The macbook pro isn't really for pros at all, its just a better macbook. Even better than that its cheaper than the air. The air doesn't have more modern components than the macbook or the macbook pro...both use the same battery technology, same screen technology (although the pros screen is better), same graphics chip, same cpu technology (although the macbook and macbook pro are faster), same unibody construction, same aluminum as the pro...the only thing that is different is that they have switched to flash storage and a higher resolution screen. IMO the higher res screen does nothing for me except makes it harder to read text and the flash storage is really nice but you can remove the hard drive and add flash storage to a macbook or a macbook pro if you want. The macbook is more economical than the pro, but the air is the least economical of all. The macbook isn't more economical than the pro if you take into account the fact that if you multitask much at all you will want 4gb of ram which will have to be added to the macbook pro, if you put photos on it you will need to buy an SD card reader and carry it around with you, and the resale value will likely go down if they discontinue the plastic macbook. If the pending revision of the macbook pro is scaring you off think about this:
1. The current macbook pro is still a better computer than the current air except its bulk.
2. The white macbook will probobly be updated at the same time as the pro or eliminated all together.
Other downside of the white macbook pro is the fact that the keys are white, go into best buy and look at one they always look filthy.
In the end buy what you want. I just returned a 13" air and got a pro...I bought the 13" air to replace my iPad and the iPad I originally bought to replace a last gen macbook pro. I have owned a bunch of these things and imo the macbook pro is the best. The air was nice also, but much more expensive than the pro and it lacked many of the features that make the pro a nice laptop (backlit keyboard, ambient light sensor etc). If you are doing acedemic research I will assume that you need to give presentations from time to time. Buy an apple remote and you can control your presentations from the remote...but only on the macbook pro because its the only one that has an IR sensor. Need to finish a paper late at night before the deadline, the macbook pro will dim the screen to a non-eye straining level automatically, the keys will light up so you can see what you are typing none of the other ones do that. Need to open a large powerpoint file, while you have word open, are searching the web and listening to music...man the 4gb of ram in the pro would help keep that running smooth compared to the regular macbook. Don't rule the pro out due to cost, the base pro is still $100 less than the base air and has far more features than the air or the white macbook
