[The Godfather]

I am completely skipping the new MBA and getting a replacement for my netbook. Should I save the $200 by going polycarbonate (is the material considered plastic?) and apply it in Apple Care?

I have read individual experiences that "aluminum feels sturdier". But does the expectation of greater durability translate into actual unblemished, unchipped, non-bent of a laptop, 3 years down the road?

[Spheric Harlot]

Ask us again in three years.

[Cold Warrior]

Aluminum unibody will dent with a solid impact. From my experience it's tough to scratch, stain, or chip. The plastic ones I've owned have always wound up with a stain, chip, or crack some place some time.

[mduell]

Plastic fantastic!

The aluminum unibody feels a bit stiffer (not to be confused with sturdier), but it will dent/deform when slightly overstressed. Polycarbonate goes straight from no deformation to catastrophic failure.

The plastic is more easily surface scratched because the anodized aluminum coating is harder, but look at any MBP and you'll see a variety of dings/dents/etc along with scratches.

[Spheric Harlot]

The plastic will probably flex enough to allow internal damage.

[AKcrab]

We're starting to see the rubber on the bottom of the plastic unibody come off. Of course the customer insists they've done nothing to cause it, and it's a part that apple is not covering under warranty.

If you drop any apple laptop, it's going to break something.

[Spheric Harlot]

Correction: if you drop ANY laptop, it's going to break something.

Exception possibly for the toughbooks, but those are built for bomb-proofedness.