Sizing it up: MacBook Air vs. the rest
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jan 15th 2008 1:36PM
posted Jan 15th 2008 1:36PM
| Model | Weight (based on standard configuration) |
| ASUS Eee PC (7-inch) |
2.0 pounds |
| Toshiba Portege R500 (12-inch) |
2.16 |
| Sony VAIO TZ (11.1-inch) |
2.75 |
| Apple MacBook Air (13.3-inch) | 3.0 |
| Dell XPS M1330 (13.3-inch) |
3.97 |
| Sony VAIO SZ (13.3-inch) |
4.0 |
| Apple PowerBook G4 (12-inch) |
4.6 |
| Apple MacBook (13.3-inch) |
5.0 |
| Apple MacBook Pro (17-inch) | 6.8 |
All good things to those who wait.
http://mbp12.com
CORRECTION: Apparently the MacBook Air is not the world's thinnest notebook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl6qZzAQ0f4
The dimensions you give for the M1330 seem like they're for the CCFL-version. The LED version is about .1" thinner, if I recall.
Yup, i think its a bit more, I've got one, just got the bigger screen thought because i wanted the higher res camera, but i'm sure if dell had really tried they could have sized it down, it feels like a lot of thin air inside that sexy case
XPS m1330 ftw! I got mine when they first came out and was worried this new ultraportable would make me regret it - guess not. Tray keyboard? No thanks! No optical? Come on. The m1330s keyboard, optical, and port make it much more attractive for the extra pound.
I was thinking exactly the same about my m1330. It owns. One of the best things I've ever bought.
That's not as impressive as my 700 gram Samsung Q1 at 228mm x124mm x24mm. I was hoping to have something more jaw droppping. Multi-touch on a track pad seems like conservative thinking. There's no WOW factor in this Macbook Air.
Your joking right? The Q1? A "computer" that no one wants because it can't do anything? 1100 for a high powered archos?
Umm, the Q1 is a piece of crap (I know, I had one and got rid of it), unless your needs fit the very narrow spectrum of what it is actually useful for (which, aside from storage capacity, would probably be better served by an iphone like device, since you'd then be using an OS designed to be used with a touchscreen, unlikely XP/Vista). I'm no fan of this Macbook Air, but at least it has a usable keyboard and decent built in cam, unlike the Q1.
The assumptions about my needs are actually very inaccurate. I need a small computer that I can keep in stand by, take out and draw or write a few notes on, and do occasional web browsing on the go. After having used the touch screen exclusively for nearly 2 years, I find it hard to use regular computers. It feels primitive. Adjusting shapes in flash, drawing in photoshop, jotting notes in windows journal, and browsing the internet anywhere. It fits the screen size I need, the functions I want, and the form factor I like.
Regardless, (IMO) all ultraportable laptops are overpriced.
why? thin/small is difficult to make/squeeze in components without making it so it overheats a great deal--so there is a premium to pay for smaller items....it's easy to make laptops large.
@Umm...hello?
So just because they had to R&D more we should pay more for less? I'm thoroughly impressed with what apple's engineers have done to build this machine. However, at the end of the day, its still a laptop with a 13 inch display and 2 usb ports. It's impressive, but I don't think the device is worth over 900.
My self-worth won't let me waste 1800+ for a laptop that's easier to get out on an airplane. I'll think of this as a concept device. At the end of the day its just a thinner, less functional macbook.
Actually its 1 USB port...
That Keynote was one of the few moments where pure wonder and excitement is instilled into us all. Apple lovers and apple haters alike.
How very nice of you to stereotype people. What if I said, "I don't care about what the douchebags who run companies say; and all I'm concerned about is the end product."? Would you call me a liar because you like living in a fairy tale world, where everyone falls under your stereotype?
"...pure wonder..."?
I don't know about that, dude. They're a bunch of computers and accessories.
Ooh, cool it a bit, I don't even own a Mac computer and probably never will, but I was quite excited about the announcements today, and thought that other people would as well. For a second, I did feel wonder and that's why I posted about it.
you forgot Toshiba R300, Sony Vaio X505, and Fujitsu Lifebook Q2010....
I remember a nice little Dell laptop I once had, too. The Latitude X1.
Holy CRAP!!!! $3000!!!!! for the SSD version. WHAT?!?!?!?!
They didn't say that at the keynote so I will spell it out for you: This is for rich people. Ok? It's for people that will drop $3K without thinking twice, if the product is sexy enough.
Not a bad strategy, and I don't see much competition here, design-wise.
MacBook Air 1.8Ghz w/64 GB SSD for $3098.00? Wow, Alienware, here I come.
And you show that you completely don't get it. The alienware is in a completely different category. It weighs a ton, battery life is probably no where near 5 hours, and it's freaking huge. You can get a regular macbook air for $1799. Who cares about SSD? You'll get a benefit in the battery life department, but you've obviously shown you don't care about that if you are considering an alienware machine.
Do you know anything about apple pricing?
No mention of included graphics anywhere.
1 USB = lame. how hot will it get? 45nm chip I assume?
Doesn't Toshiba have a 2.7lb one with a DVD drive?
I had an Alienware before I bought the MacBook Pro I'm using now and trust me it is a BIG MISTAKE. Alienware laptops do not last more than two years, period. Mine had so many problems that servicing it for about 20 months cost more than the laptop itself! I agree that the Air is a major disappointment, however the MacBook Pro is the best laptop out there, costing only a couple hundred more than Air with a lot more power packed in it. Trust me, buy a MacBook Pro and you will thank me! DO NOT BUY AN ALIENWARE LAPTOP! If you need more convincing, check out all these pissed off former Alienware laptop customer message boards when you google up Alienware.
Ian, are you really saying that Alienware computers don't last longer than 2 years just because YOU had one that didn't last that long?
I'm MORE than happy with my Sony Vaio.
Maybe you should compare it to the Panasonic W7.
Then the Air will still be thin, but heavy, short on battery life, and without an optical drive.
Actually not the worlds thinnest. the title for that still lies with the Sony x505 which is .75 inches at the thickest, .01 inches thinner than the MacBook Air. And unless that keyboard has some really cushy stuff underneath it, it will type just like the x505, which felt like you were typing directly on the table (cool feeling, just not the most comfortable).
Wrong!!! If Jobs said it was the thinnest laptop then it's the thinnest laptop.
Thats what i said it wouldnt be a few hours ago on macrumors.com. I couldnt see them coming up with anything smaller. Also the macbook has a battery you cant remove... Does apple want everything to have a battery that they have to charge to install...
but the macbook air is only .16" at the thinnest vs. .3" for the Sony. So technically, the macbook is the thinnest.
And the Sony only has a 10" screen vs 13" for the macbook. And all the small sony's are incredibly expensive.
I can tape a damn sheet of paper on the edge of an Alienware laptop to make it less than 1mm at the thinnest point. "World's thinnest" my ass.
Oh man, I'm jonesing here - Apple Store is still down for me - I just put up MacbookAirForum.com for some more discussion :D
Lol i just loved how he compared the Macbook Air to the VAIO BEFORE he announced the specs for it. 1 USB slot, No optical drive and still the same weight...
I also love how he could announce Sony as being one of their partners on the movie front before going on to destroy a specific product they produce. What a partnership.
Since we are comparing how does $1,799.00 translate into £1,199.00 in the UK???
And blimey $3,098.00 (for the other model) into £2,028.00!
I used a currency calculator on x-rates.com
It gave me £914.545 and £1574.90 as an equivalent...
This is a LOT of taxes or someone is making serious money!!!
Booooo! As usual we got robbed! Oh well, I tend to buy all my electronics from the U.S. anyway when I'm there on holidays visiting relatives, this one won't be any different.
You got it dude. Taxes. We scream about our tax rates here, but in the UK and Europe it's even worse. Apple has a lot of different tariffs and taxes to sell in the UK, all of which affects the price of everything.
One nice thing about the European/UK system: when they tell you the price, it's generally tax included.... by law.
You have to consider VAT for the UK site
apart from taxes, tariffs and all the accoutrements of global trade, keep in mind that exchange rates really don't mean much for pricing. If Apple feels they can raise the price in one country and manage to make more money by doing so, they of course will, and it's the same with any company.
I get taxes
I get tariffs and all the accoutrements of global trade
I get that Apple feels they can raise the price
I still don't get the price :)
Engadget is the MacWorld Live Keynote loser this year with server overload! Way to go Engadget! :)
Please include battery life, keyboard size, price, Ram, and Hard Drive
Am I alone in thinking 'what's the point' here?
Apart from being thinner (for which you sacrifice a load of ports), and a little lighter - it's still 13.3 inches. I can't understand why anyone would really want one of these over a macbook or macbook pro.
match it again Sony Vaio X505
is the air still the thinnest ?
or is there some kinda of laptop, notebook, pedantic altercation?
I think the VAIO X505 is both thinner and lighter. Maybe Apple Air'd?
apple says world's smallest notebook, is this allowed?
or is x505 the world's smallest laptop?
"notebook" is the term used for laptop computers since people started whining about them being too hot to keep on their lap.
Sony X505: Height - 0.83 inch (http://www.shentech.com/sovax5no1pe4.html)
Macbook Air: Height - 0.76 inch (http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html)
@dmitrek
Cnet quotes it as .75"
http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/sony-vaio-x505-series/4505-3121_7-30886049.html
Perhaps the .83" figure is from the two little nubs in the back that props it up.
Supposing the Air wins out, using a vaio x505 or a protege r200 (.8")
The Air doesn't look quite as impressive.
Yeah, that's how it with Europe, for some reason, they're always getting screwed on pricing.
You can thank your socialize European government for that. Its called VAT.
I'm getting an eee :)
Q2 Asus EEE PC FTW
No one knows about the Panasonic Let's Note / Toughbook series? Find the spends on the T line of notebooks
I use an R6 and have an R4 that still gets expensive use. They may be thicker, but they weigh less (2 pounds) and the footprint is a good deal smaller... To do a quick comparison, I overlaid the R6 and Air footprints here: http://caoine.com/images/air.jpg which I feel is appropriate considering the topic of this post.
Their whole Line of Let's Note / Toughbooks are a great example of ultra portable done right! R6 gets 8 hours of battery life too.
Light + Smaller footprint > Light + Thinner
Lets see some price vs performance comparisons now
Those specs are measly for what you pay. Might as well get a normal macbook that offers more and costs less at a bigger physical size. Also, the price premium for SSD is a joke.
how is the price point a joke? they are selling it for $600 LESS than newegg. its a 64gb ssd... they are outrageously expensive EVERYWHERE right now. if you dont like it... get the normal drive, and wait for ssd pricing to come down. either way... do some research before you start crying.
The Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" weight is 5.4lbs, footprint is 14.1"x9.6"x1" and thickness is 1"
Yeah Yeah, the macbook is great and small, but we still need a cd drive in this age, or maybe in fact a blu-ray drive, and more importantly a hard drive bigger than my ipod, so i can store all my downloaded porn on.
Apple really, really dropped the ball on price! If it were $799 they'd move millions of them. But at just $200 less than a far more capable 15" MacBook Pro, I can't see many takers no matter how thin it is. And the tiny 64 GB(!) SSD option for $3K- no effing way. Why should I care about getting a faster hard drive on a machine that's clearly way underpowered for heavy duty pro apps anyway. So I can view my iPhotos 10% faster? And where's the Firewire 400 or 800? And where's the Blu-Ray reader and....... just no.
Love the design but honestly, the Sony TZ sure looks like it has a similar keyboard size and more importantly, it has 3G built in. Its also likely to include 4G Xohm when its refreshed in the near future.
Apple needs to get out of San Francisco and realize that people want to have network connectivity outside of coffee house WiFi networks.
I want, nay need, to see it next to an eee.
don't forget
most people who are saying "wow, amazing, thin notebook! never seen that before! how innovative!"
are quite ignorant..
here is my reasoning:
no user replaceable battery?
umm, A USB PORT??
oooooh multitouch trackpad?!! try putting both hands on your trackpad if your on a laptop (or on a desk or flat surface, and try to do an iphone maneuver.
im on a 17 inch laptop, and boy is it fun! [sarcasm/]
unless somehow the made it very large and comfortable which i would understand
honestly apple, i understand the testing the waters thing you have going on
but you overpriced this (not so) beastly machine, just like the rest of your lineup sans 80gig ipod.
stop making the prices so blatantly ridiculous so that the average user can actually pick up one of those beauties and you can move millions more and actually gain a more significant foothold in the marketshare
price it under the MB line (very reasonable it would seem with all the lacking features) and i (and more then likely MILLIONS) of others would (try to) pick it up
Yes, it is impressive. For an overpriced toy.
Worst...macworld...ever. I can't believe they didn't refresh any of the other laptops, not even a small price drop. What a bunch of crap. Apple's stock has already dropped 7% (probably unrelated to lack of new hardware) but good, apple deserves it.
I have to agree... this was underwhelming to say the least and a great way to blow all the good publicity they had amassed over the past year.
The MacBook Air? I think the concept and design are awesome, but for $1799 I'd expect something more in line with what the competition is offering. I'll be keeping my MBP for sure.
So, maybe next year we'll see an apology like the one for the Apple TV and get a machine with the right specs.
I am sort of missing the x61s thinkpad in there... starting at 2.7 lb...
cheers
r.
The SSD is expensive, but not crazy. A 64gb drive from NewEgg is about $1400 which is the approximate premium the SSD version the MacBookAir carries.
Where's my 10.5.2 update Apple!! Grrrrrrrr.
You people make me sick. Why are you all complaining about this product? It is miraculously thin, with great battery-life, and decent horsepower, all for a pretty affordable price. It obviously isn't a product for everyone, but for somebody who is on the go a lot, only really needs email, calender and other minor things, and doesn't want to carry a 6lb laptop, the macbook air is fantastic. Its uber-sexy too.
@corey atad
"miraculously thin"? C'mon! Miraculously thin would have been if it was actually .16" thin like I first saw blogged on this site. I'd hardly call .76" miraculous. Yes, it's thin, but far short of a miracle.
Yes, there's an audience for it. All users who prefer Macs, are not designers, and are not hard-core gamers. That's a sizable field with money in their pockets. A large part of my company falls into that category and since our metro-area is saturated with free WiFi, a lightweight laptop with long battery life would go a long way here.
Regardless, let's remember what this means for the rest of us: After a while, the finer points of the machine will make their way into the rest of the product line, making the more powerful, full-featured machines light, thinner, faster, cooler, etc. My conclusion: Sure, why not?
Yeah this is no news at all. iTV? Time machine hard drive? Movie rentals? Air Book? this is the big news? I think the biggest news this macworld was the Mac Pro update last week. Apple could've replaced the mac book with this and added the track pad and wireless features to the macbook pro. They need something to compete with a UMPC, or a smaller macbook pro. but this is a regular laptop. for 2 pounds more and 1000 bucks less i can get an mb that kills this machine and buy/install my own ssd with the money i saved. And on top of all that, they didn't even update the current models with the new Intel chips. I would've been more excited about a quad mb/mbp. This is a joke.
I think you can get the Dell Latitude Tablet PC for cheaper, more USB stick, different battery options, touch and digitize pen, smaller, and better video card.
I'll go with the Dell.
Join the first ever MacBook Air community on Facebook!!
This was made precisely 33 seconds after it was announced at Macworld 2008.
Please join and make this the biggest MacBook Air community on Facebook!!!
Link-- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7653471837
Why not compare this machine to the ThinkPad X series?
I ordered a Dell m1330 just last week and it stacks up pretty well. Price paid was approximately the same as the Air. Same LED LCD, same battery life, same price, more heavy.
But that 35% extra weight gets me:
* 2.2Ghz instead of 1.6Ghz
* 320Gb disk instead of 80Gb
* Nvidia 3D instead of Intel
* 3Gb RAM instead of 2Gb
* 2 year warranty instead of 1.
Yes the Air is HOT, but dollar for dollar and kg for kg there are other options. Those who wanted a smaller MBP should probably wait for the inevitable updates later in the year - the hard drive will double and CPUs will get a lot faster at the very least.
You forgot to mention that when the battery craps out in your Dell you can simply get a new one yourself.
Oh, the Air has that nice multitouch trackpad fu, backlit keyboard and magsafe power. That's a fair trade for non-upgradable RAM / replaceable battery.
Those prices probably don't even include VAT. I was going to buy a video card from a UK store once but the price was almost $100 more than what it was in the US and that was without VAT.
Seems like my 12" powerbook is still one of the smallest then. I'm really curious about the heat in this thing. My PB gets really warm, and as this thing is even smaller in volume, and don't appear to have more vent holes it must get quite warm as well.
About the prices, here in Denmark they will be priced 13k and 22k Danish Kroner = $2600 and $4400.
The dollar is historically low, so i guess apple wants to get as much money as they can from their non-US customers as possible. I could save $800 or $1300. So all Danish customers could go to New York, buy the mac and then fly home again and end up spending the same ± a few bucks... WOW!
All these replies about questionable aspects of the Air and nobody mentioned that it'll probably break if you look at it funny. I'd really be worried about carrying around something like that, hoping nobody ran into me on the sidewalk or hoping that I didn't hit a bump too hard in my car.
Please include battery life, keyboard size, price, Ram, and Hard Drive
The Sony VAIO TZ & SZ have built DVD-Writers....
The Sony VAIO TZ & SZ have built DVD-Writers....
Worst graphic ever.
Is transparency *the* stupidest thing you can do to a graphic where the information is derived from overlapping colors? I can't think of a worse one.
I wasted a solid minute wondering what orange and gray meant.
NOT FAIR! THE VAIO TZ includes an OPTICAL DRIVE! So you need to compare the WEIGHT of the Mac Air PLUS an OPTICAL DRIVE.
Wow guys, what did you use to do those graphics? Whatever it was, please don't use it again. It's hard to tell which of the labels the murky grey shaped one is...
I have to say that I really don't get it. My 13.3 vaio has an optical drive and many other wonderful features. I had the smaller vaio which is lighter than the airbook and still has a drive. Why would someone buy this new Mac and use an external optical drive. I am not opposed to Macs at all, but I'm missing something on this one.
Sony releases the X505 and the world doesnt care, press doesnt cover it, life goes on.
Jobs grandstands, claims "worlds thinnest laptop!" (doesnt add "by .01"") and the world swoons. Sure its 3lbs (Sony's was 1.85), sure it has NO REMOVEABLE BATTERY... But its an APPLE!!!! ITS AN APPLE!!! AND THE WIZARD IS HOLDING IT ON STAGE IN CALIFORNIA!!!!
And the crowd goes nuts. And the press is in love. Talk about a self fulfilling prophecy. To the journalists out there... Are you really not embarassed? Yellow journalism is fully back. Its a club of favorites across the board (not just in technology). If you're on their love list, you can do no wrong and you're all that matters. If you've been deemed uncool or irrelevant, you cant BUY good press.
Its a nice notebook, but its hardly a departure from what Japan has been doing (better and in more variety) for YEARS. Even DELL has a part that is a more compelling package overall.
I know I know... "But those arent MACS and dont run MAC OSX" Yeah. See the problem is that only matters to 100% of journalists and about 5% of real people (Apples market share). OK, now here come the Mac zealots to flame and insist that Apple really has a HUGE marketshare that we just dont know about. If thats so, then lets drag Apple into monopoly court. Oh... didnt think so...