Poll – Which of the following two MacBook Air Rev D Models would you rather buy?

[Jobsian]

You came to your own defense before I had a chance to do it for you. There was nothing listed in your MBA dream machine's configuration that isn't available today. As you mentioned, a loaded Sony Vaio Z, which has been available for awhile, is even more powerful than your putative dream machine would be. The only thing that puts your dream machine in the "dope smoker" category is Apple's consistently disappointing recent history of unimpressive hardware revisions.

Unfortunately, we aren't going to know what the revised MBA will look like, or even if there will be one, until Apple does something. Steve Jobs' passion for secrecy makes Joseph Stalin look like a blabbermouth.

Haha that last line literally made me lol!

Come on Mr Jobs, please blow our socks off with the MBA D

 

[L0s7man]

Personally, I'm hoping for a high-res screen! Imagine 1440x900 ;-)

Also, I can't comprehend why there is no glass trackpad on MBA yet. It's ridiculous.

 

[MartiNZ]

Personally, I'm hoping for a high-res screen! Imagine 1440x900 ;-)

Also, I can't comprehend why there is no glass trackpad on MBA yet. It's ridiculous.

I reckon 1600x900, Sony offers that at 16:9 in smaller displays, IIRC, and the MBA should return to its rightful place as the trendsetter for the Apple laptops, rather than the lapdog. Glass trackpad should really have hit it before it hit the rest!

 

[gwsat]

Haha that last line literally made me lol!

Come on Mr Jobs, please blow our socks off with the MBA D

I gather that before Steve Jobs came back to Apple in the '90s, the security of information was not a high priority. I watched an excellent 2008 documentary, Welcome to Macintosh, on Netflix streaming last night. It pointed out that Jobs penchant for secrecy nearly killed sites like Mac Rumors because, these days, nobody at Apple seems to leak any information.

 

[Wild-Bill]

Option 3.

Major revision and lower price


Doesn't really matter anyway, as Jobs and company have the Air on the "pay no mind list", along with the Mac Pro, Mac Mini, and others.

 

[L0s7man]

Option 3.

Major revision and lower price


Doesn't really matter anyway, as Jobs and company have the Air on the "pay no mind list", along with the Mac Pro, Mac Mini, and others.

How about Option 4: minor revision + higher price!

 

[cleric]

How about Option 4: minor revision + higher price!

No reason to raise the price for a minor revision, that hardware is so old their profit margin just keeps going up they can afford to throw you a 4gb chip of ram and maybe a 320m if you're lucky for the same price.

 

[Spacekatgal]

Option 2. I wouldn't buy it this year, but I would get the revision the year after.

It would distinguish the MBA from the iPad, which is something very important. It needs to justify its existence in the Mac lineup.

If the Ram were expandable I'd be very tempted to pick it up. 4 is not enough for PS work.

Bri

 

[Scottsdale]

What everyone is forgetting that if the MBA gets a Core i7 CPU of any sort, it's much more likely to come with Intel's GMA HD for its sole graphics solution. Apple's point with the MBA might be different than 13" MBP. SJ said the MBP with C2D and Nvidia 320m offered slightly better CPU and incredibly superior graphics for the 13" MBP than the Core i5 CPUs with Intel's GMA HD. If Apple couldn't fit a dedicated GPU in the 13" MBP how will it fit one in the MBA?

I think everyone is getting way out of line thinking we're actually going to get a Core CPU and DISCRETE GRAPHICS SOLUTION. It is a DREAM scenario that isn't likely especially since Jobs bashed Intel's GMA HD for the 13" MBP. I believe it all tells us a C2D with Nvidia 320m GPU are on their way to the MBA. If we see Core CPUs, we're most likely getting Intel's GMA HD for graphics as Apple would probably say non "Pros" don't need the graphics power of the Nvidia GPUs. Also, Sandy Bridge ULV CPUs later this year or early 2011 would offer up to double the graphics performance which might get it close to the Nvidia 9400m of October 2008 MBAs. We have to remember the Core i7-6x0UM/LM comes with a graphics non-solution that might be half as capable as the 9400m and 1/4 as capable as the 320m that we could get from C2D and Nvidia MBA.

 

[.summerfree]

lol I swear that Scottsdale has been giving the same C2D/320m hypothesis for weeks and it makes a hell lot of sense. Let's be realistic here, there's no way option 2 is gonna happen. Remember: new Macbooks were leaked with the C2D/320m combo, so I highly doubt we're going to see the i7 or any ix chip in the MBA.

 

[Scottsdale]

lol I swear that Scottsdale has been giving the same C2D/320m hypothesis for weeks and it makes a hell lot of sense. Let's be realistic here, there's no way option 2 is gonna happen. Remember: new Macbooks were leaked with the C2D/320m combo, so I highly doubt we're going to see the i7 or any ix chip in the MBA.

Believe me, I would gladly be wrong if it means the MBA gets a dedicated ATI graphics card... but I honestly see Core i7 as only coming with GMA HD in the MBA, and that would be sickening right now.

A C2D and Nvidia 320m make all the sense in the world as the strategy has worked since October 2008 for the MBA. Apple tried the Intel way with the original MBA and it was a complete disaster. I know one thing, if I buy an MBA that only has Intel's GMA HD for graphics, I will spend my whole life in Windows 7 to stay away from OS X's inferior performance with drivers in graphics. I have always said the Intel GMA HD would be perfectly fine in Windows 7, but running OS X is a completely different story. Anyone can go read the recent reports about how poorly OS X fares against Windows when it comes to graphics, h.264, and most importantly OpenGL.

I would rather spend my computing time in OS X, but Apple needs to give us an Nvidia GPU chipset or an ATI dedicated GPU to make that happen with the Core i7 CPUs.

I guess we have five hours or so to see if it's today. It's awfully quiet for a night before an update... meaning it's not looking like it's Tuesday this week... maybe next week? Maybe not until WWDC?

 

[Jobsian]

Interesting poll figures so far, despite the $1,100 price difference between the two models, however not that very surprising given the MBA's traditional demographic (as I perceive it anyway).

I hope Apple have a similar demographic in mind

 

[thinkdesign]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint PPC6850SP)

Would someone please be specific --- What exactly is it that the "crap" "CoreI7 graphics solution" won't do as well as the current Macbook Airs, or the upgrade Scottsdale's predicting for soon?

 

[Mhkobe]

What everyone is forgetting that if the MBA gets a Core i7 CPU of any sort, it's much more likely to come with Intel's GMA HD for its sole graphics solution. Apple's point with the MBA might be different than 13" MBP. SJ said the MBP with C2D and Nvidia 320m offered slightly better CPU and incredibly superior graphics for the 13" MBP than the Core i5 CPUs with Intel's GMA HD. If Apple couldn't fit a dedicated GPU in the 13" MBP how will it fit one in the MBA?

What you are forgetting is that apple couldn't afford to put something with a ridiculous looking clock speed in the 13" MBP. It is one of their best selling computers, and very few people who buy them understand that clock speed isn't directly related to performance. With the MBA they can afford to put a core i7 ULV with something like a 1.2Ghz clock speed in it because the people who buy MBAs do their research. GPUs don't take up very much space, all that one needs to be worried about are heat, power, and whether you can sell it to a customer.

-I have people coming up to me all the time asking why Apple lowered the clocks on the high end MBPs so much, and they think that apple is lowering the performance.

 

[Scottsdale]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint PPC6850SP)

Would someone please be specific --- What exactly is it that the "crap" "CoreI7 graphics solution" won't do as well as the current Macbook Airs, or the upgrade Scottsdale's predicting for soon?

The "crap" is the Intel GMA HD Graphics DIE on the Core i5/i7 CPUs. It's less than 1/2 as capable as the 9400m we have used since October 2008. It is essentially going back to the original MBA's type of graphics... sort of.

A lot of people say the GMA HD works fine on Windows 7, but Windows has a hell of a lot better performance for graphics like OpenGL and h.264 API access. Just because it can play a BluRay in Windows doesn't mean it can do it in OS X. Whether we like it or not, we need the graphics capabilities Nvidia's GPU chipset can give us OR we need a dedicated GPU.

Apple used the Intel GMA HD in the new 15" and 17" MBPs. However, those have the real Nvidia 330 GT to fall back on. Even MBP owners are pretty disappointed when the Intel GMA HD is in use. Apple could have just turned off the GMA HD but it decided to use it to keep battery performance way up. Unfortunately the Nvidia GPU chipset is off limits for Apple with Core i-series CPUs.

I would gladly take an MBA with C2D CPU and Nvidia 320m GPU that Apple used in the new 13" MBPs over a Core i7 CPU with ONLY Intel GMA HD for graphics. Steve Jobs replied to an email saying the 13" MBPs needed the Nvidia GPU as the loss of graphics afforded by the Intel GMA HD weren't acceptable. This way Apple gave the MBP slightly faster CPU instead of the boost from Core CPUs, and much better Nvidia 320m over Intel GMA HD that was pathetic. These email was sort of a wakeup call for anyone expecting a dedicated solution in a 13" Mac notebook. It implied that it wasn't possible for whatever reason - cooling, energy requirements, space, or just to keep a 10-hour battery feasible.

I am all for the C2D CPU and Nvidia 320m. I don't believe it would be "worthy" of showing off at WWDC unless Apple has a complete redesign ready. What that could be is using a non tapered design that is thinner at the thickest point and thicker at the thinnest point. I am guessing if that were to happen it would look something like iPad looks - when MBA is closed.

I have no idea if there is an MBA update at WWDC. I think the rumors tells us that there's something coming, but I don't put any value into those rumors saying a Core i7 CPU. The same rumors said Core i5 in the 13" MBPs. The same rumors said ATI discrete GPU in the 13" MBPs. The same rumors that said Optimus. The same rumors that have been off everywhere... meaning all of the rumors knew certain Macs were coming but didn't have any clue what the component makeup contained. Hell, there may not even be an MBA coming. If it does have a Core i7, I certainly hope it doesn't stick us with Intel GMA HD as sole graphics non-solution.

 

[gwsat]

Can someone explain just what the real world weakness would be in having the integrated GPU in the i7 chip handle all graphics tasks? About the heaviest duty graphics I use are to watch streaming videos. Even my little iPad does that just fine -- that is unless Flash is required. It seems to me that an updated MBA with the i7 CPU and integrated GPU might work just fine for me. Am I missing something here?

 

[Jobsian]

Can someone explain just what the real world weakness would be in having the integrated GPU in the i7 chip handle all graphics tasks?

This is precisely the question I hoped for replies to in my admittedly verbose recent thread here. You've put it more succinctly

 

[Scottsdale]

Can someone explain just what the real world weakness would be in having the integrated GPU in the i7 chip handle all graphics tasks? About the heaviest duty graphics I use are to watch streaming videos. Even my little iPad does that just fine -- that is unless Flash is required. It seems to me that an updated MBA with the i7 CPU and integrated GPU might work just fine for me. Am I missing something here?

It would be perfectly fine in Windows 7. It would SUCK in OS X. The bottom line is what works in Windows does not necessarily mean a GPU will be capable of in OS X. I can run my current MBA in Windows 7 and use 1/4 of the CPU as needed to do the same tasks in OS X. I don't know whether it's the nature of the Linux system to not do graphics well, or if it's Apple writing absolutely crap drivers that don't "aim for" performance?

I would probably buy an MBA with a Core i7 and Intel GMA HD, but I would probably completely abandon OS X to do that. I don't believe OS X and Intel GMA would provide even the level of performance required from today's Flash, HD playback, and etc to be acceptable as a primary Mac one computer system.

I love the form factor of the MBA as a writer, and I would love to have both OS X and Windows available, but I see no use for OS X if it doesn't have an Nvidia GPU chipset or a discrete ATI/Nvidia GPU. We have done Intel GMA before, it was in the original MBA, and I didn't like my original MBA in any way... not even for writing. Because we all expect our computers to provide a certain level of performance Intel is not capable of providing for us in the graphics area of focus.

I suppose I would consider even moving to a 13" MBP or 17" MBP plus iPad? I don't know what I would do? Hell, I don't even want to think about how disgusting this would be. The most hope we have, if Apple does use a Core i7, is the news that Apple will be running the CPU on boost thereby disabling the GMA. That would mean a dedicated ATI/Nvidia card would have to be paired with the Core i7. This is our absolute best case scenario. With the ULV CPU at 18W, and an ATI 7w 5430, we could be at 25W total which is a 4W TDP savings from the current MBA which uses a 29W TDP system.

There is hope, so let's not give in to the thoughts of a Core i7 with only Intel GMA for graphics.

 

[gri]

I would gladly take an MBA with C2D CPU and Nvidia 320m GPU...

After using my refurb MBA for 3 weeks now I am not sure if I would jump to that now, even with the 4GB and larger HHD. C2D is a lame duck now and a dead duck by the end of the year. Any prediction for what comes after 2010, i.e. in 7 months?

 

[gwsat]

After using my refurb MBA for 3 weeks now I am not sure if I would jump to that now, even with the 4GB and larger HHD. C2D is a lame duck now and a dead duck by the end of the year. Any prediction for what comes after 2010, i.e. in 7 months?

What kind of apps are you running. My Santa Rosa MBP has an aging 2.4Ghz C2D, which has been ample for my purposes. If my experience with my MBP is any guide, I suspect that your dissatisfaction with your MBA is really attributable to its having only 2Gb of RAM, rather than to its C2D processor. Now that I have 6Gb of RAM, I routinely run a number of Windows and OS X apps concurrently from the OS X desktop, thanks to VMware Fusion's Unity mode.

 

[Jobsian]

With every day that passes im beginning to believe that Apple' likelihood for releasing high performance, high cost components for the MBA is higher than the likelihood for the 13" MBP.

I get the feeling, and it's no more than conjecture, that Apple, if they are to refresh the MBA, will want to differentiate this as a premium product and the poll results reflect it's demographic.

What kind of apps are you running

That's a key question, by reading some of the accounts here it does seem that I'm a much lighter graphics user than many and so Intel-only wouldn't be such a handicap for me, though of course I'd much prefer Nvidia/ATI (only if the cooling is nailed, otherwise no deal for me)

 

[Scottsdale]

With every day that passes im beginning to believe that Apple' likelihood for releasing high performance, high cost components for the MBA is higher than the likelihood for the 13" MBP.

I get the feeling, and it's no more than conjecture, that Apple, if they are to refresh the MBA, will want to differentiate this as a premium product and the poll results reflect it's demographic.

That's a key question, by reading some of the accounts here it does seem that I'm a much lighter graphics user than many and so Intel-only wouldn't be such a handicap for me, though of course I'd much prefer Nvidia/ATI (only if the cooling is nailed, otherwise no deal for me)

Believe me, I believe 95% of users would be disappointed with an Intel GMA in the MBA. They wouldn't be disappointed until real world use shows them just how incapable the GMA would be as a sole solution. I believe your positive thoughts are misguided because you hope for a Core i-series MBA that is high-quality which you see the MBA as deserving.

I don't believe we have to worry, as I honestly don't see SJ backtracking on his words so quickly. A Sandy Ridge CPU offers double the GMA performance so it would be much more likely from Apple for the MBA. However, that MBA wouldn't happen until later in the year.

Maybe Apple will reposition the MBA as a luxury Mac and include both a Core i7 and an ATI GPU. I can actually see would be MBP buyers going for the upgrade to an MBA if it had a 2+ GHz CPU and discrete GPU, larger SSD, and two RAM slots. I don't think we should give up hope on such an MBA especially with the rumors that the MBA update is getting Core i7 and the boost feature will be used full-time by turning off GMA. I would say it's a long shot, but if Apple can make more money on such an MBA it's possible. Imagine tripling the MBA market with buyers willing to pay Apple $1k more for an MBA with a C i7 and ATI GPU that truly performs. Look at the BTO options from MBA buyers who want to tailor the experience for them with 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, IPS display, and the discrete GPU possibility. Apple would have MBP buyers switching to the MBA for certain. It would be a big reason for Apple to differentiate the MBA over the 13" MBP stuck with C2D and iGPU. I would say we shouldn't give up hope given the rumors.

While I still believe an MBA with a C2D at 30% performance boost, with Nvidia 320m, and 4 GB RAM soldered to the board seems more likely, it doesn't rule out several other possibilities for the MBA. A new design could be Apple's focus for a new Mac given Apple's new stance as primarily a mobility company. Apple surely will want to introduce at least one new Mac of some form at WWDC. So I am trying to be positive. We have two weeks and we will probably know something. Of course there's the possibility that Apple says nothing at WWDC and the MBA gets the quiet C2D, Nvidia 320m, and 4 GB RAM after WWDC too. Maybe Apple was just focused on getting the MB updated first? A lot of parents buy MBs for their graduating kids who are going off to college. Maybe it was just more important to get this MB update first. The bottom line is we can all keep speculating but we're not going to truly know until SJ says it at WWDC OR it gets updated on Apple.com.