if the budget creeps up to whether either is an option, you might want to include him in on the decision (or even go visit an Apple store with him). If you really want to keep the budget down, you'll probably stick with the Air. If you want to give it to him right now, the current rMBP is still a fine computer (I just set up a friend with one and she absolutely loves it). The battery life increases on the Air have been phenomenal (up to 12 hours), and Haswell rMBP should see similar type gains (along with more bang for the buck in other areas). However, if you do end up considering the rMBP, if at all possible, wait for the Haswell release that is sure to come in the next 2-3 months. Garage Band will appreciate a little more oomph, but it's certainly not required - the i5 is still plenty good enough.ġ3' MBP Air vs 13' MBP retina (I wouldn't recommend the original MBP at this point): The tough choice is if you choose to trick out the Air with all the options, you will suddenly find yourself in rMBP price territory where you can actually get a slightly more powerful machine with a gorgeous retina display for similar money, and only a little more weight (3.57 lbs.

Re the CPU, that's really more of a budget issue - if the extra $150 isn't going to be missed, then may as well get the i7. Second, I would recommend the 256GB SSD, especially since if your son is a musician, he more than likely has (or will soon have) a decent size iTunes collection, and 128GB can fill up fairly quick.

First, you definitely want 8GB, especially since the MacBook Air and retina cannot be upgraded later.

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