Ult 11in Air for my work...

[altecXP]

Hey, I'm debateing an 11in Air for my freelance work, and selling my 15in.

How would a loaded 11in Air handle:
iWork(Pages)
Xcode
Coda
Chrome
Unison
uTorrent
LimeWire
Adium
Cloud.app
Mail.app
and iTunes or VLC at the same time?

I typically have most if not all of those open at any given time. While using a 2048x1152 display and a bluetooth mouse and KB. I also attach 2 external drives connected via FW, but I can more them to USB if needed. One is storage the other is Time Machine.

Should I maybe just wait for the SandyBridge Air to hit refurbish? I know the rumors are that it's less than a month out, so maybe 3-4 or so months after for refurbs?

 

[Abstract]

What display has that resolution? The aspect ratio of the display you described is around 2:1, and usually it's 16:10 or 16:9.

Anyway, an Intel Atom netbook can handle what you're after, so I don't think the 11" MBA would struggle to run what you described.

 

[altecXP]

What display has that resolution? The aspect ratio of the display you described is around 2:1, and usually it's 16:10 or 16:9.

Anyway, an Intel Atom netbook can handle what you're after, so I don't think the 11" MBA would struggle to run what you described.

I've never met an Atom that could do that all at once and not become a lagging nightmare.

It's a Samsung 23in display.

 

[RealScience]

How would a loaded 11in Air handle:
iWork(Pages)
Xcode
Coda
Chrome
Unison
uTorrent
LimeWire
Adium
Cloud.app
Mail.app
and iTunes or VLC at the same time?

I was just curious not to see any image editing software in that list. What do you do with Coda and Xcode that doesn't require image production? Does someone else do that for the projects you do?

Anyway, although I don't have an 11", I've found that the fully loaded 13" has taken everything I've thrown it at stride. I think if it wasn't for the light gaming I do, I wouldn't even necessarily have considered the very top of the line. Hope that helps a little.

 

[torbjoern]

Shouldn't be a big problem, but do make sure to max out the RAM. Really. It's only $100 extra, yet crucial for multitasking to the extent you describe.

 

[Abstract]

I've never met an Atom that could do that all at once and not become a lagging nightmare.

You're asking whether a MBA can handle iTunes, email, web browsing, iWorks, p2p, and coding. Yes it can, and yes, an Intel Atom could handle it as well, as long as you didn't get an earlier one with the artificial RAM limitations. A C2D MBA will easily handle what you described, with enough RAM installed.

None of those apps are heavily CPU intensive. Web browsing and music are not, and neither is downloading. The only limitation may be RAM. If you get 4 GB of RAM, I don't see you being disappointed with performance.