MacBook Pro or MacBook Air

[SIM Curly]

I'm trying to decide on which MacBook to get for college what do you think is best? Here are the ones I've configured
MacBook Air, 13-inch $1,899.00


Hardware

• 2.0GHz Intel Dual-Core Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz
• 8GB 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
• 512GB Flash Storage
• Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide
• Accessory Kit

Software

• iLife '11
• OS X Mountain Lion

13-inch MacBook Pro $1,499.00


Hardware

• 2.9GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
• 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM — 2x4GB
• 750GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
• SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide
• Accessory Kit

Software

• OS X
• iLife '11

[trewyn15]

What do you do in school?

The MacBook Pro will obviously be a little quicker, the Air is nice and small but not really practical and I've experienced them freezing up a decent bit.

Why are you settled on a Mac? You can get so much more out of Asus or HP for the same price..

[dkp2LT]

When I was looking I found the air was perfect for portability & the Pro was built for productivity. Personally the built in DVD/CD player is no more a 'have to have' option. You can get an external so cheap if you need it, but almost everything is on the cloud now.

Is it more important for you to be able to throw it in a case or backpack? Or do you want the bigger size & durability? Also the Air has the battery built in still does it not?

Personally I skipped both and went with the mini but my daughter's work gave her an Air and she really likes it. I use a work Windows laptop that's along the same size of the Air and it's held up well - and I've only used my external drive a few times.

BTW - I love the Mac Mini and their OS but do you need the Mac? Because Dell and others have decent 13" notebooks much cheaper. Though if you can swing it then go Mac.

[PoorMansCamaro]

with those two comparisons, seems like a no-brainer. the mac pro is better, and cheaper.

[SIM Curly]

Originally Posted by trewyn15

What do you do in school?

The MacBook Pro will obviously be a little quicker, the Air is nice and small but not really practical and I've experienced them freezing up a decent bit.

Why are you settled on a Mac? You can get so much more out of Asus or HP for the same price..

Ill be going to school to be a nurse. I currently have an HP Dv7 and its been a problem since day 1 it freezes and dosent work half the time just looking to get away from windows and the battery life is only an hour long but my battery crapped out and it still wont charge the new one i bought either

Originally Posted by dkp2LT

When I was looking I found the air was perfect for portability & the Pro was built for productivity. Personally the built in DVD/CD player is no more a 'have to have' option. You can get an external so cheap if you need it, but almost everything is on the cloud now.

Is it more important for you to be able to throw it in a case or backpack? Or do you want the bigger size & durability? Also the Air has the battery built in still does it not?

Personally I skipped both and went with the mini but my daughter's work gave her an Air and she really likes it. I use a work Windows laptop that's along the same size of the Air and it's held up well - and I've only used my external drive a few times.

BTW - I love the Mac Mini and their OS but do you need the Mac? Because Dell and others have decent 13" notebooks much cheaper. Though if you can swing it then go Mac.

The size dosent bother me at all currently if I go somewhere mine is a 17 inch and it dosent bother me at all. I'll be using it for school work and downloading music and such maybe even a few games every now and then if mac supports them.

[TheGhosty]

No question the MacBook Pro. If you get the air your a clown. lol

[lscamaro]

If you're set on a mac, definitely the pro.

[SIM Curly]

Found out I can get a cheaper price since it's for college so I upgraded the pro to 1TB of hard drive space and its $1489. $10 cheaper and I get 250gb more of space

[mikeyg36]

I have a 15" retina MBP and I absolutely love it! Try the 13" retina.

[SIM Curly]

Originally Posted by mikeyg36

I have a 15" retina MBP and I absolutely love it! Try the 13" retina.

13" retina with this is $2029
Hardware

• 2.9GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
• 512GB Flash Storage
• Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide
• Accessory Kit

Software

• OS X
• iLife '11

How much space would i really need anyways?

[SSOOCH]

MBP!

[SIM Curly]

Originally Posted by SSOOCH

MBP!

Yeah probably gonna get the MBP since it has better specs just need to figure out how much space to put on it.

[mikeyg36]

Originally Posted by SIM Curly

13" retina with this is $2029
Hardware

• 2.9GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
• 512GB Flash Storage
• Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide
• Accessory Kit

Software

• OS X
• iLife '11

How much space would i really need anyways?

It's up to you. You can always buy an external USB 3.0 or thunderbolt drive on the side. What are you using it for?

[SIM Curly]

Originally Posted by mikeyg36

It's up to you. You can always buy an external USB 3.0 or thunderbolt drive on the side. What are you using it for?

It'll be for when I start college in the fall. So whatever school work I need on there plus music downloads.