8 ms·

I have been a Windows user since I started using computers. I am thinking of purchasing a Macbook Air. As a young programmer (going into fifth year of college),

I have been a Windows user since I started using computers. I am thinking of purchasing a Macbook Air. As a young programmer (going into fifth year of college), would anyone recommend this laptop?

ams6110 15y ago
Only if ultra light weight and portability are primary concerns. A standard MacBook Pro is a better value otherwise, IMO.
- checker 15y ago
  After using my first MBP for a while, I'm kind of regretting getting the 15 inch. With the high-res screen, and as long as you have good eyes, the 13 seems just as functional and more portable. I love using my girlfriend's. My two cents, if Nemesis ends up going with a MBP.
  - rrrazdan 15y ago
    There is no option to upgrade to high-res(higher-res) screen on the 13 inch. I think I am pretty sure on that. Just the plain 1280x800.
    - checker 15y ago
      You are correct. Sorry about that.
  - hcal 15y ago
    I sold my older 15in MBP to get a unibody 13MBP. I lasted 4 months before selling the 13 to go back to 15in (thank goodness for high resell values.) The little bit of extra space just makes it so much easier to juggle open windows and see data from different programs while working. People think I'm a major multitasker with they see all my open windows, but really I'm working on one task with lots of varied inputs. I'm a little worried that Lion might take this away from me, with its emphasis on single window apps.
    - masklinn 15y ago
      Note that the Airs have much more manageable screen real-estate than the 13" MBP: the 11" already has a higher resolution than the 13" MBP, and the 13" MBA has the same resolution as a non-HD 15" MBP.
  - sodiumphosphate 15y ago
    I love my 13" MBP. It drives a large monitor when I need it to, and the rest of the time it's very portable and comfortable. I forget the screen is small, honestly. Lion download progress: about 45%
eli 15y ago
The only big drawback is it ain't cheap. You can even run Windows on if you really want.
- iaskwhy 15y ago
  Having an external DVD drive to install it is advised though, it is really difficult to do it with a USB drive.
  - gte910h 15y ago
    Apple EFI drivers suck. I've been trying to get windows installed on my MBP17" where I replaced the optical drive with a SSD and it's been pure pain. You'll need the superdrive in particular most likely.
    - rodh257 15y ago
      yep I had the same issue on my MBP13, they dont let you boot off USB basically. Sucks.
  - dvdhsu 15y ago
    If you open the Installer.app package, you'll find a DMG in there. You can then partition your USB drive/internal hard drive/external hard drive with a 5 GB partition, and restore the DMG onto it via Disk Utility. You boot from the partition, and after installation, delete it and extend your primary partition (if you partitioned your internal hard drive).
- daeken 15y ago
  The biggest drawback, by far, is the insanely low RAM. Anything less than 8GB is unusable for me, and I certainly can't be the only one.
  - MatthewPhillips 15y ago
    Surely you're exaggerating. 8GB is necessary for a dev machine where you're going to be intentionally straining it. Most laptops nowadays come with 4GB. You're seriously saying those are "unusable" for you? What are you doing that requires 8GB of memory? Running multiple instances of SQL Server, AutoCAD, Visual Studio, and 2 or 3 games simultaneously?
tomstuart 15y ago
The (now old) 11" MacBook Air is the best laptop I've ever owned.
- jpr 15y ago
  That doesn't say much without any information about which other laptops you've owned...
danieldk 15y ago
From personal experience: no. I bought a MacBook Air in January. It's very ideal for travelling, due to its small size and weight. However, it squeezes nearly the same amount of pixels as a 13.3" MacBook Pro in a 11.8" display. So, if your eyes are a bit tired, it becomes annoying to read code. Also, the CPU is much slower (even after this refresh) than the MacBook Pro. If you use compiled languages or do a lot of data processing, this is annoying. I returned my Air to my Apple Reseller recently, and purchased a MacBook Pro (as I had before). It's fast and a readable screen. Since you are a programmer, you'll probably enjoy a MacBook, given OS X's UNIX underpinnings.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
dgallagher 15y ago
From my personal experience, I liked coding Python with Textmate on a MBA, but not Objective-C with Xcode. Py/Text didn't take up much space and was easy to work with. Obj-C/Xcode demand lots of real-estate space, so the tiny screen was a hinderance. So I'd advise that if you have a language that's 'tiny' and a minimalist editor, you'll probably do fine on a MBA. If the language and editor take up lots of space, I'd stay away and go with something that has a bigger screen (exception if you plan on using an external monitor).
- evilduck 15y ago
  FYI, the 13in MBA has the exact same screen resolution as the stock 15in MBP, and the 11in MBA is comparable to the 13in MBP (different ratio though), so both models can basically show the same amount of stuff on the screen (unless you were preferring something like a large iMac for XCode).
- Nemisis7654 15y ago
  I am mainly an Android developer and use Eclipse, which is by no means light...So I guess, in this case, I should stay away from the MBA?
  - younata 15y ago
    No. You'll be fine. Possibly, you'll have screen estate issues with the 11" air, but that's about the only issue with Eclipse you'll have. The SSD will severely speed things up.
  - dgallagher 15y ago
    A good test would be to try out the MBA's resolution on your current display, and work with Eclipse in it. 1366x768 for the 11 inch, and 1440x900 for the 13.
    - andrewf 15y ago
      Fonts and interface chrome always seem to take up a tiny bit more space on OS X. Not usually an issue but I'd take it into account if, on Windows, a given res is barely usable. I have a 13-inch air; the pixels are tiny. If you try 1440x900 on a large monitor, bear in mind smaller fonts may not be using once you shrink down to laptop size. Apple stores seem pretty liberal about machine use (notwithstanding the guy being prosecuted for installing webcam upload software on a store's machines..) - maybe you could download Mac Eclipse to a USB key and try it out on a machine?
almost 15y ago
YMMV but I'm using an Air as my main dev machine at the moment. I bought it just because I need a mac for a few things but I seem to have ended up using it all the time. I'm used to having very small laptops though. I would say you definitely need the 128GB version, I originally partitioned mine into two 64GB partitions (I was going to put Ubuntu on the other which turned out to be very hard, but that's another story) and found that the 64GB filled up from just the OS plus the applications I use for development. Right now I've got it plugged into a huge cinema display (which I have on loan for 6 months, it's very nice) but I have also used it quite a lot as a laptop. I'm mostly writing Python here, so no long compiles. I imagine that would be a killer if you were working on C++ projects...
gte910h 15y ago
I'd wait a year till you graduate, if you still need to buy a computer, buy the 17in and add an SSD if you are going to be doing programming, otherwise either the 13in air or 15in MBP will work fine if you need one NOW. The 13in MBP is pretty low end without upgrading many of the components. MBPs have tremendous resale value (especially the higher size models), so don't feel so bad about spending a few extra bucks on them.
- keypusher 15y ago
  Good lord, no. Stay away from 17", you might as well be lugging a desktop around. 13" is the sweet spot for me, MBP or MBA depending primary on memory needs and workload.
dvdhsu 15y ago
The new MacBook Airs are two times faster than the last generation MacBook Airs. They are also faster than the high end 17" MacBook Pros from 2010. [1] They are about as fast as the low end 13" MacBook Pro. ------------- 1. http://electricpig.co.uk/2011/07/20/2011-macbook-air-benchmarks-are-amazing-outperforms-all-2010-macbook-pros/ http://electricpig.co.uk/2011/07/20/2011-macbook-air-benchma... 2. http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/ http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/

I have been a Windows user since I started using computers. I am thinking of purchasing a Macbook Air. As a young programmer (going into fifth year of college), would anyone recommend this laptop?

ams6110 15y ago

Only if ultra light weight and portability are primary concerns. A standard MacBook Pro is a better value otherwise, IMO.

checker 15y ago
After using my first MBP for a while, I'm kind of regretting getting the 15 inch. With the high-res screen, and as long as you have good eyes, the 13 seems just as functional and more portable. I love using my girlfriend's. My two cents, if Nemesis ends up going with a MBP.
- rrrazdan 15y ago
  There is no option to upgrade to high-res(higher-res) screen on the 13 inch. I think I am pretty sure on that. Just the plain 1280x800.
  - checker 15y ago
    You are correct. Sorry about that.
- hcal 15y ago
  I sold my older 15in MBP to get a unibody 13MBP. I lasted 4 months before selling the 13 to go back to 15in (thank goodness for high resell values.) The little bit of extra space just makes it so much easier to juggle open windows and see data from different programs while working. People think I'm a major multitasker with they see all my open windows, but really I'm working on one task with lots of varied inputs. I'm a little worried that Lion might take this away from me, with its emphasis on single window apps.
  - masklinn 15y ago
    Note that the Airs have much more manageable screen real-estate than the 13" MBP: the 11" already has a higher resolution than the 13" MBP, and the 13" MBA has the same resolution as a non-HD 15" MBP.
- sodiumphosphate 15y ago
  I love my 13" MBP. It drives a large monitor when I need it to, and the rest of the time it's very portable and comfortable. I forget the screen is small, honestly. Lion download progress: about 45%

eli 15y ago

The only big drawback is it ain't cheap. You can even run Windows on if you really want.

iaskwhy 15y ago
Having an external DVD drive to install it is advised though, it is really difficult to do it with a USB drive.
- gte910h 15y ago
  Apple EFI drivers suck. I've been trying to get windows installed on my MBP17" where I replaced the optical drive with a SSD and it's been pure pain. You'll need the superdrive in particular most likely.
  - rodh257 15y ago
    yep I had the same issue on my MBP13, they dont let you boot off USB basically. Sucks.
- dvdhsu 15y ago
  If you open the Installer.app package, you'll find a DMG in there. You can then partition your USB drive/internal hard drive/external hard drive with a 5 GB partition, and restore the DMG onto it via Disk Utility. You boot from the partition, and after installation, delete it and extend your primary partition (if you partitioned your internal hard drive).
daeken 15y ago
The biggest drawback, by far, is the insanely low RAM. Anything less than 8GB is unusable for me, and I certainly can't be the only one.
- MatthewPhillips 15y ago
  Surely you're exaggerating. 8GB is necessary for a dev machine where you're going to be intentionally straining it. Most laptops nowadays come with 4GB. You're seriously saying those are "unusable" for you? What are you doing that requires 8GB of memory? Running multiple instances of SQL Server, AutoCAD, Visual Studio, and 2 or 3 games simultaneously?

tomstuart 15y ago

The (now old) 11" MacBook Air is the best laptop I've ever owned.

jpr 15y ago
That doesn't say much without any information about which other laptops you've owned...

danieldk 15y ago

From personal experience: no. I bought a MacBook Air in January. It's very ideal for travelling, due to its small size and weight. However, it squeezes nearly the same amount of pixels as a 13.3" MacBook Pro in a 11.8" display. So, if your eyes are a bit tired, it becomes annoying to read code. Also, the CPU is much slower (even after this refresh) than the MacBook Pro. If you use compiled languages or do a lot of data processing, this is annoying. I returned my Air to my Apple Reseller recently, and purchased a MacBook Pro (as I had before). It's fast and a readable screen. Since you are a programmer, you'll probably enjoy a MacBook, given OS X's UNIX underpinnings.

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]

dgallagher 15y ago

From my personal experience, I liked coding Python with Textmate on a MBA, but not Objective-C with Xcode. Py/Text didn't take up much space and was easy to work with. Obj-C/Xcode demand lots of real-estate space, so the tiny screen was a hinderance. So I'd advise that if you have a language that's 'tiny' and a minimalist editor, you'll probably do fine on a MBA. If the language and editor take up lots of space, I'd stay away and go with something that has a bigger screen (exception if you plan on using an external monitor).

evilduck 15y ago
FYI, the 13in MBA has the exact same screen resolution as the stock 15in MBP, and the 11in MBA is comparable to the 13in MBP (different ratio though), so both models can basically show the same amount of stuff on the screen (unless you were preferring something like a large iMac for XCode).
Nemisis7654 15y ago
I am mainly an Android developer and use Eclipse, which is by no means light...So I guess, in this case, I should stay away from the MBA?
- younata 15y ago
  No. You'll be fine. Possibly, you'll have screen estate issues with the 11" air, but that's about the only issue with Eclipse you'll have. The SSD will severely speed things up.
- dgallagher 15y ago
  A good test would be to try out the MBA's resolution on your current display, and work with Eclipse in it. 1366x768 for the 11 inch, and 1440x900 for the 13.
  - andrewf 15y ago
    Fonts and interface chrome always seem to take up a tiny bit more space on OS X. Not usually an issue but I'd take it into account if, on Windows, a given res is barely usable. I have a 13-inch air; the pixels are tiny. If you try 1440x900 on a large monitor, bear in mind smaller fonts may not be using once you shrink down to laptop size. Apple stores seem pretty liberal about machine use (notwithstanding the guy being prosecuted for installing webcam upload software on a store's machines..) - maybe you could download Mac Eclipse to a USB key and try it out on a machine?

almost 15y ago

YMMV but I'm using an Air as my main dev machine at the moment. I bought it just because I need a mac for a few things but I seem to have ended up using it all the time. I'm used to having very small laptops though. I would say you definitely need the 128GB version, I originally partitioned mine into two 64GB partitions (I was going to put Ubuntu on the other which turned out to be very hard, but that's another story) and found that the 64GB filled up from just the OS plus the applications I use for development. Right now I've got it plugged into a huge cinema display (which I have on loan for 6 months, it's very nice) but I have also used it quite a lot as a laptop. I'm mostly writing Python here, so no long compiles. I imagine that would be a killer if you were working on C++ projects...

gte910h 15y ago

I'd wait a year till you graduate, if you still need to buy a computer, buy the 17in and add an SSD if you are going to be doing programming, otherwise either the 13in air or 15in MBP will work fine if you need one NOW. The 13in MBP is pretty low end without upgrading many of the components. MBPs have tremendous resale value (especially the higher size models), so don't feel so bad about spending a few extra bucks on them.

keypusher 15y ago
Good lord, no. Stay away from 17", you might as well be lugging a desktop around. 13" is the sweet spot for me, MBP or MBA depending primary on memory needs and workload.

dvdhsu 15y ago

The new MacBook Airs are two times faster than the last generation MacBook Airs. They are also faster than the high end 17" MacBook Pros from 2010. [1] They are about as fast as the low end 13" MacBook Pro. ------------- 1. http://electricpig.co.uk/2011/07/20/2011-macbook-air-benchmarks-are-amazing-outperforms-all-2010-macbook-pros/ http://electricpig.co.uk/2011/07/20/2011-macbook-air-benchma... 2. http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/ http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/