2013 2.6 MBPr vs 2013 1.7 MBA

[Roadracer247]

2013 2.6 MBPr vs 2013 1.7 MBA

I basically have my decision down to two different options. Before you ask, the 11" MBA felt too small and the 15" MBPr simply feels too big. I generally do all my computing from a couch or lazyboy. In no particular order:

2013 MBA 13" 1.7 GHz dual-core i7 (turbo boost up to 3.3GHz), 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD.
VS
2013 MBPr 13" 2.6 GHz dual-core i5 (turbo boost up to 3.1GHz), 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD.


Pricing is very close. $1849 MBA vs $1799 MBPr. Both of those prices are before my government discount. Pricing between the two is not a determining factor. I work as a Firefighter for a living, so battery life is important. I wanna be able to sit around at work when we aren't running calls and not have to be plugged into the wall. We work 24 hour shifts, so the longer the better. So that has me leaning towards the MBA with its 12 hours of battery life. But my girlfriend and I also like to travel and we take pictures using a Nikon DSLR camera. So the added benefit of the higher resolution screen could come in useful when viewing and editing photos. I have been told its also much better for movie and tv watching. Is this true? The half pound weight difference makes no difference to me. I suppose lighter is better, but honestly, if nobody told me there was a difference in weight I'm not sure I would be able to tell the MBA is lighter.

So as you can see I have quite the dilemma (first world problems are brutal). What else should I be considering? Which processor is going to give me better performance in day to activities? Do these computer throttle back their processors when their running off battery power? What decisions did you guys make when you were considering your purchases?

Just because, I also have a Retina Ipad and an iPhone 5s.

 

[dylin]

All it comes down to is how much you value battery life, if that is the biggest deciding factor, i would just say the air. But for every thing else the rMBP is a better buy.

Hope that helps

 

[fskywalker]

The retina screen is simply too good against the one on the current MBA IMHO, so I would suggest the rMBP. A 12 inch MBA with the retina is rumored, so there you may have a winner if you wait for a while.

 

[Roadracer247]

All it comes down to is how much you value battery life, if that is the biggest deciding factor, i would just say the air. But for every thing else the rMBP is a better buy.

Hope that helps

I spent a solid hour playing with both and talking with a few of the sales people. Both are excellent computers and would fit my needs. I think I'm leaning more in the direction of the Retina because the more I think about it, the more I realize that I don't spend a solid 12 hours on a computer. So the battery life the Retina offers should suit me just fine.

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The retina screen is simply too good against the one on the current MBA IMHO, so I would suggest the rMBP. A 12 inch MBA with the retina is rumored, so there you may have a winner if you wait for a while.

I'm not sure what the difference between the two would be if they added a Retina screen to the Air. It would make it the superior computer IMO, at that size, when comparing with the MBP. Especially if they were able to maintain battery life.

 

[Zodiac.mj]

Got both, if you don't need a 10+h real world battery life, don't even consider MBA. It is great, really light and fun to carry with you, but that screen is so low quality I wouldn't even think about going back.

You use your mac while watching on the screen, it's the most important part of the machine, so choose wisely. But keep in mind, if you're compare MBA screen to rBMP one, you won't be able to look at MBA again.

 

[Roadracer247]

Got both, if you don't need a 10+h real world battery life, don't even consider MBA. It is great, really light and fun to carry with you, but that screen is so low quality I wouldn't even think about going back.

You use your mac while watching on the screen, it's the most important part of the machine, so choose wisely. But keep in mind, if you're compare MBA screen to rBMP one, you won't be able to look at MBA again.

Definitely what I wanted to hear!

 

[fskywalker]

Definitely what I wanted to hear!

You would not regret how much better the retina screen is versus the one in the MBA; it is like day and night IMHO.

 

[Robster3]

Do people still buy Apple non retina screens? Got me beat.

 

[Orr]

The current Haswell Airs make the most sense to me regarding price-perfomance ratio in their base iterations. Once you upgrade the storage to 256GB and/or the RAM to 8GB, let alone the processor to the i7 option, you are already in mid-level 13" rMBP territory which at least this year clearly seems like the more capable machine and the much smarter buy.

 

[maflynn]

I personally would opt for the rMBP over the MBA, unless you absolutely need the battery life

 

[Serban]

the best option is the refresh of the MBA, it will be lighter with better screen than current MBA and probably with 7-8H battery

 

[Orr]

the best option is the refresh of the MBA, it will be lighter with better screen than current MBA and probably with 7-8H battery

Not a chance with the 7-8hour battery prediction for the upcoming MBA refresh. You can't go from touting the all-day battery as the difference maker to giving a nicer screen with average battery life for its class.

 

[Roadracer247]

I'm not going to wait that long for the next MBA to come out. Pretty much decided on the rMBP at this point.

 

[maflynn]

I'm not going to wait that long for the next MBA to come out. Pretty much decided on the rMBP at this point.

I think all things being equal that's the best option. I also wonder how long apple will sell a 13" MBA and a 13" rMBP. The major feature of the MBA is the battery - is that enough to keep that going?

 

[Roadracer247]

2013 2.6 MBPr vs 2013 1.7 MBA

I think all things being equal that's the best option. I also wonder how long apple will sell a 13" MBA and a 13" rMBP. The major feature of the MBA is the battery - is that enough to keep that going?

I have to admit, i don't see it lasting too much longer if the battery gets any better with the rMBP. But this isn't going to be driven by what makes sense. It's going to be driven by what makes money.

 

[fskywalker]

I have to admit, i don't see it lasting too much longer if the battery gets any better with the rMBP. But this isn't going to be driven by what makes sense. It's going to be driven by what makes money.

Exactly, money is the name of the game. The MBA franchise does have its followers regardless the inferior screen versus de rMBP. My wife, for example, favors her 2012 MBA over my 13" rMBP simply because of the form factor. What would be interesting is when the MBA gets IGZO, broadwell and retina screen (2015 ??); there we will have a serious contender to the current retina MBP series IMHO