New MBP or current MBA

[Dtp8513]

I am looking to upgrade my computer and I was not overly impressed with the current specs on the "leaked macbook pro info"...

I was actually exploring the possbility of getting a MBA instead. I would go for the top of the range one (around 1800 i believe after upgrading processor, ram, and superdrive).

Can anyone comment? I am having a tough time deciding!

 

[jamesryanbell]

I think this would be best addressed tomorrow when there's ZERO speculation of the specs of the new MBP.

 

[KPOM]

I think this would be best addressed tomorrow when there's ZERO speculation of the specs of the new MBP.

Agreed. We need to see the CTO options (SSD will be one), as well as some specs and reputable benchmarks to make informed decisions. Sometimes computers are a lot more than their "specs," as the Rev D MacBook Air showed.

 

[jamesryanbell]

Absolutely.

 

[Hands Sandon]

I'd go with the Air simply because of the unreflective and yet glossy screen. Try it out at least, and if it's really not for you, switch.

 

[tom vilsack]

im in your boat...

if leaked 13" pro specs are true....then easy...air

now wait and see.

 

[JayDH]

I just purchased the 13" MBA Ultimate today to replace my late-2008 15" MBP. The MBP had horrible battery life and was just too big and ran too hot.

I saw the leaked specs and doubt that the new MBP will fit my needs better than the Air, so I pulled the trigger. That being said, if they release something spectacular tomorrow, I can always exchange

 

[iTouch1987]

im in your boat...

if leaked 13" pro specs are true....then easy...air

now wait and see.

but then...do you wait for Mac Air Sandy Bridge with i3/i5 in June.

Ugh the wait is unbearable.

i too, since seeing rumors of specs/redesign in 2012, am leaning towards air as well.

 

[Psilocybin]

but then...do you wait for Mac Air Sandy Bridge with i3/i5 in June.

Ugh the wait is unbearable.

i too, since seeing rumors of specs/redesign in 2012, am leaning towards air as well.

Intel gpu are garbage
I'd stick with a c2d with nvidia any day

 

[Dtp8513]

Thanks for the comments guys.. any updates after tomorrows announcements will be greatly appreciated...

something to add- i plan on using photoshop and some digital camera software as well if that changes things.. not really a gamer anymore and i travel alot for work...

 

[gdeputy]

Thanks for the comments guys.. any updates after tomorrows announcements will be greatly appreciated...

something to add- i plan on using photoshop and some digital camera software as well if that changes things.. not really a gamer anymore and i travel alot for work...

What kind of photoshop?

The i5 is more powerful than the C2D, for photoshop I would imagine a decent difference. For most tasks I don't think you would notice anything, honestly SSD will make MBA feel snappier for MOST stuff.

 

[vincenz]

I'd spring for the MBA for sure. It depends on your current needs too though.

 

[PeterKG]

but then...do you wait for Mac Air Sandy Bridge with i3/i5 in June.

Ugh the wait is unbearable.

i too, since seeing rumors of specs/redesign in 2012, am leaning towards air as well.

An updated MBA in June is simply a RUMOR. Have fun waiting.

 

[Cheplampardfan]

Love my air... Suits my basic needs... I'm sure the pro will be awesome tho..

 

[unknown mr T]

I really want SSD in my new laptop..., I just dont know what to do now..., buy a macbook air (base 13 inch) or just a new mbp and add sdd as a option :S I am not really using my laptop for movie editting and those kind of things. I do use matlab sometimes so dont know if there are people who have experience with that program on a mba?

 

[KPOM]

Now that we know the specs, the 13" MacBook Pro looks compelling for those who don't need the lightness of the MacBook Air. A 13" Pro with a build-to-order SSD running the Core i5 (or optional Core i7) will be significantly faster than the "Ultimate" 13" Air. Perhaps that's why they kept the 1280x800 screen in the 13" Pro.

 

[unknown mr T]

yeah, but how much does a BTO 13 inch mbp with SSD cost?

 

[caljlo]

sorry to hijack but I have pretty much the same question and would appreciate some input. Right now I have a black macbook, 2.16 ghz with 2gb. It runs great, but I am going to law school in fall and need something to last me the next 3 years. Would a 13 air provide a noticeable difference? or should I just buy a discounted 2010 pro?

 

[tmoerel]

Easy!

Who wants 1200x800 resolution in a 13". Sooooo low and old fashioned!

 

[Psilocybin]

13" mbp is a total fail

 

[KPOM]

yeah, but how much does a BTO 13 inch mbp with SSD cost?

The price points seem identical to the old model ($1199 and 1499 for the "base" 13" models). That would mean that the Core i5-equipped model with the SSD would be $1999 unless they have lowered the price of the SSD (the store isn't up yet), and the Core i7-equipped model would be $2299.

 

[KPOM]

13" mbp is a total fail

I disagree. The 2.7GHz Core i7 was unexpected, and Thunderbolt has the potential to be great for external devices once peripherals start shipping for it.

 

[Psilocybin]

I disagree. The 2.7GHz Core i7 was unexpected, and Thunderbolt has the potential to be great for external devices once peripherals start shipping for it.

And how cheap do you expect hard drives to be that support 10gb/sec?
The resolution is low on the mpb
No ssd
Gpu is questionable. Intel? Ya bad

Ya real winner mbp

 

[KPOM]

The price points seem identical to the old model ($1199 and 1499 for the "base" 13" models). That would mean that the Core i5-equipped model with the SSD would be $1999 unless they have lowered the price of the SSD (the store isn't up yet), and the Core i7-equipped model would be $2299.

OK, the store is up now. The 256GB SSD is a $650 update (pretty steep if you ask me), so that means that the "base" 13" MBP with the 256GB SSD is $1849, or just $50 more than the Ultimate 13 MacBook Air. Alternatively, you can go aftermarket and get a 256GB SSD for about $500 (and have a 320GB HDD as a backup)

If you don't need the thinness or high-res screen of the MacBook Air, the MBP with SSD is a compelling option now.

The 256GB SSD is a $600 upgrade on the Core i7-equipped 13". The 128GB SSD is a $250 upgrade on the Core i5 and $200 on the Core i7.

 

[KPOM]

And how cheap do you expect hard drives to be that support 10gb/sec?
The resolution is low on the mpb
No ssd
Gpu is questionable. Intel? Ya bad

Ya real winner mbp

Were you seriously expecting standard SSD on the $1200 model? Perhaps the 16GB boot drive, but did you really think they would sell a "Pro" with a 64GB SSD instead of a HDD?

The resolution is low on the 13" Pro, but the Core i5-equipped model with the 256GB SSD is $1849 compared to $1799 for the 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Air. That $50 gets you a superdrive, a faster processor, Firewire, and Thunderbolt. If you don't need the smaller size of the Air, the Pro is compelling again (the old Pro wasn't).

The GPU has been discussed ad nauseum. Apple had no choice unless they ditched the optical drive or made the device bigger to accommodate a discrete GPU. Sandy Bridge is better than the older Intel graphics. It's somewhere in between the 9400m and 320m.