making the switch, but to the mba or mbp?

[zzzzzzzzz]

hi guys - i know you've already tackled this a thousand times, but, having read those thousand threads, i'm still not sure which of these i should go for. you all seem generous with your opinions, so i'll ask again.

i need to replace my 4 year old dell 700m (12.1", 1.6ghz, 512mb ram, tiny 24gb HD) as it has become painfully slow and things are beginning to stop working. i've very much enjoyed its portability (it's small and weighs just over 4 pounds) which is why the MBA has caught my eye. my concern, is that i've heard all these things about it being underpowered - but underpowered for what? the lure of the MBP, of course, is that it's a lot more power for its moderate increase in bulk and weight.

i use my computer often, but reasonably lightly: word processing, spreadsheets, statistical software, web and email, itunes, (<-- often all that at the same time), occasional photoshop, occasional downloaded movie, no gaming or video editing. i trek it back and forth from school a lot (often on a bike), and at home i connect it to a 24" external monitor (is that going to be an issue with the MBA?)

it would be cool to have something so easy to lug around, but i don't want to be kicking myself after a year or two when the thing is taking forever to load.

any words of wisdom/experience would be appreciated.

(ps. i've decided against the MB because of its inferior screen, but also because it's, well, ugly, and i won't get over that)

 

[Blue Velvet]

Personally, I'd get the MBP. It's just an all-round more capable and versatile machine that you'll get years of service out of and which is more likely to accommodate your needs in the long run. But I'm usually biased towards getting the most powerful machine you can afford. I currently use a 17" MBP connected to a display for work and a MacBook for casual stuff. Normally, I would have bought a MacPro but space and noise considerations also came into play.

The MacBook Air weighs three pounds (it comes with an adapter for your display). The 15" MacBook Pro is almost 2.5 lbs heavier. If this is by far the most important factor, then the Air is the one for you; otherwise, go with longevity.

 

[Savagestorm]

I pretty much do the same things as you, and I've decided to go for the air. The air will have no probelms doing anything you've listed, except connecting to the 24", which I'm told, (my air hasn't arrived yet), will spin the fans up quite high, however it does sound to me like the air will be perfect for you.

 

[Roller]

Based on your description, I think the Air would meet your needs better than a MBP, especially since you carry your computer around so much.

The Air represents a compromise between weight and features. To me, the biggest downsides are the internal drives (SSD or HDD) which, although larger than the one in your Dell, are small by today's standards. That forces you to be more judicious about what you put and keep on the Air's drive.

It's likely that Apple will offer larger SSD and HDD options at some point, probably between now and Macworld Expo 2009 next January. I don't think that they'll introduce what would amount to a speed bump at Macworld, so it might happen with less fanfare sometime before then. I don't have any inside info, though.

 

[eggersj]

I went from a 700m to a MBA also... I think it will be perfect for you. Try it out for a week or so, if it is not for you go trade up for the MBP... I think you will love it's size and speed and looks and well, pretty much everything!

Good luck!

 

[GGJstudios]

From what you described, it sounds like the MBA would work fine for you. There are many things to consider, including possible future needs, but if your requirements don't change significantly, the MBA would probably work. Using the 24" display is no problem... the MBA wouldn't work with the 30", however.

 

[CWallace]

Since you are coming from a small and (relatively) weak laptop, the MBA likely will meet your needs. What sets the MBA apart is just how darn light it is. It really does feel "light as air", at least compared to the MB and MBP.

For me, the MBA is far too limited in expandability and performance to consider. As such, I replaced my MB with a MBP.

My father is getting an MBA, however, so I can borrow his when I travel.

 

[alphaod]

My father is getting an MBA, however, so I can borrow his when I travel.

My father bought a MBA also; he loves it and he doesn't use peripherals, we have WiFi at home, all the printers are networked, he has the SuperDrive if needed plus we have other computers. It's all good; very nice computer.

If you don't do extra intensive stuff, the MBA will do very well for anyone. Of course the MBP is where the ultimate power is, but it comes with bulk and inconvenience.

 

[Heavenkittykat]

I think that you shouldn't be worried about your computer being somewhat obsolete or slow if you don't really do intensive things. I for one do that same thing that you described and MBA is a perfect match for me. I care a lot about portability because I bring my laptop with me everyday to school and I walk a lot around campus. So I think that MBA will be a perfect match for you and plus switching from PC to mac would be a plus too.