ermir4444
macrumors regular
I have had both and the MBA feels much lighter than the MBP 13". Although on paper doesn't look that much, it makes a huge difference if you are on the move everyday.
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How many would consider replacing MBP with MBA
- Thread starter tim100
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I have had both and the MBA feels much lighter than the MBP 13". Although on paper doesn't look that much, it makes a huge difference if you are on the move everyday.
Naimfan
Suspended
I travel every week, all week. Had an Air, had a 13" MBP. Give me the MBP. The Air just doesn't cut it as a single computer for me, as it doesn't offer sufficient storage (as in, it isn't even an option), and the lack of expandability, ethernet, and Firewire make the Air a total no-go.
As bdodds said, if the weight difference is that significant, get a MBP and a gym membership with the savings. 😉
Buy a MacBook pro now you get an obsolete optical drive. When it's gone in 6 mts its $3000, down.
bdodds1985
macrumors 6502a
of course it is slim and lighter. but a HUGE difference? sorry I refuse to believe it. I am not the one to preach to though. I hate iPad's and the Air's because they are so thin and I feel like I would snap one in half just typing on my lap with it. I am going to go check one out on my next day off, but last time I messed with one I didn't like it. But for your sake and all the other people who like Air's, I will give them one more chance with me.
ermir4444
macrumors regular
Ok there cable guy. I see you cant do without your ethernet and firewire. You got to move on with the time. MacBook Air is the future like it or not.
LOL @ geeks telling people to get a gym membership in a forum. Based on your number of posts and the time you consume in these forums its clear that getting off the couch and walking to the fridge is as far as your exercise routine can go.
cambookpro
macrumors 604
Apart from that: a) you can replace it with another HDD/SSD, b) it won't just stop working because people no longer use CDs/DVDs and c) 6 months? Try 6 years.
bdodds1985
macrumors 6502a
mzjin
macrumors 6502
Optical drives still have their places for several reasons:
1) Retail games
2) DVD rentals like Redbox
3) Legacy stuff and installation ease
I envision at some point things will start being sold on USB sticks with broader USB 3 deployment, but in the immediate future, Opticals can stick around for the "One computer only" - Macbook Pro. They are not needed for the "This is my portable computer and I have another one at home" Macbook Airs.
Naimfan
Suspended
Sounds like someone has lost the argument and has to resort to ad hominem attacks. Typical.
I do a lot of work for DoD, and wireless networks simply are not secure enough. Hence the need for ethernet. Perhaps when you have the same requirement you'll understand.
Oh, and as a graduate of some of the most physically demanding schools on the planet, I'll put my conditioning up against anyones. Perhaps you should reconsider your resort to ad hominems - they say more about you than you'd perhaps care to know.
😉
Huh? You can get a MBP for half that and resale will still be high.
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Did you just learn the word ad hominem?
If you think the Air screen is washed out you need to calibrate it or adjust the brightness. The 13 inch MBA resolution is the same as the 15" MBP but in a smaller screen, wi-fi is just fine, and the keyboard in the latest version is firmer than previous versions. Anyone who travels a lot knows that weight and size matter. The Air is also more than powerful enough for most people and their needs.
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I was ready to buy an 11" MBA for its portability. But after using one for 1.5 hours I scratched it off my list.
I developed a headache within 15 minutes and suffered serious eyestrain for over eight hours after I stopped using the Mac. I've never experienced those symptoms using other portable Macs.
The early 2011 13" MBP also caused me some problems but I was able to mitigate the eyestrain for the most part by creating a calibration profile that I found in a lengthy thread on the Apple forums:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1677617?start=0&tstart=0
I developed a headache within 15 minutes and suffered serious eyestrain for over eight hours after I stopped using the Mac. I've never experienced those symptoms using other portable Macs.
The early 2011 13" MBP also caused me some problems but I was able to mitigate the eyestrain for the most part by creating a calibration profile that I found in a lengthy thread on the Apple forums:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1677617?start=0&tstart=0
here is an interesting article on cnet re 13 macbook
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105...13-inch-macbook-pro-to-go-away/?tag=txt;title
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105...13-inch-macbook-pro-to-go-away/?tag=txt;title
arctic
macrumors 6502a
Obsolete? I'm assuming you are basing your statements on the speculation that there will be a redesign with no optical drives 🙄. Cry home to mama and scream "obsolete" if Apple will still have Pros with optical drives. At this point, its all rumors until Apple says so otherwise.
If you would have asked me 2 years ago, I would have liked the idea of getting a 13" computer - Pro or Air, to replace my 15" MBP. However since I got a 13" MacBook from school, I have changed my mind. I can't stand working on my 13" MacBook, it feels so cramped. 15" is definitely my sweet-spot. For this reason I will not buy a 13" MBA. However, recent rumors of an upcoming 15" MBA has got me very, very interested. But then again, my 15" MBP is my main computer at dads place, so I'm not very keen on the idea of 128/256GB of memory, or being limited to a certain amount of RAM. We'll see what happens. 🙂
Quinoky
macrumors regular
The Air has the same resolution as the standard 15" MBP though, so in that respect you should have the same relative screen real estate.
D.T.
macrumors G4
Only semi recently purchased, but I didn't consider an MBA. Love the Air, but it had a few limitations that were critical for me - most notably, the RAM capacity and CPU options, kind of secondary was storage capacity (the current SSDs are just a touch small for me).
No problems with losing the optical, I kind of dig on being able to connect to GB ethernet, but not a deal breaker, love the display ... though I do like slightly larger (wound up with a HR/AG 15").
I'd swap out the wife's MBP13 with a MBA13 (maybe even an 11?) in a heartbeat, but she likes her current machine and doesn't want to "hassle" with swapping (I'll have to get one in and swap it one weekend when she's OOT 😀 )
No problems with losing the optical, I kind of dig on being able to connect to GB ethernet, but not a deal breaker, love the display ... though I do like slightly larger (wound up with a HR/AG 15").
I'd swap out the wife's MBP13 with a MBA13 (maybe even an 11?) in a heartbeat, but she likes her current machine and doesn't want to "hassle" with swapping (I'll have to get one in and swap it one weekend when she's OOT 😀 )
Medic278
macrumors 6502a
I have to say pro all the way. I agree with what most everyone says the MBA is fine for simple stuff and web surfing but if you want to do real computing Pro all the way. I don't think that the pro is heavy at all compared to m 2011 Vaio and coming from a 17' screen on the Vaio the 13' is perfect. I also agree that the MBA feels like if I drop it or type hard it will shatter.
Is it proven that the MBP-display (wide garmut) has a better display quality as compared to the 13" air? I'm a 13" MBP user.
I think the correct term would be "wider-gamut."
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4528/the-2011-macbook-air-11-13inch-review/7
