About a month ago, I decided to sell my 27 iMac because I needed mobile computing for my new job. The decision basically came down to a MacBook Pro or Air, both the 13 models. Ive used the Pros before back in 2009, so I knew what they would be like. The newly released Airs, on the other hand, were new and intriguing. Since my computer needs are rather low, I decided to go with the Air and be an early adopter of the future of notebook computing.
In the end, I returned the Air for a Pro.
The main issue for me was the display. The Air displays just cant compare to the Pro, especially in terms of color gamut. In a nutshell, the colors seem washed out and blown out. To be fair, its not a bad display, especially when compared to PCs; but if you compare an Air to a Pro or, worse yet, an iMac, theres truly a difference in quality. I tried my best to live with it, but I simply couldnt, so in the end I sold my Air for a Pro.
As far as the other issues pertaining to the AIr, the lack of an optical drive didnt bother me that much. I was using the Air as my only computer, and it served that role quite well. Even though I frequently use my computer to watch DVDs, it wasnt that much of a hassle to connect an external DVD drive. The benefit of not having the extra weight of an optical drive when I didnt need far outweighed the slight inconvenience of attaching an external drive.
The limited hard drive space on the Airs SSD wasnt really a factor for me. I kept most of my major files on an external drive, which I hooked up to the Air when necessary, which was quite rare. 99% of the time I was perfectly happy with the immediate files I kept on the SDD.
There were other small differences between Air and the Pro, all very minor. The keyboard on an Air has less travel than a Pro, making it a bit more tight, which I guess is due to its thin form factor. To me, it was neither better nor worse, just different. Once I got used to it, I typed equally as comfortably on an Air or a Pro.
Also, the trackpad is a bit more responsive on a Pro. Very minor, but just wanted to point that out.
All in all, I think that the MacBook Air is a great computer for those without heavy computing needs. The form factor is a godsend and makes the machine incredibly light and mobile. The SDD makes launching applications and transferring files lightening fast. Its literally a hybrid between a MacBook and an iPad.
If I werent an amateur photographer and didnt cared so much about color, I would be perfectly happy with using an Air as my only computer. However, seeing how I just cant let the color issues go, I had to reluctantly switch to a Pro. But the day they put IPS displays in an Air, I will go back to one immediately, no questions asked.
In the end, I returned the Air for a Pro.
The main issue for me was the display. The Air displays just cant compare to the Pro, especially in terms of color gamut. In a nutshell, the colors seem washed out and blown out. To be fair, its not a bad display, especially when compared to PCs; but if you compare an Air to a Pro or, worse yet, an iMac, theres truly a difference in quality. I tried my best to live with it, but I simply couldnt, so in the end I sold my Air for a Pro.
As far as the other issues pertaining to the AIr, the lack of an optical drive didnt bother me that much. I was using the Air as my only computer, and it served that role quite well. Even though I frequently use my computer to watch DVDs, it wasnt that much of a hassle to connect an external DVD drive. The benefit of not having the extra weight of an optical drive when I didnt need far outweighed the slight inconvenience of attaching an external drive.
The limited hard drive space on the Airs SSD wasnt really a factor for me. I kept most of my major files on an external drive, which I hooked up to the Air when necessary, which was quite rare. 99% of the time I was perfectly happy with the immediate files I kept on the SDD.
There were other small differences between Air and the Pro, all very minor. The keyboard on an Air has less travel than a Pro, making it a bit more tight, which I guess is due to its thin form factor. To me, it was neither better nor worse, just different. Once I got used to it, I typed equally as comfortably on an Air or a Pro.
Also, the trackpad is a bit more responsive on a Pro. Very minor, but just wanted to point that out.
All in all, I think that the MacBook Air is a great computer for those without heavy computing needs. The form factor is a godsend and makes the machine incredibly light and mobile. The SDD makes launching applications and transferring files lightening fast. Its literally a hybrid between a MacBook and an iPad.
If I werent an amateur photographer and didnt cared so much about color, I would be perfectly happy with using an Air as my only computer. However, seeing how I just cant let the color issues go, I had to reluctantly switch to a Pro. But the day they put IPS displays in an Air, I will go back to one immediately, no questions asked.
