Worth it?

[Maks]

Did I say anything contradictory.

I never said you did, I was simply giving a more detailed explanation of L2 cache for anyone who cared. But since you asked, you did say that the CPU will look for data on a hard drive, which it will never do. CPUs only access L1 cache, L2 cache and RAM for program data.

 

[frogcat]

A lot of people don't realize that SSD in the original MBA was still controlled by a PATA drive controller. This was a constraint. So, people seem to think that the old SSD solves ALL of the problems... NOT TRUE AT ALL. In fact, people thought the problem was that the HDD is PATA and the SSD must not be affected, but it most certainly was. Even the original MBA with SSD was limited severely by the PATA drive controller's technology. The new MBA uses SATA-II technology. So, yes if you buy a revised MBA you may get an SSD, but the reason why it's so much faster then the original MBA is there is a SATA-II controller on the new MBA.

Apple does a great job of making people think you only are buying PATA if you buy the HDD on the original MBA. It only stated SSD for the drive, which was true. But the drive was limited by the drive controller.

This is also why the new MBA benchmarks out much faster by software such as xBench, as an HDD 1.6 GHz new MBA versus an original MBA with 1.8 GHz and SSD.

Problematic... There are lots of little bits and pieces that affect everything. But the whole point is Apple definitely learned its lesson. Unfortunately the early adopters, like me, really got the shaft again from Apple. It has a history of selling new technology that isn't quite right on its first release. The MBA is a perfect example. Apple learned its lesson, and had huge return rates. Incredible problems with the original MBA. The problems were so massive and on every level of the original MBA, that Apple had accepted so many back that it had to lower the price on refurbished (high-end) from $3099 to $1299 in LESS THAN EIGHT MONTHS! That is a big lesson. The problem is people like me who bought it thinking it was a Mac... No, the original MBA was the piece of junk Steve Jobs says Apple could not make for less than $1000. My thinking is Apple sold a lot of us the JUNK it said Apple would never build NOT for $1000 but rather for $1799 to $3099. That really hurt Apple's reputation.

I have bashed the original MBA more than anyone. And I have taken a LOT of heat for it. But I bought the original. It was JUNK. It could NOT do anything any other Mac on the market could do. It had problems with everything and not just video. It was a series of poor choices to use cheap and older technology components rather than the lower voltage chips and the SATA drive and the Nvidia GPU the revised MBA got.

Look, the MBA is alive and well. But can you imagine had Apple never goofed up so badly and just released the new MBA? It would have saved Apple a lot of grief and bad publicity. We all believed Jobs when he told us the original MBA was so great. Did Apple really not test it? Did it really think that those components were not going to equal the trouble it did? Did it think it would be able to rewrite a lot of software like it did with Quicktime to make it easier for the MBA to run videos? Was there quality control problems with thermal paste on the CPUS? Why was it so bad for so many people?

Cool Book has been the ONE THING that I have noticed from reading here that has made the original MBA as a refurbished unit far more successful. AND, the idea people have about not expecting much from the original MBA because they paid for the extreme portability and gave up all of the power. They could use it for very light web surfing, email, and as a Word processor. It did ok for those three things. But it was the WORST MAC EVER as far as being a Mac and running OS X and being able to run the programs and videos that people expected in 2008. Cool Book has allowed a lot of people to use the MBA after buying it for a super cheap price of a $1800 discount for many. And being able to buy it for $999 was just really enticing to people. However, those people for the most part, expected nearly nothing from their MBA. And they were happy in the end because of Cool Book and lowered expectations, NOT by the performance of the original MBA and its inability to perform common basic tasks any Mac user would expect.

The revision B has NO PROBLEMS running HD video. I have run HD video on my MBA using a DUAL DVI cable $100 to an external 30" Apple Cinema Display and the picture was stunning. Looked just like a Mac Pro was driving the display. I have run all types of programs and never had my rev B MBA overheat. NOT ONCE. I use an external ACD with it all of the time. The technology is absolutely amazing. EVERY COMPONENT was upgraded from the original to the revised MBA... and it worked. The revised MBA is a true full blown out Mac capable of running all of the iLife software like video and photo editing. Capable of running Photoshop well. Capable of HD video. Capable of extreme multitasking. Capable of INSTANT app opening when I can recall my original MBA taking 20 seconds to open Safari. I can remember loading CS 3 on my original, and I removed it 20 minutes later, as it could NOT run it at all without lock ups freezing the computer. Without super delays in trying to do ANYTHING with even Dreamweaver.

The revised MBA is for real. If anyone is having problems with their revised MBA it has to be a quality control issue of thermal paste or a damaged component. And maybe some of the larger files have problems opening or playing for the 4200rpm HDD version. But, for the 1.6 GHz or 1.86 GHz with SSD, they absolutely do it all. Everything a MacBook Pro can do.

Only thing you give up is PORTS! From all of the other Macs you lose FireWire, Express Card, multiple USB, Ethernet, and Mic... but you can hook up a 24" ACD and you get three USB ports on the back, and it charges your MBA while you go. It's really like a docking solution. And you also have severely limited drive space compared to the common 320 GB drives currently used by all of the people with lots of huge entertainment files.

And I am so sure many of you are going to rip me on bashing the original MBA. For many the original MBA worked. For most, it did not. Definitely not as a primary Mac. But the new MBA is fully capable of being probably 90% of peoples primary Mac.

Cool Book definitely helps people run the original MBA too. Some people have different experiences with Cool Book I know. But I have to shout out to all of the refurbished buyers that they made a different decision then us original MBA buyers. We thought we were getting a real Mac, and we didn't. The problems were sorta corrected by software changes. But the original MBA could not perform like all of the others in the Mac lineup. However, Cool Book has allowed many to get a $10 application and make their $1299 or $999 MBA run much more like a Mac than had ever been possible before. That is a better decision, because MOST are using as a secondary computer and for some the MBA can do the job when used lightly.

I want to use my MBA just like I would a MBP, and that is exactly how I use it. It costs a lot of money, I know. But it is truly worth every penny in the long run if you can afford a rev B MBA with SSD. Fully capable if you can live with the limited ports.

In all fairness, I use an external 24" LED Backlit ACD, that adds $999 to the price. I also use an AirPort Extreme Base Station with an attached Hard Drive for storage. I cannot fit everything on the 128 GB of drive space, although most non-media enthusiasts probably could. I also spent money on AppleCare, and I do have a backup machine running Windows as I could not waste any space from my MBA with Windows. So, it really does limit me from having one computer like I want. BUT, I only use the other computer one day per month... and my kids get use out of the other. And it's for business so I cannot complain.

So, anyways, I would say, the revised MBA is worth every penny. The SSD is worth every penny if you want speed and power. The 24" ACD is worth every penny if you like to use your MBA like a desktop, and it does the job really amazingly. It really feels no different than a Mac Pro while sitting at the desk. And the AirPort Extreme Base Station is worth every penny, as well as the drive attached. So, it is a big expense, but I think the MBA could be a primary Mac for most people for many years. And the ACD will last longer than the MBA.

So, it it worth it all, yes. For me it's all worth it. But it's also a business expense for me too.

Best wishes to everyone out there. And by all means, if you want a secondary computer, look into the problems with the original MBA, and see if Cool Book is right for you to be able to buy an original MBA for a huge discount and only pay $999 to $1299. The original MBA is better now then ever. With Cool Book and the changes Apple has made, it can work for some as a secondary computer and even other light users as a primary. It all depends on your usage.

GO MACBOOK AIR!

There goes an hour of my life when I could have been sleeping. Oh well. Hope it helps at least one person buy an MBA.

First, I commend you for trying to help people out, and writing a post with so much ardor.

I am actually in the same boat as you, where I have a Rev B, and I hate the Rev A. I stress my computers too much, and I'd feel like I was trying to make a little girl do bench presses when I used the Rev A. However, it does have its market. My gf does not complain at all about hers.

Its just not, for lack of a better word, nice to say the MBA is a piece of junk, and your computer is flawed. That implies idiocy to those people that buy it. But in fact we are all idiots for buying into the market. These electronics do not cost much to make, and companies in fact intentionally cripple high-end machines, just so they could have a low-end machine to sell. Yet buying a low-end does not make you dumb.

I also don't believe the MBA was the failure you intend for it to be. Though Apple will not say it, lowering the MBA to 999 was a good move to capture some of that netbook fad. Apple said no to netbooks, and they aren't going to just rush one out the door all of a sudden. The 999 price point could be partly a reflection of this, and of course the shaky economy (Apple can drop the price on MBA as low as it wants but it will always have margins. MBA is luxury good).

Also People just find it ambiguous. Real road warriors were not mac users, (students typically buy macbooks, and media professionals have pros) and of course it did not sell as well as Apple wanted. But it was not the cause of hardware. A lot was on Apple's failed attempt to promote it. I've seen editors, writers, and lit kids have this machine. And the funny thing is, that is the only target market that seems to make sense for the general mac population. But the fact is, that is not true. I code on this machine, and I watch HD, and I manage photos and music. My girlfriend uses whatever chem programs she needs on her machine.

Anyway my two cents, that you can take with a grain of salt, is that $999 for a computer that was originally priced at 1799 will always be a good deal. But it depends on who is buying. Some will look at its defects, which actually happen on quite many PC laptops, and some will value its price-portability structure. But definitely listen to Scottesdale that the Rev B is a monster. I love it, and its worth every penny.

edit: I forgot to say that coolbook is not used on either Rev A or Rev B of the computers in my household. I've watched AVI and youtube fine on Rev A. It's what made my want to purchase a Rev B.

 

[tubbymac]

I have the new unibody MacBook.
But I need a more portable laptop sometimes. Is it slow? I'm usually gonna load iTunes and Photoshop. Those are my top apps. Can the MBA load it quickly?

I don't notice that much of a difference in load times on my MB and my MBA when my MB was using the factory 5400 rpm HD. The MBA was a bit slower but I have the rev A version with the 4200 rpm HD. If you got the newer rev B with the 5400 rpm HD the load times would be practically identical.

If you're going to be using Photoshop a lot though I'd say it's worth it to go with the MBA. On the MB you'll be CONSTANTLY having to move your head around due to the horrid viewing angles quickly causing colors to invert. On the MBA the viewing angles are considerably better, the contrast is way better, and the colors are more accurate.

 

[Scottsdale]

I don't notice that much of a difference in load times on my MB and my MBA when my MB was using the factory 5400 rpm HD. The MBA was a bit slower but I have the rev A version with the 4200 rpm HD. If you got the newer rev B with the 5400 rpm HD the load times would be practically identical.

If you're going to be using Photoshop a lot though I'd say it's worth it to go with the MBA. On the MB you'll be CONSTANTLY having to move your head around due to the horrid viewing angles quickly causing colors to invert. On the MBA the viewing angles are considerably better, the contrast is way better, and the colors are more accurate.

Buy an SSD in both and use them. See just how fast the rev B MBA can be with an SSD. The speed is incredible. Absolutely amazing. I know it's the SSD because that is the only difference that favors the MBA over my other Macs. And the MBA blazes a lot faster than my unibody MB or MBP.

I have the unibody MB with 7200 rpm HDD and 4 GB RAM and 2.4 GHz CPU, and my rev B MBA with SSD absolutely performs much much better than the MB.

 

[Scottsdale]

Its just not, for lack of a better word, nice to say the MBA is a piece of junk, and your computer is flawed. That implies idiocy to those people that buy it. But in fact we are all idiots for buying into the market. These electronics do not cost much to make, and companies in fact intentionally cripple high-end machines, just so they could have a low-end machine to sell. Yet buying a low-end does not make you dumb.

The problem is the original MBA is changed in the refurbished from the MBA that was originally shipped to today's refurbished MBAs. Apple has made changes to the MBA's software, changes to Quicktime, and corrected quality control issues like poorly applied thermal paste.

My original MBA was a piece of junk, and ANYBODY that used it would definitely agree. The refurbished MBA is different, somewhat... and Cool Book has changed the game for the rev A MBA dramatically.

Bottom line, the refurbished MBA is not the same MBA as I received. At the same time, it's the same system of limited hardware. It can be a great buy for a person not requiring the power of a Mac to get an MBA for cheap.

However, I am paying for the luxury of owning a portable Mac that operates like a Mac. In my revised MBA I get the luxury of portability, and I also get the power I expect from a Mac. To me, I WANT an MBA and since it's a luxury item, it has to succeed expectations. I need a computer like a base model MB. I want super portability, an excellent display, and I don't want to give up performance. The new MBA fits this role ABSOLUTELY.

I think people can buy an original MBA that is refurbished with different software and Cool Book that makes it perform MUCH MUCH better than the original MBA I received.

If Apple would have come out and told me ahead of time that my original MBA was NOT going to perform like my expectations, and the standard or normal expectations of an average user, I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED IT. I do not want to pay more for less everything. I want to pay more for the luxury of having an ultra light computer that does everything a normal Mac like a MB would do.

Apple knows this is the expectations and the proof is that the revised MBA fits the role of being a luxury model people WANT but don't need. Apple has succeeded with the rev B MBA.

At the same time, others are willing to take less MBA for the same money as a MB or less even understanding the capabilities are less, and that is fine and good for them. But it wasn't right for Apple to pitch the original MBA the way it did, and Apple learned and everyone that is buying a refurbished is getting a MUCH MUCH better value than all of the original MBA buyers.

So, in the end, with the rev A priced at $999 to $1299 and the rev B priced at $1799 to $2499, we are all getting what we are paying for. The A, less capabilities but super lightweight with amazing display for same price as MB. For the rev B MBA buyers, we are getting lightweight portable MBA with beautiful display and SAME POWER as a MB. This is the truth. This is fair. This is fine. And if people want to pay less for less power, more power to them.

 

[manhattanboy]

Funny I never saw the new MB as not being portable. Yes the Air is lighter and thinner, but the MB isn't exactly a beast.

true true... but the air is perfect for slipping into a messenger bag and taking it everywhere. I'm with it at restaurants, the gym, the train, and on and on.
With a regular notebook you had to THINK to bring it every time because it was added bulk and weight.

 

[mhnajjar]

true true... but the air is perfect for slipping into a messenger bag and taking it everywhere. I'm with it at restaurants, the gym, the train, and on and on.
With a regular notebook you had to THINK to bring it every time because it was added bulk and weight.

No offense, but why would you take your computer with you to the restaurant or to the gym?

Are you that lonely

However, I get your point

 

[manhattanboy]

No offense, but why would you take your computer with you to the restaurant or to the gym?

Are you that lonely

Sadly yes

 

[WiseMax]

Problematic... There are lots of little bits and pieces that affect everything. But the whole point is Apple definitely learned its lesson. Unfortunately the early adopters, like me, really got the shaft again from Apple. It has a history of selling new technology that isn't quite right on its first release. The MBA is a perfect example. Apple learned its lesson, and had huge return rates. Incredible problems with the original MBA. The problems were so massive and on every level of the original MBA, that Apple had accepted so many back that it had to lower the price on refurbished (high-end) from $3099 to $1299 in LESS THAN EIGHT MONTHS! That is a big lesson. The problem is people like me who bought it thinking it was a Mac... No, the original MBA was the piece of junk Steve Jobs says Apple could not make for less than $1000. My thinking is Apple sold a lot of us the JUNK it said Apple would never build NOT for $1000 but rather for $1799 to $3099. That really hurt Apple's reputation.

I have bashed the original MBA more than anyone. And I have taken a LOT of heat for it. But I bought the original. It was JUNK. It could NOT do anything any other Mac on the market could do. It had problems with everything and not just video. It was a series of poor choices to use cheap and older technology components rather than the lower voltage chips and the SATA drive and the Nvidia GPU the revised MBA got.

Look, the MBA is alive and well. But can you imagine had Apple never goofed up so badly and just released the new MBA? It would have saved Apple a lot of grief and bad publicity. We all believed Jobs when he told us the original MBA was so great. Did Apple really not test it? Did it really think that those components were not going to equal the trouble it did? Did it think it would be able to rewrite a lot of software like it did with Quicktime to make it easier for the MBA to run videos? Was there quality control problems with thermal paste on the CPUS? Why was it so bad for so many people?

Cool Book has been the ONE THING that I have noticed from reading here that has made the original MBA as a refurbished unit far more successful. AND, the idea people have about not expecting much from the original MBA because they paid for the extreme portability and gave up all of the power. They could use it for very light web surfing, email, and as a Word processor. It did ok for those three things. But it was the WORST MAC EVER as far as being a Mac and running OS X and being able to run the programs and videos that people expected in 2008. Cool Book has allowed a lot of people to use the MBA after buying it for a super cheap price of a $1800 discount for many. And being able to buy it for $999 was just really enticing to people. However, those people for the most part, expected nearly nothing from their MBA. And they were happy in the end because of Cool Book and lowered expectations, NOT by the performance of the original MBA and its inability to perform common basic tasks any Mac user would expect.

Only to say that I, too, was an early adopter of the MBA - saw Jobs' video and was mesmerized... and I'll save everybody the tales I went thru - like 3 months and 3 conflictous take backs to warranty for overheating ... until someone finally discovered that the PC overheated and crawled awfully with infuriated noise... because the gfan was broken and needed to be replaced.

Oh, man, I was never so repented from a costly mistake as I am for buying that SEXY piece of JUNK.

Lesson learned: never be an early adopter for Apple products.

Thanks for your detailed explanation. It makes me even more angry for not having waited for the current MBA

Nice post.