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New macbook air

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  • 24-06-2014 11:35am
    #1
    football girl
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭


    I need to get a new laptop for college and was thinking about the MacBook Air. I've heard that a new one might be coming out in the not so distant future. Do you think it may come out before September?
    Also, any ideas for an alternative or do you think the air is the way to go? My main needs would be a light one (cycling to college) and one that would have some kind of feature for keeping my college notes in order.

    Thanks a million ðŸ‘


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    #2
    Squeeonline
    Registered Users Posts: 2,554 ✭✭✭Squeeonline


    http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook_Air

    just updated.


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    #3
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,008 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    Moved from Comp & Tech

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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    #4
    evilivor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,613 ✭✭✭evilivor


    Squeeonline wrote: »
    http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook_Air

    just updated.

    Rumours of a 12" Retina model later this year.

    http://www.macrumors.com/2014/06/24/12-inch-macbook-air-production/

    (I see that's included in the update note)


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    #5
    Blazer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,417 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    Purchased the MacAir recently and was very impressed with it.
    The missus loved it so much that she used to hog it the whole time and eventually she told me to go away and buy the macbook pro retina I was mad after..which I did..both are fantastic machines in fairness.


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    #6
    NeDark
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭NeDark


    Blazer wrote: »
    Purchased the MacAir recently and was very impressed with it.
    The missus loved it so much that she used to hog it the whole time and eventually she told me to go away and buy the macbook pro retina I was mad after..which I did..both are fantastic machines in fairness.

    I've had a macbook air 13 for two weeks, its wonderful, extremely fast and the trackpad gesture are great, long battery duration 100% recommended

    i think i dont miss retina, 1440x900 is a big resolution for 13", my 32" TV has 1280x720 for example


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    #7
    Blazer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,417 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    What retinia actually is the pixel count not the resolution of the display...lot of confusion over it and even at the start I thought retina was 2560x1600 and higher.
    The mac pro retina is matching the resolution of the mac air but it's way clearer. You can set it to 2560x1600 if you like though.
    I see your point about the mac air though...even it was non-retina it's still a fantastic machine. The missue adores it and the gesture pad is fantastic

    here's a good read about it..
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retina_Display


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    #8
    NeDark
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭NeDark


    Blazer wrote: »
    What retinia actually is the pixel count not the resolution of the display...lot of confusion over it and even at the start I thought retina was 2560x1600 and higher.
    The mac pro retina is matching the resolution of the mac air but it's way clearer. You can set it to 2560x1600 if you like though.
    I see your point about the mac air though...even it was non-retina it's still a fantastic machine. The missue adores it and the gesture pad is fantastic

    I was speaking of native resolution, which is 2560x1600. Obviusly you can set a lower resolution but the result wont be optimal. Or maybe I havent understand it yet...

    regards


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    #9
    Blazer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,417 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    NeDark wrote: »
    I was speaking of native resolution, which is 2560x1600. Obviusly you can set a lower resolution but the result wont be optimal. Or maybe I havent understand it yet...

    regards

    yeah I was the same as you..thinking it was resolution but it's actually the pixel count.
    I have the option to set resolution higher but I lose the retina feature
    below article explains it very well
    http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/macbook-pro-retina-display-faq/macbook-pro-retina-display-hack-to-run-native-resolution.html


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    #10
    osnola ibax
    Registered Users Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭osnola ibax


    Just a word of caution on buying the first iteration of anything new, there will almost definitely be defects that won't be sorted out for a few months. Waitinga little while after the release will give you a chance to see what the defects are and if they get ironed out.

    E.g. the retina mbp was released with two different screens, a Toshiba one and an LG one. The LG one had many problems. Also, some still consider.the retina mbp to be underpowered because it is trying to power so many pixels, it results in some lag in places, this could be sorted by software maybe.

    The point is the air will probably have a smaller processor again but a retina screen, I would love a retina air but I'm going to wait a couple of years.


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    #11
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,670 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    In my experience, most first-gen issues are design related and tend to go unresolved until the next revision, if your lucky. Manufacturing and component related problems, while more common with first gens, can affect any model. Macs always seem to have varying degrees of display quality due to different panel manufacturers. It doesn't just affect first gens and you’d go mad waiting for Apple to do something about it.

    The point about the first-gen 13-inch Retina being graphically underpowered is an important one, though. The first Retina iPad was the same. This is the main thing that would put me off a Retina Air.


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    #12
    xraylady
    Registered Users Posts: 407 ✭✭xraylady


    Another vote for MacBook air. But did you consider an Ipad with separate keyboard for daily college use? Just a thought... My daughter is a second year college student and that's what she did last year.


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    #13
    football girl
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭football girl


    Thanks guys. Going to order tomorrow I think. Can I just ask if the ssd storage is upgradeable ie if I get 128 gb now, can I get 256 at a later date? Would it be worth getting a 256 ssd or an 8gb RAM now as I heard that the RAM is soldered on but not the ssd? Hope this makes sense


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    #14
    holystungun9
    Registered Users Posts: 2,933 ✭✭✭holystungun9


    football girl wrote: »
    Thanks guys. Going to order tomorrow I think. Can I just ask if the ssd storage is upgradeable ie if I get 128 gb now, can I get 256 at a later date? Would it be worth getting a 256 ssd or an 8gb RAM now as I heard that the RAM is soldered on but not the ssd? Hope this makes sense

    For all intents and purposes it is a sealed unit for the consumer; can open it to upgrade anything, so the hard drive size you pick is what you are going to stay with.

    On the other hand, while most of us are used to having our full music library, pictures and movies etc all inside the computer.

    My itunes is about 270 gig but I could move it to an external drive. If I go off with my laptop I might not even be listening to my music or else I might just listen from my phone.

    It's your call though. If it was an 8gig RAM vs bigger HD decision I'd go with the RAM and though manage any future storage limitations with external drives, cloud storage, USB sticks, etc.


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    #15
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,670 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Afaik there is still custom-made third party parts for replacing the SSD. So if you can only get one or the other, go with the RAM. But it’s easier to just think of the machine as non-upgradable.


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    #16
    Blazer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,417 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    better to get the 256gb now.
    The crowd below will be releasing SSD's for the Mac Air 2013 and retain MacBook pro something later this year. SSDs can be removed with a torx screwdriver however the latest Macs are pci-e based so that's why there's a delay.
    OWC demoed their new SSD's for the latest Macs recently and promised a release around Autumn I think. So if you can wait that long you might as well get the 128gb and upgrade later on.
    I got the 128GB originally and regretted it although I got the 256gb retina macbook pro afterwards. Missus uses the mac air now and she as plenty of space on it although she only uses it for surfing and Facebook.


    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC
    http://9to5toys.com/2014/04/25/put-up-to-960gb-in-your-macbook-air-or-retina-macbook-pro-with-transcends-new-jetdrive-ssd-kits/


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    #17
    football girl
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭football girl


    Thanks! So does the RAM matter as much?


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    #18
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,670 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    football girl wrote: »
    Thanks! So does the RAM matter as much?

    Yes! RAM is more important than storage, especially since it can't be upgraded. Given the choice, always go for the extra RAM.


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    #19
    Doodah7
    Registered Users Posts: 3,721 ✭✭✭Doodah7


    Another option to boost storage is maybe get one of these Nifty Fifty drive and pair it with a reasonably large MicroSD card. You could put your itunes library on it as it is not reliant on speed.


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    #20
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Depends on how much you want to spend. You probably won't need huge HDD (or rather SDD) space unless you want to fill it up with music and junk. If you want it purely for work, you're fine with less. There's a few for sale used on adverts.ie

    If you do want a big hard drive, you might be better to go for a MacBook Pro; I'm told they're nearly as light as Airs now, and they have a hard drive rather than a solid state drive. The Air's solid state drive makes it superfast, but you may not need that.


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    #21
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,670 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Qualitymark wrote: »
    If you do want a big hard drive, you might be better to go for a MacBook Pro; I'm told they're nearly as light as Airs now, and they have a hard drive rather than a solid state drive. The Air's solid state drive makes it superfast, but you may not need that.

    All the Retina MacBook Pros use SSDs. The non-Retina 13-inch is still the same weight.


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    #22
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    All the Retina MacBook Pros use SSDs. The non-Retina 13-inch is still the same weight.

    I stand corrected.


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    #23
    Dermighty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,748 ✭✭✭Dermighty


    NeDark wrote: »
    I've had a macbook air 13 for two weeks, its wonderful, extremely fast and the trackpad gesture are great, long battery duration 100% recommended

    i think i dont miss retina, 1440x900 is a big resolution for 13", my 32" TV has 1280x720 for example

    tvs don't have resolutions the same as computer monitors anyway, an amazing TV could have a lower resolution than a ****ty laptop.


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