Mac and Air Questions...

Okay, here's the deal: I'm in the market for a preferably portable-ish notebook that I'm going to be using as my one-and-only system, ideally. My main uses for it are just the usual word processing (quite a bit of it, though), e-mail, web browsing, instant messaging/video conferencing and sometimes (not every single day) checking out assorted video clips or downloading music here and there. Pretty basic needs overall, right?


Now, the look, weight and keyboard on the MacBook Air are all huge pluses in my book. On the downside though, the battery life appears to be fairly mediocre in a best case scenario and due to its rather low horsepower it doesn't seem to be a very decent option when wanting to check out the latest film trailer or YouTube video clip.


So, here are my questions that I seriously need some answers to as I want to make a decision and purchase something today...


1. Between a MacBook Air and the "regular" MacBook, which one would be better suited overall to my needs? If the MacBook was as good looking as the Air and had a similar weight and keyboard, I'd certainly be all over it probably.


2. How bad is the Air to use when trying to watch a video clip streaming online? Does it jump or skip a lot?


3. Does the Air come with an AC adaptor so when the battery finally dies you can still hook it up and use it?


4. This question is a general Apple/Mac question: I haven't been able to figure out if one can just as easily watch mpeg, wmv, real or avi-formatted videos on a Mac versus a PC. Also, do torrent downloads work fine on an Apple?


5. How solid is the webcam on the Air? Compared to other similar laptops does it stand up as well?

 

1. The Macbook has more USB ports, an ethernet port, a firewire port, a built in optical drive (DVD), a proper Core2Duo CPU, all of which the Macbook Air does not have. On the other hand, the Macbook Air has the option for a solid state HD, and can fit in an envelope. Up to you really.

2. It's fine. Streaming video clips will depend more on your internet connection. It is not a very demanding task for the laptop.

3. Yes...most, if not all laptops do...

4. Of course, like any media player, you will have to install some codecs in order for it to support all the formats you've listed. The Flip4Mac codec will enable suport for WMV on QuickTime, and the Perian codec pack for h264 encoded video in avi containers. The RealPlayer format (rmvb) is licensed by Real, so you will have to download RealPlayer to play it (Mac version exists), and MPEG is supported by default.
Torrents, like any other download, will depend more on your internet connection and firewall. There are numerous Bittorrent clients available for Mac, such as Azureus and Transmission.

5. Yes, it stands up well. Of course, as a webcam, you cannot compare it to your DSLR, but it is good enough as a webcam.

 

So, to you, the former is the better option since you clearly don't see many positives in the Air...?

 

I think the point is which is 'better' depends on what you particularly want.

For me, the Air has a portability and style which is way ahead of the MacBook, but the MacBook has a large number of more practical assets which had to be sacrificed in the Air (processor speeds, USBs, hard drive size and speed, being some of the main ones)

IMHO

Macbook Air: Very portable, exceptionally stylish, very expensive, basic functionality.

Macbook: Portable, stylish, more reasonably priced, very good functionality

It just depends what you need and how you want to spend your money. I would love the portability of the Air but am not yet prepared to sacrifice the 'powerhouse' abilities of my MBP and cant justify two machines

 

Well, since I am not a gamer nor a videophile (meaning i.e. editing or making videos except for, again, occasional chatting on the webcam), would "basic functionality" suit what I'd like to use a notebook for?

 

If you have a desktop or another laptop which you can use as your main computer, then a Macbook Air is an excellent addition to use while on the road or something. However, I would not recommend you get the Macbook Air if it's going to be the only machine you'll be using, as sooner or later you will experience its downsides (for example if you want to burn a DVD, or if you have to hook up 2 USB devices, you will need to purchase addition accessories).

 

I would agree with the above. I think you would have to *really* want an MBA and be prepared for a little frustration if it was going to be your only machine. Or be *really* sure that you only wanted to do relatively light use.

I have been tempted to get one, but for the moment although plenty people are delighted with them, many people also seem to run into problems when multitasking even relatively basic tasks, due to the slower processor and perhaps also due to it 'clocking down' to avoid overheating.

So a lovely computer with lots of very happy owners, but I would be in two minds in your position

 

Well, I'd never be burning DVDs or anything... but, I can certainly see all the potential downsides which is needless to say why I'm on the fence about it.


I guess since I can't make up my mind one way or the other on it, perhaps that is a sign that it just isn't meant to be...?


I know style really shouldn't be that important, but I just can't see myself being 100% pleased with a regular MacBook... it's just so sterile/bland to me.

 

A Macbook is not sterile and bland, it's umm...minimalistic

But yeah, the Macbook Air does certainly look and physically feel very nice and balanced. If you have some extra cash left over, you could always just buy yourself a cheap desktop/Mac Mini, which you can use as your main machine and use the Air on the road/at friends/conferences etc.

 

I already have a MacMini (it's a first generation, I believe) but I'm so sick and tired of being stuck in one place so the idea was to be able to get a laptop as my one-and-only system and get rid of the mini...


I need help!

 

I like it . All Apple products are pretty minimalistic if you think about it...if it doesn't need another button, why put it in? Say the iPod for example, all you need is a Click Wheel and it does its job fine, and it keeps the iPod simple and sleek.

 

Well, to each his/her own... still, this sucks.

 

Just to comment on the above, I've had my Macbook Air now for 14 days, I haven't interacted with my wife's machine and sold my Macbook Pro the same day.

I have not once so far not had an issue with it being my main system. To start off with if you have a wireless router in the house your pretty much set. If you don't then use the USB interface. That said if your connecting through a usb connection you will likely be stationery and won't have much of a need of moving throughout the house. If you are going to be on a couch or bed, etc well then frankly why would you have usb devices plugged in????

So I know people keep saying lack of ports, etc is a problem? But come on when your doing something such as burning dvd's plugging your portable camera to download pictures you'll almost always be at a desk.

So that brings me to my second thought if your going to be at a desk and you use more then one usb port for god knows what then get a usb hub. They are so small and take up no room why not have one? So when your going to burn dvd's just plug in your superdrive or whatever else into the hub or into the system directly.

When your out and about doing schoolwork, checking news sites or just chatting be free to have the lightest most portable machine available. And in terms of heat it's downright wondrous.

Anyway those are my thoughts people seem to focus a lot on the negatives without being practical on when you'd run into the issues. Even the argument of no firewire is becoming useless as most "new" camcorders use a usb connection to transfer information, but then again if your big into editing media you wouldn't be considering the Air anyway!

.... My thoughts

 

Yes, I suppose it would strongly depend on what your every day life is like. I only use my Macbook in two places, at home at my desk where I have my USB Hub and all that, or in college. In college I use the college wifi and my Bluetooth mouse. However, due to the nature of my studies and the nature of my friends, both my USB ports are frequently occupied. A Macbook Air would be disastrous in my situation, but I'm not your average user.

 

It's quite rare for me to use more than one port. My main worry would be slow-downs and beach balls when mulitasking, or overheating causing slowdowns and noise. I don't know if this has been overplayed by a handful of disappointed customers (some of whom seem to expect performance on a par with the fastest processors), but I wouldn't currently want to spend all that dollah to find out that my 'use profile' was a little heavy for the little beauty ... particularly when I already have a fantastic machine

 

I just don't know what to do... I like the Air but I just don't want to regret getting it when it will be my only computer. Really for me I guess the only still big draw against it is its meager battery life...

Potentially the above as well. I just don't know and I have to get something now... . I need help!

 

It seems to me that regardless of which one you get, you'll always wonder if you made the right decision. My only suggestion to you is, since only YOU know what you will be using it for, buy it at an apple store, and in case you feel that its not on par with what you need or your expectations, return it and eat the restocking fee if they apply to it and get the macbook.

To me, the novelty of style and weight of a laptop will quickly wear off and the practicality will kick in, and when it does, you'll want to switch again. So, if I'm interested in the air, I might think about it as an addition, but definitely not as my only computer.

 

I really appreciate your post about the MacBook Air... so, I'd like to get your opinion on something: between the below five options, which notebook would you say is the better choice?


HP Pavilion dv2700t Special Edition series


Asus W7S


Sony VAIO SZ (Model Number: VGN-SZ680ND)


Sony VAIO SZ (Model Number: VGN-SZ791N/X)


MacBook Air


Notebook Info


1) What is your budget? Somewhere below $3,000.

2) What size notebook would you prefer? Either of the below...

a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen

3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in. USA.

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? I was disappointed by Dell in the past so I'm a bit hesitant to go back with them again.

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Already explained (word processing, web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging/webcam conferencing, some video clip-watching here or there).

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? Possibly on occasion... I'd at least like the option to be there without a lot of hassle to do so.

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? No game-playing.

8) How many hours of battery life do you need? As much as possible as it is always appreciated.

9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? Nope as most sites have pictures and all the specs listed.

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc. I suppose either Windows or Mac (even though I've heard/read about how much Vista is a troublemaker) as I've never tried Linux or anything else before.

Screen Specifics

11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen? Widescreen is preferred since it is becoming the standard.

12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? From the below list, pretty much any one of them that's decent enough.


Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.


13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? Does it matter? Whichever is better.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Somewhat.

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last? I'll be purchasing one as soon as I can make a decision and I'd like it to last for at least a few solid years.


Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 500GB? A good-sized hard drive but even merely decent I suppose is fine.

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive? I won't mind an optical drive but I honestly will have very little need for one.

 

Anyone? I have a MacMini which I'm having to keep but I'll hardly ever use... so, in that light, would an Air be somewhat less troublesome in that if I ever do have to do something more taxing I could just bite down and use the Mini?


Side Note: There is a microphone or sound for the webcam on the Air, right?

 

Yes, the Macbook Air has a built in iSight cam and mic. I suppose that if your Mac Mini has a built in DVD drive etc. You could always use the Mac Mini in case something goes wrong (for example your friend asks you to burn files he has stored on his Firewire external HD onto a DVD).

From the sounds of it, you most likely won't be doing anything that will remotely tax the components in the Macbook Air anytime soon (unless you're planning to start a course in media or computer science, or plan to start gaming. Although if you want to game, you should forget purchasing a Mac altogether). Therefore, a Macbook Air will probably suit you just fine.

 

Not that the Mac Mini is that powerful anyway , but yes, if you have a Mini that reduces a lot of the compromises of the MBA...like optical drive or not having enough USB ports for everything (so you can charge an iPod using the Mac Mini instead of the MBA, for example).

And yes, the MBA has a built-in iSight + Microphone as well!

 

I've had the macbook air for about a month now. My verdict: I really love it! Here are my thoughts:

1. CPU: it's fast enough. I realize that it does not have the fastest processor around by any means, but for typical office work you won't have a problem. Same with viewing videos online or that you've downloaded. I've often watched xvid, divx, mpeg video with no problems. I've used the air to write papers, browse the internet, make a scientific poster, make a presentation, run java programs, write and compile fortran code, run vmware fusion to use a windows-only scientific data analysis and graphing program install ubuntu 8.04 beta 1... sometimes all at once (during the virtual operating system installations, things did slow down quite a bit). In general the air will handle everything pretty well.

2. Hard drive. It's slow, but you don't really notice it. OS X is good at managing your memory, so once a program is loaded it will most likely remain in memory. For example, opening up firefox for the first time may take a few seconds, but afterwards it's a lot faster. I almost never reboot, so boot times don't really matter. Unless you have hordes of cash lying around, I don't recommend the SSD version--it can actually be slower in certain instances (like transferring large files).

3. Ram: 2GB is probably enough in most cases. I do sometimes run out of ram, but usually it's because I've "closed" a program window instead of quitting the program and have a ton of tied-up memory lying around.

4. Battery life: Varies a lot depending on what you do. I've gotten over 5 hours if I was just typing something out with the screen lowered to it's minimum brightness (which is still surprisingly bright). Maxing out the cpu will drastically lower this to around 2 hours. In general, I'd say that you should expect around 3.5 hours.

5. Heat and noise: For the usage pattern you describe, you'll probably never hear the fan. If you start to stress the cpu, you'll definitively hear the fan turn on. It's not vacuum cleaner loud like my old compaq presario, but it's quite noticeable. At it's loudest it is still tolerable. In terms of heat, overall it's pretty cool. I can use it on my lap as opposed to the previous generation of MBP.

6. Portability, weight, overall "feel": Even after owning it for a month, I am still amazed at how thin and light this thing is. It makes my previous laptop (asus w3v, 14.1", 5.4lbs) feel like a behemoth. It feels very sturdy, the keyboard is fantastic (although I wish that there were dedicated page-up, page-down, home and end keys), as is the display. The only build issue that I've notice is that sometimes the aluminum case will warp slightly so that the laptop does not sit flat on a desk or a table. To fix this, you just have very _lightly_ bend it back in place.

Anyway, I hope that this helps with your decision. In essence, if you are planning on doing any serious computations the MBA is not for you, but if you just want something light and easy to carry to write emails, edit documents, browse the web, the MBA is awesome.

 

Thanks for the review someguy00.

I was worried about the speed of the harddrive but judging by your post it will be sufficient for me. I'll go to the apple store to play some more.

 

I would say that get a macbook is better idea than getting a macbook air, because its more versatile port.

 

The thing about the 4200rpm hard drive is that it is slow, but in general you'll be using the same few applications over and over again. Once you've used the application once, it'll stay in ram so you don't get too annoyed at the slowness. If you have not yet read it, you should check out Anand's review of the MBA over here: http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=3226&p=1
I found it extremely helpful, and he has a long discussion of the merits of ssd versus hdd. Bottom line: while the ssd feels a lot faster, the mechanical hard drive isn't that bad making the extra cost of the ssd difficult to justify.

 

Great mini review, someguy00!

 

How about the ThinkPad X61(s)? With the eight cell it has loads of battery life and you will not find a better ultraportable keyboard, for all that typing.

 

Personally I found the list of computers you posted incomplete, as they weren't all the same size or capability, and you left off Dell's XPS 1330 and other notebooks.

There's nothing technically wrong with the Macbook Air, it's just kind of a rip off compared to the Macbook or Macbook Pro. The only advantage (beyond a lighter weight) compared to the Macbook is the LED backlit screen.

Otherwise you're paying hundreds more for something with a significantly slower CPU and hard drive, no ability to upgrade the RAM, and no real ability to upgrade the hard drive.

You're having to rely on a single USB port and add ons to support things that are normally standard, like a DVD drive and Ethernet port. If you really never use those things and never will in the future, and you don't mind that you're paying more for a significantly slower system, then go for it.

I do think though that for most people the Macbook Air makes a better sort of "auxiliary" computer because of it's limitations.

(Also personally I think the Macbook Pro is the best deal of the three laptops, as it's not much bigger or heavier than the Macbook, has significantly higher end hardware and an LED backlit screen, and unless you MUST have OS X, I think something like Dell's XPS 1330 gives you more for your money in the 13" space than the regular Macbook.)

 

Great thread.

Personally, when the MBA was announced I thought that it was pretty goofy, with its single USB port, no built-in optical drive and all.

But my missus was wondering aloud the other day if she ought to replace her 12" I-Book (1.33 ghz, 40 mb HDD) given that she's worried that it might die any day, and given that she would like a larger hard drive. But she is committed to the Apple OS and loves the I-Book's size and weight. And while I agree with Wolfpup's opinion that the MacBook Pro affords the best value of Apple's notebooks, my missus thinks that my MacBook Pro is an oversized tank.

She only wants one computer. But she spends eight or ten weeks per year working overseas and carrying her computer in her backpack everywhere she goes. When not working overseas she takes her computer from home to office and back every day, so a few pounds in weight can make a big difference (and unfortunately the current Macbooks are almost as weighty as the MBP).

Of course there are going to be compromises when you try to build a 13" notebook which weighs three pounds. But notwithstanding its limitations (and it certainly would not meet my needs) it seems to me that the MBA is a perfect I-Book replacement for those who have only known a 1.33 ghz processor and a 40 MB HDD and want to stick with Mac OS in a small and light form factor (and want a bit of style to boot). Of course, my missus has a bit more $$$ to spend today than she did back when she bought the I-Book, as.... I'm sure... do many I-Book users...

It makes me think that the folks at Apple have been reading our mail.....

 

Too bad they've completely ignored those who want a 12" MBP/MB.

 

Good point.

Indeed, the subject came up when my missus complained that she couldn't replace her 12" I-Book with anything from the current Mac line.... although I would expect that she would enjoy the MBA nonetheless.

 

I'm probably the wrong person to understand this, since to me a 17" laptop is teeny tiny, but what difference does it make if the laptop has a 12 or 13" screen? It seems like the 13" models are noticeably more usable, for not much more weight or size (and remember a lot of the 12 models weren't widescreen).

 

Personally I'd be most comfortable with a 14.1". I sometimes work at a local watering hole where the tables are small enough that a 17" machine would leave no room for beer.

As far as the little machines go, I can see their appeal if one is flying economy and trying to work on a tray-table. Of course, in this case it's the notebook's depth which comes into play and your point that many of the 12" machines weren't widescreen is well-taken. The 12" Ibook with its standard aspect ratio (XGA) display is actually a bit deeper than the (widescreen) 13.3" Air.

 

Same for me, I think the perfect notebook size is 14.1-inch! Although not for alcoholic reasons .

 

Thanks! I didn't intend to write as much--it just sort of happened