Anyone got the latest crop of Apple portables?

octatonic

I'm about to get another Mac portable.

I've been using a Macbook Air for the last 5 years- I've had 3 of them now and they have been great but I fancy something with more power and with a better screen.

I already have a Mac Pro tower in the studio that does most of the heavy lifting but I want something that can do a bit of audio, some 3D design for the laser cutter and CNC machine that I'm having built, as well as the usual sort of use.

I'm not a gamer.

Trying to choose between the 13" dual core or the 15" quad core.

How much more capable is the 15" compared to the 13"?

I'm trying to balance weight/size against power.

If it was my only Mac then I'd get the 15" but maybe I can get away with the 13" in this instance.

Any advice to this?

(Before anyone says it, not interested in going PC)

Cheers fellas.

ROOG

Sorry I can't help, but I do have a similar dilemma. 

I am interested in an apple macbook pro, 13", which would be my first proper apple computer. But I am  now drawn by the idea of a Mac Mini. 

Thing is I don't want a large desktop type screen, I would like to be able to operate the Mini from an ipad retaining the option to use the apple wireless key pad and mouse. 

For most of my use the ipad screen would be adequate. 

monquixote

We use the 15" MBPs for work. They are quite a bit quicker than the 13", but I guess the question is more 'Is the 13" quick enough for what you need?'

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/06/new-model-two-year-old-processor-the-2015-15-inch-retina-macbook-pro-reviewed/1/

One thing to be aware of is that the 15" MBP can drive a 4K screen properly which not all Macs can do. 

I use a 4K screen for work now and I wouldn't go back.

ecc83

I have never been a mac person. Seen one, did not touch it!

There is a goodly clutch of the brethren over at www.soundonsound.com  Always ready to preach to the converted and damn us PC infidels.

Dave.

monquixote

ROOG said:

Sorry I can't help, but I do have a similar dilemma. 

I am interested in an apple macbook pro, 13", which would be my first proper apple computer. But I am  now drawn by the idea of a Mac Mini. 

Thing is I don't want a large desktop type screen, I would like to be able to operate the Mini from an ipad retaining the option to use the apple wireless key pad and mouse. 

For most of my use the ipad screen would be adequate. 

Not sure I really understand your use case, could you explain a bit more?

If you only want a little screen a 11" Air would be the thing to go for. 

EDIT: Also when you say 13" MBP I'm assuming you mean Retina MBP 13"?

Do not buy the regular MBP 13" under any circumstances.

ROOG

monquixote said:

ROOG said:

Sorry I can't help, but I do have a similar dilemma. 

I am interested in an apple macbook pro, 13", which would be my first proper apple computer. But I am  now drawn by the idea of a Mac Mini. 

Thing is I don't want a large desktop type screen, I would like to be able to operate the Mini from an ipad retaining the option to use the apple wireless key pad and mouse. 

For most of my use the ipad screen would be adequate. 

Not sure I really understand your use case, could you explain a bit more?

If you only want a little screen a 11" Air would be the thing to go for. 

@monquixote Sorry, yes the main purpose will be as a HiFi music server and CD ripper via an external drive, so small box tucked away and linked with the network via RJ45 Cat 5e. hence the ipad screen and interface would suffice.

I just wondered if apple had got their head around controlling the Mini from the ipad? 

They seem very good at getting their stuff to talk to each other. 

octatonic

monquixote said:

We use the 15" MBPs for work. They are quite a bit quicker than the 13", but I guess the question is more 'Is the 13" quick enough for what you need?'

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/06/new-model-two-year-old-processor-the-2015-15-inch-retina-macbook-pro-reviewed/1/

One thing to be aware of is that the 15" MBP can drive a 4K screen properly which not all Macs can do. 

I use a 4K screen for work now and I wouldn't go back.

I'm going to go 4k in the studio once they update the Mac Pro to the next model.

I'm actually still using an old 2010 tower- it has an OWC Accelerator SD card in it which makes it FLY and for audio work it is still a fantastic system, I have 4 hard drives in it plus the SD drive.

The current Mac Pro tops out at 1TB, which is no good at all for an audio system.

About 80% of the use of it will be on my sofa and in the workshop.

I don't actually travel with a laptop any more- an iPad 2 Air is fast enough and capable enough for what I need most of the time.

OK, 13" might do it for me.

Cheers.

monquixote

ROOG said:

monquixote said:

ROOG said:

Sorry I can't help, but I do have a similar dilemma. 

I am interested in an apple macbook pro, 13", which would be my first proper apple computer. But I am  now drawn by the idea of a Mac Mini. 

Thing is I don't want a large desktop type screen, I would like to be able to operate the Mini from an ipad retaining the option to use the apple wireless key pad and mouse. 

For most of my use the ipad screen would be adequate. 

Not sure I really understand your use case, could you explain a bit more?

If you only want a little screen a 11" Air would be the thing to go for. 

@monquixote Sorry, yes the main purpose will be as a HiFi music server and CD ripper via an external drive, so small box tucked away and linked with the network via RJ45 Cat 5e. hence the ipad screen and interface would suffice.

I just wondered if apple had got their head around controlling the Mini from the ipad? 

They seem very good at getting their stuff to talk to each other. 

In which case you definitely want the Mac Mini. 

I think there are some apps for using the iPad as a display, but your best bet is just to hook it up to the telly either via HDMI or via Airplay to an Apple TV. 

ROOG

Ah, @monquixote you seem very sure about the case for the mini, any particular reason? 

  

monquixote

ROOG said:

Ah, @monquixote you seem very sure about the case for the mini, any particular reason? 

  

Mac Mini is £399 the 13" Retina Macbook is £999

If you don't want to use it as a laptop it's a no brainer.

ROOG

Fair point! 

TTony

octatonic said:

I'm about to get another Mac portable.

I've been using a Macbook Air for the last 5 years- I've had 3 of them now and they have been great but I fancy something with more power and with a better screen.

I was in that place about 3-4 months ago.

octatonic said:

Trying to choose between the 13" dual core or the 15" quad core.

How much more capable is the 15" compared to the 13"?

I'm trying to balance weight/size against power.

If it was my only Mac then I'd get the 15" but maybe I can get away with the 13" in this instance.

Our criteria are different.

I settled on the 13" MBP (Retina) because it gave me the best balance of power, portability & price (£1199) for what I wanted.

More oomph & better screen than the MBA, but without having to carry around the extra bulk of the 15" model, and, in real-life, little performance penalty.

Mine's never going to be running 3D design software, so the improvement in speed/capacity over my old MBA is more than enough for my typical use (MS Office - it's primarily a work machine).

If you're going to do a lot of design work on it, then the bigger screen and quad-cores might be worth it?  Personally, I'd probably get an external monitor instead and not worry about the odd extra second of waiting here and there ...

octatonic

@TTony

The design I'm doing isn't hugely complex- mostly 2d guitar templates and some minimal 3D stuff for the CNC.

I'll need to build a dedicated PC down the line for the CNC at some stage, for now I just need to learn the software.

I think I'm going to go for the 13" MBP retina.

Are you happy with it?

TTony

Am I happy with it - yes.

The only issue I had was that I couldn't bootcamp into Win7 (because Win7 is no longer a supported bootcamp option with that OSX version).  But that was soon sorted, and I now I've tried it, I actually prefer the VM solution to bootcamp anyway.

The machine itself is a huge leap forward from my old MBA.  Its footprint is slightly smaller, the increase in thickness/weight is minimal.  The retina screen is worth it!

octatonic

TTony said:

Am I happy with it - yes.

The only issue I had was that I couldn't bootcamp into Win7 (because Win7 is no longer a supported bootcamp option with that OSX version).  But that was soon sorted, and I now I've tried it, I actually prefer the VM solution to bootcamp anyway.

The machine itself is a huge leap forward from my old MBA.  Its footprint is slightly smaller, the increase in thickness/weight is minimal.  The retina screen is worth it!

I'm really torn with the 15"- I could do with dedicated graphics but it isn't essential, really.

I'm typing this from the sofa, the Air is on my lap and is comfortable.

Another half pound of weight wouldn't bother me (which is what the 13" pro is)- but the 15" Pro is 1.5lbs more than the Air- it is 50% heavier.

That seals it I think- 

3lbs versus 3.5lbs or 3lbs vs 4.5lbs.

octatonic

Ordered the 13"- probably the last time I will be able to use my student discount.

Went for the 3.1ghz i7 with 16GB, 1TB.

Usually they dispatch them within a day or so- should have it mid next week.

Anyone want to buy a 13" MBA?

stickyfiddle

I have a year-old MBP 13 and it's a really excellent machine. As portable as the Air 13, way more powerful and honestly a pleasure to use every day.

Mine is the 2.6, 8GB, 500GB.

octatonic

It is here.

WHAT a machine.

Blisteringly fast compared to the Macbook Air.

Screen is amazing too.

Fan kicks in a bit more than I would like, but you can't have everything.

TTony

Nice.

Axe_meister

personally I'd always go for a quad core with a lower frequency than a dual core with higher frequency.

I hate the fact that apple seem to be pushing the dual cores, i know they use less power but performance
is far more useful.

octatonic

Axe_meister said:

personally I'd always go for a quad core with a lower frequency than a dual core with higher frequency.

I hate the fact that apple seem to be pushing the dual cores, i know they use less power but performance
is far more useful.

If Apple made a quad core 13" I would have bought it, but they don't.

I didn't want the extra weight of the 15"- it is a lot heavier.