Macbook Alum VS Macbook Air Refurb

Kimchiboy

Hi, I'm a student and I currently have an iBook G4 which suffered HDD failure after 4 years of use. It was adequate for my daily use: lab write-ups, internet browsing, youtube, MSN, and downloading music to my iPod. I would still be using it for at least another 2 years if it weren't for it having problems, but I don't want to spend the money replacing the HDD and be worried about losing my assignments if I have more problems.

My question is which do you recommend:

Aluminium Macbook:
$1349+$218(Applecare)= $1567
Configure - Apple Store (Canada)

or

Macbook Air 1.6ghz Refurbished:
$1329 (is Applecare available for this?)
Refurbished MacBook Air 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - Apple Store (Canada)

The biggest problem for me is that I HATE the screen on the Macbook!!! It's too glossy and the black bezel looks horrible to me and will be covered in fingerprints.

I spoke with a tech at a local Apple shop who told me it's very risky to use the MBA because of its rare HDD adapter so if it crashed my files would be lost. I do have an external HDD for backups. He also said the laptop can't even play Youtube very well because of how weak the processor and graphics card are.

greensuperman32

How about a refurb MacBook Pro? It's more powerful than both the new MacBook and the refurb Air and is only $100 more than the MacBook. Plus it has a matte screen.

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- 17" MacBook Pro 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo 4GB RAM 500GB HDD
- 16GB Black iPhone 4
- 4GB Green 2G iPod Nano
- 500GB Time Capsule

Kimchiboy

MBP is too big for me. I can't imagine carrying a 15" laptop around in my backpack. I almost considered getting a used 12" Powerbook G4, but I want to keep this for probably 3-4 years and that would be really obsolete by then.

greensuperman32

If this is going to be your primary machine then I'd really advise against getting the refurbed Air as it is not very powerful at all. The new MacBook is really great, I have one myself and find it to be plenty powerful for my uses.

So if you can get over your issues with the screen I'd say the new MacBook will be best for you and you get so much more for your money with the new MacBook over the refurbed Air.

The reburbed white or black MacBooks are also a cheaper option if you can't get over your issue of the screen on the new MacBooks.

__________________
My Gear
- 17" MacBook Pro 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo 4GB RAM 500GB HDD
- 16GB Black iPhone 4
- 4GB Green 2G iPod Nano
- 500GB Time Capsule

satchmo

Agreed. While it's still a glossy screen, it doesn't have that black bezel you dislike.

These refurbs are often as low as $900 too. Get another 4 years out of it and hopefully by then, Apple will have come to it's senses and have a matte option.

greensuperman32

Not to mention, the refurbed MacBook Air you linked to also has a glossy screen.

__________________
My Gear
- 17" MacBook Pro 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo 4GB RAM 500GB HDD
- 16GB Black iPhone 4
- 4GB Green 2G iPod Nano
- 500GB Time Capsule

fyrefly

*All* MacBook Air's have a glossy screen. (And as previously discussed on this forum and lots of others, it's a WAY nicer screen - brighter and less washed out - than the current or past MB screens).

I have a 1.6Ghz Base Model MacBook Air (the one you're linking to) that I picked up in March last year for a great deal. Since then, it's been my primary machine (I also have an original CoreDuo MBP, but it's getting progressively less usage).

I would say that if weight and portability are big factors in your decision, then you should go MBA. It's 3.0 lbs makes it ideal for carrying around everywhere and anywhere. I love my MBA, and for the uses that you suggested (Word, MSN, YouTube) it's a great machine. There were some early problems with the laptop getting super hot and one of the processor cores shutting down - but these have been fixed with Firmware updates. I upgraded to Flash 10 and YouTube/Hulu/DailyMotion work like a charm for me on my MBA.

My fav thing about the air is the backlit keyboard (something the base-model MacBook doesn't have).

I had a PowerBook 12" that was my fav computer ever until I got this Air. It's the perfect all day travel companion, I slip it in my bag and forget that it's there half the time (I can honestly say I've stopped in the day before and checked my bag to make sure it's still there 'cause my bag felt so light).

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satchmo

Personally I think the MBA is a nice machine...but overpriced. IMO, I actually think they should be positioning it lower than the MB.

Apart from weight/slimness, it's less featured than the MB in everyway (okay, the screen is nicer). But the MBA is basically the laptop you wouldn't mind taking anywhere (as fyrefly mentioned).

It would essentially become Apple's 'netbook' if it were priced say around the $1000 mark. Of course, this will never happen since Apple places a premium on thinness.

Kimchiboy

Yeah, I'm leaning more towards the Air.

I know the screens are all glossy but in comparison it isn't as bad on the Air and the bezel looks much nicer and less distracting.

The only problem I have is that everyone is saying the Air is a waste of money and will likely have problems since it's a big change from any other Apple laptops and a first revision.

Definitely don't want a black or white macbook. I hate the machines. They are really badly built, lots of problems, very heavy, and not attractive.

Kimchiboy

The price of either machine is fine, and I would even go for a Pro for an extra 200 if it came in a smaller size so I would never consider the white or black macbooks.