Macbook retina vs. macbook air  13 inches

I am a grad student, who usually spends most of my time viewing pdf files, I am considering to buy macbook for my first time ( i m windows user). Should i try rMBP or Air? i have read there r many graphic and apps incompatibility issues with retina display. I wonder whether there would be any problem reading and taking notes on PDF files? Any comment/experience??I am an average user - fb, office, movies. I am impressed with stunning retina display but not sure it would be the right one for me.

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
The MacBook Air is sufficient for you, but if you want a better display, go for the MacBook Pro with Retina display. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is very similar to the MacBook Air, but if you want the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, you will notice an enormous performance difference between them. Anyway, for your use, the MacBook Air is the best and you will save problems with the Retina display

Similar Messages

  • Macbook Retina after @MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Update 2.0@

    After this update: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1609
    When I press shift + control + alt (option) + power button, my laptop shutdown immediately.
    I have macbook retina 2.6/512 ssd/16 gb ram.
    Usually I use this buttons when I want turn off display completly.
    I check mission control hot corners, working fine, so the bug only with this.
    This bug confuse me, cause I start download movie when I went sleep... wake up and cant understand why my laptop powered off

    Nobody who have macbook retina don't ahve this problem?

  • Macbook Pro 13 inch with Retina vs Macbook Air 13 inch

    Hi everyone, I just have a few questions regarding the two Macbooks listed above, here is my situation:
    I am going to be a Freshman in college next year and have decided to purchase my first Macbook. I am familiar with most Apple products but Macbooks are the one area I do not have experience in. I have done some research and have widdled my decision down to either the Air or the rMBP. I am looking at the entry level of these laptops, so both would be equipped with the regular 128gb SSD drives and the 1.8GHz and 2.5GHz proccessors. My budget would not be more than the cost of the rMBP, so upgrading to anything more than $1,399 is not really an option.
    My uses:
    Basic Word processing
    Web surfing
    Video streaming
    Music and picture storage (nothing more than 10 gigs)
    Video and Picture editing with the Adobe Suite (this is my biggest concern, how will both computers react to the software? Which would handle it better?)
    Now I know everyone has seen posts like this before but the difference is with the recent update in pricing. Now that the rMBP is $1,499 (with a $100 discount for education it will be $1,399) is it a better deal? Is the performance and retina display worth an extra $200? I have read rumors that the retina display causes some slow down in operation for the rMBP.
    Lastly, if I decided to purchase the Air, should I invest in the upgrade to the 256gb SSD or maybe purchase a cheaper USB 3.0 external hardrive?
    Thank you for your time and consideration, it is really appreciated!
    Cameron

    Here's my take on that one.
    Skip the 13 Inch Macbook Retina until it's been in refreshed a couple more times to get rid of the screen issues some people are having - I was one of the first ones that bought the 15 Inch Macbook Retina - after 2 months of use - got rid of it because of issues with Photoshop and Office - i'm sure an update was already released by Adobe and Microsoft to support Retina display by now.
    In any event - the Macbook Air is a good idea - but instead of going with just the 256GB Flash Storage - why not do the 8GB of RAM and 256GB Flash Storage?
    Or you can get the 13 Inch non Retina Macbook Pro so you can upgrade the RAM and Hard Drive at your own convenience.
    in any event - best thing to do is go to your local Apple Store and compare the two and see what feels right for you.

  • For Macbook pro Retina and Macbook Air Users Please Help

    Hi
    i Want Ask Macbook pro Retina and Macbook Air Users how use this macs both ( Only how use  both )
    we sit many hours on laptop that will hurt our eyes
    what the macbook less strain on eyes
    what the best macbook screen not hurt our eyes
    sorry my english is not good but i hope you understand me
    i want only users how use the both of this macs
    thank you

    People are different.  Not everyone experiences eye strain with an LED/LCD screen, or with a retina screen or any other kind of screen.  Some people do.
    So no one here can possibly say how you will feel using either one - everyone is different.
    You need to find some display models or something and try them yourself and see what you like and how you feel using them.  Anything anyone here has experienced is immaterial - all that matters is what you expereince and we cannot predict that for you.
    I stare at computer screens all day long, and have done so for many, many years now.  I've never had a problem with matte LCD, glossy LCD (like my MBP), CRT, plasma or page white.  About the only problem I've ever had is occasionally dry eye, since everyone tends to blink less when concentrating on anything backlit for long periods of time.  Simple artificial tears deals with that, and just learning to stagger regular breaks.

  • Macbook Pro (retina) or Macbook Air 13

    Hello
    Im read many topics about that but just didn't get the right answer.... I would be really pleased if you will pass me as many information as you can.
    Macbook Pro (retina) or Macbook Air 13
    I will use computer for school, music, movies, facebook, also learning modeling and animating in 3d program, photoshop websites, editing photos etc. ( but nothing serious yet). also Ill use the computer in caffe bars..... what do you recomended for me ? At home Im able to connect it on my 24' monitor. Ill use it alot .. thanks for all the answers and Im apolagizing for my english language but its not my main language.... hope u understood me if not ask me down below
    ps: I know that is money diference but I mostly care that I will have a computer which I need and I will use it (all the power, functions bla bla...)
    Cheers

    Or, to say it a little more friendly and time consuming than the hatter: This is the Mac Pro forum, thus your post asking about Macbook Pros is simply in the wrong place

  • Recently purchased a Macbook Pro with screen of retina of 13,3 inches. My question is, can I install the new Final Cut Pro X , is capable of withstanding the app? Or that Final Cut is convenient to install?

    Recently purchased a Macbook Pro with screen of retina of 13,3 inches. My question is, can I install the new Final Cut Pro X , is capable of withstanding the app? Or that Final Cut is convenient to install?

    Generally any Mac made since 2009 can handle FCP X.
    Your small screen is not ideal unless you are young and have good vision.
    However, you needn't ask whether or not your computer is suitable as you can find out yourself by downloading the free 30 day trial.
    http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial/
    In addition, to get you up to speed with FCP X, you can also watch 2 hours of free video tutorials here
    http://www.izzyvideo.com/final-cut-pro-x-tutorial/

  • Does AIR support retina on Macbook Pros?

    I have been Googling for a few days now, with no luck. How do I support the high resolution Macbook Pros? Is this supported? All of my searches understandably lead to articles about iPad and iPhone support, but there isn't a mention of retina on Desktop AIR.
    Many thanks for any help you can offer. Even "That doesn't work yet, and we're not sure we're going to add it" is okay.
    Many thanks,
    Taylor

    The spec for the new Amazon devices looks like it should work, being Android 2.3 and ARMv7. It isn't like with the browser plugin, where Adobe had to check every device and make code changes to make sure it was compatible. In theory, as it has the right spec, it should work.

  • MacBook pro (w/ retina) or MacBook air?

    I want a MacBook but I'm stuck between the pro with retina or the newest air. I want a fast laptop and I see that the MacBook Pro is faster than the air. I will us them. For web surfing and usual daily use and probably edit and make videos on YouTube!! I kinda want the MacBook pro more cause it's faster but I don't know!! Another reason I Want the pro is because my cousin already has the air but an older one. I don't want my cousin to say that I copied him. So yeah it's kinda weird but I'm stuck ! Please help me!!

    You should probably ask this in the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air forums. This is the forum for the discontinued white and black plastic MacBooks.
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_air

  • Can I connect my thunderbolt display's power cable to supply power to the new retina display macbook pro?

    I'm planning to buy a new retina display macbook pro, but I have a thunderbolt display and I use the display's power cable to supply the power to a macbook air. As the power connector on the new macbook pro is differet, It looks to me that I won't be able to connect it to the new computer. I'm I correct?

    You'll just need this adapter, which you can buy or order with the computer:
    http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD504ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDEwMQ&s=topSellers

  • Should i go for macbook pro 13" or air 13"

    hey guys, now that i've been new macbook pro has come out light, thinner and with extra 4GB RAM, i just do not know if i should get macbook air or pro.
    I am a college student where power ports are readily available in my campus. so battery life of 7~8 hours and up are totally fine.
    Pros for macbook pro are:
    BEAUTIFUL screen
    better CPU & GPU (even though there may only be slight difference)
    Good palm rest
    Pros for macbook air are:
    LIGHT AND THIN
    EXTREMELY GOOD battery life
    I have seen many reviews where they said difference in size and weight is  negligible for a person with healthy body (lol) but also CPU and GPU difference are also negligible since it doesn't differ very much in terms of performance.
    I do not know if those are true, but regardless, i wanted to get some advices from people who owns pro, air or even both.
    Thanks in advance guys !
    ps. i heard apple might come up with RETINA displace macbook air in late 2014 or early 2015. is it trust able?

    Yes, you should be able to dual boot Windows 7 and above using a built-in utility called 'Bootcamp'. I personally has boot camped Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Installing Windows only took about 10 minutes (lightning fast) and all the drivers installed correctly. Windows has never looked better =D
    However, I will report one issue. In OS X Mavericks, you can use multi-touch gestures to interact with the system, for example two-finger scrolling, or pinch-to-zoom. In Windows, these multitouch gestures do not work on the trackpad at all. For me it was frustrating, and I ended up deleting Windows simply because of the fact that multi-touch is not supported by Windows. However, basic trackpad functions work, for example tracking, right-clicking, and dragging windows.
    All other drivers are fully functional. If you need any assistance with Bootcamp, visit the Apple Support website, or just post in this same forum and I will be glad to help you.

  • Is the hard drive better in the MacBook Pro that the Air version?

    Is the hard drive better in the MacBook Pro that the Air version? What are the negatives?

    That is a question only Apple can answer and the purchaser must decide if the price is worth it.  Apples pricing for upgrades in the past has often been such that third party RAM and HHDs/SSDs were less expensive.  However those options are no longer available with the retina MBPs.
    Ciao.

  • MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air for online college?

    I'm starting grad school in another month or so (MA in Education and a k-8 teaching credential). The entire program will be ONLINE with WGU (Western Governors University). I'd love to buy and use just a MacBook Air, but I wonder whether it will be sufficient for an online program? My other option is a MacBook Pro.
    Any thoughts?

    define sufficient
    If you plan on much/ larger video editing then get the Pro.
    I own both, and love both,... prefer the Air a bit more for portability, however that is purely subjective.
    The NEW macbook Pro and Air are extremely close in form factor
    The newest macbook Pro is essentially a larger macbook Air with Retina display and options for speed in increasing prices up to an independent graphics and quad core processor.
    both Air and new Pro now have PCIe SSD and permanent RAM.
    The Air is the lightweight portable form factor, fast to boot and shut down, but with longer battery life than any of the macbook pro in 13"
    Now the new macbook Pro and macbook Air are extremely close in form factor and nature.
    both have 802ac wifi
    both have permanent RAM, no superdrive
    both are slim profiles and SSD
    The only real differences now are (in the most expensive Pros) faster processors and quadcore processors and top end model autonomous graphics, also HDMI output on the new macbook Pros!. ....and of course the retina display
    both are now "very good for travel"
    DETAILED bench tests between the new AIR and the new PRO here:
    http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/11/how-to-choose-13-inch-macbook-air-vs-13-i nch-retina-macbook-pro/2/
    Other than features the form factor of the Air and Pro are VERY close now,....so now its merely a matter of features and price more than anything.
    You need an external HD regardless of what you get for backups etc.   Drop into an Apple store and handle both and make your choice based on features, such as Retina or non-retina, .... both at a distance now look like the same computer.
    The Pro weighs more, ....but nowhere near what it used to just a month ago on the older macbook Pros
    The NEW macbook Pro is a different creature entirely than the older macbook Pro, .....the new Pro is thicker than the Air, but id frankly call the NEWEST Pro a "macbook Air with Retina display" , or
    Maybe a “macbook Air PRO with Retina display” 
    Instead of Air vs. Pro now,.....its really a smooth transition from Air to pro without comparing say, 2 different creatures, now its like contrasting a horse from a race horse (rough analogy)
    Either one in 8gig of RAM (preferably)... the 4gig upgrade costs very little,  the I7 you will notice only 15% faster on heavy applications over the I5, and NOTHING on most APPS.....I5 has longer battery life.
    As you see below, the non-Retina 13" AIR is 82% of the Macbook with Retina display in resolution
    there is no magical number of pixels per inch that automatically equates to Retina quality.
    http://www.cultofmac.com/168509/why-you-might-be-disappointed-by-the-resolution- of-those-new-retina-display-macs-feature/
    A huge internal SSD isnt a game changer for anything, you need an external HD anyway
    what you WONT READ on Apple.com etc. is that the larger SSD  are much faster due to SSD density
    "The 512GB Samsung SSD found in our 13-inch model offers roughly a 400MB/s increase in write speeds over the 128GB SanDisk/Marvell SSD"
    http://blog.macsales.com/19008-performance-testing-not-all-2013-macbook-air-ssds -are-the-same
    Here is an excellent video comparison between the 11” I5 vs. I7 2013 Macbook Air.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDqJ-on03z4
    http://www.anandtech.com/show/7113/2013-macbook-air-core-i5-4250u-vs-core-i7-465 0u/2
    I5 vs. I7 performance 13” Macbook Air 2013
    Boot performance
    11.7 I5 ……11.4 I7
      Cinebench 
    1.1 I5….1.41 I7
    IMovie Import and Opt.
    6.69 I5….5.35 I7
      IMovie Export 
    10.33 I5…8.20 I7
    Final Cut Pro X
    21.47 I5…17.71 I7
      Adobe Lightroom 3 Export 
    25.8 I5….31.8 I7
    Adobe Photoshop CS5 Performance
    27.3 I5…22.6 I7
    Macbook Pro processor and configuration options:
    http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/
    Macbook Pro ports:
    Macbook Air (13") ports:

  • Dead Pixel on Macbook Retina.

    Hi,
    I just got a refurbish Macbook Retina 15 inches (2012 version) a month ago and I already have a dead pixel in the middle of my screen. Is it covered by the warranty, should I go to the store to have it fixed.
    Thank you very much.

    Yes, you can do that, rather than spending $700 on the new display assembly. Its not that noticeable, you see....
    Also, there is no guarantee that the newly replaced screen will be free of problems. There are high chances of getting a much more defective screen again.
    Apple’s display replacement has always been like a lottery system. You may get Gold or else a Lemon....
    I would strongly suggest not to bother to change the display. If I were in your shoes then even I would have done the same thing.
    Hope this helps...

  • Does the Macbook retina work with the Wacom Cintiq tablets?

    I have the original Wacom Cintiq 21". Will the MacBook Retina work with this?

    Yes - I have a 2012 MacBook Air and it works with a dual-link dvi adaptor only otherwise you'll end up with a lower resolution.
    Took a while to work out, but works very well. It's also expensive
    The Hdmi only supports 1080 and not the full 2560 x 1080. The other cables are useless.
    It also works on windows 8 using boot amp
    Hope this helps
    David

  • Macbook Retina, Loud Idle Fans, Fans start from downloading files

    hello
    i have a early 2013 retina 15" macbook pro
    is it normal that the fans kick in from browsing in youtube? or when i download 2 big files at the same time.. like 500 MB for example
    i think it cant be normal for a computer like this to have spinning fans when usage is so low
    also my left fan makes a strange noise sometimes, on the right side you only can hear the spinning air from the fan, but not the fan itself,
    on the left side you cleary hear a noise while the macbook is in idle, its not extreme loud, but you can cleary hear the fan fro distance when in idle
    is this normal?
    i trid everything, smc reset, completly reinstalled 10.8.3 but its still the same
    the next apple store is over 1 hour away with my car
    so i hope to find some helpful answers here first please
    Should you hear the fans from a normal working distance when your maschine is in idle with alost no usage
    browsing, downloading files etc..
    thanks in advance
    deniz

    Your computer uses Flash to watch YouTube, and it may make your Mac work harder because it consumes a lot of CPU and memory, so it may be normal. However, it's not normal that fans turn on when you are downloading two files.
    I recommend you to run Apple Hardware Test in order to check if there's something wrong with your computer. To do this, connect the computer to the charger, and hold Option (Alt) and D keys while your Mac is starting to start into Apple Hardware Test. Choose the language, mark the option to run an extended test and start the test. When it finishes, if it shows an error, copy it here and get ready to take the computer to an Apple Store. If not, there's a process which is consuming a lot in the computer

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