MBA - 1.83 to 2.13 is it worth it?

[surroundfan]

I'm one of the few people that went for the 1.86GHz/4GB/256GB combination it seems.

Except when watching Flash videos, I have found that the processor on my 4.5-year-old 2GHz MBP barely breaks a sweat for my light usage (web, email, iTunes, Word, *cough* unofficially sourced TV shows).*

The $135 I would've paid will instead fund an 8GB RAM upgrade for my Mac mini...

*It still burns my thighs though. Here's hoping the MBA will run cooler on the lap...

 

[netdog]

According to the iTunes store, HD iTunes shows require a dual core (it does not specify CoreDuo) running at a speed of at least 2.0 GHz. Don't know if that matters, or if it is an oversight on their part and does not apply to Core2Duo machines.

 

[KPOM]

According to the iTunes store, HD iTunes shows require a dual core (it does not specify CoreDuo) running at a speed of at least 2.0 GHz. Don't know if that matters, or if it is an oversight on their part and does not apply to Core2Duo machines.

That spec has been out there ever since HD content and iTunes LP came out, but I don't think it has been an issue with the MacBook Air. On the old generation, the CPU throttling was a real problem, but that's largely been taken care of with the new models.

 

[KPOM]

The $135 I would've paid will instead fund an 8GB RAM upgrade for my Mac mini...

The 2.13GHz is an extra $135 in Australia? It's only an extra $100 here in the US so I decided to pad Apple's profit margins a bit. Does that include sales taxes?

 

[magbarn]

I'm one of the few people that went for the 1.86GHz/4GB/256GB combination it seems.

Except when watching Flash videos, I have found that the processor on my 4.5-year-old 2GHz MBP barely breaks a sweat for my light usage (web, email, iTunes, Word, *cough* unofficially sourced TV shows).*

The $135 I would've paid will instead fund an 8GB RAM upgrade for my Mac mini...

*It still burns my thighs though. Here's hoping the MBA will run cooler on the lap...

Get coolbook, my 2.13 runs at top speed at the lowest possible voltage without kernel panic. It runs much quieter now especially when running handbrake and obviously the heat output is much less

For the OP, get the 1.83 if you're not going to run cpu intensive stuff. Main reason I got the 2.13 is that it's the only cpu available on the MBA 13 4gb that you can just walk in and buy at a US Apple store.

 

[surroundfan]

The 2.13GHz is an extra $135 in Australia? It's only an extra $100 here in the US so I decided to pad Apple's profit margins a bit. Does that include sales taxes?

It's actually $150 (I got 10% off my order), which is impressive on Apple's part given that the AUD is floating around parity with the USD and GST is 10 per cent. It should really be $120-ish...

Quite a rort really, particularly with the 4GB upgrade...

Get coolbook, my 2.13 runs at top speed at the lowest possible voltage without kernel panic. It runs much quieter now especially when running handbrake and obviously the heat output is much less

...

Thanks for the tip. My MBP has been plagued with heat issues from day one (the CPU temperature on the first logic board got close to 100 degrees!). It was one of the first off the line (the Rev A MBPs for those who are new to Apple were a prime example of the maxim 'Never buy a Rev A Apple product').

 

[aberrero]

Get coolbook, my 2.13 runs at top speed at the lowest possible voltage without kernel panic. It runs much quieter now especially when running handbrake and obviously the heat output is much less

For the OP, get the 1.83 if you're not going to run cpu intensive stuff. Main reason I got the 2.13 is that it's the only cpu available on the MBA 13 4gb that you can just walk in and buy at a US Apple store.

Can you elaborate some more about what voltages you are using? I'm debating whether it is worth getting it. Thanks.

 

[EvdK]

Is the 2,13GHZ cpu not more efficiënt per watt? After all the 1,83 and the 2,13 cpu have the same tdp (17 Watt).

When a cpu manufacturer makes a wafer with cpu’s al the cpu’s are in essence the same. But the best cpu’s (less leakage, less power dissipation) get the highest GHZ rating. Most of the times these are the one’s in the middle of the wafer. So the 2,13 GHZ should be the best and most power efficient cpu that can be made. So I would expect that the 2,13 cpu requires less energy to perform a certain task.

If this is true, can the 10% more speed also be translated to between 5% .. 10% more uptime before the battery runs out?

So the choise for the 2,13 cpu may matter to someone who needs a notebook that can last a very long on a single charge.

Just speculating.

 

[aberrero]

TDP stands for thermal DESIGN power.

The 2.13ghz cpu will still use more power, but they are both in the same general category, so they all get the same TDP rating.