Question!!

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:21 pm

Hey, does anyone what to tell me to buy a MacBook Air or Pro, and why? I've been reading review sites all day, and I'm getting more confused.

Yellow · Post by **Yellow** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:21 pm

Yes, I do.

But first, what are you going to use it for? You've got three options: the MacBook Air, the MacBook, and the MacBook Pro.

Some things to consider:

Cost:
The MacBook starts at $1,100, the Air starts at $1,700, and the Pro starts at $2,000.

Performance:
The Pro is definitely the best-performing of the three with a faster CPU, a bigger screen, more memory, and a better graphics card, but unless you're doing lots of video or graphics work with very large files, you probably don't need the extra stuff. The Air is fairly weak on the performance side, as it has a smaller hard drive, less RAM, no built-in optical drive, etc. The MacBook sits somewhere in the middle.

Size/Weight:
The Air's tiny and lightweight. That's it's big selling point. The MacBook is comfortable to carry around, and the Pro is mobile, but not something I'd like to carry with me every hour of every day.

Since you're asking on this forum, I'm guessing that you don't have a compelling reason to go for the Pro. You probably don't even need the extra performance of the MacBook over the Air, but since the Air is more expensive for less power, I'd recommend the MacBook. It's what I have, and I've loved it.

Nanti-SARRMM · Post by **Nanti-SARRMM** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:30 pm

The macbook air apparently weighs 3 pounds. It has a 13.3 inch screen, 80 GB, 1.6 GHz and 2 GB of RAM. And a super crazy price of $1800!

The macbook pro has morehard drive storage, a bigger screen, faster processor and can come with the same amount of memory. Although the wikipedia has a list of issues that the pro has. You can find them slightly less cheaper than the Air, but not by much.

If you can find either as a used laptop for less, go for it, I would probably go with the Air because it has less issues, even though some have been fixed according to the wiki.

Ninja edited!(?) -- Yellow beat me to it! And his diagnosis is far better.

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:33 pm

Thanks, mates. I guess that means I'll stick with my MacBook for now. : D

Giovanni Schwartz · Post by **Giovanni Schwartz** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:02 am

I have to get used to a Macbook for my h-core A.P. Music Theory class, as opposedto my nice dell laptop and my nice dell p.c.

Fredjikrang · Post by **Fredjikrang** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:21 pm

The Pros have a few other advantages as well, but some of them may be disappearing soon (the Macbooks are due for an update soon after the new school year starts.)

The Pros have a lot of really nice little touches to them. For instance, the have an expansion slot, they automatically adjust the screen brightness depending on the brightness of the room you are in, are made of durable aluminum instead of plastic, have LED backlit screens, have a full DVI port on the computer, have backlit keyboards, have multitouch touchpads, a little bit better battery life, an extra firewire port, and a newer spec bluetooth module.

However, I doubt if you need any of those things.

Just for curiosities sake, why where you considering getting a new laptop?

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:38 pm

'Cause I can. And someone wanted to buy mine. And I thought it might be time to upgrade. And I could get a free ipod.

No really good reason. : D

xkcd *** · Post by xkcd *** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:21 pm

I say go for it. The first reason is good enough. I mean, seriously, who needs to save money?

Do you already have an iPod?

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:36 pm

Nope, no Ipod. Not yet. My brother has one, but no one else in my family does. And I don't know why I thought you needed to know that last bit. Just rambling I guess. And I would like to take this rambling opportunity to... wait! I know what to do!

Fredjikrang · Post by **Fredjikrang** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:42 pm

Well, you know. You could just buy an iPod. They are a lot cheaper than a new computer of the caliber that you are looking at.

I would suggest waiting a while though. The Touch's are due for an update soon, and they are already awesome! (I think I am addicted, and it is actually my roomate's. . .)

Imogen · Post by **Imogen** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:13 pm

Fredjikrang wrote:Well, you know. You could just buy an iPod. They are a lot cheaper than a new computer of the caliber that you are looking at.

I would suggest waiting a while though. The Touch's are due for an update soon, and they are already awesome! (I think I am addicted, and it is actually my roomate's. . .)

when is this update supposed to happen? hopefully the one i want will become cheaper.

Fredjikrang · Post by **Fredjikrang** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:22 pm

Probably within about a month of the end of the "Back to School" special, but you can never be really sure. (That would put it between Sep. 15- Oct. 15th or so. Again, this is just a guess, but it is a pretty likely time for them to update them, get ready for the holiday season and all that.)

xkcd *** · Post by xkcd *** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:23 pm

When do the new macbooks come out? You know the ones with the aluminum cases.

Fredjikrang · Post by **Fredjikrang** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:30 pm

Probably about the same time.

Post by **bobtheenchantedone** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:33 pm

Aye, I was planning to just get an Ipod. Sometime after BYU sends me a big, fat check. : D

Imogen · Post by **Imogen** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:10 am

wait on buying that ipod, bob. i've read on MACrumors that the ipod is due for it's update AND price cuts in the next two weeks. the current ipod inventory at all stores is being marked as discontinued, and they even start offering the ipod touch for 199, though it doesn't say what the storage capacity will be. i guess we'll find out soon.

i'm so glad i waited to buy an ipod touch.

orb360 · Post by **orb360** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:59 am

The iPod is free with the purchase of a laptop or desktop for students or faculty.

It's a limited time offer though, so I wouldn't wait...

Free and a generation behind is better than expensive and current imo

Imogen · Post by **Imogen** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:41 am

orb360 wrote:The iPod is free with the purchase of a laptop or desktop for students or faculty.

It's a limited time offer though, so I wouldn't wait...

Free and a generation behind is better than expensive and current imo

are you still getting a laptop, bob? if not, hold off. it's not worth getting a 1500 dollar ipod if you don't really need the laptop part.

and orb, all reports say the prices are coming way down because people are angry that an iphone is cheaper than an ipod touch. they'll probably become comparable to the old ones.

everyone check out the MACrumors site for all the news.

orb360 · Post by **orb360** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:35 am

If you include the required 2 year AT&T contract... the iPhone 3g is over 2000 bucks...

I think the required contract explains why they cut some $$'s off the price as compared to the iPod Touch

Benvolio · Post by **Benvolio** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:09 pm

It's also essentially being internally subsidized.

If it isn't too late to join the conversation about what kind of laptop to get, I would suggest you stay away from the Macbook Air. Apart from the usual worries -- underpowered, no CD drive, etc. -- I've been hearing some disturbing reports of reliability, battery life, and wireless connectivity. The latter is the most disturbing, since wireless connections are essential on such a device.