Getting a MBP vs. Air?

[0388631]

Evening all.

My experience with Apple products has been rather random. I owned a Macintosh Performa something back in the day, when most people on the net were still in their diapers. I've still got bits and pieces of it hidden away... somewhere. I've had iPods and even bought a MBP back in very early 2008 before the redesign. Which I modded with an SSD several years back and which died not long ago.

Anyway, getting to the point here. I recently came across software that I really liked. Unfortunately, it's OSX only, and I've been a DOS and then Windows person most of my life. I could rent time on a cloud OSX system and use my license there, but it's not cost effective in the long run. I've figured I could get a new Mac. All I need is Mavericks and newer OS wise. The actual requirements for the software are rather loose, and it's not needy in terms of fast hardware.

I'm looking at the 11" Air, and optioning it with 8 GB of RAM and a bump in SSD space. But I then decided to look at the MBPs. The 2.7 ghz i5 with the 256 GB SSD seems great for $1,500 excl. tax. I'm sure 8 GB would suffice.

Then I look at the 11" Air, and optioned it with a 2.2 ghz i7, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD space, and that comes out to $1,349 excl. tax. I'm not bothered by the small screen, as I have plans on hooking it up to one of my Dell U3014s, unless I can't. If I can't, do I need a special hub and cable to do so or is it simply impossible?

Which system or what configuration would serve me at least 3-4 years or maybe 5 if I get something faster? I managed to stretch my Q1 MBP nearly 8 years and it was humming along decently until the end. It did show its age in recent years though.

Also I don't plan on using the keyboard on the laptop much. And instead choosing to use a USB wireless or wired keyboard, and a mouse. Seeing as I'll only be needing it for a few hours a week, I'd like to keep it under $1,700. I spent much more than that on my old MBP. They were the Rolls Royces of laptops back then, which justified the price.

And would these be able to connect to my home mass storage I've built? Or do I need something specifically formatted in whatever OSX is using these days? Like Time Machine or can I use a quality external drive for extra backup? Or would I be better off using my DropBox for important stuff?

 

[azure247]

Why not get a mac mini then? You know if you use your laptop as a desktop you are going to murder the battery...

 

[0388631]

Why not get a mac mini then? You know if you use your laptop as a desktop you are going to murder the battery...

I did consider that. Especially because I can option it out pretty well! But I'd like to be portable if I want to. Take into the backyard, sit at the table, type away. How much would the battery "die" over a 2 year span? I won't be keeping it plugged in 24/7. What would Apple charge if I had to get a battery replaced on my dime? $150?


Edit: Unless it's possible for me to get one, and then use a Windows based laptop to tunnel into the Mac Mini? Or is that not possible? I use LogMeIn to tunnel from my work computer to my home sometimes. Can I do that from Windows to OSX? Or Team Viewer. Can I use that if LogMeIn doesn't support what I want to do?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I did consider that. Especially because I can option it out pretty well! But I'd like to be portable if I want to. Take into the backyard, sit at the table, type away. How much would the battery "die" over a 2 year span? I won't be keeping it plugged in 24/7. What would Apple charge if I had to get a battery replaced on my dime? $150?


Edit: Unless it's possible for me to get one, and then use a Windows based laptop to tunnel into the Mac Mini? Or is that not possible? I use LogMeIn to tunnel from my work computer to my home sometimes. Can I do that from Windows to OSX? Or Team Viewer. Can I use that if LogMeIn doesn't support what I want to do?

No matter what you do your battery will last 3-5 years before it needs replacing, that just seems to be the nature of the batteries Apple are currently using they are brilliant and reports on here of them still going strong 6 years later are not uncommon. If you get AppleCare they will cover it for 80% capacity or 1000 cycles for the 3year warranty, replacing afterwards is $129 for the air and $199 for the pro (they replace the whole top case keyboard and trackpad on the pro).

 

[0388631]

No matter what you do your battery will last 3-5 years before it needs replacing, that just seems to be the nature of the batteries Apple are currently using they are brilliant and reports on here of them still going strong 6 years later are not uncommon. If you get AppleCare they will cover it for 80% capacity or 1000 cycles for the 3year warranty, replacing afterwards is $129 for the air and $199 for the pro (they replace the whole top case keyboard and trackpad on the pro).

That's not bad. So with Apple Care, it's whichever comes first, and 80% max held charge or 1000 full cycles. The replacement price isn't bad either. So with replacement you get a new keyboard and track pad? That sounds like a steal. Pending the tunneling question, both options and the Mini are incredibly tempting. I was under the impression that Apple's due to upgrade their Air and MBP soon or was that in September?

 

[AFEPPL]

Given you are hooking upto an external screen the difference is not that huge.
However, personally I'm not a fan of the MBA, i like the rMBP platform better with the better screen and better connectivity which may well be of concern to you.

My travel laptop is a 3YO rMBP and the battery is at 90% health still. (5961/6600mAh) I don't foresee having issues at the 5YO mark. (but accept this is not linear)

 

[Samuelsan2001]

That's not bad. So with Apple Care, it's whichever comes first, and 80% max held charge or 1000 full cycles. The replacement price isn't bad either. So with replacement you get a new keyboard and track pad? That sounds like a steal. Pending the tunneling question, both options and the Mini are incredibly tempting. I was under the impression that Apple's due to upgrade their Air and MBP soon or was that in September?

Yeah the MBP should be upgraded in the next month or so could even be serious redesign with tb3 oled screens and ddr4. The airs are pretty much done bar minor CPU upgrades.

 

[0388631]

Given you are hooking upto an external screen the difference is not that huge.
However, personally I'm not a fan of the MBA, i like the rMBP platform better with the better screen and better connectivity which may well be of concern to you.

My travel laptop is a 3YO rMBP and the battery is at 90% health still. (5961/6600mAh) I don't foresee having issues at the 5YO mark. (but accept this is not linear)

Does OSX have a battery calibration function?

Yeah the MBP should be upgraded in the next month or so could even be serious redesign with tb3 oled screens and ddr4. The airs are pretty much done bar minor CPU upgrades.

What's TB3? Googleing it and not seeing much except explanations of why it's better than something else. So in your opinion wait until those release or not? Does this new TB3 OLED suffer from burn in issues or is the OLED burn in issue blown out of proportions?

 

[AFEPPL]

Does OSX have a battery calibration function?


What's TB3? Googleing it and not seeing much except explanations of why it's better than something else. So in your opinion wait until those release or not? Does this new TB3 OLED suffer from burn in issues or is the OLED burn in issue blown out of proportions?

You can get a download tool called pineapple.
Thats provides lots of data. See enclosed.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Does OSX have a battery calibration function?


What's TB3? Googleing it and not seeing much except explanations of why it's better than something else. So in your opinion wait until those release or not? Does this new TB3 OLED suffer from burn in issues or is the OLED burn in issue blown out of proportions?

Tb3 is thunderbolt 3 a connection port with a USBC connector that has huge bandwidth, oled screens amazing colour and blacks very thin, they have started releasing huge oled TVs so hopefully they've sorted out the burn in Apple watches use them already.

OS X doesn't really have any battery controls it seems to keep them spot on without any user intervention.

 

[0388631]

Tb3 is thunderbolt 3 a connection port with a USBC connector that has huge bandwidth, oled screens amazing colour and blacks very thin, they have started releasing huge oled TVs so hopefully they've sorted out the burn in Apple watches use them already.

OS X doesn't really have any battery controls it seems to keep them spot on without any user intervention.

Oh right. I didn't make the connection with Thunderbolt. So if I hold out for now, I can get the new one but would need a cable to hook up one of the Dells, like an HDMI or miniDP cable?

 

[emilioestevez]

The screen on the Air line sucks, but everything else is solid. The Airs have by far the best battery life of any laptop on the market.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Oh right. I didn't make the connection with Thunderbolt. So if I hold out for now, I can get the new one but would need a cable to hook up one of the Dells, like an HDMI or miniDP cable?

What ports come on the new ones is anyone's guess it is Apple after all!!