Pro or Air

Well I had a "iMac 20", 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2Gb Ram, 250Gb Hd, ATI X1600 256MB" but sold this because I wanted something new and now I am on the hunt for that something new.

Which out the two would you go for and why?

2.13Ghz Air version
15" 2.52Ghz Pro version


I am a web designer and also a photographer and would take this only to work and to and from my friends house.
Am looking to run Aperture on the machine again.

Pro.
Unless you need ultimate portability, the pro's gonna beat the air in pretty much everything.
the air will run out of room pretty fast if you keep lots of photos and other files, unless you're gonna use external drives.
I assume you're going to use disks? in which case the pro has an optical drive, unless you're gonna use the external version ...
You're probably going to end up with lots of peripherals to add to the cost if you're going to use the air.

Even after the price drop, I still believe the Air to be overpriced.

Between the 13" MacBook Pro and the Air, I'd choose the Pro. Really the only thing you stand to gain by going with the Air is the very thin size and slightly lighter weight. Otherwise, the Pro gives it a thorough trouncing in just about every other aspect.

Just my personal opinion...but when it comes to the "Air"...it's a neat idea. It pushes the envelope of industrial design trying to make computers "sexier" & more eye appealing.

When you're purchasing a MacBook Air you're paying a premium for the "coolness" or "sexiness" factor.

When it comes to computing performance "value"...the MacBook Air is a big ripoff!

Comparing the entry level MacBook Air to the entry level MacBook Pro:

- you pay more for the "Air" ($500 bucks more!)
- you get a slower processor
- smaller hard drive with the Air
- same size screen
- you get no CD/DVD with the Air (yes I know this is to save weight)

Yes...the Air is somewhat thinner than the MacBook Pro, and somewhat lighter. But in the end, you're paying $500 bucks more and getting less computer (less CPU speed, less hard drive, no DVD drive).

In my personal opinion...it's not worth paying $500 dollars more for the:

- "cooler/sexier" design
- lighter weight
- and getting less computing power/features

Of course other folks will disagree...and that's ok as well!

- Nick

Laptops are designed to be "less", to be small, to have less computing power than if they would be a large desktop computer or to be so tiny that they have (somewhat) the same power and are still portable. The irony to this is that you pay more for less. You need to balance computer capacity and portability and the macbook air is at the extreme end of one of them. Personally, I would not advise anyone to buy a macbook air.

The MacBook Air is great machine. But it is too limiting. It needs more USB ports and it needs an ethernet port. The size of the drive is too small for the cost. The lack of a CD/DVD drive and the one USB port is the reason I decided against it. There are times I need a DVD and wired ethernet. The Apple DVD has been reported not to work through a USB hub. So I decided against it.

It would be great for travel.
It's sexy.
It's light weight.

Periculum said:

The irony to this is that you pay more for less.

Click to expand...

This is what REALLY bugs me about the MacBook Air!

You pay a lot more for less computer...when compared to the 13" MacBook (a laptop compared to a laptop)!

Yes you expect to pay more for a laptop vs. a desktop...and you expect to pay more for a better/faster laptop than a slower laptop.

But you don't expect to pay $500 more for a laptop that is slower, has a smaller hard drive, and has no DVD drive...and only weighs a little less than a MacBook!!!

What you're mainly paying for in the MacBook Air is styling...and the perceived "thinness"of it.

The tapered edges of the MacBook Air are really an optical illusion of "thinness". If you measure the thickness of the MacBook Air away from the edges or at it's thickest point...it's really not that much thinner then the 13" MBP's!

I can't help but think that lots of people at Apple are laughing all the way to the bank, when someone buys a MacBook Air..because it's a real ripoff!

I mean what else can you call paying 50% more money for a MacBook Air compared to a 13" MacBook!!!*

For folks that can afford to spend the extra money for the stying, the loss of computing power, and no DVD drive...yeah I guess it works for them...but just too many compromises for me.

- Nick

* Comparing the entry level 13" MacBook at $999 to the entry level MacBook Air at $1499.

Edit: My comparisons above were between the 13" MacBook & the 13" MacBook Air...in my original post I kept saying MacBook Pro instead of MacBook.

I have a refurb Rev B MBA 1.86Ghz/128SSD and a Late 2008 15" MBP 2.53Ghz/128SSD. Both are great IMHO. I use the Air for 99% of everything. The MBP is awesome, but it's a freaking tank in both size and weight. I keep it on my desk and power it up for software updates and to use Handbrake or MTR. The MBA handles WinXP VM's via Parallels, light personal non-commercial Aperature duty, boxee, Netflix, and everything else just fine. It's great to toss in the Jeep "just in case" I need to get online somewhere, for surfing online from the couch or garage, or logging into my employer's network to do time and expenses via my WinXP VM. I wouldn't discount either, but the MBA is currently meeting most of my needs just fine. Good luck with whichever one you select.

thanks for all the replies!

I think it would be a Pro because spec is what I'm after, not sexyness

BlooGrape said:

thanks for all the replies!

I think it would be a Pro because spec is what I'm after, not sexyness

Click to expand...

Good deal...enjoy that new MBP when you get it!

- Nick

I have a friend who sold her macbook and got an air because she like shiny things. Also back when the Macbook in 13" format was the white/black, I could see the appeal. But now that the Pro has gained the sexy (and all the other features that the air had vs. the Macbook), it makes little sense unless you REALLY want the thinness to go with the Air over the Pro. My Pro is just as portable, dang near as thin, just as sexy, as the Air and comes with user replaceable hard drive, memory and has more ports and a DVD drive.

Just about to hit the submit order button for...


MacBook Pro, 15", Aluminium
Configuration
2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)
COUNTRY KIT

BlooGrape said:

Just about to hit the submit order button for...


MacBook Pro, 15", Aluminium
Configuration
2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)
COUNTRY KIT

Click to expand...

Hit it now! haha

Bought a Macbook Pro today

I just bought one today. It's great. There's a LOT to get used to comming from a Dell desktop. This is my first Apple computer.

Jgassaway said:

I just bought one today. It's great. There's a LOT to get used to comming from a Dell desktop. This is my first Apple computer.

Click to expand...

Ah your first Mac, it will be a real delight for you.
Have a look here for some basic help

Apple - Find Out How - Mac Basics

All the best and welcome to the proper OS!

There's a LOT to get used to comming from a Dell desktop.

Click to expand...

that's funny
I moved to mac after owning a Dell for a year

Jgassaway said:

I just bought one today. It's great. There's a LOT to get used to comming from a Dell desktop. This is my first Apple computer.

Click to expand...

Well, better late than never ey?
Good luck with your mac and don't hesitate to ask questions in your future posts (I probably won't be able to answer any of them...lol) and we'll try and help u out.

BlooGrape said:

Just about to hit the submit order button for...


MacBook Pro, 15", Aluminium
Configuration
2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)
COUNTRY KIT

Click to expand...

Ghe ghe... you won't regret it, if you do...I'll pick up the tab...lol;D

I love my Air

I know this is academic, now that you've made your purchase, Bloogrape...

I hope you're very happy together once united ;-), but I love my Air and not just for the sexiness...

It may not seem much lighter on paper, but believe me if you're lugging something round all day, you'd much rather be lugging round one of these than my previous G4 17" which was gorgeous and efficient, but weighed a ton!

I travel every week for work and often have to be on the Underground with a case up and down endless fights of stairs en route elsewhere. The Air has been the difference between me taking the laptop away with me and not, purely because I couldn't face carrying the previous model everywhere I went.

The decision was made for me one day, when the G4 keyboard started emitting smoke!

It was perforce, time to change so I went for the Air.

For more power, RAM etc, I have a G5 desktop at home.

So far, this does me just fine. Most hotels and public places have wireless these days, so rarely am I up a gum tree due to lack of an Ethernet port.

Until the rumoured 'tablet' appears, I'm happy walking on air

In your situation the MBA is the best solution indeed, therefore it's really in the eye of the beholder to choose wich Mac is most suitable for it's user.

Mine stays right at home, because I don't need to carry it anywhere for work etc.

So it's a good thing that Apple has a whole line of different machines for different people... wich are all beautiful and useful in their own way. ;D