Did you originally consider the MacBook Air, but then opt for the 13" MBP?

[palmerc2]

Just curious to see what people say.....I just personally think the MBA is a joke. Mostly because it is way underpowered, for less money you can get an amazing MBP....Much better options from CPU, GPU, Ram, hard drive and optical drive (so, everything?). Based on the facts, the only thing that the MBA has over the 13" MBP is the MBP is slightly bigger. 0.95" thick, it really isn't that bad at all.

 

[InsightsIE]

Yes, Well first i considered the MBP 13" Then the Air and then it was like The MBP was the safe angel but the Air was the tempting devil. But then when i found out my MacBook Pro 17" was advertised at 5 hours battery and I barely got 2.5Hours and that was the same as the air and this was my on the go computer I got the 13" with 7 Hour battery.

 

[7thMac]

Yes, I did consider the MBA and I bought the MBP 13. The MBA has an amazing form factor but has too many limitations (many of which could probably be addressed if there was a will).

 

[nineohtoo]

Yep. I wanted to upgrade my old MacBook and was considering the MBA until the recent MBP update. The benefits offered by the MBP far outweighed the one pound and one fifth of an inch I'd lose with an MBA. Plus the money saved was better spent on my SSD and some extras to go with it(sleeve, aluminum remote for my speakers, and apple's in ear headphones).

 

[bchaplin]

That's just what I did.

I had a terrific 2-year old 15 inch MacBook Pro but it was really not practical to travel with it as much as I do. I waited since last Christmas for a MBA update (and it's hard to tell when that's going to happen), considered the iPad (not what I need; I want a full-fledged computer), and then purchased the 13inch MacBook Pro.

I'm very happy with the portability of my new computer. It is a little awkward to work with such a small screen sometimes (I am starting to make use of expose to deal with switching between applications since it is not possible to have every window visible like I did on a 15inch, and will get an external screen for home use), and I'm sorry to lose my lovely matte screen. However the 10 hour battery life is terrific, and I'm guessing even an updated MBA won't have that. I do like having an optical drive and a large hard drive.

Everything is a trade-off. For me this was a pretty good choice.

 

[Eric5273]

I own a MBA and just purchased a 13" MBP, so I'm going to sell the MBA. I really do like the form factor of the MBA, and when I got the MBA, there were a number of advantages over the 13" MB (there was no 13" MBP at the time). There was a much better screen on the MBA, backlit keyboard, and the MB was plastic while the MBA was aluminum.

But with the new 13" MBP, most of those items have now been upgraded, and the only real advantage of the MBA is weight. And even there the difference has been trimmed to 1.5 lbs difference. The big difference by far is the battery life. The MBA is lucky to give you 3 hours of battery life, while the new MBP is more than double that. For the same price as a new MBA with a HDD and 2 GB RAM, I got the 13" MBP with a SSD and 4 GB RAM.

 

[ooo]

Had the first gen air and traded up for a 15" MBP. If the new air had the specs of a 15" MBP I'd jump on it. Seeing as how sony is able to cram all that hardware into their Z series, I don't see why Apple couldn't. Happy with my MBP, but I still wish it was in the form factor of an air.

 

[Pillar]

nope, just went straight to the MBP

 

[roxygal9]

I did consider the MBA, as its weight, form factor, and decent power were intriguing. However, for the price of the MBA w/128 SSD I got the 13 MBP w/256 SSD and 4 gb ram. This is my first Mac and I am amazed at how smooth and fast it is (though that is in part due to the SSD). I easily get 8 hours, and have gotten more depending on what I am doing. It is a little bit heavier than the MBA, but I am comning off a Dell XPS with only about 1 hr battery life if I am lucky.

 

[SurferMan]

Buddy has MBA and no way would I trade for my 13" MBP, MBA is just slower and generates heat like a mofo, way hotter than my MBP and my specs blow his away even those his was a lot more money. Its only a little lighter but feels more fragile to me, I like the more solid chunkier feel of the MBP.

 

[robotmonkey]

I'm a small size freak. However, the macbook air has the same exact foot print as a 13 inch mbp so it seems really stupid to me. I could deal with the lesser performance if 1) had the same footprint as an ipad (the virtual keyboard on that is large enough, so I figure a real one that size or a little bigger would be just fine) while retaining the same thinness, 2) had the same price as a macbook or even the 13 inch mbp, 3) had the same buttonless trackpad as a mbp, 4) had 2 usb ports. If the macbook air ever becomes like that, I would be really tempted to trade in my 13 inch mbp.

 

[surfologist87]

Well, I have both right now. I just sold my Air a few days ago and Im going to part with it very soon

Now people say the size is only a fifth of and inch difference, but the mbp is a solid thickness all the way from the front to the back.
The mba is shaped like an airplane wing, where the edges are the thinnest parts. Almost as thin as paper lol.

The specs are A LOT better on a mbp, but for someone traveling or only needing to surf the net and watch youtube, its great.
The battery life is what caused me to get the mbp though.
And the footprint isnt as small, because the mba is advertised with a full sized keyboard
And lastly, the price point. The mbp has so much more for the price. Which makes it a winner for me.

Price aside, I loved it. I just wanted to 'upgrade'...at a cheaper price.

 

[bamf]

The MBA is a great machine for a certain usage profile. If the RAM was upgradable, and the processor was a little better it might be more tempting for more people.

The 13" to me is still under powered with the C2D 2.4 processor as well. Had it been updated to an i5, I would have that instead of my new 15".

 

[DiamondGCoupe]

Just sold my MBA for a MBP. Wouldn't consider it a real "upgrade" but the Air couldn't handle what I needed it to do. I honestly don't think it was that underpowered, just the design didn't allow for it to breathe. Got hot very fast and thus performance tanked. Go with a pro, it's hardly any heavier and twice the ram and battery life for the same price.

 

[stefan1975]

Jfor less money you can get an amazing MBP....Much better options from CPU.....

i had to smile at that part. i never thought i'd see a CPU comparison here which favoured the MBP13

but yes current MBA is pretty bad. it is either going the be EOLled or upgraded real soon i think.

If they stick it with an i7 ULV, SSD, upgradable ram, matte display at 1400x900 ..... then I am *so* getting one.