I have been researching the MacBook lineup for weeks, deciding on a new purchase. And now, I have finally narrowed it down to two options.
The short version:
13" MBA - i5, 4GB, 256GB SSD - $1,250 (w/ Education Pricing)
OR
13" cMBP - i7, 8GB, 750GB HDD - $1,299 (w/ Education Pricing)
The long version (details):
· To the untrained eye it seems obvious that the cMBP is the way to go -- i7, 8GB RAM, and a hard drive nearly 3x the size. However, I am aware of Haswell and Flash Storage. I am also drawn towards the amazing battery life and ultra-portability of the MBA (Though of course the cMBP is still "portable").
· I am purchasing this computer for school, and will be using it for everyday tasks. I believe the most intensive things I will be doing are iMovie, iPhoto, and Garageband. It may be used for gaming every now and again. However the usage of these could be extensive (particularly iPhoto).
· I will also be keeping this computer for 4-6 years. Upgrading to 8GB RAM on the MBA is not an option as I cannot go above $1300. Obviously, that also includes upgrading to a 512GB SSD.
· Space is a concern with the MBA. I have around 120GB of photos that is steadily growing, and 20GB of music. Over the course of 4-6 years I fear this could outgrow the 256GB MBA. However, I will be purchasing an external drive most likely (with either machine.) However, it would be nice to have as much as possible on the computer, and have the drive as a backup, rather than an extension.
· I am not sure if the i7 and 8GB RAM is necessary for me or not. I hear that it is almost always better to just go 8GB RAM. But like I said, I cannot do that on the MBA because of cost. I currently have a '10 cMBP i5/4GB, and I find the performance nowadays to be just fine for my needs. However, it is not our main computer, and has few items on it (photos, applications, etc.)
----
So what do you think? For relatively about the same price, I could get an i5/4GB/256GB MBA, or an i7/8GB/750GB cMBP. I am not the biggest speed freak, as long as the task gets done in a reasonable time (referring to flash/haswell). However, the battery and ultra-portability (and newness) of the MBA call my name. But then again, 4GB RAM and 256GB of storage induce fear. Seeing as WWDC and BTS did not bring an announced or silent refresh of the cMBP, it looks like the current model is still up for grabs.
As you can see, there are a number of qualities from each device that are appealing. Opinions, thoughts, advice? Thank you.
The short version:
13" MBA - i5, 4GB, 256GB SSD - $1,250 (w/ Education Pricing)
OR
13" cMBP - i7, 8GB, 750GB HDD - $1,299 (w/ Education Pricing)
The long version (details):
· To the untrained eye it seems obvious that the cMBP is the way to go -- i7, 8GB RAM, and a hard drive nearly 3x the size. However, I am aware of Haswell and Flash Storage. I am also drawn towards the amazing battery life and ultra-portability of the MBA (Though of course the cMBP is still "portable").
· I am purchasing this computer for school, and will be using it for everyday tasks. I believe the most intensive things I will be doing are iMovie, iPhoto, and Garageband. It may be used for gaming every now and again. However the usage of these could be extensive (particularly iPhoto).
· I will also be keeping this computer for 4-6 years. Upgrading to 8GB RAM on the MBA is not an option as I cannot go above $1300. Obviously, that also includes upgrading to a 512GB SSD.
· Space is a concern with the MBA. I have around 120GB of photos that is steadily growing, and 20GB of music. Over the course of 4-6 years I fear this could outgrow the 256GB MBA. However, I will be purchasing an external drive most likely (with either machine.) However, it would be nice to have as much as possible on the computer, and have the drive as a backup, rather than an extension.
· I am not sure if the i7 and 8GB RAM is necessary for me or not. I hear that it is almost always better to just go 8GB RAM. But like I said, I cannot do that on the MBA because of cost. I currently have a '10 cMBP i5/4GB, and I find the performance nowadays to be just fine for my needs. However, it is not our main computer, and has few items on it (photos, applications, etc.)
----
So what do you think? For relatively about the same price, I could get an i5/4GB/256GB MBA, or an i7/8GB/750GB cMBP. I am not the biggest speed freak, as long as the task gets done in a reasonable time (referring to flash/haswell). However, the battery and ultra-portability (and newness) of the MBA call my name. But then again, 4GB RAM and 256GB of storage induce fear. Seeing as WWDC and BTS did not bring an announced or silent refresh of the cMBP, it looks like the current model is still up for grabs.
As you can see, there are a number of qualities from each device that are appealing. Opinions, thoughts, advice? Thank you.
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