Travel Technology - Which of these Macs would you recommend?

- MACBOOK
- MACBOOK AIR
- MACBOOK PRO

* What I want: something light, something that has enough ports, something with a bigger screen (ideally)

Please and thank you! :)

- MACBOOK
- MACBOOK AIR
- MACBOOK PRO

* What I want: something light, something that has enough ports, something with a bigger screen (ideally)

Please and thank you! :)

Im a huge fan of the Air because I own. I had a Pro and it was way too heavy. The Macbook is nice but hate the white or black cases. It is rumored that they will be doing a refresh with possibly a aluminum macbook.

If you want a larger screen, you will need to go with the MacBook Pro. I have one, and I love it.

They are heavier than the counterparts, but worth it IMHO. If you are truly concerned about weight, go play with the Air. I have an older tiny laptop from Dell that is very light (2.8 lbs.) and makes for a great traveling companion.

To get the Air to it's small size, there's only one USB port and no built in DVD drive. But, after holding it, the MacBook and MacBook Pro feel absolutely Soviet.

I have a Pro for work because I need the dedicated graphics card. If you're doing heavy duty video or photo work it speeds things up.

Whenever I'm traveling and am just doing word processing, e-mail, or web surfing the Air is just fine.

But, after holding it, the MacBook and MacBook Pro feel absolutely Soviet.



absolutely Soviet. :D

absolutely Soviet. :D

I should have credited David Pogue from the NY Times. I'm not that witty!

Get the Pro now, or wait until the new version which should come out in time for xmas or early 2009.

The one I'm using is getting old, but only because I'm tired of looking at it. Otherwise, it's a perfect 'puter.

I have an Air and a 13 inch MacBook. The MacBook has more ports built in DVD etc and it makes a nice desktop at home. I travel with the Air almost exclusively. But it really depends on your trade offs. If you will always be using a DVD, get the MacBook. If seldom, get the air. When traveling there just isnt much I cant do with the air. I wouldnt consider the Pro. You used the word "light" in your description ;)

The nice compromise between small and light, and a big screen is the MacBook. Like the Air, the 13" screen is big enough for most people, and it has enough ports so that you don't need a second computer. I really like my MacBook Pro, but you need to recognize that it is big for travel. Unless you need its extra capabilities, the MacBook is a great computer.

What do you want?

The Air's light and super nice, but lacking in ports and has no optical drive. I'm hoping they fix the optical drive issue in the next revision, as that's the only thing keeping me from buying one now - having to lug around an external drive defeats the purpose of the Air.

The Pro's heavier, but a great machine. I bring my 15" with me everywhere and have never found it to be too heavy. The screen's a nice size and it has plenty of ports. It's also got lots of power.

I avoid the macbooks in general, though it might work for you if you don't need the power of the pro.

One note on the battery: make sure you baby it. The damned things die fast if you don't condition them once a month.

What do you want?

I avoid the macbooks in general, though it might work for you if you don't need the power of the pro.


Unless you are a 'real power user', the macbook is plenty of machine for most everything. It's a much more cost effective model, slightly lighter, better battery power, and the 13 inches is very adequate.

Even the 'Air' is plenty of machine for most users - I've got a 5 yr old iBook that still works like a charm. For most folks, MacB Pro is overkill.

POV

Unless you are a 'real power user', the macbook is plenty of machine for most everything. It's a much more cost effective model, slightly lighter, better battery power, and the 13 inches is very adequate.

Even the 'Air' is plenty of machine for most users - I've got a 5 yr old iBook that still works like a charm. For most folks, MacB Pro is overkill.

POV

Yea, I completely agree. I am using an Air now but the MacBook wasnt bad for travel. I am trying to carry every thing in one bag without wheels now so the few extra pounds matter. But for most applications the MacBook is fine. Even the Air is great if every pound matters as long if you dont need the DVD.

Yea, I completely agree. I am using an Air now but the MacBook wasnt bad for travel. I am trying to carry every thing in one bag without wheels now so the few extra pounds matter. But for most applications the MacBook is fine. Even the Air is great if every pound matters as long if you dont need the DVD.
To add on the point of not needing a DVD drive, Apple now offers $0.99 Movie of the Week rentals that are great for traveling. Download the movie the night before you leave, and watch the movie on the plane. Even the standard rentals from iTunes are cheap and convenient. They save you lugging discs, and they delete themselves after you watch them, so your hard drive space isn't wasted.

To add on the point of not needing a DVD drive, Apple now offers $0.99 Movie of the Week rentals that are great for traveling. Download the movie the night before you leave, and watch the movie on the plane. Even the standard rentals from iTunes are cheap and convenient. They save you lugging discs, and they delete themselves after you watch them, so your hard drive space isn't wasted.

This is a great feature. Watching movies on the road turned out to be my main reason to have a DVD drive. Occasionally, I'll rip a DVD on my other machine and carry it with me on a USB thumb drive.

I think a new PRO will be out before xmas or 09, i'm hoping for August 08

I really only use the DVD for installing software. At them moment I am at a meeting reviewing research grants. All of the information on the grants comes on a DVD. I just copy it into an encrypted disk image on a USB thumb drive (they contain confidential information and I dont want to lose it and break confidentiality of the information) and Im good to go. Takes less than 5 minutes and I can use my Air and not carry the drive.

I think a new PRO will be out before xmas or 09, i'm hoping for August 08

Here is rumor right now on macbook refresh on macrumors (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/07/28/next-macbook-to-include-glass-trackpad-due-in-september/)

"According to Weintraub's sources, the new MacBooks will be thinner than the current MacBook and MacBook Pro designs while slightly more rounded. The case is said to be made of one piece of aluminum and bears some similarities to the MacBook Air."