I don't think the MBP is all that heavy. While it is heave than my MBA its not like its a burden to bring my MBP with me. Plus for the all the MBP can do I think its pretty light and would prefer to have my MBP with me at all time.
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2011 Air vs Late 2011 Pro
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I don't think the MBP is all that heavy. While it is heave than my MBA its not like its a burden to bring my MBP with me. Plus for the all the MBP can do I think its pretty light and would prefer to have my MBP with me at all time.
Did anyone forget the GPU? The Pro's GPU will be many times faster than the integrated chipset in the Air.
That's certainly not the case in the 13" model... and since it's the only size shared by MBP and MBA... well, that kinda makes your post rather flawed
i have 13inch i5 late 2011 model. would not take a mba if someone gave it to me.
i for one still use the superdrive for alot. also, not being able to upgrade components is a huge downer for me. I dont mind the weight. the 13inch imo is perfect balance b/t power and portability
i for one still use the superdrive for alot. also, not being able to upgrade components is a huge downer for me. I dont mind the weight. the 13inch imo is perfect balance b/t power and portability
That's certainly not the case in the 13" model... and since it's the only size shared by MBP and MBA... well, that kinda makes your post rather flawed
Well, its quite unlikely, but it isnt certain, do you know for a fact that the 13" will not be getting a discrete gpu?
Honestly, friend...you NEED desperately to have your eyes checked out. There's absolutely NO reason for you to get a headache looking at a screen in 15 minutes that lasts the better part of the day...eyestrain? What is that? I'm not trying to be a d!@k...but I'm genuinely curious. I'm 40, I'm farsighted, so I need prescription readers...and as an owner of a pair of 11" Airs, I'm not quite understanding your serious issues with the screen. I'm just not sure what eye strain is and how it could last...again, the better part of the day!
Well, its quite unlikely, but it isnt certain, do you know for a fact that the 13" will not be getting a discrete gpu?
Since it never has...it's a pretty safe bet that it won't (it's been around for well over a decade in some fashion or another). Not really worth arguing about, as most ALL 13" and smaller laptops utilize IGP these days. Alienware and other specialty gaming companies on the Windows side may be the exception to the rule.
My hope would at least on the graphics side...the inclusion of a higher resolution screen on the 13" MBP with SB/Intel 4000. It's definitely a noticeable difference between the 13" Air and 13" Pro. Even comparing the 11" to the 13" MBP...the resolution difference, in my humble opinion, is a deal breaker. We've still got a 13" Core2Duo from 2007. It's my seven year old son's computer and he uses it connected, in clamshell, to a 22" monitor in his bedroom.
As far as making the decision NOW...between the two, for me...the Air is the option...especially for your declared uses. Nothing CPU heavy (not that there's an everyday task significant measurement difference anyway), and for most of the population...this IS the case. The flip side of the coin, you'll immediately notice the difference in speed of day to day tasking. The SSD is amazing! I've also got a 17" late 2011 MBP that I recently replaced my 2008 Mac Pro with. I'm definitely in wait and see mode with 2012 and the Mac Pro for now...but when it comes to portability...and usability for what MOST of the computing population needs...the Air is a step above. Just an awesome piece of computer engineering...and unless you're in to video production, 3D animation, or heavy CPU engineering...the MBA is a perfect fit!
As far as the extra storage you may or may not need...external, portable, USB powered HDDs are cheap, small, and if you treat them well...they last a LONG time!
Good Luck with your choice
Jer
Ironically at the time I had my 11" MBA experience I was under the care of an ophthalmologist for an unrelated problem and my eyes are fine except for being nearsighted since I was 12 years old. I also use reading glasses that have been adjusted for use with computer displays vs. reading books, etc.
I have used computer displays pretty much full-time since 1997. The types of displays include CRTs as well as LED and CCFL backlit LCD monitors from Apple, Sony and NEC, among others. The 11" MBA was the first time I experienced the symptoms that I described in my post.
Headaches and other eyestrain-related symptoms can last for hours. If you had read my post more carefully you would know that I stated that the headache happened within 15 minutes and I used the computer for a total of 1.5 hours.
Many people do not have a problem with the 11" MBA and you are fortunate to be one of them. But I'm not the only person having serious problems with Apple's LED backlit displays:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1677617?start=0&tstart=0
Thanks for the response...and please realize, my point was NOT to poke fun at your eyes, your sight, or any health issues you may/may not have. It was only meant to emphasize what I thought to be an over-embellishment of how awful the MBA display is. In comparison to many laptops...across the spectrum, whether it be Windows or OSx...the MBA display, in my humble opinion is still right up there with the best of them.
You're correct (I believe it was you) that the color gamut is lesser than that of it's MBP brethren...or the very, VERY few IPS panels on the market. However, in comparison to the bulk of available laptops...including the new "Ultrabook" competitors from HP, ASUS, Dell, Sony, and Toshiba--that I've seen, the MBA still compares favorably. Other than the ASUS...I think the MBA is leagues ahead of the competition...again, considering it's design, target audience, and it's main-stay--it's "Ultra" Portability.
It's definite not designed as a reference monitor for broadcast, nor is it designed for final layout output for the latest Vogue magazine. It IS however an excellent display for what it's designed for...as well as giving the end user the option to extend that ability via Thunderbolt to any display he/she chooses.
While indeed there may be plenty of folk complaining about Apple's use of 'glossy' displays...and the lack there of a reference calibre, matte display...I think Apple is appealing mainly to the consumer level customer...and the bright, pronounced colors on their screens. I think they figure a professional that needs a Pro monitor for color correct output will look elsewhere...as their are brands that do that, and that ONLY...it's hard to compete with those manufacturers, and there doesn't seem to be that great of a need to...especially when you compare Apple screens to the rest of what is on the shelf at your local Best Buy, Frye's, Wal Mart, et al.
Sorry...again, I wasn't trying to be a dick about your eye-sight...only that I believed you ought to have them checked if indeed you suffered the eye-strain and head ache you described. I have an appreciation for head-aches...two or three migraines a year gives me great respect for the affliction. Please accept my apology...
J
You're correct (I believe it was you) that the color gamut is lesser than that of it's MBP brethren...or the very, VERY few IPS panels on the market. However, in comparison to the bulk of available laptops...including the new "Ultrabook" competitors from HP, ASUS, Dell, Sony, and Toshiba--that I've seen, the MBA still compares favorably. Other than the ASUS...I think the MBA is leagues ahead of the competition...again, considering it's design, target audience, and it's main-stay--it's "Ultra" Portability.
It's definite not designed as a reference monitor for broadcast, nor is it designed for final layout output for the latest Vogue magazine. It IS however an excellent display for what it's designed for...as well as giving the end user the option to extend that ability via Thunderbolt to any display he/she chooses.
While indeed there may be plenty of folk complaining about Apple's use of 'glossy' displays...and the lack there of a reference calibre, matte display...I think Apple is appealing mainly to the consumer level customer...and the bright, pronounced colors on their screens. I think they figure a professional that needs a Pro monitor for color correct output will look elsewhere...as their are brands that do that, and that ONLY...it's hard to compete with those manufacturers, and there doesn't seem to be that great of a need to...especially when you compare Apple screens to the rest of what is on the shelf at your local Best Buy, Frye's, Wal Mart, et al.
Sorry...again, I wasn't trying to be a dick about your eye-sight...only that I believed you ought to have them checked if indeed you suffered the eye-strain and head ache you described. I have an appreciation for head-aches...two or three migraines a year gives me great respect for the affliction. Please accept my apology...
J
OUt of the box, the air will feel faster to use unless you are doing CPU intensive tasks.
However, if you're willing to expand the Pro (with say, 128gb SSD), it will smoke the air in all respects, except for screen resolution, which you can use an external monitor for when at your desk - 1280x800 isn't totally unusable, and imho way preferable to the 1366x768 on the 11" air (16x9 aspect screens suck, 16x10 aspect with the higher vertical res is so much more useful imho).
The air's processor isn't a major hurdle (hell, our 2010 is fine in general use) - but the limited RAM is. If you're planning to keep it for a couple of years, that 4gb is going to be very limiting.
The RAM capacity is reason number one that I didn't even consider a 13" air when i was shopping for my 15" pro (the other was that i need screen res for Xcode).
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I did not take your post personally, so No Worries in that regard...
What did bother me is the way that you easily dismissed my experience, which I attribute to your misinterpretation of the point that I was trying to make. This isn't about Apple's "glassy" displays ("glossy" just doesn't do the job when describing the reflective nature of most Apple displays). As you know, the MBA displays are "semi-glassy" and something of an improvement over other non-matte portable Mac displays.
My discomfort is apparently caused by the LED backlighting used in Apple's portable displays; the high resolution may also be a contributing factor. If you take the time to peruse the posts at the link that I provided you will see that many people are having similar experiences. There are a number of theories offered in the thread and elsewhere on the Internet about what may be the root cause of the problem.
It appears that eyestrain associated with Apple LED displays became a problem after the introduction of the unibody MacBook Pro in late 2008. The Apple forum thread begins in August 2008 and continues to be a lively discussion today. That's over 3.5 years of posts.
I owned an early 2008 15" MBP with a matte LED backlit display that never caused me any problems. My early 2011 13" MBP also caused me some eyestrain, but I was able to reduce the problem somewhat via calibration and limiting the amount of time I spend viewing the display. I also added a Power Support anti-glare film but I don't think that it did anything to reduce the eyestrain since I son't think that the glassy display contributes much if anything to the problem.
Unfortunately, Apple has not publicly responded to user comments about the display problems.
Granted, it appears that most people are not affected. But if you happen to be one of those that are affected it can be distressing to have spent a lot of money on a computer that is literally painful to use. And some users haven't figured out what is going on until it is too late to return the computer for a refund. Some people have gone to considerable trouble and expense going to doctors since they assumed that they had a health problem, not a computer display problem. After getting a clean bill of health it became apparent to them that the display is the source of their eyestrain, since their eyes are otherwise fine.
So my intention in posting this information is to provide a "heads up" to people shopping for a portable Mac. Be sure to purchase the Mac from a retailer with a good return policy and give the computer a thorough workout immediately after purchasing it. If you have a problem with the display it should become readily apparent in a relatively short period of time.
For my part I am keeping an eye on upcoming changes in the displays in the anticipated MBP updates. I am also sticking with CCFL backlit external displays since I have no way of knowing whether or not a particular LED backlit display will cause me problems. I don't relish the thought of repacking a huge LCD display and shipping it back to a retailer. Fortunately there are some manufacturers such as NEC that offer a variety of CCFL backlit displays in the budget, mid-level and high-end price ranges.