If a Rev:D isn't out tm I'm going HP with intel graphics.

[lucifiel]

I would enjoy being able to have a wider range to open the lid myself... anyone else feel that way?

Hinge strength issues aside, I don't feel there is a need to allow the lid to open any further, hell it could promote discomfort, though that's really an issue that requires further testing, but the current lid openning range is quite adequate for me.

 

[ooo]

Currently using a Rev A (not my main) and 2gb is my main concern as well. I wouldn't mind a faster processor, but it's tolerable when I'm on the go. The hinge isn't an issue for me, but I do notice my friends push the screen back. I usually have mine at 90degrees and I just tilt the whole device forward if I really can't see something. I mean it's light enough that you can just lift it with your thumbs. Right now I'm debating whether I should get an air of a pro when they do the updates.

 

[VS007]

Going with this one tonight:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+La...otti/9769412.p?id=1218170030050&skuId=9769412

Im not a heavy user when it comes to graphics or I would have been using a pro. If a rev:B falls below $700 I will sell this and put my old SSD in it.

That looks like a box.

 

[VespR]

If the next revision of the MBA had 4GB of RAM + USB 3.0, I'd pick one up in an instant.

Me too. I don't enjoy lugging my 15" around anymore. Give me an Air with 1 USB 3.0 port and then an updated 24 LED with USB 3.0 hub.

Apple can't really release laptops with USB 3 unless their laptop dedicated display sports the technology too.

I'd love it if they could squeeze in a 2.5" HD. The 1.8" SSD options are too limited and we're missing out on some great releases this year from Intel, OCZ and Crucial.

 

[Max(IT)]

I guess thats sarcasm..?

lol..ok. If you are happy with the mac then fine.

Win 7 is actually really good and the OP may put Ubu on it anyway.

iLife and iWork?

now I really am laughing!

It is clear enough that you don't have ANY interest in Apple's products (in your short history in this forum you have bashed almost EVERY Apple's product, software or hardware), so what's exactly your point here ?
Don't you have something better to do than searching for a flame in an Apple based forum ?
I don't like Windows, but I don't troll around Windows based forums ...

 

[mlblacy]

Ditto...

I know, it's hard. I just can't bare spending $300 more on a computer and an OS that actually look like they were thought out and, more importantly, finished as well as something that performs soooo much better on equal hardware and integrates so well with every other device in my newly founded home network, of course, all thanks to my mac, which will still be worth something in 10 years and remains fresh and usable even then.

And the fact that they come with iLife and can run iWork, misery

What is it with all these "IF..." threats? Geeze, leave already. Enjoy your cheaper hardware with "better" specs.

Choosing an Air for raw horsepower is silly. You opt for form (size, weight... the lack thereof) vs processing crunching ability. I bought my rev A and was full aware of the tradeoffs & benefits. It remains as useful as it was when I pulled it out of the box two years ago. It "does" everything I need it to do... emails, websurfing, light work on the road, etc.

I chose the Air over a Macbook Pro, as the costs were similar. I analyzed WHAT I needed it to do, and decided I didn't need a full-blown workstation.
The Air runs Aperture fine, and Quark, and Photoshop. I never regretted my purchase once, ever. Why some of you malign iLife & iWork, I find those aps to be perfect for certain tasks. That being said, I also have Aperture, Quark, etc. to use when I need add'l functionality.

It is wonderful that Windows 7 is the most awesome OS ever, why not just quietly go to where the grass is greener (for you at least). I can understand all the trolls at ArsTech, Giz, and Engadget... but why are there so many here? Lastly the endless chasing of processing speed is largely not as valid as it used to be, much like how the megapixels a camera has (now the focus is really on ISO/image noise, instead of pixel counts). I'll wager your windows whatever machine is going to look/feel a bit longer in the tooth in three years than my rev A Air will be in one more year (it will be 3 years old then).

cheers,
michael

 

[buddy1065]

If the next revision of the MBA had 4GB of RAM + USB 3.0, I'd pick one up in an instant.

Add a hinge improvement and possible GPU step up and yeah, the new version Sony Z would be nearly out of my mind.

 

[Max(IT)]

Add a hinge improvement and possible GPU step up and yeah, the new version Sony Z would be nearly out of my mind.

Hinge improvement already is in Rev. B and C, isn't it ?
The MBA's GPU is just fine (we are speaking about an ultra portable notebook).
Sony Vaio Z simply isn't an option: it can't run Mac OSX and Mac OSX's applications

 

[Airforcekid]

After spending some time with it I found I like some of the features of windows 7. I wont be installing Ubuntu soon. Tweaking the registry was fun and I started playing my old windows games but OSX is the better os and when the next air is out I will put this as my secondary machine. Also going from an SSD to a 7200RPM hard drive was noticeably slower even factoring in anti-virus etc.

Also: I didnt get the chance to test the graphics out yet.

 

[roxygal9]

Hey any of u see the rumors on the arrandale thread that were posted? There was no info about the MBA, but it is pretty safe to assume that they will put the same processor/GPU/etc in new MBA right?

 

[ExcelonGT]

If a Rev D MBA with 4gb ram and core i3/i5 proc isnt released

I'll be buying this
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/sony-vaio-z-series-vpcz114gx-s-review/

 

[MrCheeto]

A Core i?! Hahaha, right, Intel had enough difficulty trying to fit a Core 2 Duo in there and Apple had enough difficulty keeping it form overheating...and failing at that too!

 

[roxygal9]

If a Rev D MBA with 4gb ram and core i3/i5 proc isnt released

I'll be buying this
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/sony-vaio-z-series-vpcz114gx-s-review/

Yea ive been looking at it to, but 2 drawbacks:

1- No OSX
2- Not as light (well wont feel like it) as MBA

 

[Raje]

A Core i?! Hahaha, right, Intel had enough difficulty trying to fit a Core 2 Duo in there and Apple had enough difficulty keeping it form overheating...and failing at that too!

I believe we will see a core i5/i7 low voltage processor. I don' think these chips run much if any hotter at all than the C2Ds.

 

[Scottsdale]

If a Rev D MBA with 4gb ram and core i3/i5 proc isnt released

I'll be buying this
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/sony-vaio-z-series-vpcz114gx-s-review/

Well, you aren't ever going to get a Core i3/i5 CPU in an MBA, in my opinion. The only CPUs that make sense for the MBA and are a direct replacement for the SL9x00 CPUs are the Core i7-620LM and Core i7640LM. If Apple wants to go from a Low Voltage down to an Ultra Low Voltage CPU, it could go with the Core i7-620UM and Core i7-640UM. The thing about it is the Core i7-6x0UM actually matches the current type of processing Apple uses from the SL9x00 CPUs. The Ultra Low Voltage Core i7 CPUs offer around 1.06 and 1.2 GHz but boost all the way to 2.13 and 2.26 GHz. Really, that's all the current MBA CPUs are doing because they're throttled.

Therefore, while Intel calls the Core i7-6x0LM CPUs the replacement for Core 2 Duo SL9x00 CPUs, it would be one heck of a performance upgrade for us to get the Core i7 Low Voltage CPU. This is really all going to come down to the graphics for Apple. With Apple spending so much time and money focusing on the graphics capabilities from Nvidia, I just have to believe we're going to get better graphics than the Arrandale IGP can offer us. So, let's hope that the long wait we're experiencing is Apple determining how to give the MBA a CPU update without giving it a graphics nightmare.

The last thing in the world I want is to end up with solely Intel's graphics. Now if Apple can give us an Nvidia 310m and Optimus to switch between the Intel IGP and Nvidia 310m, we could have an actual 25% improvement in graphics power over the current MBA yet ACTUALLY REDUCE BATTERY DRAIN. The Intel Core i7 low voltage CPU is a 25W TDP and includes the IGP. The current MBA uses a 17W CPU and 12W GPU, so that is about a 14% drop when only the Intel IGP is being used.

If Apple plans to turn off the Intel GMA IGP, it could even use an ATI dedicated graphics card. I believe our wait will be worth it. It doesn't seem likely that Apple would give the MBA such a slight bump with its last update and then not overhaul it after making us wait 9+ months for an update. While a Core 2 Duo might have been accepted last quarter, now people are expecting Apple to update to Arrandale CPUs. I could even be happy with an MBP update right now. I just want to see what Apple does with the 13" MBPs to understand where the MBA is headed. It seems possible that Apple will be forced to update the MBP sooner to keep sales within a certain necessary level yet the MBA will keep selling as it doesn't require the tech specs to keep sales up. While an MBA update could be as late as WWDC in late June, there is no way that Apple will leave the MBP update off beyond a year past its last update. Let's also remember that the MBA usually gets updated every eight months and we're now at nine months. The MBA also gets updated with the MBP and the MBP gets updated on a seven month cycle average... so it's past due. Something should happen soon.

I wouldn't recommend anyone go buy an HP with Intel's graphics as the sole solution... get a Sony Vaio Z if you need to buy a computer now.

 

[ExcelonGT]

A Core i?! Hahaha, right, Intel had enough difficulty trying to fit a Core 2 Duo in there and Apple had enough difficulty keeping it form overheating...and failing at that too!

Apples ability to keep a computer cool SUCKS.

look at the breakdown of cooling this thing has
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/sony-vaio-z-with-quad-ssd-stripped-down-and-explained-by-its-pro/

 

[bloodycape]

Well, you aren't ever going to get a Core i3/i5 CPU in an MBA, in my opinion. The only CPUs that make sense for the MBA and are a direct replacement for the SL9x00 CPUs are the Core i7-620LM and Core i7640LM. If Apple wants to go from a Low Voltage down to an Ultra Low Voltage CPU, it could go with the Core i7-620UM and Core i7-640UM. The thing about it is the Core i7-6x0UM actually matches the current type of processing Apple uses from the SL9x00 CPUs. The Ultra Low Voltage Core i7 CPUs offer around 1.06 and 1.2 GHz but boost all the way to 2.13 and 2.26 GHz. Really, that's all the current MBA CPUs are doing because they're throttled.

You make a some good points here, but as you know you simple cannot compare clock speed. If I am not mistaken the newer ULV cpu offers a higher cache and a few other improvements to boost speed all around.

I wouldn't recommend anyone go buy an HP with Intel's graphics as the sole solution... get a Sony Vaio Z if you need to buy a computer now.

The Z is not for everyone as it doesn't offer HDD in North America(HDD is an option in Asia), and the price maybe more than what many want to spend for. However, if you have the cash the Z is hard to beat.

 

[Airforcekid]

Intel graphics are decent to play a 1080P movie or a game on low to medium settings. Overall im happy for personal use but I wouldn't want Intel for work or heavy graphic usage.

 

[Scottsdale]

Intel graphics are decent to play a 1080P movie or a game on low to medium settings. Overall im happy for personal use but I wouldn't want Intel for work or heavy graphic usage.

In Windows 7, 1080p plays back fine on Intel IGP. What works on Windows 7 doesn't necessarily do the exact same thing in OS X. Take HD playback, Flash, and other plug-ins for example. Windows has far better software written for it and also Microsoft gives access to APIs for its users to get the best advantage and experience with his or her hardware. In addition, drivers can alter the effects of software and hardware and provide a completely altered experience versus other Oses and other vendor hardware and etc. Apple feels Adobe is a huge threat to its business model, so Apple doesn't allow its users an even acceptable user experience when depending on other software vendors. In addition, I don't believe Apple always uses the most efficient and effective drivers... and it's sad actually because Apple writes so few drivers as it uses one component across MANY Macs to eliminate the WASTE of providing an excellent user experience. I know that's a little harsh, but I honestly feel Apple often could provide a better experience capitalizing on its hardware more but chooses to ensure a "safe" experience that doesn't conflict and definitely follows its methodology of "throttling" everything to ensure hardware is never fully exploited.

I have said this before, and I will say it again... just because Intel's Arrandale GMA IGP performs at a certain level and does things in Windows 7 DOES NOT mean we should accept it as the same experience we can expect in the OS X platform/environment. I can get an amazing experience on my MBA in Windows 7 with streaming HD playback within browsers, and Flash is a dream in Windows 7 instead of a nightmare as it is in OS X. People are always saying the numbers for the Arrandale GMA IGP are great and it's as great as the 9400m... the problem is those people aren't using Apple's drivers, nor are they using software with a different access level to APIs, and finally they are utilizing a platform that has a completely different model for the end user experience from high-performance open access in Windows 7 to a completely opposite feature of OS X being a consistent basic level of performance that never changes and isn't allowed to be high performance as it's not the credo of Apple's Mac offerings - "it just works" doesn't take full advantage of all of the hardware nor give control or experience to the software applications written for the OS.

I perfectly believe the OP's assertion that Intel's Arrandale CPU with GMA IGP does perfectly fine at 1080p HD playback on an HP running Windows 7... I would say I believe that any day of the week. Now believing that the same hardware will provide an acceptable experience on OS X, that's a much harder pill to swallow.

 

[MrCheeto]

PowerMac G4 single processor 1.25ghz from 2003 - Performs like a dream running Leopard, c.2007

Compaq Presario Noname 2.2ghz AMD 64 3500+ from 2005 - Does not perform...period...with XP circa two-thousand and FREAKIN' ONE!

Enough said.

 

[masterpace]

Going with this one tonight:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+La...otti/9769412.p?id=1218170030050&skuId=9769412

Im not a heavy user when it comes to graphics or I would have been using a pro. If a rev:B falls below $700 I will sell this and put my old SSD in it.

Have you noticed that HP weights 5.5 pounds without the charger? That laptop is not in the same league as the MBA. Also, the MBA will blow away that HP performance wise.

 

[bloodycape]

Have you noticed that HP weights 5.5 pounds without the charger? That laptop is not in the same league as the MBA. Also, the MBA will blow away that HP performance wise.

I am pretty sure the intel i3 cpu, is faster than intel LV SL9x00 cpu used in the MBA. As for gpu, I think Scottsdale put it best.

 

[Airforcekid]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

PowerMac G4 single processor 1.25ghz from 2003 - Performs like a dream running Leopard, c.2007

Compaq Presario Noname 2.2ghz AMD 64 3500+ from 2005 - Does not perform...period...with XP circa two-thousand and FREAKIN' ONE!

Enough said.

I'm hoping ubuntu can expand the life of this pc already had to remove a virus via a restore I wish OSX had this without needing a cd or time machine. Also wanted to point out this machine is slower than my old MBA 2.13 but that's mainly due to the SSD.

 

[Scottsdale]

I am pretty sure the intel i3 cpu, is faster than intel LV SL9x00 cpu used in the MBA. As for gpu, I think Scottsdale put it best.

The Core i3 CPUs are 35W TDP... THEY USE WAY TOO MUCH POWER! They will NEVER happen in an MBA.

http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei3/mobile/specifications.htm

The Core i5 CPUs are 35W or 18W TDP. It's almost as unlikely here because the 18W TDP is an inferior CPU and not in the same class. The Core i5 18W TDP is an 800 MHz Bus Memory speed CPU... NOT going to happen.

http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei5/mobile/specifications.htm

The Core i7-6x0LM CPU is Intel's SL9x00 CPU replacement. The Core i7 CPUs are the only current Intel Core i-series CPUs that would fit and match both the TDP, speed, and other requirements an MBA would use.

http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei7/mobile/specifications.htm

Look down at the Core i7-620LM and Core i7-640LM. These CPUs are in the same class and pricing as the Core 2 Duo SL9400 and Core 2 Duo SL9600. The current MBA runs at 29W TDP between CPU and GPU/chipset. This Core i7-6x0LM class CPU runs at 25W TDP.

The alternative, and actually quite possible is the Core i7-620UM and Core i7-640UM. These CPUs are 18W TDP including the IGP. This means the MBA could get double the battery life. If Apple used an Nvidia 310m with Optimus enabled, we would probably get 25% GPU gain and still double the realistic battery life due to the low power requirements of integrated graphics and CPU. UM Ultra Low Voltage actually matches the current CPU clock speeds since the MBA's current CPU is throttled most of the time. The boost is all the way to 2.13 GHz while it's normal clock speed is at 1.2 GHz. Also figure at 1.2 GHz it will run approximately 20% faster than when the current MBA's CPU is running at 1.2 GHz.

It's almost another Tuesday, but I have given up on an MBA update until after the iPad launches... I hope I am completely wrong.

 

[Airforcekid]

The Core i7-6x0LM CPU is Intel's SL9x00 CPU replacement. The Core i7 CPUs are the only current Intel Core i-series CPUs that would fit and match both the TDP, speed, and other requirements an MBA would use.

http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei7/mobile/specifications.htm

Look down at the Core i7-620LM and Core i7-640LM. These CPUs are in the same class and pricing as the Core 2 Duo SL9400 and Core 2 Duo SL9600. The current MBA runs at 29W TDP between CPU and GPU/chipset. This Core i7-6x0LM class CPU runs at 25W TDP.

Other than ports or drives there would be no other big reason to choose a pro over an air. I also hope they find a way to allow a ram upgrade even if you have to send it in or take it to a store.