13” non Touch Bar base model vs MackBook Air 2018

[shenfrey]

I don’t need a laptop for portability as this will simply remain on my desk, though will be carried around in some instances. The choices are between the two above, nothing more, could anyone recommend which would be better? Money wise I can only afford one of these two, and just want one that’s going to be fast, responsive and stable

I heard the MBP has a better display and is faster, however the MBA is newer with more security features and better thermals, so hopefully you can see my dilemma.

Thanks guys.

 

[macdudesir]

I would suggest the Air. The 13" Pro with no touchbar is a few gens behind on the internals and also has a much lower thermal envelope that the processor in it is really pushing.

 

[dotzero123]

I've got the 13" MBP w/ Touch Bar. Love the Touch Bar, love using fingerprint id and especially helpful are the two extra thunderbolt ports. Keep in mind, depending on how you're using the MBP, that ports other than thunderbolt are history. Get a good docking station w ports or some connectors if you plan to add a monitor, internet etc. I upgraded from 2017 MacBook Air and it is night and day. The display is good, the keyboard on mine is solid and I've never looked back. JMHO though. To each his / her own.

 

[Howard2k]

I wouldn’t get either. In that size range I’d get the 13” with Touch Bar. No question. Money isn’t an issue and you want fast, responsive, and stable. There are some issues with the current generation but if I was buying it would be the 13” TB.

But if you’re not interested in portability, an iMac will get you more bang for your buck.

If I had to pick one of the two - the Air.

 

[casperes1996]

I don’t need a laptop for portability as this will simply remain on my desk. The choices of the two above, nothing more, could anyone recommend which would be better? Money wise between the two is not an issue, just want one that’s going to be fast, responsive and stable

If you don't need portability, point your budget at an iMac. Much, much better at a given price point for performance and of course thereat big screen for desk work. No logic in getting a laptop if it'll always be planted at a desk, when there's the option of a great desktop computer. Every $1 spent on a laptop will give you waaaay less power than $1 spent on an iMac. You pay for portability in a laptop.

 

[shenfrey]

If you don't need portability, point your budget at an iMac. Much, much better at a given price point for performance and of course thereat big screen for desk work. No logic in getting a laptop if it'll always be planted at a desk, when there's the option of a great desktop computer. Every $1 spent on a laptop will give you waaaay less power than $1 spent on an iMac. You pay for portability in a laptop.

Thanks for the advice, however I already have a computer, this will mainly be used as a companion to my computer, and I will be moving it around occasionally. You might suggest an iPad now, however I don’t want an iPad I want a laptop

I wouldn’t get either. In that size range I’d get the 13” with Touch Bar. No question. Money isn’t an issue and you want fast, responsive, and stable. There are some issues with the current generation but if I was buying it would be the 13” TB.

But if you’re not interested in portability, an iMac will get you more bang for your buck.

If I had to pick one of the two - the Air.

Sorry I should have made myself clearer, money IS an issue, a massive issue, it’s just not an issue between the MBP non Touch Bar and MBA aa I can afford an extra £100 for the MBP non-touch bar.

I've got the 13" MBP w/ Touch Bar. Love the Touch Bar, love using fingerprint id and especially helpful are the two extra thunderbolt ports. Keep in mind, depending on how you're using the MBP, that ports other than thunderbolt are history. Get a good docking station w ports or some connectors if you plan to add a monitor, internet etc. I upgraded from 2017 MacBook Air and it is night and day. The display is good, the keyboard on mine is solid and I've never looked back. JMHO though. To each his / her own.

Please only recommend out of the two I mentioned, as money is definitely an issue and I should have made myself self more clear

I would suggest the Air. The 13" Pro with no touchbar is a few gens behind on the internals and also has a much lower thermal envelope that the processor in it is really pushing. Plus you say portability is the main concern, so the Air fits that bill.

Thanks for the response, you seem to have understood where I was coming from (apart from the portability part ) I read that the MBP non Touch Bar was faster than the MBA with a better display (p3 wise colour), but you’re right regarding the better thermals and of course it uses the latest technology such as T2.

 

[casperes1996]

Thanks for the advice, however I already have a computer, this will mainly be used as a companion to my computer, and I will be moving it around occasionally. You might suggest an iPad now, however I don’t want an iPad I want a laptop

Whether an iPad is fit for duty heavily depends on usecase, and I wouldn’t recommend it without knowing more about your use-case anyway . There’s a reason I have MBP, iPad and iMac. Each have their use.

When do you suspect to use the laptop compared to your desktop computer then?

Thanks for the response, you seem to have understood where I was coming from (apart from the portability part ) I read that the MBP non Touch Bar was faster than the MBA with a better display (p3 wise colour), but you’re right regarding the better thermals and of course it uses the latest technology such as T2.

Yes indeed - What are your use-cases specifically. Whether the color space and better calibration of the display matter or the touchID sensor and T2 chip will matter more and so forth is a lot about use-case.

I think unless the color space matters and you’d need extra ports, I’d recommend the Air.

But really the TB model of the MBP is a good step of if the budget could allow for it without too much extra work and saving up. It comes with extra cooling, a higher TDP chip to go with it, and generally a lot better performance. - But again, use-case; if you don’t need that anyway, the Air will do you just fine I’m sure. The idea of getting faster hardware for future-proofing alone has never been super good, as you’d get more bang for your buck putting the budget that went to “more than you need” hardware, and putting it in the budget for an new computer some years down the line. The price-performance curve and the yearly advances in tech make it a less than ideal approach to overkill on hardware. Plus, it’s more than just performance. The fastest and the slowest 5.1 Mac Pro both get obsoleted at the same time and stop getting updates. Because it’s not about how fast the chips run, but what feature-sets they support.

 

[hancuriang]

One day i had an urge wanting a laptop and researched the same thing, I chose MBA why? It’s cheaper, has a better battery, and it has Touch ID. Macbook pro is supposed to be faster but I assume for daily use, you won’t notice the difference. I don’t think the difference will be like 5 year old devices vs new devices. I really don’t think it will lag using say, photoshop for non-intensive tasks. What will you do on it?

But MBP has a brighter screen and a p3 display. My iPP has p3, photos and drawings look amazing there... also like the other poster said, it hasn’t been updated since... like... 2017?

Ps: i didn’t buy it though bc it was just a sudden impulse thingy...

 

[shenfrey]

Whether an iPad is fit for duty heavily depends on usecase, and I wouldn’t recommend it without knowing more about your use-case anyway . There’s a reason I have MBP, iPad and iMac. Each have their use.

When do you suspect to use the laptop compared to your desktop computer then?



Yes indeed - What are your use-cases specifically. Whether the color space and better calibration of the display matter or the touchID sensor and T2 chip will matter more and so forth is a lot about use-case.

I think unless the color space matters and you’d need extra ports, I’d recommend the Air.

But really the TB model of the MBP is a good step of if the budget could allow for it without too much extra work and saving up. It comes with extra cooling, a higher TDP chip to go with it, and generally a lot better performance. - But again, use-case; if you don’t need that anyway, the Air will do you just fine I’m sure. The idea of getting faster hardware for future-proofing alone has never been super good, as you’d get more bang for your buck putting the budget that went to “more than you need” hardware, and putting it in the budget for an new computer some years down the line. The price-performance curve and the yearly advances in tech make it a less than ideal approach to overkill on hardware. Plus, it’s more than just performance. The fastest and the slowest 5.1 Mac Pro both get obsoleted at the same time and stop getting updates. Because it’s not about how fast the chips run, but what feature-sets they support.

One day i had an urge wanting a laptop and researched the same thing, I chose MBA why? It’s cheaper, has a better battery, and it has Touch ID. Macbook pro is supposed to be faster but I assume for daily use, you won’t notice the difference. I don’t think the difference will be like 5 year old devices vs new devices. I really don’t think it will lag using say, photoshop for non-intensive tasks. What will you do on it?

But MBP has a brighter screen and a p3 display. My iPP has p3, photos and drawings look amazing there... also like the other poster said, it hasn’t been updated since... like... 2017?

Ps: i didn’t buy it though bc it was just a sudden impulse thingy...

Thanks for your responses guys.

To be perfectly honest my use case is very light weight. It will be used almost as a second monitor to my machine, I’ll be checking emails, browsing the internet, keeping appointments etc. It’s not going to be used for any heavy tasks what so ever, except maybe for YouTube browsing if you can call that heavy?

I think after reading your comments the MBA is probably the better choice.

 

[casperes1996]

I think after reading your comments the MBA is probably the better choice.

Agreed

 

[macdudesir]

Thanks for the response, you seem to have understood where I was coming from (apart from the portability part ) I read that the MBP non Touch Bar was faster than the MBA with a better display (p3 wise colour), but you’re right regarding the better thermals and of course it uses the latest technology such as T2.

Sorry, misread that lol. With that said and reading your other posts I would still suggest the Air. In that very light use you won't notice a difference!