Laptop Buying Advice

[R.Youden]

We, I am looking into a new laptop. I currently have a rev. A MacBook Pro, and although it is a good machine it has a number of issues:

• Get so so hot I can't use it as a laptop for very long
• It is very 'heavy' relatively speaking
• The charge only last about an hour, which is pretty crap really!

So now in the UK we have the 'back-to-school' promotion I thought I would take advantage of it as I graduate in a few months. The idea is to sell the MBP and the "free" iPod to raise some of the cash for the laptop. Anyway I am not 100% sure over which laptop to get. I travel on a fairly regular basis so I can't really see the advantage of another MBP, the only plus is the expresscard slot for fast downloading of photos. I am not bothered about performance (OK, I want something sensible) as I have my MacPro at home for any intensive tasks. So it is down to the MacBook or the MacBook Air, this is the trade-offs between the two:

MacBook

Pro's:

• Cost, I would probably go for the mid range model which is around £700 on education discount
• No heat issues that I am aware of
• Good battery life (around 4 hours I think)

Con's:

• Is it that much lighter than my MacBook Pro?
• It is coming towards the end of its product cycle with a new one due very soon

MacBook Air

Pro's:

• Very light, in fact amazingly light
• Good batter life (4 - 5 hours)
• Excellent quality screen

Con's:

• More expensive than MacBook (around £1100)
• Some heat issues

At the moment logically the MacBook looks the way to go. It is a cheaper machine and has more 'features'. However just as I am about to commit to the MacBook I keep looking at the MacBook Air. I am not bothered about lack of USB as I would only need one port at most and that is for downloading from my camera.

My other concern about the MacBook is the rumoured upgrade in a few weeks. If the upgrade is available on the promo that I think I will jump for that. If not then I will still be in limbo.

Any sensible and impartial words of advice on here?

 

[Tallest Skil]

MacBook

Cons:
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATED IN EIGHT MONTHS.

Even the Air is due in January. We've heard nothing about anything, but if you need it, get it and be happy.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Get the MB if you need it, wait if you don't. Or, get it now and sell it later when some of the others are updated; MBA is unlikely to be updated for a while. However, refurbs can always be a good buy when updates are issued, as they come with guarantees/warranties, a generous discount and rigorous testing. Wait for the updates and see what best suits you in terms of needs and cost.
Cheers