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.
What to do now instead of waiting?
- Thread starter AtmChm
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I don't use Parallels too much but when I do it runs great. I am using it for Windows XP Home and the only reason for using it is if a program or website just won't work on OS X. So, I basically browse the web and run small programs.
Thanks for the feedback. I rely heavily on Windows 7 and VMware Fusion in Unity mode because Quicken 2010 for Windows is my bookkeeping program and old reliable WordPerfect 12 is my default word processing program. I am able to run both from the OS X desktop thanks to Fusion's Unity mode but doing so requires a lot of RAM. I learned the hard way that Windows apps running in a Fusion virtual machine struggle on a computer that has only 2 Gb of RAM.
Just to clarify, I am about to purchase a MBP and will also be running VM Fusion. I am in the mortgage business and the software I need only runs in Windows.
Based on what you are saying I should opt for the additonal memory and not the faster processcor????
Based on what you are saying I should opt for the additonal memory and not the faster processcor????
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! If you are going to buy an MBP and run Windows in a Fusion virtual machine, an upgrade to 8Gb of RAM would do exponentially more for you than a faster processor. With 8 Gb of RAM even the 2.4Ghz C2D processor in the base 13 inch MBP would allow you to run as many Windows apps as you wanted from the OS X desktop, if you ran Fusion in Unity mode. Even my old 17 inch 2.4Ghz Santa Rosa MBP with 6Gb of RAM allows me to keep multiple Windows apps open on the OS X desktop without any problems.
for what it's worth
I have been thinking long and hard about this. I am going for a holiday in September and want something light and Mac like to take with, mainly for photography, emails etc. I'd really love the MBA to take with to have a full Mac OS machine. I tried using an Acer Aspire One but I am not happy with Linux as there are too many problems with tech support.
The MBA would be fave but there don't seem to be even the hint of a hint of a rumour as to when or if an updated, down-priced, up-priced one will come along.
So in the meantime I have decided on the Ipad with the camera kit (assuming they are available in the UK but I want to see one before I buy it.
Then waiting for the MBA won't be quite so frustrating, quite so painful as buying one now and then finding out that in one month's time the latest update will come along with 4Gb ram and a 128Gb SSD and at least one extra usb port as standard (maybe even an SD slot to upgrade memory?) at the same price (or less) that the current version goes for.
I have been thinking long and hard about this. I am going for a holiday in September and want something light and Mac like to take with, mainly for photography, emails etc. I'd really love the MBA to take with to have a full Mac OS machine. I tried using an Acer Aspire One but I am not happy with Linux as there are too many problems with tech support.
The MBA would be fave but there don't seem to be even the hint of a hint of a rumour as to when or if an updated, down-priced, up-priced one will come along.
So in the meantime I have decided on the Ipad with the camera kit (assuming they are available in the UK but I want to see one before I buy it.
Then waiting for the MBA won't be quite so frustrating, quite so painful as buying one now and then finding out that in one month's time the latest update will come along with 4Gb ram and a 128Gb SSD and at least one extra usb port as standard (maybe even an SD slot to upgrade memory?) at the same price (or less) that the current version goes for.
I have had an iPad since the week following its release. While it is laudably small, light, and has a beautiful display, it is nonetheless crippled in many ways. Every browser available for it is inadequate in one way or another. It can't multitask, it can't handle Web pages that use Flash, and its email client is primitive. That just scratches the surface of the iPad's failings, there are others.
I would never buy an iPad, even limited to use while traveling, as a substitute for a real computer. The iPad isn't a real computer and will need a lot of work to achieve that level of utility. If you don't need that level of utility, though, the iPad is very nice within its limited capabilities.
gone hackintosh...
I was underwhelmed with the MBA when it was released. So I went hackintosh with Thinkpad X300 (13" LCD 1440x900) which was released around the same time as MBA. A 3-lb machine and bit of a black ugly duckling, but just as portable as MBA with many USB ports. It's fast enough for everyday stuff and light enough to be carried around anywhere. Once you get used to the thinkpad keyboard, it's hard to go back to Apple's chiclet keyboard for typing. My 15" unibody MB Pro (also 1440x900) feels like an oversized slab of aluminum on steroids in comparison, especially behind an airplane seat.
Thinkpad X300 is the real netbook (or a truly portable computer) as it should have been. It's just that Lenovo wasn't smart and daring enough to go for market share and undercut their competition.
Steve, can you please make your MB Pro's more portable?
I was underwhelmed with the MBA when it was released. So I went hackintosh with Thinkpad X300 (13" LCD 1440x900) which was released around the same time as MBA. A 3-lb machine and bit of a black ugly duckling, but just as portable as MBA with many USB ports. It's fast enough for everyday stuff and light enough to be carried around anywhere. Once you get used to the thinkpad keyboard, it's hard to go back to Apple's chiclet keyboard for typing. My 15" unibody MB Pro (also 1440x900) feels like an oversized slab of aluminum on steroids in comparison, especially behind an airplane seat.
Thinkpad X300 is the real netbook (or a truly portable computer) as it should have been. It's just that Lenovo wasn't smart and daring enough to go for market share and undercut their competition.
Steve, can you please make your MB Pro's more portable?
Go with the 2.13 with SSD and don't look back! You will not be disappointed! At the refurb price it's a great Mac for the price. That's what I did.