MacBook Air 13" or MacBook Pro 13"

I got an Air and I'm happy with my decision. I don't need a lot of disk space, and I can't remember the last time I had to use a disk drive.

There is a remote disk drive feature. I don't really know much about it, just that you can somehow access the disk drive of any PC or Mac with it that's on the same network.

There's always bootcamp.

I've been considering pulling the trigger on a fully loaded 13" MBA, but I'm worried that they might release a retina display version soon.

What's you budget?

UTstudent2016 said:

I am looking to spend under 1,300 dollars if possible……which both the 13" Pro and 13" Air fall under…

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Just get the Air, is a better bet as it already comes with a SSD and an external disc burner is like 25 if you REALLY need it... Air base or air with 8gb and you are good to go...

The 13" Macbook Pro is the worst computer in the Apple lineup right now, IMO. Low res, heavy. The ONLY reason one should get it is if they need a SuperDrive daily.

Get the Air.

GREEN4U said:

The 13" Macbook Pro is the worst computer in the Apple lineup right now, IMO. Low res, heavy. The ONLY reason one should get it is if they need a SuperDrive daily.

Get the Air.

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This. Not to mention the SSD in the MBA will spin circles (oh, the puns!) around the HDD in the MBP.

Honestly, the MBPs have a weird place in the Apple lineup right now. The 13" is almost completely eclipsed by its MBA counterpart, and the 15" has a pretty hard time fighting its Retina counterpart (although a price-based comparison could be made here).

Regardless, MBA is the right choice here.

Honestly, I would get the Air, but I dunno, depends how comfortable you are, but I prefer the 11 to the 13.

I have large hands, and moderate eyesight without my glasses, but the 11 is still great for me to use.

If you need a optical disc drive, I would just get a USB superdrive or another company's USB DVD/BD drive.

I am looking at getting a blu-ray drive for my Air, but am thinking I am better to get one for my PC and use the PC for ripping BDs to my itunes library...

i say go with the air, i went from a 13" pro to a 13" air and never regretted that decision. the 13" mbp just seems really outdated when compared to the air.

Don't know why people even get the Pro - it really only has one advantage: More storage.

BUT

That's not really an advantage since it has inferior (non-SSD) storage. Configure a 13" pro with a 128gb SSD and it suddenly becomes a lot more expensive.

Also, there WILL NOT be a 13" retina display laptop in perhaps the next year. I've made quite a few posts about why it's not possible, but it simply isn't - so don't hope for that.

The Air is better in pretty much every way - go for it.

Yep right now the 2012 Air is a better buy than a 13" pro.

It will be interesting to see where they take the pro in its next update, I am waiting on that happening before I pull the trigger and get myself a nicely specced 13" air, but if I had to choose based on the two models available right now the air wins hands down.

UTstudent2016 said:

Thank you all for you comments! Definitely helped me in making a decision! I just bought my Air and I am picking it up later today! My first Apple Computer! Officially converted…so excited!!

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Congratulations, and welcome!

You won't be disappointed.

I'm writing this on a Mac Pro, but my 13" MBA is sitting beside me.

You do know that once you buy one, it's hard to stop, don't you?

My turn

I am getting my next macbook this weekend and will most likely be a 13" model, Im just struggling between either an Air or Pro.

Background, Im a Freelance IT Consultant and do alot of work on windows systems, so will need to run a windows VM on it a fair bit of the time as well as day to day use of apple apps. This will be my main machine for home as well.

Kinda leaning towards the pro cause of better processor and larger HDD, but I know that the HDD in the air is faster cause of being SSD.

railto said:

I am getting my next macbook this weekend and will most likely be a 13" model, Im just struggling between either an Air or Pro.

Background, Im a Freelance IT Consultant and do alot of work on windows systems, so will need to run a windows VM on it a fair bit of the time as well as day to day use of apple apps. This will be my main machine for home as well.

Kinda leaning towards the pro cause of better processor and larger HDD, but I know that the HDD in the air is faster cause of being SSD.

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If I were you I would hold out as long as you can to see if the 13" pro gets an update in sept/october, I really want a smaller laptop again (currently have 15" 2011 pro) was going to pull the trigger on the loaded 13" air but just couldn't with the possibility of a 13" pro retina update rumoured to be happening this year.

SlickShoes said:

If I were you I would hold out as long as you can to see if the 13" pro gets an update in sept/october, I really want a smaller laptop again (currently have 15" 2011 pro) was going to pull the trigger on the loaded 13" air but just couldn't with the possibility of a 13" pro retina update rumoured to be happening this year.

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I dont see a 13" rMBP coming anytime soon.

Went out on Sunday evening to get me a 13" air, but reseller i went to didnt have it, so ended up getting a pro instead. So happy with it, runs like a dream and is much lighter than previous mac i was using.

Just installed windows on parallels and performance is near native, unreal.

I was in the same boat you are and just right now pulled the trigger and bought a baseline 13'' MBP. I think the MBP gives you more "bang for the buck". 128GB SSD is way too little for me and I'm nowhere near willing to pay like 1600€ for a maxed-out 13'' MBA.

For just 1200 dollars you can get the 13'' MBP and later on update both the RAM and the HDD and even swap the superdrive for a new HDD/SSD. If 1kg makes that much difference to you, and if you can get by with just 128GB v/s 500GB then go with the Air.

I have already upped mine to 8gb ram, that i had in a different system. I plan at some stage to change out the HDD for an SSD, once the price comes down a bit, but all depends on how much can get one for.

Rockoar said:

I was in the same boat you are and just right now pulled the trigger and bought a baseline 13'' MBP. I think the MBP gives you more "bang for the buck". 128GB SSD is way too little for me and I'm nowhere near willing to pay like 1600€ for a maxed-out 13'' MBA.

For just 1200 dollars you can get the 13'' MBP and later on update both the RAM and the HDD and even swap the superdrive for a new HDD/SSD. If 1kg makes that much difference to you, and if you can get by with just 128GB v/s 500GB then go with the Air.

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^This. I bought my 13" MBP a few weeks back. The Air just seemed 'less'. The MBP is solid, sturdy. 128GB is simply not enough. No ODD. Lower resolution on same screen size means bigger text (good). For $1199, the 13" MBP is a great buy, and I do plan on more RAM and maybe SSD once prices come down.

GREEN4U said:

The 13" Macbook Pro is the worst computer in the Apple lineup right now, IMO. Low res, heavy. The ONLY reason one should get it is if they need a SuperDrive daily.

Get the Air.

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I have zero use for a SuperDrive but I just returned my MBA in favor of a MBP13 anyway Primary because of Upgradeability (and that I Travel more with my iPad than my Mac). With my MBP I replaced the primary HDD with a 128GB Crucial m4 SSD and 8GB RAM and then replaced the superdrive with a hard drive caddy which gave me another 750GB internal.

With the Air your machine is stuck with the config you create on day one which means overpaying for spec upgrades or hitting a storage/performance wall down the road. But as SSD prices continue to fall then the life of this machine will be drastically improved simply by doing inexpensive upgrades.

I'm not saying this is any way better than an Air because I will be tempted to buy one again when the retina versions come out. BUT, I feel people are dismissing the benefits of user Upgradeability way too easily.

I disagree with most of the comments on here about the MBP.

I just got a brand new late 2011 MBP when the new ones came out saving 15%.

I got ML free.

Added a 256 GB sata 3 Samsung SSD.

Added 8 GB of memory.

I still have a ODD. (Unlike some people I use this daily)

I have a far more powerful machine all for £450 less than the MBA with similar (lower) spec!

Plus I can swap and change HD's to my hearts content because the 2011 13 inch MBP has twin sata 3 set up.
(Unlike the 2012 models!!)

And if I had gone with the 512GB SSD this would have been £700 cheaper than the air with similar spec !!!!

Plus MBP's hold there value better than MBA's.

Very happy with my purchase.

congrats on your new air. I have a macbook pro and a macbook air and after owning an air i will only buy airs from this time forward. im so done with the macbook pros.

Anoxy said:

I've been considering pulling the trigger on a fully loaded 13" MBA, but I'm worried that they might release a retina display version soon.

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IF they release a Retina MBA, it will be like the rMBP. More expensive, and different. I can not be more happy with my 13"/i7/8gb/256gb.

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Tobias Funke said:

I disagree with most of the comments on here about the MBP.

I just got a brand new late 2011 MBP when the new ones came out saving 15%.

I got ML free.

Added a 256 GB sata 3 Samsung SSD.

Added 8 GB of memory.

I still have a ODD. (Unlike some people I use this daily)

I have a far more powerful machine all for £450 less than the MBA with similar (lower) spec!

Plus I can swap and change HD's to my hearts content because the 2011 13 inch MBP has twin sata 3 set up.
(Unlike the 2012 models!!)

And if I had gone with the 512GB SSD this would have been £700 cheaper than the air with similar spec !!!!

Plus MBP's hold there value better than MBA's.

Very happy with my purchase.

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It's great thay you're happy! But don't forget, you have a computer that weighs a lot more than the Air, it's fatter, lower res, and not nearly as pretty!