MacBook Pro or Air for a College Student

Hi, I am a college student and want to switch over to Apple. I not sure which MacBook is correct for me. I had an iPad 2 but it really did not work out for me because I just like having an actual laptop with me, so I got rid of the iPad. I basically use my current HP laptop for surfing the web, typing papers, doing research and and for my large music collection. I am unsure if i should get the 13 inch MacBook Pro or the 13 inch MacBook Air. What the the pro and cons of each? Any fellow students out there that could help me out?

Actually for you the 15" anti-glare would be the better choice.
1: Larger screen, it's only slightly bigger than the 13", sits about 3 feet wayfrom eyes.
2: anti-glare option, lets you "see the goddarn screen" in nearly any enviroment, class, outside etc.
3: more powerful dedicated graphics card (less you get a 3D gaming itch, better video.web animation) 30-45 points on Cinebench
4: can survive more OS X upgrades with CPU + dedicated video card
5: flexibility, you have the performance if your needs change, need to run Windows in virtual machine
6: lasts longer if you take care of it because of the more horsepower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0wo6dIsMU
Also search for "glossy" "Mac screen" in Google images, you'll see pictures people have taken where the screen is unreadable.
13" drawbacks
1: Integrated only video,
2: hotter machine because of integrated video (Intel HD 3000)
3: glossy only option
4: overpriced, any $400-$800 Win 7 cheap laptop is basically the same thing and you get a larger screen
5: can't successfully weather as many OS X upgrades having only CPU and doing double duty for graphics
6: need to hunch closer to the screen, almost placing it on your chest
IMO if your going to be paying $1500+ with AppleCare for a Mac laptop, get something that will last a bit longer AND make you happy.
The AIr is for those who know they operate within it's limitations, since you don't exactly know that...
If later you do decide a Air is better, you can sell the 15" and there would be a lot of interest and buy the Air.
You buy the Air and decide you need the 15" then you won't have a lot of potential buyers for the Air as you would for the 15"

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Macbook Pro or air for a college engineering major

Hi. Im looking for a new laptop for college and was wondering which would be better for a mechanical engineering major: macbook pro or air? I will be running programs like solidworks and auto CAD and was wondering if i needed the extra processing power of the MBP.

You should also ask this in the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air forums. This is the forum for the 13” white and black plastic MacBooks that were discontinued in 2010. You should also post this question there to increase your chances of getting an answer.
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_air

Which Macbook Pro is good for a college student?

Hi!
I want to buy the new Macbook Pro with Retina Display. My current laptop has 455 gb in which I only used 83 gb of it since the past 5 years I've been using it. I know that the original macbook pro is good too but its way heavier than the Macbook pro with retina display and therefore its easier for me to carry the macbook pro with retina display to school. Also it has 9 hour battery which is very good.
I will be storing music (2000+ songs), pictures, school documents (word, powerpoint, etc). I rarely do video editing or photo editing. I often have 3+ programs open while using the laptop and have 3+ tabs open on internet.
There are 2 Macbook Pro's that I am having troubles choosing from:
1.13-inch: 2.4GHz with Retina display... It has 2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz, 4GB 1600MHz memory, and 128GB PCIe-based flash storage.
2.13-inch: 2.4 GHz with Retina display... It has 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz, 8GB 1600MHz memory, and 256GB PCIe-based flash storage.
I am planning on using this mac for a long-term use... but also know that I can buy an external storage when I run out of space.
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Thank you!

You say you are a college student but then leave out the most critical piece of information regarding choice of computer, what are you studying and what are the computer requirements for your course of study?
Select the computer that is most comparable with your professors and other students in your field of study. Music, etc. is not relevant, unless your field of study is music.
Get the most ram and disk space you can afford.

Macbook Pro or Air for business & personal use

I am interested in the 13 inch. I have only used Windows PCs so far. I primarily use Microsoft Outlook and Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel). I VPN into my corporate network and browse the Internet. I have Outlook open all the time along with an Office application and a couple of browsing sessions. I would also like Windows 8 installed, if possible, side by side. I rarely watch movies on my laptop and never play games.
I am confused (due to the deluge of information online) between Macbook Pro (not Retina) and Air. I am looking for recommendations alongwith a few answers. Is 4 GB sufficient for my multi-tasking needs? Is 128 GB enough (my disk usage is very very minimal, less than 25 MB) but I will be installing Microsoft Office and (optionally) Windows 8 (not mandatory)? I use a DVD drive very rarely - will an external drive be good enough if I go with the Air?
PS: Best Buy has a $200 discount on Air and a $100 discount on Pro which initiated my interest to buy a Macbook.

Why am I not surprised that you would say that. Please read the question, he asked for people's opinion on whether to get a MacBook Pro or Air.
https://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?resultTypes=&dateRange=all&peopleEnabl ed=true&q=In+all+honesty+Windows+PC&containerType=&container=&containerName=&use rname=Shootist007&rankBy=relevance&numResults=15

Macbook Pro versus Air for university student (pharmacy)

Hey everyone,
So I love all my Apple products, and I plan to get some sort of Mac laptop for university in a few weeks. I'm going to be a pharmacy student at UBC, (so I'm not going into design or video graphics or anything) I basically want a fast, reliable computer that will last the extent of my Bachelor's degree, I really don't want to be replacing one every year or so. Battery life is somewhat important. I'm trying to decide between the MacBook Pro, (the $1200 one?) and the newer Macbook Air, (about $1200 as well?).
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.

I'd agree with Kappy, especially if buying for a long haul like a 3 or 4 year degree program. A MBP is the better choice.
And don't necessarily feel that pharmacy won't have its own computationally intensive aspects either. Large databases, especially chemical and drug structural databases and such, can be fairly tasking in terms of cpu use and RAM and harddrive space.
Don't forget your education discount options - http://www.apple.com/ca/buy/hied/ and ask at the UBC bookstore if they offer any machines with 3year AppleCare options (some educational institutions can do this for machines purchased through them - gives you 4 years of total warranty coverage).
P.S. I did my M.Sc. at U.Vic in the 1990's - I loved the west coast!

Which Macbook Pro to buy as a college student?

There are 3 different Macbook Pro's out there that I can buy with the rebate / reduced price / free iPod Touch. The problem is I don't know which one to buy. Many people said that the difference between a 2.4 and 2.5 core 2 duo cpu is only 5%. Then there is a bit of difference from 256mb to 512mb of the 8600m graphics card.
Basically I will outline what I will be needing from a laptop so you guys can help me make the right decision. But for now before I say what the outline is, you bought your Macbook Pro; did you choose the right one? If you didn't and you could go back in time, which one would you have bought?
Anyways, obviously the laptop is for college work. So Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Photoshop and such. But of course there will be some gaming here and there. I am a Blizzard fanatic and I only play Blizzard games. From diablo 2, starcraft and now Warcraft 3 is pretty much all I play. I am not even going to try WoW as it could probably ruin my college carreer.
But the game I'm really anticipating is Starcraft 2. Which Macbook Pro would be able to handle that game in your opinion?
But I hope these information is good enough so you guys will know which one I should buy. But if you guys have any other questions on what I will be using the MBP for then let me know so I can help you help me pick the right decision.
Thanks!

If you're going to use your new laptop for college use/gaming/general use, my recommendation is going for the $1799 MacBook Pro 2.4GHz. I recommend this one over the others for a few reasons. As mentioned previously, the 0.1GHz in processor speed in essentially unnoticeable. With regard to RAM, its always best to have your system maxed out in order to achieve its full capacity. However, I do recommend going through www.otherworldcomputing.com or a 3rd party RAM merchant to purchase your additional RAM. You can get it for a drastically reduced price there, and then have an AASP install it for you. Bear in mind that installing RAM yourself could void your warranty. My point about the RAM is, the 2GB standard in the $1799 MBP version is sufficient. Also, the graphics card. 256MB should be sufficient to support your gaming, and unless you plan on getting a large display, it shouldn't be necessary to double the VRAM. So, based on the information you provided, the lower-end model should be plenty enough for your needs. Hope this helps.

Macbook Pro or Air for Xcode Diploma

Can anyone tell me which would be better to use. I am curently doing a Diploma in iPhone Apps using Xcode of course. I have a iMac, but would like to purchase a laptop so i can continue my studies when i am away from home. I am not sure which laptop i should get. I dont really use my computers for movies and gaming but more for my new skills i am acquiring in programming and graphics. Thanks for your comments in advance.

Dat5i,
you could also choose to buy a used model MacBook Pro or MacBook Air for writing apps in Xcode. (I chose to buy a used MacBook Pro myself, and currently have Xcode installed.)

MacBook Pro or Air for gaming? 13-inch

Know neither of these machines are designed for gaming but I'm getting one or the other.
Only mid-range games really like StarCraft, Warcraft etc.
I have also seen Diablo 3 play on these machines so that would be good.
Also, I may have to install Bootcamp to play some of these games.
It's for uni so it'll need to do all the uni things but I know both of these can.
Thanks in advance!

Hello Tinman!
It is a shame that Warcraft is no longer supported :(((
I own a maxed out 11" Air. I really love it! If you want to go Pro here is my advice:
Wait another 3-4 month. I have word from an Apple employee that the retina display is not yet perfected. As soon as there are 13" Pros with a retina display go and get one :)
The 13" Pros with a non retina display are tempting, but they do not have the fast SSDs that are included in the 15" Pro or the MacBook Air... That is "legacy tech" ;)
If you need a good MacBook now go for the 13" Air. If you can wait, wait for the next release of Retina Pro Macs.
Cheers

Macbook Pro or Air for minor photo editing?

I have been an andriod/windows user all my life, but getting my Iphone 5s i've found that I really love the way Apple sets up its OS and am wating try a Macbook try its OS. I do a lot of minor photoediting basic things like using the blur tool, changing the hue and satuiration, and maybe doing some selevtive color. I don't need an iMac because I still have a pretty beffy desktop but I would like a laptop to carry around when I am out getting pictures or editing at someones house. Would I be able to get away with a MBA, or will I have to at least have a MBP to run Lightroom/Apeture with a little PS/Gimp for the blur tools?
Edit: I guess I should just mention I would just be getting the base model of either seeing as this is my first Mac.

I've got a basic Macbook Air that I use for all my image editing and all my graphic design and I've had less issues with these computers then I do using a windows based machine. I find the software runs a lot smoother on here. The only issue you might come across is the screen being small. I like smaller machines, but it makes drawing/editing large pieces difficult sometimes.
Just make sure the editing programs will run properly on a mac and just chose the computer you like better.

Macbook Pro or Air for years 11 and 12

Hello,
I am entering year 11 next year and may school has suggested that my year by an air or pro.
I will be typing my notes in class on the notebook every day.
My school day is around 7 hours and i may do my homework on my laptop in the library after school ( in terms of battery use)
I will mainly be using imovie for assignment, powerpoint and word.
I am deciding between whether i should buy the air, an external hardrive and an external disc drive and the accessory that lets you use the laptop for a few more hours ( extra plug in battery) OR
The pro with retina display ( the middle version in terms of storage) and buy the external disc drive OR
Buy the pro ( no retina) and just put up with the heaviness.
Thanks for your help

Unless you are into games, movie making, or heavy duty Photoshop, there is little reason to go Pro, other than the screen resolution. And games may not all be optimized for Notebook GPUs anyway. So research your software needs thoroughly before jumping in. Pro 15" does give you more screen real estate for windows, though some can't read at so high a resolution.

Mac Air vs. iPad Air for a college student with writing courses.

Along with the occasional short story, I enjoy taking photos and editing them. Also need an HP Photo printer that has AirPrint. Any suggestions?

Note: Check to make sure you can format your documents how you like. Footnoting tends to have limited fixiblity. Some profs my not accept these limitations.
Check around and see if you might be missing common apps. Some online learning course have not been updated to support mobile devices.
In a local college library I have noticed that the students have made a rapid move to the Mac platform from 20% to 70%. I do not see many tablets.
Robert

Help with choosing a MacBook Air Model for a college student.

I am a college student and I am debating between the two 13 inch Mac AirBook models that Apple offers. I was wondering if someone can give me a breakdown of the differences and also, which model would be a better fit for a college student?

The two models are described here:
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013) - Technical SpecificationsJun 10, 2013
Actually, there is only one model. You can purchase it with 128GB or 256GB of storage. But you can customize other features as well, such as the processor speed and the RAM size.
Asking which model is best for a college student is just like asking what type of car you should buy. It's up to you. In my opinion, if you're going to spend a bit of money to upgrade from the base model, the first place to upgrade would be the RAM size.

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:

What is best blue tooth presenter for macbook pro and air

What is best Blue Tooth presenter for MacBook Pro and Air?

You got lots of choices such as:
WD Studio
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=200
WD Studio 2
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=210
WD My Book
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=250
Lacie:
http://www.lacie.com/dk/products/range.htm?id=10007
http://www.lacie.com/dk/products/range.htm?id=10036
The are tons of external storage for mac out there but these are a few of them...
I personally like the WD Studio 2 and the LaCie 2big Network 2

Does anyone (like me) wish for macbook pro or air (13"or smaller) with dedicated graphic card?

Does anyone (like me) wish for macbook pro or air (13"or smaller) with dedicated graphic card?

This is not the place to ask such a question. This message board is only for "techincal issues" dealing with Macbook Pros.
You can whisper your wishes over on the Product Feedback wishing well website.

MacBook Pro or Air for a College Student

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