Arch Linux

chrisburnor

Member

Registered: 2011-12-29

Posts: 12

When to buy Macbook Air for Compatibility

I will probably need to purchase a new laptop this year as my trusty Asus UL30A is literally falling apart (pieces of plastic have started falling apart and the case is coming apart too. 

For a variety of reasons, I expect that we will see a new release of the Macbook Air line in Q3 of 2012, and normally I would wait to purchase the new model until it comes out so that I can maximize my value of the product's lifecycle, but I was wondering if, due to hardware compatibility issues, people might recommend buying an Apple product later in the product cycle to account for hardware issues in Apple products.  Any advice?

litemotiv

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2008-08-01

Posts: 5,026

Re: When to buy Macbook Air for Compatibility

There's always something newer/better/faster around the corner, waiting for it is a little pointless. Once the new one comes out, you can probably get the older (read: current) one for a couple hundred buckazoids less, so you have to ask yourself what is the better deal.

In the case of Macbooks/Air: yes, usually the first 3-4 months after launch the new iterations have plenty of problems on linux, so if you want hassle free computing it's better to wait a while or to get the previous generation.

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efleming969

Member

Registered: 2007-03-14

Posts: 39

Re: When to buy Macbook Air for Compatibility

I just got a MacBook Air 4,2 about 3 months ago and after some tweaking, I've gotten more things to works than any other laptop I've ever owned.  I don't know what the state of things were closer to the release date but 4 months after were quite good.

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,688

Re: When to buy Macbook Air for Compatibility

one for a couple hundred buckazoids less, so you have to ask yourself what is the better deal.

Just wait before they have to rename from Macbooks'R'Us to Macbooks'B'Us because of trademark questions.

litemotiv

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2008-08-01

Posts: 5,026

Re: When to buy Macbook Air for Compatibility

I just got a MacBook Air 4,2 about 3 months ago and after some tweaking, I've gotten more things to works than any other laptop I've ever owned.  I don't know what the state of things were closer to the release date but 4 months after were quite good.

About half of the fourth generation Airs were stuck with vesa graphic modes for the first 3 months. The other half didn't have a working screen at all, just black. We were stuck in some bar for ages waiting for them to fix it...

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