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Macbook Air or Macbook Pro? Help please!

S

skythefly13

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Any suggestions would be awesome! Thanks-

Ok, so next year will be my first year of college. I got a 20" iMac as my graduation present, and it is amazing. It has more power than I could ever take advantage of.

My problem is this:

I have saved up $2000 from selling my old powerbook and other savings.
Do I-
A) (What I am leaning towards) - Get a standard Macbook Air. It would be amazing for hauling around campus, battery life, and taking notes. Possibly, but probably not, upgrade the CPU to 1.8GHZ. Rely on iMac in the dormroom and use it for the big stuff (and the CD drive wirelessly).
or
B) (Hesitant about this one) - Get the lowest Macbook Pro (2.4, 200, 2 GB). Have power in the classroom and in the dormroom. Lug around the 5.7 lb MBP all day. Not use the ports or CD drive ever. BUT have the power, just in case?

AHHH, I am really going back and forth. Some people say no, go with the MBP because the Air sucks. Others say, wow, that will be nice with an Air.

Any suggestions would be great, I am really debating both of these options!
Thanks
 
Bobioden said:
How about a MB, because 5.7 WHOLE pounds might be too much too handle.
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6 WHOLE pounds isnt a big deal, I just think the air would be a lot more comfortable to carry around. I would really like to stick with an Air of MBP though...
 
I would hands down go MBP over Air, Sure the Air would look cool and all that jazz and save on power. However it will out date faster, The MBP will also be allot more universal for different uses. I still have a 15" PBG4, the new MBPs weigh half as much as the PBG4s and are easy to carry around weight wise.

In my opinion it would be like taking a small hatch back car over a larger faster much nicer sports car. 😀
 
Sometimes...I feel like we should get money for getting people to buy Apple products. We're advertising and promoting Apple products for free. We should get paid to do this!!!! lol some kind of commission please?
 
nickmcgill said:
I would hands down go MBP over Air, Sure the Air would look cool and all that jazz and save on power. However it will out date faster, The MBP will also be allot more universal for different uses. I still have a 15" PBG4, the new MBPs weigh half as much as the PBG4s and are easy to carry around weight wise.

In my opinion it would be like taking a small hatch back car over a larger faster much nicer sports car. 😀
Click to expand...

Pretty big comparison there...haha. quite a difference. Well crap. I'll have to keep thinking then
 
Hands down MBP...It's everything the macbook air is and more and only like 2 lbs heavier...just dont bring your government textbook and it's pretty even...wait for new MBPs like everyone else! 😀
 
nickmcgill said:
I would hands down go MBP over Air, Sure the Air would look cool and all that jazz and save on power. However it will out date faster, The MBP will also be allot more universal for different uses. I still have a 15" PBG4, the new MBPs weigh half as much as the PBG4s and are easy to carry around weight wise.

In my opinion it would be like taking a small hatch back car over a larger faster much nicer sports car. 😀
Click to expand...

I agree much with him
he put the best way possible
 
jk though...buy what makes you happy...you're buying things for yourself not for us...go test drive each at a store, make a list of pro's and con's, see what your demands/priority of the notebook are and kazaam! you will see the light!!!
 
Have you thought about getting a regular MacBook? Its the middle man of the 3 laptops and I think it would be perfect for your needs.
 
nayxn2nayxn said:
Sometimes...I feel like we should get money for getting people to buy Apple products. We're advertising and promoting Apple products for free, on our on free will, with absolutely no authorization by the very companies we rave for. We should get paid to do this!!!! lol some kind of commission please?
Click to expand...

Theeree we go.
 
Well, having owned all three of your options, I would suggest the MBA, due to its transportability, (3)lbs v. 5.7+, great for taking notes, get its own backpack due to the problems with undue pressure from your textbooks in the same backpack, it starts up and is online in about 20 seconds, get the superdrive, get a nice transportable external hard drive about 160GB at least. I sold mine due to the lack of HD (80GB) v. BlackBook 2.4 Penryn 250GB, but I'm planning on buying the MBA 1.8GHz/SSD before school starts in August/September. MBP is nice, but extremely heavy, maybe 7-8lbs thereabouts. My MBA was great for research at the campus libraries and in class, utilizing Academic Premier, iStor to name a few, was blazing fast. 😎
 
Get the Air. For just notes and other on-the-go at school stuff, the Air is more than capable. It's light and thin. You already have an iMac for more processor/graphics etc. intensive things, so I think the Air is the way to go. Just my $0.02.
 
Really..

... is this even debatable? Always get the most Power you can afford because it will be surprising what you end up using your Macs for over the life of your college years, especially with the pace and requirements of upcoming software. MBP all the way.:apple: The weight difference vs. the power available is minimal. I would rather carry the extra 2 pounds and have all the specs I need in one machine vs. having to carry an extra HD, external SD, etc. The weight listing for All current Apple laptops are below, straight off the Apple website.🙂:apple:

MBA-13 inch 3.0 pounds 1.36 kg
MB 13 inch 5.0 pounds 2.27 kg
MBP 15 inch 5.4 pounds 2.45 kg
MBP 17 inch 6.8 pounds 3.08 kg
 
Generally what you will be using a laptop for in college is creating documents and communicating, unless you're in engineering. You'll already have your iMac sitting on your desk in the dorm (at least until it's stolen) -- why not go with the regular Macbook and save the other $800?
 
mreg376 said:
Generally what you will be using a laptop for in college is creating documents and communicating, unless you're in engineering. You'll already have your iMac sitting on your desk in the dorm (at least until it's stolen) -- why not go with the regular Macbook and save the other $800?
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Beat me to it. The MB fall's nicely in between the two and is also small and light enough to be practical plus has the extra power and expandability etc. over the MBA. 🙂
 
I see this as the perfect situation for the MBA. You don't need the extra power of the pro whilst you have your iMac, and carrying around a smaller, lighter device will be a dream. The best thing to do is to go into a Apple store and take a look at both for yourself.
 
I know it makes sense to go for the MBA if you don't need the power and don't think you will need the power in the future, but, Personally, I would go for the MBP then you know the power is there if and when you need it ... 😎
 
Savagestorm said:
I see this as the perfect situation for the MBA. You don't need the extra power of the pro whilst you have your iMac, and carrying around a smaller, lighter device will be a dream. The best thing to do is to go into a Apple store and take a look at both for yourself.
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+1

Checking them out at the store is a great idea. Also you should keep the MB option open due to the size/power and especially price.
 
Since you have an iMac, I'd recommend the MBA. It is so light you end up taking it with you everywhere because you don't notice the weight.

If it was going to be your only computer, I'd get the MBP.
 
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