The weight difference is not negligible.
Why on earth do you need 8GB of RAM?
Reason being is both have the same foot print, so sure the air is thinner and lighter, your still going to want to carry it around in a bag because its too awkward just carrying around like a folder or book. So unless you also carry a bunch of other stuff with you all the time, the difference in weight should not be that big of a deal...
Why on earth do you need 8GB of RAM?
The difference in weight is a pound and a half. I would say thats negligible when your carrying it over your shoulder..
the air is an incredible computer, but one of the reasons i did not choose it was because of the screen. i didn't like how flimsy it appeared, i didn't like the bezel, and i felt like it looked washed out. all of these concerns are completely subjective, and i know you are bound to get a lot of different reactions to it.
i bought the mbp because i wanted the power and upgradability, and i didn't need the ultra-portability, but it was an easy choice when i saw the screen. personally, i thought the display looked a lot better, and i like the glossy look. others cannot stand it. again, it is a subjective thing.
as for gaming, i get the feeling that the 13 will be fine for moderate gaming, but if you are really into it, my impression from reading the forums is that you will be disappointed, and ought to go for the 15. i don't game, so i cannot speak to that. videos and the like look wonderful to me.
I hardly game and honestly, I just want them to run really. Medium settings would be ideal but surely the 3000 is far better than the 950?
The thing about the Air screen is it is effectively HD Ready and can display 720p whereas the Pro can't..
by hd ready, are you talking about high definition television / movies or creating hd videos? i guess neither will work well with the mbp 13, but i haven't tried.
in addition, air owners could speak to this in more detail, but i think if you wanted to hook up the air to an external display of some kind you'll have a much better gaming experience than you'd get with the pro. i think the 13"display is great at this resolution, but i doubt it will scale well. i haven't hooked it up to try yet, though.
if you are this concerned about the display, it seems to me that the 15"is the way to go. you get quad core, upgradability, a beautiful display, etc.
I'm sorry, this was a huge deal for me. One of the main reasons I picked the Air was the ability to carry it around "just like a book" or even open, and it's not awkward at all. I do IT on a very large business campus, and having the ability to grab the Air and throw a serial dongle and a USB ethernet dongle in my back pocket, without having to pack a backpack/bag full of stuff is pretty important. And when you are in an awkward spot using one hand only, holding the Air is a hell of a lot easier than a Pro.
You have to consider more than the computer size itself. The carter is larger for the pro and you can use CD/DVDs so they my worm they're way into your bag as well.
I end up with so much crap in my work backpack that the computer what ever it my be in never the real issue!
@ the OP
With what you stated at the beginning with your computer usage: The 13" Air would be an ideal computer for you. It will be able to do all the things you want it to.
What part of Logic Audio would make you recommend a machine that cannot be upgraded in the future? Just curious.
The fact that Logic is used would lead me to recommend the pro - you can always add a screen for resolution and it has room to grow.
To clarify an earlier incorrect statement. 1280 x 800 is beyond 720p
neither are 1080
Why on earth do you need 8GB of RAM?
I hate the useless and meaningless phrase 'future proof.' People who try to do it are fools that are easily parted with their money.
And some people don't upgrade their computers every year so buying something "future proof" actually saves them money in the long run by allowing them to use their computer longer.
I don't do any video editing. I do heavy photoshop and Aperture editing on 11MP pictures and haven't ever needed more than 2GB. People really over estimate what they need. Just because OS X will use all the RAM you throw at it does t mean you need all the RAM you've got.You must not do much video or photo editing with a question like that.
And some people don't upgrade their computers every year so buying something "future proof" actually saves them money in the long run by allowing them to use their computer longer.