Pro vs. MacBook for College

[InvalidUserID]

Well I appreciate your opinion. I certainly don't think the MBA is a bad value for money, I just can't justify spending the extra 200 for a machine that is no where near as powerful but sheds .24 of an inch ( at the thick point) and a pound and a half.

Although everyone has their own ways of learning, the fact that I am on a mac forums is because I am seeking advice on which laptop to buy. Not for people trying to talk me out of it or tell me how to take down notes. For some reason note taking keeps surfacing but trust me I will be doing much more with my mac on the go.

So any other takers on the MBA vs. MB?

After reading this and your original post (didn't read any of the other responses), if I were in your position I would just go with the MacBook. With what you are doing, I couldn't justify the MBP. If you are concerned about the speakers on the MacBook, are headphones an option?

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Jack Flash]

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You have an iMac at the dorm. You do not need anything more powerful than this for your mobile work.

 

[Vanilla]

Well I appreciate your opinion. I certainly don't think the MBA is a bad value for money, I just can't justify spending the extra 200 for a machine that is no where near as powerful but sheds .24 of an inch ( at the thick point) and a pound and a half.

Although everyone has their own ways of learning, the fact that I am on a mac forums is because I am seeking advice on which laptop to buy. Not for people trying to talk me out of it or tell me how to take down notes. For some reason note taking keeps surfacing but trust me I will be doing much more with my mac on the go.

So any other takers on the MBA vs. MB?

Well, to be fair, you did state previously that money wasn't an issue so with that element out of the equation weight does become well, weightier..

Honestly, if you travel a lot with your laptop that pound and a half that an MBA saves you will make a significant difference. You'll either have an overall lighter experience carrying your rucksack or be able to carry more additional stuff - e.g. books - than you would otherwise.

As for your comment that its "nowhere near as powerful" I would try and avoid the 'mines bigger than yours" gadget spec porn and focus on what you need to do with your laptop. An SSD HD with a 1.86ghz chip will in my opinion be more than adequate for your needs and will put a number of alternatives to shame with the speed of response you'll get.

Try one in the store. Extensively. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
My boss replaced his blackbook with one recently and is an absolute convert. As for me, my personal situation requires that I navigate past my wife first before I can upgrade my xmas wishlist....

Vanilla

 

[superloud]

TopGear300, you first said this:

...What does everyone else think. Do they like taking notes on the mac more or less then handwriting them out like we are from the 1800's?

and then in your next post you said this:

... For some reason note taking keeps surfacing but trust me I will be doing much more with my mac on the go.

I just find that kind of funny. We should probably just stick to the original question of MB vs MB Air.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

No thanks. Your results are interesting and do make me wonder. But I have sloppy handwriting and writing my notes by hand will be my last resort. Behind netbook haha.

What does everyone else think. Do they like taking notes on the mac more or less then handwriting them out like we are from the 1800's?

Very interesting point. I'm a college lecturer, and I suspect that the physical action of writing makes students think a bit more about what notes they are taking down; oddly, I'd recommend pen and paper for class, and then typing up notes later on a (MBA/MB/MPB) for revision, relevance, and learning.

Re the original query, portability obviously is an issue. Then, I'd recommend the new MB as it offers the best combination of portability, performance and power you are likely to need. The MBA is a superb second computer, and takes up little physical space, so is useful if portability (and an excellent screen) are your key concerns.

Cheers and good luck

 

[TopGear300]

Thanks! Will go to the store and fully test these out?

Anyone think the MBA will get the full touch "glasspad"?