Macbook Air Update

[misterN]

The Macbook Air Line was updated again yesterday with the OSX Lion announcement. I know from prior reading that there are several users on here who have been using an MBA as well as a good crowd of Mac Fans out there as well.

What's got me really excited is that some of the early numbers are showing the new MBA as a significant workhorse computer. New MBA rivaling 2010 MBP

I was very close to pulling the trigger on the MBA back in March--now with the Sandy Bridge updates--I'm having a feeling that my Tom Bihn spending cash might be flowing somewhere else new! >.< (Good and a bad thing, I guess.)


Anyways, to any current MBA owners--feel free to post your comments on your machine!

[AVService]

I held off ordering one last night to try to make sure I want to stay with the 11" and not upsize to the 13".
I am typing this on an 11" now and the new one has a few features that make it compelling enough to me to upgrade I think.
Speed of course but at the expense of some battery life is one.
The Backlight on the KB is huge for me and on its own almost enough reason and the new Thunderbolt architecture.....I just like saying it for one!

I also need an RJ45 network connection and I am not sure yet if an adapter will provide the speed I need.

I need to do a little homework before deciding but there is certainly an Air in my inventory now and will be in the future.

I also need to get rid of a few Macs but that has never stopped me before!

Ed

[misterN]

I held off ordering one last night to try to make sure I want to stay with the 11" and not upsize to the 13".

That is another thing I need to figure out. I have a 13" White Macbook that I've had since the Spring '08. I'm not certain if I want to stay at the 13 inch size or go down to the 11 inch. I feel like the 11 inch will give me a better ultra-portable experience. The only thing I wish with it was that it had the battery life that the 13" has. There's a big difference in my book between 5 hours and 7+ hours.

I might wait until they make their way into the Best Buy stores just so I have 18 months to pay it off.

[AVService]

The battery life is a big factor for me too.
On the other hand carrying this 11" is an amazing experience. I brought it and an iPad this trip and together they feel lighter than my 13" MBP.
Last year I did the same trip I am on now and carried the original 13" Air and this one is so much better in every way it is unbelievable.
I can't figure out why no other company can duplicate the Trackpad on a Mac?
This is the single best feature that makes them more usable for me.

I recently bought the new 13"MBP as I sell an automation system that is Mac based and programs with a Mac. The more power the better and the it faster runs while programming and now the Air's are powerful enough to not sacrifice too much as a primary computer.

The question for me is whether the 11" screen is really enough to do the layout design I need or will it drive me crazy trying. It would be a short drive!
If so and if the wired Network adapter is up to the task then I will likely stay with the 11".
You really have to use one to appreciate it.

Also I have actually been to/through Beaver Dam!
Hard to believe but true? I was on my way to Mayfield I think and went thru both ways.
Small world.

Ed

Its always a question of trade-offs isn't it?

[misterN]

Mayville.

Yea the trade-offs are always the problem. This summer I have actually stopped carrying my Macbook. My bag of choice (and only bag) is my Super Ego, and I like to keep my Nikon D3100 and spare 55-200mm lens with me--never know when you're going to have an opportunity to take a good picture. So I've been going with just taking the iPad with me to work (I work in the schools and run an online program and assist with students during summer school.) Part of the reason why I really like the 11.6" is the fact that I should be able to bring all of that with me if I had that.

For now, I guess I'm going to wait until I can see some more benchmarks coming out on the MBA's. Part of me is thinking that if I do an 11" option that I'll upgrade the processor to the 1.8 i7 and max the SSD at 256. It'll cost a bit more--but any way I purchase a new computer is going to have to be paid for over time--I simply don't have cash laying around for it

[AVService]

Ah Mayville,Thats it. I did get lost on the way there and had trailer problems on the way back.

You don't say if you really need the power of the new Air to get the job done?
The other great thing about the new models is how affordable they may make the older model?
I have been able to buy on that side of the curve before and sometimes you can come out way ahead and still have a new machine that works fine.

Until you have tried the last one with the SSD it is tough to appreciate the speed of the drive and how it came choke the system overall.
Maybe last weeks model will work for you especially for a great price?
Just another option.
The one I have will still have 9 months of warranty for example and is blazing fast compared to the original Air.
They should start showing up on the used market for 1/2 or less than the new ones and in the Apple refurb store discounted too.

[misterN]

Back in March I was looking at getting a refurbed one with a friends Apple Store discount.

If I do pull the trigger, I think I'd rather have one of the new ones--two reasons: 1 - It should last me quite some time. I've gotten 3-4 years out of my old Macbook. Secondly, if I need to or want to--having the newer model will lend itself to resale on ebay.

My main PC I have here at home is running off of an SSD and I do like the snappy response I get.

[rabergnc]

I have had a Macbook Air 11" pretty much since it was introduced. I have not regretted the move from a 13in Macbook Pro for a second. It was faster for what I do, much lighter and battery life has been good (ranging from 5-7 hours depending on what I am doing. IT stays much cooler even under a heavy processing load and the only time I have hear the fans come on is if I am doing a time machine and hard drive back up simultaneously (both are automatic processes and the timing sometimes works out such that both occur at the same time.) I find that I rarely miss the backlit keyboard that was on the MB Pro -although it would be a nice feature to have on a plane at night. With the new MB Airs, the only thing that has some appeal to me would be the large SSD but I have managed quite nicely with the 128GB one I have on my machine. I do not miss the screen real estate I gave up moving to an 11 inch screen. I have no qualms about recommending an Air to anyone - (unless you are a hard core gamer - then you will be disappointed).