For Work: MacBook or 13-inch MBP Retina?

[LadyX]

I need help deciding. I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina and I want to purchase a smaller, more portable MacBook for work. I'll be downloading and using word processing apps/Microsoft Office (word, ppt, excel), sending lots of emails, surfing the web, YouTube, etc. Is the MacBook, with these specific specs (see screenshot) capable of performing these tasks and without getting warm? And for how long can it do so on a single charge? Or is the MBP Retina a better option?

 

[AFEPPL]

For basic email and word, then both are fine.
Portability rMP is the winner, nice and light easy to move around.
Performance rMPB

Life is a compromise and only you can pick whats more important to you.
Those two would be the two id be looking at too. Maybe you like the look of one more than the other? maybe you like the colour options of one?

On balance if performance was not a problem - rMB.
Take a test drive at the apple shop

 

[SteveJUAE]

I need help deciding. I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina and I want to purchase a smaller, more portable MacBook for work. I'll be downloading and using word processing apps/Microsoft Office (word, ppt, excel), sending lots of emails, surfing the web, YouTube, etc. Is the MacBook, with these specific specs (see screenshot) capable of performing these tasks and without getting warm? And for how long can it do so on a single charge? Or is the MBP Retina a better option?

The rMB is fine for your intended use, the 1.2 with larger SDD is preferable IMO, depending on screen brightness you should get 7hrs+

You will appreciate the portability of the rMB and my wife finds it an east fit in her handbag with just a sleeve, so no need for an extra bag etc when travelling

I notice you are quoting AED/UAE prices if you have a friend who's popping over to Thailand you can get great savings due to exchange rate $/Bhat at the moment ie get the 1.2 for the price of the 1.1 in UAE with the same US keyboard unless you want the local dual Arabic one

 

[LadyX]

I notice you are quoting AED/UAE prices if you have a friend who's popping over to Thailand you can get great savings due to exchange rate $/Bhat at the moment ie get the 1.2 for the price of the 1.1 in UAE with the same US keyboard unless you want the local dual Arabic one

I don't know anyone who's going to Thailand. And yes, I always get dual (Arabic+English) keyboard. Do you mean 1.3? I don't see an option for a 1.2. If I opt for 1.3, it's going to cost me AED 6,200. I feel if I'm going to spend that kind of money I might as well get the MBP Retina since the difference with the 1.3 upgrade between the MB and MBP would be AED 200 only. I can't justify paying this kind of price for the MacBook when the price of the MacBook Pro is almost the same and has much better specs. That's why I thought if I get the MacBook, I'm going to go for the 1.1.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I don't know anyone who's going to Thailand. And yes, I always get dual (Arabic+English) keyboard. Do you mean 1.3? I don't see an option for a 1.2. If I opt for 1.3, it's going to cost me AED 6,200. I feel if I'm going to spend that kind of money I might as well get the MBP Retina since the difference with the 1.3 upgrade between the MB and MBP would be AED 200 only. I can't justify paying this kind of price for the MacBook when the price of the MacBook Pro is almost the same and has much better specs. That's why I thought if I get the MacBook, I'm going to go for the 1.1.

On the UAE website when you select MacBook, then buy, then colour you are given two options one for the 1.1 and 1.2 the 1.3 version is for order only

The 1.1 is fine for your needs unless you need 512GB storage




The MBP in the specs with the 512GB would be AED 7199 ie AED900 more not AED200 as you are comparing with a smaller sized SDD

 

[LadyX]

On the UAE website when you select MacBook, then buy, then colour you are given two options one for the 1.1 and 1.2 the 1.3 version is for order only

The 1.1 is fine for your needs unless you need 512GB storage


View attachment 588898

The MBP in the specs with the 512GB would be AED 7199 ie AED900 more not AED200 as you are comparing with a smaller sized SDD

But I don't want 512GB. It's too much. My 15" MBP Retina has 512GB of storage. Since this one is going to be my secondary machine, I'm going to get 256GB.

 

[SteveJUAE]

But I don't want 512GB. It's too much. My 15" MBP Retina has 512GB of storage. Since this one is going to be my secondary machine, I'm going to get 256GB.

fine get the the 1.1 and enjoy

I found only Istore had the adapters and some sleeves, DG Sharaf, LuLu did not, I did not check Istlye or Virgin

 

[LadyX]

fine get the the 1.1 and enjoy

Lol. What? Did you read somewhere that getting 1.1 is not recommended? Will the performace not be good enough?

Edit: I would appreciate if anyone with the 1.1GHz version can let me know how it performs.

 

[zhenya]

For your usage the 1.1 will be fine. If you want to spend a bit more for the faster processor, fine, but it's unlikely you will notice much of a difference.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Lol. What? Did you read somewhere that getting 1.1 is not recommended? Will the performace not be good enough?

Edit: I would appreciate if anyone with the 1.1GHz version can let me know how it performs.

We have both, 1.1 for my wife and I have the 1.2 as I need a bigger SDD.

I used the 1.1 originally until I got the 1.2 in Thailand and then gave the 1.1 to my wife to replace her 2014 MBP as she found it too big after using a MBA 11" for 2 years

We both use Office365, stream TV etc with no problems

The 1.1 will perform admirably for your intended use

My wife went to UK yesterday and just popped the rMB in her normal handbag with the MBP she needed more of a beach bag to do the same

 

[SteveJUAE]

For your usage the 1.1 will be fine. If you want to spend a bit more for the faster processor, fine, but it's unlikely you will notice much of a difference.

Agreed, the biggest noticeable difference is the SDD size between the 1.1 and 1.2

 

[RUGGLES99]

I have a 1.1 gold and i'm using all day for email, browsing-research, word processing, watching online streaming movies and cable tv. I've virtually abandoned my mba 11" 2014 base, a great machine, but the screen isnt as good, same with my 2010 mbp 15". Retina is really necessary for my eyes. You'll be fine with the 1.1.

 

[Queen6]

I have a 1.2, 512 SSD and I push it a lot harder than your descriptive usage, with no issues. The 1.1 should prove to be a non issue or you can always upgrade the base model to the 1.3. Better still if you can hold off until end of Q-1 2016, the Skylake rMB will have up to a 40% increase in graphic performance

Q-6

 

[HerrMann]

I need help deciding. I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina and I want to purchase a smaller, more portable MacBook for work. I'll be downloading and using word processing apps/Microsoft Office (word, ppt, excel), sending lots of emails, surfing the web, YouTube, etc. Is the MacBook, with these specific specs (see screenshot) capable of performing these tasks and without getting warm? And for how long can it do so on a single charge? Or is the MBP Retina a better option?

You've already got the 15" MacBook Pro. There is no functional difference in portability between the 15" MBP and 13" MBP so you are spending money to buy a redundant machine. The only computer I would be considering for your usage is the Retina MacBook.

 

[LadyX]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'm getting the MacBook. I've yet to decide on which color; Gold or Space Gray.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'm getting the MacBook. I've yet to decide on which color; Gold or Space Gray.

Although the outside of the gold is quite bling, the inside and the bit you look at most is a nice contrast Gold with the Black keyboard and screen surround, IMO

If the outside case is too much you can always fit a Speck case in a different colour

 

[LadyX]

Although the outside of the gold is quite bling, the inside and the bit you look at most is a nice contrast Gold with the Black keyboard and screen surround, IMO

If the outside case is too much you can always fit a Speck case in a different colour

Yes I personally don't like gold products but that gold is subtle it looks gorgeous especially with the contrast of the black keyboard. I love the space gray color as well. I think it looks really sleek. I'll make a final decision today.

 

[Queen6]

Like the Silver, have one, like the Gold want one, don't care for the Space Grey, had too many "dull grey" corporate boxes in my time. Thankfully I am free of that now, would love a Red or Green anodised rMBP or rMB, sadly Apple`s never so adventurous...

Q-6

 

[SteveJUAE]

Yes I personally don't like gold products but that gold is subtle it looks gorgeous especially with the contrast of the black keyboard. I love the space gray color as well. I think it looks really sleek. I'll make a final decision today.

I put a grey speck case on the outside so it looks almost space grey and still have the gold on show in the inside, you can just make out the grey case edge around the keyboard

Best of both worlds IMO and no annoying sleeve in and out

 

[LadyX]

Ordered the space gray

 

[LadyX]

Guys, is the backlight on the keyboard always on or does it turn on only in low light?

 

[tbirdparis]

Guys, is the backlight on the keyboard always on or does it turn on only in low light?

You can turn it on or off whenever you like, regardless of the light conditions it auto-senses.

 

[LadyX]

You can turn it on or off whenever you like, regardless of the light conditions it auto-senses.

But it turns on randomly sometimes. In low light it's always on which is what I want. But in well lit places it turns on and off. Happened twice so far. Is this normal? Is there a feature I don't know about? I can set the brightness kevel using the F5 and F6 keys. I know about that. Is there anything in the settings I should change?

 

[tbirdparis]

But it turns on randomly sometimes. In low light it's always on which is what I want. But in well lit places it turns on and off. Happened twice so far. Is this normal? Is there a feature I don't know about? I can set the brightness kevel using the F5 and F6 keys. I know about that. Is there anything in the settings I should change?

I don't think you're missing anything. It's supposed to turn on automatically in low light and off in daylight (there's a setting in keyboard system prefs to disable this though), so maybe in your case there's some shadow that has been fooling the sensors a couple of times? In any case, I really don't pay much attention to it. If the backlight ever comes on when I don't want it, I just hit F5 till it's off completely then hit F6 to bring it back later when I need it.

 

[Ogre_Gandalf]

But it turns on randomly sometimes. In low light it's always on which is what I want. But in well lit places it turns on and off. Happened twice so far. Is this normal? Is there a feature I don't know about? I can set the brightness kevel using the F5 and F6 keys. I know about that. Is there anything in the settings I should change?

Try Preferences -> Keyboard -> Deselect "Adjust keyboard brightness in low light"