Don't buy an iPad 2. Wait for them to update with the Retina Display, hopefully in the iPad 3
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MBA 13" vs MBP 13" (again)
- Thread starter jacob.schmidt
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Don't buy an iPad 2. Wait for them to update with the Retina Display, hopefully in the iPad 3
Yup, like I sad earlier, you go MBP when you need to go 'pro'.. ie, use CPU intensive program (graphics, audio, 3d, etc) , or needs RAM more than 4GB (e.g. for virtual machines), need more ports (firewire).. Another reason is if you game a lot, then you have to go to the 15 inch MBP with its dedicated graphics card.
But for the rest of us, MBA is more than enough and offers more pleasurable experience to use.
I do games occasionally , but I got a PC for that
But for the rest of us, MBA is more than enough and offers more pleasurable experience to use.
I do games occasionally , but I got a PC for that
i went thru similar dilemma recently. biggest drawback for me on MBP was the screen resolution. and for the MBA was the 4GB ram. I ended up buying MBA and have no regrets. Runs awesome even with running multiple virtual machines. I also considered getting MBP and adding 8GB and SSD and ends up costing close to fully loaded MBA.
Don't buy an iPad 2. Wait for them to update with the Retina Display, hopefully in the iPad 3
yeah don't buy the iPad 2 yet and just get the MBA for now. Based on your requirements I'm sure you'll love the MBA. mine is the 1.7ghz 13" MBA. i use it for browsing the web, web programming, a little Photoshop, and will be teaching myself IOS and Mac programming soon.
Just take into account (which no one has mentioned here), the Air is not built nearly as solid as the Pro. I am typing on a brand new air and constantly the keyboard makes these cracking noises and is just a lot more delicate feeling than the pro. I am considering for the pro or holding out till next year for the big refresh with the Pros, which is possible to have no optical drive any longer. I have to say the air is definitely light but I agree with what your thoughts were before, better bang for the buck. And seriously, who cares about 1 pound. The pro now has 500 gb standard hard drive vs 128 or 256in air (128gb is a way better deal btw). Just my thoughts...
My first Air I got last year, 11 inch, did the creaking. I returned it, and my replacement did not creak.
If the buyer gets one that creaks, they can always return it within return period, for another Air, or to get MBP.
Just a thought. I'd probably agree with you though. The hinge does feel perhaps a bit more solid on the MBP, but the Air is still high build quality too.
Thanks for all of your replies. It sounds like the Air is the right choice!
Nice with some thoughts..
I know, it's not the right time to buy an iPad 2 but since I can buy it with discount on my holiday and save 200 bucks, I can sell it later and buy the new iPad released without the lost - if i found it that I need it.
Right now, I don't think I'll use a iPad that much, since I'm going Air, but like trying it out, and I'm in need for a new "toy"! Can always give it to my parents
Nice with some thoughts..
I know, it's not the right time to buy an iPad 2 but since I can buy it with discount on my holiday and save 200 bucks, I can sell it later and buy the new iPad released without the lost - if i found it that I need it.
Right now, I don't think I'll use a iPad that much, since I'm going Air, but like trying it out, and I'm in need for a new "toy"!
Can always give it to my parents Something that hasn't been mentioned yet but might be important is the colour gamut of the Air vs Pro. The Air displays fewer colours compared to the Pro. I noticed this especially when the two computers were viewed side by side. Yes, the Air has the higher resolution, but the quality of the Pro's screen is definitely better.
Just get the Air. Is as simple as that, really. I'm so ******** sure that you'll love it that I'd pay for it in case you don't, but then you'd be returning it anyway
Seriously, you'll just ask yourself why didn't you get it before and won't want anything else anymore.
But if you want reasons:
-It's damn fast. Really, the SSD makes the different. Waking from sleep, booting up, opening apps...just awesome.
-The screen res is more noticeable than the colours thing, in fact to me the air's screen looks much better in general.
-It's not only the weight its big advantage. Is the whole form factor. Of course it'll be lighter in a bag, but carrying it around your home is also a pleasure (on the bed, on your lap, on the desk...). It also looks nicer
If you REALLY need power (latest games, professional video editing, ...) go for the 15'' MBP, not the 13'' one.
If you don't need it, just get the 13'' MBA, your overall experience will be much better. You won't even wonder if you chose the right decision.
Seriously, you'll just ask yourself why didn't you get it before and won't want anything else anymore.
But if you want reasons:
-It's damn fast. Really, the SSD makes the different. Waking from sleep, booting up, opening apps...just awesome.
-The screen res is more noticeable than the colours thing, in fact to me the air's screen looks much better in general.
-It's not only the weight its big advantage. Is the whole form factor. Of course it'll be lighter in a bag, but carrying it around your home is also a pleasure (on the bed, on your lap, on the desk...). It also looks nicer
If you REALLY need power (latest games, professional video editing, ...) go for the 15'' MBP, not the 13'' one.
If you don't need it, just get the 13'' MBA, your overall experience will be much better. You won't even wonder if you chose the right decision.
I had thought I was all set on the 11" MBA 1.6/4gb/128gb + monitor setup for the best in portability and power when at my desk. But then I got an iPad 2 a couple weeks ago and find myself grabbing that for use more often than the MBA.
I just bought an open box MC700LL/A from Best Buy for $875 and am thinking of going with the MBP+iPad combo and selling the MBA. The benefit of this "new" plan is more computing power when i need it, considerably better battery life, and better portability when on a plane (ipad 2). However that little Air is really slick and light and can do about everying with a fre trade-offs I really wish I could just make up my mind on what is best for my typical usage! We'll see.
I just bought an open box MC700LL/A from Best Buy for $875 and am thinking of going with the MBP+iPad combo and selling the MBA. The benefit of this "new" plan is more computing power when i need it, considerably better battery life, and better portability when on a plane (ipad 2). However that little Air is really slick and light and can do about everying with a fre trade-offs I really wish I could just make up my mind on what is best for my typical usage! We'll see.
I feel your pain... I've yet to get an iPad, and had decided the Air was a better fit for me. I've got the iPhone 4s for mobile, and the Air for everything else. I'm quite content with the combo.
Please help me decide too
Would appreciate any advice on this
Please help me decide: What laptop is the best value for money for me ATM?
Everyday tasks: MS Office, web browsing (Firefox/Safari), web TV and occasionally watching a movie (streamed or from file (from external or internal disk)).
Once-in-a-while tasks:
- Photo editing and fast transferring whilst I'm on assignments.
I work as a journalist and I sometimes take photos, especially if I'm sent out to other cities or abroad. It would be stupid to buy a computer that limits the possibilites when it comes to photo editing severely. I hope the MBA does not do this.
It would also be nice if it's easy to plug in ethernet cable if I'm i.e. in a hotel room where the wireless is of subpar quality. Thus I could transfer edited pictures a lot faster.
Options:
1)
MBA 13''
1,7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
256 GB flash memory
Price: USD 2094 (in Norway NOK 11.582)
2)
MBP 13'' with SSD:
2,4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM 2 x 2 GB
256 GB SSD (solid-state drive)
Price: USD 2480 (in Norway NOK 13.717)
3)
Base line MBP 13''
2,4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM 2 x 2 GB
500 GB Serial ATA HDD, 5400
Price: USD 1662 (in Norway NOK 9191)
Would appreciate any advice on this
Please help me decide: What laptop is the best value for money for me ATM?
Everyday tasks: MS Office, web browsing (Firefox/Safari), web TV and occasionally watching a movie (streamed or from file (from external or internal disk)).
Once-in-a-while tasks:
- Photo editing and fast transferring whilst I'm on assignments.
I work as a journalist and I sometimes take photos, especially if I'm sent out to other cities or abroad. It would be stupid to buy a computer that limits the possibilites when it comes to photo editing severely. I hope the MBA does not do this.
It would also be nice if it's easy to plug in ethernet cable if I'm i.e. in a hotel room where the wireless is of subpar quality. Thus I could transfer edited pictures a lot faster.
Options:
1)
MBA 13''
1,7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
256 GB flash memory
Price: USD 2094 (in Norway NOK 11.582)
2)
MBP 13'' with SSD:
2,4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM 2 x 2 GB
256 GB SSD (solid-state drive)
Price: USD 2480 (in Norway NOK 13.717)
3)
Base line MBP 13''
2,4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM 2 x 2 GB
500 GB Serial ATA HDD, 5400
Price: USD 1662 (in Norway NOK 9191)
Would appreciate any advice on this
Please help me decide: What laptop is the best value for money for me ATM?
Everyday tasks: MS Office, web browsing (Firefox/Safari), web TV and occasionally watching a movie (streamed or from file (from external or internal disk)).
Once-in-a-while tasks:
- Photo editing and fast transferring whilst I'm on assignments.
I work as a journalist and I sometimes take photos, especially if I'm sent out to other cities or abroad. It would be stupid to buy a computer that limits the possibilites when it comes to photo editing severely. I hope the MBA does not do this.
It would also be nice if it's easy to plug in ethernet cable if I'm i.e. in a hotel room where the wireless is of subpar quality. Thus I could transfer edited pictures a lot faster.
Options:
1)
MBA 13''
1,7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
256 GB flash memory
Price: USD 2094 (in Norway NOK 11.582)
2)
MBP 13'' with SSD:
2,4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM – 2 x 2 GB
256 GB SSD (solid-state drive)
Price: USD 2480 (in Norway NOK 13.717)
3)
Base line MBP 13''
2,4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM – 2 x 2 GB
500 GB Serial ATA HDD, 5400
Price: USD 1662 (in Norway NOK 9191)
If traveling, the Air can be easier. However, when you factor in that it will be in a bag and whatnot, it doesn't necessarily save much room, just lightens the load a bit. Honestly, I hate traveling with any notebook. It's a hassle, but a professional like you have to do it, I understand.
If you want the land line ethernet, you will need to buy the adapter for the Air that uses one of the USB ports. A dongle adapter.
It almost sounds as though you're leaning towards the MacBook Pro as you want ethernet and maybe sometimes you want an optical drive?
However, the Air is more competent than it has been in the past though.
It's a tough decision. Sorry I can't be of more help. There is the higher resolution screen on the Air, which is a major factor for some people. Everything will appear "smaller," on it, so that you can fit more on the screen. If you have really bad eyes, it isn't such a good thing though.
Personally, choosing between those, I would probably get the Air, but I realize your real world use might demand something else. I think I would keep going back to the Air though.
Over the years I have had both Airs and Pros (in all 3 sizes), and I would definitely recommend the Air.
The only reason I can't use one myself is because I need 8GB of RAM quite often for the projects we're working on this year. But as soon as that changes again, I will go back to an Air.
The weight difference may seem small when looking at the numbers, but for me it's a huge difference in everyday getting around.
I doesn't sound like you are doing anything close to approaching the limits of the Air and its 4GB of RAM.
The only reason I can't use one myself is because I need 8GB of RAM quite often for the projects we're working on this year. But as soon as that changes again, I will go back to an Air.
The weight difference may seem small when looking at the numbers, but for me it's a huge difference in everyday getting around.
I doesn't sound like you are doing anything close to approaching the limits of the Air and its 4GB of RAM.
Thanks for your answer, really helpful.
If I choose the Air, I'll have to get an USB/ethernet adapter, thanks.
You're right, I'm leaning towards the Pro ATM. But I want it to be really portable, so it's not going to be a 15'' or 17''.
On a daily basis I don't need neither the ethernet port nor the optical drive, that's for sure. It's the "what if" situations I'm talking about here, and they tend to come up once in a while. It could even be due to a malfunctioning router someplace.
It would be nice to run Photoshop and FinalCut at the same time, as I'm getting into a bit of video editing as well (web based journalism). I really wonder if the top model MBA is sufficient.
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You're probably right. An MBA with the USB/etherhnet adapter would probably do the trick. The only thing might be if I start video editing a lot?
Would anyone of you care to buy the external MBA SuperDrive, for those "what if" scenarios when you need a DVD (full of photos or anything)? Or is it just a waste of money?
I might not buy the Super Drive USB with my initial order as I am cheap, but I'd probably get it a few weeks later. I personally wouldn't find it a waste of money.
However, I'm not sure I would want to travel with it. It would probably just be something I'd use with it at home.
The MBA processors aren't that much worse than the MBP this year especially compared to the 13 models since they are not Quad like the 15 & 17.
I think the Air you want could be pretty competent at many of the things you want to do, the hindrance someday may be the RAM. If you're doing a lot of Pro work, 8GB of RAM could be nice, which is easy to upgrade in the Pro.
However, the Air sure has its strengths.
If you have good eyes, don't discount that extra screen real estate of the Air too, lets you get more of your windows onto the screen when doing your editing and whatnot.
Ive been using 13" MBA mostly for home but did go on a business trip recently with it. Was great to use. I ended up buying a USB to ethernet and the limitation is it is only 10/100 because of the USB. Belkin is apparently releasing a Thunderbolt port replicator in the future. I also use a LG external lightscribe drive i picked up on ebay for $30 and works perfectly.
I dont see any benefit getting a MBP if you are going SSD. Unless you need drive and ethernet. Also consider you could do the SSD and memory upgrade yourself and save some money.
I dont see any benefit getting a MBP if you are going SSD. Unless you need drive and ethernet. Also consider you could do the SSD and memory upgrade yourself and save some money.
As a MBA owner, I can tell you that you will probably use the iPad far more than any laptop, MBA included.
It is just faaaaaaaaar more convenient to pick up and use for browsing the web, watching media, and checking email. From form factor, to boot time, to battery life. The things that a laptop does better you don't actually spend most of your time doing, -typing papers, accessing apps that don't exist on iOS, etc.
I need a real computer that is capable of letting me get any kind of work done. An iPad is not there yet. But make no mistake, -if I (and you) had one, that would be the device you pick up 90% of the time for the use-cases you described.
They're way cool, I'm just personally not gonna bite until it gets a Retina Display, since the display is such a core part of the experience and utility on a device like that.
I agree with you. Honestly, I pick up my MacBook Air and iPad quite infrequently.
It is a desktop computer and my iPhone which I am on all the time.
We are all so different though and whatever our likes, Apple sure has us covered!
I am gonna write alot on it though, since Iøm attending university, so a iPad doesn't fullfill my needs about.. BUT I honestly do believe that I'll be using the iPad ALOT when at home