MB and MBP feel so.. heavy :(

[Kaiser Phoenix]

Come on guys, stop bashing the OP. The Macbook Pro IS heavy. No matter what you say, a 2KG for a 13 inch laptop is quite heavy. Now I do go to the gym very frequently and 2KG in the gym is not heavy, heck I would be embarassed to be doing weights with a 2KG dumbell for instance. But imagine that dumbell in my backpack or in my hand, then it starts feeling well, heavy, especially when in my backpack, i dont JUST carry the notebook, I have other stuff, like PSP, Books, adaptors, maybe a water botlle and a few bits and bobs. THEN that 2KG really starts to add up, if I had a Macbook Air, then EVERYTHING in my bag added up will be around 2KG which is OK. but with the MBP, ur going 3kg, 4kg etc.

The Macbook Air really hits the sweet spot with a 13 inch screen, proper keyboard and weight, but it needs an update.

 

[radiohed]

Borjan was simply pointing out that the MBP is heavy compared to the Air, and that the specs for the Air are outdated considering the premium price. You can't argue that point. I have a MBA and a MBP and when you pick up the MBP you notice the weight difference. But it does have much better specs, and would be my choice if I had to decide between the two. However, if the MBA was updated with new graphics, 4GB ram, bigger drive etc, I would probably go with that. They either need to update it soon, or eol it.

 

[Consultant]

I can hold my 17" on one hand (held by hand and arm) and type with the other, standing up. That's not heavy for me either.

I have camera with lens, bracket, flash that weights about as much.

If a MB or a MBP is too heavy, perhaps you should hit the gym.

Otherwise, you have to live with the compromises that either the MBA or a netbook give (and they are significant).

Exactly.

 

[thinkdesign]

Discuss weight as one facor among many...

... and lots of good discusion can ensue. But it seems like starting a thread with a focus on weight alone... and the matter of who's attracted shifts... and the overall quality and constructiveness of the discussion takes quite a dive. It's unfortunate... but now we know a little more about what thread starters may lead where.

 

[flynz4]

I can hold my 17" on one hand (held by hand and arm) and type with the other, standing up. That's not heavy for me either.

I have camera with lens, bracket, flash that weights about as much.

Exactly.

I have some spectacular pieces of glass (ex: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II ) that are extremely heavy... and cost more than a MBP. I use my Canon P&S about 10X as much as my SLR.

For similar reasons... I use my MBA about 10X more than my MBP. I own both; I choose to use the MBA.

/Jim

 

[AAPLaday]

The good thing for UK users is that the Airs have been in the refurb store for a while now and look like being readily available for some time to come. Paying full price for one at this time would be a mistake IMO.

 

[iDisk]

All I was saying, is that if you do push ups , consistently or perform exercises where you strengthen you back, then ANY notebook will feel lite.

This has nothing to do with Arm weights. It sounds like they may not work there back enough.

Though again if you hold a iPad then the MacBook Air feels heavy, if you hold a MacBook Air then a MacBook Pro feels heavy. The OP argument doesn't make sense cause anyone body who reads the specs know that these Mobile devices weight differently and you should expect a difference in weight.

Now if I say the MacBook Air is heavy because I just held and iPad does that mean it is?

 

[lifeinhd]

For some reason, these comments are seriously irritating.

I would never be considered 'weak', by a long stretch of the imagination. I don't got to the gym and get pumped, but in terms of the general population, I would put my self in the top 1/4.

So, this is not about being able to carry the weight of a MBP or MB. I could do it all day. In fact, I have carried much much heavier loads for hours and hours on end like some kinda mule, in the baking heat. And I handled that all fine.

Does that mean I want to carry a MBP around? Hell no. I'd rather somehow not carry anything around at all, yet go on the internet, watch movies and write up reports magically out of thin air. Clearly this is not possible. So for this reason I think the MBA/netbooks are the closest we get to the kinda weight.

I think if you really gave Macbook Airs/netbooks a go, you'd never want to go back to the heavier weight. I'm going to compromise and do it anyway, but in an ideal world (like the above posts dropping the price) I'd get a MBA in a heartbeat over any performance gains of a MBP.

I agree with you. I have a netbook as well-- it's what I'm typing on right now in fact. I also have a 15" MBP, but that stays on my desk, connected to my monitor, mouse and keyboard 24/7, whereas I bring the netbook anywhere I need a computer (like to the office, where I am right now). That's partially due to my MBP's battery being shot, but it's also partially due to the weight difference. It's just so much easier to grab the (7-hour-battery-life) netbook and go, than to grab the MBP+charger and go. I would buy a MBA, main reasons I haven't are the single USB port, not much more processing power than the netbook, premium price, and large footprint. Make an 11" MBA with an i3, 7 hours of battery life, two USBs, and a $999 pricetag and I'd be all over it. But that's not going to happen.

As for the people saying to hit the gym: try carrying a 27" iMac around with you all day, and tell me weight isn't a big deal.

 

[gwsat]

For some reason, these comments are seriously irritating.

I would never be considered 'weak', by a long stretch of the imagination. I don't got to the gym and get pumped, but in terms of the general population, I would put my self in the top 1/4.

So, this is not about being able to carry the weight of a MBP or MB. I could do it all day. In fact, I have carried much much heavier loads for hours and hours on end like some kinda mule, in the baking heat. And I handled that all fine.

Does that mean I want to carry a MBP around? Hell no. I'd rather somehow not carry anything around at all, yet go on the internet, watch movies and write up reports magically out of thin air. Clearly this is not possible. So for this reason I think the MBA/netbooks are the closest we get to the kinda weight.

I think if you really gave Macbook Airs/netbooks a go, you'd never want to go back to the heavier weight. I'm going to compromise and do it anyway, but in an ideal world (like the above posts dropping the price) I'd get a MBA in a heartbeat over any performance gains of a MBP.

You are right, both about whether one one wants an MBA instead of the heavier 13 inch MBP is a matter of convenience not strength, and about the gratuitous advice some feel compelled to give in threads like this to "go to the gym" being irritating. I might go so far as to say that they are offensive. Somebody suggested that the jealousy factor may play a part in posts of that kind and I find myself hard pressed to disagree.

I have engaged in a rigorous exercise program for most of my adult life and am certainly strong enough and fit enough to horse even a 17 inch MBP, been there done that. Nevertheless, I would love to have an MBA and would buy one tomorrow if Apple ever saw fit to upgrade its specs to allow it to handle my needs.

 

[thinkdesign]

this thread is setting some kind of record...

... for attracting _______.

I happened across an interesting quote recently. I forget who it was from. Something along the lines of "You should never argue with a fool, because someone coming upon the scene, won't know which one's the fool."

It seems that weight as one of several things to discuss, works fine. Weight as the sole focus of an OP, may not.

 

[flynz4]

... for attracting _______.

I happened across an interesting quote recently. I forget who it was from. Something along the lines of "You should never argue with a fool, because someone coming upon the scene, won't know which one's the fool."

It seems that weight as one of several things to discuss, works fine. Weight as the sole focus of an OP, may not.

I am actually more fond of:

Never argue with a fool. He will wear you down to his own level, and then crush you with his experience.​

/Jim

 

[gwsat]

... for attracting _______.

I happened across an interesting quote recently. I forget who it was from. Something along the lines of "You should never argue with a fool, because someone coming upon the scene, won't know which one's the fool."

It seems that weight as one of several things to discuss, works fine. Weight as the sole focus of an OP, may not.

Yeah, I really detest __________. A useful corollary to your quote above is, "You can't fix stupid."

 

[silverblack]

I am actually more fond of:

Never argue with a fool. He will wear you down to his own level, and then crush you with his experience.​

/Jim

Woo crushing..... so that's why they like the gym so much

 

[tmerritt530]

Apples and oranges

 

[thinkdesign]

jim/ a whole genre in quoteology, perhaps

Your quote which I'd read first, was what made my ears go up when I came across the second one. Someday I'll find myself next to the quotations book shelf in a good bookstore, and I'll have to look up that key word.

A problem whose solution has been sought for a long time, it seems.

Another quote heard from an author on public radio, years ago, that I may try to unearth someday: I don't recall the wording... but it was to the effect that a conversation or at least a good one involves a tacit agreement of all involved, that each person will make an effort to understand the others say. Which points out what can be missing: that effort.

I have a relative who thrives on never making that effort. So I've seen the whole panopoly of tricks of the trade, used to converse in that manner. Sometimes, the more you escalate the precision of your word choices, the faster they can loosen the sloppiness of their listening. Then you know it's intentional. But not always. Some really are doing the best they know how to do. But time's a finite resource, so, sometimes one just has to say as early as possible "I see what you mean." and head for the exit.

 

[PsyD4Me]

I can hold my 17" on one hand (held by hand and arm) and type with the other, standing up. That's not heavy for me either.

I have camera with lens, bracket, flash that weights about as much.



Exactly.

I can do that with a 9lbs '05 Dell laptop. What's your point? We're talking about comfort

 

[Consultant]

I can do that with a 9lbs '05 Dell laptop. What's your point? We're talking about comfort

The difference is that a 17" MBP weights the same as many 15" pc laptops.

 

[wordoflife]

All I was saying, is that if you do push ups , consistently or perform exercises where you strengthen you back, then ANY notebook will feel lite.

However one will feel lighter than the other.

 

[GeekGuys]

I am having the same dilemma as the OP. Is the MBP too heavy (BY COMPARISON TO THE MBA) against the additional power and performance you gain from the machine. I have decided upon a machine to upgrade my Rev A MBA (MBP 15" 2.44 with 128 SSD). This will fly compared to my old MBA but is it a step too far? Will I be bothered by the extra weight?

Alternative would be a new MBA with SSD. Reduced battery, power, DVD etc but less weight and size (marginally). I keep flipping between the two.

It should be noted that this will be a travel laptop (trains, planes, hotels etc) for work only but I do like watching HD movies on it as well. I have other Mac's for office and home. 5 hours battery (MBA is more like 3.5hrs at best) is OK for 75% of the time. 8-9 hrs would be OK for 95% of the time.... the other 5% would need 16+ hr battery (ie, 24 hr plane journey to Australia!)

btw, I don't agree with Scottsdale with regards to not needing anything else but a MBA and 27" LCD. For him, maybe. For myself, I have multiple monitors connected to my iMac as I like to have large screen real estate and external HDD's for my media, data etc. a MBA just wouldn't cut the mustard for my circumstances.... but that is just me.... for others I am willing to concede they may want/require a different setup !!

 

[whwang]

bought a MBP, very happy

Four months ago, I decided to replace my 2007 white MB. Since then I had been waiting for the MBA update. Waiting, waiting, and waiting, and nothing came out. I ended up with buying a 15" MBP. I am traveling with it these days between UK and Asia and I am very happy with its weight and performance.

Earlier when I compared the 15" MBP with MBA in the shop, I felt the 15" is much heavier and I worried a lot about buying the MBP. However, now without a MBA sitting next to it, I am totally fine with the 15" MBP. No problem at all carrying it around and bringing it to the airplane.

Just to share my experience.

 

[gwsat]

I have a relative who thrives on never making that effort. So I've seen the whole panopoly of tricks of the trade, used to converse in that manner. Sometimes, the more you escalate the precision of your word choices, the faster they can loosen the sloppiness of their listening. Then you know it's intentional. But not always. Some really are doing the best they know how to do. But time's a finite resource, so, sometimes one just has to say as early as possible "I see what you mean." and head for the exit.

An old friend used to say of somebody he didn't like, "He would like to be a nice guy but he just doesn't know how.

 

[Shodan]

Buy an Air then.

Next thread MBA feels so... slow

 

[AnodizedFish]

Buy an Air then.

Next thread MBA feels so... slow

It's a vicious cycle...

 

[iDisk]

However one will feel lighter than the other.

This is very true, but the other person or anybody for that matter, shouldn't compare the Air to anything else that's not in its category.

Carrying a 3lbs or 4.5lbs etc... Isn't going to hurt anybody, school books weigh more and are even bulkier.

 

[gwsat]

This is very true, but the other person or anybody for that matter, shouldn't compare the Air to anything else that's not in its category.

Carrying a 3lbs or 4.5lbs etc... Isn't going to hurt anybody, school books weigh more and are even bulkier.

The 4.5 pound 13 inch MBP is not in the MBA's category because it is 50 percent heavier than the 3 pound MBA. Even carrying a 6.6 pound 17 inch MBP isn't going to hurt anybody. That's why this "go to the gym" talk has been so exasperating to me and some others. The appeal of the MBA isn't the avoidance of physical injury. Instead, it's a matter of mobility and ease of use in mobile situations. It's in a class by itself where that is concerned. That said, the 13 inch MBP is a vastly more practical computer than the MBA, for a lot of reasons. That's why I won't be buying an MBA until and unless Apple redesigns it in a way that provides a lot more power and flexibility than it has now.