MBP or Air?

[ChrisR]

Out of a 13inch MBP or 13inch Air which would you choose? Would you give the 11inch Air a look in too?

Pretty sure I want a laptop over an iMac, but can't decide which

The Air would do all I'd need it to, but would end up costing a bit more and not have the backlit keyboard.

MBP would be cheaper, very good battery life and have more grunt, but no SSD and chunkier.

 

[Fletcher]

MBP for me. I do like the backlit keyboard.

 

[Revels]

13" is chunkier, but it's not a massive laptop.

I'd go MBP. But the fact you're dithering over whether you need a desktop means you need to man up and get 27"

 

[Pettsi]

I'd go MBP and buy it on Friday as they have their little 1 day sale/money off session.

 

[Fletcher]

13" is chunkier, but it's not a massive laptop.

I'd go MBP. But the fact you're dithering over whether you need a desktop means you need to man up and get 27"

^^This a 27'' desktop is my next Apple purchase. The old iMac G4 dome is looking a bit dated now.

 

[Justin]

I'm in the same position, can't pick between the Air and the Pro.

What are Apple likely to be offering on Friday?

 

[Justin]

Also, the Air doesn't have a CD drive which would annoy me

 

[jenic]

27" imac and ipad for portable use. Wish I had done that instead of my mbp.

But if i was going 13", it would have to be air.

Also, the Air doesn't have a CD drive which would annoy me

How often do you use it though? I thought that but rarely use my cd drive. Everything is d/l now. Only time i use it is burning cd's for the car.

 

[Revels]

I'm in the same position, can't pick between the Air and the Pro.

What are Apple likely to be offering on Friday?

£50 off at max I'd have thought. Better off going via a student.

 

[Justin]

Yeah was thinking that.. Thing is I don't use the cd drive often, but it only takes one time and I'm missing it.

And the backlit keyboard

 

[Justin]

Just seen Amazom are selling the 13" MBP for just under £900

 

[spirez]

I think the screens on the Air are pretty ugly around the edge. I don't know why the bezel's not black.

They are cool but the MBP is better imo. CD drive, backlit keyboard etc

I'd rather have an ipad and MBP than an air

 

[ChrisR]

13" is chunkier, but it's not a massive laptop.

I'd go MBP. But the fact you're dithering over whether you need a desktop means you need to man up and get 27"

Wouldn't mind the 27inch iMac, it's fecking huge though. £1400 through the refurb store for the spec I'd want so not horrific, that's the same as a new 21.5inch in the spec I'd want.

Am swaying more towards the air, SSD and higher screen res are pretty nice to have. Lack of CD drive and ethernet port don't bother me on the air either, never use discs for things now and never plug a laptop in anywhere.

Might end up getting laptop first then seeing how the job situation pans out plump for an iMac. My current desktop will be pushign 8 years old soon so could do with being replaced

 

[David]

i been thinking about this recently.

the pro is quicker... the air is lighter, thats whats i've found tough to call really.

anyone know if i can dual boot an air into windows?

 

[Tom]

Yup and it spanks everything in its class when it does.

 

[David]

you mean an air can dual boot and spanks everything in it's class when it does or the mpb is quicker and spanks everything in it's class when it does? cause the mbp is in the same price range and just is heavier but faster right?>

 

[Tom]

anyone know if i can dual boot an air into windows?

 

[David]

ok cool.

you know if the battery life is worsened by windows 7? maybe less efficient power management from the OS?

 

[sneeks]

Buy a MBP

 

[ChrisR]

Buy a MBP

Why?

 

[J273]

anyone know if i can dual boot an air into windows?

Yeah you can im doing this on my 11" air.

For those undecided between the two definatly go and check one out in the shops....In my oppinion the 13" MBA is a far better buy than the current 13" mbp's + its faster with the flash storage.

Obviously you give up a few things like the superdrive / usbs .etc but for the portability its a quality machine...The high res screen alone is worth it having the same res as the current 15" mbp'S

 

[David]

does it run full 1080p video? anyone know? the graphics are HD but doesn't make it clear? 12gig mkv files for example?

 

[Mot!]

The air may trump the MBP with it's storage speed but pop an SSD in the MBP and it's a different story..

I have an OCZ Vertex 2E in my MBP and it's lightening quick. I don't very often shut it down but when it do, it boots in about 6 seconds and opening even the largest of programs is instant.

It's hardly a big heavy laptop either, I'd only get the air if portability was of utmost importance.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

^

I want to treat my MBP to SSD but the prices are horrific. I may just settle for a fast HDD as anything is an upgrade from the 5400 RPM standard drive.

Written and posted using glowing keys.

 

[Mot!]

You could get a small SSD for your app's and use an external/NAS for storage?
Fast 60GB SSD's are well under £100 now.

I still use my NAS now I have a decent size SSD, it's very useful and has tolerance due to RAID5

 

[ChrisR]

Argh can't make up my fecking mind over this.

Spent a while in the Apple shop on my lunch break trying the 2 out, did like how the PRo 'felt' when using it on the desk there, nice and solid, is the air maybe too thin + light?

But the increased screen res of the air and ssd would be nice.

Basically with the HE discount the 13inch air + applecare is £1060, and a 13inch MBP with applecare is £900.

So that's £160 for having 128Gb SSD and uber thin/light, and better screen res.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

^ What will you use it for? Lots of travelling and working on the go then the air makes perfect sense. Pro will do higher intensity apps better and has glowing keys.

You could get a small SSD for your app's and use an external/NAS for storage?
Fast 60GB SSD's are well under £100 now.

I still use my NAS now I have a decent size SSD, it's very useful and has tolerance due to RAID5

What SSD did you get?

I just can't see myself being happy with 60GB, even 120GB seems like a push. I'd have to buy a time capsule or something similar.

 

[Mot!]

I went for the OCZ vertex 2E 120GB this time, previously had a 64GB Crucial M225 which was nice and nippy even though the speeds quoted weren't so good.

I've not used a time capsule but have an external drive hooked up to my airport extreme and I get decent speeds to and from it, seems a viable route.