If you can afford it get the Mac book Pro.

no firewire port... hell no! externals wont work well... id definitely go with the MB or MBP for SSL/VSL

not recommended, it's below minimum specs and doesn't have dedicated video.
should be fine for just audio tho.

I think Air will mabye do as MacBook, same gfx card.

On the minus side is also
- Only 80GB disc (4200 rpm)
- Only 2GB (video memory is sharded mem)
- No FireWire (USB yes, but will that be good for video on external drive?)
- Only 1.6 or 1.8 processor
- Expensive

I do hope Apple is not releaseing a new MacBook Pro, since I got mine 3 weeks ago...

i doubt they will^^^. i was hoping they dropped the price a little, but it doesn't look like it.

$1,799 for Macbook Air (I don't think so)

For a couple of hundred dollars more, MacBook Pro is the way to go.

If someone donates a Macbook Air, we at Serato will be more than happy to test to see if Video-SL works...

But I agree, for the price tag this is for early adopters only and I am more than happy with my Macbook Pro.

i will donate my ibook g4 in exchange for free video sl and 20 control records
;-)

various colors of course

Dude, WAIT! New ones should be out soon. Intel has the new Penryn chips out, and it's just a matter of time. I am waiting myself -- I figured it would have been announced today, but I guess Apple didn't want to overshadow the new MacBook Air. So I figure in a few weeks it'll be out. It'd be a horrible decision to get it now!!!

Just trying to help!

Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory4

Its the same video card as the MacBook... so maybe it could handle it?

the cpu is below minimum requirments still

He is probably quite right. Check out buyersguide.macrumors.com, it is normally pretty good at guessing when updates are around the corner.


While you shouldn't [\quote] me as saying it, the minimum specs we have decided on are reasonably conservative so it may work.

Even if the specs WILL work it still doesnt have enough HD space to hold videos and audio AND with one USB port (which would be taken up by the 57) there is no way plug in an external drive. Buy the MacBook Pro when it comes out in a couple months ;-)

only 1 usb port and no cd-rom drive does not look good for serato use.

you need as many optional peripherals as possible when djing and for them to run efficiently...I know ive done certain venues where the performer needed you to play a song (instrumental) off a cd for them to sing to...if you have no cd-rom how are you giong to do that if your using turntables? also same goes for usb, you can get a hub but you really wanna risk running an external and serato on the same port? If you dont have a hub your even more screwed because the only reason to get the "air" is because its a fast running computer which im assuming you want to buy to use with video sl, but you cant even store all your videos on the computer because it wont have enough space! Dont get it unless your using it as a laptop stand to hold your MBP :-)

plus 4200 rpm is weak! they have the new 200gb 7200, its 440% quicker than that! and 70% more space and the 1.8ghz is a smidge below what there saying you should use so overall its a waste of money unless your sticking to just music in which case it MIGHT be ok but I know I'd use up 80gigs of space faster than the club will empty when your macbook air crashes

macbook air is pretty, but the specs make it for people who site in coffee shops drinking lattes and munch on biscotti.

for dj'in definitely get the macbook pro (or a dell or a toshiba or a sony).

I sold my 2008 MBP and bought new macbook air with 2GB model. I use serato video SL and works perfectly, I did not get any single drop off or freeze. so much lighter than my old MBP.

I just put the "NEW" MACBOOK AIR 1.7GHZ dual core I5 (4GB ram1333MhzDDR3SDRAM-256GB flash storage) through the test for two hours playing and switching one hour long files (mp3320KBS).I also loaded six samples of one hour long, triggered them randomly all together, reversed the audio, backspinned wildly, scratching, looping etc ...WITH WiFi AND Bluetooth on.
Serato version 2.3.1 on HID mode via USB on pioneer 2000
NOT ONE GLITCH or hickup.
very impressive....It's still playing and sometimes I just reverse audio etc.
friday I will put it through real time test in a club.
by the way... I also opened serato ITCH and played it's sound through the Air's speakers at the same time..No problem...This is wild guys

by the way I spin regularly with a 13" for audio and video I used to do with a 15' which was stolen beginning of this month.
So I have reference material...

was this with video?

Vice uses an air but audio only... dont see how you can really do video

NOPE just audio mixing, air does not have a dedicated video card.

I will try it one day when I have 5 minutes to myself

DJLRock I was referring to audio only ...
DJ Breezee_1 ...Your did SERATO video with a AIR with 2GB memory?
I gotta check that with this new model... Serato does recommend a dedicated video card for video mixing...I would guess that your AIR would be cooking after a while. But that's just what I assume... and assumptions are the mother of all fuck-ups...
If I had space and most dj booth's don't have that... I would even use a 17", because I want to be able to monitor my video right..
By the way my test with the AIR was in HID mode (so I was using the pioneer 2000's as controllers through USB through a unpowered hub and the serato in internal mode). Maybe that puts less stress on the computer.
I did not try it in absolute mode yet (using time coded cd's) so I will let you know after tonight.
If you notice well all the "old" comments refer to the old model mac air...Now its different
DJ Nyce assumption of january 2008 was right at that time... But now it's 2011 and although it's not supposed to be a power machine it has evolved into a monster machine and believe me nowadays it's as fast as the macbook pro without SSD. We were all wows during the test...but time will tell...
Marx remember... I was talking about the newest model AIR...the i5 model with SSD HD and 4GB ram...there is a big difference with the older model first to begin with the ram and the processor...

yea, I'm only referring to the new models. I finally got one, I have everything installed I just haven't had a chance to test it. I will report back here once I do.