my old eyes are not what they used to be...so having a nice lite 15" air would be perfect for me.
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What's the Point of A 15" Ultrabook?
- Thread starter OS X Dude
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I think the concerns are more related to things like e.g. the hinge, which already is (or at least was in Rev.A through C) a weak point for the 13" MBA - a 15" screen/lid would put even more force on the hinge.
There also have been reports about the Air Unibody being/becoming warped, so the current internal design may be at it's limits with 13" already.
Thanks guys, you've helped me to somewhat see the point of them - but I realise they're not for me 
I find it amazing people want a thinner 15" than what's already out - I just looked and mine's the size of it's Ethernet port (less the thin-ass monitor). I guess some people really want portability, though.
I reckon they will release a 15" Air alongside the current Pro, just as they have with the 13" Air. After a few years, the Pro line will dissolve and there will just be the Air-style left. My 5p/2c
I find it amazing people want a thinner 15" than what's already out - I just looked and mine's the size of it's Ethernet port (less the thin-ass monitor). I guess some people really want portability, though.I reckon they will release a 15" Air alongside the current Pro, just as they have with the 13" Air. After a few years, the Pro line will dissolve and there will just be the Air-style left. My 5p/2c
Everything is a compromise. Some people want something that has a bigger screen than a 13" MBA, and something that is lighter than a 15" MBP. The MBP would have advantages that are important to some (they would be important to me) but not to others.
As long as Apple has a clear separation between the different lines, there is no reason why Apple couldn't add further models.
My last notebook was a 14 inch Toshiba so the screen size on the 13 inch MBA is plenty good enough for me but I can understand why some would like a 15 inch model. I'm wondering if they go bigger to accommodate a larger screen if they'll also add an extra port?
Mainly screen real estate, and I imagine a slightly larger case could allow for greater capacities in terms of memory and battery capacity, and probably better heat dissipation abilities as well. The current MBA is not able to replace my low end mid-2009 15" MBP due to the memory limitation. I am hopeful the next one can. I occasionally travel for business and have to carry both my personal laptop and the corporate laptop. I can't do much about the company laptop, but a lighter personal machine would be welcome.
The design of the hinge is a LOT stronger than previous version of the MacBook Pro (rev A) or the previous PowerBook lineup (Al or otherwise). Longer hinge = stronger with a lighter & thinner lid, no?
But I think you do pose some valid concerns. I still hope Apple can do this ... I love my Air but I'd feel a LOT more comfortable with Quad-Core cpu with more miserly consumption of power or more battery life with dedicated video card.
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Bigger screen than the 13" Air while thinner and lighter than the Pro. What's the mystery in that?
Bigger screen than the 13" Air while thinner and lighter than the Pro. What's the mystery in that?
Hi all
Firstly, this isn't a flame-bait question, I genuinely am wondering what is the point of a 15" ultrabook, as the 15" 'AirPro' Mac would be. I work in a studio as a session musician and producer whilst I also work through my university course (music and music technology), and currently have a 2011 i7 15" Pro, to give an idea of my computer needs.
Well, there's the thing: *Your* needs aren't others' needs.
It is if you're putting it in a briefcase with a bunch of (unfortunately) necessary paper.
Sure there is, if you want a 15" notebook that doesn't weigh upwards of 5lbs.
There's no power lost if the computer does everything you want; there's certainly a usability gain if weight is a concern.
Longer (lid/hinge) also means longer lever = higher force impact. A 15" lid would probably rather be heavier (and perhaps even thicker) than a 13" lid, so it's more weight plus bigger lever = even more force impact.
Since it's not the only thing I carry in my bag, for those times when I'm not using my fully maxed out 2011 MBP, I'll be the first to buy a 15" MBA if Apple decides to build one.
After all I've already got both the 11" & 13"'MBA's. They're terrific, why not complete the set ...
You seem to own quite a few computers.
15" is a very popular laptop size. If an Air is powerful enough for the purchaser, it could be very appealing. If I need one personally, I will buy one. I avoid buying things just because they're cool.
Things like ftp and file transfer sites have become much more common in the past few years. The time when it's common to send a disk if the data must accompany other things, so you're handing or mailing them a dvd to keep everything together. It's still superior in some ways to sending a thumb drive.
Yes it's true. Some are for my engineering work, some for domestic & international travel, and some just for my all purpose personal use. Years ago I could only afford one. Now that I have the means and desire for variety, having a selection of Laptops is quite nice.
Thinness on a 15" device is probably more unique for Windows computers. Windows PCs seem to be pretty fat and heavy most of the time. If the same power could be fit into a frame that would more easily be lifted and carried around the place, why not? The difference is pretty negligible with MacBooks though. All the current MacBooks are sleek and thin comparatively. My Air's mostly handy for the price point at which I got a SSD and high-res screen.
Id buy a 15" Air to go alongside my current various Airs in an instant. The 15" Pro while not "particularly heavy" can start to feel annoyingly heavy after lugging it around all day. My view is also skewed by the fact I spend a lot of time in airports and on planes. Airs are great as they take up very little space meaning I don't need to check bags most times, and even the 1440*900 display of the 13" model is sometimes not enough, especially if Im trying to get work done at 35000 ft.
i know apple wouldn't do it, but id rather the lid was a little boxier and have almost no bevel (think Ti powerbook) then the razor thin design they've been doing.
they could make the footprint just a little bit bigger then the 13 inch with a 15 inch screen.
they could make the footprint just a little bit bigger then the 13 inch with a 15 inch screen.
I have had a 15" MBP for about 3 years and it's use for me has changed. I used it for a lot of stuff early on and needed the power for encoding and such. Now my needs have changed an I welcome a low profile 15" air. More and more I am using it for remote access via Citrix products like XenDesktop and Gotomypc/gotomeeting. The local machine doesn't need to be extremely powerfull but higher resolution and screen space is much appreciated.
Samsung announced the 15" version of their Series 9 Air "competitors"
Samsung announced the 15" version of their Series 9 Air "competitors"
The problem is Apple won't just take the MBP form factor and drop the dedicated graphics card, optical drive, HDD and excessive amount of ports and fill it in with a huge internal battery with a SSD. Perhaps it's the whole "Pro" terminology which makes people think it HAS to have a dedicated graphics card and an optical drive with a ton of ports.
For whatever reason people have it in their heads that if you want a dedicated SSD without an optical drive, you must put it into an ultrabook esque form factor. Hence now it's a MBA form factor instead of a MBP form factor.
This is why people want a 15" MBA. Not because they actually want the form factor of the MBA, but they want what the MBA offers. Large battery life, no optical drive, integrated graphics, SSD standard, and only the inputs that really matter (Thunderbolt, 2x USB, SD card reader).
I have this long list of things i would want in a "perfect" notebook, and the 13" MBA checks all the boxes except for a 15" high rez screen. As long as they put a high quality (IPS preferably) 1080p or higher resolution matte finish screen in it, it will be the perfect notebook for me.
Just thinking about this myself.
First off the claim that the 15inch MBP isn't too thick or heavy...That depends on the person. For me I would never get a 15inch or larger MBP because it is too big. Even if it were priced lower than the 13inch Pro I wouldn't buy it and I think there is a significant portion of people who would agree (although obviously not everyone)
I work in a lab and am in the possibly odd position of my laptop being my only computer for both work and pleasure. I have to carry it back and forth to work everyday along with whatever other junk I need in my bag. I also need it to be decent enough to work with once I get to work (no external monitor...) to use all day for lots of spreadsheets, powerpoint and occasionally more demanding tasks.
I really like the 13inch MBA but spec wise I know it will be a bit of a downgrade from my current 13inch MBP. I'm hoping if Apple releases a 15inch MBA that it would have:
a) more ports - even one more usb port would help because I'll need the computer plugged into ethernet all the time i'm at work.
b) more ram options - I have 6gb right now and I'm not going backwards on this. I don't care what anyone says. In my experience OSX eats ram and I wouldn't want less than 6gb
c) larger storage options - 256gb would probably be fine but I do like being able to have atleast one extra partition on my internal drive for testing new OSes, etc.
My estimate is that a 15inch MBA would be around 4lbs (hopefully) so still more portable than my current machine (which would be nice) but not so much of a compromise. I'm also curious to see what working on a bigger screen would be like...
I am a bit concerned that a computer that thin with that much surface area wouldn't be as sturdy a computer...will have to test it out if Apple ever releases the thing.
First off the claim that the 15inch MBP isn't too thick or heavy...That depends on the person. For me I would never get a 15inch or larger MBP because it is too big. Even if it were priced lower than the 13inch Pro I wouldn't buy it and I think there is a significant portion of people who would agree (although obviously not everyone)
I work in a lab and am in the possibly odd position of my laptop being my only computer for both work and pleasure. I have to carry it back and forth to work everyday along with whatever other junk I need in my bag. I also need it to be decent enough to work with once I get to work (no external monitor...) to use all day for lots of spreadsheets, powerpoint and occasionally more demanding tasks.
I really like the 13inch MBA but spec wise I know it will be a bit of a downgrade from my current 13inch MBP. I'm hoping if Apple releases a 15inch MBA that it would have:
a) more ports - even one more usb port would help because I'll need the computer plugged into ethernet all the time i'm at work.
b) more ram options - I have 6gb right now and I'm not going backwards on this. I don't care what anyone says. In my experience OSX eats ram and I wouldn't want less than 6gb
c) larger storage options - 256gb would probably be fine but I do like being able to have atleast one extra partition on my internal drive for testing new OSes, etc.
My estimate is that a 15inch MBA would be around 4lbs (hopefully) so still more portable than my current machine (which would be nice) but not so much of a compromise. I'm also curious to see what working on a bigger screen would be like...
I am a bit concerned that a computer that thin with that much surface area wouldn't be as sturdy a computer...will have to test it out if Apple ever releases the thing.
man I can't see myself with anything bigger than a 13" now that I picked up this air. I used to have 2 15" pro's and they were awesome. I realized I never lugged them around often because of the size. With this air I am taking it wherever I'd like even though I am still using the same incase case I used with my 13" mbp.
I think mainly someone would want a 15" ultra book for the screen real-estate, most likely a photographer who needs editing on the go with a nice screen.
I think mainly someone would want a 15" ultra book for the screen real-estate, most likely a photographer who needs editing on the go with a nice screen.
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It's lighter and has a bigger screen.
It's lighter and has a bigger screen.
I agree with the OP: I dont see the point of a 15" MBA. I mean, MBAs are all about top mobility, right? however, a 15" laptop is already too large to carry around and requires a sizable bag so... where's the top mobility there?
Regardless of how thin/light it is, the sheer width X length size defeats its mobility purpose, which is the whole point behind the MBA product range.
It's like Ferrari releasing their new 4x4 off-road car... was that really necessary?!?!
Regardless of how thin/light it is, the sheer width X length size defeats its mobility purpose, which is the whole point behind the MBA product range.
It's like Ferrari releasing their new 4x4 off-road car... was that really necessary?!?!
It's not a Ferrari, but...http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/cayenne/cayenne-turbo/
Different strokes...