MBA 13" 2015 vs MBP 13" 2015

[JacksoN123123]

Before i buy a new macbook i need some good advice.

I wanted to buy a MBA 13“, upgraded with i7 and 8 GB RAM
Want i want to do:
Mostly surfing and office and so on, nothing special. Here and there i need to do some video editing (1-2 a year), for friends/family-things . Also some games, but nothing big...
For video editing i now use Final Cut Pro X with my old iMac, is this already too much for the Macbook Air???

In this config the MBA costs 1399€. When i compare a MBP 13" with 2,7ghz i5 8 GB RAM there is 50€ difference.

Is the MBP better for my usage ? I like the design of the MBA much more, but i'm not sure if i would be unsatisfied in a few month/year with the performance of the MBA by saving only 50€...???

Thanks for your help

 

[keysofanxiety]

I'd go for the MacBook Pro - providing it's the Retina model. The base 13" MacBook Pro hasn't been updated since mid-2012.

The reason being:

- You get a Retina display
- You get a lot more CPU power and a better graphics card
- More RAM as standard config (not BTO)
- More ports, yet similar thinness and weight

Especially if you're buying a new computer, you need to consider longevity - within the next 4 years I'd imagine Apple's entire product line will have retina displays. You will feel retina envy down the line ... Plus you're honestly getting a LOT more for your money with the 13" rMBP.

 

[J&JPolangin]

What year/specs is your current iMac?

 

[JacksoN123123]

MBA 13" 2015 vs MBP 13" 2015

My iMac is Late 2009, 3,06 GHz, 4GB RAM. FCP X runs not very smoothly :-D Hard to work...

I don't know I like the Air a bit more, maybe design, maybe because a few years ago I already had a MacBook Pro. Ok without retina but I think I don't need this...

I just don't know if the Air can handle FCP X and a bit more for the future

 

[Naimfan]

Get the Pro.

Much better machine, and likely to last you longer as well as crunching FCP-X better.

 

[BobMcC]

+1 for Pro. I was in a similar mode as you a couple of months ago and I studied ALOT and the decision got easier and easier. The only advantage I saw in the MBA over the MBP is 1/2 pound in weight. When you're talking about a sub 4 pound device yes 1/2 pound is significant percentage wise but picking each of them up in the retail store side by side that half a pound is slight for all the advantages you get with the MBP

 

[JacksoN123123]

That's right yeah but too late ;-) i ordered a MBA with 2.2 i7 and 8 GB RAM with a big discount so the decision was easy ;-)

 

[Tmelon]

I'd without a doubt go with the Pro. It's an all around better laptop.

 

[LunaC]

That's right yeah but too late ;-) i ordered a MBA with 2.2 i7 and 8 GB RAM with a big discount so the decision was easy ;-)

You will like it. I picked up one to act as a travel proxy to my 17MBP '11 and it is amazingly snappy. I see the 13's as a compromise and only if the 13MBP had a quadcore and IrisPro would I have gone that way instead.

Every time I look at the battery life and see 14+hours left when just browsing the net, I feel great and no buyers remorse. Even runs a developement Windows8.1 VM well