Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've never really understood those in the PC camp who sneer at Mac users for being "sheep" - and having gone to a techie school for college, I've met more than my fair share. I've used both PC's and Macs throughout the years, and although I prefer certain aspects of the PC over its Mac counterpart, I've been swayed by the relative stability of the Mac's OS X operating system over Windows. Plus, once Boot Camp (a program that lets you install Windows on your Mac) came out, I was able to get the best of both worlds in one computer; I've stuck with Macs ever since. Although my 2012 Macbook Air was no slouch, my new 2014 Macbook Pro ups the ante in many respects. Although there's certainly been a performance boost - everything runs buttery smooth, and the SSD is blazing fast - the retina screen has been the selling point for me. When I first used the Pro, even the desktop icons were so clear the my eyes had a difficult time focusing at first, if that makes any sense at all. My eyes are now thanking me for purchasing this computer, and I would have a hard time going back to displays that are not at least close to retina level. While considering what kind of computer to buy, I almost went with the 2014 Macbook Air over the Pro. I knew that I wanted a relatively portable machine future-proofed with 8GB of RAM and a 256 SSD. But when the Pro came out a few weeks back, I noticed that Apple (finally!) upped the standard memory to 8GB for the same price as last year's model. The Air's standard memory is still stuck at 4GB, so I would have had to pay to upgrade to 8GB. That, coupled with the discounted price Amazon was selling it for, convinced me to go for the only slightly more expensive Pro; the price difference between the Pro and Air was only $80 at the time of purchase. The now-standard 8GB of memory is probably enough, but I recommend upgrading the SSD to 256GB if possible; 128GB can get cramped fairly quickly, unless you are happy with an external hard drive or don't work with large files. Apple's made it a bit difficult to switch out the internal hard drive after the fact if you're inexperienced with computers, although it's doable. The memory can be upgraded through the online Apple store if you aren't satisfied with 8GB; if you go that route, make sure to get the education discount if you are a teacher or have an .edu email address. If you travel often and portability/battery life are important factors for you, I would consider the Macbook Air. Just keep in mind that the 13-inch Pro is only about a half-pound heavier than the Air, and I still get almost 10 hours of battery life from the Pro with the brightness set in the middle (although the specs on Amazon state that the Pro's battery lasts for up to 9 hours). This is only a couple of hours short of the Air, and gets me through the day without having to bring along the power adapter. Plus, you get a better processor + Intel Iris graphics for the power users, better audio, more ports - two Thunderbolt ports and an SDXC card slot are welcome additions - AND the retina screen. For these upgrades alone, the price difference was too slim for me to pick the Air. I prefer the design of the Pro as well, and personally think that the build quality is a notch above that of its lighter brother (or perhaps sister?). If you're still on the fence, head up to an Apple store if you have one near you and test both to see which you prefer. The price is relatively high, but in my opinion you do get what you pay for. I'd prefer the Pro to have more upgradeability options - it does carry the moniker 'Pro' after all - but this flaw is not enough for me to drop a star from the rating. I'm satisfied with my purchase, and I encourage anyone in the market for a laptop that offers a nice blend of power and portability to give the 2014 Macbook Pro a try. One final note: Don't forget to put a cover on it! Applecare doesn't cover accidental damage from drops, plus Apple laptops don't depreciate in value as quickly as their Windows counterparts; if your machine is in relatively good shape after a year or two, you can sell the computer and upgrade to a new one for a few hundred bucks (This method is a no-go for me. I am a klutz and apparently like to break expensive things.). I feel like I've been brainwashed by Apple just for saying this, but I'll go ahead and say it anyway - "it just works." Rating: 4.7 stars.