MacBook Air reviewed... as a Windows machine

There are a lot of reasons to pick another laptop over the MacBook Air -- especially if you're into little things like "useful ports" -- but the comparison to non-Apple hardware isn't even relevant unless you're willing to switch to OS X, right? Well, the crew over at Xbit Labs decided to even the slate and evaluate the MBA solely as a Windows machine, wiping the drive clean of Leopard and installing Vista Ultimate. Although actually getting Vista on the Air was a bit troublesome due to the lack of a built-in optical drive and the Vista installer's refusal to wipe out the OS X partition, once installed the OS performed fine, with Apple-provided drivers activating the media and brightness keys and even the multi-touch trackpad. The only major issues were over-aggressive activation of CPU power-management, which resulted in dramatic slowdowns during some tasks, and the fact that the case got fairly warm during use -- both issues MBA owners using OS X have reported. Overall, while the MBA was a solid if unspectacular Windows machine, the lack of support and nagging issues with running a pure Windows MBA mean you're probably better off going with laptop designed for Vista -- hmm, we can think of one that might spark your interest.

[engadgetier @ Mar 20th 2008 9:36PM]

I would never put Windows on my mac.....but thats just me :)

[NG @ Mar 20th 2008 9:56PM]

same here dude, i have a few machines, none of them runs windows

the only windows runner is my umpc

[Greg @ Mar 20th 2008 10:18PM]

I got VMWare Fusion and XP, thinking I might need it for compatibility at some point.
I was wrong.

[Mr. Vage @ Mar 20th 2008 10:18PM]

And I would never put Mac on anything.

[Encoding @ Mar 20th 2008 10:24PM]

I have only one reason to run virtualization of windows xp on my mac: Visio.

It's too bad they haven't come out with a true mac version (get cracking Microsoft Mac BU!).

I've tried a few mac alternatives, but none have provided 100% interoperability with Visio that i need.

Solve my visio problem and i'd have no real need to windows xp apart from the occasional visit to some dinosaur of a web app/page that refuses to work in anything but IE.

[UKNigel @ Mar 20th 2008 11:25PM]

I'd never put Windows or Mac on any of my computers. Those operating systems are for mere mortals. Zenwalk is how I roll.

[Mobius_1 @ Mar 20th 2008 11:30PM]

DOS for life!

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 20th 2008 11:54PM]

Man, I was almost blown out of my seat!

It would seem that we have a consensus of the engadget commenting system....that the people who support macs are rated low and the PC's are loved!

In every one of the comments I've read up until this point, it would seem that the PC users were being attacked by the mac "fanbois."

Interesting...

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 21st 2008 12:06AM]

I just had an idea! Why don't we talk about the advantages of Intel architecture over AMD!

Or maybe cutting sandwiches in diagonal slices over long-ways!

Seriously, people! There is no reason for the hate!

Just chill. None of this is personal. Every time someone says "Hey, look at that operating system" or "That's a shiny computer," you don't need to always respond with "MY COMPUTER IS SHINIER, BACK OFF!"

This is why the world is in such a bad shape as it is. Talk out your differences. It's like the religious wars all over again. My God is better than yours! Replace God with OS, and this is pretty much the extent! Listen to yourselves!

[jason @ Mar 21st 2008 12:23AM]

Mac book air blends... but only with a Blendtec blender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uZr3JWYdy8

"don't breath this"

[michael @ Mar 21st 2008 1:43AM]

@clak: Sigh, you can't give up, can you?

Tiny little Mac jokes are just small potatoes compared to insults and rants coming from Mac users.

Jealousy? Please. Pulling out the jealousy card is absolutely ridiculous. If I wanted to, I could just buy a Mac if I wanted to. Though I find it hard to justify because it's just so closed. OS X comes by default on all Macs, only Apple can make Macs, and all that. I also don't find a reason to use OS X, since you can practically do anything already on Windows. So OS X is more like an unneeded extra bundled to me.

And if you've looked at many posts and comments before, it's usually the Apple fanboy that's trying to be the antagonizer. People respond, people say nasty things, etc. Take for instance the beginning of this post : "I would never put Windows on my mac"

Was that absolutely necessary? Nope. Just a way to antagonize people for no reason. So stop with your ranting already.

[snitch @ Mar 21st 2008 2:11AM]

Why will anyone want to run vista on anything????? People stop it with the dumb reviews, the MBA lacks all these ports because it was design for OS X plain and simple. Something is in the air rings a bell??? this product for the Mac user that do almost everything wirelessly already, if your not ready for that a MBP is a better choice for you. ANYONE WITH BRAIN WILL TELL YOU THAT THE MBA WAS SPECIFICALLY OS X USERS CAUSE THEY DO ALMOST EVERYTHING WIRELESSLY, IF YOU CAN INTERGRATE WITH IF WIRELESSLY IT'S NOT FOR YOU CASE CLOSE

[purezerg @ Mar 21st 2008 2:48AM]

I'll never reinstalling OSX on any PC either. the last time i installed OSX on my HP laptop, it sucked the battery life out of it.
to those with OSX saying vista sucks batteries, well same goes to OSX in wintel laptops, it also sucks batteries.

just use the OS the hardware is designed for. vista/xp was never meant for mac systems. if it was, you wouldnt have ACPI problems, driver problems and a need for bootcamp.

[Deus Invictus @ Mar 21st 2008 9:59AM]

I would never put Windows on my perfectly good Linux Machine

[eggothewaffle @ Mar 20th 2008 9:37PM]

Nilay?!?! IS ONE MASSIVE FLAME WAR NOT ENOUGH FOR ONE DAY?!?!1/1/

[Tony @ Mar 20th 2008 9:40PM]

NAY! EVERYTIME YOU ACTIVATE CAPSLOCK, TEAM ENGADGET GETS A NEW PUPPY. WHAT BETTER WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO USE CAPSLOCK THAN WITH FLAME WARS?

[eggothewaffle @ Mar 20th 2008 9:43PM]

Puppies you say? Awww :D

[clak @ Mar 20th 2008 10:01PM]

I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?

I am particularly astounded at how obsessed Windows people are about the MacBook Air. To me, a Mac user, it's just another MacBook. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other, but I like the fact that Mac users have an ultraportable alternative. It's not like the MBA is going to replace the MacBook or MacBook Pro.

I also think a lot of Windows fanboys think if they trash the MBA enough on forums, that somehow people won't buy it, but the sales data for this quarter doesn't bear that out. This illustrates the primary difference between what geeks like and what the public likes.

Non-geeks look at the MBA and say, cool, this thing won't kill my arm on the way to the subway. Geeks look at this thing and say, no user replaceable battery, no optical drive, no way!

But this is the number 1 reason why Geeks never predict products that will sell: Geeks want features, while regular people want it to work. When geek goes shopping, he will ask, "Does it have GPS, 3G, Divx support, Slingbox, Ratchet and Clank, 3 processors, toast?" A non-geek will ask, "Can I use this thing without wanting to kill myself?" A geek wants everything and two things more. Non-geeks want one thing, maybe two.

If a non-geek is shopping for a MP3 player, they will want it to play music. Crazy right? How could they be so stupid? A geek will want a radio, lyrics, Wifi, games, a calendar, a clock, and an interface with 18 sub menus. Geeks will insist on the 18 submenus! And you know why? They love a challenge. It actually makes them happy when they can actually get their gadget to work. It makes them better than those normal people who just want to "listen to music."

This is why Apple continues to win. They understand the psyche of ordinary people.

[happy_penguin @ Mar 20th 2008 10:06PM]

Strong, accurate assesment, clack. Especially this part:

"clak
@ Mar 20th 2008 9:58PM
I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?"

Fanboyism sucks, no matter what you're a fanboy for.

[Hung @ Mar 20th 2008 10:41PM]

"Fanboyism sucks, no matter what you're a fanboy for."

False. True Apple fanboys use OSX86 because they like the OS, but want it at a lower price. Only shallow, half-hearted fanboys suck. Those willing to go that extra mile, you have my utmost respect.

[happy_penguin @ Mar 20th 2008 10:48PM]

Hung, fans tout the advantages of their favorite things. Fanboys just spout hatred. You won't get any respect from me for that. There are different types of machines for different types of people. It's so you can have choices, not so you can act more-superior-than-thou.

[fred @ Mar 20th 2008 11:27PM]

"I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?"

What you see from the Windows "fanboys" is similar to a spring that has been compressed to the point where it starts to spring outward.

People who use Windows never thought once about being a fanatic for Microsoft, at least not in the way Apple fans are for that company. But after the constant attacks, ridicule, mocking and more from Apple corporate down to the wingnut zealot, the Windows "fans" have started a push back effort of sorts, and have taken their understood rage wherever they have the chance to express it. Apple fans may be taken aback by it all, but you have only yourself to blame for it.

You have in part created this "pro-PC" movement. They dont hate Apple so much as they hate the sometimes repugnant culture that has developed from it.

[clak @ Mar 21st 2008 12:06AM]

@fred

Everything you just said is complete crap. Mac users have been universally ridiculed for AT LEAST fifteen years. I know because I used to be a Windows user. Now that Apple has become somewhat successful and Windows has become such an absolute joke, the Windows fanboys feel an extreme amount of jealousy and are desperate for Microsoft to get their act together and as a result, their ridicule has morphed into absolute hate. So please don't try to tell me that it's just a reaction to Apple users. That's absolutely absurd.

But more to the point, you're trying to paint Windows users as victims? What happened to "We have ninety percent of the market. Ha ha!" You mean to tell me that this small group of Apple users are picking on the big, bad, dominating Windows people? Yeah, right.

[mymaclife @ Mar 21st 2008 5:23AM]

5 years ago I was a Windows fanboy and thought Apple Macs were cutesy little 'fisher price' computers for those who wanted to look cool but not really doing anything or useful - I like many others hated them and poured scorn on their users.

Now I wouldn't look back, having switched to them - the ones I use all work well and first time, every time.

I sympathize with those who still use Windows machines and who, like I once had , have an irrational hatred for Macs; it is entirely that and to that end reason will not fix it.

[Luke @ Mar 23rd 2008 3:29PM]

@ Clak

You hit the nail on the head there.

I am still currently a Windows user... but, to be honest, I'm bored. I've never really thought much into the faults of my OS (Vista), but after so many little niggles, I'm sort of attracted to Macs.

I've used them in the past, and it's been a really smooth experience... and as you said, Windows has slowly flaked away into visuals to keep up with the 'pretty' OS X (crippling what should be a speedy performance), and has lost it's integrity, amongst other problems.

I'm getting a MacBook Air for 6th form, nice and light, and the only ports and just the right performance I need, and I'm really looking forward to getting it!

Thing is... I WANT Windows to become more than it is now, I really do... but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Fingers crossed.

[Sam Winter @ Mar 21st 2008 8:12PM]

@mymaclife

Exactly, it's ignorant morons like yourself. I'm making assumptions here, but I bet they fit. You say that you used to think Macs were "cutsey fisher price" toys.. ? I can only assume that is because ultra geeks / engineer types like yourself have no appreciation for aesthetics or good design. Have you ever seen websites, software, and consumer electronics designed by nerdy engineers? They all look like total crap and are unbearably difficult to use. It's really a strange phenomenon.. It obviously doesn't apply to everyone, but as a stereotype, it definitely is true more than not. Just look at any computer nerd or anyone who likes amateur mathematics.. they literally have no sense of color balance, symmetry, etc. Just look how they dress. Go to best buy and talk to a sales person... and ask them for the "associate" that is most knowledgeable about computer hardware. Now look at that person... enough said.

The other part that I despise about MS fanboy idiots is how they attempt to cast Mac computers as somehow inferior "toys" that "just look pretty"... When in fact, models like the Macbook Pro, Xserve, and Mac Pro workstation are incredible machines that blow the doors off their PC counterparts. The Mac Pro, with a 4-year old case design, is still one of the most powerful, well spec'd, well designed, and well thought out mid-level workstations I have seen. Macbook Pro is a great machine as well. This is coming from someone who has had every version of Windows since 3.11 and have owned PC's for 15+ years.

[Backlin @ Mar 20th 2008 9:38PM]

"There's are a lot of reasons to pick another laptop over the MacBook Air -- especially if you're into little things like "useful ports""
What? A cut against an Apple product? Here?

[eggothewaffle @ Mar 20th 2008 9:44PM]

The number of times I see Engadget trumpeted (or denigrated) as a Pro-Apple site and then nearly simultaneously blasted (or heralded) as an anti-Apple site could make me blend a Doom playing Asus EEE PC :[

[wootman @ Mar 20th 2008 9:59PM]

THIS IS MADNESS!

[andres @ Mar 20th 2008 10:08PM]

@wootman
THIS IS SPARTA, i mean, engadget

[Ace b @ Mar 21st 2008 12:05AM]

This is engadget?Man,THIS IS CAKETOWN!!!!!

[Alan G. @ Mar 20th 2008 9:48PM]

thats a disturbing picture ever!

[spellcheck @ Mar 20th 2008 9:52PM]

that's a disturbing sentence ever!

[Jeremy K. @ Mar 20th 2008 9:56PM]

so is that one...

[Abuzar @ Mar 20th 2008 11:14PM]

Sarcasm...

[zargon @ Mar 20th 2008 9:45PM]

How about a real OS... linux?!?!!

[Craig B. @ Mar 20th 2008 11:22PM]

Reading some of the posts, I'm inspired. I think we need to have a new fanboy war, so I'm thinking Fedora v. Ubuntu fanboism. I used Fedora, a real OS, not Ubuntu, which is made for novices and Walmart junkies. To take it to even another level, I'm going to refer to myself from now on not as a Fanboy, but a Fenboy, out of respect to Fedora (get it? Fe-dora, Fe-nboy?) Take that, mofos!

[ethana2 @ Mar 21st 2008 2:40AM]

Google trends says Ubuntu is beyond being another 'linux distro', and ready to pick a fight with leopard.

Hardy is in beta now. I'm using it as I type this. Whatever OS I'll be using, it'll be on /this/ hardware. Ubuntu will either force apple to ease up on their control freak ways or it'll crush them.

I've got four converts from windows already this year. Clock's tickin' (and it's 2 degrees in Anchorage alaska right now, overcast, with calm winds. 10:39 PM here, 6:39 AM in london)

[dcny @ Mar 20th 2008 9:46PM]

This is the kinda review i've been waiting for a review of the same os on different hardware, now someone review a mac vs a hackintosh with osx

[eggothewaffle @ Mar 20th 2008 9:49PM]

Here is the one I remember reading:

http://lifehacker.com/software/benchmarks/hackintosh-vs-mac-pro-vs-macbook-pro-benchmarks-322866.php

As you can tell, the price difference is substantial while the performance difference is almost nil(ay patel; get it!?! get it?!?!/1 har har)

[Tim @ Mar 20th 2008 9:45PM]

Why?

[Sauerkraut @ Mar 20th 2008 9:50PM]

Pssh vista on a mac, I'd pay someone 100 bucks to get leopard working 100 percent on my pc

[Abuzar @ Mar 20th 2008 11:14PM]

I'll try to do it. I did it on my PC.

[Sauerkraut @ Mar 20th 2008 11:46PM]

it doesn't crash though does it or have any problems

[Abuzar @ Mar 20th 2008 11:57PM]

Nope, works perfectly fine. Here is what I'm running.

Core 2 Quad(OC to 3.4)
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R
ATI HD3870(Don't use a 3850)
SATA HDD and DVD Burner

That's basically all the parts that make a difference.

[traci.fox @ Mar 20th 2008 9:54PM]

Why not just use Vista (or better yet, XP) with Boot Camp and then you don't have to argue with M$ over wiping out the partition? Seems a lot of work for nothing.

[wootman @ Mar 20th 2008 9:58PM]

because thats already a small partition, who wants to 1/2 it.

[sinai @ Mar 20th 2008 9:58PM]

LOOK AT ME! IM A PRETENTIOUS MAC USER WHO CAN'T SHUT UP ABOUT HOW MUCH I HATE MICRO$OFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wasabi @ Mar 20th 2008 10:00PM]

hi pretentious mac owner. i am a genius at the mac store, i know everything. after work, i like to go home and play dungeons and dragons.

[sinai @ Mar 20th 2008 10:01PM]

so what kind of art do you make? you're obviously an artist, i can tell by the moleskine in the pocket of your extra tight jeans.