Should I get the new Macbook or the Macbook Air 11?

[iMore Question]

I have been considering getting the New Macbook, but what I am not sure about is the Mobile Process Chip -v- Intel Core i5.

Has anyone got a bench mark view on which is faster processor, between these two great Mac's.

The entry level Macbook starts at 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.4GHz) with 4MB shared L3 cache

The new entry level Macbook Air 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache

Is there any real performance difference between the two other than 1.1 -v- 1.6GHZ or does the Core M Processor delivery better performance than the Intel Core i5.

Appreciate, thoughts, comment, benchmarking or just your instinct to help me with my decision.

Thank you.

 

[pkcable]

Re: New Macbook or Macbook Air 11"

Yes I believe the Core M is a better, faster chip, EVEN at that slower speed. I don't have the actual benchmarks, but hopefully someone can dig it up. For myself when I got my Mac, I opted for the MBP over the MBA because of the better performance and the fact that the MBP was really not THAT much bigger and bulkier. I WAS going to go Air because I prefer a smaller lighter laptop, but the 13inch MBP was that for me! (I have last year's model, but it still works GREAT!)

 

[Bigeric23]

Re: New Macbook or Macbook Air 11"

I don’t believe you’ll notice much difference in daily use; however, ask yourself can you live with the other compromises of the new MacBook.

 

[PortCity79]

Re: New Macbook or Macbook Air 11"

The Core M is not as powerful as the Core i5. It sits in between the Intel Atom and the Intel Core I series chips. Don't expect for it to be as powerful as the MacBook Air. With that said, Core M is very capable of handling general tasks such as surfing the web, document creation, watching Netflix etc.

 

[pkcable]

Re: New Macbook or Macbook Air 11"

Disregard my answer, I was thinking you meant a MacBookPro. I was not aware there was a 3rd laptop line now! Go for the most powerful computer you can afford, and then be happy with it for 2 to 3 years until you are ready to buy another!

 

[pkcable]

Re: New Macbook or Macbook Air 11"

The recently announced one is the retina 12" MacBook. Then you have the existing non-retina 11" & 13" MacBook Airs. And then the 13" & 15" retina MacBook Pros.

Once you go Pro you never go back! (I'm coining that!)

 

[melbsteve]

Re: New Macbook or Macbook Air 11"

I'm just coming back from an Apple Store; they still did not have the new MacBook at the tables for try outs, BUT an employee walked around with his golden one and let me lift it, open and close it and just marvel at it essentially. Bloody hell how beautiful is that thing. I'm typing this on a 5 year old MacBook Pro which I had seriously ramped up specs-wise back then (2.6Ghz processor and all that), so I kind of don't want to 'upgrade' after five years to a device that has internals which aren't even half as good as my current computer... but damn the temptation is there.

I don't do a lot of heavy lifting to be fair, mostly work on my mac for university, do a bit of video editing at times and generally have a large media library. If I knew for sure that the new MacBook copes well with all of that, I'd get one today. Still hesitant though, will wait for more reviews.

Now back to your question > my answer to your question is obvious. If you can scrape the money together I would nab the MacBook. The display is stunning, so is the keyboard. Also, I'm pretty sure the macbook 12" will be slimmer/smaller in total body size thanks to the redesign of the body and yet you'll have more screen to look at compared to 11".