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Thinking to buy Refurb Rev.B MBA

antonioanmar

antonioanmar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 27, 2009
56
6
Albacete (Spain)
Hi all:

I am owner of a refurb. Rev.A MBA, and i am very happy with it. Also i have a Macbook, but i use it mostly like "desktop" computer, because since i bought the MBA i do not want to carry more weigth than this one.
Now, i am thinking to buy a refurb. Rev.B MBA, and give the Rev.A to my girlfriend, who only use it for email, internet and office works.
So, i think that it would be a good idea to buy the top one (1.86, SDD), because the difference between this one and the lower rev.B (1.6, HDD) is 500€ (nearly 376$).
The point is : do you think that for a dairly use of not very hard works (for intensive photo or video edit i use the Alu Macbook) is it interesting to pay this difference of money? Please, let me know your comments, because i know that mostly of you could help me with your knowledge.

P.D. : excuse me if my english is not very good. I am spanish and i do my best. :eek:
 
antonioanmar

antonioanmar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 27, 2009
56
6
Albacete (Spain)
IgnatiusTheKing said:
The the OP, what will you be using the new MBA for? Do you find that the RevA meets your needs? If so, then the moderate speed bump you'll get for moving to the RevB might be enough.
Click to expand...

That's the point. I am very happy with my revA, but i find it a little slow sometimes when i open some websites or using pictures from my hdd (many times i must to show high definition pictures to my customers when i am on travel).
Because of this reason i think that rev.B would be the BIG solution for me. But i'm not sure if lower one is enought or it would be better to go for top one to avoid problems.
Really is the diference between lower and top enought to pay this money?This is my question :confused:

P.D. eVolcre, do not worry, i understand that you didn't know it.
 
IgnatiusTheKing

IgnatiusTheKing

macrumors 68040
Nov 17, 2007
3,657
2
Texas
antonioanmar said:
That's the point. I am very happy with my revA, but i find it a little slow sometimes when i open some websites or using pictures from my hdd (many times i must to show high definition pictures to my customers when i am on travel).
Because of this reason i think that rev.B would be the BIG solution for me. But i'm not sure if lower one is enought or it would be better to go for top one to avoid problems.
Really is the diference between lower and top enought to pay this money?This is my question :confused:
Click to expand...

From everything I've read, the SSD makes a pretty dramatic difference, so if your RevA with HDD is struggling to keep up, you might consider the 1.779,00 € model with 1.6GHz and SSD, which is a little less expensive than the very top model.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
So the Rev B MBA's in Spain start at 1429€ refurbished and 1649€ full retail?

It does seem like things like how fast apps launch is benefitted much more by the SSD than anything else, though.

(And man, I'm very tempted by a refurb rev B when they become available in the USA....)
 
S

stoconnell

macrumors 6502
Mar 22, 2009
446
0
Rockville (Despite REM's plea.)
I think the 1.6GHz with the SSD would be the real sweet spot (I don't see the extra 260MHz as being terribly noticeable). If they offered that as a non-BTO option in the US, I would have been all over that. When I purchased mine, I wanted the option of being able to do an exchange with in-store stock rather than having to go the ship back and wait route.
 
D

dudeitsjay

macrumors regular
Mar 26, 2009
197
0
If I were to switch from a rev A to a rev B, it would be to get an upgrade to an SSD and 9400m. Say you sell your rev A refurb for $700, I would arbitrarily set a reasonable price/performance point to say $500 more for SSD and rev B upgrades. By this, I mean the performance increase to me would feel worth $500. But I do come from PCing, and macs are notoriously on higher ends of price spectrums.
 
dubhe

dubhe

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2007
1,304
10
Norwich, UK
The refurb Rev.B are in the UK store too, have been for a couple of weeks.

The 1.6/HDD will do everyday tasks, the only difference is the time for loading of apps/large files, if you mainly use a select few apps you won't notice that much difference.
 
antonioanmar

antonioanmar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 27, 2009
56
6
Albacete (Spain)
Thanks for your comments.

So, i assume that lower one would be a real diference with the rev.A; and to go to higher options on the rev.B is not a big increase on the speed (at least not enought to pay the diference on cost), right?

This is the point because i asked to you (mostly of you know more than i do about this subject i think), because i thought that it would be a difference so interesting to pay for it, and i thought to order the top one.

So, i see that you think that neither 1.86 or SDD will be reason to pay the money that they cost.
 
dubhe

dubhe

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2007
1,304
10
Norwich, UK
The 1.8/SSD is better than the 1.6/HDD. If you can afford it, then you should go for it. The point is the 1.6/HDD is still a very capable machine, far more capable than any Rev.A, and you would not be disappointed if that is what you choose to upgrade to.
 
eVolcre

eVolcre

macrumors 68000
Jan 7, 2003
1,979
587
dubhe said:
The refurb Rev.B are in the UK store too, have been for a couple of weeks.

The 1.6/HDD will do everyday tasks, the only difference is the time for loading of apps/large files, if you mainly use a select few apps you won't notice that much difference.
Click to expand...

WHat's the discount on the refurbs? Should be an indication of US prices once they hit the stores here

eV
 
antonioanmar

antonioanmar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 27, 2009
56
6
Albacete (Spain)
eVolcre said:
WHat's the discount on the refurbs? Should be an indication of US prices once they hit the stores here

eV
Click to expand...

For the lower rev.B , refurb is 13% cheaper than the new one (165). For the top one it is 14% ($240) discount.
 
Scottsdale

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
I have a rev B MBA 1.86 GHz with SSD. I absolutely recommend you spend the extra and get SSD. If you have enjoyed your original MBA, you are going to be amazed by the rev B MBA.

Let us know how you like it. Congratulations!
 
eVolcre

eVolcre

macrumors 68000
Jan 7, 2003
1,979
587
antonioanmar said:
For the lower rev.B , refurb is 13% cheaper than the new one (165). For the top one it is 14% ($240) discount.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Was hoping it would be a little more. Once you add CA tax to the discounted price you're pretty close to buying a new one from Amazon (in the US that is )

eV
 
antonioanmar

antonioanmar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 27, 2009
56
6
Albacete (Spain)
I want to tell you all that finally i did order the top one.
Really, i see that i am always using now the MBA, and my alu Macbook is now like a "desktop" computer in my home. Because of this reason, i think that the difference of price will be well used in the "all the days work".
 
Scottsdale

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
antonioanmar said:
I want to tell you all that finally i did order the top one.
Really, i see that i am always using now the MBA, and my alu Macbook is now like a "desktop" computer in my home. Because of this reason, i think that the difference of price will be well used in the "all the days work".
Click to expand...

Congratulations... what an awesome MAC. You will love it.

Cheers.
 
B

buddster

macrumors newbie
Mar 9, 2009
22
0
If you get a Rev B HDD, can you replace / upgrade the drive with at 1.8" SSD? I'd like to save money and get the HDD version and drop in one of the new Sandisk, OCZ or Intel units. Possible?
 
Scottsdale

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
buddster said:
If you get a Rev B HDD, can you replace / upgrade the drive with at 1.8" SSD? I'd like to save money and get the HDD version and drop in one of the new Sandisk, OCZ or Intel units. Possible?
Click to expand...

Apple uses an LIF cable that is proprietary. There is a workaround posted here in the MBA section. Title says something like Micro SATA conversion.

The problem is there are only a couple of 1.8" SATA drives. There are none bigger than 128 GB. The post with the workaround has the same Samsung drive Apple uses with 128 GB. Has similar read speed but double write speed. Can be had for around $250.

Been about two weeks since I last checked. Was trying to find a 1.8" 256 GB SSD, but none currently on market. That is why I don't really know if will be a rev C MBA anytime soon.

I would think Apple should be dropping its SSD prices or upgrading the SSD to 256 GB for same price???

Anyways, at the current time, Apple is best route for SSD in MBA.
 
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