I am getting a laptop and I cannot decide between the MacBook Pro retina and MacBook Air. If I were to get the MacBook Pro retina I would get the stock model with the intel i5 2.5 Ghz processor and intel 4000 graphics card. If I were to get the MacBook Air I would get the 2013 model with 1.8 ghz intel i7 processor and intel 5000 graphics card. Which one is better?
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MacBook Pro retina vs MacBook Air
- Thread starter Dr.Pcon14
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Depends on what you're doing.
The retina obviously has a better screen, not just in resolution but also in color quality, accuracy, and viewing angles. It also has better cooling and a more powerful CPU. It has dual Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI port so it's easier to handle multiple external displays.
The Air is lighter, has better battery life, and has newer graphics.
Since it has been out longer, you can find some pretty good deals on the 13" retina both from Apple's refurbished site and resellers like MacMall:
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/13
http://www.macmall.com/n/Macbook-Pro-Retina-Display/macNavLinks-753
The retina obviously has a better screen, not just in resolution but also in color quality, accuracy, and viewing angles. It also has better cooling and a more powerful CPU. It has dual Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI port so it's easier to handle multiple external displays.
The Air is lighter, has better battery life, and has newer graphics.
Since it has been out longer, you can find some pretty good deals on the 13" retina both from Apple's refurbished site and resellers like MacMall:
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/13
http://www.macmall.com/n/Macbook-Pro-Retina-Display/macNavLinks-753
You didn't mention indented uses, most important part of deciding! (if you read specs, it's obvious the rMBP is better spec wise)
If moderate usage, always out and about - the macbook air. good weight, great battery, excellent for every day tasks.
If advance usage - the rMBP is amazing. screen makes working a treat, able to game, edit image and videos easily, etc.
If moderate usage, always out and about - the macbook air. good weight, great battery, excellent for every day tasks.
If advance usage - the rMBP is amazing. screen makes working a treat, able to game, edit image and videos easily, etc.
Neither is better. They both are portable light laptops. If you are ok with the MBA screen then and need insane battery life chose that one. I myself would rather have a refurb rMBP but that's me I love the screen and the size.
I am going to be using the computer for school so programs like pages and keynote and I might use an intense program for engineering. I am also going to be playing games such as minecraft, team fortress 2, counter strike and other games like that. Which computer with the specs that I have specified would get better fps on those games. Lastly I would be doing some video editing
The Air would probably give you better game performance (slightly). Here is the HD 5000 vs the HD 4000:
When are you planning on purchasing? There is most likely going to be a new 13" retina coming out in the next couple of months that will probably have improved battery life and the better HD 5100 graphics.
I don't think that the Air would 'over heat' but it will run hotter. It only has one cooling fan while the retina MBP has two cooling fans and two more air vents.
From these benchmarks it looks like the i7 in the Air is a bit faster at peak CPU performance than the 2.5Ghz i5:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6409/13inch-retina-macbook-pro-review/9
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-4250u-vs-core-i7-4650u/2
The 13" retina can probably sustain high CPU workloads for longer periods of time though because of the better cooling.
I think it mostly comes down to personal preference in weight, screen, and battery life. You should check them out in person if possible and see how you like the different screens and different form factors.
No the MBA when pushed will sound loud and it will burn through its battery faster but it will be fine.
I had a 2013 MBA with the i7 and ended up returning it for a 13" rMBP with the i7. Why? Because the display in the MBA is HORRIBLE.
Yep, that's what the benchmarks show. If you were doing something that really thrashed the CPU for long periods of time (video encoding/conversion) then the MBP might be better due to the higher thermal capacity, but other than that the Air should be a bit faster.
That will change when the retina MBP gets updated, it should have both faster CPU and GPU than the Air.
No, but it will thrash the iGPU.
iGPU = gaming fail
If you want to game you need a uMBP-15 or rMPB-15 with a dGPU.
Assuming Air Haswell since both 2013 ?
I don't know about others, but I would prefer new versus old on Air and not sure since both airs were 2013 which you are speaking about without looking and I won't, but as far as better, processing, and connections, and screen obviously the Pro, but the Retina's be rendition is on the 15 inch, so if you lean toward the PRo you would be best served with the bigger one and getting quad, and retina much more significant, and speed, and other facets. I wanted to get the new air, and I am sales with lots of flying so for me the size and transportability was key, but then they released without the retina, but a week later released the mini with retina , thus a signal that they will be doing the Air, but couldn't in time, so I am waiting for Xmas , and expect an updated Air with the Retina display in time to buy for Xmas season.
The Air just got allot clearer with the new Apple Retina Display under your Xmas Tree , I can see it now.
But if must get now, it depends if size #1 otherwise the Pro, and once there, the 15 is worth the difference of 500 all day long, and you also can put 8 more ram which using I7 now isn't huge, down the road will be, and you can have dedicated graphics core which is all the difference also.
Good luck
I don't know about others, but I would prefer new versus old on Air and not sure since both airs were 2013 which you are speaking about without looking and I won't, but as far as better, processing, and connections, and screen obviously the Pro, but the Retina's be rendition is on the 15 inch, so if you lean toward the PRo you would be best served with the bigger one and getting quad, and retina much more significant, and speed, and other facets. I wanted to get the new air, and I am sales with lots of flying so for me the size and transportability was key, but then they released without the retina, but a week later released the mini with retina , thus a signal that they will be doing the Air, but couldn't in time, so I am waiting for Xmas , and expect an updated Air with the Retina display in time to buy for Xmas season.
The Air just got allot clearer with the new Apple Retina Display under your Xmas Tree , I can see it now.
But if must get now, it depends if size #1 otherwise the Pro, and once there, the 15 is worth the difference of 500 all day long, and you also can put 8 more ram which using I7 now isn't huge, down the road will be, and you can have dedicated graphics core which is all the difference also.
Good luck
Is that because of size or price? You can sometimes get really good deals on refurbished 15" models, like this 15" retina for $1599:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/F...-23ghz-quad-core-intel-i7-with-retina-display
That would have a lot better gaming performance than either the Air or the 13" MBP because of the NVidia 650M.
If its from apple it will be good. if it isn't take it to an apple store and replace it.