Trade Advice: New Macbook Pro 13" 2012 vs Newish Macbook Air 13" 2011

[Starshadow]

Hi guys,

Long time lurker, first time poster. I need advice on a trade i have set up.

I have a Macbook Pro Retina Display and it acts as my main computer, but i also have a new Macbook Pro 13" which is mostly used around the house for watching movies and my girlfriend uses it for collage.

Since I don't rely on the Macbook Pro 13" for gaming or working its only really my girlfriend that will and...shes not the biggest of people so I thought i'd trade it for an Air which is much lighter.

Well heres the trade offered to me.

My Pro is the baseline 13" 2012 with custom upgraded ram to 10GB

His Air is the 2011 model which appears baseline apart from the upgraded HD which is a 256 SSD. Hes also throwing in a InCase sleeve and a book arc for the air.

He's got the whole box it came in too with all the stuff that goes with that, which tells me its well kept.

What do you guys think, would you take this trade?

 

[Starshadow]

Any opinions on this?

 

[Tankmaze]

nope, I would keep the MBP. newer technology, intel HD 4000 is really the key here. the 2011 air have intel 3000 HD which is about 60% less performance than the 4000.

plus there isn't that much different to the weight, so the mbp is still a very portable machine.

 

[MacSignal]

If the lower resolution display on the MBP 13 is acceptable, I would keep it instead of trading.

MBA is attractive for the higher resolution screen, greater portability, and the SSD. Not so attractive for zero capability to upgrade memory and lesser graphics capability.

 

[DFTU101]

If you are using the DVD drive to watch movies, then don't trade. If, however, you are streaming movies using the internet, the MBA will be much lighter/portable. Since you have a rMBP, having another MBP is sorta redundant. Go for the MBA (you can travel with it much easier and even carrying it around your house will be much lighter) if you are just using it for simple tasks (browsing, email, streaming movies, etc).

 

[Starshadow]

Thanks for the responses,

I don't think i've used a dvd/cd drive in years now, all cloud based etc so lack of that never has bothered me.

I'm leaning towards the air.

 

[LaunchpadBS]

You'll get more longevity out of the MBP, it's an understated machine.
I bought one last month(13" i5 Ivy Bridge), threw in 16GB ram and an SSD and now using it with an external monitor as my main dev machine and play games on it, it really is that much better than the 2011 Air or MBP models.

 

[Starshadow]

I've decided to keep my 13" Macbook Pro,

I figured that although the SSD appeals to me I can just upgrade to one on the MBP.

And I may just wait until next year, offload my MBP and get a brand new Air.

As far as my Girlfriend goes, shes just going to have to put more meat on those bones and carry the thing to collage every day

Thanks for your insight follow ...Macmanics?

 

[Tankmaze]

Good Decision. And right now this minute I just unbox my 13 mbp 2012.
Also been contemplated with air 13 vs mbp 13. And i have mbp 15" and imac 27".


Haswell chip next year will bring amazing Integrated GPU to the mba.
Which is 2x the speed of intel hd 4000 or almost 100% up performance, and I'm also gonna buy mba next year

 

[Elijen]

You'll get more longevity out of the MBP, it's an understated machine.
I bought one last month(13" i5 Ivy Bridge), threw in 16GB ram and an SSD and now using it with an external monitor as my main dev machine and play games on it, it really is that much better than the 2011 Air or MBP models.

Haha, that is EXACTLY the same I am going to do in few days when I finally get the MBP.

 

[LaunchpadBS]

Haha, that is EXACTLY the same I am going to do in few days when I finally get the MBP.

If you can afford the i7 then go for that, hyperthreading helps

 

[jmgregory1]

I, for one, made the switch from mbp to mba and don't regret it for a second, and I had a 15" mbp with matte high res screen. The 13" pro is anything but pro - and the only way I would ever consider (I actually wouldn't consider it) was if it ditched both the cd/dvd drive and replaced the slow hdd with ssd.

The screen on the 13" "pro" may have more depth of color, more saturation, but even my wife, who uses her 13" pro daily for work, complains about the resolution effecting her eyes.

I get that some people want to be able to upgrade ram, drives, etc. and for those cases, the 13" may be the right fit, but personally, I'd save for either an 8gb ram 2012 13" mba or save more and get a 15" pro retina and have the best of both worlds for size, screen and speed.

 

[Naimfan]

This is funny - I think the other side of this proposed trade asked the same question in the Macbook Pro forum, and the advice was to jump on it. (The 10 GB RAM is what makes me think it's the same.)

I've owned 13" MBPs and 13" MBAs and wouldn't swap a Pro for an Air on a bet. The Air requires a lot more money to give you a lot less, and zero expandability.

Keep the Pro.