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Do I need a MacBook Pro (over air) for Office / Remote login?

A

Adelphos33

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Original poster
Mar 13, 2012
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My current Mac is a 2015 MacBook Pro - I have never had a MacBook Air because i always considered then underpowered. Looking at the current models, I strongly prefer no touchbar (I use function keys a lot while logged in remotely to my office windows machine), so I am hesitant about the current MacBook Pros. My current home setup is my MacBook Air plus my iPad Pro 12.9” as a dual screen setup. My main (really only) use for the laptop is logging into my Windows machine at work, occasional Office, occasional Zoom/webex, some web-browsing and email, etc. My iPad Pro gets most of my heavy at home work (photo organizing, social zoom, any media like movies).
Is there any reason I need a MacBook Pro over an air? I am considering the MacBook Air at $1,399 (i5, 16G, 256) vs the $1,799 MacBook Pro...
 
Adelphos33 said:
Is there any reason I need a MacBook Pro over an air? I am considering the MacBook Air at $1,399 (i5, 16G, 256) vs the $1,799 MacBook Pro...
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There are many MBP i5/16/512 sales now, so the $1799 model is $1599, which closes the price gap to only $200. I'd go with the MBP. I think if you're used to the MBP, you may be disappointed with the Air. But maybe someone who's downgraded to the Air will chime in too. I'm iPad Pro only (with the Magic Keyboard) these days and it's working out great, but if I picked up a new Mac, it would be the MBP.
 
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Adelphos33 said:
Is there any reason I need a MacBook Pro over an air?
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No.

People I know do all the work you describe with a mid 2014 Macbook Air, no problems. For myself, I got the same machine you have, but this was only because of the Retina Display then only delivered with the Pros. Now also the Airs have this beautiful display.

Save your money. I think the MBA base model should be enough (especially as you also have your iPad Pro) for your use pattern. There are lots of threads in the MBA subforum here where this estimation is supported.

Enjoy the physical function keys :) I tried a new MBP with Touchbar, not my cup of tea. Returned it. You could also look at the returning options, i.e. if buying directly from Apple, you could test the device for nearly 2 weeks before deciding whether keeping or returning.
 
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An Air will do this work just fine, but the price difference between a Pro and an Air isn't especially big, if you can find a sale on a Pro.
 
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Adelphos33 said:
My current Mac is a 2015 MacBook Pro - I have never had a MacBook Air because i always considered then underpowered. Looking at the current models, I strongly prefer no touchbar (I use function keys a lot while logged in remotely to my office windows machine), so I am hesitant about the current MacBook Pros. My current home setup is my MacBook Air plus my iPad Pro 12.9” as a dual screen setup. My main (really only) use for the laptop is logging into my Windows machine at work, occasional Office, occasional Zoom/webex, some web-browsing and email, etc. My iPad Pro gets most of my heavy at home work (photo organizing, social zoom, any media like movies).
Is there any reason I need a MacBook Pro over an air? I am considering the MacBook Air at $1,399 (i5, 16G, 256) vs the $1,799 MacBook Pro...
Click to expand...
Save your money and get the base model air. Try it out for a week or so and if it works, you just saved yourself a bunch of money. If not, now you know you actually need the extra power.
 
Of course an Air would be fine. I’d still get a Pro for the better cooling. It’s dumb how hot the Air gets
 
I have a 2014 15" MBP and I do video editing in 4K with it. I am typing on it right now. You do not need more of what you have.
 
Ericdjensen said:
Of course an Air would be fine. I’d still get a Pro for the better cooling. It’s dumb how hot the Air gets
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Doing the things the OP describes, the fan won't even come on 99% of the time. I know this, because it is a subset of the work I do.

apple_unreal said:
I have a 2014 15" MBP and I do video editing in 4K with it. I am typing on it right now. You do not need more of what you have.
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Having just stepped up from a 2015 13" Pro, the 2020 air is faster. And the big thing is new video codec support in the CPU for h.265 and (when apple pull their finger out) vp9.

The pre-2016 machines do not have the hardware support for modern video codecs, so any new machine will destroy machines that old at video tasks.

Also, the T2 chip in the new machines is also used for video off-load.
 
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Howdy,

The only "gotcha" that I could see with your workload, is the screen quality/resolution. You will want to check out the Air screen with your own eyes, to see if looks fine to you. The Pro models have a better screen than the Air. With your workload, the model you selected would be more than fine, performance-wise (just my $0.02 :) ).

Rich S.
 
LinkRS said:
Howdy,

The only "gotcha" that I could see with your workload, is the screen quality/resolution. You will want to check out the Air screen with your own eyes, to see if looks fine to you. The Pro models have a better screen than the Air. With your workload, the model you selected would be more than fine, performance-wise (just my $0.02 :) ).

Rich S.
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The MacBook Air 2020 screen is better than my MBP from 2015, and better than any PC notebook for the price. It won't be a problem. If you think the retina MacBook Air screen is a PROBLEM for basic work like this; well.... jeez.... how did you live before?
 
throAU said:
The MacBook Air 2020 screen is better than my MBP from 2015, and better than any PC notebook for the price. It won't be a problem. If you think the retina MacBook Air screen is a PROBLEM for basic work like this; well.... jeez.... how did you live before?
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Howdy throAU,

I apologize if it was construed from my post that the display on a MacBook Air was substandard or a problem. What I was trying to convey, is that screens on MacBook Pros are better than on MacBook Airs. Which is why I suggested to use their own eyes to check. I had to switch (granted, this was back around 2009) to a MacBook Pro, because the MacBook display was lower resolution than the MacBook Pro, and I needed more screen real-estate for what I was doing at the time. Had I not needed the extra space, I would have gladly kept the MacBook. That old 13" MacBook is to date, the only computer that I have owned, that I actually felt affection for. It was the perfect size, had an easily upgradeable HDD (prior to SSDs, only needed 1 screw) and upgradeable RAM. It was lightweight, ran cool, and with the exception to the amount of space on the screen was awesome. I still miss that one...

Rich S.
 
jerryk said:
Just curious, could you used your iPad Pro + Magic keyboard for this?
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No - iPads aren’t supported for remote login for my Office. For a variety of reasons, I will always need a traditional computer. Ironically iPad OS works better for a lot of apps I use for work, because I can access them via the Blackberry Work suite and it works great. For me, an iPad + a traditional computer is the right setup. The computer could be Windows, though Mac works as well.
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throAU said:
Doing the things the OP describes, the fan won't even come on 99% of the time. I know this, because it is a subset of the work I do.



Having just stepped up from a 2015 13" Pro, the 2020 air is faster. And the big thing is new video codec support in the CPU for h.265 and (when apple pull their finger out) vp9.

The pre-2016 machines do not have the hardware support for modern video codecs, so any new machine will destroy machines that old at video tasks.

Also, the T2 chip in the new machines is also used for video off-load.
Click to expand...

Seems like MacBook Air it is...
 
LinkRS said:
Howdy throAU,

I apologize if it was construed from my post that the display on a MacBook Air was substandard or a problem. What I was trying to convey, is that screens on MacBook Pros are better than on MacBook Airs. Which is why I suggested to use their own eyes to check.
Click to expand...

No worries. I just want to make sure people realise that whilst the MBA screen may be "inferior" it is still better than the majority of PC laptops anywhere near its price. It's an IPS panel that is definitely on par/superior to the 2015 13" Pro that I just upgraded from and handed off to the GF.

The previous non-retina MBA screens were pretty much garbage. However, since they have gone retina, you really need to be quite picky, or a professional who works in a field where colour accuracy is important to have any real complaints IMHO.

For sure, anyone considering both machines should evaluate both, but ruling the MBA out based on the screen is not something I'd ever consider unless I was a digital photographer or professional working with video as my primary job.

And in that case you're probably wanting the better CPU/More RAM anyway :)
 
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