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MacBook or MacBook Air?

C

capps

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 16, 2008
50
0
127.0.0.1
I have a 2 year old daughter, my wife is a stay-at-home mom and she takes about 40 pictures of my daughter a day. In March, we will be having a son and I am sure the # of pictures will only increase.

Now here is the deal. Currently my wife uses my baby (my Aluminum iMac) to take the pictures off of the camera and put them in Aperture, edit and then send off to family. Not a big deal until last night when I got home and saw gooey nasty 2 year old toddler hand prints all over my big beautiful iMac display.

So here we are. In March I had already planned to buy my wife, as a congratulations present for having our son, a Nikon G60. Because I hate to see my iMac display devastated, I want to buy her a laptop to ensure that it wont happen again. This will also allow me wife to use the computer in more convenient rooms such as the livingroom or play room.

I am already planning on buying myself a MacBook Air. I travel quite a bit and love the fact that it weighs pretty much nothing.

I am debating on whether to get her a MacBook air as well, or one of those gorgeous new MacBook's. The MacBook will be used for email, internet and picture editing. She will be using programs such as Aperture and Photoshop, so I am thinking she wont be needing a huge workhorse. My question is, for those of you that use your Mac for similar tasks.. what setup/configuration do you see work well for you? My problem is that I don't want to purchase her one with 2GB and find that she needs 4GB. With my schedule and how much I procrastinate when I get home, she has a better chance of getting hit by lightning 40 times in a row while winning the jackpot lottery than me installing the extra ram.

So please give me your thoughts and inputs. Buying a Apple product is an investment and I'd hate to get her the wrong thing.

Also, I might get her a new iPod while I am at it. I have the previous generation of the Nano and really enjoy it. What are your thoughts on the current generation nano or the Touch? I kindof feel like if I am going to spend the money on a touch, I might as well get her an iPhone.

Thoughts/opinions/input are greatly appreciated.
 
Get yourself either the MacBook or MacBook Air, and let her use the iMac as she has been as the family computer. Setup 2 user accounts if you feel you need to. Use the cleaning cloth for the screen.

Relax, it's ok. My wife does the same thing. For some reason whenever she points to the screen to show my something in a picture, she has to touch it, she doesn't actually point. You just clean it more. Telling her or the kid to keep their hands off just opens you up to the argument of who cleans and cooks more as well as who is having and caring for the children. Wiping down the iMac is a small price to pay.
 
I think your iMac (with a nice sturdy body and easily replaceable keyboard/mouse) is much more baby-friendly computer than any laptop (which is more prone to spills, drops, get stepped on, etc.)

However, when it comes to portability, then yes, a laptop is needed. I would think a MB is better than MBA in terms of expandability (HDD, ram). With a new born, my wife and I generated 2-4 GB of photos and movies each month, an MBA may fill up too quickly.

In spite of this, I am going to recommend the MBA, because you said you were going to get one anyway. Why not just get one, if it works for home use, then you buy a 2nd for yourself. If not, you keep it and get her something else.
 
For everyday use, the MacBook Air may actually be faster than the MacBook thanks to the SSD...fast boot times, instant app launching....

The Rev. B Air is incredible compared to the Rev. A. Im pondering the same decision, and I might get the Air just for the fact that when it comes to my door I wont have to worry about having to configure its screen, wonder if my keys are slanted or if my battery door is loose. Rev B Air is definitely a better built machine from the looks of things....the glass trackpad wouldnt be missed really either considering the new Air has 4 finger gestures as well...
 
roland.g said:
Get yourself either the MacBook or MacBook Air, and let her use the iMac as she has been as the family computer. Setup 2 user accounts if you feel you need to. Use the cleaning cloth for the screen.

Relax, it's ok. My wife does the same thing. For some reason whenever she points to the screen to show my something in a picture, she has to touch it, she doesn't actually point. You just clean it more. Telling her or the kid to keep their hands off just opens you up to the argument of who cleans and cooks more as well as who is having and caring for the children. Wiping down the iMac is a small price to pay.
Click to expand...

I am not sure I could give up my iMac. For some reason I can't stand using a laptop unless I am actually in need of portability (traveling or something.) If I am at home, I just prefer to be sitting at my desk.

She knows that the finger prints bother me. Our office at home has a lot of natural sunlight and you can see every single finger print. She just doesn't care to take the time to wipe them off. Trust me, we've talked about it maaannnny times.
 
My first Mac laptop was the 12" PB. It is a very nice and portable machine, but it was getting too slow. Then I had a White MB, which was for some reason just a bit too heavy even with the 1/2 lb difference. I jumped on the Rev A MBA as soon as it was available, which of course was no comparison. It reminded me of my old Sony X505 (the thinnest and lightest laptop ever made by mankind), unfortunately not only the size, but also the limited functionalities (small and slow HDD, limited ram). (Note Rev B MBA is better)

Now comes my Al-MB, and I wanted to make a point solely on its form factor. While the Al-MB is surely not as compact as the MBA, I never felt the bulkiness I experienced with the white MB. May be it's the 1/2 pound weight difference or the thinner body, the Al-MB just doesn't feel heavy too me. I know some will disagree, and this is just my subjective experience.

Another thing that I like about the MB, compared to the MBA, is that the MB runs more like a full computer rather than a sub-notebook (due to the larger RAM and HDD capacity and superdrive). With an external monitor and mouse, I use it as a desktop computer at work. At home, it's a laptop on its own which follows me around while holding all the files and apps I ever need to access (including my Win XP via VMW Fusion). Overall, I am very, very happy with the Al-MB.

Again, just my personal viewpoint. I'm sure you'll hear different things if you post this thread in the MBA forum.
 
I've had the new MB, MBP and 1st & 2nd gen. Airs. The MB was the only one returned. It's a nice computer but the display was woefully sub par for its price. The Air now has the nicest display of any of the portable laptops (I don't consider the 17" aircraft carrier of Apples lineup portable.) The MB is nice if it's using an external display and wanting portability but I couldn't use it for extended periods of time. I love my Air. My 2.5¢.
 
While we can all voice our opinions, I think it is safe to assume that the OP (and any other potential buyers) will be able to evaluate the screen quality from different products with their own eyes based on store displays.
 
I think the fact that the macbook has a built in super drive might be better for your wife. That way she can easily burn the photos to DVD when the HDD starts getting full.
 
silverblack said:
While we can all voice our opinions, I think it is safe to assume that the OP (and any other potential buyers) will be able to evaluate the screen quality from different products with their own eyes based on store displays.
Click to expand...

I disagree. If you go to an Apple store, they blast you with lights that mask the display quality. You need to sit in a relatively low light environment and use them to get comparison. Maybe a dark Best Buy for comparisons is more appropriate.
 
Does the air have the glass front? There's been a lot of people complaining about the glass on the Macbook, but considering 'gooey toddler handprints' the glass covered display may prove easier to clean....

Them toddlers can some wicked sharp fingernails as well...
 
NC MacGuy said:
I disagree. If you go to an Apple store, they blast you with lights that mask the display quality. You need to sit in a relatively low light environment and use them to get comparison. Maybe a dark Best Buy for comparisons is more appropriate.
Click to expand...

Yes, and someone else commented that some Apple stores don't put different models on the same table so you cannot compare them side by side. I bought mine from a small Authorized Apple dealer, which has all models displayed together, and no super-bright store lighting, so it was not a problem at all.

I don't know about others, but I was certainly capable of making my own judgement on the quality of laptop screens.
 
silverblack said:
I don't know about others, but I was certainly capable of making my own judgement on the quality of laptop screens.
Click to expand...

I was very capable - that's why my MB went back. The MBP has an awesome display and actually cost me less than my 2.4 MB with tax. For the non-discerning eye, the MB is fine and has found its market.:rolleyes:

I have the last gen. iPod Nano and love it. The "fatty" works better for me than the new slim - turn on their sides nanos. The fatty just feels better in my hand and it's easier for me to use the scroll wheel than hitting the sides of my hand with the new ones.
 
I believe this is more accurate -

"For the non-discerning eye, and those that don't care about having the perfect picture quality, the MB is fine and has found its market (without the eye-rolling)" :D
 
In my experience, the second kid generates far fewer pictures than the first. I have a terabyte of video of my first daughter (now three years old) and about 250 GB of my second (now one.) :):) Unfair? Maybe. But I'm too busy cowering in the corner as my girls throw Cheerios and Legos at each other to care about pictures.

In all seriousness, though: durability should be a concern. I would personally get an Air for myself and a Blackbook with 2.4 Ghz CPU and 250 GB HDD for the wife. The blackbooks are very capable of doing everything you've described, and at approx $1100, you won't blow a gasket when you find grape jelly and dried milk on the keyboard.
 
CoreyMac said:
For everyday use, the MacBook Air may actually be faster than the MacBook thanks to the SSD...fast boot times, instant app launching....
Click to expand...

That is irrelevant because you can upgrade the Hard Drive in the MacBook to a SSD drive. The MacBook Air will never be faster than a MacBook.
 
kabunaru said:
That is irrelevant because you can upgrade the Hard Drive in the MacBook to a SSD drive. The MacBook Air will never be faster than a MacBook.
Click to expand...

While this is true.....in the same breath, the MB will never be thinner, or lighter than the Air.....nor will it ever have a better screen....and whos to say when you go install that SSD on your MB that the battery cover doesnt become loose? :p
 
capps said:
I am not sure I could give up my iMac. For some reason I can't stand using a laptop unless I am actually in need of portability (traveling or something.) If I am at home, I just prefer to be sitting at my desk.

She knows that the finger prints bother me. Our office at home has a lot of natural sunlight and you can see every single finger print. She just doesn't care to take the time to wipe them off. Trust me, we've talked about it maaannnny times.
Click to expand...

Okay then get yourself the new mac book and the new 24 in screen that can only be used with your new macbook. Let the wife keep the iMac.

I am running my new al mac book with my Apple 23" display and love it.

Desktop at home, portable on the road.
 
CoreyMac said:
and whos to say when you go install that SSD on your MB that the battery cover doesnt become loose? :p
Click to expand...

This is an issue of the first revision, issues are expected. Next revision this shouldn't be a problem.
And I really wanted to, I would upgrade the display of the MacBook to an MacBook Air's.
Also, who says all people have problems with their MacBooks.
 
kabunaru said:
This is an issue of the first revision, issues are expected. Next revision this shouldn't be a problem.
And I really wanted to, I would upgrade the display of the MacBook to an MacBook Air's.
Also, who says all people have problems with their MacBook Airs.
Click to expand...

The next revision wont be for months so for the time being that is a problem.....also most people wont be willing to ruin their macbooks by trying to swap screens.......itll cost you how much to replace your macbooks display with the airs?
 
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