Interesting.
A 256GB SSD as a loss leader.
Perhaps it was a mistake, but they did it for two whole weeks.
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*List of Premium Ultraportable competitors to a Rev D MBA*
- Thread starter Jobsian
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Perhaps it was a mistake, but they did it for two whole weeks.
If a person doesn't want to wait for a new MBA and isn't interested in a Sony product, what's the next best under 3lb, 13" screennote book out there?
The Adamo has a 2.13 GHz CPU now. Or the lower CPU is $999 with a 128 GB SSD (include 256 GB SSDs on occasion for the same price). There's also the Dell V13 which starts at $449 and is the same size and shape case as the Adamo but is made with aluminum and is available with Ubuntu or Windows 7.
Asus has a ton of options including several lightweight thin ultraportables. Even some with Optimus featuring great graphics, and it's on Windows so it's going to run 3D and HD so much better spec for spec versus OS X.
Finally, my favorite advanced netbook or super ultraportable is the LG X300. It has an 11.6" display, is about half as thick as the MBA, and really solid computer. It's not a workhorse but again it's running Windows 7 so 3D and HD is a much easier workload. Runs around $1400, and is worth every penny just for the cool factor if nothing else. I would absolutely use this notebook if I had to have Windows 7 and I had to have extremely thin and lightweight. If I just needed lightweight, I would buy a Vaio Z (which I know you're not interested in). Asus is your second best bet to get functionality and performance of the MBA. Adamo is your second best bet to get cool and capable computing.
As sick as it is, no ultraportable on the market competes as well as the MBA (at 1.4 years of age (October 2008) and every feature of the MBA. There are thinner ultraportables, more powerful ultraportables, ultraportables with better batteries, displays, RAM, and options... but none of them compare overall while considering every spec EXCEPT THE RAM. If one needs RAM the MBA is the last option.
Good luck.
We may be in good shape ! Was just reading the lastest rumor about new MBA and new MBP's later this month.
I'll wait for sure, I'd prefer to stay with Mac's all the way.
An new amazing MBA would excite me as much as the iPad.
I'll wait for sure, I'd prefer to stay with Mac's all the way.
An new amazing MBA would excite me as much as the iPad.
I disagree. In my world a relatively expensive purchase is never made on based on "likes". It is a sum of many factors.
The sum of factors you mention is better in many alternatives at the moment. Despite the high score the MBA gets on uniqueness and cuteness.
Common, you've got to admit (and I've seen you admitting) that the MBA and MBP are hopelessly outdated.
Having said that, I still have set my deadline for jumping MacBook ship in June...unless... Anyway, I loved the MBA but it is time for a more contemporary change, unless...
As you have seen me say before, I agree. I would have an MBA right now but for its distressing 2Gb of RAM limitation. C'mon, Apple, help us out here!
I agree that we both make great points and I have taken your side many times in this argument. For the value of the MBA vs. the value ten months and three days ago, the MBA is a bad value proposition.
At the same time there is no competitor that matches the MBA on all points as an all around ultraportable.
CPU - Most don't have 2.13 GHz C2D... if they do, they're much thicker.
Thinness - Most aren't thinner than the MBA... if they are, they're much weaker in terms of performance of the CPU.
GPU - The MBA has the best GPU/chipset for the thinness of the MBA.
SATA-II SSD - Most that are as thin as the MBA don't have the SSD drive option of the MBA.
RAM - The MBA is outdated here badly... however, most ultraportables that size only have 2 GB of RAM.
The opposition... the problem with the MBA is it doesn't compete well against recent specs on one-per-one basis. Meaning, when the MBA was introduced in October 2008, it was amazing. It was the thinnest, had the best CPU, had great DDR3 RAM, had SATA-II SSD drive with full 128 GB drive space, had best LED backlit display, had backlit keyboard, had mini display port driving up to 30" ACD, had Nvidia GPU capable of great things, and was the thinnest and most amazing Mac ever.
It still has a lot of potential... the problem is the price vs. the price ten months and three days ago. If Apple lowered the price to say $999, it would be a great deal. At $1799, not so much. Therefore, Apple needs to update the specs badly. I don't think the CPU is the problem, the RAM and a dedicated card would be nice. Most people want more drive space, glass trackpad, and one more thing... I think the next evolution of the Mac notebook will be either HD IPS displays, 3D, or OLED. I think it could be this but probably next update around January.
The problem now is buying before an update. The Sony Vaio Z is a better solution for power and performance at 3 lb. There are other ultraportables that beat the MBA on one or two points but not all points.
The SonyVaio Z Signature Series does seem to be a powerful machine. Unfortunately, though, the Signature Series is still out of stock, with no estimated ship date even listed by Sony Style. I last checked this site in the middle of March. Then they were saying that it would ship by 31 March but I guess it didn't. It's a good thing I didn't want one anyway because it can't run OS X without being hacked.
the adamo did have a 256gb ssd when they first had the price drop. I made a post about it a month or so ago and we were all arguing about if it was a good deal or not. I'm still regretting not picking it up, 256GB samsung SSD! what an idiot I was to let that one go for $1k.
I purchased the Signature series Metal Mosaic Sony Z from my local Sonystyle store about 15 days ago. Windows 7 has been interesting; a love/hate experience; I have restored the laptop about 4 times now due to various issues till being reasonably satisfied, while I can't remember the last time I reinstalled the Mac OS on my 15" Macbook Pro except for upgrading to Snow Leopard. Naturally I take more care handling the Z over the MBP, but I must admit it seems so light in comparison that I remember wanting to check if it was still in the 13" Incase I bought from the Apple Store. I get up to 20 fps more playing my favorite game than on my 8600M GPU MBP. Takes about 35 seconds to boot up; not too shabby. Cost $2349, well worth the power to weight ratio IMO. So I am honestly pretty satisfied with my purchase and to this date do not see any product that would make me regret the Z. Certainly thin enough for me, and it's good to know I have a MBP at home if I ever need to fall back on things that may be difficult for the Z, as well as be able to do things in Windows that OSX may fall short on; best of both worlds. That said I am in the process of downgrading to Windows XP in order to get some software working that seems to have glitches in Windows 7, so here we go again...
The signature series has a different case option with a Signature Series logo on it... every other part of the Signature Z is the exact same as selecting BTO options through the Vaio Z standard computer. In fact, one can get the same performance and specs at a lower cost than the Signature series Z. The Vaio Z is one hell of a computer. It's DEFINITELY more powerful and capable than the next MBP, guaranteed.
One has to want Windows 7 if they want a Z, that's not really a downside anymore in terms of the OS itself. In addition, there are 10X the application options in the Windows platform. There are a lot of pros and advantages for Windows 7 and the Vaio Z, but in the end with a Mac we can run OS X and Windows 7. I wouldn't want to do without Windows anymore. On my MBA, if I want to do serious stuff like HD Video, or Flash videos on Hulu, I boot into Windows 7 and drop 70% CPU usage. Windows is the way to go for entertainment on the MBA. It's sad but true. So while the Z is great, it's obviously missing the capability to run OS X. I want an MBA that can run OS X for writing and my standard usage and Windows 7 for entertainment, and enough RAM to run Windows virtually when just using a business app, like Office.
Somebody posted last month that they had bought an i7 Signature Series Vaio, too, but that poster got his from a Sony Store in Australia. Where is the Sony Store that sold you yours?
I agree that the unique ability of Intel Macs to run both OS X and Windows is a wonderful feature. Ever since upping my MBP's RAM to 6Gb, I have been able to run Fusion in Unity mode and keep the Windows apps that I use frequently open on the OS X desktop, just as I do OS X apps. I have never been happier with a computer. That's why I hope that Apple will up the RAM for the MBA enough to allow me to do with one of them what I am now doing with my MBP.