Easy to go from 15" to 13"?

stickyfingers85 · Nov 23, 2012, 03:14 AM

I'm considering going for from a mbp 15" to a mba 13" but worried about the screen size

I mostly use it for watching movies, web browsing, documents, just basic things haha

How have other people coped? Does it make much of a difference?

The main reason im switching is portability

Seamaster · Nov 23, 2012, 03:20 AM

Run apps full-screen and you'll barely notice a difference.

designs216 · Nov 23, 2012, 06:37 AM

Let us know how it works out. I'm facing the same decision. My wife is using a 15 we used to share (I do graphics work) and now I'm thinking about lightening her load.

J&JPolangin · Nov 23, 2012, 08:12 AM

The 13" MBA has the same resolution as the 15" cMBP so you should be pretty good to go with the MBA...visit a store with your machine and look at them side by side...

AppleAlfred · Nov 23, 2012, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J&JPolangin

The 13" MBA has the same resolution as the 15" cMBP so you should be pretty good to go with the MBA...visit a store with your machine and look at them side by side...

What he said.. I just made the exact same switch and ordered my air today. I knew I'd be Okay when I went to the apple store and looked at them side by side. I personally had no issues and I use my computer for much the same things as you do.

maflynn · Nov 23, 2012, 08:40 AM

I went from a 15" to a 13" MBP a few years ago. The transition was ok, though I did miss the screen real estate particularly in photoshop. I've moved back to the 15" when apple introduced the retina MBP

hlkc · Nov 23, 2012, 11:15 AM

I went from 15" MBP to 11" MBA just very recently. It took me a bit time to adjust it. I enlarge the default font and some web site will use larger font that I have no problem, others are a bit small. But I can't carry my 15" MBP anymore not to mention the performance of my i7, 8G & 512G SSD compare to my 11" MBA...

Cliff3 · Nov 23, 2012, 11:19 AM

I replaced my mid-2009 15" MBP with a 13" MBA in June. The new machine is a strong performer, battery life is great, and the light weight is appreciated. The screen resolution is identical, but the pixel pitch is smaller on the MBA due to the smaller screen (I am a glasses-wearing Old Guy). My old machine had an anti-glare screen and I was worried that I was going to miss that, but the MBA screen is nowhere near as reflective as the current MBPs.

Marv89 · Nov 23, 2012, 07:47 PM

Made the same switch, and it works just fine. Maybe I'll get a second monitor for home later when I head back to university in a year, but at the moment I think 13" is a big advance because it's a lot more portable than 15"

tacomahunter · Nov 24, 2012, 09:16 PM

Just made the move from a 2011 15" MBP and dont think I will be missing a thing. All good.

BRyken · Nov 25, 2012, 07:34 PM

I went from a 17" down to a 13" in 2010 and never looked back. The convenience and portability was x10 better.

ECUpirate44 · Nov 25, 2012, 07:39 PM

I have a HRGS 2010 MBP 1680X1050. I'm considering an Air, but I'm worried I won't like the screen. I'm not at all impressed by the 1440x900 screen the MBP uses now..

robvas · Nov 26, 2012, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hlkc

I went from 15" MBP to 11" MBA just very recently. It took me a bit time to adjust it. I enlarge the default font and some web site will use larger font that I have no problem, others are a bit small.

I shrink the web browser font (Command-'-') on my 11" Air so I can fit more on the screen!

podiki · Nov 26, 2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ECUpirate44

I have a HRGS 2010 MBP 1680X1050. I'm considering an Air, but I'm worried I won't like the screen. I'm not at all impressed by the 1440x900 screen the MBP uses now..

I have a 2011 13" Air and I was quite disappointed by the screen also. One does get used to it, but still, for a machine this costly it's not good enough. The viewing angle just is too small.

ECUpirate44 · Nov 26, 2012, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by podiki

I have a 2011 13" Air and I was quite disappointed by the screen also. One does get used to it, but still, for a machine this costly it's not good enough. The viewing angle just is too small.

My worry is real estate. I feel like I can fit so much onto this screen.

dazey · Nov 26, 2012, 01:59 PM

I went from a 15" too. As others have said, the resolution is the same, so apart from being a bit smaller, you have the same real estate. I found it an OK transition, but as others mentioned, the screen viewing angles are poor.

Bigserver1 · Nov 26, 2012, 04:22 PM

I just bought a brand new 13" MBA and came from a 15" MBP (2006).

I love the MBA, and while I liked the real estate of a 15" screen, my old pro feels heavy, thick and super clunky now. Loving the thin, light MBA with a great screen (again, coming from an old MBP), the SSD is fast as all hell and the 13" screen is plenty big enough for websites and video streaming, which is 75% of what i do on my laptop.

rabidz7 · 03:20 PM

The screen is easy to get used to, but the graphics are so slow it is impossible to game on, and my old g4 2005 powerbook is as good as a 13" in my opinion.

Nov 23, 2012, 03:14 AM	#1
stickyfingers85 macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2010	Easy to go from 15" to 13"? I'm considering going for from a mbp 15" to a mba 13" but worried about the screen size I mostly use it for watching movies, web browsing, documents, just basic things haha How have other people coped? Does it make much of a difference? The main reason im switching is portability __________________ 15" Macbook Pro, 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD @ 7200rpm \| 32GB iPhone 5 \|
	0

Nov 23, 2012, 03:20 AM	#2
Seamaster macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2003	Run apps full-screen and you'll barely notice a difference. __________________ MacBook Air 13" 128GB \| iPad mini 16GB \| iPhone 4S 16GB \| Time Capsule 2TB \| Apple TV 3
	0

Nov 23, 2012, 08:12 AM	#4
J&JPolangin macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Japan...at the waters edge...	The 13" MBA has the same resolution as the 15" cMBP so you should be pretty good to go with the MBA...visit a store with your machine and look at them side by side... __________________ 2011 21" iMac, AEBS, iPT G1 & G4, 2009 2.0Ghz nVidia 9400M WB 4GB RAM & 128Gb SSD, 2011 13" MBP w/ 512Gb SSD/8Gb RAM & iPad3 64gb 4G PC's: AMD X6, H60, 12Gb RAM, 3Tb HDD's, 64Gb SSD
	1

Nov 23, 2012, 11:19 AM	#8
Cliff3 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: SF Bay Area	I replaced my mid-2009 15" MBP with a 13" MBA in June. The new machine is a strong performer, battery life is great, and the light weight is appreciated. The screen resolution is identical, but the pixel pitch is smaller on the MBA due to the smaller screen (I am a glasses-wearing Old Guy). My old machine had an anti-glare screen and I was worried that I was going to miss that, but the MBA screen is nowhere near as reflective as the current MBPs. __________________ 2009 MP 8-core 2.26GHz w/30" ACD \| 2012 MBA 13" i7■8GB■256GB \| 2012 iPad 32GB \| iPhone 4 16GB \| 2nd Gen AppleTV \| 2 * 1st Gen AppleTV
	0

Nov 24, 2012, 09:16 PM	#10
tacomahunter macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Colorado	Just made the move from a 2011 15" MBP and dont think I will be missing a thing. All good. __________________ 12-20-08: Airport Extreme 04-03-10: 32 gig IPad added to the stable 04-02-11: MBP 2.2 GHz 8g Ram 500 Gig HD ROCKET 11-25-12: MBA 1.8 Ghz 8mg Ram 256 SSD Speedster
	0

Nov 23, 2012, 06:37 AM	#3
designs216 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: On the way to M-83	Let us know how it works out. I'm facing the same decision. My wife is using a 15 we used to share (I do graphics work) and now I'm thinking about lightening her load.
	0

Nov 23, 2012, 08:40 AM	#6
maflynn Demi-God (Moderator) Join Date: May 2009 Location: Boston	I went from a 15" to a 13" MBP a few years ago. The transition was ok, though I did miss the screen real estate particularly in photoshop. I've moved back to the 15" when apple introduced the retina MBP
	0

Nov 23, 2012, 11:15 AM	#7
hlkc macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2008	I went from 15" MBP to 11" MBA just very recently. It took me a bit time to adjust it. I enlarge the default font and some web site will use larger font that I have no problem, others are a bit small. But I can't carry my 15" MBP anymore not to mention the performance of my i7, 8G & 512G SSD compare to my 11" MBA...
	0

Nov 23, 2012, 07:47 PM	#9
Marv89 macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2012	Made the same switch, and it works just fine. Maybe I'll get a second monitor for home later when I head back to university in a year, but at the moment I think 13" is a big advance because it's a lot more portable than 15"
	0

Nov 25, 2012, 07:34 PM	#11
BRyken macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2008	I went from a 17" down to a 13" in 2010 and never looked back. The convenience and portability was x10 better. __________________ Mac Mini 2.7GHz i7 16GB RAM Fusion Drive \| 27" Thunderbolt Display \| Seagate Backup Plus 3TB USB 3.0\|16 GB Black iPhone 5
	0

Nov 25, 2012, 07:39 PM	#12
ECUpirate44 macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NC	I have a HRGS 2010 MBP 1680X1050. I'm considering an Air, but I'm worried I won't like the screen. I'm not at all impressed by the 1440x900 screen the MBP uses now.. __________________ 2012 RMBP 2.3/8/256. 16Gb iPhone 5 Black & Slate.
	0

Nov 26, 2012, 01:59 PM	#16
dazey macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2005	I went from a 15" too. As others have said, the resolution is the same, so apart from being a bit smaller, you have the same real estate. I found it an OK transition, but as others mentioned, the screen viewing angles are poor.
	0

Nov 26, 2012, 04:22 PM	#17
Bigserver1 macrumors member Join Date: Sep 2012	I just bought a brand new 13" MBA and came from a 15" MBP (2006). I love the MBA, and while I liked the real estate of a 15" screen, my old pro feels heavy, thick and super clunky now. Loving the thin, light MBA with a great screen (again, coming from an old MBP), the SSD is fast as all hell and the 13" screen is plenty big enough for websites and video streaming, which is 75% of what i do on my laptop.
	0

Nov 26, 2012, 06:37 PM	#18
rabidz7 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ohio	Graphic's. The screen is easy to get used to, but the graphics are so slow it is impossible to game on, and my old g4 2005 powerbook is as good as a 13" in my opinion. Last edited by rabidz7; Nov 27, 2012 at 03:20 PM. Reason: Unclear
	0

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