The first "Should I get a Macbook Pro or Macbook Air" thread
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rtr1985
macrumors 6502a
How does the portability compare? Thinking about replacing a 2011 MBA with a new rMBP
treyjustice
macrumors 65816
I bought the macbook air at best buy about a week ago on sale for $1099 (4 gb/256 gb) and I'm thinking of returning it and getting the rMbp (8 gb/256 gb) for $1499.
I really didn't want 4 gb ram but best buy didn't sell the air in 8 gb...
I really didn't want 4 gb ram but best buy didn't sell the air in 8 gb...
rtr1985
macrumors 6502a
Nice. Didn't they even make it a little thinner this release?
badlydrawnboy
macrumors 68000
I think it changed by 0.04 inches. So not much, but perhaps significant.
EDIT: missed a decimal place!
Last edited:
AlecMyrddyn
macrumors 6502
0.04" (amount 1mm), you missed a decimal place.
0.75 to 0.71, now the 13" is the same thickness as the 15" rMBP.
TyPod
macrumors 68000
0.04" (amount 1mm), you missed a decimal place.
Crazy cool stuff.
I just sent back my mid-2013 13" MBA i7 8gb and received a late-2013 rMBP 2.4 i5 8gb replacement. Even though the MBA was a very impressive piece of kit I couldn't get used to the screen, it just wasn't good enough for the price of the computer especially when the rMBP I replaced it with was around £80 cheaper.
Two minor things i didn't like about the MBA was the small black border between the screen bezel and the actual screen and its overall fragility compared to the rMBP. Overall I'm way more satisfied with my replacement, and oh my, that screen
Two minor things i didn't like about the MBA was the small black border between the screen bezel and the actual screen and its overall fragility compared to the rMBP. Overall I'm way more satisfied with my replacement, and oh my, that screen
badlydrawnboy
macrumors 68000
I just sent back my mid-2013 13" MBA i7 8gb and received a late-2013 rMBP 2.4 i5 8gb replacement. Even though the MBA was a very impressive piece of kit I couldn't get used to the screen, it just wasn't good enough for the price of the computer especially when the rMBP I replaced it with was around £80 cheaper.
Two minor things i didn't like about the MBA was the small black border between the screen bezel and the actual screen and its overall fragility compared to the rMBP. Overall I'm way more satisfied with my replacement, and oh my, that screen
Let us know how long your new rMBP lasts on one charge!
Still going on the same charge as you asked me earlier
. I've mainly been doing Safari browsing, YouTube and two episodes of Breaking Bad on Netflix. Time on battery is currently 7:46 and remaining battery is 2:30 (28%) which would extrapolate to a total battery time of just over 10 hours.Hope this helps.
boostingdsm
macrumors newbie
I actually did the same thing. I returned my air and got the MBP the 8gb/256GB SSD model. The display is very nice, but the air wasn't bad either. I do like the smaller footprint of the Macbook pro. It's much smaller than the air.
the rMBP a smaller footprint. I am happy I swapped
treyjustice
macrumors 65816
Best buy told me they would match apple education price of $1399 so I'm gonna go swap it tomorrow!
also interested.I have the same dilemma. I currently own a 2008 plastic MacBook so I'm in the market for a new laptop, especially since I'm stuck with Lion as the latest OS. Needless to say that any of the two (Air/rMBP) would be a sweet upgrade and a noticeable boost over what I currently have.
I was sure I was gonna get the Air, especially because I carry my laptop to work back and forth every day, so the fact that it is light would be a nice benefit. Moreover, the battery life means I don't have to get the charger along, as I do right now, which means even less weight and space in my bag.
However, I didn't expect the $200 price drop which in my eyes makes the rMBP rather appealing now. Just to be clear, I'm looking for a standard configuration on both machines, as I'm working in social media and marketing, I don't play games so I only use my laptop for Google Docs and office tasks, lots of browsing (my browser is constantly open and frequently holds 15 open tabs or more), intensive email, and watching movies and tv series online.
Will I need a Retina display for watching movies and tv series and will it be a real added value to browsing and reading and writing documents? I rarely, if ever, edit photos or videos and even when I do it, it is for minor adjustments, I don't even need Photoshop.
I also can't say that I travel a lot because I don't, but I do like to have my laptop with me all the time and not have to worry so much whether there's a place to plug it in when I go to a conference or a seminar.
It seems like there's a lot of arguments in favor of the Air, however, the fact that makes me consider the rMBP, besides the price drop, is the fact that I don't like to change machines that often (you probably noticed that, with my 2008 plastic MacBook), so I want a laptop that will last me another 4-5 years, if possible. I don't want to get the urge to resell it in one year or so for a newer model and it feels like the Retina might stop me from having that urge?
Aesthetics wise, I really enjoy the thinness of the Air (but do feel like the design has been around for a long time already) and I much rather prefer the aluminum grey bezel of the Air instead of the all black, glass bezel of the Pro.
What would you recommend?
Except, is 15in too large to take with you to the occasional seminar? I thought they made the 15in lighter and thinner
teerexx52
macrumors 68020
I have the same dilemma. I currently own a 2008 plastic MacBook so I'm in the market for a new laptop, especially since I'm stuck with Lion as the latest OS. Needless to say that any of the two (Air/rMBP) would be a sweet upgrade and a noticeable boost over what I currently have.
I was sure I was gonna get the Air, especially because I carry my laptop to work back and forth every day, so the fact that it is light would be a nice benefit. Moreover, the battery life means I don't have to get the charger along, as I do right now, which means even less weight and space in my bag.
However, I didn't expect the $200 price drop which in my eyes makes the rMBP rather appealing now. Just to be clear, I'm looking for a standard configuration on both machines, as I'm working in social media and marketing, I don't play games so I only use my laptop for Google Docs and office tasks, lots of browsing (my browser is constantly open and frequently holds 15 open tabs or more), intensive email, and watching movies and tv series online.
Will I need a Retina display for watching movies and tv series and will it be a real added value to browsing and reading and writing documents? I rarely, if ever, edit photos or videos and even when I do it, it is for minor adjustments, I don't even need Photoshop.
I also can't say that I travel a lot because I don't, but I do like to have my laptop with me all the time and not have to worry so much whether there's a place to plug it in when I go to a conference or a seminar.
It seems like there's a lot of arguments in favor of the Air, however, the fact that makes me consider the rMBP, besides the price drop, is the fact that I don't like to change machines that often (you probably noticed that, with my 2008 plastic MacBook), so I want a laptop that will last me another 4-5 years, if possible. I don't want to get the urge to resell it in one year or so for a newer model and it feels like the Retina might stop me from having that urge?
Aesthetics wise, I really enjoy the thinness of the Air (but do feel like the design has been around for a long time already) and I much rather prefer the aluminum grey bezel of the Air instead of the all black, glass bezel of the Pro.
What would you recommend?
I have an 11" Air and am using a new retina 13" I just purchased. I have some experience with the 13" Air as well. To me only one thing matters and that is the screen. The retina screen is really top notch. When I go back to the Air it is a really noticeable difference. Yes, the 11 Air is super portable and I have yet to take the 13" retina out of the house. I will be doing that this morning. Right now I would lean towards the retina. Just my opinion of course.
sparky1234
macrumors newbie
One thing to consider about battery life is that in a year and a half, that 9 hour battery life on the rMBP will probably be closer to 7 hrs and will only keep dropping. That might mean that you will eventually have to start carrying your charger with you depending on how much you use your rMBP during the day.
As it is, I don't have to carry my charger and probably won't have to for several years. I'm getting about 14 hours on my Air, and even if battery life drops to 50-60% (which is inevitable), I'll still probably get away with not having to carry my charger.
In fact, I almost never charge my MBA above 80% (apparently this is better for battery health) even when I leave the house, and I always have plenty of juice left over by the end of the day.
That said, I do envy those who get to look at that gorgeous retina screen.
As it is, I don't have to carry my charger and probably won't have to for several years. I'm getting about 14 hours on my Air, and even if battery life drops to 50-60% (which is inevitable), I'll still probably get away with not having to carry my charger.
In fact, I almost never charge my MBA above 80% (apparently this is better for battery health) even when I leave the house, and I always have plenty of juice left over by the end of the day.
That said, I do envy those who get to look at that gorgeous retina screen.
I have a 2013 MBA 11" 1.7 i7 and a new 13" rMBP 2.6 i5 side by side. At least for basic tasks (startup, web browsing, iPhoto, iTunes, etc.) I find them exactly the same. If anything, the Air is slightly faster on startup, opening programs and loading Web pages.
badlydrawnboy
macrumors 68000
That's a good point. However, though I only replace my desktop once every 4-5 years, I generally upgrade my laptop every 2 years (selling the old one). So this isn't as much of a concern.
PeterJP
macrumors 65816
I've been considering a MacBook for a few years now but never really needed it. But it seems like I will require to have one for my professional activities in the near future, so I'm happy the new rMBP is here. I would mainly use Office 365 and web tools. My choice would be either the 11" MBA or the 13" rMBP, both in 8/256 config. The price difference is 200. My assessment:
* The 11" would be great as a sort of large PDA. Once upon a time, I owned a few Psions, ending with the Psion 7, which wasn't as wide but much thicker and about the same weight. Great battery life. I expect the 9 hours to be more like 10 with Mavericks, so even after a year it would last a day. Disadvantage: the screen could be better.
* The 13" has a brilliant screen. It can do double duty: enlarge the view for couch surfing, or make everything smaller to make two windows fit side-by-side (research + write). I expect the battery life to be 7 hours including the Mavericks advantage, so probably not enough to last a day. That makes the weight disadvantage even bigger, because I would need to carry an adapter. Maybe the 13" is just too much betwixt and between: if I want a serious machine, the 15" would be better, but it wouldn't be comfortable on a couch.
So, still in doubt. The 13" screen is really, really, really appealing, but the disadvantages are hard to ignore.
* The 11" would be great as a sort of large PDA. Once upon a time, I owned a few Psions, ending with the Psion 7, which wasn't as wide but much thicker and about the same weight. Great battery life. I expect the 9 hours to be more like 10 with Mavericks, so even after a year it would last a day. Disadvantage: the screen could be better.
* The 13" has a brilliant screen. It can do double duty: enlarge the view for couch surfing, or make everything smaller to make two windows fit side-by-side (research + write). I expect the battery life to be 7 hours including the Mavericks advantage, so probably not enough to last a day. That makes the weight disadvantage even bigger, because I would need to carry an adapter. Maybe the 13" is just too much betwixt and between: if I want a serious machine, the 15" would be better, but it wouldn't be comfortable on a couch.
So, still in doubt. The 13" screen is really, really, really appealing, but the disadvantages are hard to ignore.
Just went out to check them in the store next to each other. The screen of the rMBP 13 looks awesome.
One important differentiator is the HDMI out. Next to that if you see them side to side the air is a lot thinner at the end while the rMBP is a bit larger at the edges but does have a smaller footprint overall.
One important differentiator is the HDMI out. Next to that if you see them side to side the air is a lot thinner at the end while the rMBP is a bit larger at the edges but does have a smaller footprint overall.
For me the biggest issue is the yellow tint in the MBA screens. No matter how much I tried, I can't seem to get true white on my 2012 MBA compared to my 2010 MacBook White. This bothers me a lot. Is the new MBAs still having the same issues? I've tried loads of calibration tools but all to no avail. Anyone successfully calibrated a MBA to a normal Pro colour contrast & hue?
This is the only reason I am looking for the rMBP compared to the MBA.
This is the only reason I am looking for the rMBP compared to the MBA.
im in the same boat. thought about the MBA, but waited to see if they release the new rmbp asap.
i wanted to upgrade to 8g ram and 256 ssd on MBA, then i realised for 200$ i can get better processor and the retina display. 200g difference is something but not gamebreaking (i have back problems so i consider these stuff alot).
will be getting my 13" rmbp soon enough
badlydrawnboy
macrumors 68000
Just got back from the Apple Store. My impressions:
The retina display didn't blow me away as being far superior to the MBA display at first, but the more I went back and forth between the two, the more noticeable it became. Subtle, but significant. I can understand why some have said they can't imagine going back to a non-retina display after using the retina.
The weight difference, although small on paper, was more obvious than I thought it would be. That said, it's not a big deal for me since I'm usually carrying the laptop in a briefcase that sits on top of my wheeled suitcase when I travel. If I was a student and carrying it around in a backpack, I'd weigh this more heavily.
The MBA is considerably slimmer around the edges, but as others have pointed out the footprint of the rMBP is slightly smaller. This is a wash for me; neither has a big advantage over the other.
In normal use (opening applications, web browsing, clicking through photos in iPhoto, etc.) I did not see much of a difference in system responsiveness.
I was hoping the choice would be more clear after a visit to the store, but I'm still torn between the 3+ more hours of battery life with the MBA and the retina screen. One of the main reasons I'm upgrading right now is that I'm going to be traveling across the country for literally the entire month of January. I have something like 12 flights during that time, in the middle of winter. Long delays due to weather are almost inevitable, and I won't always be able to plug-in. I can see the MBA being really shining in this situation.
On the other hand, even as I type this I find it hard to imagine NOT getting the retina display now that I've seen it.
The question is whether 10 hours (if that's what people are getting with the 13" rMBP) would be enough in most cases while I'm traveling, given what I wrote above.
What would you do in my shoes?
The retina display didn't blow me away as being far superior to the MBA display at first, but the more I went back and forth between the two, the more noticeable it became. Subtle, but significant. I can understand why some have said they can't imagine going back to a non-retina display after using the retina.
The weight difference, although small on paper, was more obvious than I thought it would be. That said, it's not a big deal for me since I'm usually carrying the laptop in a briefcase that sits on top of my wheeled suitcase when I travel. If I was a student and carrying it around in a backpack, I'd weigh this more heavily.
The MBA is considerably slimmer around the edges, but as others have pointed out the footprint of the rMBP is slightly smaller. This is a wash for me; neither has a big advantage over the other.
In normal use (opening applications, web browsing, clicking through photos in iPhoto, etc.) I did not see much of a difference in system responsiveness.
I was hoping the choice would be more clear after a visit to the store, but I'm still torn between the 3+ more hours of battery life with the MBA and the retina screen. One of the main reasons I'm upgrading right now is that I'm going to be traveling across the country for literally the entire month of January. I have something like 12 flights during that time, in the middle of winter. Long delays due to weather are almost inevitable, and I won't always be able to plug-in. I can see the MBA being really shining in this situation.
On the other hand, even as I type this I find it hard to imagine NOT getting the retina display now that I've seen it.
The question is whether 10 hours (if that's what people are getting with the 13" rMBP) would be enough in most cases while I'm traveling, given what I wrote above.
What would you do in my shoes?