13" MBA vs. upcoming 13" Retina MBP

[clyde2801]

I really think people are under estimating the price. The difference between the 11" and 13" air is $100....i think it will be the same between the 13" and 15" retina....making it $1999 at the cheapest and keeping the student discount at only $100 off. Maybe $2099 and giving you $200 off

Yeah, but the has a discrete, and pretty up to date, graphics card. The 13" won't. I think it will be a couple of hundred dollars more than the closest specced macbook air.

I wouldn't be surprised if apple axes the 13" macbook pro non retina line completely if a 13" retina comes out.

 

[mattopotamus]

Yeah, but the has a discrete, and pretty up to date, graphics card. The 13" won't. I think it will be a couple of hundred dollars more than the closest specced macbook air.

I wouldn't be surprised if apple axes the 13" macbook pro non retina line completely if a 13" retina comes out.

That is what they would have to do. I could not see the incentive to buy a 13" pro. Honestly, a 13" retina would destroy the sales of the top tier airs too.

 

[dmelgar]

I really think people are under estimating the price. The difference between the 11" and 13" air is $100....i think it will be the same between the 13" and 15" retina....making it $1999 at the cheapest and keeping the student discount at only $100 off. Maybe $2099 and giving you $200 off

Its different.
The 11 and 13" Airs have the exact same computing hardware. Only the display, battery, SD slot are different.

Traditionally, the 13 & 15" MBPs have had different hardware. The 15 usually has faster processors with discrete GPU while the 13 has an integrated GPU.

I therefore think it will be between the 15 rMBP and the equivalent 13 MBA. Still say 1800-2000 for the base configuration. Can't make it too close to the equivalent MBA or everyone would get the 13 rMBP.

I'd guess the 13 rMBP will be similar to a 13 MBA except with the retina display. Probably options to beef up the processor and RAM more than the MBA. But for an equivalent configuration, figure $200-300 extra just for the display.

Still makes me wonder about waiting. Retina would be nice. But I don't know if I could deal with a heavier 13. The whole idea is portability.

 

[NewbieCanada]

My guess:

13" 2560x1600 IGZO IPS display
256GB SSD standard, same upgrade options as the 15" RMBP
4GB RAM standard, 8GB and 16GB options.
Dual-Core i7 with a low end NVidia GPU.
2x Thunderbolt, 2x USB 3, 1x HDMI

$1699 starting price

I think 8 GB RAM standard, like on the Retina 15, but no discrete GPU (like MacBook Pro 13s).

Intel HD 4000 runs the 15 just fine under most conditions, no reason it won't run the 13 adequately, especially under Mountain Lion.

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Still makes me wonder about waiting. Retina would be nice. But I don't know if I could deal with a heavier 13. The whole idea is portability.

Current 4.5 Pounds, pretty much the same as the retina 15, which lost a pound over the classic.

Current MBA 2.96

Split the difference and you should be pretty darn close - I'd guess no less than 3.5 lb and no more than 3.75

 

[theSeb]

For a bigger case you'd expect better specs than just retina. 16GB of RAM? Room for 2 drives (2 x 512GB SSDs anyone?). Quad core?

They must answer the question "why would I buy this instead of the Air?". And the answer should be more than just the screen.

Well, you will get full watt mobile CPUs, which are faster than the ULV versions in the MBA. The HD 4000 also runs faster on those when compared to ULV. I fully expect a 16 GB BTO option on these, if they become a reality. So those are the better specs than just a better display.

I wouldn't hope for 2 x SSDs. Not going to happen in my opinion since they aren't an option on the "flagship" 15" rMBP.

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My guess:

13" 2560x1600 IGZO IPS display
256GB SSD standard, same upgrade options as the 15" RMBP
4GB RAM standard, 8GB and 16GB options.
Dual-Core i7 with a low end NVidia GPU.
2x Thunderbolt, 2x USB 3, 1x HDMI

$1699 starting price

I agree, apart from the discrete GPU and I would imagine 8 GB base RAM. I would be genuinely surprised if it was included.

 

[mattopotamus]

Well, you will get full watt mobile CPUs, which are faster than the ULV versions in the MBA. The HD 4000 also runs faster on those when compared to ULV. I fully expect a 16 GB BTO option on these, if they become a reality. So those are the better specs than just a better display.

I wouldn't hope for 2 x SSDs. Not going to happen in my opinion since they aren't an option on the "flagship" 15" rMBP.

it will be the exact same base as the 15" retina just w/o a dedicated GPU.

 

[theSeb]

Yeah, but the has a discrete, and pretty up to date, graphics card. The 13" won't. I think it will be a couple of hundred dollars more than the closest specced macbook air.

I wouldn't be surprised if apple axes the 13" macbook pro non retina line completely if a 13" retina comes out.

If the 13" rMBP comes out this year, then I expect the classic 13" to hang around at least until next year. I can't imagine Apple discontinuing it a couple of months after refreshing it. It does not make financial sense.

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it will be the exact same base as the 15" retina just w/o a dedicated GPU.

I have to disagree. It will not be exactly the same as the 15" since the chances of a quad core CPU, like in the 15", are very slim. It will use the full wattage dual core mobile CPUs, just like the 13" is currently using.

 

[mattopotamus]

I have to disagree. It will not be exactly the same as the 15" since the chances of a quad core CPU, like in the 15", are very slim. It will use the full wattage dual core mobile CPUs, just like the 13" is currently using.

I feel like if they do not make them quad core, stock, they will totally cannibalize the regular pro models. IMO, They would follow the same path as the 15" just with a smaller screen. I guess we will have to wait and see though.

 

[oxfordguy]

Unless the retina 13" MBP has dedicated graphics, I really don't see the point of it over a MBA, especially now that the latter supports 8Gb RAM.

 

[mattopotamus]

Unless the retina 13" MBP has dedicated graphics, I really don't see the point of it over a MBA, especially now that the latter supports 8Gb RAM.

Do you mean the 13" retina? It would be for the screen and quad-core (which i think they will do). Obviously apple is smart and it will be priced and equipped perfectly.

 

[Stetrain]

I think 8 GB RAM standard, like on the Retina 15, but no discrete GPU (like MacBook Pro 13s).

Intel HD 4000 runs the 15 just fine under most conditions, no reason it won't run the 13 adequately, especially under Mountain Lion.

The dual core CPU and 4GB RAM is based on the benchmark that showed up on the front page a couple of days ago.

I agree that 8GB RAM as base makes more sense, especially if it's going to be soldered like the Air and RMBP.

I guess the idea of a dual core processor and no discrete GPU seems a bit disappointing for a machine that's likely to cost closer to $2k than $1k. I wouldn't really be surprised to see it happen though.

I think either quad core with no DGPU or dual core with a low end DGPU (like 620M, 630M or 640M) would make more sense. I guess it mostly depends on heat dissipation.

 

[NewbieCanada]

The dual core CPU and 4GB RAM is based on the benchmark that showed up on the front page a couple of days ago.

I agree that 8GB RAM as base makes more sense, especially if it's going to be soldered like the Air and RMBP.

I guess the idea of a dual core processor and no discrete GPU seems a bit disappointing for a machine that's likely to cost closer to $2k than $1k. I wouldn't really be surprised to see it happen though.

I think either quad core with no DGPU or dual core with a low end DGPU (like 620M, 630M or 640M) would make more sense. I guess it mostly depends on heat dissipation.

No fair basing predictions on information instead of guesswork!

I'm sort of going on "what are the differences between a base 15 retina and a base 15 pro" and applying them to the base 13 pro.

 

[jdiamond]

Kill the macbook pro line?

i think you have the price point right. Anything lower and it would kill off the regular pro line completely. It would definitely be a bigger case than the 13" air.

Apple is already planning to kill the classic Macbook Pro line next year, so there will be no more laptops with hard drives or DVD drives.

All of which makes me wonder - how can Apple maintain the difference between Airs and Pros? Is it simply going to be the retina display? But in 2 years, Retina displays will be cheap enough to be used everywhere.

It's easy to imagine that within 2 years the Air and Pro lines will merge into a single 11/13/15" group...

 

[RightMACatU]

It's easy to imagine that within 2 years the Air and Pro lines will merge into a single 11/13/15" group...

Unless they can push the MBA thin-factor to the next level

 

[KPOM]

Unless they can push the MBA thin-factor to the next level

Perhaps. Consider the Samsung Series 9. Their 13" design is 2.65 lbs and thinner than the MacBook Air right now. I do think that "Retina" may differentiate the 13" Pro from the Air for a little while, though. If they can cram a discrete GPU that could be another factor, but Haswell may may that unnecessary.

 

[dmelgar]

Unless they can push the MBA thin-factor to the next level

I know Microsoft has given it a bad name... But the smaller, lighter version of the air may be a tablet. Ipad already comes with 64GB flash. MBA starts at 64GB. But I don't expect that for several years.

 

[mattopotamus]

Apple is already planning to kill the classic Macbook Pro line next year, so there will be no more laptops with hard drives or DVD drives.

All of which makes me wonder - how can Apple maintain the difference between Airs and Pros? Is it simply going to be the retina display? But in 2 years, Retina displays will be cheap enough to be used everywhere.

It's easy to imagine that within 2 years the Air and Pro lines will merge into a single 11/13/15" group...

That would make a lot of sense to just have 11" 13" 15" and be able to configure them however you want. Just a matter of getting the size right to elimate or combine the airs/pros.