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MBP or MBA ?

D

dudulang

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 18, 2010
68
0
Hello, this is my first thread here. I'm planning to purchase a notebook, but I don't know MBP or MBA which should i buy.
With my new macbook, i only use safari, iTunes, email, office, and other applications for work and study , i don't going to play games on it. And i don't use the optical drive (there is a optical drive on my current notebook , but i have used it less than three times in the past 3 years). But i heard that Macbook Air is a "crippled" notebook. so i don't know if MBA is really "crippled" compared to MBP.
In my condition, which do you think i should buy?
thanks in advance.
 
Go to a retailer and give it the head to toe. Use all the applications on it that you do at home and get a feel for it.

Besides the heat and optical drive, I honestly can't find something wrong with the MBA if you aren't doing real intense stuff.
 
What kind of applications do you use? For example when I tried to use SPSS along with Word on my mac to write a GLM paper i found the 2gb of ram too little.

I love the air but it's not powerful enough for what i do and I am not a gamer either. IMO the 13" mbp is not terribly bigger and for the same money it's a much more powerful computer. I would only get an MBA if I already had another powerful computer and didn't do any heavy work on the go.
 
spinnerlys said:
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs-13inch.html
http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html

MBA: slower CPU, less RAM, smaller HDD, fewer ports
MBP: 1-MBA

http://www.google.com/cse?cx=011016...e:forums.macrumors.com&hl=en&as_qdr=all&meta=
Click to expand...


thanks, spinnerlys
CPU : 2.13 (MBA) compared to 2.53(MBP 13')
RAM: 2GB compared to 4GB
storage: SSD compared to HDD

the CPU and RAM of MBA is slower and smaller than MBP, but I don't play games on it. For working and studying, i think SSD is faster. Because the HDD will get so slow after 1 or 2 years and that is frustrating and annoying of waiting a long time to open a file or an application.
 
if you have a new macbook, then why do you need another laptop?
also unless the weight and thickness are really a issue why would you spend more money for less ram, less HD space, etc?
 
Gabriel GR said:
What kind of applications do you use? For example when I tried to use SPSS along with Word on my mac to write a GLM paper i found the 2gb of ram too little.

I love the air but it's not powerful enough for what i do and I am not a gamer either. IMO the 13" mbp is not terribly bigger and for the same money it's a much more powerful computer. I would only get an MBA if I already had another powerful computer and didn't do any heavy work on the go.
Click to expand...

I'm a student of major microelectronics, so I use some applications for compiling. And other applications such as word, excel, etc...
 
Skibrett3211 said:
if you have a new macbook, then why do you need another laptop?
also unless the weight and thickness are really a issue why would you spend more money for less ram, less HD space, etc?
Click to expand...

I haven't got a macbook , and this will be my first macbook. My current notebook is VAIO.
 
dudulang said:
thanks, spinnerlys
CPU : 2.13 (MBA) compared to 2.53(MBP 13')
RAM: 2GB compared to 4GB
storage: SSD compared to HDD
Click to expand...

You can get an SSD in the MacBook Pro as well for $1,849, the MacBook Pro is looking like the better value...always has.

I don't understand the MBA's purpose or price, I guess people are crazy.
 
Someone knows if MBA is a "crippled" macbook? it means is there any difference between MBP 13' and MBA for using safari, movies and other simple applications?
And which has the overheating problem?
Thanks.
 
MBP 13" no question over the MBA

I believe that the MBA is in fact a crippled machine. Some (many) on these forums will disagree but there are a lot of problems on the Air beyond those Apple designed in as "features". Screen lines, overheating, stuttering on video, etc. If you can afford two machines you can make one an Air. If you can only afford one, stay away from the Air.
 
You're going from one extreme to the other. Have you considered a MacBook?

MBAs are slower and they are used as slightly better netbooks.

MBPs are powerhorses.

Both MBAs and MBPs are very expensive. You can pay a lot less for a MacBook and be satisfied.
 
Sounds like you're definitely leaning toward the MBA. I would just go with what your heart desires. Also, post in the MBA section maybe. I think the MBP people will lean you in their direction, while the MBA people will lead you towards theirs :eek:

I had the original MBA 1.6 GHz and it was an ok experience. I never experienced studdering of flash videos, but I don't think Youtube was HD at that time.

Also one thing to consider is that the new Air has a somewhat underclocked Geforce 9400 (as compared to other Apple products with the chip) while mine only had horrid slow Intel HD graphics.

Lastly, if you're concerned about Flash performance (You may not be) Remember that Adobe is developing one that harnesses the GPU's power to help provide smoother playback.



The only thing my air did was turn on it's fans really loud when I watched youtube or flash vids. However, my unibody MBP 2.93 GHz will often do the same.

;)


One final note, I had the 80GB mechanical hard drive (not an ssd)
 
Gabriel GR said:
What kind of applications do you use? For example when I tried to use SPSS along with Word on my mac to write a GLM paper i found the 2gb of ram too little.

I love the air but it's not powerful enough for what i do and I am not a gamer either. IMO the 13" mbp is not terribly bigger and for the same money it's a much more powerful computer. I would only get an MBA if I already had another powerful computer and didn't do any heavy work on the go.
Click to expand...

You need a beast of a computer to run SPSS fast. We have 4 core towers with 4 gb ram and SPSS still kills the performance on those computers.
 
Scott6666 said:
MBP 13" no question over the MBA

I believe that the MBA is in fact a crippled machine. Some (many) on these forums will disagree but there are a lot of problems on the Air beyond those Apple designed in as "features". Screen lines, overheating, stuttering on video, etc. If you can afford two machines you can make one an Air. If you can only afford one, stay away from the Air.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Scott,
I'm considering buying a notebook in one month, and i will buy a iMac when i arrive in US in 9/2011( because I'm in Paris now), so i'll do the heavy work with my iMac and simple work with my laptop.
 
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