Macbook Air

[Engineered]

Can anyone offer impartial advice about the Macbook Air.
I'm fully aware of the lack of sockets and cd drive and this poses no problem as it'll be used only for internet browsing and the odd letter / spreadsheet. I use windows at work and we have half a dozen Windows laptops in the family.
We have been using "Windows" since 3.1 but am fed-up with the constant virus threats, the Adware and Spyware nuisance and the need for continual updating of anti-virus software.
I'm tempted therefore with something Apple and have just been offered a brand new Macbook Air (80GB hare drive, 2GB Ram) for a little over £800, ex display.
Any advise would be welcome (ASAP please, as I need to go back and buy it tomorrow morning before someone else snaps it up!!).
Thanks, Doug

 

[Geezer]

At that price with the spec you quote I wouldn't touch it. What a rip off!!

 

[Engineered]

Thanks Geezer, but I was hoping for reliability or other thoughts.
I'm happy to pay this price (or more) for this specification of AppleMac. (Like I'd have an iPod touch anyday rather than an Archos, despite its superior specification and lower price)!
Doug

 

[bolide]

If you have (or specify) the interfaces & drives you need the MacBook Air is just like the other MacBooks - slim, easy to use and with a great OS

I think 3-year AppleCare and a big RAM upgrade are essential extras

Nick Froome
www.pvision.co.uk

 

[whizzkid11]

The Macbook Air is a great looking convenient sized laptop.

But for the price and the compatibility with most things, I would stick to a HP notebook!!

I recently sold some brand new ones with 3yr next day warranties for less than half the price you are quoting.

If you want small size, then the HP Compaq 2510p is a great size and well spec'd laptop at a very good price. (PM me for more details interested)

Regarding the Apples, If were ever to get a Macbook it would either be the lates Macbook Pro or the best spec'd MacBook Air, but more for the pose factor/looks rather than the actual computing power.

 

[Gucci]

I love Apple, but highly unlikely to buy an Air. They "feel" like they should be much cheaper. Sure, the skinny technology is impressive, but not enough to steal the benefit of powerbooks/ibooks.

 

[Dryce]

But for the price and the compatibility with most things, I would stick to a HP notebook!!

I recently sold some brand new ones with 3yr next day warranties for less than half the price you are quoting.

Apples are overpriced.

I still don't want a HP.

 

[crockers]

80 GB harddrive ....in 2009.........................Jeezzzzz .....


If having no cd drive -- go for the samsung NC10 ....its a beauty...

 

[seymansey]

TBH, if you can afford it, the display model is in good condition, then go for it. Asking about Apple vs PC things are always a religious issue and you are likely to have strong views from either side.

I use a nice small Dell laptop for my everday work, and when I come home and need the net, I use my 15" Macbook pro, because 'itJustWorks', and that's all I care about at the end of a long day. Lift the lid, it comes out of standby, happy days.

 

[whizzkid11]

I still don't want a HP.

Why not? Out of curiosity... not trying to convert you...

 

[fuzzer]

Thought about running some form of linux in a pc laptop? That would be an alternative to the mac.

personally i like mac hardware , there will always be people who slag it and thats just the way it is. Ive had an apple laptop and sold it shortly after and bought an IBM thinkpad. Ive had a long background in windows and just couldnt be comfortable with the mac os , but that was 10.1.

would be interesting to find out how you get on none the less

 

[Spinal]

While the concept is nice, IMO you would be better off with an alternative netbook (for a fraction of the cost).

If you are that concerned about malware, install linux. OsX is no solution, as while the malware threat might be much smaller, the amount of updates that Apple releases is ridiculous (last time I checked, the outnumbered windows by a factor of 10:1 in a given year)

If you do opt for an apple laptop, the 3-year Applecare is a must. I manage something shy of 400-apple laptops and something similar in the desktop range. We send back roughly 20% of laptop batteries in the first year, being totally dead. Our other major issues are the power adapters melting/fraying and screen-burn-in on the 24" desktops (which shouldn't happen as they are lcds)

Keep in mind that applecare only covers the battery for the first year or 300 "charge cycles" (ask apple what a charge cycle is, and they tell you "it's the number that appears on the battery utility counter" No information as to wether it's a full drain and recharge, or a unplug/plug-back-in the power). It also does not cover the hard drive after a year, nor dead-pixels under a certain number (8 i believe, or 4 together) nor does it cover melted/frayed power supplies.

Some Apple's are great, but the customer service you get isn't. Be wary, they are just like any other manufaturer...

M.

 

[Dryce]

Why not? Out of curiosity... not trying to convert you...

Primarily because they're not Macs.

The really sad thing about Apple is that they are overpriced and underspec'ed. These days I'd not dream of parting with over a £1000 for a Windows laptop but wave a £1300+ Macbook Pro in front of me ... and I'm looking for my wallet.

If I was buying a Windows laptop then I'd go for whatever suited at the time.

 

[Dryce]

If you are that concerned about malware, install linux. OsX is no solution, as while the malware threat might be much smaller, the amount of updates that Apple releases is ridiculous (last time I checked, the outnumbered windows by a factor of 10:1 in a given year)

Update on my Macbook (10.4) has been relatively quiet over the year compared with the stream of Vista updates/reboots on my Vista machines.

 

[whizzkid11]

Primarily because they're not Macs.

The really sad thing about Apple is that they are overpriced and underspec'ed. These days I'd not dream of parting with over a £1000 for a Windows laptop but wave a £1300+ Macbook Pro in front of me ... and I'm looking for my wallet.

If I was buying a Windows laptop then I'd go for whatever suited at the time.

OK - so you are anti windows machines rather than anti HP.... fair enough.

HP do actually sell Linux laptops as well... I am sure others do as well.

On a personal note, in this day and age there is no way I would spend £1000+ on any laptop.... I would go for a good spec Windows based machine, and if really anti windows then install RH Linux on it....

 

[A210AMG]

If you have never used a Mac before I would be wary...

Wife liked the white Mac, so bought one (she was fully aware it would be different) but it's annoying. Things that take seconds in windows I find frustrating.

OK yes you can learn it but very few books show you easy step by step gudies. Dad also bought a MacBook Pro and iMac 20" so far I have made his Mac book boot into windows as Mac is driving him mad.... He's sticking with the iMac and trying to learn it.

At work I buy these things (No Mac book Airs but every other mac) they are nice...to look at, they don't seem to break down as much as PC's.

If you know someone that works in education try and get a discount, I get huge discounts off the new prices. I do think they are over priced (laptops) and not much choice in the range. Solid state drives are comming down all the time and although quick I would not think 80gb is any where near large enough.

Laptops can be bought so cheap now, why pay more for almost less? (you do pay more for the apple brand)

In two to three years what ever you buy now is out of date. Pleanty of laptops good brands with 3GB or 4GB Ram and 250GB plus drives. Some from around £400.


You will be more than happy with a £400 machine.


Sorry I'm all for liking the mac appeal just not using them.

 

[R129mine]

don't get the macbook air for £800 but get a macbook or macbook pro with much larger harddisk and you will not regret it

great for day to day browsing and even better for multimedia stuff using the ilife suite.

have been using macs since 1989 and since 2002 they are really so much better than anything MS or linux have released (btw i work in IT in pure windows environment so my experience with macs is purely home / student scenario and not corporate) and i think windows is good for business/corporate stuff but for home use you really cannot go wrong.

my last mac purchase was a 2004 macbook (then powerbook) and it is still going strong, only have to replace the battery once every 18 months.

 

[Dryce]

OK - so you are anti windows machines rather than anti HP.... fair enough.

HP do actually sell Linux laptops as well... I am sure others do as well.

On a personal note, in this day and age there is no way I would spend £1000+ on any laptop.... I would go for a good spec Windows based machine, and if really anti windows then install RH Linux on it....

Sadly life is not so simple. I'm not anti-Windows - just not pro-Windows.

The difference is that despite grumbling about both when it comes to putting my money on something my tolerance levels allow me to spend more on an Apple laptop, and that's also despite moaning about Apple prices.

 

[Dryce]

don't get the macbook air for £800 but get a macbook or macbook pro with much larger harddisk and you will not regret it

It depends entirely on what the OP needs and if portability/battery life are a priority then a larger disk in a larger heavier physical package isn't necessarily a suitable non-regrettable alternative.

 

[Spinal]

You might also want to consider looking at some online reviewss...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/142314/macbook_air_tests_good_looks_poor_battery_life.html

As for the patches, it's quite common knowledge (at least, amongst the IT security group) that Apple releases more patches than Windows... Several security vendors criticised the US army for deciding to adopt a few macs for this reason... ironically, the fanboys said something on the lines of "it shows more comitment by Apple to fight cybercrime"

M.