I was in a similar dilemma... and here's how I figured it out coming from an 09 iMac, which I recently sold and an 11 inch MBA (2011) I'll be selling soon.
I'm basically waiting for a complete iMac overhaul and need something to hold me over. For now, I do not need the power, but I want the battery life and a solid display. The MBPR would be $1999 + Tax (student) ect. I ended up going with the new 13" MBA and I got a killer deal $488 off an HP DV6 Quad with the same specs as the MBPR, aside from screen, but still 1920x1080. Either way I already had an extra monitor, so for about the same price I get two computers, one being Windows (Yikes, I know).
I REALLY wanted the MBPR, but it is a computer ahead of its time by a few months. I did not want to be waiting for programs to have to retool everything to take advantage of the screen. Money was not an issue in case, but value was. I figured in 6 months + when everything is full optimized ect, it's halfway through a refresh. Eventually, and I think we know this is coming, all the MBP's will have that form factor, and of course the price on those displays will drop. I would guess in the next year or so. If BBY had it in stock, I probably would have jumped at it, but I just could not justify it overall, especially when not everything is going to run perfectly on the display. I think the ultimate 13" MBA is a solid choice.
I'm basically waiting for a complete iMac overhaul and need something to hold me over. For now, I do not need the power, but I want the battery life and a solid display. The MBPR would be $1999 + Tax (student) ect. I ended up going with the new 13" MBA and I got a killer deal $488 off an HP DV6 Quad with the same specs as the MBPR, aside from screen, but still 1920x1080. Either way I already had an extra monitor, so for about the same price I get two computers, one being Windows (Yikes, I know).
I REALLY wanted the MBPR, but it is a computer ahead of its time by a few months. I did not want to be waiting for programs to have to retool everything to take advantage of the screen. Money was not an issue in case, but value was. I figured in 6 months + when everything is full optimized ect, it's halfway through a refresh. Eventually, and I think we know this is coming, all the MBP's will have that form factor, and of course the price on those displays will drop. I would guess in the next year or so. If BBY had it in stock, I probably would have jumped at it, but I just could not justify it overall, especially when not everything is going to run perfectly on the display. I think the ultimate 13" MBA is a solid choice.
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