After the November refresh of the MacBook Air, these suddenly became significantly more interesting not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of price, which competes with the current MacBook Pro 13.
Current MacBook Pros in their thirteen-inch version are no longer quite at the top of their game. Their last update was in April 2010, breaking Apple's typical refresh cycle. We are very likely waiting for a new series of Intel Sandy Bridge processors, the mobile dual-core version of which was expected in February, but due to a recently discovered error in the chipsets and their necessary replacement, the deadline will probably be extended, and there will be interested parties for the new MacBooks (mainly the 13″ model) may have to wait until March/April.
Mainly because of the Core 2 Duo, the current Airs approach the thirteen-inch White and Pro in terms of performance. Logically, the question arises: Wouldn't I want a particularly higher performance at the expense of significantly better portability, a finer display and an SSD in the base?
Of course, the main word in the selection is the requirements for the software used. If a complex graphic or video editor or the virtual running of another system is almost a daily routine, it is not a good idea to think about "Air". In almost all other points, however, the ultraportable MacBook is a close second to its chubbier brother. Of course, we all like points, so let's summarize the pros and cons of them:
- Portability
The first thing that strikes everyone about the Air is its thickness. It is not much bigger than a few notebooks or magazines. The weight is also very low. You hardly notice it when you carry it in your backpack.
- Display
The display type is the same, but the resolution is higher. Even the smaller MacBook Air 11″ has a screen resolution greater than the thirteen-inch Pro, while the Air 13″ displays the same pixels as the fifteen-inch Pro.
- SSD
In the lowest version 64GB, in the highest 256 (but here the price exceeds the MacBook Pro), in all versions equally fast flash chips. These are not soldered to the board, as was originally thought, but are connected using a special connector, so theoretically they can be replaced. Compared to the 5600 rpm discs in the MBP, their performance is difficult to compare, viz. table below.
- processor
The heart of both laptops is the mobile Intel Core2Duo, in the case of the MacBook Pro it is either 2,4 or 2,66 GHz with 3MB L2 cache, the Air is powered by either 1,4 GHz or 1,6 GHz (3MB L2 cache), or 1,86, or 2,13 GHz (6MB L2 cache) in the case of the thirteen-inch version.
processor | GeekBench | XBench CPU | XBench Disk | XBench Quartz | |
MacBook Air 11 ″ | 1,4 GHz Core2Duo | 2036 | 99,05 | 229,45 | 100,21 |
MacBook Air 13 ″ | 1,83 GHz Core2Duo | 2717 | 132,54 | 231,87 | 143,04 |
MacBook Pro 13 ″ | 2,66 GHz Core2Duo | 3703 | 187,64 | 47,65 | 156,71 |
- RAM
All MacBook Airs are sold with 2 GB of RAM as standard, which is the minimum nowadays, if you often run more than a few applications in the background, it is advisable to try to get a version with 4 GB (the RAM cannot be replaced!)
- Mechanics
Some may miss the Air, but I dare say that for most of today's computer world, optical drives are becoming a thing of the past. If necessary, you can of course use an external one or "borrow" a drive from another Mac or PC via Wi-Fi.
- Battery
Of course, savings had to be made somewhere, the 5-inch Air provides 7 hours of battery life, the 10-inch Air 30 hours. Both values are not very high compared to XNUMX hours for the Macbook Pro, but I think it is enough for an average working/student day. This disadvantage is partially redeemed by XNUMX days of endurance in the so-called Standby mode, when the laptop is ready for work after opening in a fraction of a second.
- Keyboard
Many people think that the 11-inch MacBook Air is Apple's netbook, which of course is not true. It is significantly better both in terms of processing quality, performance and keyboard. It is the same size as all other Macs, only the top row of function keys is a few mm smaller. However, a rather large disadvantage in favor of the MacBook Pro is the lack of backlighting, which for some may mean displeasure with the Air.
- Processing
Both laptops are of course Apple's highest standard, including perfect mechanical processing and fitting of all parts and an all-metal unibody construction. The larger of the rivals still gives a better feeling about its strength, the extremely thin design of the MacBook Air feels quite breakable despite its strength.
So the MacBook Pro is more suitable for those who need/want more processor power, more disk capacity and a backlit keyboard. The MacBook Air, on the other hand, is the clear choice if you plan to carry the laptop several times a day, and of course it also looks a little better. After all, style is one of the main assets of this ultraportable laptop. At the same time, however, it can easily handle Full HD video, the vast majority of ordinary users of commonly used applications, and even modern games at low details. I wouldn't even worry about using it as a main (only) computer with the larger version.
Nice article.
It hasn't been long since I bought a MacBook Pro 13″. Before I bought it, I had a dilemma between the Air and the Pro, but in the end the Pro won - because the price difference was huge for me - so I saved a few thousand and bought the Pro. I'm really satisfied, even if the Pro is thicker and heavier than the Air, it's simply Apple - the king among laptops. In Tride, they have such bricks that if I put 2 Pros on myself, I would be equal to their note thickness. :)
Great article!
But I still need advice. I'm debating between buying the Air 2,16 GHz or the Pro 2,4 (2,66) GHz. I'm switching to a Macbook from a Toshiba Portége 2,26 GHz and I'm mainly interested in working with Photoshop. I use it daily, the other sw is not even half as demanding on the processor as Photoshop. What does your experience advise? Thanks. Otherwise, 4GB of RAM is the obvious choice.
If with photoshop, I would rather buy the PRO one.
I personally have an Air 1st generation and I can't complain about the performance, I'm satisfied, the 1,6GHz processor and 2GB of ram - great, it's still more powerful than the Performa 630, or the computers in Apollo 12.
I chose mobility and looks, with the fact that it has enough power for school - even for the games I like.
Exactly. I agree.
I have a Mac Book Pro 13″ and I tried photoshop here, and it worked perfectly fast for me.
I'm not an extreme pro, but I think you'll be fine with this one.
I have last year's MBP and I ran it with 8GB of RAM. I am completely satisfied. I use Photoshop elements a lot. I don't have the slightest problem with performance with 8GB of memory. I still think it's more important to have a lot of RAM in your computer than a fast disk. True, with an SSD, application loading is faster, but swapping is much slower than communication with memory. With the configuration I have, I fill up 8GB practically only when I allocate memory in my software :-).
I would therefore definitely recommend an MBP with 8GB of memory.
Btw: How is the Air doing TRIM for SSDs? It works now? Without TRIM, you can expect a significant decrease in disk performance over time.
I still think it's more important to have a lot of RAM in your computer than a fast disk.
This is generally a myth. This may have been the case when upgrading to 2>4GB of RAM. But if, for example, in MB Pro (measured on Adobe CS5) I add memory from 4 to 8 GB, the difference in speed is (subjectively) minimal or noticeable only during exceptional tasks. If I replace the HDD with an SSD (which I did), I feel like I'm sitting on a 2x faster machine, from boot to working with applications.
An interesting article on memory management related to this discussion is at:
http://www.abclinuxu.cz/blog/Mihovy_sochory/2009/9/sprava-pameti-v-mac-os-x
In short, RAM in Mac OS X is widely used for disk cache, so "a lot of RAM" is not a myth ;-) Xbench gives me about 3.5GB/s on average for memory operations.
In other words, yes, SSD speeds up the computer, but so does RAM 8-)
Does anyone have experience with SSD slowing down in a computer while in use? Some tests have already appeared, but what is the practice?
TRIM and Air: So far, zero. Apparently only with 10.7.
I also solved this problem whether pro13″ or Air11″. In the end, I took the pro mainly because of the backlit keyboard. Sometimes I go to see the Air, because I really like it, I think it's probably the nicest computer. But I don't even regret taking Pro
I compared the Air and Pro 2 months ago and disqualified the Air due to the lack of keyboard backlighting and "only" 4GiB RAM - I decided to buy a new laptop precisely because of the need for 8GiB RAM (java, a couple of virtual machines for training / work, it's just RAM still not enough). The longer battery life is a great bonus. In time, I might replace the classic HDD with an SSD, I think that in a year the prices and parameters of SSDs will be a bit further...
For the editors:
there is no time, but they will, don't worry.
The delay is caused by the fact that I test everything I write so that everything written is timeless.
But I will give one piece of advice from life - although it is related to a different industry, it is still grist to my mill:
2 years ago, he wanted to buy a Mitsubishi. I begged him not to buy this brand….He didn't listen. Now he will be judged, because the kind of shop he bought (new!!!) has no parallel.
Unfortunately, once he has the money, he wants to buy a car of such a brand that his step will be a step from puddle to mud...
Human stupidity is bottomless...
I was right again. You know, this can happen to anyone, but if it happens to you today and every day…. after all, I have a feeling and a mega-intuition. Unfortunately, timelessness can have an interesting effect on me....
Add-don't worry, I know how to spell Mitsubishi...
so that's the flight of the week. :) "Well, I have a feeling and a mega-intuition. Unfortunately, timelessness can have an interesting effect on me....”
The Mac Book Air is so thin that I would take it just for that reason :)
Every time I see the Air, I imagine cutting bread with it :D. The thickness is really unreal. However, I wouldn't trade it for anything for my MBP :).
I think that one way or another, a person does not regret and if he is deciding between two Apples, then you already win it in advance. Fortunately, I personally did not have to have such a dilemma, I needed a larger display and more powerful HW, so I took a 15-inch MBP. It's famous, even though I sometimes envy my colleagues who have 13" because they are much more mobile. Well, air is different from coffee.
Personally, when it comes down to it, they are two very balanced NBs, the differences are marginal (even the backlight, I lived without it for 15 years). I think the dilemma is rather Air or 15″ MBpro. What I want to say is that if someone needs performance, they need something significantly stronger. But if someone doesn't really need the device, AIR is the obvious choice. It's a terrible thing, someone who shakes NB to school and sleep every day will really use that mobility much more than a little extra work.
And while we're at it, it's worth noting that the smallest AIR also competes strongly with the iPad in terms of mobility, so buying it can kill two birds with one stone.
A few impressions from testing the MB Air 11″: http://applegraf.blogspot.com/2011/02/tyden-s-macbook-air-11.html
I would like to ask what connector the flash memory is connected to and what would it be replaced with? For an SSD drive?
the flash memory is an SSD, it's exactly the same as what you can buy for free, only in a different mechanical design... and it can be replaced, http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9195486/Toshiba_rolls_out_slimmer_form_factor_for_SSDs
Battery - had to be cleaned somewhere :D
..this got me, don't you think the big one didn't fit in there?
With MBP 13 2009, where I had a RuncoreIV 128GB SSD, I wanted to replace it and thought about what, in the end the MBA 13 2010 won, the version with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD. I only run W7 Pro on it (oh yeah, don't stone me) and I'm happy. I have better endurance than the MBP, the performance is decent, and the SSD is slower than the Runcore IV. The only thing that put me off AIR was the keyboard, I often write at night and I was afraid of it. In the end, it's tolerable, and I would have liked backlighting, maybe the next edition will be more reasonable. I also thought about version 11, but that was too small for me, I work at work with a connected monitor and the idea of having an 11 and a large monitor was unpleasant, it is possible to connect 2 monitors as well, but it is a lot of money and then I would have to solve the external keyboard and that's another thing I didn't really want to solve.
Hello, I would like to ask which laptop is better, Macbook air 13 256G or macbook pro 13 2,7, I need it to have good performance, good video or film creation, excellent volume, so that it is beautiful and has a large processor
Hey guys, I have a Macbook Pro 13 for sale. It's one of the most powerful 2,6Ghz processor and 4Gb RAM. If anyone wants to contact me, please email me Michal.Jackanin@gmail.com