Air vs. Pro

So I'm considering buying a Macbook. Unsure between the Air with i7 or the Pro with the i5. Both configurations have 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. I know the benchmarks between the two. How do the real life performances of each compare and which one would you recommend. I will be studying engineering next year, and the schools software is compatible wih Mac. Which of the two would you recommend? Thanks.

 

I don't know what size your thinking of getting, 13'' or 15''. But I tried out both the 13'' Air and the 13'' MBPr and the retina screen is soo nice. I have the i7 and Irish GPU on mine and for everyday tasks it's excellent. For gaming it's not good for obvious reasons, but if I want to game on max settings I use my windows desktop machine. This is all very bias and my experiences with my MBPr, and I'm happy i bought it. There's a forum about it regarding wifi issues, but for me I don't have any wifi issues. Maybe I got lucky? I don't know.

Here's my 10 cents, my .02 cents are free

 

If you're studying engineering, it would behoove you to get as much CPU power as you can. Since both the Air and current rMBP 13 use low-voltage processors, neither is going to be ideal for that type of usage. You can move up to the 15-inch, which gets you a standard quad-core processor. If you're set on a 13-inch, then you'll need to look at a 2012 or early 2013 rMBP as those used full-voltage Ivy Bridge units. No matter which one you look at, consider getting a refurbished model as they offer significant savings while coming with the same warranty as new.

 

As an engineering student, I do agree that the CPU matters but not so much to the extent of hunting down older models. I was fine with my mid-2011 MBA and it's Core i5 CPU when running MATLAB (in a Windows 7 VM and outside in OS X both at the same time), Excel both in and out of OS X at the same time, HEC-RAS in a Windows VM, HEC-HMS in a Windows VM, and WinFlume in a Windows VM. Most of those were all running at the same time either in OS X or my Windows 7 VM (or both at the same time) and my MBA handled it fine with only 4GB of RAM.

The only time it really had issues was when working with 3D models in AutoCAD but the desktops in the computer labs with quad-core Core i5 desktop CPUs, 8GB of RAM, and dual Quadro cards even had issues with those.

In terms of everyday performance, there won't be much difference between either the 13" MBA or 13" MBP. They both have IGPs that can handle HD videos and they will both be generally "zippy" when opening programs and whatnot. I honestly wouldn't even think about the Core i7 upgrade with the MBA. It's an extra $150 and you aren't going to see $150 worth of a performance increase. You would be better off either rolling that over to the 512GB SSD upgrade or into a nice case/backpack/external monitor/other accessories. Both Core i5 and i7 options in the MBA are dual-core so it's not like you'll be gaining two more CPU cores.

Personally though, I would go with the MBPr (assuming you're talking about the MBPr and not the aged 13" MBP). The display is much better, the battery life is still good, it has more ports for expansion (HDMI, two USB 3.0, and two Thunderbolt), the CPU and IGP are better than the 13" MBA (even with the Core i7 configuration), and it's still pretty thin and light. With the inclusion of an Iris IGP, I think that the 13" MBPr is more worth the money now than when it launched.

 

As a previous chemical engineering undergrad, I would say get the one with the beefiest CPU among the options that interest you. I've found that in most situations, the CPU doesn't matter than much, but there are times where you'll want as much oomph as you can get. Also, some engineering programs will require to do more taxing stuff, so it's best to inquire about that from your university and current students if possible. If the difference in CPU in minimal, go with the one that has more ports and features, which would be the retina.

 

The MBPR 13 is the best value in Apple's lineup right now.

 

I'm not aware of that configuration. What territory is it available in?

 

My guess would be Ireland.

We all know what Nivaku meant though: Iris.

 

I would love an Irish GPU. I could accidentally spill most of a bottle of whiskey on the keyboard before the screen blacked out.

before someone bans me, I'm proudly part Irish

 

Haha, damn you guys are funny, I meant Iris. I wrote down Irish -_- sorry about that.

But yeah I agree maybe a full quad CPU would be better for you, since my i7 is only a dual-core the retina display is really nice though

 

MBPr 13 is my main workhorse laptop- very sturdy unit- screen is the best out there hands-down, keyboard is excellent, battery life is great, and processing power is great- the only time I have seen any slowdown with the the MBPr is when crunching a 15 minute iMovie sequence which happens on the best mac desktop too- so get one - if your not worried about weight get the new 15 with a bit more power- I will stick with the 13 inch size as I feel this is the optimal size if you do any transporting- I wanted the Air but once they reduceded the size of the pro and added retina that sealed the deal- i played with the Air and MBPr several times at the apple store and if you do a side by side comparison and handle the two the advantages of the pro versus the minimal weight difference make the decision pretty easy- good luck.

 

Yeah, considering how thin, light, and (relatively) inexpensive the rMBP 13 is right now, it's really hard to justify the MacBook Air 13. The screen and performance if the rMBP 13 is significantly better than the Air 13, and the Air 13 isn't significantly more affordable or portable.

 

I'm actually trying to reach this decision for myself. I just wish the Air had a Retina display.

 

The rMBP 13 is only 0.5 lb heavier than the 13-inch Air.

 

I prefer the thinness and lightness of the Air, but it's the battery life and price I have in mind.

 

One of my client's sales guys had his Air fail on him. We sent him a 13" Retina as a replacement since it was all we had in stock. He complained pretty bitterly. Too biiiig. Too heeeaavvvvy.

We loved his emails. We never sent him an Air.

 

The differences aren't that great. $1099 (Air) versus $1299 (Pro); 12 hours (Air) versus 9 hours (Pro). In those two areas the Air beats the Pro, but it's not like it's in an entirely different category of either price or battery life. Not enough IMO to trump the performance, solidity, and screen of the rMBP13.

 

I also think the extra expansion ports make the MBPr worth it over the Air. Built-in HDMI, two thunderbolt, and two USB3.0 instead of one thunderbolt and two USB3.0. Those extra thunderbolt ports can really come in handy especially when hooking up to external displays. It allows for dual display setup in clam shell mode, something even my 2012 15" MBP doesn't allow for since it only has a single thunderbolt port. Plus those multi-port thunderbolt docks (the ones that add additional HDMI output, 4 USB3.0 ports, FireWire, ethernet, etc.) are coming down in price. Pair that up with a 13" MBPr for home docking and I think it's a great solution.

That's the route I would take if I was on the market for a new system. As it stands, my 2012 15" MBP is still performing fine and will likely last me for another 2-3 years before it's replaced.

 

In my case, price is a significant factor, so it's very likely that I won't be spending the extra £130. Bear in mind that the only advantage for me of the rMBP is the display; I don't need the extra CPU horsepower, and I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "solidity".

 

I have both the 13" Air and Retina on my desk right now. The Retina definitively feels more solid than the Air, most likely because of the difference in thickness. I'm switching from the Air to the Retina because of the screen, i really need more than 1440x900 and so far running at 1680x1050 is really nice. I also like the fact the Retina is slightly smaller in length and width than the air.

In retrospect I should have gone with the Retina last year instead of the Air...

 

Rumor has it that the 2014 Air will come with a Retina display... around June time frame. I'm also waiting for the Air to get a Retina display and Thunderbolt 2 before I jump on a Mac.

 

I'm waiting on the 2014 Air as well. I've been on the 2012 Air and absolutely love it but it is a bit too light for me. I think I prefer the black bezel around the screen as well. I'll see how the new Airs look before deciding what to do.

 

I honestly have never really understood the point of the air, especially now that the MBP is so similar in terms of thickness and weight. It seems like it would be worth the slight size difference to get more connectivity options, better screen, etc.

 

The MBA has a lower starting price and the extra weight of the MBPr really adds up for people who travel a lot. Not everyone needs a retina display, two Thunderbolt port, an HDMI output, etc. It's the same reason why companies continue to make ultrabooks despite having some really light and thin, more full-fledged, notebooks also on the market.

Granted, I would not get a MBA now with the 13" MBPr but it was a much more drastic comparison between the MBA and the standard MBP. With the MBA, you were getting much more bang for your buck. A higher resolution panel, faster overall operation, a thinner/lighter system, etc. Those differences are minimal compared to the MBPr but there's still a market for the MBA. I know that, if I had a kid in high school needing a notebook, I would get them a MBA over a MBPr due to the added costs. Spending an extra $200 for myself to get a notebook with 8GB of RAM, a faster CPU, a better IGP, and a retina display isn't much but spending that extra amount for someone else, who will treat the system less favorably than I would, makes a difference.

 

Nowadays with the rMBP 13, with only a small price difference and small weight difference, I agree. But when the Air was released, the MBP was a bit of a tank and was darned expensive if you wanted an SSD in it.

 

I still question using school software on a Retina screen (which I mentioned in the other thread)--I just have a feeling it won't be compatible and it will look quite pixelated. If that's an important part of why you're getting a Mac, you may want to rethink the Retina option.

On another note, if the new Air does come with Retina, I may consider getting one to supplement my 15". My main problem with the Air when I had one is that it got SO hot when I would play YouTube videos. But I don't think I'd be using it much for that...

 

MBA with retina would be soo much win, i wonder if it will increase the price however :S