Should i have wait for next refresh?

[imHappy]

Hello guys, finally after searching alot, and because i really needed a laptop for my IB course, i just bought my Macbook Air Ultimate, which should be here next week.

- The question is, should i have waited for Sandy Bridge cpu's? or i will be perfectly fine with my future baby. I am planning to use this laptop for 2-3 years atleast

• Also, after school i will study architecture, and so basically, would this machine with the nvidia 320m be capable of running light Autocad, or would the sandy bridge BUT with intel hd 3000 would have run it better?

• Btw, do autocad requieres more CPU or GPU?

EDIT. I have a decent pc workstation which can be upgraded for running Autocad in the future.

Thx in advance.

Sorry for my grammar, English is not my first language!

 

[wordoflife]

Hello guys, finally after searching alot, and because i really needed a laptop for my IB course, i just bought my Macbook Air Ultimate, which should be here next week.

- The question is, should i have waited for Sandy Bridge cpu's? or i will be perfectly fine with my future baby. I am planning to use this laptop for 2-3 years atleast

• Also, after school i will study architecture, and so basically, would this machine with the nvidia 320m be capable of running light Autocad, or would the sandy bridge BUT with intel hd 3000 would have run it better?

• Btw, do autocad requieres more CPU or GPU?

EDIT. I have a decent pc workstation which can be upgraded for running Autocad in the future.

Thx in advance.

Sorry for my grammar, English is not my first language!

If I remember correctly, you hardly need a computer for the IB program. As long as you can access the web and a word processor, you will be fine. Cad should work fine on a MBA unless you plan on doing something complicated. But you mentioned you had a decent PC to take care of that if needed, so I wouldn't really worry about it. I doubt you'll notice much real-world difference between the current MBA and possible revised MBA. Just enjoy your laptop now.

 

[Peteman100]

I doubt either the current or incoming MBA would be stellar for complicated Autocad modelling. Your desktop will be much better equipped.

 

[imHappy]

mmm i mean i am not intending to do any complex modelling or rendering either.. just some basic or using it to present my final works

would it be the same using c2d and 320m than the iX(whichever come with the refresh) core series with a crappy gpu? im asking this because i heard that Autocad requieres a better graphic card rather than a good procesor

 

[MrXiro]

I think if you have to ask then you probably want to wait. The new one will be faster and just sort of 3D everything else will be better...

For me I went with the low end 11.6 inch C2D because I saved 200 dollars on one that was practically new... 0 charge cycles and full warranty... someone just decided to open it and play with it for an hour or 2.

Mine did come with the slower Toshiba SSD though.

 

[endhalf]

By the way, little known fact - AutoCAD and 3D modeling programes WON'T gain as much from powerfull GPU as from powerful CPU. Long story short you'r better off with stronger CPU and weaker GPU, then other way around. For example when you'r modeling in 3D, only thing that uses GPU are viewports. Heavy work is always doing CPU and I know that for a fact as I was finding that out when I was upgrading CPU on my PC.

That being said, people might expect a little too much from that refresh. Some of them might see i5/i7 procesor on that tiny device but they don't realize that since these procesors are ULV they will be much less powerfull than in MBP. Yet they will kick C2D ass any time, so if you'll be trying to do heavy autocad on you MBA, you'd be better off with refreshed one. If you however get a nice price on your unit, then be happy with what you'll get.

 

[holycat]

For sure, you wait for the coming refresh! You won't need a super powerful computer for IB course for now. But, you will need a much powerful machine for your architect course which won't start in anytime soon, right?

Imagine using C2D in say coming 2-3 years time. I think C2D is unacceptable in future (even now).

Wait for the MacBook Air 2011!

 

[imHappy]

well i guess im pretty much screw up, my mac is arriving this monday and in Peru we don't have Apple Stores but instead retail stores that doesn't have return policy..

I guess i will have to stick to my upcoming MBA!

 

[hcho3]

At this point, I recommend waiting. It has been over 7 months since update and apple does follow 8-10 months update cycles on most of their mac products.

You will get intel HD 3000 graphic card though...

I do not want intel HD.

 

[endhalf]

Guyz are all of you foreiners? He used (well tried) present perfect that means he already bought it and he is even saying that in first post. Why is a lot of you suggesting he should wait like he have the choice?

imHappy, I feel ya... I want to order new MB too but I'm holding up. I hope they will refresh it soon. Last time, I bought iPad 1 and week after that iPad 2 did come out. Even thought I still wouldn't go for iPad 2, at least I would save some money (150 dollars)..

 

[holycat]

Guyz are all of you foreiners? He used (well tried) present perfect that means he already bought it and he is even saying that in first post. Why is a lot of you suggesting he should wait like he have the choice?

Because he is asking:

- The question is, should i have waited for Sandy Bridge cpu's? or i will be perfectly fine with my future baby. I am planning to use this laptop for 2-3 years atleast

Of course, he have the choice to return the MBA to Apple (provided he bought the MBA from Apple Online Store). Don't you guys know that Apple have this 14 days return policy?

 

[endhalf]

Don't you guys know that Apple have this 14 days return policy?

That is out of option now since he said that he wasn't buying it from Apple. But granted, I didn't know that. In my country every online shop have to have 14 days return policy by law but I thought that in USA no1 has something like that.

 

[jdechko]

By the way, little known fact - AutoCAD and 3D modeling programes WON'T gain as much from powerfull GPU as from powerful CPU. Long story short you'r better off with stronger CPU and weaker GPU, then other way around. For example when you'r modeling in 3D, only thing that uses GPU are viewports. Heavy work is always doing CPU and I know that for a fact as I was finding that out when I was upgrading CPU on my PC.

The rendering output is definitely tied to the speed of the CPU, but I wouldn't discount the GPU entirely. It really sucks when you are trying to move around when modeling and you basically get a slideshow. In all but the simplest models, both CPU and GPU are equally important (though for different areas of the same workflow).

However, to the OP, for general 2D CAD work, integrated graphics will work fine.

 

[imHappy]

Thx for reply guys!

I will just stay with my current macbook because for getting the "future" refresh, in Peru, you would need to wait atleast 2 more months in order for the first stock to arrive to our retail iStores(which are NOT from apple directly)

 

[imHappy]

Because he is asking:



Of course, he have the choice to return the MBA to Apple (provided he bought the MBA from Apple Online Store). Don't you guys know that Apple have this 14 days return policy?

I used present perfect in that sentence as endhalf state it. I currently have my macbook but i was asking, if i should have wait for the next release.


Sry for the double post and not-so-good english lol.

 

[henry72]

Wait for it. It's worth it.

 

[holycat]

I used present perfect in that sentence as endhalf state it. I currently have my macbook but i was asking, if i should have wait for the next release.


Sry for the double post and not-so-good english lol.

Actually, I have sold my December 2010 bought 13' MAXED UP MBA. I truly believe that C2D 2.13 GHz (a five year old processor) in the current MBA won't survive well in the coming 2-3 years time.