# Macbook Air or other...?



## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

I'm after a small, light, "sexy looking" laptop, mostly for web browsing and other basic tasks, as I have a beastly desktop PC for the more hardcore stuff.

Macbook Air obviously fits the bill, but at £850 for the entry one, its not exactly cheap. 

What other options are there out there? I've looked at a few HP EliteBook's on eBay, but some of them seem a bit dodgy (back of a lorry) as they are too cheap.

I went to look at Sony S Series today, but the build quality was very poor for a £1k laptop IMO!

What would you go for? I had a MacBook Pro previously, and wasn't too keen on it all (I am a heavy Windows user) but after playing with the new Safari etc and Lion OSX today for a bit, I was very impressed...

Russ.


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## goonas (Aug 23, 2007)

I have an Acer Ferrari - which is more powerful than a notebook, but is Notebook size.

For a real light one I also used to have a Toshiba Portege - ridiculously light.

But I currently have a Macbook Air.

Read into that what you will.

The Toshiba was an excellent machine though, and felt like there was nothing in your hand, IIRC it was under 900g in weight !and with a DVD drive built in. But it was over 1k when I bought mine a few years back, no idea what their prices are nowadays though.


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

What the "other basic tasks"? only reason i ask is i'm thinking of a Samsung Galaxy tab as all i mostly do is web browsing really.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Defo need a keyboard mate, and ideally SD Card slot for uploading pics and stuff.


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## Greg_VXR (Nov 21, 2009)

why not try and ipad? If its just for web browsing etc uploading pictures they are excellent! Plus you can get a wireless keyboard for them which is really cool


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

How do you upload pics on an iPad? Do they have SD Card slot?


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## Mick (Jan 23, 2010)

RussZS said:


> How do you upload pics on an iPad? Do they have SD Card slot?


nope, you can buy a doo-dah which goes into the ipod/ipad socket which allows an SD card to be plugged in :thumb:

EDIT : this


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## gregb (Feb 1, 2009)

Using iTunes you can sync photos from pc/ laptop to iPad but no sd card on ipad


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## Greg_VXR (Nov 21, 2009)

No it doesnt sorry never seen you needed that:tumbleweed: but you can do it through icloud? Reported that the ipad 3 will have a SD card slot if you want to wait on it coming out! They are cool bits of kit but and do everything you need, obviously if you want more then you would need to go for a mac air/pro etc

Maybe i am biased about this cause am an apple geek but


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

i like the air and considered the original ipad but for my needs the air can do my documents and other stuff ofc far more effectively. You rarely miss the dvd drive creating quick network shares or doing it apple's way through the proper method is easy  but i prefer just using shares tbh to my desktop and imac


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

Greg_VXR said:


> No it doesnt sorry never seen you needed that:tumbleweed: but you can do it through icloud? Reported that the ipad 3 will have a SD card slot if you want to wait on it coming out!


This looks to be a replacement computer so not sure icloud would work....unless you get a compatible camera. If you still have a desk top then it would be good as you put the pics on the desk top and they would auto appear on the ipad.

I very much doubt the ipad3 will have an SD slot - it would be very uncharacteristic of apple - they're moving away from physical media and having to physically swap things round to sync, update or upload them; for example: -

Mac air - no longer has build in DVD drive
Mac mini - the lack of DVD drive with the mac air could be argued was due to increasing battery life but they did the same with the mini
OSX Lion - only available as a download
icloud - devices communicating with each other over wi-fi to prevent having to sync individually
iOS5 - no need for PC plug in for activation or software updates

And of course if you could use a plugged in SD card it would be a lot cheaper than paying for Apple's expensive internal memory.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Yes, I had iPad 1 and didn't use it too much tbh. A 'proper' laptop with a keyboard is still far more useful to me.


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## somouk (Jun 14, 2006)

As I own an Ipad and now a Macbook Pro as well I agree with Russ that the Ipad is not enough. Get one of the new Airs, much much faster than the previous units now they have the intel I chips.

I considered an 11" one for travelling with but as it is my sole PC at home as well I went with a pro so I can run more VM's and multiple pieces of software.

You can guess which friendly local detailer talked me into going the apple route...


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

I want the 11" but it doesn't have SD card slot I don't think?


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## somouk (Jun 14, 2006)

Nope, only the 13" has the SD card slot 

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air/select


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## Matt197 (Dec 27, 2006)

Have a look at the Asus Zenbooks, they look very good.

Not sure if they are out yet though.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

I bought a HP DV6 thing but the wifi adaptor on it seems to be knackered. 

I think I'll just get an Air.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Got the Air and love it!

Lion is pretty impressive and the staff in PC World J9 were awesome for a change!


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## Buck (Jan 16, 2008)

Did you go for the 13"?

Nice machines - When my Windows laptop goes to PC Heaven I'd look at a MBA to replace it (Already have a MacBook Pro)


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Just the 11" base model, I needed a new camera and tyres too, and didn't wanna skint myself out.

It's plenty quick tbh, just having a mare getting mobile broadband working...


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## Buck (Jan 16, 2008)

RussZS said:


> Just the 11" base model, I needed a new camera and tyres too, and didn't wanna skint myself out.
> 
> It's plenty quick tbh, just having a mare getting mobile broadband working...


Very nice - good and compact too

I know what you mean re the £££s - just bought 4 winter tyres and some R32 alloys for the GTD and that has cost me a lot of hard earned pennies!


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

I got 4 PS3's which was £568, NEXc3 which was £370 and this thing. I'm poor now


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## Buck (Jan 16, 2008)

RussZS said:


> I got 4 PS3's which was £568, NEXc3 which was £370 and this thing. I'm poor now


:lol:

Similar - 4 225/40/18 Vredestein Wintrac Extremes £776 + 4 OEM 18" Alloys £200 + Fitting £50 = skint!


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

RussZS said:


> I got 4 PS3's which was £568, NEXc3 which was £370 and this thing. I'm poor now


I love the fact I read 4 PS3s as the ones made by sony!


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## markbob917 (Aug 31, 2010)

what sort of money is a macbook pro realistically second hand?


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

Spoony said:


> I love the fact I read 4 PS3s as the ones made by sony!


i also thought this but was to embrassed to say anything originally waiting for somone else to own up first  because it was in the tech section i was like why the flock did he buy 4 Playstations....then i suddenly realised i should know better the rubber bands on my ovlov are PS3's! (oh and btw i have 4 of them on there) :lol:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Lolz! Mich PS3's from now on then!


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

RussZS said:


> Lolz! Mich PS3's from now on then!


i am glad you dont rely on sony ps3's attached to your wheels Russ! :lol:


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## somouk (Jun 14, 2006)

markbob917 said:


> what sort of money is a macbook pro realistically second hand?


For a recent spec one in good nick you are looking at £600 ish.


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

Note a new Macbook Pro has been released today with bumped specs


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## somouk (Jun 14, 2006)

Looks like new HDD and new Graphics. Not going to make much difference to the performance


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## LudwigVonSpork (Oct 25, 2011)

MBP every time.


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