obesechicken13
Solid State Member
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I mean picture the average businessperson or college student moving from location to location. Do they really need a five lb. laptop that can compete against supermodels? I mean you're going to have to carry other things anyways, and the extra weight can be good excersize
It just doesn't seem right in any way for people to sacrifice processing power for a few pounds. Why would anyone buy a macbook air when they could get a comparably priced macbook pro? It's not like portability matters that much for five lbs. I've never found it difficult to carry my laptop to the library this summer.
To quote:MacBook Air vs. the MacBook & MacBook Pro : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech
"Specs:
Size/Weight: 15.4-inch screen, 5.4 pounds; 17-inch screen, 6.8 pounds
Processor: 2.2-2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 2-4GB
Storage: 120-250GB hard drive
Optical drive: Combo or SuperDrive
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT processor, 128-256MB of dedicated memory
Ports: DVI, FireWire 400 (1), FireWire 800 (1), USB 2.0 (2-3), headphone out, Ethernet, ExpressCard slot
Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Base prices: $1,999 (15-inch 2.2GHz, 120GB HDD), $2,499 (15-inch 2.4GHz, 160GB HDD), $2.799 (17-inch 2.4GHz, 160GB HDD)
Pros: Fast Intel Core 2 Duo processors, up to 2.6GHz; dedicated NVIDIA graphics processors for speedy graphics performance and external monitor mirroring at high resolutions; ExpressCard slot for wireless broadband cards; plenty of ports, including two to three USB 2.0 and FireWire 800; backlit keyboard.
Cons: Heaviest of the Apple notebooks, especially the 6.8-pound 17-inch model; pricey.
Who it's for: Business users and pro-level image and video editors who need speedy mobile performance; on-the-go gamers who demand smooth 3-D graphics.
Who it's not for: Casual users, non-gamers, anyone who's never fired up Final Cut Pro or Photoshop; on-the-go types looking for a light load (especially when it comes to the 17-inch MacBook Pro).
MacBook Air
Just announced, and thus still untested by reviewers, this whisper-thin notebook was the big news at Macworld last week, and at just 0.76-inches thick (at its thickest point) and weighing in at a mere 3 pounds, it's one of the sexiest notebooks I've ever laid eyes on. That said, the Air's slim good looks come saddled with some serious compromises.
Specs:
Size/Weight: 13.3-inch screen, 3 pounds
Processor: 1.6-1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 80GB hard drive, 64GB solid-state drive
Optical drive: none ($99 external drive available)
Graphics: Intel GMA X3100 processor (integrated)
Ports: Mini-DVI, USB 2.0 (just one), headphone out; no FireWire or Ethernet ports (USB Ethernet adapter available)
Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Base prices: $1,799 (1.6GHz, 80GB HDD), $3,098 (1.8GHz, 64GB solid-state drive)
Pros: Super light and thin; guaranteed to make friends and neighbors green-eyed with envy; full-sized, backlit keypad; multi-touch track pad; solid-state drive makes for lightening-fast data access.
Cons: Test results aren't in yet, but the Air's specs point toward slower processor speeds compared to the MacBook and MacBook Pro; no dedicated graphics card (similar to the MacBook); no built-in Ethernet; only one USB 2.0 port; battery is sealed in the casing; no built-in optical drive (although the Air can wirelessly share the optical drive on another Mac or PC); no ExpressCard slot for 3G broadband cards; the solid-state drive-equipped Air is hideously expensive.
Who it's for: Good question, actually. My best guess, for now: Apple fanatics who must have the latest hardware; style mavens who love droll-worthy tech; road warriors with deep pockets who need the lightest possible laptop (and who, ideally, have another system back at the office).
Who it's not for: Video editors, gamers, or anyone else who might need speedy processing power; bargain hunters; road warriors who depend on 3G networks for data; jet-setters who need to swap out the battery."
It just doesn't seem right in any way for people to sacrifice processing power for a few pounds. Why would anyone buy a macbook air when they could get a comparably priced macbook pro? It's not like portability matters that much for five lbs. I've never found it difficult to carry my laptop to the library this summer.
To quote:MacBook Air vs. the MacBook & MacBook Pro : Ben Patterson : Yahoo! Tech
"Specs:
Size/Weight: 15.4-inch screen, 5.4 pounds; 17-inch screen, 6.8 pounds
Processor: 2.2-2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 2-4GB
Storage: 120-250GB hard drive
Optical drive: Combo or SuperDrive
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT processor, 128-256MB of dedicated memory
Ports: DVI, FireWire 400 (1), FireWire 800 (1), USB 2.0 (2-3), headphone out, Ethernet, ExpressCard slot
Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Base prices: $1,999 (15-inch 2.2GHz, 120GB HDD), $2,499 (15-inch 2.4GHz, 160GB HDD), $2.799 (17-inch 2.4GHz, 160GB HDD)
Pros: Fast Intel Core 2 Duo processors, up to 2.6GHz; dedicated NVIDIA graphics processors for speedy graphics performance and external monitor mirroring at high resolutions; ExpressCard slot for wireless broadband cards; plenty of ports, including two to three USB 2.0 and FireWire 800; backlit keyboard.
Cons: Heaviest of the Apple notebooks, especially the 6.8-pound 17-inch model; pricey.
Who it's for: Business users and pro-level image and video editors who need speedy mobile performance; on-the-go gamers who demand smooth 3-D graphics.
Who it's not for: Casual users, non-gamers, anyone who's never fired up Final Cut Pro or Photoshop; on-the-go types looking for a light load (especially when it comes to the 17-inch MacBook Pro).
MacBook Air
Just announced, and thus still untested by reviewers, this whisper-thin notebook was the big news at Macworld last week, and at just 0.76-inches thick (at its thickest point) and weighing in at a mere 3 pounds, it's one of the sexiest notebooks I've ever laid eyes on. That said, the Air's slim good looks come saddled with some serious compromises.
Specs:
Size/Weight: 13.3-inch screen, 3 pounds
Processor: 1.6-1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 80GB hard drive, 64GB solid-state drive
Optical drive: none ($99 external drive available)
Graphics: Intel GMA X3100 processor (integrated)
Ports: Mini-DVI, USB 2.0 (just one), headphone out; no FireWire or Ethernet ports (USB Ethernet adapter available)
Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Base prices: $1,799 (1.6GHz, 80GB HDD), $3,098 (1.8GHz, 64GB solid-state drive)
Pros: Super light and thin; guaranteed to make friends and neighbors green-eyed with envy; full-sized, backlit keypad; multi-touch track pad; solid-state drive makes for lightening-fast data access.
Cons: Test results aren't in yet, but the Air's specs point toward slower processor speeds compared to the MacBook and MacBook Pro; no dedicated graphics card (similar to the MacBook); no built-in Ethernet; only one USB 2.0 port; battery is sealed in the casing; no built-in optical drive (although the Air can wirelessly share the optical drive on another Mac or PC); no ExpressCard slot for 3G broadband cards; the solid-state drive-equipped Air is hideously expensive.
Who it's for: Good question, actually. My best guess, for now: Apple fanatics who must have the latest hardware; style mavens who love droll-worthy tech; road warriors with deep pockets who need the lightest possible laptop (and who, ideally, have another system back at the office).
Who it's not for: Video editors, gamers, or anyone else who might need speedy processing power; bargain hunters; road warriors who depend on 3G networks for data; jet-setters who need to swap out the battery."