https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:47:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1701225 Sun, 15 Jun 2014 02:32:38 +0000 sunny 1701225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarplumsMom: Yes, but I have several computers at home so I only use the MBA for surfing the net. If I'm doing any "work" (eg. Photo editing, finances, anything where I feel like I would need a bigger screen), I use my Windows desktop. I think if you only have 1 computer at home, you need to consider which platform best serves your needs.</p> <p>The build quality on the MBA is excellent. I use a Thinkpad for work. I think Thinkpads also have excellent build quality. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1701212 Sun, 15 Jun 2014 01:09:43 +0000 Espion 1701212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarplumsMom: I love my MacBook Air, because I carry my computer everywhere. I don't mind the smaller screen. (We have a larger monitor at home in case I want a bigger screen.) I had to buy the Microsoft Office suite, though. I couldn't handle keynote, pages, etc. </p> <p>The portability is what makes me never want to go back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1701208 Sun, 15 Jun 2014 00:56:24 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1701208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: Do you still :heart: your MBA? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1701205 Sun, 15 Jun 2014 00:55:26 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1701205@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bumping this since I can't decide between a Windows based laptop or just taking the plunge and going Mac.</p> <p>@shopaholic: Which one did you get? Do you :heart: it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1249658 Fri, 29 Nov 2013 02:20:37 +0000 shopaholic 1249658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.Someone: @Sammyfab: @luckypenny: @Cchoi4: Thanks!</p> <p>@luckypenny: Thanks for your hubby's in-depth response! I'm glad his response echoes my decision. </p> <p>I told DH to go ahead and get the Pro based on my priorities and confirmation from @loveisstrange: that the price was good. Yes, the Retina MacBook Pro would be awesome, but it wasn't even on my radar to get a new laptop before DH surprised me with this. So I am thankful to get a new one at all!</p> <p>I'm not opening it until after Cyber Monday though! So if anyone sees these Airs or Retinas for a steal, please let me know! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1249629 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 23:41:48 +0000 Cchoi4 1249629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just got the Macbook Pro 15" with Retina Display. </p> <p>My old Macbook (like yours) was from 2008 and the screen was starting to crap out on me and I kept getting an error message saying I didn't have any more memory. We keep almost all of our family pictures (kids pics) on this computer so I wanted a larger screen as well as great picture and a good amount of memory.</p> <p>LOVE IT. I think the Macbook Pro is the way to go. DH has the Air but I actually like the bigger screen for the 15" Pro. But that's just me. Is the 15" on your radar at all? If so, i'd recommend it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1249576 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 22:29:53 +0000 luckypenny 1249576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH works for Apple and here's what he says:</p> <p>Hi! That's awesome you're ready to get a new Mac! Based upon what you stated, here's what I think:</p> <p>Your last system is from 2007/2008 and you're looking at a 2013/2014 model. That puts you on a 6 year cycle for buying new systems (and that's why you're buying another Apple; because you're getting 6 years of use out of it!!!). So when you're thinking about which model to get, the difference in cost between the lowest level (11 inch MacBook Air) and highest level (13 inch retina MacBook Pro) literally amounts to about $7 per month for the lifetime of the system. So why not get the absolute best system you can get right now?</p> <p>I strongly believe that when it comes to electronics - unless you're among the absolute lightest of users - if you don't buy the best that's currently available, you're buying something that will imminently be outdated and will regret it.</p> <p>I think that the 13" retina MacBook Pro is by far your best choice for the following reasons:</p> <p>• It feels comparable in weight and size to the MacBook air (it is substantially thinner than the non-retina MacBook) but feels a lot more durable/sturdy<br /> • It's insanely fast (because of its solid state drive and stellar processor) and you won't be pulling your hair out waiting for your DSLR pics to load or for your iPhoto to process them once they're there.</p> <p>Your only major drawback is the size of the solid state drive. Because they're so expensive, they are still pretty small compared with the traditional spinning hard drives, so you're looking at a 256GB drive in the mid-range retina MacBook Pro and a minimum of 500GB in the non-retina. This, admittedly, could be a deal-breaker if you've got tons and tons of pics.</p> <p>So...in order, I would recommend:</p> <p>1. 13" Retina MacBook Pro<br /> 2. 13" MacBook Pro<br /> 3. 13" MacBook Air</p> <p>Hope this helps!</p> <p>PS...tell your husband to get your new computer at an Apple Store. It's way more fun :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1249554 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 21:48:04 +0000 Sammyfab 1249554@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think if you plan to store and edit a lot of photos, I would go with the Pro because it has more memory.</p> <p>I have the 11" Air that I use for work and I loooove it. The one downside is that I have no photos in my library because of the limited space (and I think it would have been too time-consuming or maybe not possible to sync parts of iPhoto?). Otherwise, I love its portability and how sleek it looks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1249549 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 21:39:35 +0000 shortcake 1249549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The Pro is so much boxier in person. The air is much more sleek. I would also take a look at how much of your current hard drive you are using. Everyone loves a huge hard drive, but most of the time (unless you are making films or animation or professional editing) it is just empty space. I also think flash storage is much more stable. In a few years all displays will be retina, but I don't think that matters so much right now. Mac's glossy display is so good anyway. You can't go wrong with either but I vote go lighter. Air wins in this contest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1249542 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 21:28:18 +0000 raintreebee 1249542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The air is pretty amazing just going from room to room in my apartment. It's so easy to hold and move around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1244356 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:05:21 +0000 LovelyPlum 1244356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love my Air! But, I have to lug it everywhere, so that's why I went with it. Either way, you're going to love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1244342 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:01:59 +0000 Mrs.Someone 1244342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd go for the pro, the extra hard drive space is definitely necessary. I have a 13" retina and its super light. I see no point in the Air, since the Pro is so light, and looking at the tech specs, they are almost the exact same size. I think that might make the screen on the air slightly smaller, since it has a larger border. Also, the retina screen is so nice!</p> <p>ETA: I use my Pro for design, and have it hooked up to a large (non-retina) monitor most of the time. I do travel with it and my backpack is so much lighter than it used to be when I had a 15" pro. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1244295 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:54:21 +0000 shopaholic 1244295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: Yes and yes. I saw that mcp with retina too. But it has 128 GB vs. 500gb w/out retina.</p> <p>@spaniellove: @theonewhere: @ShootingStar: I don't take my laptop anywhere really, unless we are going on a longer vacation. Otherwise we use DH's mini laptop and my iPad. I don't play any games. I'll check out the new Retina screen in store, just not sure if it's worth less memory. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243687 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:51:36 +0000 ShootingStar 1243687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an 11" Air as my personal computer and a 15" Pro as my work computer. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Air. Kind of meh about the Pro. To be fair, my Pro doesn't have the retina screen, which I believe makes it thinner and lighter than my version. I hate the heaviness of the Pro. I would go to the store and see what you think of them individually. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243685 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:51:18 +0000 theonewhere 1243685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just sold my late 2011 13" MacBook Pro back to buy a new 13" Air. Unless you play a lot of games or do video production, it should be enough—my husband is a developer and that's what his entire team has.</p> <p>The only thing I'd recommend is to get a cheap DVD drive (not the Apple one) if any of your software is on a disc. I had to reinstall Adobe Creative Suite 5 last week and that was the exact moment his Mac Mini's DVD drive gave up the ghost - so no Remote Disc for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243665 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:43:27 +0000 pui 1243665@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would choose the pro. Not only does it have more harddrive space and is cheaper, it has an actual video card rather than integrated graphics. A stand alone graphics card is always better. Seems like a no-brainer to me!</p> <p>Also if I am not mistaken, I think the Pro still has SSD for the operating system, where it's really needed anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243362 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 07:27:00 +0000 mjane 1243362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Didn't look at the Pro, but the air suits all my needs and I love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243360 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 07:23:39 +0000 loveisstrange 1243360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shopaholic: hey, I work for Apple and know a lot about the computers if you want to ask me any questions about it. :)</p> <p>In my opinion, I'd go for the traditional Pro over the Air. However, the prices on the Retina models have dropped with the new generation. The 13" model is similar to the Pro, but updated with newer hardware. They start $100 more than the 101 Pro. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243350 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 07:04:39 +0000 spaniellove 1243350@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>FWIW I had both a MacBook Pro and an Air and found that I never used the Pro even though the specs were much better, so I just sold it. The MacBook Air is much more portable and can do everything I need. It was actually my present last year when I was about to do IVF and DH saw that I was straining to grab my Pro off the floor from the sofa. I store everything in Dropbox so I didn't need tons of storage. I'd go for the Air with Retina, so jealous! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243287 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 02:50:51 +0000 Tundra Daisy 1243287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just got a reconditioned 15 inch MacBook Pro from the apple site! really worth looking at because u save heaps and apparently they are just ones that didn't sell etc. Def go the retina screen!! So much better :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243275 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 02:25:39 +0000 sunny 1243275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shopaholic: Is this the MBA 13" deal that your husband found? It made the front page of Slickdeals so its probably a pretty great deal!<br /> <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?sku=983421&#038;Q=&#038;O=cart_accessories&#038;bundleId=983421REG&#038;is=REG&#038;A=details" rel="nofollow">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?sku=983421&#038;Q=&#038;O=cart_accessories&#038;bundleId=983421REG&#038;is=REG&#038;A=details</a></p> <p>I'm not sure how good the MBP deal you found was but there is this one on the BestBuy BF ad.<br /> <a href="http://bfads.net/Black-Friday/Best-Buy/Ad?page=2#viewer" rel="nofollow">http://bfads.net/Black-Friday/Best-Buy/Ad?page=2#viewer</a><br /> <a href="http://bfads.net/Item/Best-Buy-Black-Friday-Apple-MacBook-Pro-133-Laptop-w-Intel-Core-Processor-4GB-RAM-128GB-Flash-Storage-OS-X-Mavericks-ME864LLA/164534" rel="nofollow">http://bfads.net/Item/Best-Buy-Black-Friday-Apple-MacBook-Pro-133-Laptop-w-Intel-Core-Processor-4GB-RAM-128GB-Flash-Storage-OS-X-Mavericks-ME864LLA/164534</a></p> <p>It has the Retina display but instead of the standard large HD it is an SSD. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243242 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:08:26 +0000 sunny 1243242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ooh! So exciting!</p> <p>Which chip does the MacBook Pro have? The MacBook Pro has a standard hard drive (e.g. its heavy and it spins). The MacBook Air has a flash hard drive (e.g. its "solid state" so there is no movement). SSD (solid state drives) are still quite a bit more expensive than standard HDs so thats why you're getting less drive space for the same amount of money.</p> <p>I have the 11" MacBookAir and I LOVE IT. We take it with us when we travel because its super light. I also find that I don't want/need an iPad/tablet for around the house because its so light and I prefer to have a real keyboard anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/macbook-proairretinano-retina#post-1243238 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:00:42 +0000 shopaholic 1243238@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So DH has spilled the beans on my Xmas gift! I'm getting a new laptop! My current MacBook Pro is from 2007-8? It still works fine, but with my constant picture taking and DSLR pics, and I have never once updated the software (and never get around to doing it), he's just figured I should get a nice, new, fresh laptop! :D</p> <p>Now decisions decisions!</p> <p>He's found good deals comparable in price on the:</p> <p>Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer<br /> 1.3GHz Intel Core i5 Dual-Core (Haswell)<br /> 4GB of Onboard 1600MHz LPDDR3 RAM<br /> 128GB Flash Storage<br /> Integrated Intel HD Graphics 5000<br /> 13.3" LED-Backlit Glossy Display</p> <p>OR:</p> <p>Apple® - MacBook® Pro -<br /> 13.3" Display - 4GB Memory - 500GB Hard Drive</p> <p>It seems to me the MacBook Pro is a better deal for the substantially larger hard-drive. It is almost $800 cheaper than the newer equivalent with the "Retina" screen. </p> <p>So I have a few questions for those of you more tech-savvy.</p> <p>Which would you rather get?<br /> Or do you think neither are good options? </p> <p>DH and I both think that the Air is probably unnecessary for a SAHM and that LO might be able to break it more easily? I'm thinking the bigger memory is preferable, but do you think this older MacBook Pro is going to be outdated and if there is some other reason that would be bad (besides being all trendy?) </p> <p>Anything you think I am missing? </p>