What will make you want to buy the mid-2011 MBA?

[macDelirium]

For me it's (in order of importance):

1. Sandy Bridge i5/i7
2. Support 8GB RAM
3. Backlit Keyboard
4. Thunderbolt
5. Improved quality LCD Panel

The first two are 'must have' and the rest are 'want' items.

 

[palpatine]

For me it's (in order of importance):

1. Sandy Bridge i5/i7
2. Support 8GB RAM
3. Backlit Keyboard
4. Thunderbolt
5. Improved quality LCD Panel

The first two are 'must have' and the rest are 'want' items.

No one can make me do anything!

But, I might consider the MBA if it has:

1. Sandy i5 dual core
2. 8GB RAM
3. Thunderbolt (just in case this does pan out)
4. Bezel-less display like MBP (I hate the current MBA bezel)
5. 7 hour battery
6. Backlit keyboard (I don't care, but it wouldn't hurt)

However, to be honest, I am quite pleased with my MBP 13". I think I will probably wait for the next MBA iteration.

 

[Yinmay]

For me it's (in order of importance):

1. Sandy Bridge i5/i7
2. Support 8GB RAM
3. Backlit Keyboard
4. Thunderbolt
5. Improved quality LCD Panel

The first two are 'must have' and the rest are 'want' items.

I agree with your order. 1 and 4 are 100% certain to happen. 5 won't happen. 2 and 3 are the big question marks.

I'd add less heat and more battery life. Probably will have to wait for Ivy Bridge for this though.

My deciding factor will be how bad is the HD 3000 in the low voltage SB. I'm willing to accept a 10% performance hit compared to current MBA but no more.

 

[MoreAwesomeDanU]

I agree with your order. 1 and 4 are 100% certain to happen. 5 won't happen. 2 and 3 are the big question marks.

I'd add less heat and more battery life. Probably will have to wait for Ivy Bridge for this though.

My deciding factor will be how bad is the HD 3000 in the low voltage SB. I'm willing to accept a 10% performance hit compared to current MBA but no more.

longer battery life for sure, but less heat? Have you used a mba? i find it too cold for my hands during winter times...

 

[I am Sampson]

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1) core 'i' series sandybridge (even i3)
2) 4gb ram AS STANDARD
3) 128gb SSD on base 11" or near current base 11" price
4) thinner screen bezel

 

[orfeas0]

longer battery life for sure, but less heat? Have you used a mba? i find it too cold for my hands during winter times...

that's a question i wanted to ask and you already answered, thank you.
but during gaming or HD video playback, doesn't it get hot? it's too thin to not get hot :S
does anyone know what temperatures should i expect (from a 2010 mba) while gaming?

 

[KylePowers]

What will make me want to buy the mid-2011 MBA? I'd say... winning the lottery

I'm interested in the 13", so I'd say:

• i5/i7 CPU
• 1600x900 resolution
• 320GB SSD (standard or as moderately priced upgrade)
• 4GB RAM standard (but upgrading isn't that big of a deal to me)
• 8-9 hours of battery life (I'd be happy with 7, but seeing more seems possible with newer CPU architecture and no Nvidia GPU)
• Smaller footprint (which would mean, smaller bezel)
• Backlit keyboard (never used one, but they seem neat)
• AMD/Nvidia GPU (not happening, but boy would it be nice!)

 

[KnightWRX]

4. Bezel-less display like MBP (I hate the current MBA bezel)

Expand on this, because the current shipping MBPs have a bezel.

 

[Asmod4n]

Hardware Crypto aka Sandy Bridge. Hope the new FullDiskEncryption supports it.

 

[merkinmuffley]

I was all set to pounce on the refresh, now I'm not so sure.

I'm going to wait and see what the benchmarks look like; the only program I run is CS5 and I'm very curious how it will run. It runs good on the couple of current 4GB 13 inch Airs, for me to buy the refresh it is going to have to run a lot better. It's a wait and see game for me.

I don't care about Thunderwhatevertheycallit or backlit keyboard, 8GB would be good, improved display is always good for my uses.

 

[Oppressed]

Discrete GPU.

 

[drewyboy]

I'm going to wait and see what the benchmarks look like; the only program I run is CS5 and I'm very curious how it will run.

What is this CS5 program you speak of? But seriously, which program, it's a suite.

With all joking aside, I'm assuming you mean photoshop, and from what I've heard the current MBA running it just fine and can handle raw images pretty well. I'd just mroogle it and I think you'll get an answer to how well it'll run.

Edit: I forgot to answer the OP's question.
1. Sandy Bridge i5/i7 - given
2. Thunderbolt - given
3. 13" 4GB Ram standard w/ BTO 8GB

Not sure if when apple ups standard ram if it's across the board or not, but I could see them possibly keeping 11" 2GB standard and upping the 13" to 4GB, but more than likely not. I think honestly it'll stay 2GB standard across w/ same BTO of 4GB.

 

[lokiju]

I want it to match the 13" MBP (current gen) but in the Air thinness in every way but SSD vs HDD and of course no optical drive.

If they pull that off then I'll get the 13" Air over the pro. Even if it's a few hundred more. Otherwise I'll just get the 13" pro with the back to school promo or from micro center since it's $999 there.


Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Lahmy88]

I'll buy this next MacBook Air coming out whether it has these things or not, simply because I want a lighter laptop because ever since I saw ads for the original Sony VAIO memory stick laptops back in the day, I've wanted a 11" or so laptop!

But I will be devastated if it doesn't have a backlit keyboard. I don't know what it is, but it's almost like a 'can't live without' even though I catch my current MacBook Pro dimming when I don't want it to, effectively making the backlight useless until I trigger it to brighten up.

Also, you'd think Thunderbolt is a given, so no need to request that.
USB3 would be nice, but I understand that might be something to do with Intel's next chipset or something?
Actually faster SSD chip would be great (SATA3 equivalent).
Sandy Bridge CPU seems a given.. surely!
More battery life would be nice

End of the day, I'll get whatever comes out, but it's the things listed above which will make me either content or super happy!

 

[fibrizo]

For me, as a current owner... I'd have to say...

1. Ivy Bridge
2. USB 3.0 support

Which aren't going to happen obviously, so I might wait until the spring to get another.

 

[Hankster]

I'm perfectly happy with my 11" Ultimate with no plans on buying the refresh. But, if it had significantly better screen resolution I would consider it. I wouldn't mind a little more canvas space on my desktop...

 

[jimboutilier]

8gb RAM is the only likely thing i'd find very compelling.
If larger hardware encrypted SSDs were offered that might do it too.

Otherwise I'll be sticking with my 2010

 

[2IS]

Nothing... Ive got a desktop as my powerhouse for any type of video work or gaming. My current 13" 2010 MBA does everything I use it for very well. MAYBE if they made a 11" with 10 hour battery life I might be compelled to give that a go.

 

[smeade]

Expand on this, because the current shipping MBPs have a bezel.

I think he means the edge-to-edge glass of the MBP. Of course that would be heavy and won't work on the Air.

 

[MoreAwesomeDanU]

that's a question i wanted to ask and you already answered, thank you.
but during gaming or HD video playback, doesn't it get hot? it's too thin to not get hot :S
does anyone know what temperatures should i expect (from a 2010 mba) while gaming?

The temp of MBA is nowhere near those found in the MBP. During hd playbacks, or heavy processing tasks, the thing gets barely warm and finally, you will realize it actually have fans inside (still barely audible). I can put it on my lap just fine or hold it by the bottom.

On the other hand, i can cook an egg on any generation of the mbp...

 

[pmr1]

It to be available.

 

[2IS]

The temp of MBA is nowhere near those found in the MBP. During hd playbacks, or heavy processing tasks, the thing gets barely warm and finally, you will realize it actually have fans inside (still barely audible). I can put it on my lap just fine or hold it by the bottom.

On the other hand, i can cook an egg on any generation of the mbp...

11 or 13"? I've got a 13" and I can tell you that the fan in this thing is the loudest i've heard on any laptop when it kicks up to full speed and the unit does indeed get very warm when performing intensive tasks. That's with the stock configuration. I no longer have either of those issues with coolbook on here.

 

[MoreAwesomeDanU]

11 or 13"? I've got a 13" and i can tell you that the fan in this thing is the loudest i've heard on any laptop when it kicks up to full speed and the unit does indeed get very warm when performing intensive tasks. That's with the stock configuration. I no longer have either of those issues with coolbook on here.

11".

 

[webitorgal]

I'd love to see an SD slot on the 11.6".!!

 

[trims]

For me it's (in order of importance):

1. Sandy Bridge i5/i7
2. Support 8GB RAM
3. Backlit Keyboard
4. Thunderbolt
5. Improved quality LCD Panel

The first two are 'must have' and the rest are 'want' items.

I don't think the exterior form factor - case / screen / bezel etc. will change at all, but that leaves scope for interior changes, in order of preference:

1. Sandy Bridge processors
2. Support 8GB RAM, 4GB standard
3. SATA 3 / TRIM support for SSD
4. SDXD card support (13")
5. Backlit keyboard
6. FaceTime HD camera

Not bovvered about Thunderbolt, but fairly sure we'll get it anyway. Amount of RAM / size of SSD will be governed by affordability for me.