Is MacBook Air just a cheaper MacBook Pro with inferior specs.

[Samtb]

Many people have said that the only reason for ipad mini is lower cost. Would people say the same thing about MBA?

[GGJstudios]

No, it's a completely different model, designed for a different purpose.

[MTD's Mac]

iPad mini is a one-handed, pocket device, small and cheap enough to be given to kids, etc.

iPad is a slightly more powerful full-sized tablet, much better screen for photos and videos, etc.

MacBook Pro is a mainstream/high end laptop, balancing portability and power.

MacBook Air is an ultra-portable, as thin as it can be while still running a desktop OS well.

When you remove pricing from the equation, you see that there's very little overlap between these products.

[wolfpuppies3]

Not at all, completely different machines.

[coldjeanzzz]

What inferior specs?

Slower processor is the only thing but that's more than compensated for by the SSD in the MBA.

In 2013 the MBA is just a much better buy than the cMBP.

[blesscheese]

When it came out, the MBA was a premium model that was way more expensive than a MacBook, and even more expensive than a MacBook Pro.

Since they are so wildly popular, I think Apple has been able to cut their costs through volume dealing with the OEM's, but they do not appear to have cut down on the quality.

In fact, a recent post in another forum told of a school IT person who so preferred the MBA screen, he "repurposed" his MBP and got himself assigned a MBA.

[Mrbobb]

Originally Posted by Samtb

Many people

Gotta expand your circle of informants.

[rabidz7]

Originally Posted by coldjeanzzz

What inferior specs?

Slower processor is the only thing but that's more than compensated for by the SSD in the MBA.

In 2013 the MBA is just a much better buy than the cMBP.

0 dedicated VRAM = 0 speed

[Violet1337]

Originally Posted by wolfpuppies3

Not at all, completely different machines.

I noticed that you have a MBA with 8GB of Ram. Is that far too much for your usage and what do you use it for? I'm not sure whether to go for 4GB or 8GB.

[MultiFinder17]

Originally Posted by rabidz7

0 dedicated VRAM = 0 speed

For certain uses, sure. For certain other uses, the GPU really doesn't matter all that much.

[throAU]

It is designed with different priorities - those being weight and form factor.

Different trade offs are made to obtain those goals.


it's like comparing a Ferrari to a truck and saying the ferrari is worse. It depends what you are intending to use the machine for.

Doesn't matter how much better the MBP spec is if it is too big/heavy/whatever for the user, and the user doesn't need the higher spec of the MBP.

[coldjeanzzz]

Originally Posted by rabidz7

0 dedicated VRAM = 0 speed

the 13 inch MBP doesn't have dedicated VRAM either?

[AnorexicPig]

Originally Posted by coldjeanzzz

the 13 inch MBP doesn't have dedicated VRAM either?

And neither does the 13" rMBP.

[JHUFrank]

Nope. I havent found the specs in the MBA to inhibit my ability to work at all, and for what I do, I value the lightness of the MBA over the MBP's weight. FYI, my family uses all Apple products, and my wife uses a MBP.

[Vandefilm]

If you're only looking at specs and are 'that kind of guy' then yes to your question.

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by Samtb

Many people have said that the only reason for ipad mini is lower cost. Would people say the same thing about MBA?

Many people talk a lot of nonsense. So yes, the "many people" who talk nonsense about the iPad Mini are very likely to talk the same nonsense about the MBA, and the answer is "yes".

The big reason for the iPad Mini is the small size and low weight.
The big reason for the MacBook Air is the small size and low weight.

Which makes your "many people" completely wrong.

Originally Posted by throAU

it's like comparing a Ferrari to a truck and saying the ferrari is worse. It depends what you are intending to use the machine for.

Both have enormous pulling power. :-)

[Technarchy]

Originally Posted by rabidz7

0 dedicated VRAM = 0 speed

You might want to brush up on your Apple specs...

[Nightarchaon]

Originally Posted by Technarchy

You might want to brush up on your Apple specs...

i think he means no dedicated graphics = i cant use it as a gaming machine, i really wanted a MBA with 4 Nvidia 680s in quad SLI with a 4K screen capable of playing Crysis 3 in super HD, but weight no more and have the same battery life as the MBA now

[barkmonster]

I think when the Thunderbolt docks come out and people get a chance to see how they fit in with the MBA or Macbook Pro, the MBA will be a perfectly viable alternative to the Macbook Pro to all but FPS obsessed gamers.

For audio work specifically, it offers several advantages now there's a Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter: -

1) It's small, light and portable.

2) It can still support a second drive with the Firewire adapter so that's the recording drive taken care of. Don't listen to anyone who claims you can use the system drive for multitrack work, even if it is an SSD, they're full of it.

3) Once the docks come out, you don't need the Thunderbolt display. You can use any LCD you like to use a second display AND all your perpherals down 1 Thunderbolt cable including the second drive.

These 3 things make the MBA more than viable. Particuarly as the raw CPU power of even the entry level model is roughly equal to the entry level Mac Mini and it's a full blown SSD driven laptop!

The Macbook Pro still has more CPU power and less reliance on adapters and docks because of it's connectivity. In this sense, you still get more for the same money with the entry level Macbook Pro than the higher end Macbook Air but for people who see weight and size as an issue, things are a little blury these days on whether the Macbook Air is either an over-specified/priced subnotebook or an underspecified Macbook Pro with less connectivity to compromise for it's size.

[nightlong]

The Air is almost perfect IMO. I'm not a gamer and I don't do video editing, and so it's powerful and fast enough for me. I've only heard the fans once, when I had to download and reinstall ML.

It would be absolutely perfect if it had an IPS screen or ideally retina, and a second thunderbolt port.

I love the portability for writing wherever I like, and i love the design.

[lixuelai]

I just got a base 13" MBA and I am quite impressed with it. I had the first generation MBA years ago and that was severely lacking in performance compared to the MBPs then. However the current model for typical usage I cannot notice the difference between the MBA and my rMBP. Only thing I would like is 2x Thunderbolt instead of 1x.

[JHUFrank]

An extra Thunderbolt port would be a nice add on to a 2013 Haswell MBA

Originally Posted by lixuelai

I just got a base 13" MBA and I am quite impressed with it. I had the first generation MBA years ago and that was severely lacking in performance compared to the MBPs then. However the current model for typical usage I cannot notice the difference between the MBA and my rMBP. Only thing I would like is 2x Thunderbolt instead of 1x.

[jfrancis04]

For me, I'm taking the MBA every time. I feel I can speak pretty objective about this because I actually have a 15" MBP (non-retina) for work. My personal, home computer is a 13" MBA with 8GB of RAM. It is without a doubt the best computer I've ever owned and will probably last me the next 5 years and maybe more.

The ultraportable size, yet still durable, just can't be overstated.

For those who have never used a computer with the flash storage before, you'll be truly amazed at the difference.

The work MBP has the same amount of RAM and a better processor, but a standard HDD.

[Scepticalscribe]

Originally Posted by MTD's Mac

iPad mini is a one-handed, pocket device, small and cheap enough to be given to kids, etc.

iPad is a slightly more powerful full-sized tablet, much better screen for photos and videos, etc.

MacBook Pro is a mainstream/high end laptop, balancing portability and power.

MacBook Air is an ultra-portable, as thin as it can be while still running a desktop OS well.

When you remove pricing from the equation, you see that there's very little overlap between these products.

Excellent answer and very good post.

Originally Posted by jfrancis04

For me, I'm taking the MBA every time. I feel I can speak pretty objective about this because I actually have a 15" MBP (non-retina) for work. My personal, home computer is a 13" MBA with 8GB of RAM. It is without a doubt the best computer I've ever owned and will probably last me the next 5 years and maybe more.

The ultraportable size, yet still durable, just can't be overstated.

For those who have never used a computer with the flash storage before, you'll be truly amazed at the difference.

The work MBP has the same amount of RAM and a better processor, but a standard HDD.

Agree completely.

To the OP, the answer is no, the MBA is not just a MBP with inferior specs. They are different computers designed with different needs in mind. I have had both, and both were excellent computers.

For sheer portability, and a blazing fast drive, along with a very good screen, nothing can beat the MBA. It is a powerful, ultra portable computer, and I have had one for the past two and a half years, and it is easily the best computer I have ever had. For someone who needs portability, and who travels or commutes, there is nothing better.

The MBP is an excellent computer, has much more power and is designed for heavy duty use. Obviously, that makes it somewhat heavier than the MBA.