MacBook Air?

Beepcake · 29 May 2008 at 15:40

Anyone here use a MacBook air for serious work? I quite like the look of them in the shop but I'd need to run vmware and visual studio with a half decent battery life and I'm not sure its completely up to the job?

I currently have a dell x1 as my ultra portable so it would have to be "better" than that.

Beepcake · 29 May 2008 at 19:14

I've already got a MBP and an ultraportable Windows laptop. I use the MBP for most things, and the X1 when I need portability more than power. I mainly want to replace the X1 because it's not a Mac to be perfectly honest

But looking more at the reviews of the air it's really not for me.. I expected brilliant battery life but it seems to be pretty naff

The X1 isn't the fastest thing in the west (although it's fast enough for on the move) but I can get pretty much a full day of work out of it on the extended battery, which is kind of the whole reason for having an ultraportable in my opinion.

Ho hum.. I wanted a new toy to play with

Beepcake · 29 May 2008 at 19:23

Never really thought about that to be honest. I was in Livepool today having a look at the new shopping centre and was being wooed by the Macbook Air and the 17" MBP (I've got the 2.33 C2D 15").. I think I want a new toy and i'm trying to justify it

Beepcake · 29 May 2008 at 19:29

I have a MacBook too.. although I kind of gave it away when I got my MBP.

I might have a looksie how much extra batteries are for the MBP. The main reason I switch to the X1 is the amazing battery life.. I can barely get 2/2.5 hours out of the MBP

Beepcake · 29 May 2008 at 22:23

I played with one of them in the store today, they do look nice, but the low res screen and crappy battery life has put me off completely now.

Maybe Air v2 will be more for me

Beepcake · 2 Jun 2008 at 07:58

barnettgs said:
Erm, isn't that what Macbook is for?

Macbook is actually more powerful than Macbook Air with longer battery life, just a bit bulker thats all.

Macbook Air is ideal for business people who travel a lot especially by air and for office applications.

If I had a choice between the two, I would go for Macbook since it's more powerful and around half the price of Macbook Air.

Yes and no. The MacBook makes sense, but only because the Air doesn't seem to do anything particularly well, other than being "cool". I wanted to replace my ultra-portable with an Apple one, and just assumed it would fit the general criteria of being slightly slower than a full laptop, but smaller and lighter with plenty of battery life to keep going on the road. Unfortunately, with the air having a fixed battery and poor battery life it pretty much rules it out as an ultra-portable for serious use, and really leaves it purely for people who really have a space problem (although you need to take the PSU when potentially you wouldn't for a MacBook), or want the latest, coolest gadget.

I hope the Air v2 is a better proposition; but for now I really do struggle to see the point of it, beyond it being a fashion accessory. I'm not knocking people that have bought one, I'm sure it makes sense to some people, but not for me

The X1 sure is ugly, but unfortunately it's staying put for a good while yet