A disappointing day for the MacBook Air. When will we see rev 3,1?

[gjw4u]

New MBA might be possible in the near future:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/820466/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/819069/

 

[Scottsdale]

how much more would the OLED push the price?

would anyone like to see a 15 inch version?

A lot of speculation about current OLED prices. None of those prices are close to what the cost will be to mass produce OLED displays for a Mac computer. Apple's prepaid agreement with LG will probably lead to OLED displays sometime in the not too distant future.

I believe a 15" MBA makes a lot of sense. So many of us don't want to carry a thick MBP and don't want optical drives. I was pretty sure that Apple was trying to incorporate no optical drives in the MBPs when it introduced the MBA. It makes a lot of sense especially for Apple trying to sell everything downloadable over the Internet. Also, USB thumb drives can replace the dead DVD/CD technology... not that DVDs are dead, but they're really pointless for computers when a USB device will do the same without any added weight to the computer.

However, lately the demand for BluRay may squash Apple's plans to remove optical drives from all Mac notebooks. I personally believe that the MBA makes so much sense; it's often used as an idea breeding ground for Apple's intentions.

At first, I didn't understand why Apple doesn't wanted to get rid of BTO MBAs and go with two standard configurations. But it makes a lot of sense when trying to lower the price to substantiate a product within a market. In these economic times, customization and higher pricing isn't going to payoff. I believe when the economy changes worldwide, we will see more high-end luxury MBAs. Until then, we will have to stick with a few standard models.

Anything is possible with Apple, but I really feel like Apple may stick with Penryn CPUs in MBAs for the next year. Look at the iMac for the strategy that Apple is using. I think Arrandale is over a year away for the MBA. Apple surely is conveying with the iMac that it wants to stick with the 9400m wherever it can, and that means PENRYN CPUS. To those that disagree, you may be right, but Arrandale doesn't make sense when the Penryn CPUs are very capable like the SL9600 at 2.13 GHz. Arrandale is a huge step backwards for the MBA as it will lead to worthless Intel integrated graphics.

For Apple to stick with the Nvidia GPU, it has to go with Penryn CPUs wherever needed. Arrandale in the MBA makes no sense. Arrandale may not even happen in the low end MBPs. The Penryn CPUs are fine chips. Apple's whole strategy was to develop one super GPU that it could use across lines, and the Nvidia 9400m has worked really well. I don't want to go 50% backwards with my GPU to go 15% forwards with a CPU... and that's a CPU with the same clock speeds which most Arrandale's won't match.

I would be really happy with...
2.13 GHz Penryn SL9600
Nvidia 9400m or successor
4 GB RAM
256 GB SSD
Glass trackpad

I wouldn't be happy with an Arrandale 3 GHz CPU if it meant Intel integrated graphics at half the performance of the current 9400m...

I expect the an MBA update whenever the MBPs get updated. Apple has to be innovative or at least compete against other ultraportables - most others have 4 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD or option to have either. I would be completely fine with same form factor, but I suspect we will see either a completely new form factor OR a significant change to a major component like an OLED display or multitouch keyboard. Don't factor in what an OLED costs now to make one, calculate Apple's strategy to use the MBA for testing new ideas and agreement its with LG.

 

[coast1ja]

I agree with Scottsdale on all points but one: the viability of a 15" MBA.

Yes, it would be cool to have lightweight 15" sans optical drive, but the size of the 15" would mean that it couldn't be as lightweight as the 13"... and since most of us love our MBAs for the portability, I would bet most of us would go for a 13" even if given the option of a comparably equipped 15".

As far as form-factor, I would bet on minimal changes... same basic design, but with a black screen surround, glass touchpad, and a new hinge design. Other than those minor changes, I doubt the form-factor will change much. It's still a beautiful and functional design compared to other ultra-portables.

 

[awesomedeluxe]

...

I would love a 15" Air. You are starting to see things like this come from other companies and I think it really has potential. A better-equipped Latitude Z, for instance, would be an amazing notebook. If you are right about OLEDs, you would likely see 15", since that's what LG developed most recently. I still think that's a bit of a longshot, though.

But I don't agree when you say Arrandale doesn't make sense for the MBA. The IGP on that thing is no olympic sprinter, but for the power consumption it gets a lot done. With Calpella you've got a 28.5W system, just under what the ION and LV Centrino 2 provide. Also, the clock speeds for the LV Arrandale are not lower. 2GHZ on the low end and 2.133GHz on the high end; it's higher on the low end and and the same on the high end, right?

To make the system work you need a discrete GPU, and there are some options there. Ideal is ATi's upcoming 5430, which would need to be undervolted and underclocked, sure, but could get under 10W tdp. The current 4530 under the same conditions would work. It's a tight fit in a 13", but that's what switching is for. But in a 15", like you're advocating; well there's more than enough room for something like that.

I don't think we'll see an Arrandale-based Air soon either, but more because the technology it needs is still a bit into the future (and again recent reports say that intel might be delaying the LV Arrandales) than anything else. The current solution with 4GB of RAM is almost 100% likely, but with that alone it's already outperforming everything in its class. I mean other ultraportables usually use ULVs and the intel 4500; it has nothing to compete with really. Maybe 256GB SDD, maybe a second USB port, but a redesign of any sort unnecessary.

 

[Ping Guo]

As far as form-factor, I would bet on minimal changes... same basic design, but with a black screen surround, glass touchpad, and a new hinge design. Other than those minor changes, I doubt the form-factor will change much. It's still a beautiful and functional design compared to other ultra-portables.

The MBA is the best looking laptop by far in Apple's current lineup, and adding glass, black borders, what have you, will just crap up the look like the current MBPs. In addition, the MBA's screen is superior to the 13" MBP, not the least for not being covered in a sheet of glass.

There was another thread about the antiglare 15" MBP, and the owner compared the weight to his former 15" glassy, and the antiglare weighed a half pound less! That's huge in a 5 lb laptop. Seeing how the glass contributes nothing to the design and functionality of the laptop, and is merely a highly reflective fashion statement, let's hope subsequent generations of the MBA continue to forgo this "feature".

Glass trackpad would be nice though.

 

[harperjones99]

I would love a 15" Air.

Had that been available I would have bought it instead of the 15 MBP.

 

[5630745]

Had that been available I would have bought it instead of the 15 MBP.

As hard as I try I just really can't see one though...

 

[fivepoint]

Update on Intel Arrondale:
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=8897609#post8897609

What does this mean for the Macbook Air?

 

[fyrefly]

Update on Intel Arrondale:
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=8897609#post8897609

What does this mean for the Macbook Air?

I'd say that ULV processors in the Arrandale lineup make sense for the air.

The Core i7-620UM/640UM.

That means a 2.13Ghz and a 2.26Ghz with Turbo Boost - but only 1.06Ghz and 1.2Ghz standard Clock speed. That'll be good for the Air, as it throttles down constantly.

Two problems:

1. 4MB of cache - The 2.13Ghz model at least right now has 6MB. That is a step down.

2. Intel Graphics - the i7 chips have the Graphics Controller built right into the processor. So while this will save battery life - stepping back into crappy Intel Graphics will be a HUGE step back for the air. :S

 

[applesupergeek]

Very disappointing indeed, and we have intel to thank for that.

Their ultramobile options are plain and simple just crap.

They have saddled everything with their pathetic igpu that adds heat to the tdp and not much performance. By definition air type designs can't opt for a discrete gpu because that would sky rocket the heat.

It seems that next rev. macbook air will have the novelty of actually taking a performance hit!!!

Why? Well it cant accommodate the 2.1 25w tdp cpus, so it will opt for the 1-1.2 18W ones with turbo boost to 2.1 but right now it already has a 2.1 ghz cpu with a lower thermal envelope and better graphics. Even if the architectural change brings about a (contested) 15% increase in same ghz comparisons, that will also happen in the turbo mode. Plus like an another forum member said, lower l2 cache. And of course above all the joke that are intel graphics.

And correct me if I am wrong but this version of westmere doesn't even have qpi, they still use the fsb.

I don't even know if the intel igpus are open cl specs capable, does any one know? Because they most probably are not, which means no advantage for snow leopard...

It's very sad for all of us in the market for an air after all that hype by the tec press about arrandale.

Some of us have been saying this for years, please apple, buy amd.

If it hadn't been for intel trying to pimp their inferior gpus we 'd have seen a great evolution of a new very low tdp cpu and possibly an nvidia gfx addition. I am very pissed with intel because for the next one and a half year or so we are saddled with their archaic graphics and no ultramobile will really be able to shine as it will have to pay power and performance tax to intel graphics. A truly shady marketing tactic by them.