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Just bought an 11" as a main computer. Am I crazy?
- Thread starter dontwalkhand
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I use a 11.6 inch Windows 8 tablet Acer Iconia W700(I5 Core) as my main/primary computer.
I like the sceen size, i don't think it is not too small for me but i wouldn't have a 8ich tablet as my main/primary computer because it is too small because of the sceen size, they are great for on the go things.
It is a very powerful(great for video editing, photoshop) and very compact, portable(way more portable than my laptop) tablet PC and i am very happy with it and because of that i be giving my 15 inch Asus laptop to my dad.
I like the sceen size, i don't think it is not too small for me but i wouldn't have a 8ich tablet as my main/primary computer because it is too small because of the sceen size, they are great for on the go things.
It is a very powerful(great for video editing, photoshop) and very compact, portable(way more portable than my laptop) tablet PC and i am very happy with it and because of that i be giving my 15 inch Asus laptop to my dad.
Anyone thinking about considering the 11" as a main machine should read Matt's post on how he manages it: http://mattgemmell.com/small-screen-productivity/
Well i have my MBA 11 from 2011 as my main my machine, the base model with only a puny 2gb of ram and 64gb storage handles like a champ even with yosemite public beta.
handles like a champ even with yosemite public beta.That's a very interesting and useful article, thank you for posting the link.
I've recently made the decision to rely entirely on my MBA 11 as my main computer. It's by far the most productive device I have - mainly working as a writer, ideas generator, and travelling across the world etc.
I'm not at all bothered by the screen either - in my view, it actually suits the small form factor more than a retina. As the article's author quite rightly notes, the small screen promotes discipline and good practice.
There are many professions where one would need a bigger computer, but for the right needs, the 11 is a marvellous machine.
I dunno, I think people are just making excuses to suit what they have.
I read that article too. No one specifically wants to not be able to see a single sheet of paper in PDF form without scrolling multiple times.
It's not about discipline, it's not able feeling cozy. It's about accepting what you have because there are many other benefits. That's the truth.
I just don't buy the hype of "Having a smaller display that shows much less is better!"...
I read that article too. No one specifically wants to not be able to see a single sheet of paper in PDF form without scrolling multiple times.
It's not about discipline, it's not able feeling cozy. It's about accepting what you have because there are many other benefits. That's the truth.
I just don't buy the hype of "Having a smaller display that shows much less is better!"...
I'm not sure I'm seeing that in this thread. Maybe I'm reading it differently. Agree that given the right circumstances, everyone would choose a bigger screen.
I've found that my 11" MBA makes a great companion while lounging on the bed or couch. Its portability is a true convenience. i'm doing a couple of cross country flights soon and am very excited to take the MBA along. I think it will do an excellent job of being unobtrusive in the airport, flight and hotel rooms.
I've used an 11" Macbook Air for my main computer for just about 4 years now. Lots of development, video editing, everything else. No problems ( cmd-tab has always been my buddy ).
The secret here is to really think carefully about usage. I think an 11" machine with a monitor for when needed is an almost perfect set up. If doing serious work most people would want to be at a desk, so the monitor makes sense. But for general use on the sofa, a plane, a cafe or anywhere away from a desk it would be perfect.
I am looking at value for my work flow. The cost of an 11" Air, plus a decent monitor, makes perfect sense for me.
I am looking at value for my work flow. The cost of an 11" Air, plus a decent monitor, makes perfect sense for me.
That's what I took from the article linked to earlier. There were very few tips (all of them were already mentioned in this thread), it was just the author attempting to justify his purchase by making excuses as to why a little display is better.
That's exactly it, the small and lightweight laptop is great for portability and other reasons, so you are making a concession when it comes to display size and limited resolution.
The 11" would be perfect to complement my 15" which I got for work. I would use it on the couch / in bed / holidays, and as an ipad replacement. I know from previous (win7) laptops that 1366x768 is good enough for me for productive things (coding).
I now have a Lenovo x200 but it gets extremely hot and crashes once every week or so.
But the question when buying an 11" would be, "should I wait for the update?", right?
I now have a Lenovo x200 but it gets extremely hot and crashes once every week or so.
But the question when buying an 11" would be, "should I wait for the update?", right?
The 11" MBA received a minor update at the beginning of this year. There were some great deals this past Summer on them (that's when i bought one).
I suggest keeping an eye out for deals (Best Buy has periodically had some stack-able deals) and be ready to jump on it.
I've had a 13″ MacBook Air since the first 2008 model and recently replaced it with a 2014 11″ Air. I chose the 11″ for one reason--after using the 13″ heavily for five years, I learned that my when typing and resting my hands on the keyboard, the frond edge of the computer is right under my wrists. This becomes extremely uncomfortable after a few hours of heavy use. With the 11″, the front edge falls under the meaty part of my palm. No discomfort.
I find the smaller screen does not bother me. My old original model MBA had the 1280x800 display, so the new 11″ actually gives me more horizontal resolution. I have also shrunk the dock to the smallest size possible, moved it to the left, and set it to autohide. (I use Alfred and barely use the dock anyway.)
I do wish the 11″ had an SD card slot though.
I find the smaller screen does not bother me. My old original model MBA had the 1280x800 display, so the new 11″ actually gives me more horizontal resolution. I have also shrunk the dock to the smallest size possible, moved it to the left, and set it to autohide. (I use Alfred and barely use the dock anyway.)
I do wish the 11″ had an SD card slot though.
Unfortunately, they have tightened up considerably on coupons. I wanted to pick up another Air for traveling. I went in last night with my student discount coupon as well as the movers coupon. At first, I attempted to use both on an open box. I did it before, but figured they may not let me. The cashier scanned both but the system rejected the student discount on an open box item.
I decided to get a new model so that I could use both coupons. As soon as I handed him both coupons for that one, a manger walked up and clearly stopped the transaction. He was rather rude and almost treated me as if I was trying to do something illegal. He said they cannot be combined. I explained that I had bought two Macbooks previously from his store by combining these coupons, and that I never had an issue. Instead of explaining why I couldn't, he just kept saying "you can't." I left without purchasing anything. It wasn't so much because they didn't allow me to stack, but it was the way I was treated, like I was a criminal for attempting to spend almost a thousand dollars in their store.
I got the normally $999 MBA 13" for $749 from Bestbuy. They had it on sale for $849 and I used a $100 student discount coupon that I got from a friend who is a teacher and has a .edu e-mail address.
Keep your eyes open for the sale, I bet you can find the 11" even less.
Keep your eyes open for the sale, I bet you can find the 11" even less.
I picked up a new 11" MBA for $650 at Best Buy with the discounts (after applying the trade-in value on a Surface 2, I walked out paying $450 tax included)
I actually meant if I should wait for the rumored retina version.
In the Netherlands they are very expensive, about 900. If I buy from the UK (=europe so no duties), through ebay, it would be 750.
I think the assumption is that a new model won't come out until Broadwell is widely available which is towards the beginning of next year already, if not later. If you need a new computer in the next few months, might as well buy the 11". You can always sell it for a pretty solid price later (at least in the US).
I wouldn't be surprised if a retina display decreased battery life so I guess you have to ask yourself which is most important to you. I've seen the retina displays on the MBPs and they are beautiful but for a machine I travel with, I choose battery life.
I'd say this is completely viable. I've done it myself for a couple months at a time, when traveling.
In terms of screen real estate, it was only a few years ago that the non-retina 13" MacBook was Apple's best-selling computer and plenty of people used it as their main computer, for "real" work. And that had a resolution of 1280x800, which is practically the same as 1366x768. Move your dock to a side and everything ends up having the same amount of real estate.
Bought a used 2011 MBA 11" (4/128gb) last summer originally as a non-precious visuals/programming rig and it immediately put my 2011 15" MBP out of commission. Besides weight/size, the SSD played a big role in this too. The screen res took a few days to get used to, and when using the 15" for file swapping the enormous landscape/sizing of everything looked ridiculous. Been using the 11" for web dev, programming, inDesign layout, Lightroom, etc etc.. and screen size has rarely been an issue. For web dev, it's probably a good thing to have an < 800px height in mind especially as FB and others redesign their pages to account for influx of netbooks. I huffed when seeing some others use this size factor, but now even a 13" seems obtrusive.
I wouldn't say an 11" screen on a main computer is crazy, but then again I used a Windows 7 netbook (10.1" screen) in a work-from-home customer service position for 6 months before getting a larger screen.
I currently have a 13" rMBP but think the 11" MBA is just fine size-wise so long as you are able to creatively manage screen real estate. Not everyone needs a 15-17" notebook.
I currently have a 13" rMBP but think the 11" MBA is just fine size-wise so long as you are able to creatively manage screen real estate. Not everyone needs a 15-17" notebook.
Another interesting thing to do -- instead of an external monitor, it's pretty cool using an Apple TV to mirror your Air, or use it as a second monitor by clicking on "extend desktop". I've never had a laptop that was equipped for that feature before. Certainly gives you more screen space (if you don't mind doing work in the living room etc)