I need help and i'm losing hair deciding

Pro or Air?
I know the pros and cons of both, at least for me
Pro has more ports and guts, more storage space and a cd drive, but weighs a ton
Air is awesomely thin and light but no cd drive and only up to 256gb of storage

I can't friggin' decide. I need some help. Please weigh in

alucard76 said:

Pro or Air?
I know the pros and cons of both, at least for me
Pro has more ports and guts, more storage space and a cd drive, but weighs a ton
Air is awesomely thin and light but no cd drive and only up to 256gb of storage

I can't friggin' decide. I need some help. Please weigh in

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Sounds like you got all the answers...so make your own decision...why would you want others to decide for you??

By the way...the MacBook Pro's don't "weigh a ton". If you think that they do...it's time to hit the gym...and start lifting some weights!

Good luck with your decision,

- Nick

While I thank you for your somewhat snarky yet useful response, I want others to chime in so I will make my own decision after I garner more insight. I've never owned a mac before. I do have to go to the gym, but that's irrelevant to the fact that there is an undeniable 1.5 lbs difference in the 2 and a dramatic difference in thickness.

alucard76 said:

I've never owned a mac before.

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Probably should have mentioned this in your initial post!

alucard76 said:

I do have to go to the gym, but that's irrelevant to the fact that there is an undeniable 1.5 lbs difference in the 2 and a dramatic difference in thickness.

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You didn't mention which MacBook Pro you were considering (13" or 15")...and this would certainly have a bearing on the weight of the computer!

Also...there was a time when the "standard" 14"-15" laptop computer weighed 6-7lbs. Now a 15" MacBook Pro weighs 5.6lbs....and a 13" MacBook Pro weighs 4.5 lbs. So either human beings in the last 10 years have gotten weaker...or "wimpier"!

One VERY important parameter you didn't mention is ram. Once you buy a MacBook Air...the ram is NOT upgradeable (you're stuck with what you got)...and the max. ram for the MacBook Air models is 4gig. The max. ram on the 2011 MacBook Pro models is 16gig.

Good luck,

- Nick

p.s. By the way...I can't help with the hair loss!

pigoo3 said:

p.s. By the way...I can't help with the hair loss!

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Thats funny.

No worries, I have a full head of hair

It seems like here in Canada, I can't upgrade to 16gigs, only 8
I think I've decided about 90% on a 13" Macbook Pro. Now I just have to figure out i5 or i7, 4gigs or 8, and how much storage

Oy!!

RustProofCorn said:

Thats funny.

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If I had a solution for hair loss...I would use it on myself!!!

- Nick

alucard76 said:

No worries, I have a full head of hair...

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For now!!!

alucard76 said:

It seems like here in Canada, I can't upgrade to 16gigs, only 8...

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Apple's "Official" max ram for the MacBook Pros is 8gig...but folks have found that 16 gig can be successfully installed (this happens occasionally).

alucard76 said:

I think I've decided about 90% on a 13" Macbook Pro. Now I just have to figure out i5 or i7, 4gigs or 8, and how much storage.

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Easy answer for the hard drive size & amount of ram for a MacBook Pro...just buy one of the stock configurations for now...and upgrade later as you need it (Apple charges too much for ram).

You have to decide on the cpu (i5 or i7)...which is mostly a $$$ decision.

- Nick

Thanks for the help

So I can always add both RAM and drive size afterwards? I had no idea

Is i7 that much better than i5?

alucard76 said:

So I can always add both RAM and drive size afterwards?

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Absolutely!

alucard76 said:

Is i7 that much better than i5?

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Find the models you're interested in...then compare the scores:

Mac Benchmarks

- Nick

You're a beauty Nick

Last question. Let's say I buy a standard 4gigs Ram and 500gb storage. In a year or 2 I want to add more of both. Do I buy them both let's say at a Tiger direct or Best buy and bring it to Apple, or would any computer store do the install. Sorry, Mac's are all new to me

alucard76 said:

You're a beauty Nick

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Sometimes "snarky" too!

alucard76 said:

Last question. Let's say I buy a standard 4gigs Ram and 500gb storage. In a year or 2 I want to add more of both. Do I buy them both let's say at a Tiger direct or Best buy and bring it to Apple, or would any computer store do the install.

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Well...this all depends on your abilities. We usually recommend a website called iFixit.com. This site has really good DIY instructions for most upgrades & repairs...then there's YouTube videos as well.

If you have "zero" confidence in your abilities to upgrade your own computer...then that may put a "wrinkle" in what you purchase now. You could go to iFixit.com...and review the ram & hard drive upgrade/replacement procedures...and see if you're up to the task.

- Nick

p.s. FYI...OWC:

www.macsales.com

...is a great place to purchase upgrade items as well. But that still leaves you with the install issue.

Even if I'm not confident in my ability to do it myself, I can bring purchased ram and hard drive to a computer store or apple and they will do it for me, for a fee. Is that right? The diy would be to safe the costs?

alucard76 said:

Even if I'm not confident in my ability to do it myself, I can bring purchased ram and hard drive to a computer store or apple and they will do it for me, for a fee. Is that right?

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Sure...most "brick & mortar" stores that sell ram & HD's have installation services...they just cost too much for my liking!

alucard76 said:

The diy would be to safe the costs?

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Absolutely!

- Nick

Do apple stores do these installs too?

alucard76 said:

Do apple stores do these installs too?

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Sure they do (if you buy the ram from them)...but then you're back to paying the exceedingly high prices Apple charges for ram. I think that the price is the same (ram + install) if you buy the computer with more ram initially...or buy the ram later (and Apple installs it).

Basically Apple charges a lot for the ram...because the cost includes the install fee. They just say...sure...buy the ram from us...and we'll install it for free (when the cost of the ram is built into the ram cost)!

The ram & HD install is really not that hard. I could do it in like 5-10 minutes. A person doing it for the first time...and being REALLY slow & careful...30-60 minutes.

- Nick

Thank you for all your help

alucard76 said:

Thank you for all your help

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You're welcome! Whatever you decide to purchase...you'll love it!!!

- Nick

I lied Nick, last question
Can I upgrade from core i5 to i7 later like I may do with Ram and storage, or is the processor the one thing that can't be upgraded after the purchase?

Thanks again

One VERY important parameter you didn't mention is ram. Once you buy a MacBook Air...the ram is [b said:

NOT[/b] upgradeable (you're stuck with what you got)...and the max. ram for the MacBook Air models is 4gig. The max. ram on the 2011 MacBook Pro models is 16gig.

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this is a very good informative point....hadn't clocked this before.

cheers