Just got my MBA 13 Ultimate

[Salty Pirate]

This will replace my MBP 15 dual core 2.53 GHz machine with 8GB RAM & 160GB Intel SSD.

Performance wise, the two are very close. Obviously, the MBP is faster, but not by much.

The form factor of the Air is incredible! The speakers are insane. Better than the MBP running closed and hooked up to my 24" LED Cinema.

Only gripe is the lack of backlit keys, but we will see how that manifests itself. I ran my MBP 'backlight out' for the last several days and I was fine. The fans also seem a little more eager to come on.

Really amazed by the useful power of this little computer. If you are thinking about one, go for it.

This is my primary work computer. I also have an imac, he does the heavy lifting like handbrake for my appleTV.

 

[entatlrg]

Congrat's on the new Air!

My 13" MBA is my main computer as well, replaced my 2010 256ssd/8gm ram 15" MacBook Pro. As much as I loved that computer and like large displays I found myself using my revB Air the most, or as much as I could based on it's capabilities.

When the new MBA's came out, that was it, I haven't looked back. Only thing I miss is a large screen, as in 24/27" ACD, but that's the price you pay if you don't like working from a desk.

I've considered buying a 17" MBP, the screen is incredible. But, I'm coming to the conclusion the trade off of weight/bulk isn't worth it ...

I figure if I had a 13" MBA and the 17" MBP side by side I'd grab for the Air 8 or 9 times out of 10 ... it is that good.

 

[DeusInvictus7]

The MacBook air is definitely that good. I love mine

I did the same thing as you with the backlit keyboard and didn't miss it as much as I first thought I did, so it wasn't that huge of a deal for me.

How do you like having the iMac + MBA combo? I'm planning on getting an iMac later in the summer, and think it's a great combo for having a heavy lifter and then a portable on the go machine.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Congratulations, well done, and may you long enjoy your "ultimate" MBA. It's a great computer.

In common with a number of other posters, I, too, have added a MBA to my almost three year old MBP and now my MBA (Rev C SSD) is pretty much my main computer. Form factor, speed, lack of weight (and the old Rev C has the backlit keyboard, which I must admit I really like) all make it a computer which I love. Anyway, congrats again and enjoy.

Cheers and good luck

 

[Salty Pirate]

The MacBook air is definitely that good. I love mine

I did the same thing as you with the backlit keyboard and didn't miss it as much as I first thought I did, so it wasn't that huge of a deal for me.

How do you like having the iMac + MBA combo? I'm planning on getting an iMac later in the summer, and think it's a great combo for having a heavy lifter and then a portable on the go machine.

The imac has alot of CPU brawn, the kind that goes wasted on simple browsing. I encode movies on it and it works great for that. It also has 1TB of storage, so it acts as a central movie/music hub.

 

[QCassidy352]

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Congrats. I got mine (ultimate 13") 10 days ago. Initially I was waiting for the new mbp line, but I was disappointed in the 13" (graphics, screen) and the low-end 15" (graphics). The air has been an amazing choice, replacing my 2008 iMac. The air feels much faster despite the slower processor. I can't believe the difference the ssd makes. And my iMac never felt slow!

Some people balk at the c2d processor, but I installed menu meters, and my CPU rarely gets above 20-25%, so it's not holding me back at all. In modern computers, the CPU is just not the limiting factor unless you're a real power user.

I really think apple did an amazing job on this one.

 

[drbf]

Received mine last week, replacing a windows box. I am amazed how fast Windows 7 using Boot Camp under VM run. I have some medical software that only runs under Windows. So I am very pleased!

 

[DeusInvictus7]

The imac has alot of CPU brawn, the kind that goes wasted on simple browsing. I encode movies on it and it works great for that. It also has 1TB of storage, so it acts as a central movie/music hub.

Sweet! That's exactly what I'm gonna be using it for too. I want to have something that acts as my central hub, that way for my appletv I never have to keep my MacBook open like I did with my MacBook pro.

 

[rekhyt]

... The speakers are insane. Better than the MBP running closed and hooked up to my 24" LED Cinema. ...

Something that caught my eye while I was reading the original post... ... "Speakers are insane"? o.0 Insanely good or ... insanely bad? (Compared to which laptop? The MacBook Pro 15" speakers were amazing compared to my previous MacBook (White) laptop.)

I'm also slightly perplexed by how the MBA could be better than the MBP when hooked up to the 24" LED Cinema... Wouldn't the MBP theoretically be better because of its higher specs?

 

[GadgetGeek407]

I have a 2.66 13 inch pro with 8gb ram 320gb hard drive n I have been drooling over the specked out 13 inch Air forever now and I want to jump on it SO BAD but than I recently heard they might be upgrading the processors on it too? anyone know anything?

Also going from 8gb to 4gb and also going from 2.66 down to 2.13 on air will I notice a difference? Cause I too use windows on VM cause I am a used car dealer and my paperwork is done on software that only runs on windows...

I was also thinking of getting the new 13 pro 2.7 cause its just a beast of a machine even though I don't really need all the stuff but it seems nice. I do like SSD though

Primarily, I use it to surf the net, emails, uploading high def pics lots of them from my SD card reader to my mac and to my cars.com account n so on, and paperwork.

They say the new AIR is thinner than the old, why does the old look WAY thinner?

hows the battery life on the new air? Cause I really love it on the pro?

Also I hated the display issues on the old airs, do the new ones have any issues?

 

[Salty Pirate]

Something that caught my eye while I was reading the original post... ... "Speakers are insane"? o.0 Insanely good or ... insanely bad? (Compared to which laptop? The MacBook Pro 15" speakers were amazing compared to my previous MacBook (White) laptop.)

I'm also slightly perplexed by how the MBA could be better than the MBP when hooked up to the 24" LED Cinema... Wouldn't the MBP theoretically be better because of its higher specs?

I am impressed by the quality of the air speakers. You don't see speakers and yet there is good sound. Good clarity, etc. No bass, but what did you expect?

My MBP was a core2 duo 2.53 with an SSD. My MBA ultimate seems just as fast. When it is hooked up to the 24, there are really no compromises. Total weight loss, portability and at work, plenty of nice bright screen.

Now, put an SSD in a new i5 MBP, and it would smoke the MBA. Most of the speed people rave about with the air is the SSD. The disk is the bottleneck. Remove that bottleneck and for 98% of MOST people computing needs, a dual core cpu is plenty.

Seat of the pants feel MBA ultimate is as fast as a late 2009 MBP 15 2.53 Dual core with an intel SSD. Plenty fast.