Pro vs Air

Hey all

I know this is discussed a lot. I have a question that hopefully some of you can give me some examples.

In short what can the Pro do that the Air cannot.

In trying to decide which is best for me I keep hearing this comment. The Air is more portable, but the Pro is a more powerful computer. I don't understand the "specs" of computers. So I'm looking for some examples.

Can I still use iphoto and imovie with the Air. Is watching video, surfing the net much different on the Air than on the Pro.

I am not a gamer at all, I also don't intend to do any more photo/video editing than what can be done in iphoto imovie.....so what else should I consider?

Just to eliminate some things. I am aware of the harddrive differences....the dvd rom.....the peripheral connections and I have decided I don't need them or at a small cost I can buy stuff to add to my Air

Its really about the performance of the Pro.....I like the feel of the air.....but I don't find it THAT much more portable than the Pro.....so when people tell me the Pro is more powerful I am having a harder time justifying why I would get the air when it's the same price....and yet I also wonder am I really gonna need the "power" the pro might provide.

PS not talking about the Retina display one.

Thanks all

The MacBook Air is not as upgradeable as the MacBook Pro. For example: If you should need to add more memory later on: doable on the Pro, not on the Air. Installing a larger hard drive: doable on both machines but the Air is going to be more expensive. No optical drive on the Air. Most folks nowadays feel they no longer an optical drive but it still comes in handy.

As far as using iPhoto or iMovie, both machines would be about the same. Apps will run as well on either machine.

Most women that I know who own Macs really like the Air because of its size|weight and the fact that they can put it in a large purse or carry bag along with other personal things.

Tough choice.

This is already discussed alot indeed. Can't find what you want in those hundred of posts?

U don't say to have high requirement so either one will work for you.

What chscag says ^

The rest is personal.

I also decided between these 2, and my old 10 years old laptop was my benchmark. It's 9" wide and 4LB and I decided I do not want it to be any larger/heavier. Pro came in at 1.5" wider and 4.5LB. Air only 0.5 wider and 2.3LB. Decision was made. I too have light/surfing use, no game, no heavy video encoding/editing.

Your right I think in my rambling message I lost the point

If you said to a non football fan. Player "X" is better in the 3-4 defence than the 4-3.....he would probably be like "huh"?

THis is my issue when it comes to things like processor speed. Other than "its better" I don't have a true concept of what that means.

My struggle is when people tell me the Pro is a better computer than the AIR, I can't figure out if I will even notice. So from a strictly performance stand point I am wondering how I might notice it. Anything to do with Hyperdrive, harddrive, upgradability, external ports......I already know where I stand on these things.

Surfing the web?
Watching a movie?
Email?
Pages/Numbers?
Iphoto?
IMovie?

A previous poster said I wouldn't notice a difference in any of the above described things. So where might I notice a difference.....is it only in gaming and HEAVY photo/video editing?

jayne_cobb said:

A previous poster said I wouldn't notice a difference in any of the above described things. So where might I notice a difference.....is it only in gaming and HEAVY photo/video editing?

Click to expand...

The main selling point of the MBA is portability & lightness.

The MBP has an optical drive, better gpu, and the non-retina MBP has upgradeable ram & upgradeable storage.

If the ultimate in portability & lightness is not your main concern...then get a MacBook Pro.

- Nick

jayne_cobb said:

is it only in gaming and HEAVY photo/video editing?

Click to expand...

Correct. Gaming and Video edit are the 2 top popular tasks which can never use too much juice. If you had to ask, you are probly not doing any of these 2.

Every ****&Harriet is going to tell you blah-blah is better, but better for what? and do they think money grow on trees?

U have no personal preference as to the size/bulk?

Take buying a camera, a real one, the super duper ones have tons of features, lots of storage blah-blah and expensive. I wouldn't get one because they tend to be heavy (relatively speaking) and if they are heavy I tend to not take it with me. If I don't take it with me, then the camera is just sitting there doing zero. Lesson: U may want to think about portability. This is hard if this is your first machine.