Help me choose an MBP or MBA!

[bektravels]

It's time to update my late 2008 13" Alu MB and I was hoping to get some input from peeps

Main uses: working from home (with a thunderbolt display), graphic design & photography with CS6 & Lightroom. I've always like smaller notebooks for travel so I'm thinking:

13" MBA 2.0ghz I7, 8GB RAM, 512gb flash storage OR
13" MBP retina, 2.9ghz I7, 8GB RAM, 512gb flash storage

So, I guess I'd like to hear how ppl with similar setups/uses find either of the above...

Would the MBA be grunty enough or will be hating on it soon enough like I currently am with the MB?

 

[Dominus Mortem]

MBP has more horsepower and better graphics. Much better for what you are describing.

 

[sk1wbw]

I've had the MacBook Air, the normal MacBook, and now the MacBook Pro. Definitely the Pro. Much more of a machine.

 

[Livewings]

It's time to update my late 2008 13" Alu MB and I was hoping to get some input from peeps

Main uses: working from home (with a thunderbolt display), graphic design & photography with CS6 & Lightroom. I've always like smaller notebooks for travel so I'm thinking:

13" MBA 2.0ghz I7, 8GB RAM, 512gb flash storage OR
13" MBP retina, 2.9ghz I7, 8GB RAM, 512gb flash storage

So, I guess I'd like to hear how ppl with similar setups/uses find either of the above...

Would the MBA be grunty enough or will be hating on it soon enough like I currently am with the MB?

When you mention graphic design, rMBP is the way to go.
The high resolution will be useful.

 

[SDAVE]

When you mention graphic design, rMBP is the way to go.
The high resolution will be useful.

Not really.

The downside of an rMBP is once you start using it, you will never want to go back to another display.

 

[Livewings]

Not really.

The downside of an rMBP is once you start using it, you will never want to go back to another display.

I saw the display. Makes my laptop display look prehistoric.

 

[Orlandoech]

MacBook Pro for sure, rMBP 15" before 13", but definitely the 13" rMBP before MBA.

Make sense? lol.

 

[bektravels]

Thanks all, yeah I guess deep down I thought the MBA might be a bit gutless. rMBP is prolly the way of the future for me

 

[toiday]

I have a 13" MBA and like it a lot, for leisure. For work, I use 15" MBP. I like smaller laptop too. One time I swapped the 15" MBP with a 13" (before the Retina was available) and quickly regret it because of the 1280x800 screen resolution. The 13" Retina is much better and it's not much thicker than the 13" MBA. My vote is 13" Retina.