“Not only does the super-slim MacBook start at $1,299, but so does the new MacBook Pro. And since the MacBook Air, still selling for $999, is woefully out of date — with a low-res screen that’ll look bad next to any current smartphone — $1,299 is essentially the starting price for a modern Mac laptop,” Jacob Kastrenakes writes for The Verge. “So I’ve been wondering: if I want to spend $1,299 again, which one should I get?”
“I’ve been testing both laptops for the past few weeks, and while I don’t think there’s an easy answer for everyone, what’s impressed me the most is just how capable the tiny little MacBook has become,” Kastrenakes writes. “If you’re heading off to college or just want a great laptop for typical laptop tasks — watching YouTube, browsing the internet, working at a coffee shop — this is going to be an excellent choice.”
“But the MacBook Pro is subtly better in a number of ways: it’s better for watching movies, better for editing movies, and is just generally a bit more flexible and future proof,” Kastrenakes writes. “I’m surprised by just how much the entry-level MacBook Pro can handle — but how far that’ll get you depends on how serious of a workload you intend to throw at it.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: With loaded 27-inch iMacs on our desks, our main consideration for our mobile Macs are size and weight. That’s why we’d choose 12-inch MacBooks (loaded: 1.4GHz dual-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, 16GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory, 512GB SSD storage, Intel HD Graphics 615). We haven’t touched a port on our 11-inch MacBook Airs (beyond the charger), so that’s not an issue either. Additionally, we’re not trying to map the human genome while flying or working from a coffee shop on the road. Obviously, if you’re going to have one Mac, your priorities will be different; priorities that might lead you to a MacBook Pro model instead of the MacBook.
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s 12-inch MacBook vs. 13-inch MacBook Pro: The $1,300 question – July 11, 2017
I made this comparison and chose the MacBook Pro.
The MacBook offers a smaller size, less weight, 256GB SSD, a single USB-C port and a variety of colors.
The base MacBook Pro offers a 128GB SSD, FaceTime HD webcam and two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports. Options include a 1TB SSD and faster processors.
Two more TB3/USB-C ports with Touch Bar equipped models can be had at $1,800, but that puts the computer out of reach for some folk.
The MBP is bigger and heavier, uses a fan and smaller SSD, but the better webcam, processor, larger screen, better speakers, and two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports make the base MBP a better deal than the MB. Upgrade the SSD if necessary.
If you are capable of lifting the extra few grams of weight, go for the Pro. There is absolutely no reason to limit yourself otherwise.
Relative to the contemporary competition, the 12″ MacBook remains one of the poorest value computers Apple has ever made.
I think it was made for rich women to fit in their purse. It’s not a good buy for most other people.
That sounds about right!
Other reason to choose the MBP — the lack of a fan!
For those who are sensitive to noise, that’s a big deal!