Macbook air woes of a singaporean student

[rachellarissa]

Okay so no i'm admitting into my tertiary education in the poly.
i have two macbook air configurations to consider . .

For $2188
i can purchase a 13' macbook air
-1.86ghz
-256 gb
-2gb
-Applecare
and iwork.

For $ 1150
i can purchase the 11 inch base model from the
apple store. . and then spend another $296
to buy applecare separately .

For both cases i would probably purchase an external hd.
Can i ask for your comments?
I'm gonna use some c++ , visual studio and autocad.
I wont be looking at ram upgrades because i have just tried running starcraft on
my friend's 11 inch in bootcamp getting an amazing 90 ish fp. and 80 during big
battles on low settings. . so no need for ram upgrade. .

 

[jdavtz]

If you're going to need an external HDD for both of them, I'd say get the 11" more-portable model, and have cash left over and maybe buy an external monitor if 11" is too small for what you want to do.

Are those "$"s USD$?

You should be able to get Apple Care cheaper than that - don't you qualify for educational discount? (assuming it exists in Singapore).

 

[torbjoern]

If you're going to need an external HDD for both of them, I'd say get the 11" more-portable model, and have cash left over and maybe buy an external monitor if 11" is too small for what you want to do.

Are those "$"s USD$?

You should be able to get Apple Care cheaper than that - don't you qualify for educational discount? (assuming it exists in Singapore).

It might be Singapore dollars, since AppleCare costs nearly 300$. 5 SGD ≈ 4 USD and 2188 SGD ≈ 1720 USD. So in that the case, I would say it's a good deal.

@rachellarissa: If you're going to do work like AutoCAD and Visual Studio, you should go with the 13-inch. You might also want to consider 4 GB of RAM, since this cannot be upgraded later.

 

[firestarter]

Consider maxing the memory. Particularly if you're planning to run visual studio under parallels/vmware rather than bootcamp.

 

[zstar]

Hi! Singaporean student here too! but I went to JC this year so we started school like last month.

My parents bought me a 13" macbook air ultimate and I can say im beginning to regret purchasing it, I use it for word and surfing the net (honestly, not a single thing else, not even itunes). Even so, Id recommend the 13" any day for students. I just can't live with the small screen size :\

And remember to use educational discount, I did when I bought it from the online store! Prices for the macbook air were reduced by $200SGD just last week too only for the singapore apple store, so you should take advantage of the strong currency exchange.

Oh, if you're going to poly, then maybe you want to check out some of the deals local polys have for IT products, they are reportedly much better deals than even the apple educational discounts.

 

[rachellarissa]

It's sgd$ . . edu store's applecare much a few dollars more expensive
no ram upgrade for me .
i dont mind small screen! . i want the lightnest. or i would have chosen the new pros 15 inch high end. ha.

 

[rachellarissa]

also the poly roadshow dont sell airs. only got the higher end ones. and i can buy mac from hardwarezone kellase at almost $400 cheaper then the school promo -.-

 

[Cerano]

have you considered buying from a reseller since you dont want to upgrade anything?

just get from harvey norman/ best denki and get their in house extended warranty. you can usually get a superdrive or magic mouse or something along those lines when buying from a reseller.

actually starcraft 2 performance is not dependent on your RAM. I run bootcamp for MATLAB and it works great on the 11.

Since you're doing alot of development you probably will benefit from 4GB of RAM due to your need for virtualisation.

I was facing the same problems as you too during my purchase decision

because in Singapore its not very feasible to get just a 4GB upgrade with a BTO (since we dont have Apple Shops and our resellers only stock base models), should go all out on an "ultimate".

Some questions you need to ask, are you going to keep it for the rest of your 2/3 years in poly? Do you have another computer at home? How much are you willing to spend and how long are you willing to wait (took me nearly 6 weeks to get a CTO)

i got my 11" from infinite in best denki and they're quite alright as long as you dont order a CTO

13" is quite good too but sometimes on the mrt you can whip out the 11" and use you know unlike the 13" with MRT seats all that squeezy already.

Have you considered an 11" ultimate such that you dont need to lug around an extra HDD to watch movies between your modules?

Lastly I think it really differs from person to person because you know 11.6" feels too small for some people but as for me personally I feel that 13.3" is too big. its not so much of the weight but more of like you wanna drop it in your bag and not feel it at all (plus plus the form factor of the 11 is really nice). So its really up to you good luck!

 

[cutiedoggy]

Hey! currently in poly now and i own a 13" macbook.

1st off, totally no regrets for it, but dont mind i ask if you're in the film & media studies course? cause if you're not, you need to think about getting Microsoft office as well cause i believe your classmates wont be using macbook (at least for mine) so pages wont be that convenient when passing the presentation slides around.

Also, be sure to get the Mini displayport to VGA adaptor too, for presentations purpose.

Regard to weight, i think the 11" & the 13" doesnt really make any difference but if you intend to use it as your main computer, get the 13" instead though it might be more expensive but think long term, you're gonna use it for at least 3yrs, so you got to be sure that you will not have any regrets

 

[Funkymonk]

Get the base 11" and save your money. Sufficient for all your needs and more.

 

[rachellarissa]

Hey! currently in poly now and i own a 13" macbook.

1st off, totally no regrets for it, but dont mind i ask if you're in the film & media studies course? cause if you're not, you need to think about getting Microsoft office as well cause i believe your classmates wont be using macbook (at least for mine) so pages wont be that convenient when passing the presentation slides around.

Also, be sure to get the Mini displayport to VGA adaptor too, for presentations purpose.

Regard to weight, i think the 11" & the 13" doesnt really make any difference but if you intend to use it as your main computer, get the 13" instead though it might be more expensive but think long term, you're gonna use it for at least 3yrs, so you got to be sure that you will not have any regrets

Not in film and media. . engineering. . i gave microsoft for mac and i will probably be able to get one . . thanks for the vga tip is vga same as the rgb cable? 13" is significantly heavier i have carried the 13' and i find it a hassle due to the wait. . if i realise my air is insufficient i would probably get a sager. . but i highly doubt it happening . i will have a desktop also . .

 

[rachellarissa]

Get the base 11" and save your money. Sufficient for all your needs and more.

i loved this answer . . HAHA

 

[rachellarissa]

have you considered buying from a reseller since you dont want to upgrade anything?

just get from harvey norman/ best denki and get their in house extended warranty. you can usually get a superdrive or magic mouse or something along those lines when buying from a reseller.
(buying from humans are cheaper. . )
actually starcraft 2 performance is not dependent on your RAM. I run bootcamp for MATLAB and it works great on the 11.
(agree)
Since you're doing alot of development you probably will benefit from 4GB of RAM due to your need for virtualisation.
(developement? autocad? cause i have never used it i feel the 2 gb would be enough though. . )
I was facing the same problems as you too during my purchase decision

because in Singapore its not very feasible to get just a 4GB upgrade with a BTO (since we dont have Apple Shops and our resellers only stock base models), should go all out on an "ultimate".

Some questions you need to ask, are you going to keep it for the rest of your 2/3 years in poly? Do you have another computer at home? How much are you willing to spend and how long are you willing to wait (took me nearly 6 weeks to get a CTO)
(i have a desktop , my 13air 4gb took 2 days . . )
i got my 11" from infinite in best denki and they're quite alright as long as you dont order a CTO

13" is quite good too but sometimes on the mrt you can whip out the 11" and use you know unlike the 13" with MRT seats all that squeezy already.

Have you considered an 11" ultimate such that you dont need to lug around an extra HDD to watch movies between your modules?
( if you noticed i considered it . . anyway i dont mind the hdd it's light. .)


Lastly I think it really differs from person to person because you know 11.6" feels too small for some people but as for me personally I feel that 13.3" is too big. its not so much of the weight but more of like you wanna drop it in your bag and not feel it at all (plus plus the form factor of the 11 is really nice). So its really up to you good luck!

i dont find it small
and thanks for taking so much time replying my thread. .

this went bad. . my answers are in brackets for each 'paragraph -.-

 

[cutiedoggy]

Not in film and media. . engineering. . i gave microsoft for mac and i will probably be able to get one . . thanks for the vga tip is vga same as the rgb cable? 13" is significantly heavier i have carried the 13' and i find it a hassle due to the wait. . if i realise my air is insufficient i would probably get a sager. . but i highly doubt it happening . i will have a desktop also . .

Nope the VGA cable is not the same as rgb I think, rgb is to plug into tv? But you can get it almost anywhere at $44. That is a must to get. I'm also running autocad on my 13" and I can tell u the interface is different from windows one. Also your lecturer is gonna teach you in windows, not Mac unless your as course requires a mac for everyone then it's a different case. Not only that but whether the sch dl the autocad for your Mac is also another thing.

For my sch(np), they gave me 2007 autocad while my Mac is 2011. Easy to draw but I find plotting is a nightmare lol cause some buttons I can't find on my Mac. Lucky I got a backup of a windows laptop else I think I might die cause my lecturer only knows the window one (Mac just came out with autocad) unless u gonna run windows too.

Do autocad on 11"? Sure? I sometimes even struggle on my 15" vaio lol but it's still up to u

 

[JunM]

running window on Macbook Air

Hi all,

I am a Singaporean too. May i know if it is recommended for MacBook Air 11 inch, basic model to run window using either boot camp or parallel prpgram.
And which method is the best.

 

[Funkymonk]

i loved this answer . . HAHA

Girl I'm trying to save you money! I'm a broke ass student myself

Seriously though a base 11 is all you need.

 

[Cerano]

Hi all,

I am a Singaporean too. May i know if it is recommended for MacBook Air 11 inch, basic model to run window using either boot camp or parallel prpgram.
And which method is the best.

boot camp means you are running windows so called normally.

parallels and vmware means you are running windows within OS X so you can imagine which is faster

 

[rachellarissa]

Nope the VGA cable is not the same as rgb I think, rgb is to plug into tv? But you can get it almost anywhere at $44. That is a must to get. I'm also running autocad on my 13" and I can tell u the interface is different from windows one. Also your lecturer is gonna teach you in windows, not Mac unless your as course requires a mac for everyone then it's a different case. Not only that but whether the sch dl the autocad for your Mac is also another thing.
(i will be using windows for school and for presentation use my group mates laptop? )

For my sch(np), they gave me 2007 autocad while my Mac is 2011. Easy to draw but I find plotting is a nightmare lol cause some buttons I can't find on my Mac. Lucky I got a backup of a windows laptop else I think I might die cause my lecturer only knows the window one (Mac just came out with autocad) unless u gonna run windows too.
(i will use the windows autocad haha. . )
Do autocad on 11"? Sure? I sometimes even struggle on my 15" vaio lol but it's still up to u
(i rather a 1kg , 11 inch 1336x768 rather then a 2 kg plus 1440x900 laptop

 

[rachellarissa]

Hi all,

I am a Singaporean too. May i know if it is recommended for MacBook Air 11 inch, basic model to run window using either boot camp or parallel prpgram.
And which method is the best.

Best method is bootcamp . . . windows 7 software plus parellels or vmware = 200 plus.
bootcamp = only buy windows 7 100 plus.
furthurmore you use a virtual machine on the air with 2 gb i bet you'll cry .

 

[rachellarissa]

Girl I'm trying to save you money! I'm a broke ass student myself

Seriously though a base 11 is all you need.

THANKS! haha