Sorry Scottsdale, but my rev A has been problem free since day one (knock on wood) and it's still very zippy for my grad school needs, the SSD is lighting fast. I really don't know why you bash rev A
I am glad YOU are happy with your rev A MBA. The truth is MOST who bought the original MBA were extremely disappointed. You can look all over the threads here and figure out why. Sure, Cool Book and software fixes have helped those who bought the refurbished model.
Obviously Apple had a terrible time with the original MBA. The truth is it had to cost Apple a fortune. Sure, die hard fans like those here actually gave Apple another chance with the rev B MBA, but I an imagine Apple has lost many customers because of the original MBA.
The original MBA was marketed as an ultra portable MAC. The problem is MOST people expect their Macs to do certain tasks WITHOUT overheating, experiencing core shut down, and finally locking up completely. The rev B MBA is what the original MBA was supposed to be.
If you don't believe that MOST had problems with the original MBA, then do a Google search. It is well documented and the problems were widespread. Let the component changes speak for themselves with the new MBA.
If Apple had done anything right with the original MBA, it was the form factor... but they sold an ultra portable as a full fledged Mac without disclosing that it was really to be used as a Mac LIGHT.
65 NM CPU >>> 45 NM Penryn CPU, Low Voltage, 17W, SSF
Intel Graphics >>> Nvidia GPU w/Mini Display Port capable of driving a 30" ACD
PATA Drive Technology & Controller >>> SATA-II
And that is just a start. The problem was the original MBA's CPU with the Intel graphics was problematic as it OVERHEATED often doing normal tasks like watching video. In addition, video was choppy because of the PATA drive controller, which is a constraint even for the SSD. The list goes on and on.
For those that are happy with their ORIGINAL MBA, GREAT. More power to you. But
the NORM was NOT happiness. The
NORM was overheating, choppy video playback, core shutdown, and complete lock up of MBA. That is NOT fun when people were spending $1799 to $3099 for a MAC that was sold to them as a FULLY CAPABLE Mac. It was NOT fully capable, and the stigma that was put on the MBA was it is good as a secondary computer... it is good for BASIC tasks... it is not meant for intensive use.
The problem is it was sold as an ultra portable LUXURY Mac that performs like a Mac should but is in this wonderful ultra portable, ultra thin, super light, and innovative form factor! The problem is that many spent a fortune for a severely limited Mac and NOT the usual Mac. It was sad that Apple did that to its customers.
Apple got it really quick. It did a complete overhaul with the rev B MBA. The rev B is a luxury item. It performs like a Mac should! It does everything a MacBook can do only faster. It is super lightweight and super fast with SSD.
Sure it's a hefty price tag, but people are paying for the luxury of ultra portable but yet still fully capable Mac. Now in ultra portable form, sure it doesn't have all of the same ports, but in the rev B people can expect to use it just like any other Mac WITHOUT core shutdown, choppy video playback, massive overheating, and complete lockup.
So, the
original MBA was good for SOME... but the
revised MBA is great for MANY. That is just the truth. There is subjectivity in anyone's opinion of anything. HOWEVER, the original MBA was PROBLEMATIC from DAY ONE! It had a CPU and graphics chip that overheated together. It was too much energy being used in inefficient components that could NOT perform like the components used in the new MBA.
For those that were happy with their original MBA's, GREAT. More power to you. For those who are happy with their refurbished MBA's, GREAT. The refurbished buyers are using Cool Book in huge numbers to make their MBA's usable, and of course the software changes have helped the original MBA. For MOST original MBA buyers, WE got a poor value for our severely limited Macs. The original MBA should have NEVER been sold when it was. Apple should have figured out that people expect more from a Mac.
But for anyone that thinks I am wrong for bashing the original MBA, look at it from MOST people's perspective. A large number of people paid an enormous amount of money for a Mac that could NOT perform. It took a lot of reading, and using several rev B MBAs for me to understand that Apple had really learned its lesson.
Perhaps the BEST way to prove that the original MBA was, IN LARGE PART, a failure, is the revised MBA. Other than the external form factor, it is a COMPLETELY different Mac internally.
Don't believe me, look at the xBench marks. Sure technology improves over time, but the original MBA was a failure for most. SURE, some people could make it work for them. Some people do not use their MBA's heavily or expect them to do much. For a light user, the original MBA, ESPECIALLY the refurbished MBA, was acceptable. For the low low price of the refurbished MBA, and given the reworks, fixes, rewrites, COOL BOOK and etc, the refurbished can be a great computer for a light user OR as a secondary Mac.
The great thing about the rev B MBA, is it is perfectly capable of being MOST Mac user's PRIMARY Mac! It is really really amazing. And that is what I try to sell mostly... while the original MBA has serious limitations and shortcomings, the revised MBA is a perfectly capable MAC. It doesn't NEED to be secondary to any other Mac.
PROOF - don't just read reviews... look at benchmarking and etc. The revised MBA with SSD outperforms the 2.4 unibody MB! The revised MBA is really amazing.
The revised MBA is what the original MBA should have been.
I was NOT awarded the opportunity to learn about the problems of the original MBA before purchasing, because I was an early adopter. As USUAL, early adopters experience problems, yes, but with the MBA the problems were unbelievable for a MAC.
So, people can read ALL of these reviews and learn if the original MBA is NOW right for them. With all of the rewrites, fixes, and of course Cool Book, the refurbished original MBA CAN be a good selection. But, people need to understand the level of problems and limitations. AND, I believe that people should VALUE the original MBA based on the new MBA. NOT base the original MBA's value on what it used to cost. Because frankly, the original cost should NOT a baseline, as it was originally a problem. Value should be based on performance capabilities of the original MBA vs the revised MBA.
For example, people think the original MBA had SSD so if they buy the original MBA with SSD it will eliminate the problems. However, they don't know that even the original SSD is limited severely by the PATA drive controller. I have seen people say it again and again, "I don't have a HDD so my original MBA isn't affected by PATA." That is NOT true, there is a PATA drive controller that SEVERELY limits the SSD performance.
Use a comparison of xBench marks between the ORIGINAL MBA with 1.8 GHz CPU and SSD, versus the NEW MBA with 1.6 GHz CPU and HDD. The NEW MBA with 1.6 GHz with HDD OUTPERFORMS the original MBA MBA with 1.8 GHz CPU and SSD... by a margin nonetheless!
So, why I bash the original MBA is justified. However, while I bash the original MBA, I speak VERY HIGHLY about the revised MBA. I believe Apple learned its lesson. I believe that EVERYONE should fully understand the limitations and capabilities of the original MBA, and they should base the VALUE on the original compared to the new MBA (not the original prices vs the refurbished prices). They can chose whatever they want. But, I think it is fair and just to fully disclose all of the original MBA's problems.
Why are people so infuriated by the disclosure of facts about the original MBA? I only speak the truth. I think people don't want to hear that they were wrong to spend $999, $1299, $1799 or GOD forbid $3099 for an original MBA. I admit, I spend a lot more money than refurbished buyers are spending... definitely wish I had waited for some real world results before shelling out so much money. Definitely learned to NEVER trust that when Steve introduces a new Mac that it will perform like any Mac user would expect it to perform. I gave Apple too much credit based on past Macs.
More than anything, people should know that the original MBA does NOT perform like all other Macs currently being sold as new or refurbished. It is severely limited, and if people are fine with that, MORE POWER TO THEM.
If you don't use it heavily, use as a secondary Mac, understand limitations, and still want the original MBA, GO BUY ONE. Be happy that you can spend so much less than all of the ORIGINAL MBA buyers spent. Be happy that you can spend $999 or $1299 and make it work for you. For me, and FOR MOST, the revised MBA is the better selection. BUT, I definitely am not stating that ALL require or need a revised MBA. For SOME the original MBA will do just fine. Just make sure the original MBA will work for you BEFORE you spend all of that money.
Also, from everything I have read, Cool Book does WONDERS for Most problematic MBAs. Any refurbished original MBA buyer should probably consider Cool Book seriously. It definitely helps most from all I have read.
What I really don't get is how MY reviews and writing about the original MBA is taken as a personal attack on so many. Not like I am a troll, I give FULL CREDIT to the new MBA. It's just that I am a critic of the original MBA, from MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with the original MBA.
People disagree all of the time... I don't get the people that say the cannot understand while I write bad things about the original MBA, I am NOT attacking anyone, personally. I am simply trying to advise people to get the revised MBA if they expect much at all out of their MBA purchase. I believe the original MBA is a poor performer, and while some disagree, I base that on real world performance, benchmarking, personal use, and most importantly, THE REVISED MBA which in my opinion changes the game.
Not a personal attack, people... it's a review of a computer.
