Adding the high-res Retina Display to a new 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple has created a new midway point between the slim ultrabook-like MacBook Air and the traditional 13-inch Pro. By eliminating the long-standing optical drive and platter hard drive, the new Retina 13-inch Pro slims down greatly, and even has a smaller desktop footprint than the 13-inch Air.
We took the just-delivered 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display and lined it up next to a current-gen 13-inch MacBook Air. The results left us feeling that each design has its advantages, but at the same time, there's still a big difference in the hand between the two.
While the new Retina MacBook Pro is not as thin and light as a MacBook Air, it actually has a slightly smaller footprint. The Retina Pro is 12.4 inches by 8.6 inches, while the 13-inch Air measures 12.8 inches by 8.9 inches. The gallery above shows several of the key angles, but we've called a few notable comparisons out here.
