Do you recommend the MacBook Air?

[thechungster]

So I'm pretty interested in purchasing the MacBook Air. However, if I did it would probably be only a secondary computer, seeing how I already have a Black MacBook. I have to save up of course but would you recommend it?
Common tasks I do
Photoshopping
Music Editing (Maybe not much on the Air)
Internet browsing
Listening to some music, whilst IM'ing my friends.
If this does fit the criteria for the air, which would you recommend. 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz
HDD or SSD. By the time I finish saving up, version 3 would probably have some physical changes such as that aluminium/glass the new MacBooks have

 

[wordmunger]

Sure, sounds like it would be fine for you -- I pretty much do all that on my MBA. But if you do get the MBA then you should probably sell the macbook and get an iMac.

 

[Lordillingworth]

i have had the air for a few months now as my main computer (i have a mini as a media center in my room, so all i do on the air is creating websites in iweb, podcasting, writing podcast episodes and other simple activities to make my little website. I love it dearly... but i no longer think i would recommend anybody buy one.

Simple reason for this, you don't need to spend this much money on a laptop. As much as i love the size and weight, i don't think that that alone can justify such a huge premium. But then looking at the cost of the other macbooks i don't really know if i could even advise anyone spend that much money on them, even down to the old white plastic one which is cheaper... but bloody ancient technology still at a premium!

I say save your money and stick with you current macbook until it dies.

I would also say, think of what you could do with the money, do you have somebody special in your life? Maybe take them somewhere nice, or maybe use the money to help other people.

Have a pleasant day,

Lord i.

 

[broncopde]

second this

Sure, sounds like it would be fine for you -- I pretty much do all that on my MBA. But if you do get the MBA then you should probably sell the macbook and get an iMac.

If you have the money for it, or in your case when you do have the money, this seems like such a great setup.

 

[HLdan]

Sure, sounds like it would be fine for you -- I pretty much do all that on my MBA. But if you do get the MBA then you should probably sell the macbook and get an iMac.

+1 for selling the Macbook and getting an iMac. I just bought the MBA this week and love it. I wouldn't trade it for another Mac notebook. The size and thinness can't be matched but it's sort of redundant to have the Air and a Macbook as there's not a dramatic difference in size enough to have both.

 

[Scottological]

I say save your money and stick with you current macbook until it dies.

I would also say, think of what you could do with the money, do you have somebody special in your life? Maybe take them somewhere nice, or maybe use the money to help other people.

Have a pleasant day,

Lord i.

What? Someone recommending a young fella spend his money on a girl instead of computer hardware? Oh, the sacrilege!

(As it happens, I completely agree. Women come first. (or dudes, if that's your thing. Hey, it's the 80's.) Computers are way down on the list just below cars and just above shoes.

 

[HLdan]

What? Someone recommending a young fella spend his money on a girl instead of computer hardware? Oh, the sacrilege!

(As it happens, I completely agree. Women come first. (or dudes, if that's your thing. Hey, it's the 80's.) Computers are way down on the list just below cars and just above shoes.

Wow, I know this thread is going OT but you've got some strange priorities buddy. Why would spend good money on a woman that could possibly leave you when you could spend it on a object that you've got for keeps?

 

[StefanR.]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/598245/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/594520/

not until this is solved...

 

[Scottological]

Why would spend good money on a woman that could possibly leave you when you could spend it on a object that you've got for keeps?

I know. My computer never throws a drink in my face and tells me to get lost.

 

[thechungster]

Wow, I know this thread is going OT but you've got some strange priorities buddy. Why would spend good money on a woman that could possibly leave you when you could spend it on a object that you've got for keeps?

Yeah... anyway, no girlfriend lol. Hmm, went to the Apple store, and the MacBook air had the 4 finger swipe though...

 

[darngooddesign]

Yeah... anyway, no girlfriend lol...

A nerd without a girlfriend...what were the odds of that?

 

[darngooddesign]

I know. My computer never throws a drink in my face and tells me to get lost.

Did you ever see "Electric Dreams"?

 

[mac jones]

Did you ever see "Electric Dreams"?

great movie. Kinda sweat really.

MOLES!!!!

And the love song.....

 

[thechungster]

A nerd without a girlfriend...what were the odds of that?

I'm not a nerd, honest.


*runs*
Ok, so I maybe nerdy about iPod touch's

 

[stealthman1]

I bought my MBA to augment my work DELL 10 inch laptop. Every time it leaves the dock something is screwed up when I return it. Constant remapping of drives, resetting extended desk top display settings, VPN issues, etc was driving me crazy. While my employer will not support it in the slightest and I have to use an OWA account via WiFi to stay plugged into my outlook email and calender, my work productivity has already jumped significantly. Four + hours of battery life and it's size, which is smaller than the typical business calender/binder has me a very happy boy. I used to file all my printed Outlook calender pages with my sloppily scrawled notes each day...only to find when I needed some background info on a meeting I attended 3 months ago, I would spend way too long searching for the right page. Now with MacJournal and tags similar to my photo software, I can document each meeting I attend, tag it for quick find and when I need a quick reference, BAM, it is there.

 

[Hey Jude]

I bought my MBA to augment my work DELL 10 inch laptop. Every time it leaves the dock something is screwed up when I return it. Constant remapping of drives, resetting extended desk top display settings, VPN issues, etc was driving me crazy. While my employer will not support it in the slightest and I have to use an OWA account via WiFi to stay plugged into my outlook email and calender, my work productivity has already jumped significantly. Four + hours of battery life and it's size, which is smaller than the typical business calender/binder has me a very happy boy. I used to file all my printed Outlook calender pages with my sloppily scrawled notes each day...only to find when I needed some background info on a meeting I attended 3 months ago, I would spend way too long searching for the right page. Now with MacJournal and tags similar to my photo software, I can document each meeting I attend, tag it for quick find and when I need a quick reference, BAM, it is there.

So, is that a yes?

Seriously, I have decided to purchase an Air, even though I already own a two-year-old white MacBook. I went to BB on Tuesday, and they still have the rev a in stock, and I thought about picking it up, but I might as well wait for the rev b.

I was a bit surprised, however, at how fast the Safari was. It appeared faster than my MacBook, but it could have been the connection at the store.

Anyhoo, for my needs, I think the Air should be okay. Now, my only decision is HDD or SSD?

Jude

 

[netdog]

You won't really want to be doing a lot of Photoshopping on your Air.

Completely agree that if you get an MBA, ditch the MB (read sell it) and replace it with an iMac.

 

[thechungster]

You won't really want to be doing a lot of Photoshopping on your Air.

Completely agree that if you get an MBA, ditch the MB (read sell it) and replace it with an iMac.

Hmm, but I don't want an iMac :/
I still have some debating over either HDD or SSD. Hmm, I'll wait after MacWorld 2009, hoping to see some updates

 

[akm3]

My wife has an Air and we both love it (it makes my Macbook Pro feel BULKY and HUGE!)

However, I wouldn't recommend it to you as a secondary computer when your primary computer is already a Macbook.

If it was an iMac, or Mac Pro, or even a large, desktop bound MacBOOK Pro...Sure.

I don't think you gain enough portability over a Macbook to make the Air worth the $$, in my opinion.

 

[glitch44]

Hmm, but I don't want an iMac :/
I still have some debating over either HDD or SSD. Hmm, I'll wait after MacWorld 2009, hoping to see some updates

there won't be Air updates at Macworld 2009.

the updated Air will finally be arriving by the end of November. they won't release and updated version 2 months later.

 

[wordmunger]

You won't really want to be doing a lot of Photoshopping on your Air.

It completely depends on the type of Photoshop work you'll be doing. Yes, if you're working with 20-layer, 200MB documents, then the MBA is not for you. But neither is the MacBook. For basic Photoshop work, it's fine.

Hmm, but I don't want an iMac :/

Why no love for the iMac? If that's the case, then you should still sell your MacBook and get an external display and hard drive for when you're home. No reason to have both a MacBook and an MBA.

 

[yorkshire]

+1 for selling the Macbook and getting an iMac. I just bought the MBA this week and love it. I wouldn't trade it for another Mac notebook. The size and thinness can't be matched but it's sort of redundant to have the Air and a Macbook as there's not a dramatic difference in size enough to have both.

I agree. MB and MBA are very similar, an iMac would be perfect.

 

[stealthman1]

So, is that a yes?

I was a bit surprised, however, at how fast the Safari was. It appeared faster than my MacBook, but it could have been the connection at the store.

Safari is noticeably faster, I don't know why. I was showing the MBA to a friend of mine at work today who has a 17 inch MBP, I was on work WiFi which is notoriously sluggish. The first thing he said was 'Why is Safari so fast???'

 

[lucidmedia]

Safari is noticeably faster, I don't know why. I was showing the MBA to a friend of mine at work today who has a 17 inch MBP, I was on work WiFi which is notoriously sluggish. The first thing he said was 'Why is Safari so fast???'

well, keep in mind that the rev. B SSD is also a bit faster than your macbook benchmark-wise...

I agree that the air is not a good companion to a macbook. I bought the air for travel and currently have a Macbook pro, and imac and Mac Pro (and err... about 3 mac minis).

I have spent about 4 work days in design studio since I got my Air rev. b and have been quite pleased with its performance. I work on low-rez many-layered photoshop files, illustrator, flash/flex, after effects and sound editing software and have had no qualms about replacing my 2.2GHZ macbook pro with the Air.