<p>Is there any compelling reason to choose the more expensive of the two 13 inch pro models? My other option is to just upgrade the hard drive on the base model for an extra $50. I'll be studying business, not exactly computer intensive.</p>
<p>the base line should be more than enough</p>
<p>What about for a prospective Math & CS major?</p>
<p>Apple “Geniuses” don’t recommend pros for college students. Consider the new air.</p>
<p>Why would someone recommend the air over a 13" pro? Do you realize how dumbed down the air is in comparison? It only has a dual core and one usb port, zero disc drives and zero ethernet ports. Not a very smart decision especially for the ridiculous price for the sake of being “the thinnest laptop ever”. How is that supposed to benefit you?</p>
<p>It has two usb ports. Moreover, I was recommending the standard macbook over the pro. Lastly, the air is just another option, backlight nice feature for dim areas and external superdrive ~$70.</p>
<p>bl4ke: The 13" is a fantastic machine, has a fairly large SSD, and a higher density screen than the 13" MBP (a better one too, I presume). While the Air uses an ultra low voltage i5, the 13" Pro does not come with a quad core (only a dual is available), and the performance difference will not be night and day. </p>
<p>For most purposes, the 13" air will probably feel faster than the 13" pro thanks to the speedy SSD (sure it’s not the fastest SSD, but it’s fast). The only problem is that 4GB of RAM isn’t a big deal now - and in 3 years it’ll be… crap.</p>
<p>The 13" pro does at least let you get 8gb, but chances are really good you’ll probably never bother upgrading anyway. I’ve owned many computers and usually don’t bother. Odd? Yea. :</p>
<p>“Moreover, I was recommending the standard macbook over the pro”</p>
<p>That would be all well and good, except the macbook was retired. It’s just the Air and the Pro now. For most people, though, the Air is more than sufficient. Unless you’re running a lot of things at once, you won’t need 8GB of RAM and the better processor (I’m often running 15+ tabs in chrome, iTunes, X-Chat Aqua, Last.fm, and Adium all at once, and that eats right through 4GB of RAM, but most people realistically won’t be doing all of that)</p>
<p>It can be purchased through other means, ebay, for instance.</p>