MacBook Air vs. MacBook Air - Fight!

Quick, quick recap of my MacBook Air experience:

A long, long time ago, I fell in love with a Mac Book Air...but I couldn't pull the trigger. $1800 was just too much for a laptop. So, I waited, and waited, and waited. And just before the second version of the MacBook Air came out, I bought a refurb Rev A MacBook Air. It was my primary computer for a LONG time.

It wasn't fast. Flash slowed my CPU to a crawl. The hard drive was little (80GB) and slow (4200 RPM), but I loved that computer anyway. It was a trusty computer, even for a refurb. It went with me wherever I went.

But times changed, and I started using a 27" iMac as my daily computer and my little MacBook Air only came out when I was on a train or a plane. But the MBA started to creak and moan a little too much, so I bought a new computer for traveling...11.6-Inch MacBook Air. And it was love at first boot. The computer is fast and graceful, and so tiny that it truly can go anywhere that you do. You never have to think about bringing your computer with you or not...it is so small that it isn't a consideration to NOT bring it.

Old MacBook Air:
Pros:

• Thin, light and easy to take with you.
• A "real" computer...not a netbook. No compromises with displays or functionality.
• Good battery life.

Cons:

• Battery life was just "good". I still need to take a charger with me.
• 13.3" is too big for most airline seats.
• Slow to start (waited a long time to wake up from sleep, slow connecting to WiFi).
• Long boot times.
• Long time to load apps.
• Creaked under 2GB RAM (or so I thought).
• Video playback is sketchy.

So, now I've got me a new MBA...and while it still has that new computer smell, let me tell you about it.

New MacBook Air

Pros:

• Speed - fast to boot, fast to wake up, fast to launch apps. (I thought the speed issues in my Rev A were RAM related? Now I am sure it is the poky hard drive).
• Size - this is so small that I never think "Should I take it with me?" Fits comfortably in any airline tray.
• Screen - Higher resolution, I think, than original MBA. Rented a movie (Scott Pilgrim...very good...fun flick) and and watched it with no fatigue...beautiful display.
• Great video playback.
• Great battery life (a real 5 hours...I still need to take a charger, but now it is for emergencies...)
• Great sound for such a small laptop.

The difference in price? I paid $999 for my refurb Rev A. I paid about $1149 for my brand new MBA. The difference between these two is far more than $150. The real difference is 2 years. Time has solved so many of the issues that plagued my original MBA. The new MBA is just a delicious machine. I can't tell you how much more I use it that I used my Rev A. My iMac is feeling neglected....