4 ms·

I'd hate to have to worry that I'll cut myself on my laptop. Is there anyone that's super-excited about a thinner Air? My preference is always for greater batt

by drblast 12y ago

I'd hate to have to worry that I'll cut myself on my laptop. Is there anyone that's super-excited about a thinner Air? My preference is always for greater battery life. I'm curious if there are people that wish their already thin laptop were even thinner, and if so, why?

mmastrac 12y ago
I'd prefer a thicker laptop with better battery life myself. I ended up buying a batterybox to extend the life of my current device when I'm mobile. I suppose that being thinner and dying sooner gives us the option to just throw-and-go without much weight if you don't require a long period of computing.
dchuk 12y ago
The combo of thinner/lighter/no fan is pretty awesome in my opinion. These aren't for peopled doing hardcore computing, they're for people doing hardcore commuting really.
- mwcampbell 12y ago
  Do you have a source for the "no fan" bit? If the Core M processor can deliver the same performance as a Haswell ultrabook processor (i.e. the previous Air) without requiring a fan or getting unreasonably hot, I think that's a pretty nice feature.
  - Jtsummers 12y ago
    It was one of the first things mentioned in the presentation. Pic from Ars: http://live.arstechnica.com/apples-march-9-spring-forward-event/images/DSC00066.JPG http://live.arstechnica.com/apples-march-9-spring-forward-ev...
  - geoelectric 12y ago
    The live feed on Mac Rumors says no fan. "What's on the inside is just as innovative as the outside. Latest unibody architecture. New MacBook has no fan at all."
  - sz4kerto 12y ago
    It's much less powerful in terms of computing power than a Haswell.
    - hsitz 12y ago
      For my needs I would say the Core M is a good compromise between performance and energy efficiency. E.g., the Dell XPS 13 some have mentioned this thread as alternative has a faster processor than I need. Also, the fan is a big issue for me. You're not likely to see fanless systems with Haswell or the more powerful Broadwell processors. With Core M Broadwell, though, I expect fanless will be the norm. I expect I'll be getting the relatively new Asus UX305 soon; for me it compares favorably to new Macbook but is only $699. It's a little heavier (2.6 lbs), but has larger 13.3" 1080p screen, runs Windows and/or Linux well, quality aluminum build, same 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, etc. I suppose I'd prefer the new Macbook, but I'm not an OS X guy and the Asus is barely half the cost.
      - phaemon 12y ago
        How well does the Asus UX305 run Linux? I have a Macbook Air at the moment, but it has a couple of annoyances that I'd like to be rid of. However, I do like the build quality and the trackpad especially.
        hsitz 12y ago
        I don't have one yet, but there is a guy who left comments on Amazon who has good experience with Ubuntu: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2UHFYMBSR02RT/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_alt_1 http://www.amazon.com/review/R2UHFYMBSR02RT/ref=cm_srch_res_... Amazon has temporarily inflated prices for this low-availability item. I'm waiting for NewEgg to get them back in stock. Trackpad does seem to be one of the lowpoints of ux305fa. esp. if that's something that's important to you. I tend to adapt to trackpads and like whatever I use most. I have a different Asus machine, the super-cheap X205, which I got for $180 at a Microsoft Store. It's plastic, but surprisingly well made. 2.2 lbs and fanless is great experience. Main problem is it's a pretty slow processor and has just 2 GB RAM, 32GB flash drive, basically tablet specs in a laptop form. I've extended it with 64GB microSDHC. I do find myself using more powerful machines at home (Lenovo X200 and X220) but even there I'm enjoying the X205 quite a bit.
- bentcorner 12y ago
  Personally I've tried laptop computing on public transportation, and I just can't do it with people sitting so close to me potentially looking over my shoulder. A phone I don't feel so claustrophobic, but anything tablet sized and up just makes me feel awkward.
  - copperx 12y ago
    Have you scheduled that appointment with your psychiatrist yet?
    - bentcorner 12y ago
      Uhh.. no? Seriously, should I not feel awkward sitting shoulder-to-shoulder next to a stranger while I'm browsing on my computer?
mathgeek 12y ago
The thing about Apple's lineup is that they offer both main lines: the MacBook Pro caters to users who want thin with great battery life, while the Air caters to those who prefer a lighter laptop while still maintaining good battery life.
- seanp2k2 12y ago
  Or quad-core CPUs
  - mathgeek 12y ago
    Naturally, but that's secondary in a debate about battery vs. thickness.
jimkri 12y ago
I think that it targets a lot of students. Most people want to carry around something that is light, I think this targets a lot of college students. In all of my business classes that I am currently in more than 90% of the class uses Mac's, they bring their chargers with them to class so they are set.
PhasmaFelis 12y ago
Airs are for people who need a full keyboard but don't need a lot of power, and do a lot of commuting/running around (possibly with a bag already packed with other stuff). Come to think, it's probably great for most students. Plenty fast enough to browse and write papers, and it doesn't add to the volume or burden of your already-overstuffed bookbag. It doesn't fit my needs, but that's okay.
- danieldk 12y ago
  Airs are for people who need a full keyboard but don't need a lot of power I have a early 2014 Air with a Core i7 (4650U), and it can certainly hold its own. http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-4250u-vs-core-i7-4650u/2 http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-...
  - tjl 12y ago
    Yep. I've been doing development work on a 2013 Air with an i7. It's not quite as good as my 2012 i7 Mac Mini with 16GB RAM for development (as that's quad-core), but it's still an excellent machine.
egypturnash 12y ago
The "thinner" is a thing that tempts me to upgrade. Thinner means lighter: I live in the middle of a very walkable area. So I walk a lot. It is great to be able to throw my computer into my bag and go out to work in the middle of a park or wherever; my computer plus my drawing tablet is only slightly more weight to haul then a hardbound sketchbook. I think the new machine would cut it down to about as much weight. It is pretty cool to go out carrying everything I need to do my job and only carry about six pounds of stuff on my shoulder. And that's including the bag I keep the laptop in, plus wallet and suchlike. Thinner means style: In general, things that are slim are also things people see as "elegant". Back around 2000 I carried a Handspring Visor Edge in my pocket rather than a clunky plastic Palm Pilot, not because it was any more powerful, but because it was a sleek little piece of shiny metal that made me happy to hold in my hand. There's a point where there is Enough Battery. I can take my 2013 Air out for a day of rambling around the city and drawing wherever I feel like stopping, and not worry about it running out of power as long as I charged it last night. I think the new Macbook has a lower estimated battery life than my current machine, so that's a downside of it.

by drblast 12y ago

mmastrac 12y ago

I'd prefer a thicker laptop with better battery life myself. I ended up buying a batterybox to extend the life of my current device when I'm mobile. I suppose that being thinner and dying sooner gives us the option to just throw-and-go without much weight if you don't require a long period of computing.

dchuk 12y ago

The combo of thinner/lighter/no fan is pretty awesome in my opinion. These aren't for peopled doing hardcore computing, they're for people doing hardcore commuting really.

mwcampbell 12y ago
Do you have a source for the "no fan" bit? If the Core M processor can deliver the same performance as a Haswell ultrabook processor (i.e. the previous Air) without requiring a fan or getting unreasonably hot, I think that's a pretty nice feature.
- Jtsummers 12y ago
  It was one of the first things mentioned in the presentation. Pic from Ars: http://live.arstechnica.com/apples-march-9-spring-forward-event/images/DSC00066.JPG http://live.arstechnica.com/apples-march-9-spring-forward-ev...
- geoelectric 12y ago
  The live feed on Mac Rumors says no fan. "What's on the inside is just as innovative as the outside. Latest unibody architecture. New MacBook has no fan at all."
- sz4kerto 12y ago
  It's much less powerful in terms of computing power than a Haswell.
  - hsitz 12y ago
    For my needs I would say the Core M is a good compromise between performance and energy efficiency. E.g., the Dell XPS 13 some have mentioned this thread as alternative has a faster processor than I need. Also, the fan is a big issue for me. You're not likely to see fanless systems with Haswell or the more powerful Broadwell processors. With Core M Broadwell, though, I expect fanless will be the norm. I expect I'll be getting the relatively new Asus UX305 soon; for me it compares favorably to new Macbook but is only $699. It's a little heavier (2.6 lbs), but has larger 13.3" 1080p screen, runs Windows and/or Linux well, quality aluminum build, same 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, etc. I suppose I'd prefer the new Macbook, but I'm not an OS X guy and the Asus is barely half the cost.
    - phaemon 12y ago
      How well does the Asus UX305 run Linux? I have a Macbook Air at the moment, but it has a couple of annoyances that I'd like to be rid of. However, I do like the build quality and the trackpad especially.
      - hsitz 12y ago
        I don't have one yet, but there is a guy who left comments on Amazon who has good experience with Ubuntu: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2UHFYMBSR02RT/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_alt_1 http://www.amazon.com/review/R2UHFYMBSR02RT/ref=cm_srch_res_... Amazon has temporarily inflated prices for this low-availability item. I'm waiting for NewEgg to get them back in stock. Trackpad does seem to be one of the lowpoints of ux305fa. esp. if that's something that's important to you. I tend to adapt to trackpads and like whatever I use most. I have a different Asus machine, the super-cheap X205, which I got for $180 at a Microsoft Store. It's plastic, but surprisingly well made. 2.2 lbs and fanless is great experience. Main problem is it's a pretty slow processor and has just 2 GB RAM, 32GB flash drive, basically tablet specs in a laptop form. I've extended it with 64GB microSDHC. I do find myself using more powerful machines at home (Lenovo X200 and X220) but even there I'm enjoying the X205 quite a bit.
bentcorner 12y ago
Personally I've tried laptop computing on public transportation, and I just can't do it with people sitting so close to me potentially looking over my shoulder. A phone I don't feel so claustrophobic, but anything tablet sized and up just makes me feel awkward.
- copperx 12y ago
  Have you scheduled that appointment with your psychiatrist yet?
  - bentcorner 12y ago
    Uhh.. no? Seriously, should I not feel awkward sitting shoulder-to-shoulder next to a stranger while I'm browsing on my computer?

mathgeek 12y ago

The thing about Apple's lineup is that they offer both main lines: the MacBook Pro caters to users who want thin with great battery life, while the Air caters to those who prefer a lighter laptop while still maintaining good battery life.

seanp2k2 12y ago
Or quad-core CPUs
- mathgeek 12y ago
  Naturally, but that's secondary in a debate about battery vs. thickness.

jimkri 12y ago

I think that it targets a lot of students. Most people want to carry around something that is light, I think this targets a lot of college students. In all of my business classes that I am currently in more than 90% of the class uses Mac's, they bring their chargers with them to class so they are set.

PhasmaFelis 12y ago

Airs are for people who need a full keyboard but don't need a lot of power, and do a lot of commuting/running around (possibly with a bag already packed with other stuff). Come to think, it's probably great for most students. Plenty fast enough to browse and write papers, and it doesn't add to the volume or burden of your already-overstuffed bookbag. It doesn't fit my needs, but that's okay.

danieldk 12y ago
Airs are for people who need a full keyboard but don't need a lot of power I have a early 2014 Air with a Core i7 (4650U), and it can certainly hold its own. http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-4250u-vs-core-i7-4650u/2 http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-...
- tjl 12y ago
  Yep. I've been doing development work on a 2013 Air with an i7. It's not quite as good as my 2012 i7 Mac Mini with 16GB RAM for development (as that's quad-core), but it's still an excellent machine.

egypturnash 12y ago

The "thinner" is a thing that tempts me to upgrade. Thinner means lighter: I live in the middle of a very walkable area. So I walk a lot. It is great to be able to throw my computer into my bag and go out to work in the middle of a park or wherever; my computer plus my drawing tablet is only slightly more weight to haul then a hardbound sketchbook. I think the new machine would cut it down to about as much weight. It is pretty cool to go out carrying everything I need to do my job and only carry about six pounds of stuff on my shoulder. And that's including the bag I keep the laptop in, plus wallet and suchlike. Thinner means style: In general, things that are slim are also things people see as "elegant". Back around 2000 I carried a Handspring Visor Edge in my pocket rather than a clunky plastic Palm Pilot, not because it was any more powerful, but because it was a sleek little piece of shiny metal that made me happy to hold in my hand. There's a point where there is Enough Battery. I can take my 2013 Air out for a day of rambling around the city and drawing wherever I feel like stopping, and not worry about it running out of power as long as I charged it last night. I think the new Macbook has a lower estimated battery life than my current machine, so that's a downside of it.