Should I buy the 2013 mbp 13 retina or 2015 mba 13
I am in the market for a new laptop around the $800- $900 range. I have always bought apple refurbished and wondered which one to buy.
The first option is the MacBook Air ($850). It was released March 2015 and other specs are as follows: 1.6 GHz dual-core intel i5, 13.3 in display, 4GB memory, 128GB PCle flash storage, Intel HD Graphics 6000. Here is a link to the product on Apple's Website- http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_air/13
The second option is the MacBook Pro ($880). It was released October 2013 and other specs are as follows: 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel i5, 13.3 in retina (2560 x 1600) display, 4GB memory, 128GB flash storage (not PCle), Intel Iris Graphics. Here is a link to the product on Apple's Website- http://store.apple.com/us/product/FE864LL/A/refurbished-133-inch-macbook-pro-24g hz-dual-core-intel-i5-with-retina-displa…
In your opinion, which is the better laptop? I am entering Junior year in high school and need a computer of my own. Main things I will be using the computer for are web browsing, Microsoft office, Downloading small files (ie word documents, powerpoint, pdf, etc.), and syncing my iPhone's pictures, music, apps (Less than the 16GB capacity of my phone). The reason I am buying apple is because they last, which brings me to my next point. This laptop should last me a year, maybe two into college (assuming it will still be used for the same purposes in college). Also, I have no plans of upgrading the RAM, storage, or anything of the sort.
Things I care about: (not in any particular order)
1. How long the laptop will last before slowing down
2. Which laptop will be able to better handle multiple programs open at the same time.
3. How different is "PCle flash storage" from "flash storage"
4. Both processors are intel i5. Would it be able to buy the older one at 2.4 GHz or the newer one at 1.6 GHz
Things I don't care about:
1. Screen resolution. Retina is nice but I definitely don't need it.
2. Portability. Both laptops are close enough to the same size that I wouldn't buy one over the other for portability reasons.