Considering a MBA 13" - A Few Questions.

Hey guys

So I'm looking for a new laptop to last around 3-4 years through a PhD as a main computer to use for office productivity, multimedia and light gaming, such as Football Manager 2011 and Quake 3/Live (old I know! ). Would you say a MBA 13" is a good option to consider? Hardware and budget wise it seems a perfect choice, but I have a few questions.

1) Would you say it's durable enough for everyday travel (home to uni) throughout the 3-4 years? I'll be getting a 3 yr Applecare plan for free through student discount so I suppose I shouldn't have any worries, should I?

2) As the memory is soldered on, would 4GB be sufficient for the tasks I've outlined above, or is it worth the extra £60 (I'm from the UK) for another 4? I'm a long-life Windows user so I don't know much about OSX and the relative memory usages. I'm currently using 1gb on my Vista machine... max I've used is around 75% of the 2gb installed.

3) Finally, I've been reading a few threads (google) of heat issues with MBA 13" 2012 when it comes to any sort of gaming and even viewing HD flash content - the CPU hits 90-100C quite regularly. Is this true and should I be concerned? The last thing I want is another laptop overheating!

Thanks in advance.
J.

 

The MBA could be a good option. It would certainly be a thin and light option, sufficient for the tasks you have outlined.

1) it's durable enough, but keep in mind accidental damage is not covered (try not to drop it / spill coffee)
2) 4GB is sufficient for the tasks you have outlined
3) I would not worry about the CPU temperature.

 

A good carrying case will take care of the MBA. I throw mine in my backpack and take it with me every day. I did the same thing with my 13" MBP but I sold that for a 13" MBA back in January. I purchased a $40 incase case for my MBA. It is lined on the inside with soft, fluffy cloth and the case itself is padded. That will help reduce any wear and tear from traveling since AppleCare is not going to fix any user caused damage to your MBA. That includes dropping it, getting it wet, and anything else that isn't caused by natural use and/or defective hardware.

As per the RAM (and as previously stated), 4GB is going to be enough. It is hard to see 3-4 years into the future but 4GB should be more than enough for a while. There was a time when 32MB of RAM was all you ever needed but that drastically increased to 96MB within a year. We have been sitting at 4GB for a while as being the norm and I don't think that is going to change. Most people aren't going to need 4GB of RAM (2GB is still sufficient) and that includes the vast majority of people that think they actually need 8GB or higher. Sure, there are some consumers who actually need 8GB or more due to their usage (games, programming, etc.) but most people don't do anything that requires the full 4GB or more.

There are some other things to think about though... Are you going to use the MBA primarily with Windows or is OS X going to be your primary OS? You should buy the MBA only if you plan on primarily using OS X. It's fine to boot into Windows to play a game here and there but other than that, you should be using OS X. There are many downfalls in using Windows as the primary OS on a MBA that would end up pushing you to buy a Windows ultrabook instead. Additionally, your requirement of 3-4 years might be too long. I think that a MBA can last that long even with daily traveling but there is a chance that it may not. There is also a chance that ANY notebook on the market won't last that long as well. Consumer electronics are not made to last through the apocalypse like they used to. I have a Gateway 2000 desktop from 1997 that still turns on and runs fine yet the desktop I purchased in 2002 didn't make it through my undergrad education. Electronics are really made just to last a few years until you buy a replacement. I'm expecting my MBA to give me a good 3-4 years of solid usage but I'm not going to cry if it breaks down in early 2014.

Out of all the systems I have used and observed in the public, Macs do seem to have one of the longest lifespans. I know someone who is still using a first generation Intel MacBook Pro. It's had some maintenance issues pop up here and there (replacing keyboard keys, having to re-install OS X a few times) but it still works and they have no plans on buying a new one until their unit fully dies. It's just something to keep in mind about ALL notebooks out there. I think a MBA is going to last longer than a $600 plastic Acer ultrabook but you never know.

 

Im also thinking on getting a mba, but for cad, archicad, photoshop and illustrator purposes.

Will it be enough?? i7/256gb/8ram

 

Thanks for the feedback.

Regarding the OS, there are only two or three specialist programs I use for my course but they are all compatible in OSX, so I doubt I will ever need a copy of Windows. And I appreciate that no laptop can be guaranteed to last for 4+ years, but ideally I want something with high build quality that I can stick in my rucksack and not worry about it being damaged. Apple seem to have a strong reliability record in recent years that is comparable to the likes of Lenovo, which is promising.

Tbh I don't particularly like Apple as a brand but the MBA 13" is very competitively priced in the UK this year, so much so that it offers superior value for money than almost all Windows ultrabooks and durable ultraportables. It would be foolish of me not to consider it!

 

You might be able to get by with a MBA, but it's not going to be great for those tasks. That type of work merits a larger display and higher performance components.

 

Fate always plays a significant role. Accidents can and do happen, even for those who are careful. If I was someone who wanted a notebook and wished to ensure its well being while I needed it to work, the fact that Apple does not offer accidental coverage would give me pause.

That said, the Air is a terrific notebook. It's light, uber thin, feels sold, has a slick design and has an above average WXGA+ LCD, but being it's an Ultrabook, it shares their shortcomings. There's no upgrades. The battery is locked inside the case, meaning once you hit the limit you must plug in or shutdown. They're all too thin to allow for a decent keyboard. If you're more of a PC person and want something akin to the Air, the Samsung Series 9 might be worth a look.

If you want something a little more durable with a better screen and keyboard, dual hard drives, and almost everything is upgradeable, the X230 is surely worth a look. Good Luck.

 

Yup, the lack of upgradability is slightly bugging me. The x230 seems a better option I suppose, but I have a few questions which I'll pose in the respective owners thread!

Cheers.

 

Ya limited upgrades and low storage are a pain with the Airs.

 

That is something that "affects" every notebook that just can't be planned for. We, as humans, can try to plan for it by purchasing carrying cases and extended warranties that cover accidental damage but that still doesn't cover absolutely everything. What if aliens invaded Earth tomorrow overthrowing all organized governments? What if a zombie virus broke out and destroyed civilization? What if all the paranoid people (idiots) are correct as the world will end when the Mayan calendar does?

My point is that fate should not be part of a notebook purchase. Buy a notebook for the type of usage you are expecting to get out of it. Want to use the notebook while on a Jeep driving through sand dunes? A Mac probably isn't the best idea. Will it survive daily commutes? Absolutely. Will it survive a commute if an earthquake happens? That is something that just can't be planned for.

 

Look for "custom build macbook air 2012" on youtube. I just ordered mine just like that and it seems to be very, very capable. Running diablo 3 and star craft 2 at native resolution on medium/high settings sounds amazing! Cant wait. The i7 and 8gb of 1600mhz ram should be powerful enough for 3-4 years.

 

Yes, fate or luck if you want to call it that effects every notebook purchase, but I think someone dropping or spilling liquid on their notebook is far more likely than a zombie apocalypse. This is particularly true of smaller notebooks, which I think the Air would qualify as, because they move more often and as a result, have more opportunities to have an accident. My point was if you want the peace of mind that comes with accidental coverage, you can't get that with an Apple, but it is of course also true of PCs that don't purchase the coverage too. I guess the buyer will have to decide on that one.

 

That is my thought also.

I love these products but when I think about lack of NBD on site repairs, accidental coverage, etc... makes it a difficult choice considering the impact on my work/business. i've been very happy with my current mac but it does give me serious pause about if I should get another one when it comes time to replace it.

 

I agree. its past time that they offered a better warranty, Im currently using my insurance for ACD protection.

Last repair it took them 2 weeks for a new mobo, and 4 weeks for a wifi card. I really miss nbd, but I dont see that much of a profit from going from this mbp to a x230

 

1. No

3. Fan is very noisy and breaks all the time..in mine had to be replaced 3 times in 6 months and I was told it is not uncommon.