MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro vs. New MacBook Pro

[Mariino]

Hi,
about 1 year ago, my laptop died an now finally i saved enough money to buy me a new one. Now, i have never used mac before but i would really like to use it so i want to buy a macbook, but i don't know which one would be best for me.

MacBook Air 13" Vs. MacBook Pro 13" Vs. New MacBook Pro

I'm going to use it for just normal tasks, like surfing the internet, schoolwork, watching videos, listening music,... But I would also like to use other programs like photoshop, dreamweaver from time to time. Maybe some gaming, (games like counter strike or someting) but that won't happen that much. I would also like to watch some dvd's from time to time but i don't mind buying an external drive for the macbook air.

That's basically what i'm going to do with the macbook.

I heard the MBA was alot faster than the MBP for surfing the internet, watching video's, etc. but i was wondering if it can also handle photoshop and maybe a game fast enough.

My sister maybe wanted to put a program on it called "logic" ; i heard that's a really big program but it isn't shure if she wil get it.

What is your advice, should a buy the MBA, the MBP or wait for the new MBP? Why?

 

[Jedi]

I would go with the MBA , as long as you don`t mind using an external OD , as needed.

Also if you`r just running "simple" games you should be good.

Are U "talk`n" about Logic Pro music software ? , if so you will be fine with that as well.

G. 

 

[Muscle]

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I would go for the mbp and if u have the money buy an iPad 3 / 2 for the usual web browsing email etc.

Reason for mbp is bc I need the dedicated gpu (excludes 13" for current generation) and the extra power. After all it's a laptop computer.

Personally (and I stress personally) I find the MBA to be irrelevant to my needs. An iPad can do almost everything it can at less cost and more portability.

 

[teknikal90]

logic won't run fine on a macbook air. it'll scrape through, but i'd rather spend the money on a new macbook pro.

if she's only doing simple stuff then garageband would suffice, in which case a macbook air would suffice.
if she's stepping up to logic, that would mean she's doing pretty complex tracks - you'd need a better processor - the macbook air's won't suffice. you'll get overload messages.
I ran logic on a 2.4ghz core 2 duo and that was stretching it at times.

 

[Mariino]

Thanks for the reactions so far.
I was actually thinking about he MacBook pro but then I heard the MacBook air is a lot faster than the pro so I started doubting.. Now if I want the MacBook pro, is it better to buy it now or should I wait for the new one? Because I heard there may be a whole new design for the MacBook pro and it would look more like the MacBook air, thinner, no DVD drive.. Some also think there will only be one line for all the MacBooks because of this new design of the MacBook pro.

 

[sporadicMotion]

logic won't run fine on a macbook air. it'll scrape through, but i'd rather spend the money on a new macbook pro.

if she's only doing simple stuff then garageband would suffice, in which case a macbook air would suffice.
if she's stepping up to logic, that would mean she's doing pretty complex tracks - you'd need a better processor - the macbook air's won't suffice. you'll get overload messages.
I ran logic on a 2.4ghz core 2 duo and that was stretching it at times.

Nonsense. I use Logic on an i5 Air and it performs very well. Yeah, a 2.4 core 2 duo would be stretching it. Even the ULV i5's and i7 smack Core 2's of that caliber in the face.

The downside of the Air for ANY audio production is the limitation to USB interfaces outside of a hub for the TB port.

 

[teknikal90]

Nonsense. I use Logic on an i5 Air and it performs very well. Yeah, a 2.4 core 2 duo would be stretching it. Even the ULV i5's and i7 smack Core 2's of that caliber in the face.

The downside of the Air for ANY audio production is the limitation to USB interfaces outside of a hub for the TB port.

depends on your and my definition of what 'performs very well' is...
if you're only doing 2 tracks, 1 vox, another guit then yeah it'll performs alright...but if she's already doing more complicated stuff (which i suspect since shes specifically going to logic, and not GB), with heaps of plug ins and vsts....then no i really dont believe an air would suffice...
and plus mbp has firewire. which is nice.


btw - MB air is in not faster than a MBP - other than its read/write speed - not relevant to logic right now.

 

[sporadicMotion]

depends on your and my definition of what 'performs very well' is...
if you're only doing 2 tracks, 1 vox, another guit then yeah it'll performs alright...but if she's already doing more complicated stuff (which i suspect since shes specifically going to logic, and not GB), with heaps of plug ins and vsts....then no i really dont believe an air would suffice...
and plus mbp has firewire. which is nice.


btw - MB air is in not faster than a MBP - other than its read/write speed - not relevant to logic right now.

22 simultaneous runs fine and that's using 8 instances of amplitude 3 simultaneously.

It performs well.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Coming from a 2006 Macbook Pro, going to a maxed out Macbook Pro, and finally settling on a base 13" Macbook Air, there's 2 differenced between them all.

1) DVD drive. If you need the ability to watch DVD's, don't get an air. Even if you buy the external drive, you'll never user it unless you keep the air at your desk. Not gonna happen.

2) Hard drive space. I upgraded my 120gb HDD in my Macbook to a 320gb drive. 120 just wasn't enough for a main PC. Now I have a Macbook Air with 128gb's, and it's too small if I plan on using it as more than a netbook.

 

[Medic278]

Having both a 2011 pro and an Air I have to say get the pro. You get a larger HDD, onboard optical drive and it is just as fast as surfing the web etc etc. The air is only faster LOADING programs. I use my pro 95% of the time and couldn't be happier, I am a bit disappointed with the Air. Go pro.