Torn between similar 13" MBP vs MBA

Torn between similar 13" MBP vs MBA.. buying my first Mac in a day or two..

13" screen is mandatory, want extreme portability. Only $100-$200 difference in the configs I am looking for. I do like to have the latest CPUs which is screwing up my deicision. I do not play games on my laptop.

MacBook Pro 13" - 2.7GHz i7, 4GB ram, 128GB SSD, Intel HD3000, $1699
or
MacBook Air 13" - 2.13GHz Core Duo, 4GB ram, 256GB SSD, Nvidia 320M, $1799

So hard to decide because the machines are just so close, and most of the reviews I read talk about how the Air is just as quick in most tests..

I want the AIR for its 2.9 lb weight... but the PRO keeps pulling me back because of the i7..

 

Will you really utilize the strong CPU? That is the question.

If it were me, I would go with the MBP 13 mainly because for $100 less, you get a stronger CPU and you still have a SSD albeit it is lower in storage but you'll have huge performance.

Add in 8GB of RAM and you got a monster machine. The GPU will be the bottleneck though.

 

thanks for the tips. i wont ever game on it, i have my big PC for that.. i dont know if i would really use the cpu, but i hate buying something new with old hardware in it.. i suppose the video doesnt really matter either way, since i wont game on it.

what it comes down to then, is the weight of the AIR vs the CPU of the PRO.

coming from this Asus G73 17.3" I bought yesterday, i guess any weight will seem like a huge improvement..

also, i dont have to buy the 8GB ram from Apple do I? Can I just buy it somewhere else later for way cheaper than the $200 upgrade? (Do I buy 4GB more, or do i have to buy a full 8GB replacement set?) I think the AIR is hard maxed at 4GB ram tho..

 

If you will be running extremely CPU intensive tasks (things that takes minutes to finish), often use the built in DVD drive, or can't live without a backlit keyboard, go for MBP 13".

If you prefer having a 1440x900 resolution (instead of 1280x800), will be using the computer for general things, prefer the faster responsiveness/performance due to SSD, light weight, go for Air.

If the only reason you're not getting the Air is cuz it has a CPU with an old name, never mind that its performance is so good, you're very unlikely to ever see a beachball, then... It's too bad.

I recommend you buy the Air first, and if you're unhappy with its CPU performance, return it for free and go for the MBP.

Personally, I'm in a similar boat except I don't need a Mac until summer. So I will be waiting for the next 13" MBA and I hope it will be come out soon. As long as they put in Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt in it, I'll get it. Anything extra will be a bonus.

 

thanks for giving me another way to look at it. Screen resolution is pretty important to me also, I forgot that aspect. This laptop will be used for 90% internet browsing only...

 

Yes, you can buy ram for MBP elsewhere, but you will need a full 8 GB set (2x 4 GB). Yes, the Air has soldered ram, so you can only get 4 GB when customizing it online and it's not upgradable.

 

I can just walk into a Apple store and walk out with one right? I dont have to order online do I??

 

Apple Stores usually only carry the most popular configs (i.e. base and top-end), so they they may not have a specific custom model you want. Whereas you can always order exactly what you want from Online Apple Store.

Just go there and see what they have.

 

called 3 local stores. no one stocks the air 13" with upgraded cpu.. its all special order.

 

man... i can find the air locally at apple or bestbuy today.. without the 2.13 cpu.. everyone stocks the 1.83ghz. it would be a shame to regret not getting the top cpu later on such a large purchase.

 

I would get the 1.86 GHz CPU.

There's less than 15% difference between the two. The 1.86 GHz is more than fast enough for casual tasks like web browsing and iLife or iWork apps.

But if you're gonna throw some CPU-heavy task at it that takes 1 minute at 2.13 GHz, it'll only take 1 minute and 15 seconds at 1.86 GHz. Not a huge difference. Plus the lower clocked one should generate less heat and give slightly longer battery life.

Bottomline, for the tasks I'd use an Air for, I don't think it's a wise investment of $100. If you're planning to run more CPU-heavy tasks more often, perhaps it is.

 

ya i kind of came to that conclusion, thinking maybe not to spend $2000 on an airbox when all is said and done. this is purely a screw around machine, nothing serious. also, my local BB only has the 128GB SSD in stock. I honestly probably don't need the 256GB SSD aside from bragging rights. Might as well just get the slimmed down version as my first Mac. If I love it, I can always order a real nice one a year from now.

I'll be returning my Asus G73 17.3" laptop to BB today.

 

c2d = i5 clock to clock?

The i5 or i7 should be around 20-23% faster than the core 2 duo processor clock to clock.

 

well i returned the asus. had the macbook air 1.83ghz 128gb in my hand, but walked out without it. I just can't rush into the decision, i've been thru too many laptops as it is..

the dell xps looks like it has insane specs also, so i just need to research a bit more. i think it had both a stronger cpu and video than anything i've looked at so far, plus the best resolution.

(I'll move to the Dell forum for a while and research..)

 

You need to look beyond the specs when buying Apple hardware. After all, you buy a Mac to run Mac OS X. You don't buy it to run Windows as there are other, less expensive options that will do that just fine. You have to take that into account along with the design and build quality (something of which almost everyone else is trailing behind) while looking at the raw specs.

You are right in that this isn't something that you should just jump into. You should do a little research regarding Mac OS X and play around with it as that should be your default OS on any Mac computer. Being able to run Windows should be more of a "safety net" and nothing something you heavily lean on. Otherwise you should just go with a Windows device.

 

It is a really a question of power and functionality versus weight. In my case, portability was the main consideration, hence the MBA. When I am in the field carry it around for more hours than I use it. When in the office or at home the lack of muscle is something I do not miss, but I am not a power user.

 

i guess i want what i can never have. a laptop that beats my PC.

 

placcy, look, I have a Sony Vaio Z12 (VPCZ122GX/B). It costs a lot ($2000 for my config), but it has killer hardware specs:

-Core i5 2.4 GHz
-Two 64 GB SSDs in RAID0 (128 GB in total)
-4 GB RAM
-NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 1 GB
-Intel Graphics
-13.1" screen with 1600x900 resolution
-DVD-rom
-4~5 hour battery life
-3.0 lbs weight (yes, lighter than the 13" Air)
-it runs quiet and cool, efficient cooling
-HDMI port
-Three USB ports
-Also backlit chiclet keyboard, bluetooth, etc.



On paper, it's like a perfect machine, right?

For me, not quite. I'm just sick of Windows and all the mess that comes with it. So I am looking to get a MacBook to replace it (due to Mac OS X and how streamlined it is). At this point, I'm waiting until summer and I'll get something with Lion by then. Hopefully an updated MacBook Air 13" with SB and Thunderbolt.

Just saying, sometimes hardware specs alone aren't enough to make a person happy with a laptop.

 

i actually like the Asus G53 but it doesnt quite have the specs of the G73. Specifically, it doesnt have the 5870M video that my G73 had. And that scored a 7.2 WEI compared to my PC's HD4870 which scored a 7.4 WEI.

 

Just get air if you want portability, enuf said -)

Not really.
1. It doesnt look like a mac nor it got a mac os.
2. It got less battery life, which you want in such a machine.
3. It cost twice more for a better spec that one would hardly utilize in a field where such machine is going to be used.

FOR ME its not better then air — i cant even work on such a small screen so if i take notebook to a flight or trip its mostly for entertainment.

 

interesting.. as i just found a Sony Z 12" available with most of the same specs except a i7 3.3ghz cpu for around $2099 before tax locally... man thats a lot to spend on a laptop.

 

Especially such a small laptop with specs that trail behind other, slightly larger notebooks on the market. There is a prime example of the "Sony tax" that is similar to Apple charging higher prices.

 

maybe it was a 13".. cant remember. but its a perfect laptop for me really. only problem is that price.. wonder if i can walk into Frys and try and get 15% off with sweet talk..

i looked at a open box M15X there once.. and he was gonna give me 20% off.. but i just couldnt trust it.

 

A prime example of someone who doesn't know what they're talking about.

Do you realize this machine weighs 3.0 lbs, that's same as 13" MacBook Air, yet it sports Core i5, a DVD-rom, and a GeForce GT 330M 1 GB. Essentially, it has the specs and cost of the high-end 2010 15" MacBook Pro, but size and weight of MacBook Air (except it's not as thin, duh).

It's not "Sony tax," you get what you pay for. If you don't want a 3.0 lbs machine with those specs, feel free to pay less than half and enjoy your 5+ lbs laptop.

 

even tho this is a Mac thread..

man, that Sony 13" i saw is still catching my interest..

they have a few..

Sony Z13JGX/B 13.1" 4G WiMAX Ready Notebook $1899
FRYS.com|Sony

Sony Z124GX/S 13.1" Intel Core i5-520M Processor with 4GB memory and 256GB SSD drive $1999
FRYS.com|Sony

Sony Signature Series Z13SGX/BJ 13.3" Notebookwith Intel Core i7-640M Processor with 128GB SSD and Windows 7 Professional $2099
FRYS.com|Sony

 

Well said. The Sony Z is one of the most amazing laptops ever made and is definitely worth its price tag.

 

Did I strike a cord with someone? Please... Yes, I know that this Sony is extremely light while packing a Core i5 processor, DVD burner, etc. It is still expensive for the specs that you get when there lar 13"-14" models that weigh 2lbs more and have better specs. I was simply pointing out that, like Apple, Sony is charging a lot as well to pack all of that into an extremely small form factor.

I am not denying how awesome-o it is or that the specs aren't great for such a thin and light, I was simply stating the obvious that this unit is extremely expensive and, like many other Sony notebooks/netbooks, it seems to carry their own "Apple tax" with that higher price. I am just sick and tired of people bashing Apple for their high prices (yes, I know they charge more than others) when there are other companies relying on Windows that are doing the exact same thing.

 

If you dont LOVE mac os for stability and simplicity there is frankly no reason to buy a mac.

I mean those extra 20-30% of the price are for the OS, since developing one and making it work perfectly isnt as easy as just buying something from nvidia, something from intel and screwing it all together. Form factor is nice as well and there is some nice technology behind it — but those are for rich people mostly. I dont consider myself very rich but i like higher stability and i pay for it with mac.

On apple vs sony — if you want extra power and you want to pay extra 700usd for it — get sony. Else — air.

 

Fair enough.

It's just that in my book, the definition of "[company] tax" is more like the extra money you pay for _nothing_ other than just that the computer is made by said [company]. For example, when there are equivalent models/specs from other manufacturers for less. I think Sony made a 10" netbook in the past, the W series, which was pretty much 1:1 to all other Acer/Asus/Toshiba 10" netbooks, but it cost $150 more for no reason. That is certainly a case of "Sony tax."

But the Z's price is justifiable by the fact it's the only machine with that much power in such a small size and weight form. In fact, it has no alternative. There is almost nothing under 4 lbs with similar power. Of course, if you disregard its weight, then its specs become a joke and are easily available from other much heavier laptops for a fraction of the cost.

 

I completely agree.

 

i ended up getting the Z yesterday btw,

Sony Signature Series Z13SGX/BJ 13.3" Notebookwith Intel Core i7-640M Processor with 128GB SSD and Windows 7 Professional $2099

For $1949.

 

Hehe, okay, enjoy it. I think it's a really good laptop (for the right user), but it's still a Windows laptop.