MacBook Air for college student vs Ultrabook?

Question

Level 1

0 points

MacBook Air for college student vs Ultrabook?

I know and understand that this is going to be alot of biased opinions. I myself am an apple user. iPhone 5 and iPad 1. However price is a big issue here. I am a college student, awaiting my grant money back which isn't due back to me until the end of October, I am asking on multiple forums and researching because I want the best possible machine for me. I am the current owner of an acer aspire 7560(it has a 17.3 inch screen, 500 gb HHD, 4gb ddr3 ram, AMD A6-3400M 1.4GHz processor power boosts to 2.3GHz, AMD Radeon HD 6520G graphics card, SDXC card reader, HDMI, USB 2.0, and VGA ports) however the biggest down fall of this laptop is that is weights a whopping 10lbs, that is back breaking I commute over 40 miles a day monday through friday. And I stay at my boyfriends house every other week, so I am always taking it back and forth, portability is an issue, as well as for me it only gets about 2.5 hours at best. I have every intention to keep this as my media computer, so space will not be an issue. This laptop contains windows 7. Will there be an issue transporting files back and forth between windows and mac?

What I need:

minimum 6 hours battery life

lightweight

durable(for travel)

transferable files between windows and mac

Excellent price-as low as possible(independent student and single mom)

I will use this for

Office 365

Photoshop

MyMathLab

Syncing iPhone

As much as I love Apple products I will get something else if I can get a better deal, but I would definitely love a MacBook Air if its the best choice for me. If I should get an ultrabook instead of MacBook Air, which one would you reccomend? I would only use windows 7 or Mac OS, I am apprehensive about viruses I hear Mac are more prone to them now. I would need a laptop with atleast a core i5 processor, I would want this to last 4 years till I get a bachelors degree, My major is business computer systems, I would prefer a macbook air, I do not want to spend over $1100 but I will if a more upgraded macbook air is necessary. But absolutely no more that $1300

Also, how much of a difference is there between the 11" and 13" models?

iPhone 5, iOS 6.1.4, 16GB white/silver

Posted on Sep 2, 2013 2:26 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Sep 2, 2013 2:37 PM in response to kmonty0710

forget :"opinions" as you mention.

Fact. The macbook Air is made tougher than any other ultrabook out there

the macbook Air has longer life in peak I5 13" config.

Only the macbook is running OSX

No, no problems transferring files BETWEEN the mac and a PC, just use an external HD formatted in EXFAT so both can read and write to same.

By "better deal" you have to consider that five years down the road the PC machine is useless worthless or close to it.

whereas "old" tech. Apple products sell for a relative fortune online.

My old old macbook Air recently sold online for so much I almost had a heart attack from shock. 😁

Reply

Answer 2

kmonty0710 Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 2, 2013 2:45 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas

thank you, very helpful, my first debate was between the pro the air, and decided the air, and then I notice all these other ultrabooks where are very highly priced even compared to the MBA. I will be keeping my eye out for a refurbished MBA. How do the 11" and 13" models differ from eachother and how is it with viruses?

Reply

Answer 3

Sep 2, 2013 2:51 PM in response to kmonty0710

heres a vid. between the AIr and the other "best" Ultrabook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIGLYRMq_pc

bottom line. Get the Air.

Virus? what virus? Its a Mac 😊

Ive had BOTH 11" and 13" Air, the 13" is nicer for viewing at distance, and the 13" has much longer batt. life due to much larger LiPo battery cells.

base model 13" is $1100 consider possible spending a bit more for 8gig over 4 gig base model

Ive got a Pro and an Air, love both, but the Air has only 1 moving part, the fan.

has the weight (nearly) of an Ipad but will all the power of a full laptop

Air has no HD to crash, all SSD storage.

Reply

Answer 4

kmonty0710 Author

Level 1

0 points

Sep 2, 2013 6:02 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas

would the 11inch suit me just fine? would I be okay with 4gb instead of 8? and when does OS X Mavericks come out? If it come out before November I will wait until then to order a new MBA with the new OSX

Reply

Answer 5

Sep 2, 2013 8:12 PM in response to kmonty0710

for most things 4gig is perfectly fine. My last Air had 4gig, I had 15 web tabs open or so, was running flash video in the background and was doing a video splice in final cut pro which is a very 'heavy' application.

Cant speak as to the release date of the next OSX...comment or conjecture about future products (mavericks, new hardware) isnt allowed on the forum.....however it can be said by Apple in the broadcast keynote speech in June, that the current new Air is designed for the already announced upcoming OSX. So buying one now or a few months etc later will make no difference.

8gig is a very wise at time of purchase upgrade for 2 reasons:

1. it 'future proofs' your macbook against RAM intensive applications and is a relatively very cheap upgrade. (which cannot be done or added later).

2. All online indications are that compared to at time of purchase upgrade costs, the return value of that extra 4gig of RAM has around a 130% return in a 3 year sale of a macbook Air.

Its near impossible to calculate any technology you not only get near your purchase cost at (or even close) much less 130% over purchase cost. This is as pertains the RAM upgrade only, not meant the entire computer.

Reply