12 ms·

That 13" Macbook Air is looking really attractive as a portable work computer. Any downsides I should be aware of?

by TillE 15y ago

bretthoerner 15y ago
I've been using one for months (as a dev machine) and haven't had an issue.
- dlokshin 15y ago
  Second that. Also been using the 13" since early Jan as a dev machine and am absolutely in love with it. These upgrades will only make it better.
  - bluekeybox 15y ago
    Third. Traded in 13" Pro for 13" Air two months ago. Especially appreciate the higher-resolution screen on Air (and the weight of course). In fact, the 13" Air has the same resolution screen as the standard 15" Pro.
cdr 15y ago
The biggest downside might be 4GB maximum RAM - that's enough to dissuade me, anyway.
- afterburner 15y ago
  Seems like plenty to me for a laptop, do you bump up against that limit for what you do on a laptop? (I'm curious.)
  - w1ntermute 15y ago
    He might need virtualization, which is essential for any web dev who wants to target the mainstream. You might have multiple VMs up so you can test different versions of IE (no IE 6 on Windows Vista or 7). When you add in Photoshop, Firefox with Firebug, and Apache, you really start pushing the limits of 4 GB.
    - crazygringo 15y ago
      I suppose it depends on what exactly you're doing with the virtualization, but if it's just IE testing, I've found 4GB to be plenty -- performance is fine with small amounts of memory in the virtual machines, which I assume is because their usage of virtual disk-based memory is quite fast due to the SSD.
  - yread 15y ago
    I use Windows, but just yesterday I noticed I was using 5.47GB and I didn't even have any VMs opened. Just VS with Silverlight, sql server management, couple of browsers with the silverlight plugin opened.. 6GB of RAM payed of I guess
    - kristofferR 15y ago
      All good OS's try to use all the RAM availible (within certain limits of course). My RAM is almost always at 80% usage and above even with just a couple of lightweight applications running.
      - yread 15y ago
        I was talking about "Commit charge" which is the memory actually used by the processes. You can see it by enabling the Commit size column in task manager. Which doesn't even include all the memory process actually uses. Check this for details on Windows if you're interested http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2008/11/17/3155406.aspx http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2008/11/1...
  - bhousel 15y ago
    Can't speak for the GP, but I frequently work with multiple Windows VMs (think large Oracle and SQL Server databases), and 4GB starts to feel a bit small. My ideal machine would have more than 4GB RAM. It could even come at the expense of a smaller internal storage, because I'd use an external Thunderbolt drive to store client stuff. So I might be sticking with the MBP for that reason..
  - cdr 15y ago
    As suggested, I use VMs fairly often, but just Firefox + Aptana + random other stuff can bump into 4GB on occasion. I could probably make do with 4GB, but I'm hoping the next iteration will go to 8.
Cbeck527 15y ago
I just pulled the trigger on one. From what I've read the old Air was a great little computer, and these new upgrades should only improve it.
snorkel 15y ago
I've also been coding and working on an Air for months and had no issues other than being spoiled by its lightness and speed. I run virtual machines on it with no problem. It does everything a Macbook Pro does only faster, quieter, and without a DVD drive which I don't miss. You can also trade in your shoulder bag for a neoprene sleeve and reminisce about what life was like before computers were the size of clipboards.
- dman 15y ago
  You do realise that you could use a SSD on the macbook pro too right?
  - snorkel 15y ago
    What, and carry an extra kilo everyhwere too? That's crazy talk! IIRC Macbook can use SSD but doesn't boot off the SSD.
    - abraham 15y ago
      No. They can boot off of an SSD. You just replace the existing HD.
    - micheljansen 15y ago
      yes it can, it is even a standard option in the store (but it makes the thing a lot more expensive)
      - russell_h 15y ago
        The new(-est) Macbook Pros have an option to upgrade to a 128G SSD for $200, which next to the base price of a higher end model is pretty appealing (unless you need tons of space).
- javan 15y ago
  faster?
w1ntermute 15y ago
Seems most people are interested in the 13". Does anyone have any comments on the 11"? The only downside I can see is that only 1 external monitor is supported. After all, when you're traveling, the smaller the better.
- bergie 15y ago
  I'm using the 2010 11" as my primary computer, and have been really happy with it. But then again, I mostly hack CoffeeScript and PHP with vim on Linux, so how much power do I need ;-) http://bergie.iki.fi/blog/11-macbook_air-the_best_computer_i-ve_ever_had/ http://bergie.iki.fi/blog/11-macbook_air-the_best_computer_i...
  - w1ntermute 15y ago
    Do you use an external monitor at home/work, or always just the built-in display?
    - bergie 15y ago
      Just built-in, and no external mouse or keyboard either. I want my working environment to be the same regardless of whether I'm at the office or in an airplane
- mechanical_fish 15y ago
  I bought the 11" for my wife and now I want one. The savings in space and weight are significant when you're moving around. The 11" really isn't much bigger than an iPad. I have some pockets it can fit in. The tradeoff is a smaller screen when you're on the road. The small screen has high-res and is quite usable but I'd rather dock to something for long-term coding work. But external monitors are cheap, so unless your work pattern involves constantly moving from new desk to new desk it's not hard to just park a monitor at every one of your desks.
- tortilla 15y ago
  I use the maxed out 11" as my primary computer. My usage is about 60% at desk, plugged into external, keyboard, closed clamshell, and 40% portable. The only complaint is the smaller 128 ssd, but it just forced me to get rid of stuff I really didn't need. The less glossy screen is great and the smaller size when I'm portable forces me to focus more. My typical software usage is Photoshop, Illustrator, TextMate, Terminal, iTunes, Chrome, and VMWare Fusion. It only really gets hot if I'm viewing flash content. Battery life isn't bad, but it's not amazing, 4 to 5 hours of mixed use. The portable size is amazing. From time to time you'll catch me caressing it and whispering sweet nothings to it. I can bring it everywhere with me and I don't need a huge bag to lug it around. I use a protective sleeve, which offers a bit more protection than the other types of sleeves. http://www.hardcandycases.com/bubble-sleeve-macbook-air-case.html http://www.hardcandycases.com/bubble-sleeve-macbook-air-case...
acangiano 15y ago
4 GB of RAM can be a problem for some.
- vegai 15y ago
  It's a bit superfluous, but I don't think it's too much. Besides, the OS can use the extra memory as cache/buffers.
  - milestinsley 15y ago
    I think he was referring to 4GB as being too little. If you are doing anything involving photos/video/audio editing, you are probably going to want at least 8GB.
    - chopsueyar 15y ago
      ...and in one year you will need 16GB.
    - vegai 15y ago
      I think I was oh-too-cleverly pointing out the absurdity of having so much memory in a laptop and thinking it might not be enough.
danso 15y ago
I have the fully-loaded 13" from the previous iteration. It replaced a $3000+ Macbook Pro from 2008 and on paper, was less impressive in almost every regard except for the SSD. I thought I would keep the MBP around just as a desk station but after using the Air, I just can't stand the slowness - perceived or real - of the MBP. I've stopped playing computer games, but as a coder and photographer (processing RAW with Adobe products), I've been incredibly happy with the Air. It seemed like a luxury purchase at the time but it's had a big effect on productivity in terms of my personal projects. I live in NYC and I tend to carry my laptop (with my fullsize DSLR) everywhere...I used to do that with the MBP, but many times would not just because it was too heavy of a combo. I pretty much take the Air anywhere I go where it's acceptable to have a messenger bag. Also, I had thought about getting the iPad2...but, besides the fact that the ipad2's feature set wasn't that impressive, I found myself using the Air for a lot of portable leisure computing and using the iPad a lot less these days.

That 13" Macbook Air is looking really attractive as a portable work computer. Any downsides I should be aware of?

by TillE 15y ago

That 13" Macbook Air is looking really attractive as a portable work computer. Any downsides I should be aware of?

bretthoerner 15y ago

I've been using one for months (as a dev machine) and haven't had an issue.

dlokshin 15y ago
Second that. Also been using the 13" since early Jan as a dev machine and am absolutely in love with it. These upgrades will only make it better.
- bluekeybox 15y ago
  Third. Traded in 13" Pro for 13" Air two months ago. Especially appreciate the higher-resolution screen on Air (and the weight of course). In fact, the 13" Air has the same resolution screen as the standard 15" Pro.

cdr 15y ago

The biggest downside might be 4GB maximum RAM - that's enough to dissuade me, anyway.

afterburner 15y ago
Seems like plenty to me for a laptop, do you bump up against that limit for what you do on a laptop? (I'm curious.)
- w1ntermute 15y ago
  He might need virtualization, which is essential for any web dev who wants to target the mainstream. You might have multiple VMs up so you can test different versions of IE (no IE 6 on Windows Vista or 7). When you add in Photoshop, Firefox with Firebug, and Apache, you really start pushing the limits of 4 GB.
  - crazygringo 15y ago
    I suppose it depends on what exactly you're doing with the virtualization, but if it's just IE testing, I've found 4GB to be plenty -- performance is fine with small amounts of memory in the virtual machines, which I assume is because their usage of virtual disk-based memory is quite fast due to the SSD.
- yread 15y ago
  I use Windows, but just yesterday I noticed I was using 5.47GB and I didn't even have any VMs opened. Just VS with Silverlight, sql server management, couple of browsers with the silverlight plugin opened.. 6GB of RAM payed of I guess
  - kristofferR 15y ago
    All good OS's try to use all the RAM availible (within certain limits of course). My RAM is almost always at 80% usage and above even with just a couple of lightweight applications running.
    - yread 15y ago
      I was talking about "Commit charge" which is the memory actually used by the processes. You can see it by enabling the Commit size column in task manager. Which doesn't even include all the memory process actually uses. Check this for details on Windows if you're interested http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2008/11/17/3155406.aspx http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2008/11/1...
- bhousel 15y ago
  Can't speak for the GP, but I frequently work with multiple Windows VMs (think large Oracle and SQL Server databases), and 4GB starts to feel a bit small. My ideal machine would have more than 4GB RAM. It could even come at the expense of a smaller internal storage, because I'd use an external Thunderbolt drive to store client stuff. So I might be sticking with the MBP for that reason..
- cdr 15y ago
  As suggested, I use VMs fairly often, but just Firefox + Aptana + random other stuff can bump into 4GB on occasion. I could probably make do with 4GB, but I'm hoping the next iteration will go to 8.

Cbeck527 15y ago

I just pulled the trigger on one. From what I've read the old Air was a great little computer, and these new upgrades should only improve it.

snorkel 15y ago

I've also been coding and working on an Air for months and had no issues other than being spoiled by its lightness and speed. I run virtual machines on it with no problem. It does everything a Macbook Pro does only faster, quieter, and without a DVD drive which I don't miss. You can also trade in your shoulder bag for a neoprene sleeve and reminisce about what life was like before computers were the size of clipboards.

dman 15y ago
You do realise that you could use a SSD on the macbook pro too right?
- snorkel 15y ago
  What, and carry an extra kilo everyhwere too? That's crazy talk! IIRC Macbook can use SSD but doesn't boot off the SSD.
  - abraham 15y ago
    No. They can boot off of an SSD. You just replace the existing HD.
  - micheljansen 15y ago
    yes it can, it is even a standard option in the store (but it makes the thing a lot more expensive)
    - russell_h 15y ago
      The new(-est) Macbook Pros have an option to upgrade to a 128G SSD for $200, which next to the base price of a higher end model is pretty appealing (unless you need tons of space).
javan 15y ago
faster?

w1ntermute 15y ago

Seems most people are interested in the 13". Does anyone have any comments on the 11"? The only downside I can see is that only 1 external monitor is supported. After all, when you're traveling, the smaller the better.

bergie 15y ago
I'm using the 2010 11" as my primary computer, and have been really happy with it. But then again, I mostly hack CoffeeScript and PHP with vim on Linux, so how much power do I need ;-) http://bergie.iki.fi/blog/11-macbook_air-the_best_computer_i-ve_ever_had/ http://bergie.iki.fi/blog/11-macbook_air-the_best_computer_i...
- w1ntermute 15y ago
  Do you use an external monitor at home/work, or always just the built-in display?
  - bergie 15y ago
    Just built-in, and no external mouse or keyboard either. I want my working environment to be the same regardless of whether I'm at the office or in an airplane
mechanical_fish 15y ago
I bought the 11" for my wife and now I want one. The savings in space and weight are significant when you're moving around. The 11" really isn't much bigger than an iPad. I have some pockets it can fit in. The tradeoff is a smaller screen when you're on the road. The small screen has high-res and is quite usable but I'd rather dock to something for long-term coding work. But external monitors are cheap, so unless your work pattern involves constantly moving from new desk to new desk it's not hard to just park a monitor at every one of your desks.
tortilla 15y ago
I use the maxed out 11" as my primary computer. My usage is about 60% at desk, plugged into external, keyboard, closed clamshell, and 40% portable. The only complaint is the smaller 128 ssd, but it just forced me to get rid of stuff I really didn't need. The less glossy screen is great and the smaller size when I'm portable forces me to focus more. My typical software usage is Photoshop, Illustrator, TextMate, Terminal, iTunes, Chrome, and VMWare Fusion. It only really gets hot if I'm viewing flash content. Battery life isn't bad, but it's not amazing, 4 to 5 hours of mixed use. The portable size is amazing. From time to time you'll catch me caressing it and whispering sweet nothings to it. I can bring it everywhere with me and I don't need a huge bag to lug it around. I use a protective sleeve, which offers a bit more protection than the other types of sleeves. http://www.hardcandycases.com/bubble-sleeve-macbook-air-case.html http://www.hardcandycases.com/bubble-sleeve-macbook-air-case...

acangiano 15y ago

4 GB of RAM can be a problem for some.

vegai 15y ago
It's a bit superfluous, but I don't think it's too much. Besides, the OS can use the extra memory as cache/buffers.
- milestinsley 15y ago
  I think he was referring to 4GB as being too little. If you are doing anything involving photos/video/audio editing, you are probably going to want at least 8GB.
  - chopsueyar 15y ago
    ...and in one year you will need 16GB.
  - vegai 15y ago
    I think I was oh-too-cleverly pointing out the absurdity of having so much memory in a laptop and thinking it might not be enough.

danso 15y ago

I have the fully-loaded 13" from the previous iteration. It replaced a $3000+ Macbook Pro from 2008 and on paper, was less impressive in almost every regard except for the SSD. I thought I would keep the MBP around just as a desk station but after using the Air, I just can't stand the slowness - perceived or real - of the MBP. I've stopped playing computer games, but as a coder and photographer (processing RAW with Adobe products), I've been incredibly happy with the Air. It seemed like a luxury purchase at the time but it's had a big effect on productivity in terms of my personal projects. I live in NYC and I tend to carry my laptop (with my fullsize DSLR) everywhere...I used to do that with the MBP, but many times would not just because it was too heavy of a combo. I pretty much take the Air anywhere I go where it's acceptable to have a messenger bag. Also, I had thought about getting the iPad2...but, besides the fact that the ipad2's feature set wasn't that impressive, I found myself using the Air for a lot of portable leisure computing and using the iPad a lot less these days.