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Should I go Air or Pro retina?

D

DogBreath99

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 23, 2014
13
0
I'm between the Air the MBP Retina .....

Any suggestions?

Does the Retina make that big a difference ?

Anyone regret the MBAP ?
 
I would definitely go for the retina.

Better specs, better screen and the retina is very thin + light in itself.

The Retina also still has excellent battery life.
 
if it's within your budget go pro retina. more power, port, beautiful screen, and more durable
 
DogBreath99 said:
I'm between the Air the MBP Retina .....

Any suggestions?

Does the Retina make that big a difference ?

Anyone regret the MBAP ?
Click to expand...

Retina! I played with the air in the apple store for a bit because I contemplated getting one, I went with my gut and got the rMBP and I do not regret a thing. Get the retina you won't be disappointed, that is...if its in your budget
 
DogBreath99 said:
I'm between the Air the MBP Retina .....

Any suggestions?

Does the Retina make that big a difference ?

Anyone regret the MBAP ?
Click to expand...

People coming here always forget a very important fact when asking for advice about a new computer.

Details. We need details.

If I come up to you on the street and ask you whether I should buy a sedan or a pickup truck, you're going to want to know what I'll be using a car for before responding, don't you think?

So, what do you actually use a computer for?
 
DogBreath99 said:
I'm between the Air the MBP Retina .....

Any suggestions?

Does the Retina make that big a difference ?

Anyone regret the MBAP ?
Click to expand...

I agree with slipper. I wouldn't get an Air if I'd really need the smallest possible laptop. In this case, the 11" model should be my choice.

If you want a 13" laptop, a rMBP is definitely your best option. When (if) Apple launches a rMBA, then I can change my opinion.
 
I have the 13" rMBP and my girlfriend has the 13" Air.

While I've never had any complaints about battery life with my rMBP, her Air lasts twice as long under the same usage. Her screen also doesn't look that bad compared to mine - sure, mine is nicer, but some people act as if the non-retina screen is like sandpaper on their eyes. I don't find the difference THAT dramatic. It's noticeable of course but not a deal-breaker for me. Her laptop is also noticeably lighter.

It depends on what your priorities are. The price difference is about $200 for the same RAM/SSD configuration between the Air and the rMBP. If portability and battery life are your number one priority, go with the Air. If not, go with the rMBP.
 
I would go for the 13-inch Pro retina. The best all-around laptop in the market today. Great screen, very portable.
 
Unless you need battery

Unless you need the battery life more than anything else the retina is the best small portable laptop you can buy....
 
DogBreath99 said:
I'm between the Air the MBP Retina .....

Any suggestions?

Does the Retina make that big a difference ?

Anyone regret the MBAP ?
Click to expand...

MBAP? MacBook Air Pro??

I think people are fixated with power. Realistically, the Air can do everything that most people will want it to do. The Pro has those few extra bits so it can handle heavy-duty processing. Will you need it?

As for retina - you've coped for the last however many years without it. It just comes down to cost.

I love the air because it's so thin, light and the battery lasts days.

----------
brdeveloper said:
If you want a 13" laptop, a rMBP is definitely your best option. When (if) Apple launches a rMBA, then I can change my opinion.
Click to expand...

Definitely the best option? How is that?

Battery life:
MBP: 8hrs
MBA: 12hrs

Weight:
MBP: 1.57kg
MBA: 1.08kg

Price:
MBP: £999
MBA: £749

It all depends where one's priorities lie.
 
Mildredop said:
MBAP? MacBook Air Pro??

I think people are fixated with power. Realistically, the Air can do everything that most people will want it to do. The Pro has those few extra bits so it can handle heavy-duty processing. Will you need it?

As for retina - you've coped for the last however many years without it. It just comes down to cost.

I love the air because it's so thin, light and the battery lasts days.

----------



Definitely the best option? How is that?

Battery life:
MBP: 8hrs
MBA: 12hrs

Weight:
MBP: 1.57kg
MBA: 1.08kg

Price:
MBP: £999
MBA: £749

It all depends where one's priorities lie.
Click to expand...


The 13-inch Air weighs 1.35kg and this one should be the base for a comparison against the 13-inch Pro. Little difference in weight. The 11-inch Air is the one that weighs 1.08kg, but then there is a big difference in terms of screen size.

The 13-inch Pro is more compact (apart from thinness), is more powerful and has a better screen (more pixels, better colors and better angles since it is IPS). The Air has a better battery life because its screen does not use so much power, but the battery life of the Pro is already very good.

Plus, the current Air has a 4-year old design that will be replaced by a brand new one in 2015, according to several rumors.
 
Mildredop said:
MBAP? MacBook Air Pro??

I think people are fixated with power. Realistically, the Air can do everything that most people will want it to do. The Pro has those few extra bits so it can handle heavy-duty processing. Will you need it?

As for retina - you've coped for the last however many years without it. It just comes down to cost.

I love the air because it's so thin, light and the battery lasts days.

----------





Definitely the best option? How is that?

Battery life:
MBP: 8hrs
MBA: 12hrs

Weight:
MBP: 1.57kg
MBA: 1.08kg

Price:
MBP: £999
MBA: £749

It all depends where one's priorities lie.
Click to expand...

I disagree the rMBP is about more than power, that screen really does make a massive difference especially if you work with a lot of text it is far easier on the eyes, and lovely for any photos and movies to boot.

But more importantly the better connectivity with two thunderbolt 2 connections and the HDMI can make all the difference for using external screens, connecting to TV's, and hard drives etc.

Hence unless battery life is your priority the rMBP is the best small laptop available.
 
skaertus said:
The 13-inch Air weighs 1.35kg and this one should be the base for a comparison against the 13-inch Pro. Little difference in weight. The 11-inch Air is the one that weighs 1.08kg, but then there is a big difference in terms of screen size.

The 13-inch Pro is more compact (apart from thinness), is more powerful and has a better screen (more pixels, better colors and better angles since it is IPS). The Air has a better battery life because its screen does not use so much power, but the battery life of the Pro is already very good.

Plus, the current Air has a 4-year old design that will be replaced by a brand new one in 2015, according to several rumors.
Click to expand...

You're correct - I accidentally looked at the weight of the 11". Apologies

And annoyingly, since looking up the specs, I'm now considering getting a MBP to replace my 2011 MBA. I didn't realise the size and weights were so close.

I just don't want Yosemite yet.

Also, does the MBP have the constant whirr? My Air is silent, but my partner's (albeit 3yr old) 15" MacBook Pro has a constant fan whirring noise.
 
Last edited:
Go pro. When you buy it youll be happy knowing there isnt a step up.

my haswell pro is always silent unless im running a game which i never do or doing a system upgrade like yosemite
 
Mildredop said:
You're correct - I accidentally looked at the weight of the 11". Apologies

And annoyingly, since looking up the specs, I'm now considering getting a MBP to replace my 2011 MBA. I didn't realise the size and weights were so close.

I just don't want Yosemite yet.

Also, does the MBP have the constant whirr? My Air is silent, but my partner's (albeit 3yr old) 15" MacBook Pro has a constant fan whirring noise.
Click to expand...

Well, I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro and I hardly hear the fan. So, I don't know about it.

But, looking at both the laptops, I would recommend one of the following configurations:

13-inch rMBP: 2.6 GHz Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: US$ 1,499.00

13-inch MBA: 1.4 GHz Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: US$ 1,299.00

A US$ 200 price difference for a retina display and a faster processor. The downside is that the Air is a little bit lighter and has more battery life. Overall, I would go for the Pro as I think it is more worth it.
 
skaertus said:
Well, I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro and I hardly hear the fan. So, I don't know about it.

But, looking at both the laptops, I would recommend one of the following configurations:

13-inch rMBP: 2.6 GHz Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: US$ 1,499.00

13-inch MBA: 1.4 GHz Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD: US$ 1,299.00

A US$ 200 price difference for a retina display and a faster processor. The downside is that the Air is a little bit lighter and has more battery life. Overall, I would go for the Pro as I think it is more worth it.
Click to expand...

This thread just cost me £1,199. Anyone want to buy a MacBook Air?

Way to lose an argument...
 
Im a huge fan of the retina screen, along with the advanced specs. But the real question is what do you need it for? What will your uses be?

And if you dont need it now, you can wait until mid-2015; I suspect the 12" rMBA will be announced around then. Gets the portability of the air with the retina screen.
 
GoingDark said:
I have the 13" rMBP and my girlfriend has the 13" Air.

While I've never had any complaints about battery life with my rMBP, her Air lasts twice as long under the same usage. Her screen also doesn't look that bad compared to mine - sure, mine is nicer, but some people act as if the non-retina screen is like sandpaper on their eyes. I don't find the difference THAT dramatic. It's noticeable of course but not a deal-breaker for me. Her laptop is also noticeably lighter.

It depends on what your priorities are. The price difference is about $200 for the same RAM/SSD configuration between the Air and the rMBP. If portability and battery life are your number one priority, go with the Air. If not, go with the rMBP.
Click to expand...

Hi, i'm currently debate between the 13 mba and 13 rmbp, could you tell me does the rmbp feel much heavier when you hold it in one hand from the side at open mode? Thanks.
 
Mildredop said:
You're correct - I accidentally looked at the weight of the 11". Apologies

And annoyingly, since looking up the specs, I'm now considering getting a MBP to replace my 2011 MBA. I didn't realise the size and weights were so close.

I just don't want Yosemite yet.

Also, does the MBP have the constant whirr? My Air is silent, but my partner's (albeit 3yr old) 15" MacBook Pro has a constant fan whirring noise.
Click to expand...

I'm typing this on my rMBP now. It's silent. The classic MBPs had spinning hard drives, hence the whirring noise.
 
haoqfu said:
Hi, i'm currently debate between the 13 mba and 13 rmbp, could you tell me does the rmbp feel much heavier when you hold it in one hand from the side at open mode? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Also wondering about the weight. Or, more precisely, portability of a 13'' rMBP vs a 13'' MBA. The answer of course is trivial if not taking hardware specs into account.

As a secondary laptop, to take with me to uni and work (15'' MBP is just too heavy), but possibly end up doing more than just surfing and mail writing, like trying out codes for simulation programming and a bit of administrating here and there, would the maxed out 13'' Air suffice, or should I consider a 13'' Retina and take the extra 300g into account to be on the save side with hardware power?
 
MaximizedAction said:
Also wondering about the weight. Or, more precisely, portability of a 13'' rMBP vs a 13'' MBA. The answer of course is trivial if not taking hardware specs into account.

As a secondary laptop, to take with me to uni and work (15'' MBP is just too heavy), but possibly end up doing more than just surfing and mail writing, like trying out codes for simulation programming and a bit of administrating here and there, would the maxed out 13'' Air suffice, or should I consider a 13'' Retina and take the extra 300g into account to be on the save side with hardware power?
Click to expand...

My 2011 MBP is perfectly portable as is, and it's significantly heavier than either.
 
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