I know everyone's probably bored of this question by now but I own an iPad, which I mainly use for reading & music, and a 17 inch windows laptop, which is powerful but is basically a desktop due to its size. I want a portable Mac os x device which I can use to do work & also use as an entertainment system on the go. But I don't know if I should get the ultra portable new MacBook or the rmbp 13 inch, as a portable power machine, since they are almost the same price.
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Which MacBook as a portable second laptop
- Thread starter Samtb
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I personally don't see the first-gen Retina MacBook as a good deal due to the sacrifices made despite the current price point. However, for productivity and entertainment tasks I'm sure it would work just fine.
I have a 15" rMBP docked at home as a desktop. I have an iPad 3 with a keyboard cover that I take school for notes.
I am starting grad school and want a new portable work device. I'm trying to decide between the MB or an iPad Air 3. Since you already have a main system (as I do) I would want the light possible portable system which is the Macbook. It's about 1.5 pounds lighter than the 13" MacBook Air. That's a big difference on this scale.
I am starting grad school and want a new portable work device. I'm trying to decide between the MB or an iPad Air 3. Since you already have a main system (as I do) I would want the light possible portable system which is the Macbook. It's about 1.5 pounds lighter than the 13" MacBook Air. That's a big difference on this scale.
If you'd included MacBook Air in your poll question, I might have voted!
I don't intend to sacrifice processor power to pump out to a gorgeous display, especially when I'm on the road. Nor do I want to carry more weight than I have to, especially when schlepping.
I'll be hanging onto my MBA for a while yet.
I don't intend to sacrifice processor power to pump out to a gorgeous display, especially when I'm on the road. Nor do I want to carry more weight than I have to, especially when schlepping.
I'll be hanging onto my MBA for a while yet.
Which is one consideration. I start grad school in the summer, but I'd wait until the fall to upgrade if that's what I wanted.
I just don't know if I want to give up the table form factor.
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The OP has a powerful main computer. They need something light for on-the-go use. The MB is lighter and has a better screen. The MBA has better processors, but since this isn't the OP's workhorse it may not matter.
If you're going to wait until the fall anyway you might as well go with an iPad Pro instead. You'd get the 12" display and a tablet form factor.
As of now that is a nonexistent product and I'm not going to plan my purchases on that.
Then you leave yourself with the MacBook since the iPad Air 3 is also a "nonexistent product".
I think you knew what I meant.
I know the iPad Air 3 is coming. I don't know that an iPad Pro will materialize. I don't want to decided to wait on a pro and be disappointed so I'm not planning on one.
You don't actually, but you consider it safe to assume so. The same kind of assumption can be made for the iPad Pro, you just choose not to make it.
However, I do understand your hesitancy to do so since the iPad Pro is not an established product and its release keeps getting delayed. I will make the assumption of a Fall release just like I assumed a Spring release and take a little disappointment again if it turns out not to be true, in which case I'll just go with an iPad Air 3.
I agree with this response. I too expected the announcement in the Spring. However, with a 12" MacBook, I am skeptical of the iPad Pro. I'd love to see it come, but I'm loosing hope just like with a new display.
The 12" Retina MacBook and 12" iPad would still be two very different products (especially since those who think the iPad Pro will run both OS X and iOS are likely in for a disappointment), although it does make some sense to give the MacBook a little bit of a head start. As for the new display, they seem to be waiting for Skylake and Thunderbolt 3 which can support 5K at 60 Hz over a single cable. Of course that means no current Macs will be able to use it.
I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who expected to see it this Spring, and I'm not interested in the rMB since I'm perfectly happy with my rMBP and want a large-screen iPad running iOS (I don't currently have an iPad). The best I can do is hope for a Fall iPad Pro release, or just give up on waiting and get an iPad Air 2 now.
MacBook:
I am looking for a secondary/backup Notebook for the field, presently the new MacBook is looking favourite as superficially it meets my requirements; Retina, 8Gb RAM, 512 SSD, decent battery life, reduced footprint. The one issue, performance. Until the real world reviews start to trickle in, performance remains a major concern.
MacBook Air:
11" would be perfect barring the obvious 16:9 low res display and omission of Force feedback trackpad, add the cost of 8GB Ram, 512 SDD pricing is not attractive. 13" Air is moot as the 13" Retina has it all covered and much more.
MacBooK Pro:
Already have 15" & 13" Retina`s equally should the new MacBook`s performance be to limited for my needs a second 13" is a clear option, in many respects the 13" Retina is Apple`s best portable.
Two 13" MBPr`s will definitely work, with the 15" in the wings for jobs requiring more horsepower or just a larger display on the go, equally in this scenario I can easily see the second machine hardly seeing "the light of day" with the MacBook I can see it`s extreme portability being a distinct advantage for me and far more likely to be used in tandem with a MBP for the heavy lifting. Should the MacBook`s performance be not up to my needs I will need to revaluate, as I really don't want to go back to the days of carrying two 15" MBP`s around the world...
Q-6
I am looking for a secondary/backup Notebook for the field, presently the new MacBook is looking favourite as superficially it meets my requirements; Retina, 8Gb RAM, 512 SSD, decent battery life, reduced footprint. The one issue, performance. Until the real world reviews start to trickle in, performance remains a major concern.
MacBook Air:
11" would be perfect barring the obvious 16:9 low res display and omission of Force feedback trackpad, add the cost of 8GB Ram, 512 SDD pricing is not attractive. 13" Air is moot as the 13" Retina has it all covered and much more.
MacBooK Pro:
Already have 15" & 13" Retina`s equally should the new MacBook`s performance be to limited for my needs a second 13" is a clear option, in many respects the 13" Retina is Apple`s best portable.
Two 13" MBPr`s will definitely work, with the 15" in the wings for jobs requiring more horsepower or just a larger display on the go, equally in this scenario I can easily see the second machine hardly seeing "the light of day" with the MacBook I can see it`s extreme portability being a distinct advantage for me and far more likely to be used in tandem with a MBP for the heavy lifting. Should the MacBook`s performance be not up to my needs I will need to revaluate, as I really don't want to go back to the days of carrying two 15" MBP`s around the world...
Q-6
The reason I like the new MacBook is its ultra portability. The reason I like the rmbp is its slightly larger screen, the significant higher power for its price which is simlar to the macbook and its ports. USB is useful for using memory sticks, SD is useful for memory expansion and importing photos from my camera and HDMI is useful for projection to TVs or projectors.
It might be yes. I don't use ports much anymore but I do still plug in the occasional usb, and do like to plug into a tv on the go.
Which MacBook as a portable second laptop
I say go for the MBP. It seems that you want the new MacBook just for the portability. You said you want the MBP because it has a larger display, ports, power. The Pro is a more capable and powerful laptop. I'd choose the Pro if I were you.
I say go for the MBP. It seems that you want the new MacBook just for the portability. You said you want the MBP because it has a larger display, ports, power. The Pro is a more capable and powerful laptop. I'd choose the Pro if I were you.
If you are plugging into peripherals on-the-go - I would recommend the rMBP. With the rMB - if you forget the dongle or leave it behind in some hotel - you are SOL.
I'm not Samtb, but I can tell you why I'm returning an 11" MBA that I bought as a portable second laptop: the display. I love everything else about that machine, but it's just too...I'm not sure what the word is, maybe annoying?...to go back and forth between retina/HiDPI IPS displays and the TN display in the MBA.
Call me fussy, whatever. I spend too much of the day looking at displays...I thought it wouldn't bother me, but I think I was wrong.