Which One - nrMBP or Air - or Retina??

[dano91]

Hi guys. I've been a windows guy my whole life but after owning a few apple devices i feel its time to upgrade my awful acer laptop, and have decided to give a macbook a go.

I will be using it for browsing the web, recording music (with a USB 2.0 audio interface), streaming videos (netflix etc), light gaming (League of Legends, Hearthstone) and some light work (spreadsheets, possibly blog work).

I am thinking of getting the non-retina MBP at £899 with 4gb ram and 500gb hdd. Is this a better investment due to upgradeability?

I wouldn't mind the 4gb 128gb ssd Macbook Air at £699 - but for £200 more is it worth getting the nrMBP?

The retina jumps right up to £1129 for 8gb 128gb ssd. If it was really worth this price hike then I would pay the extra.

It would be used around my house as I don't have space for a desktop - it would be my main and only PC. I already have an external harddrive.

Please somebody help me choose.

I apologise for all the questions. Cheers!

 

[exizeo]

The Intel Iris in the rMBP is far, far better than the Intel HD4000 in the cMBP. So is the HD5000 in the MBA.

Assuming that you do actually do anything involving necessity of graphics...

Do you need lightweight performance, or add half a pound for the sake of some more power and better graphics?

The cMBP is more modifiable, yes, but it's also two years old at this point. And Haswell is pretty nice.

 

[dano91]

As it's going to be my main computer maybe the Pro would be a better choice as it can handle more. Graphics requirements aren't very heavy in the games I play.

the cMBP at £899 - I can upgrade to a 256gb SSD and 8gb RAM and still be cheaper than the rMBP. Then I would have the same RAM and a larger SSD than the stock rMBP with a bit of money spare. I can also modify this in the future if need be.

But is the Retina display and the Iris & Haswell enough to sacrifice the repairability aspect? What happens when the battery goes or you want to add RAM? Surely it can't be impossible.

 

[Meister]

For your use think no further.
Get the mba 4/128 and save a ton of money.

When it gets outdated sell it and upgrade. Or just keep it.

i wanna add that the mba i5/4/128 and cmbp i5/4/500 are approx. the same price here.
I would not pay extra to get the cmbp.

 

[dano91]

Thanks for the reply btw guys.

For your use think no further.
Get the mba 4/128 and save a ton of money.

Whats your reasoning for the MBA over cMBP? I would save £200 buying the i5/4/128 over the cMBP.

If I upgraded to 256gb hard drive it would cost the same amount as cMBP - I'm not sure whether the 128 would be too small? But I do have a 1tb external drive to store files on.

 

[Meister]

Thanks for the reply btw guys.



Whats your reasoning for the MBA over cMBP? I would save £200 buying the i5/4/128 over the cMBP.

If I upgraded to 256gb hard drive it would cost the same amount as cMBP - I'm not sure whether the 128 would be too small? But I do have a 1tb external drive to store files on.

My mac mini has the same guts as the cmbp.
Its not bad by any means, but the hdd is crippling.
With the cmbp youll end up buying an optibay, an ssd and maybe even a ram upgrade. The cost will be no fun.

The mba is much lighter and faster out of the box. Pcie ssds are a blessing.
Getting the 256gb is worth a consideration. We have one of those at home and its amazing.

In your case getting the mba is a no brainer imo.

 

[dano91]

Hmm. You are certainly pushing me over to the MBA side.

Over in the UK, our 4GB MBA prices are:

The 11" 128 is £699.
The 11" 256 is £849.
The 13" 256 is £949.

They only seem to come with 4gb of RAM - is this enough if I plan to keep this laptop for 5 years?

Is it hard to upgrade to a larger sized hard drive if i went for 128 and space became an issue?

 

[TechGod]

The 8GB RAM/256GB/2.6Ghz model is simply an awesome machine. I have a cMBP as well and there is no competition.

As a student I've come to enjoy just how fast every thing is on it and the battery is amazing.

However if funds are an issue then go for the 2013 MBA but the cMBP isn't worth it.

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Hmm. You are certainly pushing me over to the MBA side.

Over in the UK, our 4GB MBA prices are:

The 11" 128 is £699.
The 11" 256 is £849.
The 13" 256 is £949.

They only seem to come with 4gb of RAM - is this enough if I plan to keep this laptop for 5 years?

Is it hard to upgrade to a larger sized hard drive if i went for 128 and space became an issue?

I don't think 4GB is enough, needs evolve and eventually 4GB will be a pain. If you go for the Air, get the 8GB model.

 

[dano91]

However if funds are an issue then go for the 2013 MBA but the cMBP isn't worth it.

Okay so it seems the cMBP isn't worth the price, I'll leave it.

Is it possible at all to add RAM to a MBA?

Which one is best value for money?

11"/4/128 is £700
11"/8/128 is £830
11"/4/256 is £850
11"/8/256 is £980

And its an extra £100 to upgrade to a 13" screen that has an SDXC slot, reasonably longer battery life and obviously a slightly bigger screen. Thoughts?

 

[TechGod]

Okay so it seems the cMBP isn't worth the price, I'll leave it.

Is it possible at all to add RAM to a MBA?

Which one is best value for money?

11"/4/128 is £700
11"/8/128 is £830
11"/4/256 is £850
11"/8/256 is £980

And its an extra £100 to upgrade to a 13" screen. Thoughts?

I strongly encourage you to look at the rMBP if you are going to be keeping your laptop for a long time, but the best options seems to be the lat two. I really do understand throwing money at a laptop that is that expensive isn't easy, but if you are gonna keep it for 5 years then it will be a case of short term loss long term (massive) gain.

Again that's just me, owning a 13"rMBP that is very future proofed. The 11" screen is too small for me but I am not you. Go to where you can compare the 11" screen and th 13" screen and look at what's better for you.

 

[dano91]

Okay well if I'm getting a high-end Air I might as well just get the Retina as I don't need the portability of the Air and get the bonus of the Retina screen plus better graphics.

So I have two options:

The 11"/4/128 Air at £700
The 13"/8/256 rMBP at £1249

I could probably make do with the very basic Air but ideally I'd want to keep it for 5 years roughly.

Is it worth an extra £549 for the bonus ram/hd space/retina screen? Or meet half way with the 256/8 Air at £980 ?

 

[TechGod]

Okay well if I'm getting a high-end Air I might as well just get the Retina as I don't need the portability of the Air and get the bonus of the Retina screen plus better graphics.

So I have two options:

The 11"/4/128 Air at £700
The 13"/8/256 rMBP at £1249

I could probably make do with the very basic Air but ideally I'd want to keep it for 5 years roughly.

Is it worth an extra £549 for the bonus ram/hd space/retina screen? Or meet half way with the 256/8 Air at £980 ?

That air you mentioned at the end, 256/8 could serve you well. Financially it makes a lot more sense.

Using the retina display however has spoilt me and I apologise for any biased opinions since its not for for you to spend so much money on what I think was better.

The MBA with 256/8GB RAM will make you very happy I think.

 

[dano91]

I will visit a store tomorrow and have a play on the Air / Retina to get an idea.

Thinking about it, a 128GB SSD would probably do me. I have a 500gb external already that can store all my files.

So if I need 8gb of RAM to keep it future proof, here are my final options:

11" Air - 8/128 - £830
13" rMBP 8/128 - £1129

So there's £300 to be saved in a MBA. Does the rMBP justify this price increase performance/reliability wise or is it just the graphics?

And the 11" Air doesn't come with a SDXC slot - the extra £100 for a slightly bigger screen might be worth it. Hmm. Definitely getting closer to a decision

 

[TechGod]

I will visit a store tomorrow and have a play on the Air / Retina to get an idea.

Thinking about it, a 128GB SSD would probably do me. I have a 500gb external already that can store all my files.

So if I need 8gb of RAM to keep it future proof, here are my final options:

11" Air - 8/128 - £830
13" rMBP 8/128 - £1129

So there's £300 to be saved in a MBA. Does the rMBP justify this price increase performance/reliability wise or is it just the graphics?

And the 11" Air doesn't come with a SDXC slot - the extra £100 for a slightly bigger screen might be worth it. Hmm. Definitely getting closer to a decision

I think it's worth better performance. I utilise the CPU certain times and I love the increased performance over my 2011 13" MBP. The screen is truly amazing and the MBA will also probably get a Retina screen next year. If you are going for the 13" MBA then again, have a look at the rMBP again. The display and performance gains are good improvements.

 

[capathy21]

Okay so it seems the cMBP isn't worth the price, I'll leave it.

Is it possible at all to add RAM to a MBA?

Which one is best value for money?

11"/4/128 is £700
11"/8/128 is £830
11"/4/256 is £850
11"/8/256 is £980

And its an extra £100 to upgrade to a 13" screen that has an SDXC slot, reasonably longer battery life and obviously a slightly bigger screen. Thoughts?

If I were you I would strongly consider the 13"/8/128 Air which according to your post would run you 930? To me the money is better spent upgrading the ram and not the ssd. You can always use external storage. The ram cannot be upgraded at all, ever. You would probably be fine for several years on 4gb of ram but if this is a machine you want to use for 5 years, get the 8gb of ram.

In performance, I don't really think the rMBP is going to outshine the MBA. I have used both and noticed no difference in normal tasks. The retina display is nice, but if you aren't spoiled to the retina display, the MBA display is still serviceable.

The 11 inch Air is great for portability and if you are comfortable with the small screen, it can save you some money.

 

[St.Icon]

Hi guys. I've been a windows guy my whole life but after owning a few apple devices i feel its time to upgrade my awful acer laptop, and have decided to give a macbook a go.

I will be using it for browsing the web, recording music (with a USB 2.0 audio interface), streaming videos (netflix etc), light gaming (League of Legends, Hearthstone) and some light work (spreadsheets, possibly blog work).

I am thinking of getting the non-retina MBP at £899 with 4gb ram and 500gb hdd. Is this a better investment due to upgradeability?

Horrible idea. Dated, bulkier, lower battery life, and a spinning drive. Just. No.

I wouldn't mind the 4gb 128gb ssd Macbook Air at £699 - but for £200 more is it worth getting the nrMBP?

Yes. Retina and twice the processor speed is worth it.

The retina jumps right up to £1129 for 8gb 128gb ssd. If it was really worth this price hike then I would pay the extra.

It would be used around my house as I don't have space for a desktop - it would be my main and only PC. I already have an external harddrive.

Please somebody help me choose.

I apologise for all the questions. Cheers!

You've already got the storage. Go for a nice rMBP. And go Refurbished if you want to save a few pounds.

 

[TechGod]

If I were you I would strongly consider the 13"/8/128 Air which according to your post would run you 930? To me the money is better spent upgrading the ram and not the ssd. You can always use external storage. The ram cannot be upgraded at all, ever. You would probably be fine for several years on 4gb of ram but if this is a machine you want to use for 5 years, get the 8gb of ram.

In performance, I don't really think the rMBP is going to outshine the MBA. I have used both and noticed no difference in normal tasks. The retina display is nice, but if you aren't spoiled to the retina display, the MBA display is still serviceable.

The 11 inch Air is great for portability and if you are comfortable with the small screen, it can save you some money.

Biased opinions from the other side

I just don't see why the OP should get the 11" if it's only going to be used in house, for that the 13" is much better. Also it's not visible now but the CPU boost will be appreciated

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You've already got the storage. Go for a nice rMBP. And go Refurbished if you want to save a few pounds.

+1 to refurbished

 

[capathy21]

Biased opinions from the other side

I just don't see why the OP should get the 11" if it's only going to be used in house, for that the 13" is much better.

I wouldn't say it is a biased opinion. I chose the Air because TO ME it had more positives over the rMBP when you factor in the price difference. Everyone's needs are different.

Yes in house only warrants the 13 inch for most users. I would agree with that.

 

[Meister]

I just don't see why the OP should get the 11" if it's only going to be used in house, for that the 13" is much better. Also it's not visible now but the CPU boost will be appreciated.

the cpu boost on the rmbp indeed is pointless.
If you dont need the retina id go with a base air.

 

[TechGod]

I wouldn't say it is a biased opinion. I chose the Air because TO ME it had more positives over the rMBP when you factor in the price difference. Everyone's needs are different.

Yes in house only warrants the 13 inch for most users. I would agree with that.

I said biased opinions from the other side. Aka I had my own biased opinions regarding the OP getting the rMBP.

I didn't mean for that too be offensive.

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the cpu boost on the rmbp indeed is pointless.
If you dont need the retina id go with a base air.

But they will be getting the 13" MBA. At that stage why not get a better screen, better CPU, better GPU and more I/O ports? I think its worth it.

 

[Badrottie]

4GB memory wouldn't let you open many apps. 128GB SSD? If you don't plan to add many apps. I have a 2012 15" rMBP with base model 8GB/256GB I use apps like Adobe CS6, iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Pro X, Microsoft Office for Mac 2008, and 4 games, 256GB SSD ate up a lot I get 75GB free space. I shouldn't have bought too many games if I knew 256GB is not enough for games.

 

[capathy21]

I said biased opinions from the other side. Aka I had my own biased opinions regarding the OP getting the rMBP.

I didn't mean for that too be offensive.

Oh I know I didn't take offense#

 

[Meister]

4GB memory wouldn't let you open many apps. 128GB SSD? If you don't plan to add many apps. I have a 2012 15" rMBP with base model 8GB/256GB I use apps like Adobe CS6, iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Pro X, Microsoft Office for Mac 2008, and 4 games, 256GB SSD ate up a lot I get 75GB free space. I shouldn't have bought too many games if I knew 256GB is not enough for games.

Your usage doesnt really compare to the OPs.

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But they will be getting the 13" MBA. At that stage why not get a better screen, better CPU, better GPU and more I/O ports?

slimmer, lighter, cheaper?

 

[dano91]

Just realised the Air doesn't have hdmi, but I can still buy this to connect to a TV can't i?

http://store.apple.com/us/search/Moshi-Mini-DP-to-HDMI-Adapter-with-Audio-Support#!

It's either the 11" Air or 13" rMBP (both 8/128) - I'll go and have a look today and decide.

Is it only Apple store that do refurbished models?

 

[stark4]

Just realised the Air doesn't have hdmi, but I can still buy this to connect to a TV can't i?

http://store.apple.com/us/search/Moshi-Mini-DP-to-HDMI-Adapter-with-Audio-Support#!

It's either the 11" Air or 13" rMBP (both 8/128) - I'll go and have a look today and decide.

Is it only Apple store that do refurbished models?

13" retina MBP has yellow tint issue. Check demo 13" retina MBP at apple store and compare the screen with Air screen. Air screens has very accurate color balance and all the 13" rMBP has yellow tint issue. At least at my apple store. I bought a 13" rMBP and yellow tint is really bothering me. I have MBA also and i compared the two screens. Yellow tint is so obvious on rMBP screen specially if you watch youtube videos or movies.