Macbook air or pro or pro w retina, for first timer

D

desainishu

macrumors newbie
Hi,
I have been windows user for all my life. I currently have windows vista on 2.2 ghz core2 duo with 3 gb ram and 320 gb hard drive....

I want to buy a new mac and use it as my primary laptop.. I would be going to uni next year and my use includes general use, watching videos onlines,

I am confused whether to go for base model retina macbook pro or normal macbook pro or 13 inch MBA...

I am flexible on My budget but would like to spend less...

Can any one help in this regards?????


Thanx in advance....
 
Need more info. What are your primary computing purposes? Basically, what will you do with your laptop and what will you need it to do for you.
 
desainishu said:
Hi,
I have been windows user for all my life. I currently have windows vista on 2.2 ghz core2 duo with 3 gb ram and 320 gb hard drive....

I want to buy a new mac and use it as my primary laptop.. I would be going to uni next year and my use includes general use, watching videos onlines,

I am confused whether to go for base model retina macbook pro or normal macbook pro or 13 inch MBA...

I am flexible on My budget but would like to spend less...

Can any one help in this regards?????


Thanx in advance....
Click to expand...

For the uses you describe you can buy any of those - really, any computer made in the past 10 years. If you plan to carry it to class every day maybe it would be better to get an Air and then have an external monitor at home.
 
desainishu said:
Hi,
I have been windows user for all my life. I currently have windows vista on 2.2 ghz core2 duo with 3 gb ram and 320 gb hard drive....

I want to buy a new mac and use it as my primary laptop.. I would be going to uni next year and my use includes general use, watching videos onlines,

I am confused whether to go for base model retina macbook pro or normal macbook pro or 13 inch MBA...

I am flexible on My budget but would like to spend less...

Can any one help in this regards?????


Thanx in advance....
Click to expand...

Any current Mac laptop will be orders of magnitude faster than what you're used to and more than up to the challenge of what you need.

So I'd advise basing your decisions on other factors - is screen size important to you? Only the MBP offers 15-inch. Is portability a factor? Then the MBA has it all over the Retina, while the Retina has it all over the MBP.

You mention having a 320 GB hard drive - does it have a lot of empty space on it, or do you store lots of videos and other things that take up a lot of space?

And finally, do you see your needs and uses changing over the next few years? Are you planning on studying anything at Uni that might have heavier computing requirements? Will you need to run Windows software for anything?
 
NewbieCanada said:
Any current Mac laptop will be orders of magnitude faster than what you're used to and more than up to the challenge of what you need.

So I'd advise basing your decisions on other factors - is screen size important to you? Only the MBP offers 15-inch. Is portability a factor? Then the MBA has it all over the Retina, while the Retina has it all over the MBP.

You mention having a 320 GB hard drive - does it have a lot of empty space on it, or do you store lots of videos and other things that take up a lot of space?

And finally, do you see your needs and uses changing over the next few years? Are you planning on studying anything at Uni that might have heavier computing requirements? Will you need to run Windows software for anything?
Click to expand...



I would prefer 15 inch as i have been using either 15 inch laptops so far but I my be willing to experiment with 13 inch,,,

I would want it to be portable as i may be using it in uni,....

I currently have 50 gb free out of 320 gb hard drive....

i would be probably using only office at uni for assignments....

i dont thing my needs would change

I dont think i would like to use windows on that laptop...

thnx for ur reply

----------
daleski75 said:
We need to know a lot more in order to give you a more informed decision.
Click to expand...

What else would you like to know...
I am asking you guys because i dont know how Mac os X will perform with the provided configuration,,,,

----------
leenak said:
Need more info. What are your primary computing purposes? Basically, what will you do with your laptop and what will you need it to do for you.
Click to expand...

My primary computing would be general every day uses,,,,

not to extensive computing,,,,,

:)
 
I think the 13" Air is fantastic.

Though, if you can drop into an Apple store or reseller and see which size/weight works for you. And then base it on your budget, to be honest all the ones you listed will serve you great.

I used to get the 17" MBP as I loved the screen, so would not even consider the 13 or 15 as I wanted the real estate of the 17"

If the dimensons of the 15 are too big, 13" it is :)

The only think to consider, the non retina 15" you can upgrade the Ram and HDD. The other you are stuck with what you buy.
 
MH01 said:
I think the 13" Air is fantastic.

Though, if you can drop into an Apple store or reseller and see which size/weight works for you. And then base it on your budget, to be honest all the ones you listed will serve you great.

I used to get the 17" MBP as I loved the screen, so would not even consider the 13 or 15 as I wanted the real estate of the 17"

If the dimensons of the 15 are too big, 13" it is :)

The only think to consider, the non retina 15" you can upgrade the Ram and HDD. The other you are stuck with what you buy.
Click to expand...


Thnx for your reply..:)

i checked out the retina macbook pro and compare to it macbook air does not look that good
and i have been checking youtube videos re macbook air heating up and the fan noise ....

is it true?
 
if you like 15", I suggest you take MBP. I suggest this because it provides the best learning tool for you to learn using a mac.

Retina is okay, but since you are still at university, and the display might bring you some trouble for any small third party apps, I won't suggest you this.

Based on my experience, when I was in uni, I installed tons of small apps :D, famous, not famous, licensed, unlicensed.. and because this is your 1st time, retina might bring you something that you are not expected in mac laptop.

What I'm trying to say, pick the normal one for your 1st experience :D.

p.s : I've ordered a retina :apple:

* about the fan noise, it is not that bad. New macbooks have been improved greatly. Compared with old macbooks, old macbooks sound like crying mandrake from harry potter novels (hyperbolic intended :D )
 
Well MBA is about 3 lb, Retina about 4.5 and MBP about 5.5 (you can get the exact amounts and weight in kg at the apple site). Makes a big difference if you're walking around from place to place at Uni all day.

OS X will perform great with any of those configurations. That's the difference from Windows, where MS makes it but people can put it on all kinds of machines where it may not perform well.

Do you live close to an Apple store? Nothing like some hands-on time, getting a feel to how it performs doing things you do in real life, and while you can't slip one in your bag to see how it feels carrying it around, you can at least life and hold the different models.
 
desainishu said:
Thnx for your reply..:)

i checked out the retina macbook pro and compare to it macbook air does not look that good
and i have been checking youtube videos re macbook air heating up and the fan noise ....

is it true?
Click to expand...

The retina is very sexy.. :) very

You will find that most all MBPs heatup, basically the aluminium is a giant heatsink, all the ones I have owned have got very hot!
 
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