Going from a White Macbook circa 2008 to the 2012 Macbook Air is a massive leap forward in technology for me. The big question is deciding which one will be best for you: The 13″ Macbook Pro or the 13″ Macbook Air.
Things I like:
It’s fast! I plan on using this when I travel for Office, Adobe Lightroom and other photography applications. I’m able to move quickly, even when shuffling around hundreds of photos in Lightroom. This is remarkably different from my old Macbook.
The SSD. Absolutely fast. Bootup/shutdown/restart times are in seconds. Yes, it’s pricy, but I love it.
Solid build. It feels much like other Macbook Pros, despite the thinness. Yes, it feels like it’ll be a magnet for scratches, so I’m off to find a case/skin.
Opposite side USB ports! The most annoying thing about my Macbook (old White, new MBP as my office computer) is that there’s not enough spacing between the USB ports, so a chunkier flashdrive and another USB device won’t fit. Now I don’t feel like I have to choose what gets plugged in.
USB 3.0. I’ve got enough USB 3.0 flash drives and the speed increase will be noticeable. Thunderbolt technology is supposed to be a lot faster, but a lot more expensive and quite frankly, cost-prohibitive.
Weight: I’ve gotten used to heavier laptops so this feels downright thin. Thin enough that I don’t notice it in my bag.
Screen resolution: 1440×900 gives me more real estate than the 1280×800 of the 13″ Macbook Pro. The screen was bright and vivid. — Things I don’t like: Non-upgradeable: So much for adding more RAM down the road.
New Magsafe power connector: This might cause an issue with places that have older Macbooks as well and determining which is which. That’s what labels are for.
Aluminum case: It’s beautiful but I’m feeling worried that I’m going to scratch it.
Software update: 350MB worth of fixes out of the box. Ugh. — Sound. It’s decent enough – it seems like any other laptop’s audio that I’ve ever used. If you’re serious about audio, you’ll have external speakers (or even pair it up with Airplay speakers.)
Battery: I got about 6 hours in a torture test of watching video while surfing the web on WiFi. It’s pretty decent and within the 5-7 range that Apple stated.
DVD drive: I don’t miss it. I thought I would, but I don’t. It just adds weight and bulk to the computer.
The webcam is also a higher resolution 720p camera. It’s quite nice, but now the downside is that during Facetime, my friends and family can see my ugly self more clearly. Also, early adopters won’t have the computer come with the newest version of OS X – Mountain Lion. That will come in mid/late July. It’s nice that this will come gratis to those who bought early.
The big question is Macbook Air or Macbook Pro? It comes down town a number of issues. If this will be your primary computer, then Macbook Pro is the way to go. The MBP is a faster computer with more storage and an optical drive. If you plan on doing any high-end computing, you’ll notice the difference. If this is going to be a secondary computer or if weight is the deciding factor, then the Macbook Air is for you. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
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This review is from: Apple MacBook Air MD231LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) (Personal Computers)
This is without a doubt the best laptop I have ever purchased.
Much faster than I initially thought it would be. Has taken everything I have thrown at it with relative ease. (I’m a software developer).
Battery life is excellent. I routinely get 7+ hours a charge.
Display is very bright and clear. I’ve abused my eyes for 25+ years behind computer displays so this is no small point.
Light as a feather yet very sturdy.
Almost zero noise from the fan under a normal load. Under a very heavy load it is still surprisingly quiet.
Although I am not a fan of chicklet-style keyboards, this one has managed to not annoy me. Good size, layout, spacing and just enough travel. Ample palm rest for even large hands. The backlighting is a very nice touch.
The multi-gesture trackpad is extraordinary. Hands down the best one I have ever used. This is the first time I have not reached for a mouse out of frustration. I don’t even pack one in my laptop bag now.
If this thing proves reliable and long-lived, I don’t see myself ever going back to a PC-based laptop again.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Authors bio is coming up shortly. 
Absolutely amazing lightweight notebook,
Going from a White Macbook circa 2008 to the 2012 Macbook Air is a massive leap forward in technology for me. The big question is deciding which one will be best for you: The 13″ Macbook Pro or the 13″ Macbook Air.
Things I like:
It’s fast! I plan on using this when I travel for Office, Adobe Lightroom and other photography applications. I’m able to move quickly, even when shuffling around hundreds of photos in Lightroom. This is remarkably different from my old Macbook.
The SSD. Absolutely fast. Bootup/shutdown/restart times are in seconds. Yes, it’s pricy, but I love it.
Solid build. It feels much like other Macbook Pros, despite the thinness. Yes, it feels like it’ll be a magnet for scratches, so I’m off to find a case/skin.
Opposite side USB ports! The most annoying thing about my Macbook (old White, new MBP as my office computer) is that there’s not enough spacing between the USB ports, so a chunkier flashdrive and another USB device won’t fit. Now I don’t feel like I have to choose what gets plugged in.
USB 3.0. I’ve got enough USB 3.0 flash drives and the speed increase will be noticeable. Thunderbolt technology is supposed to be a lot faster, but a lot more expensive and quite frankly, cost-prohibitive.
Weight: I’ve gotten used to heavier laptops so this feels downright thin. Thin enough that I don’t notice it in my bag.
Screen resolution: 1440×900 gives me more real estate than the 1280×800 of the 13″ Macbook Pro. The screen was bright and vivid.
—
Things I don’t like:
Non-upgradeable: So much for adding more RAM down the road.
New Magsafe power connector: This might cause an issue with places that have older Macbooks as well and determining which is which. That’s what labels are for.
Aluminum case: It’s beautiful but I’m feeling worried that I’m going to scratch it.
Software update: 350MB worth of fixes out of the box. Ugh.
—
Sound. It’s decent enough – it seems like any other laptop’s audio that I’ve ever used. If you’re serious about audio, you’ll have external speakers (or even pair it up with Airplay speakers.)
Battery: I got about 6 hours in a torture test of watching video while surfing the web on WiFi. It’s pretty decent and within the 5-7 range that Apple stated.
DVD drive: I don’t miss it. I thought I would, but I don’t. It just adds weight and bulk to the computer.
The webcam is also a higher resolution 720p camera. It’s quite nice, but now the downside is that during Facetime, my friends and family can see my ugly self more clearly. Also, early adopters won’t have the computer come with the newest version of OS X – Mountain Lion. That will come in mid/late July. It’s nice that this will come gratis to those who bought early.
The big question is Macbook Air or Macbook Pro? It comes down town a number of issues. If this will be your primary computer, then Macbook Pro is the way to go. The MBP is a faster computer with more storage and an optical drive. If you plan on doing any high-end computing, you’ll notice the difference. If this is going to be a secondary computer or if weight is the deciding factor, then the Macbook Air is for you. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
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|Macbook Air 13″,
This is without a doubt the best laptop I have ever purchased.
Much faster than I initially thought it would be. Has taken everything I have thrown at it with relative ease. (I’m a software developer).
Battery life is excellent. I routinely get 7+ hours a charge.
Display is very bright and clear. I’ve abused my eyes for 25+ years behind computer displays so this is no small point.
Light as a feather yet very sturdy.
Almost zero noise from the fan under a normal load. Under a very heavy load it is still surprisingly quiet.
Although I am not a fan of chicklet-style keyboards, this one has managed to not annoy me. Good size, layout, spacing and just enough travel. Ample palm rest for even large hands. The backlighting is a very nice touch.
The multi-gesture trackpad is extraordinary. Hands down the best one I have ever used. This is the first time I have not reached for a mouse out of frustration. I don’t even pack one in my laptop bag now.
If this thing proves reliable and long-lived, I don’t see myself ever going back to a PC-based laptop again.
Was this review helpful to you?
|