We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
In addition to introducing a 13" MacBook Pro (replacing the Unibody
MacBook) and updated 15" and 17" MacBook Pro models, Apple also
improved MacBook Air performance - while at the same time slashing its
price.
The new MacBook Air
comes in two base models: 1.86 GHz with a 120 GB hard drive for
US$1,499 and 2.13 GHz with a 128 GB solid state drive (SSD) for
US$1,799. Other than CPU speed, specs appear to be identical to
the models introduced in
October 2008.
The MacBook Air gains the same powerful GeForce 9400M graphics
processor as the MacBook White and the MacBook Pro line. It also adds a
video port and has more storage - 120 GB on the hard drive version, 128
GB for the solid state drive (SSD).
If you have minimal storage needs, the 1.6 GHz model with the 80 GB
hard drive is the way to go. Graphics aren't up to snuff compared with
GeForce 9400M, but adequate for most field work.
For more demanding work, the 120 GB hard drive models are the way to
go, as they have GeForce graphics. The new model is about 16% faster
than the older one, and with a less than 7% difference in price, I'd
suggest that the new 1.86 GHz model is the way to go.
If you really feel the need for SSD, which is more rugged but
doesn't appear to be significantly faster at present, the reduced
prices on the SSD models make them far more attractive than before. The
2.13 GHz model is approximately 14.5% faster than the 1.86 GHz one, yet
the difference in price is less than 5%.
New vs. Refurbished
Apple has a few refurbished MacBook Air models listed today:
1.6 GHz 120 GB, $1,199, Apple
1.8 GHz 64 GB SSD, $1,299, Apple
1.86 GHz 128 SSD, $1,449, Apple
At these prices, the 1.6 GHz hard drive model is hot - $150 less
than close-out pricing and $240 less than the new 1.86 GHz model. I
would hesitate to recommend the 1.8 GHz MBA with the 64 GB SSD primarly
because it's an older technology drive. The 1.86 GHz with SSD can save
you $200 over close-out pricing and is within a few dollars of the
price of the new 1.86 GHz hard drive model - probably the best way to
get a MacBook Air with SSD.
Dan Knight has been using Macs since 1986,
sold Macs for several years, supported them for many more years, and
has been publishing Low End Mac since April 1997. If you find Dan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
Links for the Day
Mac of the Day: Quadra 610 DOS Compatible, introduced 1994.02.01. The first Mac to ship with a DOS card inside.
