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Would you use a Macbook Air as your only computer?

Would you use a Macbook Air as your ONLY computer?

  • Yes

    Votes: 89 24.7%

  • No

    Votes: 236 65.4%

  • Unsure

    Votes: 36 10.0%
  • Total voters
    361
H

heatmiser

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Dec 6, 2007
2,431
0
One of the huge draws of the 12" Powerbook (and actually, the iBook, the current Macbook, and the Macbook Pro) was its ability to be used as a single computer--as an all-in-one package. No desktop, no second laptop, nothing but the one.

So, would you use the Macbook Air as your only, solo, 24/7 computer if you had the chance?

I ask because I've seen a lot of posts by people heralding the Macbook Air as a worthy heir to the 12" Powerbook of yore. I'd like to see how the prospect of using it as a solitary machine would change opinions, if at all.
 
The macbook air is made to be among a network of computers. It is designed to be completely wireless within a wireless network of computers. The first obvious draw back is that it does not have its own optical drive. In this present day, cds, dvds etc. are still popular so if you have Air you will need another computer's hard drive.
I think it is a bit ahead of its time.
 
If someone can use their iBook's as their only computers, I'm sure some can use the MBA as their only ones too.
 
Well, I do plan on getting the SSD Macbook Air but I do have a 24" iMac which would be my main computer but if I had no computer I would still get the Air as my only computer. Why? There's no real reason why I wouldn't. I could get the external optical drive and use it at home. I used to have an Apple Powerbook 17" which I kept for 4 years and not once did I ever need to use the optical drive away from home.
My music has always been digital since the inception of iTunes so everything I did on my Powerbook was totally independent of an optical drive so I wouldn't worry about taking it out of the house without a drive.
Thanks to EyeTV I can even watch my recorded shows on the Air via Safari at anyplace with wireless internet. If anyone is honest with themselves they will realize they don't use the optical drive very much.
 
I wouldn't use it as my only computer, just because it doesn't have any optical drive, so I would have to read discs somethings, unless I had an external optical drive. I feel as though the Macbook Air's specs aren't that great, but it is a 1st gen, and it is SUPER thin.
 
not powerful enough to be a primary computer unless you just do internet listent ot music and small stuff

so i have a mac pro to do my heavy stuff like photoshop and 3d and games

however perfect for a nice portable 2nd computer
i can't wait for mine hehe
 
JacobC said:
I wouldn't use it as my only computer, just because it doesn't have any optical drive, so I would have to read discs somethings, unless I had an external optical drive. I feel as though the Macbook Air's specs aren't that great, but it is a 1st gen, and it is SUPER thin.
Click to expand...

I use a ibook 12inch G4 as my main computer at home. Before that I had a Dell laptop, before that I had one of the really old mac laptops (albeit plugged into external keyboard and monitor).

It has a full sized screen, full sized keyboard, 2 megs of ram and a core 2 duo processor. What more could I need? Want a drive, just make sure to have an external one on your desk or nearby.
 
I would get a MacBook Air and use that as my only computer, but the problem is I need to be able to render things in 3D. That is the only thing holding me back from getting one and switching that to my main machine.
 
In a few years it might me more feasible to use something like the Air as one's only computer, provided of course that in those few years the storage capacity increases, among other things.
 
Not yet.

I agree with those that say the Air is ahead of its time. The world isn't quite ready to be rid of the optical drive and go all wireless, but we'll be going there soon. Or at least a lot closer.

I never use my optical drive away from home, so I really wouldn't have too much trouble using it as my only computer. Honestly, if money weren't important, I'd have a Mac Pro for the heavy stuff and an Air for day-to-day and on-the-go, but when I think about it, I really could get away with the Air being my main pretty easily. All I'd need is an external HD and Superdrive at home, or a .mac account for easy access to my online files. I don't use any accessories away from home like many around here seem to do, so I wouldn't be lugging anything around.

In my opinion, the MacBook Air will be much, much more viable as a main computer in its 2nd and 3rd gen incarnations. It's not so viable now, but I could get by with it as my main pretty easily, I think.
 
If I could only have one computer, this would not be the computer.

I'm eagerly awaiting the MBA I ordered. But that's because it will be my travel computer, and I have a desktop computer already.

If I could only have one that was to satisfy both roles, it would have to be an MBP.

But, on the other hand, having an MP and an MBP like I do now makes less sense for me than an MP + MBA.

For me, the way I work the MP + MBA combo is the best of everything right now.
 
the air is more powerful than a powerbook or ibook and you can get an external dvd drive and a usb hub to solve the 1 port issue.

but

it is clearly not designed to be a primary machine. It could be of course, but the macbook has more power for cheaper...so obviously a better choice if you need it for a primary machine.
 
Yep! It'll be my only machine! I like to keep things simple with a single ultraportable, as I have done for several years.
 
Why not? You can connect an optical drive and add extra USB ports at your desk, then disconnect everything (through one port if you're using a hub) and enjoy the awesome form factor on the go :D

This is the future of mainstream portable computing.
 
Can't wait till the reviews of the SSD Air come out. I wouldn't be surprised if the 1.8 SSD either matched or exceeded raw speed of the 2.4Ghz MBP. This is not including apps like Final Cut Pro because it won't run well on the Air but I am talking about encoding and multitasking.
 
HLdan said:
Can't wait till the reviews of the SSD Air come out. I wouldn't be surprised if the 1.8 SSD either matched or exceeded raw speed of the 2.4Ghz MBP. This is not including apps like Final Cut Pro because it won't run well on the Air but I am talking about encoding and multitasking.
Click to expand...

I don't know about benchmarks, but I was playing around with a Sony yesterday with SSD, and for what I use a travel computer for, the thing just flies. That was compared to the non-SSD next to it. Open apps, reading resources like menus and such, search for files, flipping through documents. Things that involve lots of random small reads.

But then again, my job doesn't involve running benchmarks all day, so my computing might be different than some other's. :)
 
MBA as a replacement of the 12" PB:eek::eek: Hell no. Today I revived mine and trust me there is no fill for the gap the 12" PB left. 1st it belonged to the "pro" machines lineup (independent graphics card, better specs) 2nd it was really a small computer, no matter how thin the MBA air is still has the same footprint as my MB; more than my PB. The MBA is there for the person that has his Mac/PC workstation and really needs portability and lightweight. For example my cousin has his very nice G5 and is looking for something to use in high-school, he didn't want a MBP since it was overkill and the MB doesn't have a backlit keyboard (great for low light classrooms) so he's about to buy the MBA. It is not meant to be a main computer, especially since it lacks hdd space and ports; its a mobile companion, a very light and beatiful mobile companion:p. Just my thoughts.

-Victor
 
It is clearly designed to be a companion but it can be used alone if the person doesn't have much music, pictures, or video and only relies on USB.
 
I think it's too early for me to make that assessment. I can definitely see the benefits, however. I kind of like the idea that the MBA is its own machine with its limited storage and yet, at the same time, has unlimited storage by any and all of your friends who have hard drives shared on a wireless network. Of course, when home, you also have more space by having a full-sized hard drive for regular storage of stuff.
 
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