Hi! I am deciding between MBA and MBP and need to know what the different uses for each one was. Like what would you use the MBA for and what would you use the MBP for?? All opinions welcome!!
MacBook Pro and Macbook Air-OTHER
Hello. I had this same question when I was deciding between the two. If you have lots of peripherals that you connect to your computer, then I would go with the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro is also for more heavy computer users. If you just what something ultra portable that you do everyday computing on like checking email and looking at articles on the Internet, then you should just get a MacBook Air.
Okay thanks! What one did you end up deciding on??
I decided on getting the MacBook Pro!
If it's just email and web browsing, you might as well throw the iPad into the mix.
A real simple view of the differences is really that the MBP is more powerful, but the MBA is more portable.
IsabelHunter,
if you don't mind me turning your question upside down, I always found it more productive to think of these choices by listing what is it that you want to do and how you'll use the device, then selecting the best match, rather than an abstract comparison.
Oh I don't mind at all! That's actually a great idea so thank you.:)
Oh ok!! How do you like it??
So ...
What are your intended uses? Gaming (which games?)? Photo editing? Sound editing? Internet? Lower weight for portable? Better screen for watching NetFlix?
They're actually pretty comparible in what they can do if you're talking about the base model of both (say 13") with 4GB RAM. At that level, the Pro has the advantage if you're going to watch or burn DVD's or CD's, as the Air has no optical drive. But otherwise, they're pretty much the same--full-sized, backlit keyboard, camera, beautiful screen, etc. If you're going for more than a basic 13" Pro, then things start to change. For example, you can get up to 8GB RAM on the Pro, and a huge hard drive, you can also get a 15" or 17" size. You will be paying a lot for these, but, obviously, if you're going to be working on, say, making videos (which you may then want burn onto disk) the Pro is very much what you'll want.
However, if you don't need or want any of that--if, for example, you plan to do the usual programs (word processing, games, web surfing, music, etc.), then you really won't see much difference between the two. At 4GB RAM and a 13" screen, the big difference is going to be thickness and weight, not power. And in this the Air will have the advantage--it's really amazingly slim, light and with a SSD, faster (you pay extra--a lot extra--to get SSD on the Pro).
Just to make the point, I switched from a 13" Pro to an 11" Air. My hard drive size is half what it was with a Pro, but I was barely taking up half of that amount on the Pro, and so have plenty of room on my 128GB Air (you can get 256GB for the 11" if you order it online). Absolutely everything my Pro did, my Air does (sans optical drive), only faster and lighter and more compact--meaning it takes up less table space, slips in and out of my bag faster, balances on my lap easier, etc. But there was no interruption of service--I switched pretyt seamlessly from 13" Pro to 11" Air.
The Pro offers you more options for power, screen size, HD size and optical drive. But it's really pretty surprising how few of us need that much power, that much room, or the optical drive. It's very freeing to realize that less can be more than enough.
What are the uses for Macbook pro and Macbook air?
