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Thread: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

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    Question Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    So I'm in college, planning on enrolling in grad school within the year. I am looking for a new netbook or laptop to supplement my existing PC desktop. Though I AM a gamer, I am in no way looking to use this new computer for that purpose--my PC is a gaming machine, and I have no interest in playing WoW between classes or on the go.

    That said, my mother is, for some reason, encouraging me to get a MacBook Air. It certainly looks like a pretty cool machine, but my question is: is it worth it?

    Though I know that with Apple products, you ARE paying a certain amount just for the brand, I do not have any friends that could ever afford an Apple computer. Hell, my best friend doesn't even have a cell phone. So I can't look to close acquaintances for advice. My father just bought a MacBook Pro, and it's cool enough, but he's only had it for a few months, so I don't have any long-term experience with Apple.

    I'm basically just looking for a computer that can access the internet and use word processing. That said, I want it to be FAST, and I want it to last for a long time. I fucking HATE netbooks that take forever to load the most basic web pages. Though I'm not thrilled about the idea of shelling out $1200 or so for a MacBook Air, I'm also not thrilled about the idea of throwing away $400 or so for a PC netbook that will start having problems within 6 months. I demand extremely high quality for electronics, and I am okay with shelling out the money for it. But as I said, I don't know how much of the cost of the MacBook Air is just for the brand name, and how much of it is for a truly superior, lightweight, fast machine. I do really love the visual design of Apple products, but I'm not going to shell out all that money just cause it looks pretty.

    I've also never owned any Apple product other than an iPod Classic (I just bought my new iPod Classic the other day, btw, and I fucking LOVE IT), so I am anticipating the normal acclimation to a new OS. As I said, since I am a gamer, I am in no way going to totally shift to the other side and become one of those iFags. This is going to be a supplemental machine, used for basic web browsing and word processing while on the go. I will probably rarely use it at home. So I am also looking to hear the experiences of other people who use both PC's and Macs, and who are not totally biased against one or the other. I'd also like to hear about Apple's customer service, because I've never heard a story about an experience with them. This may be a good thing, as it implies that Macs don't often NEED service, but I'm skeptical.

    So, anyone who has or has ever had a MacBook Air, please give me your opinions!

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    I had the exact same thought, I'm in the same position. All my laptops die within a year, I'm wondering whether an apple will fare any better...

    thanks for the post!

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    I want a Mac so I can write apps for my iPhone, the MacBook Air looks so awesome, i'm definitely gonna get one... but you do pay alot extra to get a Mac.... and for the Air, if you don't have any other computer, it is not a good choice, for the simple reason that it doesn't have an optical drive, you can't play dvd's or cd's... if it is your only computer, and you want a good laptop for a bargain price, I would say buy a refurbished computer from a manufacturer, I have been using refurbished Dells I'm on my second one....

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    I would get a laptop PC with an Intel Core i7 processor if you want it to be fast. Last January I bought a 16.4" Sony F-series with a 1.73GHz core i7 for $999.99 from Amazon. So far I have been happy with the computer. If I needed to buy a computer today, I would probably buy this one:

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834127453

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    I'm glad you posted this since I was also in the market for a new laptop. I only work with Macs bc they are superior in quality. I understand your not wanting to pay for a product for it's brand name, but with something like this it would be wise to. I have an iMac desktop and a MacBook and I purchase my family a MacBook Pro. My MacBook's battery gave out after five years. I purchased it in 2006. I took it to the Apple store two days ago to have it looked at and the tech told me that the longevity of their computers have improved since then. I am now saving up for an 11 inch MacBook Air as well as I do a lot of writing and I'd like something light and small enough to carry in my purse. The MacBook air has about 1000 cycles to it which will last you a really long time. You definitely get what you pay for. Pages load super fast when online as well. I think you'd be very happy with it. If you have a store near you check it out and play with the displays. You'll definitely be pleased. Also, MacBooks start out at $999. They also give out student discounts on their computers. Just show them your school ID.
    Last edited by AriahsPariah; 10-02-2011 at 10:15 PM.
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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    A couple thoughts... I have a son and a daughter in college. My computer science major daughter has both a PC and a MAC. She got the MAC at the college bookstore, where they had a discount for 'refurbished' machines, but still big $. My son the business major, said 'any new PC will do', spent $600, decided against the extended warranty saying that it came with a 1 year, "Why pay 50% more for a 2 year warranty?" One spent $600, the other $1200. They are both happy with their decisions 2 years later.

    A PC repair shop said that the low end netbooks and $400 laptops at Wal-Mart are disposable, not worth repairing if they break. My guess is for what you need $600 should do it. If you have a history of 'taking care of your tools and your toys' skip the extended warranty. If not get it. Do ask 'where it will be fixed if it breaks?' If it is the local store, convenient to you, like Best Buy / Geek Squad, that may be worthwhile. If the extended waranty means you have to ship it away and be without it for weeks, maybe not so much...

    Do check with your school to see if they have a recommended minimum configuration before you buy, and ask at the bookstore if they have any 'specials for students paying their own way'.

    One more random thought, some schools have help desks / IT that can do the same things as the support you buy. Some is good, some are just upper class volunteers, so depends...

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    I don't own the Air but I did switch from PC's to a Mac Book Pro about a year ago. For me it came down to a decision of price vs. value. I had been buying PC based laptops for years, paying around a grand for them, being happy with them at first and then disgusted when the same wear and tear issues came up over and over. When I needed a new machine last year I finally gave in to looking at a Mac and once I demoed it there was no turning back. Yes, I paid twice what a PC based laptop costs but the difference between a Mac and any pc I ever owned goes way beyond dollars spent.

    I know several folks with Mac Book Air's and they all love them. I personally will never buy a PC based product again but, as I said earlier, it's a decision of price vs. Value. Macs do cost more and not everyone wants or needs to spend that extra money.
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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    personally i own both windows and mac laptops. i used to be anti-apple but decided to get a macbook pro when i started getting serious about music production and photography, at which the mac excels... but i still find that one OS is better than the other depending on the purposes.

    for the purpose of your needs, the macbook air will do the job and much more (tho macs arent very good gaming machines). the latest generation of the macbook air runs on intel core CPU's and has SSD based storage so it will be VERY fast. OSX itself is fairly easy to get used to and once you get familiarized with the keyboard shortcuts you can really streamline your work. you also have the advantage that OSX is immune to windows virri and the system tends to be more stable...

    the closest competitors of the macbook air would be the Samsung Series 9, Sony VAIO Z series or the Asus UX2 which should be released imminently, so maybe you can compare these before deciding which to go for...

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    It's understandable that your experience with older single core Atom netbooks was awful, but the newer large netbook / small laptops with the AMD Fusion APU are pretty slick and inexpensive. They run a full 64-bit Win7 OS, have a larger 11.2" screen (though not a nice as the macbook), much better performance overall and very decent graphics acceleration.

    I bought a Lenovo x120e back in April to play around with at work and on the road, and find myself using it more than my desktop anymore. There's nothing cool or sexy about it, but the thing is built like a tank with a great keyboard and works perfect for web browsing, MS office apps, watching movies (it will decode 1080p rips smoothly), and even some light gaming.

    Not trying to steer you completely away from the macbook...but there are options before you drop a decent chunk of change on something.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    My girlfriend had the exact same conundrum and the exact same needs. Since computers are now a style statement she really wanted a mac. We debated for a few weeks and decided to go to walmart and get a crappy $300 laptop (not a netbook). The thing is actually not bad at all for internet surfing, watching netflix, MS office or dvds. She has access to my gaming machine if she needs power. She had saved $1200+ for the Mac. With the remaining money she purchased a really cool pair of Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses that turn a lot more heads than a computer. She saved the rest.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?


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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    unless they changed it recently, macbook air has no CD/DVD-ROM. Even though we seem to be moving away from discs and more into usb & such, discs are not obsolete yet & we still use them a lot so I would def have to think about that.
    Last edited by phoenixxxrising; 10-06-2011 at 07:45 AM.
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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    Another thing about the MacBook Air in the long run...no upgradable parts. The memory is soldered in and it uses a nonstandard SSD form factor. So, right off the bat Apple charges you an extra $200 for 4GB of memory over 2GB (actual cost under $10, you need at least 4GB). Just seems completely outrageous to me. I don't even know what they do when the SSD fails, probably dumpster the whole unit.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    If you don't want to pay a lot of money, and you're looking for reliabilty and performance at almost half the price of a Mac, then take a look at the Toshiba Satellite, the Dell Inspiron 15 or 17...or the new Hewlett Packard DV6 series. Sony's Viao is a little more expensive than these, but still pretty good value for money. Medion also make fairly good laptops.

    There's plenty out there that don't cost, just because of the name.
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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    You mentioned wanting something that will last:
    Almost 6 years ago I bought an HP pavillion dv6k that had just been discontinued and was on SUPER CLEARANCE for less than $400.
    ...that is the computer that I'm typing on right now.

    I have never had to take it in for repairs. I've never even had to reinstall my OS. I'm still using the original battery.
    The only 'extra' I've done is pick up a cooling base for it to sit on since I leave the thing turned on for days and days and days. haha.

    Oh. And it's still as fast where not fastas 90% of my friend's new machines.
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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    Quote Originally Posted by DesuvsDeath View Post
    You mentioned wanting something that will last:
    Almost 6 years ago I bought an HP pavillion dv6k that had just been discontinued and was on SUPER CLEARANCE for less than $400.
    ...that is the computer that I'm typing on right now.

    I have never had to take it in for repairs. I've never even had to reinstall my OS. I'm still using the original battery.
    The only 'extra' I've done is pick up a cooling base for it to sit on since I leave the thing turned on for days and days and days. haha.

    Oh. And it's still as fast where not fastas 90% of my friend's new machines.
    My Dell Inspiron lasted 7 years before I spilled orange juice on the keyboard and couldn't type on it anymore. I actually wore a hole right in the touchpad from using it so much.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    Quote Originally Posted by dlabtot View Post
    My Dell Inspiron lasted 7 years before I spilled orange juice on the keyboard and couldn't type on it anymore. I actually wore a hole right in the touchpad from using it so much.
    Haha, yeah. The left click mouse button on mine has had the paint totally worn through and I just went ahead and scraped off all the 'letter stickers' on my keyboard a year or so back because half of them were totally worn off anyway.
    Quote Originally Posted by camille27 View Post
    i am losing my fucking mind and i really just want this chloroform dream because i think that would just get me right with jesus.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    Quote Originally Posted by dlabtot View Post
    My Dell Inspiron lasted 7 years before I spilled orange juice on the keyboard and couldn't type on it anymore. I actually wore a hole right in the touchpad from using it so much.
    Me too with my Inspiron. Despite what lots of people say - I think Dell's are great PC's and laptops.

    I have 2 laptops. The first is a brand new Fujitsu Amilo 3910 with 18" widescreen, 500Gb HD and 4Gb RAM etc etc blah-de-blah. It cost £875.00 new last November, and it lasted precisely......4 months, before the screen packed up.

    I also have a 4 year old refurbished Dell Inspiron 9400 with upgraded Processor (1.83Ghz), new 500GB Hard Drive, new 4GB RAM and a 17" screen. It was 3 years old when I bought it for £295.00. The upgrades cost me just £35.00.

    It's now 5 years old, and it's by far and away the fastest and most reliable laptop I have ever used. The screen definition is amazing, and I've used it all day, every day for 2 years, with no faults whatsoever.
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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    A friend of mine has a roommate who used to work for Apple, and I asked his advice. He told me that the Air, though undeniably a nifty little machine, is really priced so high because it's so new and so slender--not because of phenomenal performance. He also said that a lot of people have their Airs serviced because it's so thin that the keyboard would damage the screen when closed...like permanent imprints. He advised me to get the lowest level MacBook Pro, which is definitely a much faster and much more powerful machine than the Air--AND the lowest level Pro is cheaper than the mid-level Air I was considering, not to mention better specs overall. I was never intending on getting the lowest level Air. Plus, I can use CD-roms and DVD-roms with the Pro. So, I'm thinking I'm going to get that. The student discount on the Pro is twice what it is for the Air, too.

    I would consider Dell, but my father had a Dell laptop that was top of the line and had so many problems that it completely put me off laptops until now. They were constantly recalling the battery and other parts. Their customer service was shockingly lousy, and I'm never buying a Dell product ever again simply on principle.

    Thank you all for your input!

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    You'll hear extremes on both ends when it comes to a Mac or PC, and although I've never had a MacBook Air, I can tell you that my MacBook Pro was the best investment ever. There is no comparison, and I will never go back to a PC... ever.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    I own macs, pcs, desktops, and laptops. I can absolutely guarantee that the Air is a great device. it has SSD instead of a spinning hard drive. This makes it incredibly fast. This is also what makes it more expensive than a comparable windows based laptop. As for the Air not having a dvd, that's not a big deal. If you need a dvd, you can get the external dvd drive that plugs into the Air. Macs run Mac or Windows, so it should be able to run whatever you want.

    Someone mentioned a chrome book. the cb is a new type of laptop, mobile device. It depends on you using the internet for ALL of your applications, so thats a shock to the system of most users. I'd stay away from it unless you like google docs, office 365, and similar applications only being accessible when you have a connection to the internet.
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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    I love this thread. And I love apple! Go get an air, you won't regret it. We are the one percent.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    i love my mac and will never go back to pc. are you wanting the air for lightness? weightwise, my macbook is wayyyyyyyyy lighter than any of the pc laptops i see. it's worth the money and i'm pretty sure mac has discounts for students.

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    Default Re: Netbook/Laptop Advice: MacBook Air?

    One year ago I bought my 2nd MacBook Pro and went whole hog, paid 4500$ for this fucking thing. Probably too much but a lot of that was for this brand new (at the time) technology--a solid state harddrive. When I picked it up the guy at the Mac Store said it was the fastest computer in Key West.

    Well whoopee shit, lol. Who cares about that? And Key West ain't all that big an island.

    But it is very nice. I don't regret it, though if I went back I'd probably forego the solid state. My next laptop will be a MacBook Pro, but hopefully not for a while yet!

    I am a convert. But yeah Macs suck for games. I have a PC that the lying, thieving bitch who basically murdered my stepfather two years ago (long story) left at his house, and I will probably use that for games at some point.
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