Congrats! I love my MBA 11"(Maxed out) too! It is not my sole computer and I will be using my iMac i7 for the majority of stuff. The MBA will be used for travel mostly!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Ultimate MB 11.6 it is
- Thread starter 99 Cent Tacos
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I agree that the iPad can't do nearly as much as a real computer running OS X. Now that the iPad supports multitasking thanks to iOS 4.2, though, it is a lot better. Perhaps the best thing about the iPad is its incredible battery life. I've never seen anything like it. My iPad is still my go to device for Web browsing while I am watching TV or wandering around. Nevertheless, for everything else I use my 13 inch Ultimate MBA.
I also have an iPad 32 GB with 3G and I agree that it serves a different purpose. It's more for consumption rather than production for me. It travels perfectly with my MBA for checking emails, quick review and edits of docs on the go. Its amazing battery life, instant on, and 3G on demand is great for my needs. And when I just need to lay back on the couch or the bedroom to read the WSJ, an ebook, netflix or surf the internet, nothing beats it.
I can't imagine letting go of my iPad until the next upgrade.
I can't imagine letting go of my iPad until the next upgrade.
It's funny, but i've never ever heard of Apple referring to any of their computers as "Ultimate"
For anybody reading that doesn't understand the crass terminology, the term "Ultimate" used on this forum means somebody has a top of the range version of the bottom of the range Apple notebook...
For anybody reading that doesn't understand the crass terminology, the term "Ultimate" used on this forum means somebody has a top of the range version of the bottom of the range Apple notebook...
I'm sure it will come the next update. But it's got a whole host more than the MBA to be honest, faster processor, longer batt life, superdrive etc etc.
If you want a small laptop and lets face its a "netbook" then the MBA is great, I love mine, but don't kid ourselves, it's the bottom of the range in terms of spec, by a long way too. It just looks fancy.
I beg to differ.
A netbook has a baby processor, like an Intel Atom; the MBA has a Core 2 Duo. A netbook has integrated graphics; the MBA has a standalone Nvidia 320M. A netbook has a cramped keyboard; the MBA has a full-sized keyboard. A netbook has a plastic crack-on-impact shell clearly manufactured by Fisher Price; the MBA has a unibody aluminum construction.
I agree, it's not quite a notebook, but it's definitely not a netbook.
Not to burst your bubble, but the nVidia 320M is integrated and shares the onboard RAM (up to 256MB of it). The keyboard on the 11.6" is not quite full size with smaller return, arrow and function keys.
Not all netbooks are made of fragile plastics either, by the way, unlike my Macbook.
"Ultimate" is used as handy shorthand to describe the fully loaded MBAs but you probably already knew that. It works for me and a lot of other MBA owners who post here.
In the interest of clarity I have provided both my MBA's processor speed and the amount of its storage in my sig but in my posts habitually describe it as the Ultimate model. It works for many of us so why not relax, smell the roses, and go with the flow? One poster's "crass" is another's clear and concise description. Think about it.
It's quite possible that there is no "next update" to the MacBook and that it is just the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro after the Pro gets its update next year. The 13" Air, by virtue of its SSD, outperforms the base MacBook on almost all real world tests. They have the same IGP, similar battery life, and the processor speed difference is negligible, especially considering that the 1.86GHz and 2.13GHz Penryn chips have 6MB of L2 cache compared to 3MB in the 2.4GHz in the MacBook.
As for the Superdrive, the MacBook Air has one available, but it is external. Plus, it should be pretty obvious by now that Apple sees optical drives as dead-end technology and is phasing them out.
I'm sorry guys, you can make the "benchmark" comparisons, and anything else you like, the fact is the MBA is the base model notebook, end of story. We all know these benchmark programs are not real world comparisons.
And for those wishing to add that Apple may not be updating the Macbook and phasing it out (which by the way i've not heard of happening yet) then it just bolsters my point even further.
As I said before, it's not stopped me buying one to replace my PC netbook, I think they are good, but i'm in no way blinded by the fact that it's a entry level model into the Apple netbook stable.
And for those wishing to add that Apple may not be updating the Macbook and phasing it out (which by the way i've not heard of happening yet) then it just bolsters my point even further.
As I said before, it's not stopped me buying one to replace my PC netbook, I think they are good, but i'm in no way blinded by the fact that it's a entry level model into the Apple netbook stable.
What?? The MBA has a baby processor, Netbooks have full sized keyboards (i.e. Samsung NC10 etc), a unibody construction has nothing to do with the definition of a netbook.
A netbook is defined by form and function, not by numbers and spec. I wanted a decent netbook, so I bought a 11" MBA.
I'd hardly call the 11" MBA a 'base model netbook'.
Its probably the most expensive computer per pound you can buy.
It pushes the limits of how small you can make usable powerful laptop.
It is very innovative with its use of SSD without the case, aluminum unibody construction, amazing thinness.
To the contrary, I consider the 11" MBA the most premium laptop around providing the most function in a tiny yet usable package.
Eh?? If you were reading the thread, you'd see this comment is regarding Apple's line of notebooks, in which case I can't see the MBA being their premium model considering a top spec MBP costs (or could cost) 2 or even 3 times as much.
You are right that a maxed out MBP can cost two or three times as much an an 11 inch MBA. An MBP, though, can weigh nearly three times as much as the 11 inch MBA so the OP was overly broad when he said that the 11 inch MBA is "the most premium laptop." Obviously, it isn't. I believe, though that had the OP claimed the 11 inch MBA is the "most premium" netbook size laptop, he would have been absolutely right. There is nothing available on the market at the moment that can match the 11 inch MBA's combination of power, small size, and light weight.
I continue to be amazed at how fast the 11" MBA feels. It really does feel as fast as, or faster than, my 17" MBP. Now, I love the MBP for its screen size and enormous screen resolution. But I love the MBA for its tiny size and weight. I spent an hour and a half on the couch last night with the MBA, and could type on it easily, without it burning my lap, or getting to heavy, or anything. It was great! I haven't had such a nice "computing" experience since I got my iPad. 
I'm really starting to see how much a computer's speed is based on its disk access. Since the MBA is SSD, it's lightening fast. But even the CPU is no slouch. While on the couch last night, I was installing fink. It takes a while to install because it compiles a lot of stuff, and watching it in a terminal window, it was hauling. Every bit as fast as my MBP. And I was installing CS5 updates at the same time.
Whichever Air you choose, you'll love it. If you need the small size, I see no reason to not consider the 11". The ONLY drawback, IMO, is the SSD size, and I'm hoping there will be a 256 gig option in the near future.
Rob
I'm really starting to see how much a computer's speed is based on its disk access. Since the MBA is SSD, it's lightening fast. But even the CPU is no slouch. While on the couch last night, I was installing fink. It takes a while to install because it compiles a lot of stuff, and watching it in a terminal window, it was hauling. Every bit as fast as my MBP. And I was installing CS5 updates at the same time.
Whichever Air you choose, you'll love it. If you need the small size, I see no reason to not consider the 11". The ONLY drawback, IMO, is the SSD size, and I'm hoping there will be a 256 gig option in the near future.
Rob
I expect to be flamed for saying this, but an 11.6" Acer 1830T netbook with Core i5um cpu , 4GB DDR3 RAM and a 500GB HDD costs $600 and, other than the lack of an SSD (one could add a 128GB one for around $150) it is the functional equal of the MBA 11 Ultimate (though prob. 15 sec. longer boot time). By "equal," I mean in performance; it isn't in the same league in terms of design and quality. Oh yeah, it doesn't have the graphics bones either, but the MBA's are weak-ish and, besides, how many game on their 11.6 notebooks - and if they do, why wouldn't they get an Alienware M11X for $799?
I would call this (the Acer 1830T) a "poor man's (or woman's) MBA 11. Let's be fair, though, some people can't afford $1,200 for a netbook (or a notebook, for that matter) and we shouldn't dis them or the people who buy them. But neither should proponents of that product dis the MBA 11 Ultimate as "waste of money" or an "Apple tax."
I'm really tired of fanatical posts...
I agree that the Acer is a valid "functional" equivalent, but yeah, it can't hold a candle to the build quality. And what are you going to run on it? Windows?? Linux? Good luck in both cases. Windows is hopelessly flawed is so many ways, and even though I've been a Linux-head for fifteen years, I gave up on it because (1) I don't like Ubuntu, and (2) Fedora hasn't been able to produce a bug-free release in years. Too much work to make it run.
Everyday I use my Mac, the more I love it. OSX isn't perfect, but it's by and large THE best OS out there.
Rob
I agree that a Mac running OSX is unmatched for efficiency and simply amazing "cooperation" between software and hardware. That said, Windows 7 is the first Windows product I have ever used (have to for work. Like to because I have to have an extremely powerful desktop rig.) that really doesn't crash (like once every two months) and runs smoothly. However, it does not get 1/2 the battery life of a Mac running the same Intel components and does not offer the iLife suite which, if you are into those endeavors, is remarkable as a "part of the computer, no extra charge." Also, of all the successful loads of OSX onto non-Apple machines - but machines with the same basic components of MBPs - it runs about as well as Windows on the same computer. Moral of story: tight integration between hdwe and OS is what makes a computer, well, zoom1
I still am dumbfounded that you can't get a blu ray drive on any MBP, ditto eSata, HDMI, ExpressCard except MBP 17. All computer makers appear to omit obvious needs of consumers, things that would have minimal cost impact (Apple knows people need backlit keyboards, most others fail to provide it, even though when they do it's a $25 upgrade, so what was the big deal all along?
Ok, this thread accidentally became yet another Mac vs Windows thing by virtue of comparisons of MBP 11 to a netbook, which by def is a windows machine.
I'm really tired of fanatical posts...
Me too! More life than Apple in the computer world.