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Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree the comparison was not valid, but the MBA's value is more than just a built-in SSD. It is significantly lighter.
Like the poster below says, its lighter, thinner, and has a nicer screen. My MBP has a DVD drive (yes, I still use Netflix discs because no, their instant doesn't have everything), better graphics, and a killer CPU by comparison. It really is about tradeoffs. My MBP is my only computer, and I need the above.
My MacBook Air was $1,799 and the equivalent MacBook Pro (top of the line 15″, because why would you buy the 13″?) would cost me just over $3,200 (adding 3rd party SSD, Apple 8GB RAM and the Hi-Res screen). Man, this is disingenuous. 8GB RAM? As if you can't get it cheaper (or the MBA even offered 8GB RAM as an option)? Or as if the 15" MBP doesn't blow the Air out of the water in every other aspect? I bought a 13" P…
Are you sure you want to own your MacBook for 3 years? The depreciation on Apple laptops is low enough that you can resell it and trade up to the latest refresh once a year for the same cost as trading up once every 3 years. If you're interested in the best bang-for-your-buck and can put up with the hassle, you should definitely think about it.
The only thing I use my DVD drive for is movies (but I recently got Netflix), and a recent troubleshooting round on a 1st gen MBA. And I made an install USB stick, so I don't need the drive any more anyway.
This has easily been the longest-lasting computer I've purchased, especially in the laptop realm. I'm thrilled with what it cost me.