Air or Pro?

[Nahtzee]

I need a new laptop, especially one for University (starting fall 2012 semester).

I've weighed the Pros and Cons of both operating systems, and I've chosen to go with OSX for the first time

Problem is, I can't decide between Macbook Air or the Pro.

I do already have a very "high-end" gaming machine at home, so I wouldn't need to be playing anything on the laptop.

But I am a sucker for speed, and if my comp. is slow, it's almost unusable for me.

I would be using the machine for programming, web surfing, general use (notetaking, etc.)

Let's say pricing isn't a concern, which should I go with?

 

[kelvin18574]

Just go with a Macbook Pro 13inch and add in a Intel Solid State Drive. My Macbook Pro boots up in 10 seconds and all work tasks runs within a second. You dont need 15' or 17' as they are like mobile desktops, too heavy and slightly gaming compatible. So 13inch Macbook Pro with SSD is best combo for school.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Go with the 13" Air.

 

[kelvin18574]

Macbook air uses smaller SSD, it will be a pain in the butt to replace a better hard drive and not to mention it overheats many times.

 

[kelvin18574]

Macbook Air does not have DVD Drive and only 1 USB, kinda big limitation there. When I was in college, CD-Drive was very important.

 

[Illusio]

I'd go pro. We just bought a new Macbook and the reason we went pro over air was the size of the HD. The pro's were at least 2 times bigger than the biggest one you could get on the air.

That and the optical drive.

 

[kelvin18574]

Dont forget the Macbook pro has 7 hour battery life compare to the Air that has 4

 

[Patranus]

Go with the Air.

 

[TheStu]

Dont forget the Macbook pro has 7 hour battery life compare to the Air that has 4

You are operating on OLD information.

Air:
1440*900 resolution display
2 USB
SD Card
Thunderbolt
Audio Out
MagSafe
7 hour battery life
SSD standard (and only option)

Pro:
1280*800 display
2 USB
Ethernet
Firewire
SD Card
Thunderbolt
Audio Out
MagSafe
7 hour battery life
HDD standard (but replacements can be more easily and cheaply acquired)

The CPU on the Pro is faster, but honestly you probably wouldn't notice it in most tasks. The Pro can also be upgraded to 8GB RAM which is an advantage.

However, the higher screen res and the standard SSD are definite advantages to the Air. That and the lighter weight. I don't even notice it in my bag.

They both have their advantages, but you seem to think that the Air that Apple sells is the original Air, and that simply isn't true. The latest generation are great and capable systems that unless someone ABSOLUTELY has to have FireWire 800 or gigabit ethernet on the go (since the Thunderbolt display features those ports, as does the upcoming belkin thunderbolt breakout boc thingy) then for the most part it simply comes down to;

Are you going to need 8GB RAM? Get the Pro
Does the additional screen real estate make a difference? Get the Air

 

[TheStu]

I'd go pro. We just bought a new Macbook and the reason we went pro over air was the size of the HD. The pro's were at least 2 times bigger than the biggest one you could get on the air.

That and the optical drive.

Also, don't forget that the larger drive on the Pro is also a platter drive vs the SSD on the Air. Sure, it is twice as large, but the speed difference is... not insignificant.

 

[alent1234]

MBP all the way. MBA screen looks like crap compared to MBP

 

[kelvin18574]

You forgot DVD-Drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TheStu]

MBP all the way. MBA screen looks like crap compared to MBP

Yea you know, I was just in the store a couple weeks ago, i put my 11" Air side by side with each one (so I could have a point of comparison.) They looked about the same. Little bit brighter on the Pro, but the colors looked the same, viewing angles were about the same.

 

[kelvin18574]

Macbook Air does not have DVD Drive $79, no ethernet port. When Wifi goes down, Macbook Air is total useless and cant watch DvD or burn CDs. Not only that, Macbook Air heats up 40% faster than Macbook Pro because of poor ventilation for the CPU.

 

[kelvin18574]

I own both Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. Macbook Air is not sturdy. Trust me!!

 

[Patranus]

Macbook Air does not have DVD Drive $79, no ethernet port. When Wifi goes down, Macbook Air is total useless and cant watch DvD or burn CDs. Not only that, Macbook Air heats up 40% faster than Macbook Pro because of poor ventilation for the CPU.

Wait, I *have to buy* an Apple branded external DVD Drive?
I must have hit my head because every time I use an old drive out of an HP computer inside an IDE->USB enclosure it seems to work.

You can also get a USB->Ethernet adapter if needed.

 

[TheStu]

I own both Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. Macbook Air is not sturdy. Trust me!!

I do not own a unibody Pro, but I have used one extensively, the Air is just as sturdy

Macbook Air does not have DVD Drive $79, no ethernet port. When Wifi goes down, Macbook Air is total useless and cant watch DvD or burn CDs. Not only that, Macbook Air heats up 40% faster than Macbook Pro because of poor ventilation for the CPU.

Ethernet port, $29 for USB adapter. And as you said, $79 for the optical drive if you really must have it. But with the rise of digital downloads and the like, and the OP's already existing desktop it is kind of moot. And no, it barely heats up at all (on mine the only time it happens is with netflix streaming or gaming) and I have the older Core 2 model. I can only imagine that the Core i5 version would actually be able to handle netflix without breaking a sweat.

 

[kelvin18574]

Would you really want to carry a USB to Ethernet adapter and a USB to DvD Drive adapter everywhere with you? not only that, it takes up both USB ports. so you need USB to multiple USB adapters. thats a lot of cables and adapters...

Macbook Pro has all those features inside the Unibody Enclosure.

 

[alent1234]

Yea you know, I was just in the store a couple weeks ago, i put my 11" Air side by side with each one (so I could have a point of comparison.) They looked about the same. Little bit brighter on the Pro, but the colors looked the same, viewing angles were about the same.

i saw them in best buy and the colors of the galaxy picture look a lot better on the pro. MBA they look washed out.

but for me, i don't care about the thin and lighter by a pound and sexiness

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Would you really want to carry a USB to Ethernet adapter and a USB to DvD Drive adapter everywhere with you? not only that, it takes up both USB ports. so you need USB to multiple USB adapters. thats a lot of cables and adapters...

MBA is for people who don't need those things. It's a nice to have not a need to have. If you don't need them then get the MBA. Plus with Remote Disc you can use another computer to read the disc.

For most people and their use cases, the MBA is all they need. The OP said he only needs it for programming, web surfing, and general usage which the MBA will excel at.

 

[kelvin18574]

1.7Ghz of Macbook Air vs 2.4 Ghz of Macbook Pro. thats 0.7 Ghz difference.

 

[Reliant]

Macbook Air does not have DVD Drive $79, no ethernet port. When Wifi goes down, Macbook Air is total useless and cant watch DvD or burn CDs. Not only that, Macbook Air heats up 40% faster than Macbook Pro because of poor ventilation for the CPU.

Just wrong. My Air is a lot cooler than my Pro.

 

[Reliant]

I own both Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. Macbook Air is not sturdy. Trust me!!

Both unibody versions are sturdy. Don't know why you think it's not.

1.7Ghz of Macbook Air vs 2.4 Ghz of Macbook Pro. thats 0.7 Ghz difference.

Ok, we get it. You're saying the reasons that YOU want the pro. He has a gaming machine, he needs something that will run OSX and productivity software well, which any CPU in the Air will do. He can also spec out the Air with a 1.8ghz i7 that will turbo up to 2.9ghz, which is going to be faster than that i5 you listed. It's all about perspective but you seem fairly misinformed so far.

 

[bearxor]

If it was me, I'd go with a Air.

If you decide you need the extra stuff included in the Pro, I would buy a SSD. Single best performance increase you can give a computer.

 

[Geekbabe]

I got the 13 inch Air at the end of Nov as an early Xmas gift, every day that I use this computer i love it a little bit more. I think the screen is great, text is very crisp, the keyboard has a great feel and the back lighting is great. Oh and one more thing the track pad is amazing!