I’ll be majoring in either computer science or cognitive science/neuroscience with an emphasis on computer-human interactions. I’m not sure if the cirriculum for either requires intense processing power.
I like the battery life and inexpensiveness of the Air, but I also like the retina screen of the pro. My perfect laptop would probably be the regular MacBook, but I won’t have the ports I want, and it’s an expensive, slow laptop. Weight isn’t really an issue, I don’t think I’ll feel the Air or the Retina Pro in my backpack when I have heavier textbooks. I guess what I’m really asking is- is the Retina Pro really worth $200+ more than the air? I love the screen, but that’s about it. I’m looking at the 13 inch options for both.
Pro, all the way. For me, one of the biggest advantages of the Retina screen is that I don’t get eye fatigue as much when using the computer for long periods of time. It is a genuine pleasure to read and code on that screen.
The processing power is also a real advantage if you’re programming. Builds compile faster, and you have more horsepower for processor-intensive tasks such as computer vision and DSP.
If you do go for the Pro, though, wait a little while. New Pros are rumored to be coming between now and the end of the year, and it has been a year and a half since the last refresh.
Retina Pro! (I’m using mine right now). The 13 inch size is actually really nice, even though it seems much smaller than the 15 inch. It charges up very fast and actually has a really good battery life. Also, Apple for Education does offer student discounts, and I think you can get the discount online, but I’m not sure, so that might help with the affordability of the laptop. I do think the air is nice as well, but I’ve always loved the Pro.
DreamSchlDropout, I believe that the Air has Turboboost up to 2.5 Ghz. Is this not enough for progamming?
@NoMoreFRQs It’s enough for general programming, but overall the Pro is much better value for the money spent. Up to you.
I agree with @DreamSchlDropout - if you’re going to be getting a Mac, you’re going to be spending considerable money. The extra $200 or so will get you a considerably stronger computer.