ott2bquiltin

Q: I can't decide on the mac air or MacBook

I can't decide on buying a mac air or a MacBook?

Posted on Jan 27, 2014 11:19 AM

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Q: I can't decide on the mac air or MacBook

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  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Jan 27, 2014 11:37 AM in response to ott2bquiltin
    Level 9 (66,781 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jan 27, 2014 11:37 AM in response to ott2bquiltin

    MacBook (with no second name) no longer is sold new.   MacBook Pro is better than MacBook air for the following reasons:

    https://discussions.apple.com/message/24660096#24660096

     

    If you are really interested in a MacBook, some came with Firewire, others did not, but none came with Thunderbolt.

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2502

     

    The GPU may not be what you need.

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3761 tells you what Macs can upgrade to Mavericks as well as Mountain Lion.

     

    For most nonsophisticated tasks you can get any Mavericks compatible notebook and not see significant differences, except perhaps in storage.

  • by PlotinusVeritas,

    PlotinusVeritas PlotinusVeritas Jan 27, 2014 12:14 PM in response to ott2bquiltin
    Level 6 (14,806 points)
    Jan 27, 2014 12:14 PM in response to ott2bquiltin

    The newest macbook Pro is essentially a larger macbook Air with Retina display and options for speed in increasing prices up to an independent graphics and quad core processor.

     

    both Air and new Pro now have PCIe SSD and permanent RAM.

     

    The Air is the lightweight portable form factor, fast to boot and shut down, but with longer battery life than any of the macbook pro in 13"

     

    Now the new macbook Pro and macbook Air are extremely close in form factor and nature.

     

    both have 802ac wifi

    both have permanent RAM, no superdrive

    both are slim profiles and SSD

     

    The only real differences now between Air and Pro....are (in the most expensive Pros) faster processors and quadcore processors and top end model autonomous graphics and the Pro has HDMI output.....and of course the retina display

     

     

    both are now "very good for travel"

     

    Other than features the form factor of the Air and Pro are VERY close now,....so now its merely a matter of features and price more than anything.

     

     

    You need an external HD regardless of what you get for backups etc.   Drop into an Apple store and handle both and make your choice based on features, such as Retina or non-retina, .... both at a distance now look like the same computer.

     

    The Pro weighs more, ....but nowhere near what it used to just a month ago on the oldermacbook Pros

     

    The NEW macbook Pro is a different creature entirely than the older macbook Pro, .....the new Pro is thicker than the Air, but id frankly call the NEWEST Pro a "macbook Air with Retina display" , or

     

    Maybe a “macbook Air PRO with Retina display”

     

    Instead of Air VS Pro now,.....its really a smooth transition from Air to pro without comparing say, 2 different creatures, now its like contrasting a horse from a race horse.

     

    Either one in 8gig of RAM (preferably)... the 4gig upgrade costs very little,  the I7 you will notice only 15% faster on heavy applications over the I5, and NOTHING on most APPS.....I5 has longer battery life.

     

     

    As you see below, the non-Retina 13" AIR is 82% of the Macbook with Retina display in resolution

     

    there is no magical number of pixels per inch that automatically equates to Retina quality.

    http://www.cultofmac.com/168509/why-you-might-be-disappointed-by-the-resolution- of-those-new-retina-display-macs-feature/

    screenshot_530.jpg

     

     

    A huge internal SSD isnt a game changer for anything, you need an external HD anyway

     

    what you WONT READ on Apple.com etc. is that the larger SSD  are MUCH FASTER due to SSD density

     

    "The 512GB Samsung SSD found in our 13-inch model offers roughly a 400MB/s increase in write speeds over the 128GB SanDisk/Marvell SSD"

    http://blog.macsales.com/19008-performance-testing-not-all-2013-macbook-air-ssds -are-the-same

     

     

    Here is an excellent video comparison between the 11” I5 vs. I7 2013 Macbook Air.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDqJ-on03z4

     

     

    http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-4250u-vs-core-i7-465 0u/2

     

    I5 vs. I7 performance 13” Macbook Air 2013

     

    Boot performance

    1. 11.7 I5 ……11.4 I7

      Cinebench

    1. 1.1 I5….1.41 I7

    IMovie Import and Opt.

    1. 6.69 I5….5.35 I7

      IMovie Export

    1. 10.33 I5…8.20 I7

    Final Cut Pro X

    1. 21.47 I5…17.71 I7

      Adobe Lightroom 3 Export

    1. 25.8 I5….31.8 I7

    Adobe Photoshop CS5 Performance

    1. 27.3 I5…22.6 I7

    screenshot_184.jpg

     

     

    Macbook Pro processor and configuration options:

    http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/

    screenshot_591.jpg

    Macbook Pro ports:

    screenshot_574.jpg

     

     

    Macbook Air (13") ports:

    screenshot_575.jpg