macbook air

bluespit

bluespit

Senior member
 Near Chester
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anyone with experience? would you recommend it or not? is the 13 better than the 11? is the 128G ok?

background

I've just become involved in a European wide project and I will have to do quite a bit of travelling over the next two years. I want something ultra light that I can take with me and use as a word processor / internet browser. Long battery life, easy reading screen (meetings last about 9 hours), light weight are important. massive storage, processor power aren't so important.

I have and iMac, macbook pro, iPad and iPhone so I want to stay on the apple platform. I guess the Air could mac the macbook redundant

thanks
 
I travel europe all the time on business, at least one city per week.
My client has provided a very light Lenovo and it's perfect. Weight, battery life, plugging into random peoples projectors, usb's, etc. Handles MS office perfectly and ok to view my own media on planes.

Just an observation from someone who carries 2 iPhones, iPad and watch all the time..
 
Not Apple but you can't beat these for price/performance. It's a full version of windows so can do everything a normal laptop can. Plus it's got all the connectivity - 2 USB, Micro HDMI and MicroSD for extra storage.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Linx-Tablet-Z3735F-Windows-Keyboard/dp/B014D847FS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454234288&sr=8-1&keywords=linx1010b
 
I put someone up with an Air with Bootcamp on it, so it is just running Windows.

Reason was: 3 year Apple warranty included and you can boot Windows or Apple at will. Worked out cheaper than the equivalent Lenovo.
 
OP is a mac user. Windows machines not likely to be of much interest...:)

Macbook Air very good, performance is more than ample. All SSD. Only you know how much storage you'll need. The 11" one is is very small, but I'd suggest you should also look at the 12" Macbook (ie not the Pro), it's amazingly thin and light. Only one port (USB-C) so if you need to connect anything then you'll need an adapter.
 
The only thing Apple can not do properly is running Office products, I just can not get along with the Mac version and always get the Windows version out as it is so much more advanced. Unless you are truly independent from the work environment systems (a lot of corporate systems use Ms Office and IE as only supported products), the Apple products are in that respect just not up to the task.
 
You need to try 2016. One or two minor issues but on the whole it's extremely similar.
 
Not tried that one yet, can it finally do table of contents like in the Windows version?

Sorry OP for the semi-off topic discussion, but to re-confirm - the Air is still my favourite light weight solution no matter what you run on it.
 
Most people at work who travel and don't need to do dev/engineering work on their laptop choose the Air option. 128GB is enough, as long as you have decent bulk storage somewhere for archives. Personally I'd pick the 13" if it is going to be your main machine. iPad Pro and a decent keyboard case is another option.
 
Loved my 13" Air, light and portable highly recommended. Have you thought about the iPad pro with keyboard?
 
MrPT said:
Most people at work who travel and don't need to do dev/engineering work on their laptop choose the Air option. 128GB is enough, as long as you have decent bulk storage somewhere for archives. Personally I'd pick the 13" if it is going to be your main machine.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I have owned the 13" 128gb for years. Great all purpose machine that goes anywhere. Storage runs out fast though so I've also a tiny 64gb USB memory stick permanently in one of the USB ports;

Eg; http://www.memorybits.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=30554

Stands out from the side of the Mac by just a few mm.
 
A1GSS said:
You need to try 2016. One or two minor issues but on the whole it's extremely similar.
Click to expand...
I'm a DTP Operator - or that's what it was called 20-odd years ago - so I just say 'Graphic Designer' now as no-one seems to know what DTP is (Desk Top Publishing) - although I suppose my job now is 'PMO Support' for management consultants (DTP, admin, keeping project walls up to date, keeping tabs on travel & project capex spend for a £100m project).

MS Office is my day-to-day job and Office is still slower on the same hardware running El Capitan and Windows 7 via bootcamp.

I don't recommend this for your use, but I carry my 23" iMac (16gb RAM and 1gb SSD in it) to work each week, and it runs Windows 7 about 99% of the time. I'd prefer to use OSX, but MS Office is nowhere near as good/quick as on Windows.

The Mac version is still missing some of the Windows features, so I use the Windows version almost exclusively for work purposes, unless the client is Mac-based and specifies a Mac version. MS seem to want to make the Mac version look 'prettier' by adding animations where there is no need.

For example:
  1. when you press enter to go to another cell in Excel it jumps straight to the next cell in Windows, but delays to do a smooth 'slide' on the Mac version - which takes about 1/2 a second each time, so scrolling through a list of cells takes forever on a Mac;
  2. custom grid spacing (for snap to grid) in Powerpoint...on the Windows version you've been able to do this since PPT2007 - still can't do it on the Mac;
  3. Pick up/apply style paintbrush - can be added into the tools by customising them on Windows, but not available on Mac;
  4. Custom tools to join object outlines to make one shape - can be added into the tools by customising them on Windows, but not available on Mac
Using the Mac version occasionally, or to tweak something quickly is fine, but I wouldn't/don't want to work on it all day as I'd lose too much time and end up throwing the computer through the window.
 
Much better put than I did mmm-five, but that is exactly why I can't use it on my Mac. I had not done a straight comparison of the two on bootcamp so that is interesting to know as well.

My users are none the wiser though as they want light, warranted and good battery life running Windows. Hence me choosing the Air for them running windows as the nearest competitor product by Lenovo was a lot more expensive with only 1 year warranty.
 
I once had an 11" Air for work (devops/sysadmin/networking), absolutely loved it. As soon as i could afford it i jumped back into one - i'm now using (as we speak...) a Macbook 12" as my away-from-the-office machine, i love it. I do have a 15" Macbook Pro in the office (hooked up to some screens) but rarely take it anywhere unless i'm working in a foreign office or might for some reason want a dedicated work machine vs my personal laptop.

I'm off to Germany tomorrow for a few days and i'll be taking my Macbook 12, for both meetings, internet, dev work and datacenter work.
 
A1GSS said:
You need to try 2016. One or two minor issues but on the whole it's extremely similar.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty ambivalent when it comes to Mac or PC, I've had and got both. Recently I have been given a 2012 i-7 Macbook Air for work/day to day.

Absolutely brilliant machine, small, light, great battery life, just like my old 2009 Macbook Pro, except better in every way. I have to say that I am generally very happy with it. The only thing that annoys me is that the RAM is hardwired/soldered in. The processor is fine in my machine, but it is the memory that is suffering. End of this year and I am y be asking for a new one..

I would have to disagree with the above statement. 2016 is MUCH better than 2011 (which was dire), but Office on Mac is like Office on PC minus 2 generations. It's like having Office halfway between 2007 and 2010 on PC.

The other annoying thing is that there is no Visio on Mac.

Omnigraffle is like the b**tard child of Visio and Illustrator.
 
says said:
Loved my 13" Air, light and portable highly recommended
Click to expand...

Mine has travelled with me to Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Turkey, Syria etc and in 5 years NO PROBLEMS. Would certainly recommend. :thumbsup:
 
i take my 15" Mac Book Pro with me. Its a beast. Sadly though, all the Survey Software i use can old run on windows, so i have no choice with that.
 
11 inch 128 air sitting on my desk setting up as I type.

Thanks for the above

MacBook Pro up for grabs soon I think.
 
I have a Lenovo ultra book aluminium body 13" Windows 10.

Found it great.

http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/lenovo/u-series/u41/
 
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