I'm heading off to college soon, and I have these two options to pick from. Which laptop is the better one, and why? I don't need a whole lot of storage, but I'm definitely looking for a quality laptop (e.g. long battery life, nice display). I haven't had any experience with Apple laptops before, so please excuse my ignorance.
I chose a Pro because the difference in weight is very little and I like to have a disc drive so I can at least watch DVDs or download my CDs for my iTunes. You don't get that with an air and there is more storage, best to have more than less I think. I've always used Apples and I am happy with my choice of Pro. Once you carry a laptop around for a while a few pounds makes little difference.
Do you find that the battery lasts a long time without charge? I've got to use this to take notes for my classes, and I'm not sure how long it would be until I'd be able to plug it in and charge it again. Also, how long have you had your Pro?
I've never owned any Apple product but I'd definitely go for the MacBook Air. It'll be easy to carry around and always have great battery life, and I'm the type of person who's productive at writing reports and stuff on the bed.
Yes the battery does last a long time, but in most classes and libraries you can charge it. I've had mine for nearly 2 years. If you are in the US and have and .edu email you can sign up for Best Buy's student program and they usually have $100 off any Mac around now. Or you can buy with student prices online on the Apple store. I was lucky as Best Buy matched the student discount price online and I also go $100 off and as I ordered viaLog In I got money off and picked it up in store that day. You can order from the Apple education store regardless as long as you have school/college ID.
I actually am going to be given a laptop from my school as per my scholarship, and these are the two Apple choices. I was just concerned for the battery life as I know that my schedule is packed with classes on certain days, and I'd have to hustle from one class to another without any time for charging my laptop in between. Thanks for the helpful information, however; I'm sure I can tell some of my friends about this so that they can take advantage of it as well.
The Macbook Pro is obviously better for power users compared to the Air, and both will give you great battery life. I'd choose the Air if you're going to be on the go, and I believe one review site got a Macbook Air to run for 18 hours of regular use without a charge. Most laptops barely last longer than 5 hours per charge these days, so that's fantastic to say the least. I'd have to choose a Pro for my needs, though.
I actually realized that there was an option for an iPad Air 2, which I will take as it is more portable when I'm running from class to class (especially the ones that are way across campus). I think my family is going to choose a Macbook Pro for their own uses, however, as my grandfather has moved in and doesn't have any electronics of his own for research or to keep in touch with family members. As he will not be on the go, the Pro would be perfect for him. Thanks for the information!
Well, the iPad Air 2 will wok perfectly if you're on the go, however; you'll find that you need a Bluetooth keyboard to make it an actual productivity device as it's just a tablet otherwise. I'd still go with the MacBook Air because the size and weight differences are negligible, considering the extra performance and battery life boost you'll get with the actual laptop compared to the lesser tablet.
Thank you for your suggestion! I'll keep that in mind. I have used an iPad before, and I got accommodated to using it without a keyboard for school, but I have not had an iPad for four years. I may just need the Bluetooth keyboard to get reacquainted with the device. Unfortunately, I cannot go back on my decision now. I can trade it in next year for a MacBook, however.
