umbp vs mba

[flynz4]

I'll grant you that SSDs are much better in certain respects. What makes them not worth it at this point though is what you failed to address: price. Just look at this picture:

View attachment 189852

Until SSDs become more widely adopted and the prices drop, there's almost no justifying buying one over an HDD for anyone who doesn't really, really need it.

For a MBA, you currently get a choice of 2 models. The SSD version is a $300 premium. For this you get:

1) 2.13 vs 1.86 processor
2) 128 GB vs 120 GB drive
3) Longer battery life for any disk intensive applications
4) Less noise
5) Much better shock/vibration immunity
6) MUCH faster performance (loading aps, booting, etc)

For me... spending the extra $300 is a no-brainer... primarily for item #6. I am not saying that this would be true for everyone... but the OP did state that price was not an issue.

/Jim

 

[tim100]

I wonder what is hurting the air more:

1) the fact it did not get a design refresh
2) its limited specs because it is so thin

for me I don't know why apple does not put a glass track pad on the air.

 

[devburke]

For a MBA, you currently get a choice of 2 models. The SSD version is a $300 premium. For this you get:

1) 2.13 vs 1.86 processor
2) 128 GB vs 120 GB drive
3) Longer battery life for any disk intensive applications
4) Less noise
5) Much better shock/vibration immunity
6) MUCH faster performance (loading aps, booting, etc)

For me... spending the extra $300 is a no-brainer... primarily for item #6. I am not saying that this would be true for everyone... but the OP did state that price was not an issue.

/Jim

OK, but to be fair you did initially say to spring for SSD whatever the decision was, MBA or MBP, and the prices in that screen shot were for MBP.

 

[flynz4]

OK, but to be fair you did initially say to spring for SSD whatever the decision was, MBA or MBP, and the prices in that screen shot were for MBP.

I don't know if it would void the warranty, but for a MBP, it would probably be a better deal to buy an SSD and have it installed (or self install). Self-install is really not as much of an option for a MBA.

The bottom line of my recommendation is that once you try an SSD, it is very difficult to go back. Once I put one in my laptop... I pretty much had to start upgrading my other machines. The HDD experience is just too painful once you get accustomed to a quality SSD.

I still use HDDs in my server. They are the clear winner for capacity. Since most of my access to a server is large blocks... then the SSD performance does not matter as much. The SSDs really excel in short random reads... which is exactly what most client machines spend the majority of their time performing.

/Jim

 

[tim100]

any more votes?

 

[tim100]

You'd be wasting your money going for a MBA over a MBP 13". Unless you're wife is toting the computer from place-to-place, there is no need to spend the extra money for a MBA since you're paying for its extra portability.

last gens air is less than $1000 at best buy, does this change your opinion?

 

[devburke]

last gens air is less than #$100 at best buy, does this change your opinion?

There has got to be a missing zero in there.

 

[ucfgrad93]

As far as I can tell the only advantage that the MBA has over the 13" MBP is that it weighs less. All other advantages seem to be in the Pro's corner. Unless weight is a vital consideration, my advice would be to go with the Pro.

That is good advice.

 

[tim100]

it would be a second computer.

wow the poll is not even close!