had to do it...

[macboy4]

I fought with myself for months whether to go MacBook 13" or MacBook Air.

I decided to go MBA because of the thinness of it and weight. Then I got a 17" macbook pro and realized that the MBA's screen is non-glossy and it makes a huge difference.

7 Hour battery life isn't important on the MBA.
optical drive I never use
Firewire or optical in, nah.
dedicated GPU, nope don't need that either.

2.5Ghz CPU would be nice but 2.13 w/ the SSD makes this machine faster (sometimes) than my 3.06Ghz 17" Macbook Pro w/o SSD. Honestly, launching apps can be faster on the MBA.

so between MBP & MBA, i think MBA is just better (if you can afford it). You lose a few features but they're not killer features and in return you get a notebook that's ultra thin and super portable.

I just wish the ports were more accessible. I've had bad luck with peripherals not fitting.

See and that's the difference for me... the RAM is that important, and I didn't have the SSD version. When I got my MBA the SSD was $2000 plus. I needed the extra power, and the extra battery life. Even with the brightness a little higher to compensate for the glass screen I still get a lot more time out of this thing. I've been lightly using it for the past 9 hours (it was asleep for about 1 of those hours) and I still have 11% left... AMAZING!!

Technically the MBA's screen is glossy (in that it's not matte), but by comparison to the glass on the MBP it is much less so.

 

[amt2002]

I ended up buying a 13" Macbook Pro because I couldn't get my head around paying an extra £250 for a system thats, lets be brutally honest, inferior in every way apart from the weight.

Don't get me wrong - I think the Air is an awesome system and the 1.5 less pounds would have been nice, especially if you carry it a lot, but I just could not get my head around paying an extra £250 for a laptop with so many compromises over the 13" Pro.

 

[krimsen]

...but I just could not get my head around paying an extra £250 for a laptop with so many compromises over the 13" Pro.

I hear you.

 

[entatlrg]

I fought with myself for months whether to go MacBook 13" or MacBook Air.

I decided to go MBA because of the thinness of it and weight. Then I got a 17" macbook pro and realized that the MBA's screen is non-glossy and it makes a huge difference.

7 Hour battery life isn't important on the MBA.
optical drive I never use
Firewire or optical in, nah.
dedicated GPU, nope don't need that either.

2.5Ghz CPU would be nice but 2.13 w/ the SSD makes this machine faster (sometimes) than my 3.06Ghz 17" Macbook Pro w/o SSD. Honestly, launching apps can be faster on the MBA.

so between MBP & MBA, i think MBA is just better (if you can afford it). You lose a few features but they're not killer features and in return you get a notebook that's ultra thin and super portable.

I just wish the ports were more accessible. I've had bad luck with peripherals not fitting.

Very well said, I think a lot of people eventually have the same realization.

So now you have a 17" MBP and a MBA ... what percentage of time would you say you spend on each.

I have a 15" MBP and a 13" MBA ... I have to admit I spend 90% of the time on my MBA ... it's just easier and more fun to grab, I don't see a real benefit to 2 extra inches of screen real estate, also don't need dvd drive, more ram or bigger hd so why lug the weight. So much so I've decided to sell my 15" MBP ... it's just not getting used enough to justify owning it, my Air wins hands down, goes with me everywhere....

 

[krimsen]

I have to admit I spend 90% of the time on my MBA

Even considering your Mac Pro? Or are you talking about laptop time?
I'll be purchasing a new laptop in the next few months (next refresh), but that laptop will be my one and only computer apart from my corporate machine. Thing is, with a big external HDD and screen (which I already own), the only thing I'd be missing in an MBA is Firewire to do some recording.

 

[entatlrg]

What laptop will you buy in the next refresh?

Yes, I'm talking only laptops, The Mac Pro is in my office, used for emails while I'm at my desk, which is rare, and downloading, server etc.

I'm a laptop person all the way, so far the Air wins me over the most of any notebook I've owned so far.

Do you have the 17" and MBA now? Which do you use more?

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I don't understand who would be happy going from a rev B/C MBA with SSD to a 13" MBP???

In my experience, in the long run, one would really want to migrate back to an MBA.

I couldn't go to anything from the MBA, it's too fun, amazing, lightweight, powerful, and capable.

Yea, a 32-bit capable processor is very powerful no doubt. <sarcasm> Not to mention, spending $600 less gives you faster clock speed, more memory, and 64-bit. capability.

I can see why I should spend more and get less. It's the stuff a genius would do. <sarcasm> When I'm working, I don't care how sexy my machine looks, but how quickly I can get work done. Maybe that's different for you.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I fought with myself for months whether to go MacBook 13" or MacBook Air.

I decided to go MBA because of the thinness of it and weight. Then I got a 17" macbook pro and realized that the MBA's screen is non-glossy and it makes a huge difference.

7 Hour battery life isn't important on the MBA.
optical drive I never use
Firewire or optical in, nah.
dedicated GPU, nope don't need that either.

2.5Ghz CPU would be nice but 2.13 w/ the SSD makes this machine faster (sometimes) than my 3.06Ghz 17" Macbook Pro w/o SSD. Honestly, launching apps can be faster on the MBA.

so between MBP & MBA, i think MBA is just better (if you can afford it). You lose a few features but they're not killer features and in return you get a notebook that's ultra thin and super portable.

I just wish the ports were more accessible. I've had bad luck with peripherals not fitting.

When did that happen? As far as I'm concerned, a battery is very important for a computer that depends on it to turn on. The MBA is only faster due to SSD, if you popped in one in your MBP, the result would be the same as the MBA. Higher clock speed doesn't mean faster app launch. Comparing the largest notebook to the smallest one doesn't mean much when you talk about portability. MBA vs 13" MBP is more fair.

 

[adamjackson]

When did that happen? As far as I'm concerned, a battery is very important for a computer that depends on it to turn on. The MBA is only faster due to SSD, if you popped in one in your MBP, the result would be the same as the MBA. Higher clock speed doesn't mean faster app launch. Comparing the largest notebook to the smallest one doesn't mean much when you talk about portability. MBA vs 13" MBP is more fair.

non-glassy as in no glass. it's still glossy but so much better to use in sunlight than my MBP.


My last computer was a 2.93Ghz 15" MBP w/ two SSDs in RAID 0 Trust me I know that it's the SSD and not the computer.

 

[adamjackson]

Very well said, I think a lot of people eventually have the same realization.

So now you have a 17" MBP and a MBA ... what percentage of time would you say you spend on each.

Well. I've only owned the MBA for a few days. It just arrived so I'm still in that zone where I want to use it for EVERYTHING because it's a new computer.

Honestly, I'm beginning to realize that having the fastest MacBook Pro w/ all of the extras isn't really that big of a deal. I thought it was but it's really not. I'm going to give it 30 days. If I use the MBA 90% of the time, i may sell the MBP and just get a Mac Pro. Hell the MBP is already just running connected to keyboard, mouse and monitor anyway.

 

[ayeying]

Yea, a 32-bit capable processor is very powerful no doubt. <sarcasm> Not to mention, spending $600 less gives you faster clock speed, more memory, and 64-bit. capability..

We have a 64-bit processor. Look it up. We use the:

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor @ 1.86GHz (SL9400) or 2.13GHz (SL9600), 6MB L2 Cache

 

[adamjackson]

We have a 64-bit processor. Look it up. We use the:

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor @ 1.86GHz (SL9400) or 2.13GHz (SL9600), 6MB L2 Cache

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=36689

 

[krimsen]

What laptop will you buy in the next refresh?

Yes, I'm talking only laptops, The Mac Pro is in my office, used for emails while I'm at my desk, which is rare, and downloading, server etc.

I'm a laptop person all the way, so far the Air wins me over the most of any notebook I've owned so far.

Don't know yet. Choice is between MBA and MBP, except 17" size. Right now, I'm on a first-gen 15" MBP, which I bought to replace my 12" Powerbook. I'm almost sure I want a 13" for my next laptop.

If the Air really isn't that much slower than the MBP 13", I'd consider getting one. If it had Firewire, I would not think twice about it.

 

[marcovortex]

I don't know if I totally agree that the only way the MBA is better than a 13" MBP is that it's lighter. I can't be the only person that actually prefers the MBA's trackpad with it's traditional button. Maybe some old habits die hard but I seem to find it much easier to use. Also the screen; I find it has alot less 'gloss' and since this is a very portable laptop I use just about everywhere the lack of reflections on my screen over the glass screen of the MBP is very much welcomed.

 

[macboy4]

I don't know if I totally agree that the only way the MBA is better than a 13" MBP is that it's lighter. I can't be the only person that actually prefers the MBA's trackpad with it's traditional button. Maybe some old habits die hard but I seem to find it much easier to use. Also the screen; I find it has alot less 'gloss' and since this is a very portable laptop I use just about everywhere the lack of reflections on my screen over the glass screen of the MBP is very much welcomed.

I thought I was going to prefer the Air button, but I don't (besides the fact that the 13"MBP clicks really loudly). When you play with it in the store or on a friends machine it seems gimmicky, but after using it for just one day I went back to my MBA to wipe the HD and it just didn't feel right.

Besides, the number one benefit of the new trackpads is not the integrated button; it's the glass over the trackpad. This also sounded gimmicky to me, but it's AMAZING!!

 

[zedsdead]

I thought I was going to prefer the Air button, but I don't (besides the fact that the 13"MBP clicks really loudly). When you play with it in the store or on a friends machine it seems gimmicky, but after using it for just one day I went back to my MBA to wipe the HD and it just didn't feel right.

Besides, the number one benefit of the new trackpads is not the integrated button; it's the glass over the trackpad. This also sounded gimmicky to me, but it's AMAZING!!

There is nothing gimmicky about it. The glass is the best feature, along with the lack of buttons (especially one like the Air's that has a habit of scratching the bezel near the iSight). It is the best trackpad ever made.

 

[Scottsdale]

Yea, a 32-bit capable processor is very powerful no doubt. <sarcasm> Not to mention, spending $600 less gives you faster clock speed, more memory, and 64-bit. capability.

I can see why I should spend more and get less. It's the stuff a genius would do. <sarcasm> When I'm working, I don't care how sexy my machine looks, but how quickly I can get work done. Maybe that's different for you.

You simply have no idea what you're talking about. The MBA is 100% 64-bit capable.

Get a clue.

 

[Scottsdale]

Bottom line, over 90% of Mac users don't use more than 2 GB RAM. More power, more power, more power. The MBA may not have as much clock speed, but it's plenty capable. Graphics pros who are doing intensive work may actually use more RAM. Those who NEED to run Windows virtually may need more power but Boot Camp is fine for the average Mac user who needs to access Windows on occasion.

The truth is the MBA with SSD is faster than the $500 cheaper MBP. I agree the MBA with HDD isn't very fast, so one needs SSD to make the MBA an exceptional experience.

90% of us have all the power we need in the MBA 2.13/SSD. The rest may buy their 8 GB of RAM, but the truth is 90% of those probably aren't using more than 2GB of RAM. It's like buying a car that will do 160 MPH, but the speed limit is only 75 MPH. It's waste just to say they have MORE.

The MBA with SSD is plenty of Mac for most. It's absolutely fast. It's wonderfully lightweight and sure joy to use on the go. At the same time, plug it into up to a 30" ACD and it becomes an instant desktop.

I see two types of people who would truly benefit from the 13" MBP over the MBA. One, someone who needs more than five hours of battery with absolutely no access to power for recharging during entire five hours of use. Two, someone that absolutely MUST use intensive apps AND run Windows virtually at the same time who would actually need more than 2 GB of RAM.

For my use, an MBP is overkill on power. Too heavy to enjoy. I will take my MBA over an MBP anyday. And my MBA is my primary Mac/Computer.

I encourage everyone who want to truly love their Mac to consider what they need for performance. If don't need the MBP's power, most will surely enjoy the MBA tenfold over the MBP; I know I do!

 

[nickcassell]

If I add the 17 MBP to my Air I'll have a computer that can be my flat screen TV (using Slingbox and EyetTV) and also my hi-fi due to the dual speakers flanking the keyboard. I've always wanted the 17 vs 15 because of these 2 capabilities.

 

[macboy4]

I see two types of people who would truly benefit from the 13" MBP over the MBA. One, someone who needs more than five hours of battery with absolutely no access to power for recharging during entire five hours of use. Two, someone that absolutely MUST use intensive apps AND run Windows virtually at the same time who would actually need more than 2 GB of RAM.

Bingo. That's me in a nutshell. I need to run Windows Virtually on a regular basis and when I'm onsite I need the battery life without having to recharge.

I completely agree that the MBA is adequate for the vast majority of Mac users. For my personal use the MBA with HDD was plenty good enough (though I would have much preferred the SSD), but for work I needed a little more.

I love people with too much money who buy a Mac Pro or MacBook Pro loaded to the gills with clock speed and RAM and when asked what they use it for the answer is: "e-mail and web-browsing."

I know lots of people need that much kit (myself included), but so many people who pay for the MacBook Pro would enjoy the Air more.

 

[macboy4]

I purchased a 13" MBP 2.26 and actually returned it to get a MBA 2.13 Both are great computers imho but if I'm going to have the same 9400m GPU similar cpu I figured I may as well have the lighter smaller package. With the SSD the MBA actually seems faster to me. I love this MBA were as I only really liked my 13" MBP. Just my 2 cents..

The reason the MBA "seems" faster is that it IS faster for most things. Startup Fusion and run Windows at the same time and you'll be singing a different tune with only 2GB of RAM... this is one of the two main reasons I switched.

The thing that makes the difference is the SSD, but it just occurred to me that something gets left out of the discussion about the SSD. You can get the same SSD in the MBP; if you buy the 2.26 with SSD you save money over the Air and if you get the 2.53 it costs $50 more. To me this would be the best of both worlds; power and SSD speed.

It seems that because this is a BTO option rather than the stock MBA SSD option we sometimes obscure what a great machine a MBP with SSD really is.

 

[ayeying]

I don't know if I totally agree that the only way the MBA is better than a 13" MBP is that it's lighter. I can't be the only person that actually prefers the MBA's trackpad with it's traditional button. Maybe some old habits die hard but I seem to find it much easier to use. Also the screen; I find it has alot less 'gloss' and since this is a very portable laptop I use just about everywhere the lack of reflections on my screen over the glass screen of the MBP is very much welcomed.

I'm old fashioned. I like the button, it makes it 10x easier to click in Windows lol. I used the glass trackpad before, while it feels better/smoother, the button is kinda hard for me.

The reason the MBA "seems" faster is that it IS faster for most things. Startup Fusion and run Windows at the same time and you'll be singing a different tune with only 2GB of RAM... this is one of the two main reasons I switched.

Try running Vista Ultimate SP2 w/ Ubuntu Linux at the same time. I do it everyday on the Air and I'm not complaining. It's not as fast as my previous Mac Pro, but its not that much slower either. The only time I see a slow down is when I'm starting the 2 VMs at once. Once its started... hell, I play games in VMWare Fusion believe it or not.

 

[Actaeon]

Once its started... hell, I play games in VMWare Fusion believe it or not.

Well your avatar is now appropriate for my reaction.

Great to hear that, since I'm switching to a MBA next week (with SSD) and I need parallels to run win xp to use access and database software.
I'm coming from a MBP with 500GB 7200rpm drive, and it's just way too bulky and hot to take with you everywhere, especially when you're a student like me.

 

[gman901]

For me, the new Macbook air does everything that my 2.40 unibody MacBook could do, including playing decent PC games. I wanted the smallest form factor and the Air is perfect. I'll gladly upgrade as the Air is updated. If I really wanted the most powerful, graphic intensive Apple laptop, I would go for the 17" inch - but I want portability and form factor. If you choose the Air or thinking about getting one, just get it because it's what you really want and it's fully capable now.

 

[Bjohnson33]

I also returned MBP 13" and got MBA with SSD and never look back. While MBP has better hardware and feels more solid, MBA's size and weight is just perfect. Speed-wise, I feel the same between the two. RAM could be a potential problem but I have never ran into yet. Most of the time I just used about 50-60% of the 2G RAM (email, web-browsing...etc).

DC

I'm thinking of upgrading my older PowerBook sometime soon - you make a compelling case for the MBA!