I bought a rMBP 8GB/128GB for $1200. from apple store when BestBuy had them on sale. I am still thinking of returning it for the MBA 4GB/128GB for $900. It is for my daughter staring college this month. this is the last day to return the rMBP. Is the rMBP worth the xtra $300? thanks for all replies.
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Last Day to decide...
- Thread starter TheDrake
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Well, counting the $100 difference for the extra 4gb of RAM the rMBP has, would bring the price of the Air a bit closer to the rMBP. It all comes down to the retina display and whether your daughter thinks its worth the extra money.
Personally, I would recommend the Air for a young college student.
ask your daughter?
you're basically paying $300 for a high-res air. i assume you're comparing the 13" mba to 13" rmbp?
the rMBP is only .5lb heavier and actually has a smaller footprint.
i personally don't pay for first-gen tech but i don't think many people with the rMBP are unhappy with it.
personally when i can't decide between two things, i go with the cheaper option but that's just me.
wait - based on the prices it looks like you're comparing the 13" rMBP to an 11" Air?
I would definitely run it by her and let her look at it.
Also for a college kid you might consider getting a slightly larger drive. if not definitely get her a nice big usb-powered external drive like a 1-2TB my passport.
I am in EXACTLY the same situation as you. I have been contemplating this as well. I previously had a 2012 MBA 13" which perfectly suited my needs. But I sold it for $800 on CL and go the 2012 rMBP 13" as well with the BB deal ($1199.99 pre-tax and RZ certs earned).
I have been using the rMBP for 3 weeks and admittedly I really like it. It's the screen that makes all the difference. I haven't noticed any benefit, in my use, of going from 4 GB RAM to 8 GB RAM...4 GB appears to be fine for my needs. The processor has a higher GeekBench score, but not noticeable either.
Considering those trade-offs, as well as the battery life differences, faster SSD in the 2013 MBA, and Haswell chipset, it really comes down to the screen that I have to rationalize being worth the extra $300 (33% higher cost) or not. Tough choice...and I have not made it just yet either.
this post reminded of one more factor to consider: you are both now used to that sweet sweet retina display. i would think long and hard before "downgrading" and this is coming from someone who just bought the 11" MBA.
It's like watching basketball in 1080p. watching crapdef is perfectly fine, until you switch over to ESPNHD and then try and go back...
there really is a big different with retina. going backwards may hurt
If I was going back to s school, 11" Air would be my choice, in the absence of further input from u or ur daughter. Those dang books, and lab materials, and dirty laundry 
is gonna be heavy and bulky enough. Every little OZ, every mm would matter to me.
is gonna be heavy and bulky enough. Every little OZ, every mm would matter to me.for your daughters uses it boils down to battery vs. screen and which is more important. If the screen is more important spend the extra cash, if it isn't then take the battery and save some money. I sold my 15" retina dn got the air and am glad I did, much lighter and for my uses much better (due to much better battery life)
The MBA has better battery life, produces far less heat, and is slightly more portable considering weight and thickness. The 2013 MBA has a much better graphics chip than the current 13" MBP's. The only gripe other than RAM is the Retina screen, which i find more vibrant and a little more clear. The MBA's screen is by no means bad, you just loose a little bit of color accuracy and clarity.
I'm a college student as well. At first glance the rMBP looks appealing but after some research I've discovered the MBA was the best choice. I purchased the Haswell MBA 1.3/8gb/256gb and I absolutely love it. I dont start school until September but Ive been using this Mac as if the quarter had already started. The only benefit to a rMBP is the hi-res display. The 1440x900 display is perfect in my opinion for a college student (unless your daughter is a graphic design major). The battery life of the MBA dwarfs what the rMBP offers (12+ hrs vs 7 hrs). My roommate has the 13" rMBP and he has returned it 5 times since purchasing it in January. I upgraded my RAM from 4gb to 8gb in order to future proof my Mac. I'm hoping this Mac will last me the remaining 2 years of college and into law school. Coming from a college student I give this Mac a 10 out of 10!!
+1. Great mini-review. I would agree that the MBA is a great investment for students.
Personally... I love MBAs... and I'll likely never own a MBP again (I've owned two 15" MBPs over the years). I have bought myself a new MBA every year since 2009 (five total)... and they are all in use by family members.
I would pay an extra $300 for a MBA over a MBP if that is what it took. For my usage... the MBA is the pinnacle of Apple's laptop lineup.
/Jim
I would pay an extra $300 for a MBA over a MBP if that is what it took. For my usage... the MBA is the pinnacle of Apple's laptop lineup.
/Jim
MBA vs rMBP 13
I was in the same situation as you about a week ago. I had purchased a refurbished rMBP from Apple at $1250. I used it for a week and absolutely fell in love with the Retina display. However, when my two weeks were up I decided to try the new 13" Air(base model)....BATTERY LIFE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!!! I used to always use my computer on the power cord(when possible, of course) because I was afraid of being caught without battery. When I was away from a plug, I would turn down the brightness and actively watch my battery go down(I usually got about 3-4hrs of real world use from the rMBP). With the new Air I get 10-12hrs and I don't do anything different than I do when it's plugged in. I notice and miss the retina display, but being able to use my computer in the same manner that I used my iPad or iPhone(expecting all day battery) has completely changed my computer-use behavior. You wouldn't expect an extra 5hrs of battery life to be a game-changer, but it is.
If you didn't feel like reading my glowing review of the MBA battery life, I strongly recommend getting the 13" Air!!!!
I was in the same situation as you about a week ago. I had purchased a refurbished rMBP from Apple at $1250. I used it for a week and absolutely fell in love with the Retina display. However, when my two weeks were up I decided to try the new 13" Air(base model)....BATTERY LIFE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!!! I used to always use my computer on the power cord(when possible, of course) because I was afraid of being caught without battery. When I was away from a plug, I would turn down the brightness and actively watch my battery go down(I usually got about 3-4hrs of real world use from the rMBP). With the new Air I get 10-12hrs and I don't do anything different than I do when it's plugged in. I notice and miss the retina display, but being able to use my computer in the same manner that I used my iPad or iPhone(expecting all day battery) has completely changed my computer-use behavior. You wouldn't expect an extra 5hrs of battery life to be a game-changer, but it is.
If you didn't feel like reading my glowing review of the MBA battery life, I strongly recommend getting the 13" Air!!!!
I'm guessing you decided already, but I'd go with the rMBP. I am a HUGE fan of the MacBook Air. I bought one in 2008 when it first came out, and owned several iterations until last December when I accidentally left it on an airplane and never got it back.
Fortunately, I had insurance and decided I'd give the rMBP a try. The screen had me hooked. Remember that the i5 in the base rMBP is about as fast as the i7 in the MBA. Granted, the new Air has much better battery life, but the 13" rMBP has more RAM, a better CPU, and a much higher quality (not just higher resolution) screen.In my experience, the rMBP is quieter, as well. The chassis is designed for a higher-powered processor, and so the fan kicks on a lot less often. I can barely hear it most of the time. My MacBook Airs tended to run the fans at full blast quite often.
You really want to have the most RAM you can afford, it is what will allow the computer to be useful for the longest. You can't upgrade this later, so you need to get it at time of purchase. And the Pro is a better overall computer unless ultra portability is needed.
For strict school purposes, I would say MBA is a far suited machine. Smaller size, longer battery makes all the difference. If the use of the machine needs to be anything more processor/graphics heavy...then consider keeping the rMBP.