Macbook Pro Retina or 11 Inch air should be

[C. Robert]

The only choices people make. The size between the 13 inch air and rMBP are like splitting hairs and should really put them both in the same category (In my opinion rule the 13 inch air out). I can see a very big difference in the size/price of the 11 inch air and the rMBP. The 11 inch air is as portable as you can get in a laptop, and if I was commuting, or constantly using it on my lap that would be the obvious choice. When I look at prices of the 13 inch air, the footprint that is almost as big as the 15 inch rMBP(thanks to a very old looking thick bezel), then it just doesn't fit and or make sense. You can get the same amount of ram, ssd storage in the air, but the chip in the air can't be upgraded to match the rMBP's. For the same amount of money you are getting a smaller footprint, faster full sized CPU, wayyyy better screen, faster thunderbolt ports, .46 extra pounds, hour less battery life (real world testing), faster ssd, and its a little thicker.

I know some people will say that the .46 pound difference is a big deal but come on, seriously. 9 Hours vs 12 hours advertised is no where near what people are getting. I owned the 13 inch haswell air and it did get the advertised 12 hours but the problem is that I am getting almost 11 hours out of my rMBP.

 

[dacreativeguy]

Half a pound can be a lot for someone constantly carrying a laptop, and they may be happy to pay more for the convenience. Fortunately there is an Air AND a Pro so you have a choice.

 

[jz-]

The Air can apparently get up to 15 hours now, with Mavericks. Also, being a three-year old design, the Macbook Air is probably going to get a redesign next year. In 2011 after the Macbook Air was refreshed, there was almost no reason to buy a 13" Pro until the Retina versions were released.

 

[richard371]

I have the 2011 air and I love it for portability but using it was "small". I also have the 2012 iMac 27 which is glued to my desk. I just found the sweet spot and that is the rMBP 13 haswell. I can sit for hours and look at the 13" retina screen and use it at my desk, chair, futon, kitchen, coffee table, travel etc. I don't strain my eyes like on the 11 air and its more pleasing to the eyes and sharper then my iMac 27. At this point I am selling the 11 and 27 and sticking with the 13" size MBP from now on. Eventually I will pick up the thunderbolt 27" as a secondary monitor and attach all my peripherals to it and dock my 13 when I'm only at my desk. I have tried the 15 before and it is just to big for me no matter how powerful it is.

 

[Nebrie]

I bought an 11" air and 15" retina last year thinking it was the perfect power-portability combination especially since the air spends 5 hours a day on my back or shoulder. I just traded in the air for the 13" retina. The screen is worth the weight trade-off. Even though the screen on the 11" air is not bad, I longer feel like I'm slowly going blind from being on the computer all day.

 

[Tears Apart]

I am with you, but I must say that that half a pound difference IS felt...

 

[derlockere]

I had to take the same decision as the OP and I went for the 13 rMBP.

I was using a 11" MBA the last two years and was always ultimately happy with the small footprint. However, I run into issues with screen quality AFTER I was visiting researcher at another university and got a 13" rMBP for the month I stayed there as working computer.
After that it was very hard to get back to my MBA again.

The great thing of the 13" rMBP is the small footprint (nearly 1cm less on each side compared to the 13" MBA) which makes it rather portable in small bags as well.

The only slight downside is of course the weight penalty. Although I carry it around daily since it arrived two weeks ago I am still happy in carrying it and do not regret this decision.

Also if I come home in the evening and have to do some work stuff after watching my work LCD for already 8 - 9hours I am still able to work on the rMBP due to the screen quality. With the MBA hooked to my 24incher (1680x1050) I had issues with my strained eyes in the evening --> this is totally gone now!

 

[MacChinoNyc]

Its almost like apple did this on purpose

I recently purchased the i5/4gb/256 mba and I'm on the fence with exchanging it for the higher specs i7/8gb/256 and then I keep looking at the rMBP i5/8gb/256 which would be less money and a better display. What worries me the most about the rMBP is any heat/fan noise/less battery life. In the short time I've been using the mba I'm amazed at how quiet it is, how cool it stays, and how long the battery lasts. Guarantee me the same on the new rMBP and I'll exchange for that. Of course this is just me thinking out loud .

 

[IJBrekke]

Just got my girlfriend a 13" MBA for her birthday. Considered a rMBP but went with the Air because:

-She honestly doesn't care about the higher resolution. We tested both in store and she didn't react either way to either screen.

-She is barely over 5 feet...the lighter weight matters to her.

-She preferred the 1440x900 scaling for the screen space.

-She doesn't do anything that will push either processor hard, so the difference between the Pro and Air is a non-factor.

-She thought the 11" was too small.

-The additional battery life was appealing.

-It is significantly cheaper (base model). This appealed to me, the actual purchaser of the machine.


I'm just sharing all this to say that there definitely IS a market for the 13" Air. I personally would get the rMBP but I have different wants and needs, so I'm glad the option exists. I suspect there are plenty of light use consumers just like my girlfriend that look at the 13" Air and think: "perfect."