help - 2010 Ultimate 11" vs. new one?

[boymom75]

Is it really just a question of a backlit keyboard? Please help a non-techie person decide if/why I might want to upgrade already. I have the very last version 11. Only complaints: I'd love some more battery life AND a backlit keyboard, but aren't those two things incompatible?

I'm in no rush to upgrade to Lion - I like to wait until kinks are out. Plus, I also use an older (2008 or 2009) Leopard desktop, and two big of an age difference makes things wonky.

 

[PDFierro]

No, it's so much more than that. You get the same processor that's in the 13-inch, meaning the 11-inch can do everything the 13 can do. The only difference now is screen size, weight, and battery life.

You get the backlit keyboard, double the storage (256 compared to 128), better processor, and 4GB of RAM again. And Thunderbolt, and a few other minor things.

I ordered the 11-inch ultimate, I was very surprised to see Apple have the 11 match the 13 spec-wise.

 

[MRU]

Yes early reviews are finding battery life to be slightly less than the 5 hours advertised, using the back lit keyboard would effect battery life certainly.

The only real question you need to answer is 'am I maxing out my current model to the point where the CPU is holding me back?' - if the answer is no, the chances are your not going to get too much extra benefit other than that warm fluffy glow opening a new apple brings ;-)

 

[boymom75]

What is the published battery life of my current model? Can't remember.

 

[MRU]

Same 5 hrs.

 

[boymom75]

Thanks all, for your help.

Two more questions: are the "stereo" speakers new?

(I don't have enough volume sometimes with my 11" and installed something called "boom," which helps a lot, although I think it sometimes causes me to loose sound and have to restart to get it back.)

And is 1.8 worth the extra money? Currently I have 1.6

Thanks.

 

[Young Spade]

Is it really just a question of a backlit keyboard? Please help a non-techie person decide if/why I might want to upgrade already. I have the very last version 11. Only complaints: I'd love some more battery life AND a backlit keyboard, but aren't those two things incompatible?

I'm in no rush to upgrade to Lion - I like to wait until kinks are out. Plus, I also use an older (2008 or 2009) Leopard desktop, and two big of an age difference makes things wonky.

Backlit keyboard, SNB processor (which is miles faster than the C2Ds), Thunderbolt port (which you might not use anyway).

What programs are you currently using on your 11 inch Air? You might not benefit from the upgrade that much (factoring in money lost due to cost of selling/buying).

And is 1.8 worth the extra money? Currently I have 1.6

Thanks.

I'm assuming you mean ghz/clockspeed of the CPU? I don't think so. I think that if you needed the speed, you would already know enough about the processors to know what you wanted. Stick with the baseline; maybe get the 4 gig model and a higher capacity ssd if necessary.

 

[boymom75]

Thanks, Spade. I have the maxed out 2010 11", which I think has 4gigs. I know I have a 128GB.

I run final draft and not much else. I do watch a lot of movies and TV on it, though, especially traveling. I believe, when I bought it, I was advised to get the (then) fastest processor because of videos or youtube viewing, or something like that. It's my second computer. I sometimes miss the backlit keyboard, but to be honest, I've gotten used to it. For now.

Maybe I'll wait until the battery life increase happens?

 

[PDFierro]

Final Draft, eh? I write scripts also. I'm going to give Scrivener a shot.

If it's your second computer, then no need to get the ultimate really. I also do a bunch of heavy video watching. Battery life might be different once we see some more reviews, but it doesn't seem to be that much different from the 2010 model.

 

[Young Spade]

Thanks, Spade. I have the maxed out 2010 11", which I think has 4gigs. I know I have a 128GB.

I run final draft and not much else. I do watch a lot of movies and TV on it, though, especially traveling. I believe, when I bought it, I was advised to get the (then) fastest processor because of videos or youtube viewing, or something like that. It's my second computer. I sometimes miss the backlit keyboard, but to be honest, I've gotten used to it. For now.

Maybe I'll wait until the battery life increase happens?

Until something drastically happens, there isn't much change that can happen. They maximize the capacity they can put in there but the machine isn't but __________ big

The 11 inch should do fine.

 

[boymom75]

No, I HAVE the 2010 Ultimate 11"! I'm wondering if it's worth ditching it for the newer one.

 

[PDFierro]

We understood that, I was just referring to buying a 2011 ultimate. I guess it depends on how you are going to use it, so it's up to you. I'd say it's most certainly worth switching.

 

[Young Spade]

We all know that. It depends on what you're doing that determines whether it's actually worth it. Are you ever waiting for the machine? Would you put more money for RAM/HD space? Would you need a back light on the keyboard?


If so, then it might be worth it.

 

[MRU]

Final Draft, eh? I write scripts also. I'm going to give Scrivener a shot.

My uncle is a script writer and swears by Scrivener now too.

No, I HAVE the 2010 Ultimate 11"! I'm wondering if it's worth ditching it for the newer one.

What you are doing with it doesn't sound like you are maxing it out and reaching a bottleneck, so if your current computer is keeping up with everything you are doing on it - the chances are your not going to see much difference in the new model. Your computer may be fast, but it doesn't make you type or come up with ideas any faster

 

[KPOM]

It sounds like you should just keep your 2010 11" for a while longer. If it works for you and you have no complaints, then just keep it. The closest "comparable" is no longer the 11" Ultimate since that now has 256GB storage, but rather the 11" with the 128GB drive and Core i5 for $1199. Note that the base Core i5 at 1.6GHz will be faster than the 1.6GHz processor that's in your 2010. It's complicated, but the short story is that the newer processor is more advanced and can do more work in each clock cycle than your existing processor. That said, it doesn't sound like the processor in your existing machine is holding you back, so it's academic.

Figure you might get $800-900 for your 2010 Ultimate (as Apple has refurbs for $1,049). Is a backlit keyboard worth the difference to you? It doesn't sound like it. The newer models also get slightly worse battery life, if early tests are any indication, but that could be because Apple is still tinkering with the Lion drivers.