes more common.
MacBook Air Module:
LIF module from a Dell Mini:
You should definitely still upgrade to 4GB because it's not upgradable RAM. Anyone buying the 2GB RAM models is really shooting themselves in the foot.
Someone wants an A5 because they are blind to Apple marketing and don't know anything about processors at all. Welcome to consumer electronics.
i was not at all looking forward to the new MBA coming out, but this one is amazing, i don't understand why they didn't design the first one like this. Although i do feel that the 11 inch one should have a 256GB flash option and the fastest processor, i would love to buy the 11 inch one but also splash more money on the biggest hard drive, but that can only be on the 13 inch one. slightly disappointing. and RIP iSight camera, its now called FaceTime Camera
zzzzzz!
I don't know about anyone else, but there's something 'bout ifixit that I find really annoying. It's like taking a painting and telling you all the colors that were used. It's not really the point. And they do it with such a smug tone of 'the public's right to know'. All they are actually doing are helping rival manufacture's, and giving all the 'I want 8Gb of ram, or i wont buy it' brigade' something more to moan about.
I don't know about anyone else, but there's something 'bout ifixit that I find really annoying. It's like taking a painting and telling you all the colors that were used. It's not really the point. And they do it with such a smug tone of 'the public's right to know'. All they are actually doing are helping rival manufacture's, and giving all the 'I want 8Gb of ram, or i wont buy it' brigade' something more to moan about.