2012 Macbook Pro 13" vs 2013 Macbook Air 13"

[Jesper S. Jensen]

Hi,

Within about 3 months, I'm going to buy myself a new computer. I've put my eyes on Apple, I want a Mac

Now, I do only have so and so much money to spend on a Mac, and this is how it looks :

Option 1; I've been looking at a 2012 Macbook Pro 13", standard config (500 gb HD + 4GB RAM)

This could be upgraded with faster SSD + RAM, when needed.

Option 2: 2013 Macbook Air 13", standard config (128GB SSD + 4GB RAM). On this, I could either order with 256 GB SSD (most expensive) or with 8 GB RAM ( the cheapest option )

In Standard config, the price is very similar in the shops I've compared. I'm going to use it as my everyday computer, I will also install Lightroom 5 for photo editing, and also perhaps do some video editing i iMovie.

Pros & Cons MBP : Pro: It's easy to upgrade, both HDD and RAM. It is "PRO" , maybe better screen despite low res (1280x800), more ports .

CONS: low res screen, slow standard HDD , heavy vs the AIR, 2012 technology, not so long battery life as AIR

Pros & Cons MBA: Pro: Extreme long battery life, portability, new processors, 2013 technology, more screen real estate than the BMP

Cons: Screen may not be so good for photo editing ? Small HDD (in std config), few ports, no ethernet port.

I've not taken into consideration, that Apple might be releasing new MBP's with new Intel processor in the fall.

So questions is; what should I go for ? Is the MBA 13" 128GB / 4GB just fine for editing small videos and photo's in Lightroom 5 ? I'm not planning to fill up the hard drive with the with Photoshop CC suite , so I expect that the 128GB would be okay

Would be great hearing from someone , who has experience with 2013 MBA 13# and especially working with Lightroom 5 also

Thanks

 

[Tom_N]

Jesper S. Jensen wrote:

Option 2: 2013 Macbook Air 13", standard config (128GB SSD + 4GB RAM). On this, I could either order with 256 GB SSD (most expensive) or with 8 GB RAM ( the cheapest option )

If you get the Air, be sure to custom-order it with the maximum 8 GB of RAM, regardless of what you pick for the CPU (i5 vs. i7) and storage (128 vs. 256 vs. 512 GB) options.

The RAM is soldered in and there is no practical way of upgrading it after purchase.

 

[El Chubasco]

I am in the same boat. Thinking about a MBA as primary machine. I am not concerned about screen resolution because it will be mostly plugged to my 27" display. I am concerned about perfomance for photo editing.

Any experiences using MBA as only machine out there?

 

[wazu]

The 128gb 13" MBA is too limiting. I have one and it now sits at home as an tunes music streamer. I upgraded to a 15" MBP with anti-glare screen and 500gb disk. Replaced the disk with a 240gb SSD and stuffed the 500gb into a case for time machine backups. Also upgraded the 4GB ram to Kingston (cheapest) 16gb. I still would like more internal disk space but will wait for 480 or 1TB SSD drives to drop in price. If you go with an earlier model (2012) 13" MBP used or refurb you may still hit your target budget and just upgrade when you feel the need. Having an i7 four core cpu and 16gb ram is very liberating. I can start many heavy programs and just leave them running. Whereas with 4GB I was constantly closing programs to keep from running into swap.

 

[Jesper S. Jensen]

Thanks for all your responses Giving me something to think about. But I hope that Apple will announce some new stuff in the fall, so that I might have more options

By the way, I've heard that it is possible to upgrade the standard MBP 13 with 16 GB RAM, despite Apple does not say it is supported, any comments on that ?

Thanks again, and pls keep on with the good advice MBA vs photoediting

 

[Tom_N]

Jesper S. Jensen wrote:

By the way, I've heard that it is possible to upgrade the standard MBP 13 with 16 GB RAM, despite Apple does not say it is supported, any comments on that ?

It's well-known (MacTracker, Crucial, Other-World Computing) that all of the current non-Retina MBPs can "unofficially" take 16 GB of RAM. Best guess is that Apple put in the extra address line needed to handle 8 GB modules, but never did extensive testing (and so didn't want to guarantee that using the 8 GB modules would work).

 

[Tom_N]

Although the inside of a MacBook Air is not supposed to contain any user-serviceable parts, I see that the latest model apparently still has the SSD on a plug-in card:

iFixit - MacBook Air 13-inch Mid-2013 Teardown

It's a different kind of plug-in card than in previous years, but in the past, some vendors have offered SSD upgrades for MacBook Airs. Given time, they might also do so for this year's model.

 

[Jesper S. Jensen]

Thanks Tom_N for your update

 

[Basalite]

Jesper S. Jensen wrote:

Hi,

Within about 3 months, I'm going to buy myself a new computer. I've put my eyes on Apple, I want a Mac

Now, I do only have so and so much money to spend on a Mac, and this is how it looks :

Option 1; I've been looking at a 2012 Macbook Pro 13", standard config (500 gb HD + 4GB RAM)

This could be upgraded with faster SSD + RAM, when needed.

Option 2: 2013 Macbook Air 13", standard config (128GB SSD + 4GB RAM). On this, I could either order with 256 GB SSD (most expensive) or with 8 GB RAM ( the cheapest option )

You need to order the MacBook Airs with the maximum amount of ram because it can not be added later. Just 4gigs of ram is a very, very bad idea for what you want to use it for.

In Standard config, the price is very similar in the shops I've compared. I'm going to use it as my everyday computer, I will also install Lightroom 5 for photo editing, and also perhaps do some video editing i iMovie.

Pros & Cons MBP : Pro: It's easy to upgrade, both HDD and RAM. It is "PRO" , maybe better screen despite low res (1280x800), more ports .

Actually, I think the screens on the Airs are better, mainly due to the higher pixel density. I suspect the next MacBooks will finally get badly needed and overdue screen updates.

CONS: low res screen, slow standard HDD , heavy vs the AIR, 2012 technology, not so long battery life as AIR

Pros & Cons MBA: Pro: Extreme long battery life, portability, new processors, 2013 technology, more screen real estate than the BMP

Cons: Screen may not be so good for photo editing ? Small HDD (in std config), few ports, no ethernet port.

I've not taken into consideration, that Apple might be releasing new MBP's with new Intel processor in the fall.

So questions is; what should I go for ? Is the MBA 13" 128GB / 4GB just fine for editing small videos and photo's in Lightroom 5 ? I'm not planning to fill up the hard drive with the with Photoshop CC suite , so I expect that the 128GB would be okay

You'll have plenty of space for Lightroom and Photoshop and other software. Just import a set number of images into the Air so you can take advantage of the tremendous speed of the SSD and when done editing move to an external drive for long term storage. I have the 27" iMac with a Fusion drive and I am currently working on 120MB film scans in Lightroom 5 and the image files on the Fusion Drive open in a fraction of a second. They will open even faster on the Air.

Would be great hearing from someone , who has experience with 2013 MBA 13# and especially working with Lightroom 5 also

Thanks

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Jesper S. Jensen
Denmark
N i k o n D S L R

Unless Apple installs an IPS screen on the new MacBook Pros in the Fall then quality for photo editing will not be better than the Air.

Either computer can easily handle Lightroom 5 but the amazing battery life on the Air puts it ahead for me.

If you can wait a little more and see what comes with the new MacBooks then I would wait and see.

 

[Basalite]

Tom_N wrote:

Jesper S. Jensen wrote:

By the way, I've heard that it is possible to upgrade the standard MBP 13 with 16 GB RAM, despite Apple does not say it is supported, any comments on that ?

It's well-known (MacTracker, Crucial, Other-World Computing) that all of the current non-Retina MBPs can "unofficially" take 16 GB of RAM. Best guess is that Apple put in the extra address line needed to handle 8 GB modules, but never did extensive testing (and so didn't want to guarantee that using the 8 GB modules would work).

Yep, this is common with many of Apple's computers.

 

[uniball]

One feature that has not been discussed is I/O. I have an Air. When traveling, the limitations of drive space and a single USB port are a complete pita. Either you bring a powered hub and/or a TBolt FireWire adapter with you and an extra drive. Neither of which I find appealing while trying to fit everything in luggage.

As soon as the next gen rMBP's are out, I'll be buying one. I can get by with 768 gb and will no longer have to copy my sd card to the ssd, remove card reader, plug in external, copy from ssd to external, then trash off ssd.

The display is a non issue for me. The differences between any of the current Apple laptop displays are not going to make any difference in my edits.

If the machine will be used mostly at home, no question, the MBP. Battery life becomes a non-issue.

 

[Jesper S. Jensen]

Thanks Basalite and uniball for your comments, they are much appreciated

 

[dresner]

The air still ships with either an LG, AU, or Samsung screen. The Samsung screen is nice, the LG and AU are not. So it's a lottery pick, and it sucks returning them till you get the Samsung.... as far as I am concerned, I'm done with the air until it ships with a retina display.

I am in the market for a new notebook, since my 11 inch MBA has the hazzy LG display (after 5 returns I did not get the Samsung)

The new air, no retina, no go

The MBP is about to get a refresh and hopefully less Image Retention and longer battery ala haswell chip.

So 15 inch MBP, with max memory and max storage space. 128 and 256 is not enough, 512 minimum. 16GB of ram. That way, it will still be relevant in 6 years or more. Mind you, I am still using my 2007 MacBook Pro 2,2 with 3GB of ram and SSD... running 10.7.

So hold off till the new Retina MBPs come out and then go all in on memory and SSD space

 

[Jesper S. Jensen]

dresner wrote:

The air still ships with either an LG, AU, or Samsung screen. The Samsung screen is nice, the LG and AU are not. So it's a lottery pick, and it sucks returning them till you get the Samsung.... as far as I am concerned, I'm done with the air until it ships with a retina display.

dresner, thanks for your comments. How do you determine, if the screen is made from Samsung, LG or AU ? I read Anandtech.com's review, and he's display was from Samsung (LSN133BT01A02), and as you mentioned; he also says it is a lottery

 

[Tom_N]

dresner wrote:

as far as I am concerned, I'm done with the air until it ships with a retina display.

...

The new air, no retina, no go

If you want an Air with a Retina Display, buy a 13" Retina MacBook Pro. That's more or less what it is. Take a previous-generation Air, expand the RAM to the Air's maximum (8 GB), throw in a Retina screen, a higher-capacity (74 watt hour vs. 54 watt hour) battery, an extra Thunderbolt port, and a HDMI port, and your specifications would be awfully close to those of a 13" Retina MBP.

Note that the latest 13" Air gets "up to 12 hours wireless Web" with that 54 watt hour battery, but the 13" Retina MBP gets only "up to 7 hours" with its 74 watt hour battery. That's the cost for the Retina backlighting and for not having the latest Haswell CPUs.

 

[Peter Berglund]

Whichever of the two computers you get you'll be happy. As long as you get at least 8gb ram and don't run put of hard drive space.
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Peter