Talk me out of buying a Macbook Air!

[Ruaille]

Hi guys.

 

I've got some webdev projects coming up and I need a super portable, super snappy laptop to work from. I am fond of the Macbook Air but I'm sure there are other options that are just as good or better for the same money or less.

 

So what would you recommend? I'm looking for some options - Something around the £500 (€630) mark and something around £750 (€950).

 

A 1080p display is pretty important to me. I'd like it to be sub 15" if possible and not weigh (portability is key).

 

Any help would be appreciated!

EDIT: Please see this - http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/234604-talk-me-out-of-buying-a-macbook-air/#entry3213030

[Speedbird]

Dell XPS series?

[TheSLSAMG]

I can't talk you out of it. I am using one right now, and it is fantastic. One of the best computers that I have ever used. The only downside is the TN panel, which is not bad at all, but pales in comparison to an IPS.

[Sernyhough]

I'm a PC guy through and though. Would choose windows any day over something such as an iMac or a Mac Pro.

 

But, i wouldn't give my Macbook Air up for ANY windows laptop.

[Peter Vaughan Truslow]

honestly I wish I could. I used to hate on apple, but now I see the validity even though I can't swallow the high price tag

[Lord Pantaloons]

Don't do it.

[Fulgrim]

The brand name and price tag alone should be enough to put you off. Or the average Joe that walks about with an Apple product.

[rambi36]

It's a nice machine. Why wouldn't you buy it? Because you see the Apple logo and you go

[Flyguygamer]

I'm a PC guy through and though. Would choose windows any day over something such as an iMac or a Mac Pro.

 

But, i wouldn't give my Macbook Air up for ANY windows laptop.

Just install windows over os x and the best windows laptop you can buy is here (Design and weight and beauty wise specs are still a bit behind)

[Sernyhough]

Just install windows over os x and the best windows laptop you can buy is here (Design and weight and beauty wise specs are still a bit behind)

I tend to use OSX if im web browsing, any thing else i switch to windows.

[OfficialJsP]

the price. job done

[Ruaille]

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

 

honestly I wish I could. I used to hate on apple, but now I see the validity even though I can't swallow the high price tag

 

I very much enjoy using Macbook Airs. I've used a friends 11" Macbook Air early 2013 and another friends 13" late 2013. I liked them both very much. I just want look around for better value alternatives for the same price (and alternatives that perform similarly at a lower cost).

 

The brand name and price tag alone should be enough to put you off. Or the average Joe that walks about with an Apple product.

 

I like Apple products. I don't personally own any but I've used iMacs, Mac Pros and Macbook/Air/Pros a lot for work and uni. Only thing I don't like about Apple products is the price.

[Ruaille]

I'm having difficulty finding real competitors for the Macbook Air in terms of the price/performance. I just read an interesting article that confirms my fears:

Original post: http://www.ultrabookreview.com/177-ultrabooks-macbook-air-good-great/

All these lead to a very important aspect: how much do these laptops cost?

The latest 13.3 inch Macbook Air starts at $999, for a Haswell Core i5 processor with Intel HD 5000 graphics, 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. And you can actually find it discounted online. The 11 inch MacBook Air starts at $899 for a similar configuration, and once again some webstores actually list it cheaper.

Premium Haswell ultrabooks on the other hand start at around $1100 to $1400 these days, for a pretty much similar configuration (somewhat slower CPUs and graphics though are bundled on most base ultrabooks), but in most cases that includes a high-resolution touchscreen as well. Some of the best such machines are detailed in this other post. As for the 11.6 inch ultrabooks, well, you can read all about them in this post.

Of course, you ca find ultrabooks that sell for between $500 and $1000 in stores as well,  but those are not exactly direct competitors for the MBA, or they are older generation versions, with Intel Ivy Bridge hardware.

Bottom point, it’s actually funny that these days, high-end ultrabooks are actually more expensive than similarly configured Macbook Airs. In fact, the Airs have gotten more affordable in these last years, while premium ultrabooks have gotten pricier.

[kungpaogao]

First things first, the MacBook Air is a solid device with Apple's build quality and good specs. If you want it, go with it.

 

In terms of suggestions:

Asus Zenbook UX303 - on Amazon (the link), they sell the following variants:

• GENERAL SPECS (so I don't have to type over and over): 13.3" touchscreen IPS, Smoky Brown, aluminum finish, 3.2 lbs
• cheaper (~880 USD):
  • FHD screen (1920x1080)
  • i5-4210U : Haswell, 1.7GHz
  • Haswell UMA graphics
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB SSD
• more expensive (~1300 USD):
  • QHD screen (3200x1800)
  • i7-4510U : 2GHz
  • NVIDIA GT840M 2GB VRAM
  • 12GB RAM
  • 256GB SSD
• NOTE: There is also the UX301's which are black, have Gorilla Glass, and are a few hundred USD more expensive...

Lenovo Yoga Series

 

I know, I know, my suggestions have been basically all touchscreen... if you don't like them, don't consider them

 

 

 

Have fun and good luck looking for devices!

[connorpiper]

Good laptop. BUT!...

The non-1080p display with less than 70% sRGB colors is a killer. 

Spend your money elsewhere, so you can have what you pay for. 

[connorpiper]

I'm a PC guy through and though. Would choose windows any day over something such as an iMac or a Mac Pro.

 

But, i wouldn't give my Macbook Air up for ANY windows laptop.

 

What if you wanted a non-medieval resolution and color spectrum? 

[Sernyhough]

What if you wanted a non-medieval resolution and color spectrum? 

I couldn't care less for web browsing

[F0xX]

I personally do not like apple as a company but macbook airs are solid

[razor767]

Overall Macbook Airs are good, the only thing holding be back from getting one is the display. It's not terrible but for the price I expect better. 

 

For your price range, I would recommend the Lenovo Yoga 2 13 if you don't mind a convertible.

 

http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga/yoga-2-13/?sb=:000001D4:00034E22:

[Rhyn]

The macbook air is nice though. They're very nice and super portable. Obviously they're not as powerful as other devices but they're still very nice.

[TheGloriousLeader]

The Dell XPS 13 is a good alternative. I was in a similar situation and wanted a laptop for school. You can get it cheaper than the air with student discounts from the Microsoft store, I got mine for $950 Canadian including tax. I can get around 7-9 hours of use at 30% screen brightness using a combination of one note, chrome, Netflix, and Pandora. I'm pretty sure the keyboard uses scissor switches so typing is actually pretty enjoyable. The touchscreen is accurate, although i rarely use it. It has some coil whine when the back light is on but it's barely noticeable unless you are in a completely silent room like a library. 

[KWelz]

I absolutely love my Macbook Air 13.   

 

Is it the fastest of my computers?  No.  Does it have the best screen?  Nope.  

 

But it is small and light.   I am a Realtor so I am always on the go.  In the office I hook it up to a 23 inch monitor.  But it is as easy to grab and go as a tablet is.  So in my car or doing a presentation for a client it is perfect.   

[I/O]

Don't buy it just on the account that it's a Crapple product LOL.

[davidvu396]

One reason to buy a MacBook Air.

 

 

 

 

Battery life of 12hor more...

 

And really? The Price is holding you up? Have you seen the prices of all ultrabooks nowadays? 

Remember this: Who buys too cheap, buys twice.