I've had an Macbook Pro for years and it is time to move on to a new one. Asking a couple questions and hoping you guys can help.

Any significant difference between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air? Here is what i can find.

Price
The pro looks like it is about $300 more

Processor
The Air has a 1.1 to 1.2 Ghz
The Pro has a 1.4 to 1.7 Ghx
Is that significant?
I don't need high powered but hate to wait for things to load or freeze.

Also, what's the difference between the i3, i5 and i7?


Screen
400 vs 500 nits
Full standard color vs Wide color

Weight
The air is 0.3 # lighter
Doesn't seem like much

The Pro has a touch bar. I am not familiar with this. People find it helpful?

Also, what are people's thoughts on trading in the old one?

I worry about security.
Best way to wipe your computer?

Physically remove the hard drive.

I was in the same boat as you a couple years ago. It all depends on what you're going to use your new laptop for.

I used to do a lot of side projects separate from my job like creating mobile apps, debugging, working with large data sets, working with R-Studio, making scatter plots, etc. For that type of stuff or other software you'll want power.

If you just browse the web, watch videos, write docs, other basic type things go with the air. That's what I bought about a month ago and love it. So far its been one of the best laptops I've ever had, and I'm hard to please. The keyboard gets extra high marks since they switched back to butterfly switches!

+ Apple is pretty good on privacy. Wouldn't have too many reservations trading in an old laptop. They don't give you a ton of money for it though.

Mac Utility Offers a Secure Erase that meets DoD specifications. It is more than enough.

+ The rest just depends on what you do with the computer. If you are browsing the web, watching youtube/netflix, using word/light photo editors etc. then the air is plenty powerful. If you are editing movies, doing heavy photo editing, or gaming, then you want the pro.

+ 400/500 nits you will only notice if you try to take it outside in the Sun.

+ 0.3 pounds is not a lot -- OTOH, the slanted vs. boxy feel of the front of the Air/Pro does feel different. I would prefer the air for typing.

+ The touch bar is not that useful. I think you can customize things to make it useful, I've never spent the time to do it.

+ If you are going to spend more money on any component - make it RAM. The RAM on Macbooks is soldered in, and basically impossible to upgrade later. Low RAM is what makes a computer feel laggy these days (you have too many programs open and then everything seems to take forever).

Great input guys.

I pretty much browse the web, watch videos on youtube and use their Word equivalent.

Definitely nothing fancy.

I have never traded in a computer before. I typically open it up and smash the inside with a hammer. Surprisingly therapeutic.

In that case, I'd probably go with the Air.

Trade in your old laptop, and then use some of the money for this:

http://www.houseofpurge.com/

That is awesome!
And it's in Charlotte!!!

Did you do that purposely because you knew I lived in Charlotte or was that just a coincidence?

It says Charlotte on your location... so just googled..

I know of the one in Chicago - figured other big cities might have the same.

https://www.escapadesescapegames.com/chicago-rage-room/

Kudos

we use to have a macbook pro... have a macbook air and it works for what we need... mainly just surf the web and do a few typical things like use microsoft applications... macbook air is enough for us

Pulled the trigger and ordered a new macbook air.

They are offering me $240 for the trade in of my in good condition2015 macbook air.