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Apple Expert

macrumors 65816
Jan 31, 2010
1,337
0
3 weeks ago my maxed out 13" MBA was stolen. I commute each week on commercial airlines. As much as I liked the easy handling Air, I like my new 13"MBP more. I like it even more after putting an SSD in it. But this is my personal opinion based on my needs.

The Air was really nice to use, but the super drive was a pain on the plane. The Air still boots faster than the MBP with SSD, but that's only a few seconds difference. Once going the MBP has a faster processor and potential for more RAM.

Does the MBP feel heavy? Ya compared to the Air, but not compared to my 15" MBP. And I forgot how convenient the lighted keyboard is, especially in bed or on a dark plane.

So the real question for me is, can I handle the extra pound and a half? Of course.

Are you making a mistake by trading for a MBP? I can't say for sure.

What kind of SSD did you have in the MBP that took longer to boot? I know since there is an optical drive it does slow down boots since it has to initialize.
 

islanders

macrumors 6502
Jul 21, 2006
272
0
Charleston, SC
tested both

When I was in town today I stopped by the Apple Store to get a hands on text.

The 13'' MBA had the best resolition screen with the fonts over both the 13' and 15 MBP. Even the 15 looked a little fuzzy and had the glossy screen, although the screen was much larger.

So the 13 MBA had the best screen. The MBP has more power and features an can upgrade the RAM. I'd say both 13s were very portable and the MBA is a like a feather if you need something that light.

For me it also might be the price point.

If the price is the same I'm still leaning towards the MBA for the screen resolution. However Thunderbolt will be available in the refurb MBP before the MBA so that is something to consider.

If I can score either one for about $800 I might just pull the trigger. Then in another year pick up a refurb iMac for about $800. For me that beats a $1600 laptop.

Let us know how you like the screen on the MBP 13.
 

Apple Expert

macrumors 65816
Jan 31, 2010
1,337
0
The screen resolution is better on the MBA. But the quality of the screen, the MBP wins. Many people have said this. The panel is better on the MBP. Just too bad the resolution is lower. :(
 

islanders

macrumors 6502
Jul 21, 2006
272
0
Charleston, SC
The screen resolution is better on the MBA. But the quality of the screen, the MBP wins. Many people have said this. The panel is better on the MBP. Just too bad the resolution is lower. :(

Will the MBP screen last longer? I asked the sales rep if it were easy to replace but he didn't know.

How do you like the screen resolution for reading documents and reading on the internet? I think I'm going to start another thread to get people's opinion.
 

Apple Expert

macrumors 65816
Jan 31, 2010
1,337
0
Will the MBP screen last longer? I asked the sales rep if it were easy to replace but he didn't know.

How do you like the screen resolution for reading documents and reading on the internet? I think I'm going to start another thread to get people's opinion.

What do you mean last longer? Like durability? Well the MBP is glass and the MBA isn't. I'll let you figure it out from there.

As for reading I have no problems at all. Keep in mind I do read from my iPad or iPhone and never had a problem reading from Apple's standard resolution. A higher resolution would be better, but the fonts will also be smaller.
 

islanders

macrumors 6502
Jul 21, 2006
272
0
Charleston, SC
thanks

What do you mean last longer? Like durability? Well the MBP is glass and the MBA isn't. I'll let you figure it out from there.

As for reading I have no problems at all. Keep in mind I do read from my iPad or iPhone and never had a problem reading from Apple's standard resolution. A higher resolution would be better, but the fonts will also be smaller.

I did ask the Apple sales rep if the screen would last longer than 3 years before they needed to be repaired or replaced. He didn't know.

Are you also saying the pro will last longer than than the MBA?

Glass is more durable and less likely to scratch, that is a plus, but I'm kind of wondering what will need to be repaired first between the two? And can you repair it yourself?
 

Apple Expert

macrumors 65816
Jan 31, 2010
1,337
0
I did ask the Apple sales rep if the screen would last longer than 3 years before they needed to be repaired or replaced. He didn't know.

Are you also saying the pro will last longer than than the MBA?

Glass is more durable and less likely to scratch, that is a plus, but I'm kind of wondering what will need to be repaired first between the two? And can you repair it yourself?

Why would they break unless your doing something you shouldn't be? I don't see them breaking just because. The MBP has removable parts then the MBA. Try upgrading the memory on the MBA. I can do it in less than 5 minutes on a MBP. So I guess upgrades/repairs would be fair more costly on the MBA since it will have to be serviced by Apple.
 

islanders

macrumors 6502
Jul 21, 2006
272
0
Charleston, SC
Why would they break unless your doing something you shouldn't be? I don't see them breaking just because.

I'm still on a G3 powerbook and they burn out in about 3 years, so I switch it out myself.


The MBP has removable parts then the MBA. Try upgrading the memory on the MBA. I can do it in less than 5 minutes on a MBP. So I guess upgrades/repairs would be fair more costly on the MBA since it will have to be serviced by Apple.[/QUOTE said:
That's exactly what I'm asking! If I can repair the MBP myself, add memory, switch out HD, I'll probably go with that despite the screen resolution.
 

Apple Expert

macrumors 65816
Jan 31, 2010
1,337
0
I'm still on a G3 powerbook and they burn out in about 3 years, so I switch it out myself.





That's exactly what I'm asking! If I can repair the MBP myself, add memory, switch out HD, I'll probably go with that despite the screen resolution.

On the pro you can replace hard drive and memory. On the Air you can't replace the memory, but there are work arounds to change the hard drive.
 

duggram

macrumors 6502
Apr 17, 2008
391
11
What kind of SSD did you have in the MBP that took longer to boot? I know since there is an optical drive it does slow down boots since it has to initialize.

The Intel 160GB second gen. Thanks for the info on the optical drive. Didn't realize that. BTW Apple support told me that I would probably be better off to reinstall the OS. But I just got all of my apps, vm, win7 working again....
 

islanders

macrumors 6502
Jul 21, 2006
272
0
Charleston, SC
Why would they break unless your doing something you shouldn't be? I don't see them breaking just because. The MBP has removable parts then the MBA. Try upgrading the memory on the MBA. I can do it in less than 5 minutes on a MBP. So I guess upgrades/repairs would be fair more costly on the MBA since it will have to be serviced by Apple.

1) I did some quick research.. the backlight in the LED can burn out like the LCD.. mine displays last about 3 years.

2) While the MBA is soldered on, it can be upgraded to 4GB when ordering. Probably enough for me.

3) The MBA can be serviced by a DIY. After looking at the iFixit the MBP does seem a lot more straight forward to change out the display than the MBA.

I typically find the HD, screen, and battery need to be replaced after the 3 year AppleCare warranty.

I'm even more inclined to get a $800 laptop and plan to replace it after 3 years.
 

Apple Expert

macrumors 65816
Jan 31, 2010
1,337
0
1) I did some quick research.. the backlight in the LED can burn out like the LCD.. mine displays last about 3 years.

2) While the MBA is soldered on, it can be upgraded to 4GB when ordering. Probably enough for me.

3) The MBA can be serviced by a DIY. After looking at the iFixit the MBP does seem a lot more straight forward to change out the display than the MBA.

I typically find the HD, screen, and battery need to be replaced after the 3 year AppleCare warranty.

I'm even more inclined to get a $800 laptop and plan to replace it after 3 years.

Why are you so concerned with the display going out? It seems like you want this to last forever! I have laptops that are going 5+ years and the displays are fine. If your soo concerned with the price, then look at a lower cost laptop. That way if it does go out, you won't feel so bad.
 

Maven1975

macrumors 65816
Aug 24, 2008
1,014
275
Just wanted to add that I think Apple is putting several people in this indecisive position. The 13" MBP just is not a Pro machine. I have read numerous threads on these boards with this same issue.

The main difference between the MBP and MBA is the wide separation in CPU horsepower and weight. If the MBA gets updated soon, I bet the OP would want to have the refreshed version and be done with their choice.

Apple really needs to refresh/redesign the 13" MBP. If they are not going to offer dedicated graphics, most will opt for the MBA. Perhaps this is exactly what they are trying to achieve.
 

tbobmccoy

macrumors 6502a
Jul 24, 2007
969
219
Austin, TX
Just wanted to add that I think Apple is putting several people in this indecisive position. The 13" MBP just is not a Pro machine. I have read numerous threads on these boards with this same issue.

The main difference between the MBP and MBA is the wide separation in CPU horsepower and weight. If the MBA gets updated soon, I bet the OP would want to have the refreshed version and be done with their choice.

Apple really needs to refresh/redesign the 13" MBP. If they are not going to offer dedicated graphics, most will opt for the MBA. Perhaps this is exactly what they are trying to achieve.

This is exactly what I'm doing... I have a 15" but I want something a bit more portable, and I miss my 13" MacBook size. The MBP and MBA are about equal for my uses and pretty dang close on price. Why NOT opt for the MBA instead of the MBP? If the MBP had a dedicated gfx card, I'd probably change my tune, just for the occassional video game/OpenCL support, but as it is now, I'll keep waiting for the MBA. Hopefully only a few weeks longer.. :(
 

islanders

macrumors 6502
Jul 21, 2006
272
0
Charleston, SC
Why are you so concerned with the display going out? It seems like you want this to last forever! I have laptops that are going 5+ years and the displays are fine. If your soo concerned with the price, then look at a lower cost laptop. That way if it does go out, you won't feel so bad.



I was just trying to figure out what you meant with your first response.

"The screen resolution is better on the MBA. But the quality of the screen, the MBP wins. Many people have said this. The panel is better on the MBP."

All I asked was would the screen on the MBP last longer than the MBA. Sorry I wasted my time trying to have a conversation about the specifics of the MBA and MBP. I got much more comprehensive info from my other post. Maybe you are an expert but I wouldn't know based on your gibberish replies that you don't back up.
 
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TinHead88

macrumors regular
Oct 30, 2008
214
39
Also, I think some of you misunderstand what I was asking. I basically typed out my original post to explain why I returned the MBA and got a MBP, but I guess I didn't make it clear enough.

I returned the MBA to wait for either a refresh or a price drop. I was hoping that Apple would either bump up the 11" specs (more memory and space for the intro model), or at least drop the price of the refurb 13". The Air that I bought was a little more than I had originally wanted to spend, and I thought I might be able to save a bit if I waited. When I saw that the MBP has almost identical specs for way less, I went ahead and bought it. there is no way to test it out in stores because it's an old model, and Apple has a free return policy, so there was no reason not to.

I made this thread to ask if there were any differences between the machines that I hadn't considered, or if there were any issues that I hadn't heard about. I did do research on my own (read reviews from several years back when it launched, looked up the specs on everymac), but sometimes there are issues with certain models that don't come to light until later. This is a message board devoted to talking about Macs, so I can't imagine a better place to ask than here. I guess the Macbook Pro board might have been better, but since it involved both models I don't think there was an issue with posting it on this board.

I really liked the MBA, but it's just a bit outside of my price range. I could swing the 11", but it seems like the MBP will serve my needs fine. I'll probably stick with it, unless I notice some other issue in the next two weeks, or if Apple announces some amazing bump to the MBAs in that time.

Next time perhaps you can give this much info in your starting post to avoid all that bickering.

I also had a problem with your post until I found out more about where you were coming from.

So, in my opinion, you kind of brought this on yourself.

I also don't think some of the replies were rude. Sometimes people post such silly and useless questions (because of the way they word them) and it seems like they're just too lazy to do their own research.

Lesson learnt, I'm sure ;)
 
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Patrick946

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 21, 2009
163
0
Just wanted to add that I think Apple is putting several people in this indecisive position. The 13" MBP just is not a Pro machine. I have read numerous threads on these boards with this same issue.

The main difference between the MBP and MBA is the wide separation in CPU horsepower and weight. If the MBA gets updated soon, I bet the OP would want to have the refreshed version and be done with their choice.

Apple really needs to refresh/redesign the 13" MBP. If they are not going to offer dedicated graphics, most will opt for the MBA. Perhaps this is exactly what they are trying to achieve.

I've been thinking about this a lot for the last few days. If you compare the current MBA and MBP, I think that they are similarly worth the money. The difference, and the reason why I settled on a MBP, is that the previous generation of the MBP is slightly less powerful (with a strong video card), while the previous generation of the MBA is a huge step back. Buying a 2010 MBP right now gets you a very functional computer for a lot less, while buying a 2009 MBA gets you a way less functional computer.

So I think that for someone intending to buy a new computer, going with the refreshed SB MBA would be the best choice. Going with a refurb right now, the 2010 MBP is better than a previous generation MBA.

Next time perhaps you can give this much info in your starting post to avoid all that bickering.

I also had a problem with your post until I found out more about where you were coming from.

So, in my opinion, you kind of brought this on yourself.

I also don't think some of the replies were rude. Sometimes people post such silly and useless questions (because of the way they word them) and it seems like they're just too lazy to do their own research.

Lesson learnt, I'm sure ;)

Actually, I think that all of that info was in my original post, just phrased differently. This post seems super rude and condescending to me as well. It seems to me that many people post in this forum here just to bring other people down and make themselves feel better. I'm used to going to forums where people actually care about each other and try to help someone if they don't understand something. Message boards are meant for discussion, so being told that I'm wrong to want to discuss something is kind of a shock for me. I like Apple products, and would probably post here a lot if it weren't for the prevailing attitude of self superiority.

To the people who were kind/helpful in this thread: thanks again. I didn't intend to start a huge argument, I just wanted to get people's opinions on the old MBP vs. the current MBA.
 

cirus

macrumors 6502a
Mar 15, 2011
582
0
Why are so many people on this board incredibly rude?

I did a ton of research on the macbook air, and this looks like it has very similar specs - same processor, same GPU, same memory. I bought it on the spot because I know that Apple has a very generous return policy within 2 weeks. Sorry that my thread offends you.

I think it has to do with the multiple threads that DEAL WITH EXACTLY THE SAME TOPIC! There must be 50+ threads on MBA vs. MBP on this website (right next to the heating problems threads and the "what sandy bridge processor will the next MBA have?") and the fact that no one reads these threads before posting exactly the same question might have something to so with it. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for life. I am not trying to be mean or snarky but there are a lot of repetitive threads that have almost exactly the same contents and it always seems that the OP has never read any of them.

P.S.

Shopping list comparison is NOT doing your research. Doing your research would be asking this question BEFORE you bought your computers. If you truly did your research you would not have to ask this question after buying; you would already know the answer. Asking this question is research and the fact that you are asking this question now proves that whatever research you did do was not very complete.

P.P.S.

What are you using this computer for anyway? If all you are doing is surfing the web and light stuff you really don't need any faster hard drive or processor.
 

TinHead88

macrumors regular
Oct 30, 2008
214
39
Actually, I think that all of that info was in my original post, just phrased differently. This post seems super rude and condescending to me as well. It seems to me that many people post in this forum here just to bring other people down and make themselves feel better. I'm used to going to forums where people actually care about each other and try to help someone if they don't understand something. Message boards are meant for discussion, so being told that I'm wrong to want to discuss something is kind of a shock for me. I like Apple products, and would probably post here a lot if it weren't for the prevailing attitude of self superiority.

To the people who were kind/helpful in this thread: thanks again. I didn't intend to start a huge argument, I just wanted to get people's opinions on the old MBP vs. the current MBA.

If you think my post was rude then you are either hypersensitive or you are just not comprehending it properly. I tried to tell you in a very neutral way that your original post was lacking in information which could have avoided all the complaints about your question.
 
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