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If there was a 15" MBA and a 13" MBA ....
- Thread starter entatlrg
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Completely agree.
What amazes me is how much bigger the current uMBP15 is compared to the older MBP15. The new one is thinner which is nice. However, it is wider and longer.
Wonder what we will see with the next MBA update. Hopefully we'll see 4GB RAM and possibly a larger SSD HD option.
To a degree yes, but remember that Air owners mostly love their Airs. If you asked me if I wanted to change my Mac Mini to half the height with a black top instead of white I'd be horrified and vote in a poll like this to keep it just the way it is, because I love it. Now if I was in the market for a new Mini, especially if it would become my first one, I wouldn't care so much about the old ones design, I wouldn't have grown attached to it and love it's design and am likely to admire the new one simply for what it is rather than comparing it to what I had. So I don't knock the 13" in this thread, instead just ask them to use some perspective and distance themselves from voting, which is really just a vote for how much they like the current design.
MBA 10 inch.
Personally, I would rather see a 10 inch version than a 15 inch version.
I concur.
Sorry, but I don't think that Apple is actually going to base any new product on a poll in an Apple fan forum with less than 100 votes. Polls in forums like these (which don't matter) should be based on the voters' opinion, from whatever perspective they choose. Just don't give it so much weight.
Anyway, a 15" air would defeat the purpose of "ultraportable." Many people feel that 13" is to big as it is, and those new 15" unibodies are too long to fit in all the places 13 inchers can. The 15 inchers are also beautiful, pretty thin, powerful, and not very heavy, so if you're looking for a 15" laptop, just get that.
Sorry, but I don't think that Apple is actually going to base any new product on a poll in an Apple fan forum with less than 100 votes. Polls in forums like these (which don't matter) should be based on the voters' opinion, from whatever perspective they choose. Just don't give it so much weight.
Anyway, a 15" air would defeat the purpose of "ultraportable." Many people feel that 13" is to big as it is, and those new 15" unibodies are too long to fit in all the places 13 inchers can. The 15 inchers are also beautiful, pretty thin, powerful, and not very heavy, so if you're looking for a 15" laptop, just get that.
Maybe there's some wishfull thinking on my part about Apple, but just supposing they really do check out these polls here for feedback...
I was thinking that a 14" could fit into the current sized Air just by extending the screen to go further to the edge of the bezel. That would make the 15" only marginally wider than the current Air, so therefore not being as wide (if they could get the screen up close to the edge of the bezel again) as the 15" MBP, that's wider than the 15" pre uMBP. Shove in a higher dpi screen, stereo speakers, maybe FireWire or an extra USB or an Ethernet connection, a longer battery life than the 13" Air because it would have more space for the battery and with the Airs slim and lightweight design it would be exactly what I'd pick. But your right, I got too excited and unsurprisingly no one offered to change their vote... My bad
I bought a MacBook Air because I wanted it to be portable, thus I'd choose the 13". However if it was like the current MacBook Pro's, where the 15" had a matte screen option whilst the 13" did not, I would get the 15".
its not that complicated. im sure there are many people who want a 15" screen size but dont need a powerful computer. apple is going to keep mba around for a while. its perfect as a high margin device that apple doesnt need to sell tons of to have a good profit. they'll keep it differentiated by making it carbon fiber. my next portable computer is going to be a 15" CF MBA. its gonna happen!
Many of Sony's higher end machines use Carbon Fiber, and most Mac people have stated that for heat aluminum is generally better than plastic, but they are not too sure about CF. I have both a MBP and a CF Sony and both materials have their merits. So, CF won't really differentiate it.
CF is much lighter than aluminum and therefore will differentiate the MBA substantially from its MBP counterparts.
CF is terrible at heat radiation. Therefore the system would need to be either:
1) Thicker to accommodate a larger heatsink
2) Less powerful to generate less heat
The Air uses the entire enclosure for heat dissipation.
I think we can agree the MBA represents the future for laptops, i.e. thinner and lighter. These were longtime marketing points for each new model, until the Ti showed too many flaws and they actually made the Al a bit bigger and more robust.
SSDs and improved battery and screen technologies support this trend.
For now, they're making some compromises (processor power, storage and screen size) to push the envelope and aim for the current niche users. These compromises will eventually go away.
There's a couple challenges, like ports and optical drives. But these are moving in the right direction. Think about mini USB, HDMI, mini displayport and even wireless usb and bluetooth. Optical media...we'll see what happens. DVFlash? Sony owns BluRay and MiniCD...MiniDVD?
I predict by 2020 we'll have MBA-like MBs/MBPs with double current power and storage at current price-points. We could have larger improvements in more classic form factors, but we've reached performance levels where we will be willing to have some slower spec improvements (speed and storage) in exchange for others (size and weight). We've already seen the end of the clock speed wars.
SSDs vs HDs is a perfect parallel example. Even though HDs are still larger, capacity levels are such that SSD's benefits are beginning to outweigh the singular spec of size.
It's nothing new in the world of portables. We're just reaching a tipping point where we can change the relative weighting of spec development. When's the last time we saw a superdrive spec change? When's the last time we cared?
SSDs and improved battery and screen technologies support this trend.
For now, they're making some compromises (processor power, storage and screen size) to push the envelope and aim for the current niche users. These compromises will eventually go away.
There's a couple challenges, like ports and optical drives. But these are moving in the right direction. Think about mini USB, HDMI, mini displayport and even wireless usb and bluetooth. Optical media...we'll see what happens. DVFlash? Sony owns BluRay and MiniCD...MiniDVD?
I predict by 2020 we'll have MBA-like MBs/MBPs with double current power and storage at current price-points. We could have larger improvements in more classic form factors, but we've reached performance levels where we will be willing to have some slower spec improvements (speed and storage) in exchange for others (size and weight). We've already seen the end of the clock speed wars.
SSDs vs HDs is a perfect parallel example. Even though HDs are still larger, capacity levels are such that SSD's benefits are beginning to outweigh the singular spec of size.
It's nothing new in the world of portables. We're just reaching a tipping point where we can change the relative weighting of spec development. When's the last time we saw a superdrive spec change? When's the last time we cared?
Then why buy a MacBook Air at all?
Because the question was to choose between a 15" (if created) and a 13" MacBook Air?
But my confusion is founded on the fact that Angra-mainju would pick the 15" version on the basis that it would not be used for traveling; a MacBook Pro would be the better choice and not a MacBook Air. Although the question is presumptuous in asking which on the two model MacBook Air notebooks one would purchase, if I were asked said question and I didn't travel, my answer would be neither [or no response since it would not have fit in with my needs].
Well, since neither is not an available option in the poll I would think that people would choose the one that was best fit for their needs. Although your point is equally valid.
I'm not convinced that the heatsink thing is that big of an issue. my 2006 mb gets a bit warm but who cares? or apple could just make the bottom plate aluminum like they (brilliantly) did with the new white mb.
well said aksmax
The heatsink on the MacBooks are massive compared to the MacBook Air's heatsink.
Normally, I'm not the one to complain about the system being a little warm but with what goes on with the MacBook Air currently, when the system gets too warm, the system down clocks.
I love my MBP 13" but I hate that it even HAS a super drive. Give me a bigger batter, an expresscard slot, a second HDD (well, maybe not so much that), or a (real) dedicated video card. I had high hopes for the air but its to crippled--I need firewire. Now if the Air gets a performance boost with Nehalem and lightport I could see it being an awesome machine. Plug in all your adapters to that one port and ta-da! You'd even need FEWER ports. (although many of use would end up carrying around docking/port converters like the Vaios of old had).
MBA 10 inch.
Personally, I would rather see a 10 inch version than a 15 inch version.
This. After lugging around 5-6 lb 15" notebooks for seven years, I'd be more interested in portability. My notebook isn't my only computer.
I would buy a 15" MB Pro Air. With Arrandale coming out soon we just might get a 15 air.
I have always thought that the 15" apple notebooks have always been the most efficient in all dimensions. Gives you more screen space than a 13. Not as big as a 17. Cheaper than a 17 but more power and more options with ports than a 13.
Just a good all around compromise between big little mega and small.
To me the 17" is a true pro machine. You need the screen space, Processor power, HDD space, the 34 card slot, CD-DVD Read write capability. Essentially a portable (luggable) desktop. The 15" is just a little more portable, lighter, and somewhat cheaper (you could call it Prosumer). With a 13 being the basic pro a little cost cutting in display and specs but still a lot cheaper than a 17 or 15, and for people who don't want a Plastic Macbook but love the aluminum look.
The Scottsdale Quote Highlighed in Bold Italics and Underlined is exactly the way I feel, but only in a 17". And even then Do you really want to watch a BluRay on a 17" screen or hell even a 15 or 13" screen. The 13 and 15"s should not even have an optical drive in my opinion. If they put Bluray in a 17 thats good. BUT
When the new iMacs came out and I found out no BluRay I was pissed. I wanted to buy a desktop mac with a great screen and Bluray inside to watch on it. If apple doesn't release the current iMacs with BluRay next revision then they have lost their minds. That screen in the iMacs deserves a True 1080P format to watch on it.
Personally the 17" MBP and the Macbook may soon be the last Apple laptops left that have Optical drives in them.
If the air is rolled over into the pro line with 13" pro (airized) 15" pro (airized) the 17 would be the last and only full featured notebook apple sells. With or without a BluRay capable drive installed.
And once again YES the air is the future of apple design. Has to be.