1.4 4GB or 1.6 4GB. Any info from users appreciated.

[KPOM]

Please save me from that 64GB storage story. If you buying a laptop and if you have any serious intent to use it, anyone would know that 64GB storage is a joke. How much space will it be left after Snow leopard has been installed, hmmmm?

People complain the storage on 64GB iPad is too small.

If you are worried about 200-300 dollars, then perhaps, this laptop is too much for the OP, period. Go buy yourself a refurbished unit.

Re-read the original post. The OP said about 80GB of a 128GB drive would be unused. Just because you need it doesn't mean everyone does. If you aren't storing much media or setting up a Boot Camp partition then 64GB might well be enough. I just took a look at my own Mac partition. I'm using 66GB, of which 16GB are for iTunes media, and 10GB are for pictures. Thus, I can certainly see how 60GB might be "enough" for someone. Also, it's possible to supplement with external storage later, or even install a bigger SSD later (third party solutions already exist).

IOW, why spend $1400 if an $1100 notebook will suit your needs?

 

[2IS]

IOW, why spend $1400 if an $1100 notebook will suit your needs?

The question is how long will it suit your needs? Are you going to spend 1100 now and another 1100 a year later or are you going to spend $1400 and extend the useful life of the unit atleast antoher year if not two?

I can EASILY see how the 64gb storage will be your very first bottlneck, well before you need more memory or more processing power.

 

[blow45]

yeah but storage is easily upgradable whilst memory isn't, and 2gb of memory is serious bottleneck in any modern system, not even comparable with cpu speeds. In a couple of years the cpu's will be much better, but still the c2d will hold out pretty well IF it does have 4gbs of ram.

 

[macproguy77]

The faster CPU would result in more battery life if both of them are based on same architecture. While in idle state, the 1.4GHz and 1.6GHz CULV have the same power consumption. But if computer deals with heavy task, faster CPU would finish the task and go back to idle state more quickly, hence consumes less power

Not true. Read the article. The 1.4 got a little better battery life.

 

[blow45]

Not true. Read the article. The 1.4 got a little better battery life.

yeah well, it's not like it's a large sample test (and all that jazz), it's just two airs compared, that could be coincidental and attributed to other factors, I don't buy it, if they want to make a proper test how bout at least comparing 10 airs with one configuration and 10 airs with the other (at least)... A 6% reduction overall in battery life can easily be attributed to any chance manufacturing (battery) or configuration (os) factor...

 

[macproguy77]

Well the difference in battery is tiny anyway

And I'm happy with my 920.00 base model with 2 gig of ram. I'll give it less than 2 years before I have that bad boy on eBay anyway to help fund the purchase of apples next new invention. .

 

[firewood]

...and 2gb of memory is serious bottleneck in any modern system, ...

I have a 4gb model, and the Activity Monitor tool rarely shows it using more than 2gb, even with multiple apps, iOS developer tools, and web sites open, except when running a VM (for which is what I mainly use the extra 2gb).

Snow Leopard actually seems to use less memory than some older versions of Mac OS X.

 

[2IS]

yeah well, it's not like it's a large sample test (and all that jazz), it's just two airs compared, that could be coincidental and attributed to other factors, I don't buy it, if they want to make a proper test how bout at least comparing 10 airs with one configuration and 10 airs with the other (at least)... A 6% reduction overall in battery life can easily be attributed to any chance manufacturing (battery) or configuration (os) factor...

Regardless of the reason, it shows that what he said about the different processors is simply not accurate.

 

[MRU]

64gb in an air is enough space for me

As I say I have an octo 2.8 12gb ram and 4x1.5TB of storage for work.

Also have a 64gb iPad 3G
160 GB iPod classic and a
32gb iPhone 4
AppleTV 2

Audio & Video will not be stored on this device. Snow Leopard uses 5-6Gb after a clean install and removing foreign languages and printer drivers. Add possibly 10-15gb more applications and I'm still barely using 1/2 storage.

So forget debating storage requirements


As for refurb or new the prices and models I quoted were refurbished prices (i always tend to go refur bought two 27" imac core i7's last year that way too) hence I can not alter the config of those devices further.

 

[PinkiPalermo]

Bottleneck

Personally I reckon that 1,4 Ghz should be enough for most tasks. The CPU rarely is the bottleneck. I believe an additional 2 GB of RAM is an absolute must when buying a MBA.

 

[MRU]

Oh well it's all now mute, as the 1.4 4GB has gone from the Refurb store.


Will wait a week and see if it re-appears. If it does not then I will go for the 1.6 as I want 4GB regardless.

Thanks for your feedback on this thread. MRU!

 

[rrl]

The MacBook air will do some work but not really a work horse

No? I own a Macmini2,1 (1.83 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB hard drive, Intel GMA 950) and it was my main computer for years. I made it do unspeakable things, but it just laughed and spun beach balls when I was being unreasonable. My MBA (1.6 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 320M) can expect no less.

My Apple products are tougher than they are pretty. And that's saying something. Same goes for horses.

 

[2IS]

No? I own a Macmini2,1 (1.83 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB hard drive, Intel GMA 950) and it was my main computer for years. I made it do unspeakable things, but it just laughed and spun beach balls when I was being unreasonable. My MBA (1.6 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 320M) can expect no less.

My Apple products are tougher than they are pretty. And that's saying something. Same goes for horses.

"unspeakable" things means different things to different people. I run apps on my desktop which would run like crap if at all on my MBA. If the MBA is your main computer and it does EVERYTHING you ask it to do and does it well, what you're doing is quite simply not all that demanding. The MBA is a great laptop but lets not pretend its some sort of powerhouse of a computer.

 

[huffboy]

I don't think a 1.6 will make a MBA last for more years. If a 1.4 can't handle the task, chances are the 1.6 won't be able to do so too.

 

[Acorn]

I have a nasty itch to buy the 11 inch base model. i will be using it to type code. im not rewriting OSX or anything so i know it will be fine. I prefer to work on a smaller screen. helps keep the functions smaller

but yea the 1.4 seems fine.

 

[negatv1]

Interesting to note that even the base model 11.6 benchmarks(geekbench) pretty close to that of the first/second generation Intel Macbooks. benchmarks @everymac

Kind of crazy to think about something as wafer thin as these machines are, outperforming all but the most powerful (and power hungry) Power Mac G5's that I'm sure are still being used out there.

 

[Acronyc]

I had a similar concern when I first got my Air, but ended up going with the 1.4/4GB RAM/128GB SSD model. A few days after I ordered, I started to regret not getting the 1.6 CPU, so I called up to see if I could change it. The Apple Japan store told me they’d have to cancel my order and I’d have to go through the entire process again. I had a three week trip abroad coming up less than a week later, and there was no way I would get my Air before I left if I canceled and reordered. I needed it for my trip, so I stuck with the 1.4, and my Air arrived the night before I left.

After using it for two months now, I have no regrets with sticking with the 1.4 as it has worked perfectly fine for all of my needs. It’s a secondary computer for me, but it’s been working so well I’ve found its almost becoming my main computer. My typical usage includes internet, email, a lot of writing, a bit of coding, iTunes and a little gaming (Starcarft II and PoP lately). It’s worked perfectly for me in all of these scenarios and I think the 1.6 processor would only give me a marginal – if even noticeable – increase in performance.

Anyway, this is just my perspective and I realize I’m not a heavy user, but for average use the 1.4 has been fine. All of the comparisons I’ve seen put the 1.4/2GB against the 1.6/4GB, which is a little unfair, I think, and it’d be nice to see some tests comparing a 1.4/4GB and a 1.6/4GB to better gauge the performance boost the extra 200mhz provides.

 

[hcho3]

Re-read the original post. The OP said about 80GB of a 128GB drive would be unused. Just because you need it doesn't mean everyone does. If you aren't storing much media or setting up a Boot Camp partition then 64GB might well be enough. I just took a look at my own Mac partition. I'm using 66GB, of which 16GB are for iTunes media, and 10GB are for pictures. Thus, I can certainly see how 60GB might be "enough" for someone. Also, it's possible to supplement with external storage later, or even install a bigger SSD later (third party solutions already exist).

IOW, why spend $1400 if an $1100 notebook will suit your needs?

How about you re-read? I only expressed my opinion about my impression on 64GB storage and 128GB storage. 64GB storage is a joke on any netbook or laptop, period. I never said I need it nor I have tried to force it on OP. Expressing one's idea on forum is not against any policy. You are however offending me by saying re-read. Because I have clearly read it.

 

[KPOM]

How about you re-read? I only expressed my opinion about my impression on 64GB storage and 128GB storage. 64GB storage is a joke on any netbook or laptop, period.

How is it a joke? Are you not a "real" computer user if you don't have more than 64GB on your hard drive?

 

[Mr. Savage]

64GB storage is a joke on any netbook or laptop, period. .

How is it a joke? Are you not a "real" computer user if you don't have more than 64GB on your hard drive?

No, he's right KPOM. I remember shortly after the new MBAs were released I went to my local Starbucks and as soon as I walked in I noticed a group of people standing huddled around a table. A guy had just picked up an 11 inch and everyone was marvelling over it. They were all like: "Look how skinny it is. Fast too! What an amazing computer—I want one!"

I assumed I was a tad more savvy about this particular machine than most of the onlookers so I requested of the owner that he open up System Profiler which he did, a little reluctantly it seemed to me.

I immediately pointed out the 64 GB SSD to the gathering and almost in unison they gasped and then burst out laughing and pointing at the tiny little thing.

"What am I supposed to do with that?" one of the girls roared.

"Geez, that's pretty small, Mister," giggled another. "My boyfriend's is, like, twice the size!"

Another, more sympathetic, girl chimed in: "Awww, guys, stop... I think it's kinda cute."

But there was simply no stopping the ridicule being heaped on the poor man with the tiny little harddrive. His face glowed bright red and he almost looked about to cry. A shameful incident from which he may very well never recover had just occurred. He quickly slammed the lid closed in an attempt to hide his humiliating little secret. But it was too late and he knew it. He got up, and without making eye contact with anyone, slinked away. "I gotta go." was all he said and no-one has seen him since.

Perhaps related, perhaps not, sales of the base 11 inch MBA with the 64 GB SSD have been steadily declining at local retailers and show no signs of recovering any time soon.


No, in all seriousness stating that 64 GB is a "joke. period." without taking into consideration the owner's usage/needs is a patently absurd statement. Especially when the OP already expressed that it is enough for him and not a concern. I won't even get into the earlier posts where the poster quoted above (not KPOM, who is consistently among the most helpful and knowledgeable members of this forum) accuses the OP of simply being "cheap". Aye yi yi.

 

[2IS]

No, he's right KPOM. I remember shortly after the new MBAs were released I went to my local Starbucks and as soon as I walked in I noticed a group of people standing huddled around a table. A guy had just picked up an 11 inch and everyone was marvelling over it. They were all like: "Look how skinny it is. Fast too! What an amazing computer—I want one!"

I assumed I was a tad more savvy about this particular machine than most of the onlookers so I requested of the owner that he open up System Profiler which he did, a little reluctantly it seemed to me.

I immediately pointed out the 64 GB SSD to the gathering and almost in unison they gasped and then burst out laughing and pointing at the tiny little thing.

"What am I supposed to do with that?" one of the girls roared.

"Geez, that's pretty small, Mister," giggled another. "My boyfriend's is, like, twice the size!"

Another, more sympathetic, girl chimed in: "Awww, guys, stop... I think it's kinda cute."

So you were hanging out with a group of geeks is the only thing I got out of this.

Though I do agree 64gb is small, but that's for my usage.

 

[SammySlim]

FWIW, I run Ubuntu 10.10 in a VM just fine with 2 GB on my 1.4/128 MBA. And having said that, I think that if future-proofing is your concern, 4 GB is the way to go rather than 1.6 vs. 1.4. I plan to use mine for about 2 years and then give it to one of my kids or resell it later. That's also one reason I went cheaper - less invested up front.

Cheers

 

[hcho3]

How is it a joke? Are you not a "real" computer user if you don't have more than 64GB on your hard drive?

Again. U are not op. I expressed my opinion, and u may express IRS, but don't words in my mouth. 64 is small period.

 

[MikePA]

Again. U are not op. I expressed my opinion, and u may express IRS, but don't words in my mouth. 64 is small period.

Alert! Alert! Alert! Amazing discovery. Macbook Airs trade 'hard drive' space for device size and power consumption. Also reported, there is no free lunch. Details at 11:00.

 

[2IS]

Alert! Alert! Alert! Amazing discovery. Macbook Airs trade 'hard drive' space for device size and power consumption. Also reported, there is no free lunch. Details at 11:00.

I guess you forgot there is a 128GB option which is the point of this discussion.