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Picking a Mac Help

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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
Hey guys, I'm really in the need of a new laptop and I think I'm going to break down and buy one. I love working on Apple devices and I think I've narrowed it down to three options I'd like:

Macbook Pro 13 inch w/ Retina
Macbook Pro 13 inch
Macbook Air 13 inch

I'm a senior in high school so I'll be using this laptop through college. I love the field of digital media arts so I'll probably have programs like FCP, Lightroom, Photoshop, and Illustrator. The one reason I'm considering the Air is the weight and travel size considering I'll be taking it with me almost everywhere I go. But my other concern was the processor size, flash, and the possible retina display. And the Air is quite a bit less expensive so that's a factor for me while having a tight budget. I would love your guy's feedback and experience!
+K for help as always!
Thank you!
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Nov 4 2015 1:46PM
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
which model for each? Would you be able to max out an air, but only get the base model for the retina? Or do you have some flexibility and want the best price to performance? Either way, any of the 3 is going to be portable enough. The retina is thinner than the older macbooks, which were already very portable computers. I suggest going to an apple store or other place (best buy maybe?) where you can pick them up and try them out. Also, check the rumors sites, but I think there is typically a refresh of some macbook models in January. You can then either a) get a faster one for the same price or b) pick up the same one for less.
Nov 4 2015 2:31PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
p.hawkswhich model for each? Would you be able to max out an air, but only get the base model for the retina? Or do you have some flexibility and want the best price to performance? Either way, any of the 3 is going to be portable enough. The retina is thinner than the older macbooks, which were already very portable computers. I suggest going to an apple store or other place (best buy maybe?) where you can pick them up and try them out. Also, check the rumors sites, but I think there is typically a refresh of some macbook models in January. You can then either a) get a faster one for the same price or b) pick up the same one for less.


For the Air I was thinking the 2.2 dual core i7 and I'm probably open to whatever on the pro, probably the 2.7 or 2.9 i5 but I'm not really sure yet. I think after doing a little more research I'm leaning towards the pro because of the flash storage. And I planned to take a look in person at the pro and my girlfriend already owns a 13in air. I'm planning on probably buying the computer this month, around my birthday or next month around Christmas. Would you say the retina is a big enough difference from the pro for the price?
Nov 4 2015 3:33PM
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fries
Posts: 2978 - Karma: 7,518
If you're going to be video and photo editing, the retina would probably be the best but it depends what the other specs are
Nov 4 2015 7:16PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
schjfIf you're going to be video and photo editing, the retina would probably be the best but it depends what the other specs are


Thanks man, +K. I'm just trying to keep it on a low budget and decide if I really need the retina or just get the pro with more storage or something
Nov 5 2015 1:14PM
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elcornholio
Posts: 797 - Karma: 1,557
My best word of advice would be to not get the standard macbook pro, mainly because of the significantly slower battery life and hard drive, which will wear out much faster than a solid state drive. The standard pro has not been updated since 2012 and the retina is updated every 3 months.
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Retina_MacBook_Pro
If I were you, I'd wait for the next macbook pro retina to come out and go with that.
I used this site for purchasing my computer (Maxed out 15 in pro retina for work)

Hope this helps!
Nov 5 2015 2:44PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
elcornholioMy best word of advice would be to not get the standard macbook pro, mainly because of the significantly slower battery life and hard drive, which will wear out much faster than a solid state drive. The standard pro has not been updated since 2012 and the retina is updated every 3 months.
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Retina_MacBook_Pro
If I were you, I'd wait for the next macbook pro retina to come out and go with that.
I used this site for purchasing my computer (Maxed out 15 in pro retina for work)

Hope this helps!


Awesome thank you! +K. I'm definitely taking that into consideration and that site really helped dive into some more of the specs, I'm thinking if I do the retina I'll have to do the base model with the 2.7 and the 128gb flash because of the price of the retina, do you think that would still be a better choice than a little more upgraded standard pro?
Nov 5 2015 3:24PM
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fries
Posts: 2978 - Karma: 7,518
LastChairMediaThanks man, +K. I'm just trying to keep it on a low budget and decide if I really need the retina or just get the pro with more storage or something


If you're on a strict budget the pro is probably what you should get. Screen resolution is nice to have but it doesnt make as much of a difference as storage, my macbook is somewhat old and the display isnt the best but i dont really even think about it
Nov 5 2015 7:01PM
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eheath
Posts: 61588 - Karma: 122,913
IMO a display on a 13" laptop doesn't matter.

I bought a MB air a couple years ago and was trying to decide between the low end 13" MBPr and high end MB air 13". Both computers have the same amount of processing power(2.5 i5 vs 1.7 i7), same RAM (8gb in this case) and same storage. I put the screens side by side, they looked the fucking same haha so I got the MB air, better battery, thiner, etc.

I do light editing on my MB air, I have a large monitor attached to it with keyboard/mouse. It works, but its definitely slower than say a high end MBP.
Nov 5 2015 7:06PM
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elcornholio
Posts: 797 - Karma: 1,557
LastChairMediaAwesome thank you! +K. I'm definitely taking that into consideration and that site really helped dive into some more of the specs, I'm thinking if I do the retina I'll have to do the base model with the 2.7 and the 128gb flash because of the price of the retina, do you think that would still be a better choice than a little more upgraded standard pro?


I'd definitely go with the pro with retina display. It's not the display that makes it worth it. It's the fact that it has better battery over processing power, flash storage which is infinitely more durable, and faster. If money is a problem, then you may want to go with the air but I strongly suggest staying away from the standard pro. It hasn't been updated in almost 4 years. You can also make up the storage by getting small flashdrives. I use a 128gb flashdrive on my 128gb mac book air giving me 256gb of total storage. USB drives are dirt cheap too, even if its a 128gb usb 3.0
http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-128GB-Flash-SDCZ43-128G-G46/dp/B00YFI1EBC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446779040&sr=8-1&keywords=128gb+flash+usb
Nov 5 2015 10:05PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
Thank you so much guys! You've all been the best of help. After what eheath and others said I think I may be leaning tow ores the air now because I really don't think I can afford the retina and everyone seems to suggest the air because it's about the same and the standard but with more updates. I'll probably go back and forth a million fucking times haha but I think the air is really my best option. And as of now I'm excluding the retina. Again thank you all!
Nov 5 2015 10:32PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
I have a new question for anyone who might have some input. If I buy the 13 inch Macbook Air should I do the upgrade to 8gb of RAM or the upgrade to the 2.2 dual-core i7?
Nov 6 2015 1:38PM
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MLJ
Posts: 1849 - Karma: 3,649
LastChairMediaI have a new question for anyone who might have some input. If I buy the 13 inch Macbook Air should I do the upgrade to 8gb of RAM or the upgrade to the 2.2 dual-core i7?


I think in your case RAM would be more important, although its pretty close. If you're going to be doing video/photo editing, you will want the extra memory of 8GB RAM. 4 is pretty much unusable these days.
Nov 6 2015 1:51PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
MLJI think in your case RAM would be more important, although its pretty close. If you're going to be doing video/photo editing, you will want the extra memory of 8GB RAM. 4 is pretty much unusable these days.


Awesome, thank you +K
Nov 6 2015 1:54PM
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eheath
Posts: 61588 - Karma: 122,913
LastChairMediaI have a new question for anyone who might have some input. If I buy the 13 inch Macbook Air should I do the upgrade to 8gb of RAM or the upgrade to the 2.2 dual-core i7?


Max out the RAM and CPU on the air, you need to. I went with a 128gb storage to save money.
Nov 6 2015 2:20PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
Just get the 15 inch with extra graphics card.

Go big or go home.
Nov 6 2015 4:07PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
eheathMax out the RAM and CPU on the air, you need to. I went with a 128gb storage to save money.

Alright, I may do this if I think I'll have enough, if not I'll just go for the RAM, but I'll really take it into consideration
Laurent.Just get the 15 inch with extra graphics card.

Go big or go home.

Or nah, I don't make enough paper for dat #brokelife
Nov 6 2015 5:16PM
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MLJ
Posts: 1849 - Karma: 3,649
LastChairMediaAlright, I may do this if I think I'll have enough, if not I'll just go for the RAM, but I'll really take it into consideration

Or nah, I don't make enough paper for dat #brokelife


If you get a 128gb you will almost certainly need a backup harddrive to store data, although they are getting pretty cheap these days.
Nov 6 2015 5:22PM
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LastChairMedia
Posts: 860 - Karma: 1,855
MLJIf you get a 128gb you will almost certainly need a backup harddrive to store data, although they are getting pretty cheap these days.


Yeah, I figured. That was definitely the plan
Nov 6 2015 6:14PM
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gups53
Posts: 361 - Karma: 391
Honestly if I were you I would just get the non retina 13 mbp, if you get the i7 processor the rest can be upgraded whenever because it is the last mbp that has the ram and the hard drive not sautered into the motherboard.
Nov 7 2015 2:07PM
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