Macbook Pro 13" Retina VS Air 13" VS Pro 13"

[alip7]

Hi, I wanted to sell off my mid-2012 macbook pro and i was thinking to get a 13" retina (cheapest model!). But I don't see much hardware differences. But if I confugure Macbook air 13", there will be higher hardware (i7 and 8gb ram).
What should I do?????
I like to play Gta IV on mac, so I need good graphic, what is the best choice?? (not windows)

 

[Striker-UMB]

You can configure a really good MacBook air 13" for the retina price but keep in mind the MacBook air's processor is only an ultra book processor so it won't be as powerful. Also keep in mind if you want to play games on your 13" rmbp don't expect to play titles like GTA IV. You would need a dedicated gpu found in either last year's 15" rMBP (much cheaper refurbished) or the new model with the 750M. You will also need Windows to play most games. So if gaming is your priority go with a Windows laptop, don't buy a rMBP for gaming. Buy a rMBP for everything else with light gaming on the side.

 

[alip7]

You can configure a really good MacBook air 13" for the retina price but keep in mind the MacBook air's processor is only an ultra book processor so it won't be as powerful. Also keep in mind if you want to play games on your 13" rmbp don't expect to play titles like GTA IV. You would need a dedicated gpu found in either last year's 15" rMBP (much cheaper refurbished) or the new model with the 750M. You will also need Windows to play most games. So if gaming is your priority go with a Windows laptop, don't buy a rMBP for gaming. Buy a rMBP for everything else with light gaming on the side.

Thanks! I'm an Android dev and I like mac for my work and for the battery and quality mac is the first choice.

 

[yjchua95]

Hi, I wanted to sell off my mid-2012 macbook pro and i was thinking to get a 13" retina (cheapest model!). But I don't see much hardware differences. But if I confugure Macbook air 13", there will be higher hardware (i7 and 8gb ram).
What should I do?????
I like to play Gta IV on mac, so I need good graphic, what is the best choice?? (not windows)

For GTA 4, you're going to need a discrete GPU. So your only option is the 15" rMBP with GT750M.

 

[maflynn]

The MBA is the ULV variant of the Haswell, so its no apples to apple.s

The 13" rMBP is a better machine all around with one exception - battery life. That's where the MBA shines. As for playing games, I think you'll be disappointed in the performance given that the 13" rMBP has only a iGPU.

 

[alip7]

The MBA is the ULV variant of the Haswell, so its no apples to apple.s

The 13" rMBP is a better machine all around with one exception - battery life. That's where the MBA shines. As for playing games, I think you'll be disappointed in the performance given that the 13" rMBP has only a iGPU.

Thanks! Yep I figured that for gaming the 15" retina is only choice, but price is like double, so why not a rMBP 13" and a gamin console But for using hardcore apps like final cut or running virtual machines, is the rMBP 13" a good choice?

 

[maflynn]

I'd say the 13" MBP will be good for those, the 15" quad core will be better for vmware, but if you're not running multiple VMs the dual core 13" will be fine

 

[monkeysoncrunk]

Get the most expensive MBPr you can afford, (15" preferably). look at refurbs as well, you can get one hell of a deal. Why? because then you woont feel the need to change every 1-2 years. Itll last you a longggg time (4-5 years).

I do a lot of photography and the occasional video work (Adobe CC). I still have my MBP 2009 13" full spec with a ssd. (Admittedly i installed the ssd/8gb ram- sucks you cant swap parts out now) It takes a minute or so longer then my 15" MBPr 2013, but it still handles everything i throw at it.

my 2 cents: if your looking for raw graphics /processing power stay away from the MBP air.

MBP air is a prius, MBPr are ferraris.

 

[alip7]

I'd say the 13" MBP will be good for those, the 15" quad core will be better for vmware, but if you're not running multiple VMs the dual core 13" will be fine

I currently have the normal 13" mid 2012, it's lagging all over, it cannot handle multiple jobs at once. I'm really frustrated with it. The rMBP 13 it is!

 

[maflynn]

The speed difference between the 2012 and 2013 may not be huge, so I'd put the 13" rMBP though its paces early on, just to be sure it can handle your workload.

 

[alip7]

Get the most expensive MBPr you can afford, (15" preferably). look at refurbs as well, you can get one hell of a deal. Why? because then you woont feel the need to change every 1-2 years. Itll last you a longggg time (4-5 years).

I do a lot of photography and the occasional video work (Adobe CC). I still have my MBP 2009 13" full spec with a ssd. (Admittedly i installed the ssd/8gb ram- sucks you cant swap parts out now) It takes a minute or so longer then my 15" MBPr 2013, but it still handles everything i throw at it.

my 2 cents: if your looking for raw graphics /processing power stay away from the MBP air.

MBP air is a prius, MBPr are ferraris.

Thanks for the great explanation! Looking at refurbs righ now

 

[Blue Sun]

The late 2013 13" rMBP handles GTA IV pretty well, check this out. The guy in the video says that he is using Wineskin to run it.

 

[alip7]

The late 2013 13" rMBP handles GTA IV pretty well, check this out. The guy in the video says that he is using Wineskin to run it.

Running games with Wineskin is hell of a job! It is really hard! I will install windows for gaming... does gta iv even support Intel iris ? Cuz it does not on intel 4000...

 

[Osamede]

I've had both of these laptops at work. I'd go with the Air.

You'd really have to have very specific needs to see any use out of the processor speed advantage of the rMPB. Eg you need to encode a lot of views and you need to do it fast etc. MBA is quite fast in normal usage. Other than video encoding, personally I have never seen its limits. Certainly not in video playback.

The theoretically better screen of the RMBP in practice isnt there, as you end up upsizing the fonts to basically 1280 x 800 in order to see it, which defeats the purpose. The 1440 x 900 on the MBA is actually usable without mucking about with zooming in and out.

The MBA has a much better feel in terms of how the keyboard slopes down so the edge never digs into your palms, unlike the rMB.

RMBP for me is an unfinished idea. Apple should have put togheter one laptop to replace both. Use the form factor of the MBA and maybe make it it bit thicker to accommodate a faster processor and a second thunderbolt port - but that would be about it.

As it is though, the MBA is a bette overall package if you focus on actual usage and not theoretical specs.

 

[stu.h]

I bought the i5 2.4/8GB 13" rMBP last week and love it. The screen is absolutely gorgeous and seems a fair bit quicker than my maxed out Mac Mini i7 quad 2.6 /16GB.

I have the screen on the highest res that Mavericks will allow (with no mods), and it's perfectly fine.

Do the deal / Pull the trigger