MacBook Air 2018 – A PC Guy's Perspective

[mynameisjuan]

3 minutes ago, corrado33 said:

Sure, windows has snap, but mac os has it's version of snap, easily accessible "spaces", "expose", a BETTER menu bar, better gestures (4 finger swipe up anyone?) etc.

Other than a menu bar windows 10 has those and multi finger gestures. 

[DrMacintosh]

I was confused by the last lines of the video. Normally they give the laptop to someone who needs it, but they didn’t....but it also contents with something like the XPS? 

 

What am I missing? Great video overall though. 

[corrado33]

1 minute ago, mynameisjuan said:

Other than a menu bar windows 10 has those and multi finger gestures. 

Window's version of expose is no where near the quality of mac's version. MacOS really got that right. Windows... on the other hand... did not. And we all know that mac's trackpads are superior to any windows computer. 

[captain_to_fire]

Hey @LinusTech, macOS can do split view since OS X El Capitan just like iOS on the iPad. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204948

[mynameisjuan]

1 hour ago, corrado33 said:

And we all know that mac's trackpads are superior to any windows computer

meh, arguable. I never press to click and always tap. almost every glass trackpad including the macbooks feels the same to me including gestures

[corrado33]

Just now, mynameisjuan said:

meh, arguable. I never press to click and always tap. almost every glass trackpad including the macbooks feels the same to me including gestures

Eh, agree to disagree. You can set up tap to click on mac as well.

[mynameisjuan]

5 minutes ago, corrado33 said:

Eh, agree to disagree. You can set up tap to click on mac as well.

That's not what I meant. I am saying I tap to click and have set it up on a MacBook. Using tap to click on all laptops makes all laptop trackpads pretty much the same. 

[corrado33]

1 minute ago, mynameisjuan said:

That's not what I meant. I am saying I tap to click and have set it up on a MacBook. Using tap to click on all laptops makes all laptop trackpads pretty much the same. 

Eh, again, agree to disagree. The gestures, multi touch support, and general tracking on a mac FEELS so much nicer, even ignoring clicking. I STILL can't figure out how to properly scroll on a PC with the trackpad. Mac it's just a 2 finger drag. 

[Canada EH]

4 hours ago, mrme4ka said:

Been searching for a laptop kinda on the cheap (even "cheaper" than this), but then also wanted a "thin and light" that would last me a bunch of time or maybe a not so thin and lite with a gpu... most probably just going to go with the air and even run windows in bootcamp as it looks more and more appealing

You down with  Steve Jobs products then?

Lots to choose from other then macs.

[Razor512]

I wonder why Apple is still struggling to fix their task bar in order to save screen space. compared to windows, their task bar/ dock takes 3 times the vertical screen space by default, and does not allow for a good way to get it to use less than 28 pixels of vertical screen space, while making full efficient use of the horizontal screen space. (no having to resort to hiding the dock which adds an extra step to use it).

[corrado33]

17 minutes ago, Razor512 said:

I wonder why Apple is still struggling to fix their task bar in order to save screen space. compared to windows, their task bar/ dock takes 3 times the vertical screen space by default, and does not allow for a good way to get it to use less than 28 pixels of vertical screen space, while making full efficient use of the horizontal screen space. (no having to resort to hiding the dock which adds an extra step to use it).

Why would they? I love the task bar on mac. On windows the task bar is just hidden inside the window itself... Did you take that into consideration?

 

The dock can be made smaller than the windows task bar, or even hidden. The "extra step" is literally just moving the mouse to the bottom of the screen... which you were already doing. 

[Razor512]

For the extra step, if the bar is visible, then the trajectory of the mouse cursor will target the item you want to click on. If it is hidden, then you do not get that further movement efficiency.

While the dock can be made smaller, it gets scaled down on both the X and Y axis instead of just the Y axis, thus by the time you get to a more reasonable 24-28 pixels high, it becomes too small, while the windows task bar simply rearranges content to make use of the horizontal screen space, where the vertical just needs to be high enough to fit the height of the text of the font used.

 

[corrado33]

16 minutes ago, Razor512 said:

For the extra step, if the bar is visible, then the trajectory of the mouse cursor will target the item you want to click on. If it is hidden, then you do not get that further movement efficiency.

While the dock can be made smaller, it gets scaled down on both the X and Y axis instead of just the Y axis, thus by the time you get to a more reasonable 24-28 pixels high, it becomes too small, while the windows task bar simply rearranges content to make use of the horizontal screen space, where the vertical just needs to be high enough to fit the height of the text of the font used.

 

Mac dock also has magnification so you get the best of both worlds. Just have a tiny dock so it doesn't take up room, then turn on magnification. The tiny dock lets you know where to send your mouse, and the magnification makes it easy to click on.

[Razor512]

The overall idea is to avoid wasted movements, efficiently using the screen space is a utilitarian way where you can avoid wasted movements = a better UX.

[abazigal]

1 hour ago, Razor512 said:

I wonder why Apple is still struggling to fix their task bar in order to save screen space. compared to windows, their task bar/ dock takes 3 times the vertical screen space by default, and does not allow for a good way to get it to use less than 28 pixels of vertical screen space, while making full efficient use of the horizontal screen space. (no having to resort to hiding the dock which adds an extra step to use it).

What I do with my taskbar is either move them to the left side, or have it autohide, while I use my apps in full-screen mode. I have no idea why so many people like to use their apps in windowed mode with the taskbar showing either. 

[mrchow19910319]

6 hours ago, duncannah said:

I don't want the macOS UI getting degraded for a touchscreen like it happened to Windows. I have a touchscreen laptop and I don't see how it's not a gimmick.

touch this my friend! 

/s

 

[mynameisjuan]

2 hours ago, corrado33 said:

Eh, again, agree to disagree. The gestures, multi touch support, and general tracking on a mac FEELS so much nicer, even ignoring clicking. I STILL can't figure out how to properly scroll on a PC with the trackpad. Mac it's just a 2 finger drag. 

Its still a 2 finger drag....

[Srinandan]

7 hours ago, AlexTheGreatish said:

The MacBook Air has FINALLY been updated for 2018, but is it enough to take on 2018's ultrabooks from Microsoft and Dell?

 

Buy Macbook Air
On Amazon: http://geni.us/U5NiK
On Newegg: http://geni.us/XvMN

 

The MacBook air update this year makes it only LOOK cooler than the previous versions.

I'm still using a 2013 MacBook air and it still runs like a charm supporting even the latest MacOS Mojave. 

The thinner black bezels only make it look cooler than the previous versions and it is not any better and is also exorbitantly priced.

[mynameisjuan]

3 minutes ago, Srinandan said:

The MacBook air update this year makes it only LOOK cooler than the previous versions.

I'm still using a 2013 MacBook air and it still runs like a charm supporting even the latest MacOS Mojave. 

The thinner black bezels only make it look cooler than the previous versions and it is not any better and is also exorbitantly priced.

The older model TN panels are garbage though and is why the 2017 and older airs are scams at $1000. Not including the under powered specs of a laptop still being sold until 2018

[rogerwilco91]

9 hours ago, noise_pollution said:

Who's the new girl? 

Any responses?

[captain_to_fire]

10 hours ago, duncannah said:

I don't want the macOS UI getting degraded for a touchscreen like it happened to Windows. I have a touchscreen laptop and I don't see how it's not a gimmick.

Agreed. I don’t know why @LinusTech and so many people whining about the lack of a touchscreen in a Mac when:

• Windows 10 sucks as a touchscreen-only OS, hence navigating Windows 10 with touch only is quite half asses 
• To do most tasks like editing a video or crunching numbers on Excel, a spacious multitouch trackpad is more useful than a touchscreen 

I think with the exception of a few OEMs who use precision drivers, I think adding a touchscreen to a laptop is a lousy excuse to put a shitty trackpad. 

 

Edited December 13, 2018 by captain_to_fire

[Guest]

8 hours ago, mynameisjuan said:

I dont know why he only mentioned the matebook x pro briefly in a guide video.

Its an amazing laptop and if you disable the GPU you get 10hours of battery easy. Sure webcam placement sucks but honestly who uses it outside of business meetings.

Luxury items at business meetings aren't about performance. You get a Mac because you can. You can afford a $4000 laptop with your disposable income, you're in a bit of money. 

 

25 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

Agreed. I don’t know why @LinusTech and so many people whining about the lack of a touchscreen in a Mac when:

• Windows 10 sucks as a touchscreen-only OS, hence navigating Windows 10 with touch only is quite half asses 
• To do most tasks like editing a video or crunching numbers on Excel, a spacious multitouch trackpad is more useful than a touchscreen 

I think with the exception of a few OEMs who use precision drivers, I think adding a touchscreen to a laptop is a lousy excuse to put a shitty trackpad. 

 

Not many people know this, but there is secretly really nice Touchscreen support in Mac OS. Like crazy good. Gestures work too. 

 

[GoldenLag]

22 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

Luxury items at business meetings aren't about performance. You get a Mac because you can. You can afford a $4000 laptop with your disposable income, you're in a bit of money. 

its not like the Matebook is a cheap and bang for buck offering....... like its pretty expencive. slightly below a Macbook in pricing iirc.

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

its not like the Matebook is a cheap and bang for buck offering....... like its pretty expencive. slightly below a Macbook in pricing iirc.

It’s the brand reputation that matters more than the price. Like Gucci or Armani, they make cheap stuff too, but the brand is powerful. 

[GoldenLag]

1 minute ago, RorzNZ said:

It’s the brand reputation that matters more than the price. Like Gucci or Armani, they make cheap stuff too, but the brand is powerful. 

True, but its not like Huawei isnt gaining mindshare with their followup of products. the P20 Pro has caught the interest of many, same with the Matebook X Pro