Macbook Air vs. Macbook Pro Forum

[Mack12]

I did some searches and couldn't find a thread already addressing this question, then again I'm not the best at navigating forums so my appologies if this is a repeat!

Macbook air or pro for law school? I'll pretty much only need it for school realted things and maybe some netflix now and then. No "gaming" photography etc.

[rebexness]

Do you need a DVD drive?

[Mack12]

Not really. But im pretty sure neither the air nor the pros have dvd drives anyways!
Also, 13 in vs 15 in? Is it advantageous to school work in any way to go for the bigger screen size?

[kay2016]

Pros did* have DVD drives.

MBA comes in 11 or 13
MBP comes in 13 or 15

The MBA just got updated, the MBP did not.


I'm going with the air after 4 years of the pro for UG.

[Lubberlubber]

Pros do have DVD drives.

MBA comes in 11 or 13
MBP comes in 13 or 15

The MBA just got updated, the MBP did not.


I'm going with the air after 4 years of the pro for UG.

Pros don't have DVD drives anymore.

I like the 15 inch Pro, since I think the 13 inchers are too small. If that size is right for you though, I'd save money and get an air.

[Reinhardt]

Air was updated with the Haswell processor. MBP hasn't been yet. The two lines have kinda converged otherwise, so you should get the Air.

[Mack12]

Pros do have DVD drives.

MBA comes in 11 or 13
MBP comes in 13 or 15

The MBA just got updated, the MBP did not.


I'm going with the air after 4 years of the pro for UG.

If I did get a pro I'd probably go with the new retina display ones which are thiner and lighter and do not come with a dvd drive (these seem to be on thier way out the door in general anyways). I had a pro all UG too and am leaning towards an Air since its so much lighter and easier to tote around but am wondering if there's anything I'd need to do with it in school where I would be better off having a pro? or a 15 inch screen rather than 13?

[rebexness]

Pros do have DVD drives.

MBA comes in 11 or 13
MBP comes in 13 or 15

The MBA just got updated, the MBP did not.


I'm going with the air after 4 years of the pro for UG.

Pros don't have DVD drives anymore.

I like the 15 inch Pro, since I think the 13 inchers are too small. If that size is right for you though, I'd save money and get an air.

This makes me sad

ETA: yes they do, just not the retina display ones.

[Lubberlubber]

Pros do have DVD drives.

MBA comes in 11 or 13
MBP comes in 13 or 15

The MBA just got updated, the MBP did not.


I'm going with the air after 4 years of the pro for UG.

Pros don't have DVD drives anymore.

I like the 15 inch Pro, since I think the 13 inchers are too small. If that size is right for you though, I'd save money and get an air.

This makes me sad

ETA: yes they do, just not the retina display ones.

You're right. I thought they're phasing out the old pros (non-retinas)?

[09042014]

Here is the real problem for macs and law school. You probably want a big screen since you are using the damn thing so much, and often want to have multiple windows open at once. The problem is that Macs get more expensive the bigger the screen, which is pretty much the opposite of other laptops. Almost every other laptop maker has cheap 15 inch laptops.

I think 11 inches is just too small for law.

13 inches you can probably get away with.

But 15 is what I'd recommend. Too bad it's unreasonably expensive at 1800 bucks. Too expensive for just a westlaw and netflix notebook.

[ariadne328]

FWIW, I'm getting an Air after having this exact debate with myself and spending the last 4 years with a Pro. Portability is the key for me and having had both 13 and 15 inch laptops find I actually prefer 13 inch. I spent some time with the 11 inch at a store and it just way too small. Unless this someone was using this for a strictly travel computer, I would advise against this size. You can always have an second monitor at home if you really need additional screen area for some things. I have other ways to watch DVD's and don't need the function in my computer. The retina display, while nice, is just not worth the extra weight and price tag to me (I know it's not much, but still...).

TL;DR: I'm all for the lighter and less expensive option! HTH.

ETA: I have a nice secondary monitor at home (won't need to buy a new one), so the extra space is really not an issue for me.

[YYZ]

Air. You're going to be lugging that thing around everywhere.

[09042014]

Air. You're going to be lugging that thing around everywhere.

In a backpack since you'll have huge books. Making the weight difference pretty irrelevant. But I'd still probably get a 13 inch air over a 13 MBP. But the best choice is just getting a 15 inch Asus, unless 1000 extra dollars doesn't matter because you are rich or mommy is, in which case 15 inch MBP.

[Lubberlubber]

Air. You're going to be lugging that thing around everywhere.

In a backpack since you'll have huge books. Making the weight difference pretty irrelevant. But I'd still probably get a 13 inch air over a 13 MBP. But the best choice is just getting a 15 inch Asus, unless 1000 extra dollars doesn't matter because you are rich or mommy is, in which case 15 inch MBP.

Do you really want your classmates and professors to see that you're using an Asus? I'd say $1000 is a small price to pay to avoid the ridicule.

[boblawlob]

OS X Mavericks out this fall

Hopefully everyone who purchases a new laptop this summer gets the free upgrade.

[Mack12]

OS X Mavericks out this fall

Hopefully everyone who purchases a new laptop this summer gets the free upgrade.

That's what I've been hearing! fingers crossed.

Thanks for all the advice y'all, it seems like its pretty much just personal preference over anything else!

[laxbrah420]

OS X Mavericks out this fall

Hopefully everyone who purchases a new laptop this summer gets the free upgrade.

That's what I've been hearing! fingers crossed.

Thanks for all the advice y'all, it seems like its pretty much just personal preference over anything else!

(Buys $2000 laptop)
(crosses fingers for a coupon code to save $29)

[Xs20]

I'm torn between the new 13" MBA and the 15" retina MBP, too, mostly because I'm sure the retina MBPs are gonna get updated soon and I hate buying Apple stuff right before that happens. Doubt they'll do it before school starts, though.

[quakeroats]

Here is the real problem for macs and law school. You probably want a big screen since you are using the damn thing so much, and often want to have multiple windows open at once. The problem is that Macs get more expensive the bigger the screen, which is pretty much the opposite of other laptops. Almost every other laptop maker has cheap 15 inch laptops.

I think 11 inches is just too small for law.

13 inches you can probably get away with.

But 15 is what I'd recommend. Too bad it's unreasonably expensive at 1800 bucks. Too expensive for just a westlaw and netflix notebook.

Buy a lightly used one on Craigslist. Unlike other computers, Macs tend to hold their value over time. I just sold an old Macbook for just over half of what I bought it for 5 years ago.

[loomstate]

get the air with max ram and memory.

[laxbrah420]

Get this: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/13-3-Inc ... 27601.html
And a monitor

[09042014]

Air. You're going to be lugging that thing around everywhere.

In a backpack since you'll have huge books. Making the weight difference pretty irrelevant. But I'd still probably get a 13 inch air over a 13 MBP. But the best choice is just getting a 15 inch Asus, unless 1000 extra dollars doesn't matter because you are rich or mommy is, in which case 15 inch MBP.

Do you really want your classmates and professors to see that you're using an Asus? I'd say $1000 is a small price to pay to avoid the ridicule.

ASUS is legit, ACER is the shit one.

[kay2016]

Here is the real problem for macs and law school. You probably want a big screen since you are using the damn thing so much, and often want to have multiple windows open at once. The problem is that Macs get more expensive the bigger the screen, which is pretty much the opposite of other laptops. Almost every other laptop maker has cheap 15 inch laptops.

I think 11 inches is just too small for law.

13 inches you can probably get away with.

But 15 is what I'd recommend. Too bad it's unreasonably expensive at 1800 bucks. Too expensive for just a westlaw and netflix notebook.

Buy a lightly used one on Craigslist. Unlike other computers, Macs tend to hold their value over time. I just sold an old Macbook for just over half of what I bought it for 5 years ago.

I'm contemplating selling my old one... Just to have some money

[laxbrah420]

If you take all of the girls in law school with non-macs and hoist one out of huge hat, she's going to be below median in hotness

[Cellar-door]

Buy a PC, get a better computer for less than half the price. Use the rest on booze.