Is the MacBook Air as powerful as the MacBook Pro?

I need a pretty powerful computer and it has to be apple because I need itunes for my job and I can only rely on itunes on a mac, but it has to run some pretty powerful software, so can an air handle it as well as a MBP with retina?

No. Get a MBP.

Similar Messages

  • How does the MacBook air 1.7ghz processor compare to the MacBook Pro 2.5ghz processor?

    Hello Hello!
    I'm a soon to be Information Science major (similar to computer science) and am in the market for a laptop that will last me at least 3-4 years. I'm trying to be as cost effective as possible while still having a configuration that will get me through my college years. I've been looking at either the 11" MacBook Air upgraded to 8gb of ram and the 1.7ghz i7 processor OR the baseline MacBook Pro with the 2.5ghz i5 processor upgraded to 8gb of ram.
    I'm leaning towards the MacBook Air because of the ssd and battery life, as well as the form factor. My only worry is that the processor won't be powerful enough to meet my needs as an information science major. I know I'll be learning programming and web development, among other things. I guess to sum up my question, will the 1.7ghz MacBook Air be powerful enough to use as a main machine as a student in this field?
    Screen size isn't a problem as I own a decent 20" monitor that I can use whenever I'm at my desk.
    Any feedback is much appreciated!

    Noticeably greater? Probably not. I have a MBP that I upgraded to 16 GB and a SSD and my MacBook Air seems at least as fast even though its CPU is slower and it has much less memory. They are both i7 models.
    It depends on exactly what you're planning to do with it, for example image manipulation will be faster on the MBP with its dedicated GPU (15" model only though), but for software development and debugging you are not likely going to notice much difference. These Macs are so fast that comparing minute differences isn't worth the effort. Comparing them on the basis of weight and portability is a better idea. The MBA is lighter, but the MBP is expandable... so the choice is likely to be more subjective than quantitative.
    We don't know what any future MBP changes will be implemented. Apple's product evolution is pointing in a direction away from expandability, and it's pretty clear disk drives (both optical and HD) are on the way out. If those considerations matter to you waiting for a future upgrade may not work in your favor.

  • Can I exchange my macbook air for the new pro?

    I recently bought a haswell series 13" macbook air exactly 1 week before the introduction of the new haswell macbook pros.  After considering the spec and price difference I realized I'd rather have the pro. I looked on the returns tab on the website.  It said I can return my product within 14 days. Is it possible for me to exchange my air for the pro without having to go through returning my macbook air and buying the pro?  I realized the price difference wasn't all that differernt and I wouldn't mind the extra power. I currently have the 13" macbook air i5 with 8gb. I plan on getting the 8gb for the 13" retina display macbook pro as well

    I strongly doubt it. The best thing for you to do is to return this one before the 14 days expire. If the time passes you will have to keep the Air and try to sell it privately.
    Once Apple accepts the Air back and you know you are getting a refund you can start the order process for the Pro.
    regards

  • I have a new Macbook Pro - trying to migrate files etc from my Macbook Air using a Thunderbolt Cable between the two.  I follow the directions but the two computers never "discover" each other.  WiFi connect works but 70 hours is a rough deal.

    I have a new Macbook Pro.  Trying to migrate files etc from my Macbook Air using a Thunderbolt Cable between them.
    I follow the directions but the two computers never "discover" each other - using a WiFi connection works but 70 hours is a rough deal.
    (Mac OS 10.8.2 on both computers)

    Are you trying target disk mode?
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10725
    Ciao

  • After some advice, I am new to Apple and looking to purchase either the MacBook Air 13inch with 256GB and 8GB mem or the MacBook Pro 13inch with retina 256Gb and 8GB mem. I am an assistant principal in a primary school and also studying my masters

    After some advice, I am new to Apple and looking to purchase either the MacBook Air 13inch with 256GB and 8GB mem or the MacBook Pro 13inch with retina 256Gb and 8GB mem. I am an assistant principal in a primary school and also studying my masters at university. I don't play computer games and I don't watch movies. I do store photos and videos of my kids and music on iTunes. I also like browsing the net with numerous windows open, check email etc. I am really wanting long battery life as I do a lot of my work on the couch - not close to a PowerPoint. Would the air do the trick or will it soon be outdated as Apple move towards retina display? Both air and pro seem very thin  - almost the same? And not much difference in weight either so both very portable which is also a necessary requirement. Just can't help dreaming about that 12 hour claimed battery life. Any helpful advice/opinions, very much appreciated. Thanks

    It's not likely that you'll get 12 hours in reql life. Those benchmarks are set under very strict controlled conditions. Kind of like mileage per gallon claims on cars. If 16GB of ram is an option at all I'd highly recommend you get that. As far as storage 256GB isn't alot, consider storing some things on an external thunderbolt real

  • When I click on the 'help' key in the elements 12 program it wants to open it in Firefox2. Firefox doesn't work on my Macbook Pro Air. I use Safari. How do I get it to open?

    When I click on the 'help' key in the elements 12 program it wants to open it in Firefox2. Firefox doesn't work on my Macbook Pro Air. I use Safari. How do I get it to open?

    Hmm, that is very strange. I agree with MichelB that it's probably best just to get the PDF, but you can try going to your username>library>preferences and deleting:
    com.adobe.PhotoshopElements.plist
    Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 settings
    Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 paths
    To see the library, click the Go menu in the Finder and hold down the option key and it will appear below the little house for your user account. While you're in there it wouldn't be a bad idea to go to the Saved Application States folder and delete anything pertaining to PSE.
    Repair permissions and see if that does it.

  • If I buy a new MacBook Air will the Apple Store help me transfer everything from my old MacBook Pro?

    Will Apple help to copy over all the settings, apps, programs, files, etc. from an old MacBook Pro 15" on OS X 10.6.8 to a new MacBook Air 15"?  Will it work easily and painlessly?  Will they help me set it back to factory once everything is copied so that it can be sold or given to someone else?  Will they charge for this?
    I want to get the new MacBook Air 13".
    The current 15" 2.53 GHz MacBook Pro Mid 2009 has the following specs and OS:
    Mac OS X version 10.6.8
    Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,4
    Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
    Processor Speed: 2.53 GHz
    Number Of Processors: 1
    Total Number Of Cores: 2
    L2 Cache: 3 MB
    Memory: 4 GB
    Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
    Boot ROM Version: MBP53.00AC.B03
    SMC Version (system): 1.49f2
    Serial Number (system):
    Hardware UUID:
    Sudden Motion Sensor: Enabled
    According to Apple's serial number identifier it's this: https://support.apple.com/kb/SP544
    Thanks.

    You sure about this? https://www.apple.com/why-mac/better-support/
    "Purchase a One to One membership at the same time you get your new Mac from an Apple Retail Store, and you won’t have to spend hours transferring all your stuff. Just bring in your old PC, and we’ll do it for you. A Specialist will move all your files — email, contacts, music, photos, documents, calendar, desktop items — and make sure everything is exactly where it should be. One to One costs just $99, and it includes a year’s worth of one-hour, face-to-face training sessions. It’s like getting a head start before you start."
    This is really disappointing.  Buy a $3,000 computer from them and then buy another one for $1,000+ and all they want to do is screw you over, nickle and dime you and price gouge you on setting it up.

  • Is it worth replacing the MacBook Pro with an iPad Air?

    I've been sat in the realms of contemplation for some time now. Since the release of the iPad Air it looks as though it is now possibly a viable option for me to replace my aging MacBook Pro. I essentially only use my laptop for photographs and music. My photo collection is about 11GB in size when they are in their original format outside of iPhoto. (iPhoto bloats it up to 33GB). My music collection is miniscule and we're talking only about 2GB in size, as it's only stuff I have purchased from the iTunes Store, so I know I can listen to this whenever I want to by re-downloading specific albums or tracks with "Purchases in the Cloud." At the moment I think the Macbook Pro is more than I actually need for what I use it for. Things like document creation etc. isn't an issue for me as I've used pages previously on my laptop and my documents are iCloud synced.
    For me, I'd be looking at 64GB or 128GB capacity, as I use a Sony NEX-6 DSLR so the files as JPEG are large. I'm not one to keep every single photo I have taken, I'm kind of "minimalist" so out of say 400 photos I'd only keep 100 of the best ones.
    I have read that some people have used services such as Dropbox for additional cloud storage, but I'm looking at using a networked hard drive that supports iOS so I can back up my photos to a physical drive at home should anything detrimental happen to the iPad (if I did get one).
    I'm curious to hear if anyone has gone down the route of replacing their laptop or even desktop with a high-capacity iPad, and hear how they've got on with it. This is becoming a more frequently asked question after researching the vast spaces of the Internet, but there are no answers specific for my needs!
    Message was edited by: C.Moore - Spelling & grammar corrections.

    An iPad is a great device, but it's no computer replacement. It lacks the file sharing/structure that comptuers have and the ability to easily get files onto/off it without the internet.
    That said, if you still have your desktop and use it for most of the computing work and basically just want a photo viewer, check your e-mail device, then it may work for you.
    The networked harddrive will be the hard part. Since the iPad lacks a file manager anything you use on it must have an app so that you can access it. And that app also must be allowed to 'send' your files to another app. So that may be what you really need to research. The ability and ease of using a network drive to do the file sharing you want.

  • ITunes movies no longer sync from Dell laptop or MacBook Pros (both authorized devices) to iPhone 6s or iPad Air 2s after configured at Apple store yesterday.  In the past I could see the movies in iTunes with the cover photo and sync.

    iTunes movies no longer sync from Dell laptop or MacBook Pros (both authorized devices) to iPhone 6s or iPad Air 2s after configured at Apple store yesterday.  In the past I could see the movies in iTunes with the cover photo and sync to the other devices but now there is a listing a movies with no cover photos and in fact if I try to view the movie on the MacBook Pro it cannot be found unless I download it.

    All I had to do was complain.  I synced my iPhone to the Windows machine, checked the other account at iTunes prompting (where no apps had shown up previously), reconnected the iPad, and 140 apps downloaded including the App Store.  I have no idea why.

  • What are the main uses for a Macbook Pro, and also for a Macbook Air?

    I'm curious of whether I should buy a Macbook Pro, or Macbook Air. Before I make my decision I would like to know what are the main purpaces for each Macbook.

    Here's an article that compares the two.
    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57458148-37/13-inch-macbook-air-vs-13-inch-mac book-pro-which-should-you-buy/?tag=postrtcol;posts

  • Can i install windows 7 via bootcamp (MB Air) while using remote disc? I put the windows 7 disk in my macbook pro drive, and connect to my brand new macbook air. In bootcamp i allocate the partition then i click install and bootcamp will not see the disk.

    Can i install windows 7 via bootcamp (on my MB Air) while using remote disc? I put the windows 7 disk in my macbook pro drive, and connect to my brand new macbook air via remote disk. In bootcamp (on my air) i allocate the partition, then i click install, and bootcamp will not see the disk from my macbook pro's drive. How do i get the bootcamp assistant running on my MB air to automatically find the disk in my macbook pro with the ISO image of windows 7? The remote disk on my air can find the cd but bootcamp will not begin installing it. Anyway to do this without buying the damned usb drive?

    I don't know first hand if you can use the Remote Disk option with Windows but as of 10.7.2 you can now use BCAssistant to make a bootable USB (thumb drive or external disk) W7 installer with the Boot Camp drivers installed also. Have you tried that yet?

  • WD 1TB not recognised on 13" macbook pro retina (late 2013) even though it is exFAT file structure. The same drive is recognised on iMac and an old Dell laptop. I also have a seagate 2TB external hard drive (powered) that is recognised by my macbook pro.

    I just bought a late 2013 macbook pro retina 13" a few days ago. I am trying to transfer all my music from my old Dell laptop. I formatted by 1TB Western Digital MyPassport to exFAT to allow read and write on both operating systems. The 1TB WD My Passport is recognised by both my Dell and iMac but not my new macbook pro retina 13 (late 2013).  My 1TB WD My Passport is USB 3.0 with USB 2.0 backward compatability. I also just bought a 2TB Seagate Desktop Backup Plus (which is powered) for backing up and extra file storage, THIS WORKS! I don't understand how this works on my macbook pro but my 1TB western digital my passport doesn't. PLEASE HELP!! I have done full formats as well (not quick ones) which take nearly 8 hours. PLEASE HELP

    Is there a pattern to the time of day or other detail that may be
    traced back to a OS X system cause of this odd phenomenon?
    Are there any copies of system files on any of the attached USB
    external drives? Any libraries, such as iTunes, iPhoto, etc?
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    ignored by the OS X? Content, if neutral, should not affect the
    wake or sleep cycle; especially if they're ignored by the OS X.
    Could there be a bad cable or other component? If so that would
    be a difficult process of elimination to detect it. Usually replacing
    most suspect components in the USB stream (external to Macs)
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    electrical field? An intermittent ground may affect more than sleep.
    Hard to say at this point. Maybe a late-night talk radio guru on
    remote viewing could peer into your situation and sleuth it out?
    Sorry to have run out of ideas, but the process must be electrical
    & mechanical to some extent. - Or perhaps odd software inspired.
    Do you have any phone-home spyware items inside, just jumping
    at the chance to spill your information? Little Snitch may help.
    PS: Perhaps the computer needs to go into Apple & have a genius
    or product specialist at AASP test the unit thoroughly... BlueTooth?
    see:
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    Good luck & happy computing!
    edited 2x

  • I would like to copy my iPhoto (9.4.1) library from my Mac Pro (10.7.5) to a Macbook Pro (10.7.5). Can I drag the iPhoto Library to Air Drop and send them to the MacBook? Will that then be a usable iPhoto library on the Macbook?

    I would like to copy my iPhoto (9.4.1) library from my Mac Pro (10.7.5) to a Macbook Pro (10.7.5). Can I drag the iPhoto Library from the Pictures folder to Air Drop and send them to the MacBook? If I then move that to the Pictures folder on the MacBook will that then be a usable iPhoto library on the Macbook?

    It would be better if you could connect the two Macs via a hard wired LAN to copy the library from the Mac Pro to the MacBook.  Wireless connections can have momentary dropouts which could affect the reliable copying of files. 
    If you do go with Air Drop be sure to open and inspect the copied library closely to confirm it was a successulf copy.
    OT

  • I currently run the Design and Web Premium CS6 on a first generation MacBook Air and want to buy a new MacBook Pro. How do I know whether I can install my Adobe programs onto the new computer? Because I know there is some kind of limit.

    I currently run the Design and Web Premium CS6 on a first generation MacBook Air and want to buy a new MacBook Pro. How do I know whether I can install my Adobe programs onto the new computer? Because I know there is some kind of limit.
    Also, I had to install the software twice on my same computer before because I had to reboot the computer. I don't know if this affects the limit.

    You are allowed to have two activated installations so there should not be a problem having working installations on the two machines.  If by chance you have somehow tied up two activations for the one machine you can have Adobe support help resolve that thru chat.
    Serial number and activation chat support (non-CC)
    http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/service1.html ( http://adobe.ly/1aYjbSC )

  • I just bought a MBA and I need to move my photos and itunes to an external hard drive (from my old MacBook Pro) because they won't fit on the Air.  I got the photos moved fine and I followed an online tutorial to move the necessary files for itunes, but i

    I just bought a MBA and I need to move my photos and itunes to an external hard drive (from my old MacBook Pro) because they won't fit on the Air.  I got the photos moved fine and I followed an online tutorial to move the necessary files for itunes, but it didn't work.  The files copied fine, but when I tell iTunes on the Air to look at the external drive for the library, it doesn't find anything.  What I copied was the entire iTunes Media folder.  So, how do I move the necessary iTunes files from my old Pro to a external drive so I can access them from my new Air?  Whew!

    iTunes- How to move the library to an EHD
    After you move the library you need to open iTunes by first depressing the OPTION key then launching iTunes. You will be given a choice of which library to use. This can then be made a permanent change, if you wish, in the Advanced section of iTunes preferences.

  • Help!  I transferred the data from my old Macbook pro with some success, but now my new Macbook Air contents think they are the remote disc and that the old Mac Pro is the hard drive.  What did I do and how do I fix it?

    I transferred the data from my old 2006 MacBook Pro 17".  Thanks for the help on that.  I thought that I was doing it right.  Used a backup hard drive and time machine.  Problem:  Now my new macbook air thinks it is the old machine and that the remote disc is the mb air.  Clicks want to take things to mobile me instead of iCloud, old applications launch instead of the new ones.  How do I fix the mess I have made?  Like I said before,  I am a software user and don't really know what I am doing when I start into the guts of the software, but I am able to learn.  Thanks for any help.

    iTunes- How to move the library to an EHD
    After you move the library you need to open iTunes by first depressing the OPTION key then launching iTunes. You will be given a choice of which library to use. This can then be made a permanent change, if you wish, in the Advanced section of iTunes preferences.

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