Will Macbook Air run Windows sans problems?

I depend largely on Windows software so the only way I'll ever buy this is if it can run Windows.

Just two simple questions:

1. Given that it sports an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, will it be able to run Windows XP just as good as a regular PC without any worries?

2. Will it be able to play HD movies with its Intel X3100 Graphics Card?

 

1) Yes - through boot camp

2) Most likely - HD video is more CPU dependent that GPU

 

Thanks.

But if I run boot camp, that would mean that OSX Leopard is still installed right? Is it possible to get rid of Leopard altogether and do a clean install of XP?

 

You don't need to do that, as with bootcamp you'll be running XP native and you can select XP as the primary system, so the computer will start automatically in Windows. You won't even notice you have Leopard installed (which is a pity, but if that's your choice...)

DrPoi

 

Considering bootcamp is part of Leopard, you can't get rid of Leopard and expect XP work (unless maybe you spend 3 month hacking the thing). You should really give Os X a try before you throw windows on there. You could also try parallel in OS X to run those windows programs

 

how much minimum disk space will Leopard occupy? I'm thinking of opting for the 64Gb SSD version, so I want Leopard to occupy a minimal amount of space.

 

Apple recommends 9GB of available disk space for a default Leopard installation.

 

whoa, i sure would like to get rid of at least half of that!

 

You can probably trim down OS X if you reinstall and remove stuff like fonts, print drivers, and garage band.

You really should give leopard a try. But having Leopard and XP/Vista alone will eat quite a bit of space on that tiny drive.
Curious though, why go for a Mac if you aren't really going to use Leopard?

 

Yeah, any reason you're going for a Mac with the main purpose of using Windows?

Anyway, yes, the MacBook Air will run Windows fine, and you can reduce the OS X partition to as low as possible if you know you'll be running Windows nearly full time.

 

languages and printer drivers are two easy kills for a slimmer OS X install...

 

Does Leopard need graphics card like the ones in MBP to make it work perfect? i mean as the case in Vista needing good graphic card..

or Leopard would work good in all product lines.. MB, MBP & MBA ?

 

I'm very reliant on Windows-based software. In fact, I have a folder filled with nearly 5Gb of all the best software catering practically to all my needs and I've compiled it for such a long time that I couldn't see myself switching to OSX.

The only thing I'm after for in the Macbook Air is it's beautiful screen and it's weight obviously.

One last question:

Since you cannot open this laptop up (considering it's like a hug iPod) what happens when the battery dies? Do I have to pay for a new one or does Apple replace it for free?

 

I think they replace it for free but you will pay $129 for the battery, so its actually the service is free but not the battery.

 

Justin;

I have used a MBP for Windows for about 2 years (since they first came out) and I have a few bits of advice to anyone trying to get a windows rig, and wanting the mac look.

I got the MBP for personal use and soon realized I was using windows more than OSx, and got rid of one of my MBP's for an ASUS U6.

I still use Leopard at home, so this is a personal experience, your results may vary.

1.) Heat, the damn thing made the computer run a million degrees, not sure if the macbook air will be hot or not, but I am sure the macbook air will have the same heat problems as all the macbooks.

2.) Parrellels - While this is great for someone who would like to use a few windows programs, it has a great network feature, but it is not as solid as running native windows, I had problems with WIFI, broadband cards, etc.

3.) Ease of loading - It loaded great, but it was difficult to put in sleep, etc.

4.) Price - The macbook air is EXTREMELY expensive for what it offers, keep in mind no optical drive on board, and only one usb.

I was in the same position of needing an ultra-portable as well, and didnt want to carry the MBP since I was only using it as a PC.

I would recommend looking at Sony's or ASUS's (people say the Sony is too expensive, the ASUS i got for 1500 is a MBA killer, it is a 12.1 screen, and weighs next to nothing, has a optical drive and 4 usb ports and an hdmi and vga port out.

Network port and modem port on board... and this laptop looks awesome... check it out it is seriously a killer laptop ...

 

I also forgot to mention that the ASUS that I have has a USER REPLACABLE ram and battery... I have 3 gb ram on this, and would never go to a system with soldered on ram... that is the biggest down fall in my opinion.

I love having a small 3 cell battery while I am plugged in at work, and a 9cell (in route) for traveling... Just an opinion

 

Not with a 4200 rpm HDD. A computer is only as fast as its slowest component.

 

I haven't looked into it, but I believe it'll be covered for the first year if the battery dies then. If its just wear-and-tear, it won't be free. If its defective, yes, Apple will cover it.

 

Hi Princealyy,

Thanks for the advice. I also had my eye on the U6 before, but I've changed my mind. I figured that it's too small for my taste. I'm going to be doing a lot of Photoshop work and 13.3" should be the minimum.

As for the heat issue, I bet the MBA won't be as hot as the MBP. I'm thinking of ordering the one with a 64Gb SSD. That oughta lower temperatures significantly.

 

I've owned a couple of ultraportables with craptacular 1.8" 4200 HDDs. Performance isn't great but it isn't a deal breaker. Unless you spend a good part of the day accessing HDD data it won't be that bad. Obviously, it won't be an ideal situation. One tip is to set the machine to sleep and not turn off/hibernate (if using Windows) you'll be OK.

 

Care to share some of what you use? I'm guessing there's OS X versions of nearly everything you use, or freeware software that can do the exact same thing.

 

it seems that you have your mind made up on this which Is good to see ... If you can afford to buy the SSd harddrive then all the other concerns are covered so I say order it .. If you love the design of it then you should buy the system ...

This is how i felt about my asus too and my brother was telling me about this killer new mac that was supposed to come out...

I say go for it ... It is a killer design good luck ...

 

Since you want to use Windows, be sure to consider the Sony SZ premium first... it's also 13.3", and 4.0 pounds instead of 3.0... but it's no compromises in terms of performance and features, and it also has an excellent LED-backlit screen. But if you still want the Air, then yes, it should work ok with Boot Camp and Windows, and with the SSD it should perform well.

 

There is a friend of mine in USA who used to chat with me over MSN, but since he upgraded to Leopard.. he can't connect anymore.. I checked Apple Downloads and there was MSN there..

so my question, does MSN works fine over Leopard or does it have any problem?

 

I use Amsn (because of webcam capability) and it works fine with Leopard

DrPoi

 

My Leopard system folder only occupies 4GB. I'm sure that's not all of it, given Apple's 9GB recommendation. Vista is a bigger hog: 10GB. If you really want to lose weight fast, use Win XP Pro instead, it's only 5GB.

So that also means that 15GB of about 60GB of SSD space is gone, which means 45GB is left for documents.

 

I think it is far too early to tell how well the MBA will run Windows. Many things like multi-gesture and Remote Disk may or may not work right away, or ever. The MBA seems to be slotted as a second Mac. Notice I said Mac. I think the vision is for people to use this almost like an iPod. Sync it with .mac, use things like "Back to my Mac", etc. As such, I doubt Apple really intends for anyone to ever load Windows on it. In fact, without the external USB drive it may not even be possible to get Windows on it.

In short, if you really need Windows on the machine, it is probably not a good choice.

 

Why do you think so?
Is it too thin to run windows?

It has good processor, enough RAMs and SSD option.. So whats missing?

 

While you will be able to boot from a Leopard disk using Remote Disk, early responses from Apple say that you will not be able to boot a Windows CD from a Remote Disk. Also, as I said, Remote Disk may not work as a client in Windows since it is built into Leopard's Finder. Also, you will be dependent on Apple's willingness to make Windows drivers for things like the touchpad and external disk.

I just think Apple is aiming for this to be a second Mac, which means they are targeted at .mac users, Leopard users, etc. The people they are looking at are Mac people.

I could be wrong though. They may have drivers out from day one for the trackpad and they may have the Remote Disk client working out of the box on Windows.

 

will it lose the multi touch feature on the touchpad once you switch over to windows?


soda

 

We don't know at this point...on current Macs, if you use Windows it still recognizes two fingers as scrolling, so in fact that is already a multi-touch gesture.

 

True, but it does not recognize a two finger tap. So it already does not use all of the features available to the current trackpad.