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Should I buy Air 11" + 10" iPad or rMBP 13"

I

iRight

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 18, 2013
24
0
I have no other computer. At home I have 40" Sony TV to which I could connect my MacBook, but the air has no HDMI.

I will use my apple devices mainly for my uni.


Should I buy Haswell Air 11" + iPad 5 or Haswell rMBP 13"? (I will wait for the release)

The resale value of rMBP really sucks, and Air 11" keeps its value. (I want to upgrade my iDevices every year).

What do you think? Thanks for help.
 
Why would you need 2 ultra portable devices like an ipad and an 11" air?

Maybe an iPad and a desktop would be better?

You say you use it for uni...is that mostly word processing?
 
Well, for word processing both laptops are great, but you know, the air is much cheaper and for the price difference I can get the iPad which would be used mainly for media consumption.
 
neverhadanewton said:
But why get both?

You can consume media just fine on a Macbook Air...
Click to expand...

Sitting on a couch or lying in my bed and using an ipad seems to be much more pleasant.

I think I would use the macbooks mainly for work/uni, only sometimes for mixing some music.
 
It's not like using a Macbook Air is unpleasant though!

Maybe get the Macbook Air first, use it and then decide if you need extra things like an ipad...
 
neverhadanewton said:
It's not like using a Macbook Air is unpleasant though!

Maybe get the Macbook Air first, use it and then decide if you need extra things like an ipad...
Click to expand...

Well, wouldn't it be too small to use it at home? I mean 11" is not a big screen :D and the air lacks HDMI and retina. I'm not even thinking about taking air 13" because then I would definitely take the rMBP 13".
 
Last edited:
iRight said:
Sitting on a couch or lying in my bed and using an ipad seems to be much more pleasant.

I think I would use the macbooks mainly for work/uni, only sometimes for mixing some music.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling that neverhadanewton is going to come to your house and kill you if you get an iPad.
 
Interstella5555 said:
I have a feeling that neverhadanewton is going to come to your house and kill you if you get an iPad.
Click to expand...

futurama-fry-meme-generator-not-sure-f9960f.jpg
 
I run my rMBP and iPad through Apple TV in order to connect to my TV, so you don't need HDMI. My wife and I looked at the Air, but the screen display is awful. I know a lot of people think it's dandy/good enough/fine, but let's be honest: it stinks. After looking at the 13" rMBP, the decision was quite easy.

A laptop in bed is not ideal......
 
FrankB1191 said:
I run my rMBP and iPad through Apple TV in order to connect to my TV, so you don't need HDMI. My wife and I looked at the Air, but the screen display is awful. I know a lot of people think it's dandy/good enough/fine, but let's be honest: it stinks. After looking at the 13" rMBP, the decision was quite easy.

A laptop in bed is not ideal......
Click to expand...

Thank you for you reply. Your opinion makes me think about:

rMBP 13" + iPad 5

or

rMBP 13" + (hopefully) retina iPad mini

Now the question is: which option is better for uni/travel/home?
 
Ideal solution maybe (funds and timings permitting).

haswell rMBP 13" and retina iPad mini (assuming such a thing will exist in the near future).

Their you go...I'm not totally against iPads ;)
 
neverhadanewton said:
Ideal solution maybe (funds and timings permitting).

haswell rMBP 13" and retina iPad mini (assuming such a thing will exist in the near future).

Their you go...I'm not totally against iPads ;)
Click to expand...

Hehe well, the iPad mini is and will stay 7,9" and the iPhone will soon get 4,5" or 5" (iPhone 6). Thus, I'm not sure if the iPad 5 wouldn't be a better choice.
 
In college I had a Dell and an iPad (I graduated last year). I would say to get the retina and an iPad mini or even older iPad. Personally it seemed like most people brought either an iPad with keyboard case or a Mac to class. The iPad is extremely valuable to load PDF's to because it saves you from having to print all those pages. Obviously classes will vary but it's probably safe to say that at some point there will be a class expecting you to print hundreds of pages. I wouldn't personally want to study PDF's on a laptop because it just doesn't seem similar enough to a book and an iPad mimics pages better with the ability to highlight easily. So from what I've seen and my preferences going through school, I would go with whatever options allows you to get some sort of iPad. Then you can use that for studying/reading and maybe note-taking and then use the rMBP for writing papers. There's no way I would have wanted to write a paper on my iPad.

However, if you're concerned with resale value it doesn't seem as if iPads hold value very well at all. I'm still going along on my iPad 2 just fine, especially if you're only using it for school-related stuff.
 
I am a owner of ipad mini
And planning on buying Macbook air 13 as i dont have a PC at all for like 3 weeks and iPad has been a wonderful companion ... But pc is a requirement . So getting a 13 macbook air as i dont see much value in rMBP and i can see text fine on my Mini and macbook air fine . Retina for me is no necessity.

And after i get Macbook air i may sell my mini as i cant much use after that .
 
But on the other hand, rMBP 13" + iPad look quite expensive. Is it worth to buy it for uni/travel/home? Wouldn't it be better to get an Air + an iPad? But, again, lack of retina and hdmi is pain.
 
Why no air 13inch plus iPad 5

Normal computing on the air and ultraportable plus super sharp retina on ipad

Imo retina on ipad is worth more and u read the smaller text easily ...
I have ipad mini and prefer to use landscape mode as text is better ...
 
Thanks for help everyone.

I decided I will get the Haswell rMBP 13" and upgrade it every year. However, I'm not sure if I need an iPad.
 
Just get whichever computer you think you'd want regardless of the ipad then go to school for a month or two and decide if you would need the ipad. It's hard to predict what you want especially if its your first year and the computer is the bigger purchase.
 
iRight said:
I have no other computer. At home I have 40" Sony TV to which I could connect my MacBook, but the air has no HDMI.

I will use my apple devices mainly for my uni.


Should I buy Haswell Air 11" + iPad 5 or Haswell rMBP 13"? (I will wait for the release)

The resale value of rMBP really sucks, and Air 11" keeps its value. (I want to upgrade my iDevices every year).

What do you think? Thanks for help.
Click to expand...

get the air, forget about the ipad obviously you don't need it if you would forgo it in order to get the retina. Buy a thunderbolt to HDMI adaptor to run your air on your TV as you did before
 
newdeal said:
get the air, forget about the ipad obviously you don't need it if you would forgo it in order to get the retina. Buy a thunderbolt to HDMI adaptor to run your air on your TV as you did before
Click to expand...

The 11" air is more than plenty for your needs. No need for an iPad.

I've used an 11" air while surfing in bed. It works just fine and does more than what an ipad does.

Buy a thunderbolt --> HDMI converter and you are set.

Hell I even use my 2009 MBP in bed. Its not as bad as you think!
 
adiddas125 said:
The 11" air is more than plenty for your needs. No need for an iPad.

I've used an 11" air while surfing in bed. It works just fine and does more than what an ipad does.

Buy a thunderbolt --> HDMI converter and you are set.

Hell I even use my 2009 MBP in bed. Its not as bad as you think!
Click to expand...

I would take the Air but the screen resolution is really low.

If there only was 11" rMBP...
 
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