I have a MBP 13 and an MBA 11 (ultimate). The 11 gets 10X more use, and is far more portable than the 2" difference would suggest. I use it for professional iPhone and iPad app development without any problems. If I need more display area, the MBA 11 can drive a large 27" display just as easily as the 13.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
11 vs 13 macbook air
- Thread starter tim100
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
i dont like external monitors. i like the portable of a laptop or ipad. i dont want to be chained to a desk like a desktop.
13" Refurbished
Just in case anyone cares, the $1189 13"/128/4/1.86 configuration has just made an appearance on the Apple Refurbished Store.
I didn't realize until today that the 11"/128/4/1.6 and the 13"/128/4/1.86 were the EXACT same price. Did a search on MRoogle and indeed it was. I am just surprised that is all. You get so much more with the 13". I guess you are paying the same price for a smaller form factor or something.
Just in case anyone cares, the $1189 13"/128/4/1.86 configuration has just made an appearance on the Apple Refurbished Store.
I didn't realize until today that the 11"/128/4/1.6 and the 13"/128/4/1.86 were the EXACT same price. Did a search on MRoogle and indeed it was. I am just surprised that is all. You get so much more with the 13". I guess you are paying the same price for a smaller form factor or something.
Coming from 12" iBook G4 and loving it's size and form factor 11" Air was just the perfect fit. I was looking for a replacement for the 6-year-old and couldn't be happier going for the smaller Air. It's perfect for living room, perfect for bed. Wouldn't use it for any prolonged office work though because of the longer viewing distance when you use the machine on a table.
I really tried to like iPad but I need to juggle between plethora of open browser windows and tabs and IRC client (=terminal) and whatnot. I've been using iPad1 and was going to buy iPad2 but after considering my browsing habits and how the tablet form is actually more uncomfortable for me (you don't have to hold a laptop!) I went for Air... Here's hoping for another 6 years.
I really tried to like iPad but I need to juggle between plethora of open browser windows and tabs and IRC client (=terminal) and whatnot. I've been using iPad1 and was going to buy iPad2 but after considering my browsing habits and how the tablet form is actually more uncomfortable for me (you don't have to hold a laptop!) I went for Air... Here's hoping for another 6 years.
I have the 11, and I love it.
I have the base model. So far, no issues with the 2GB RAM. I haven't really put anything on it, so the 64 GB SSD hasn't been an issue either. I'm actually getting into keeping it "uncluttered" and using file sharing, etc.
I should mention that I also have a MacBook and a netbook, but the Air is my favorite.
I have the base model. So far, no issues with the 2GB RAM. I haven't really put anything on it, so the 64 GB SSD hasn't been an issue either. I'm actually getting into keeping it "uncluttered" and using file sharing, etc.
I should mention that I also have a MacBook and a netbook, but the Air is my favorite.
Ok.
Long story made shorter.
Bought a 11" day one when they were released. Couldn't seem to get use to the display, so gave that one away and bought a 13 inch....realized how BIG it really is, so sold that and bought another 11"
11" is a great size for the air. Anything bigger, I'd buy a MBP, which I did (17 inch MBP) Good to go no matter the situation.
Long story made shorter.
Bought a 11" day one when they were released. Couldn't seem to get use to the display, so gave that one away and bought a 13 inch....realized how BIG it really is, so sold that and bought another 11"
11" is a great size for the air. Anything bigger, I'd buy a MBP, which I did (17 inch MBP) Good to go no matter the situation.
that's interesting. I'm currently developing on my iMac and contemplating buying an MBA 11" to do some work on the road.
Is the 11" screen big enough to code in XCode?
I love the small form factor of the MBA but I'm still not sure if I can work on it. I'd use it only for coding; graphics and other things would still be done on my iMac.
What can you tell me about this?
13
I wanted the 11" but decided at the last minute --- ordered, but hasn't shipped --- to go with 1.86ghz/4gb/128gb because I plan to use my MBA for dreamweaver and photoshop and I didn't think that the 11" would be suitable for those tasks.
As a current first generation MBA user, I know that the 13.3 is still an extremely portable computer so it is not going to be much of a sacrifice going with the more powerful machine.
I wanted the 11" but decided at the last minute --- ordered, but hasn't shipped --- to go with 1.86ghz/4gb/128gb because I plan to use my MBA for dreamweaver and photoshop and I didn't think that the 11" would be suitable for those tasks.
As a current first generation MBA user, I know that the 13.3 is still an extremely portable computer so it is not going to be much of a sacrifice going with the more powerful machine.
you may want to look at this thread:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1037403/
it has screen shots of xcode on an 11". i went with the 13" because i really like the extra screen space for development.
The 11 ultimate is what I bought because it's the perfect combination of portability and usefulness. I'd get the 13 over the MBP, because I don't see the need for the optical drive anymore, but for portability nothing tops the 11. Any smaller would be too small, and any bigger and it's just a laptop.
Last edited:
11" for me. I wanted a secondary which was more portable than my 17" pro, which is horrible to lug around and fly with.
After trying them out in the store, the 13" just crossed that line of feeling too big for the kind of portability I wanted. I feared it would feel like a second laptop more than a portable companion. So that's why I opted for the 11" 128GB. It's a perfect fit and such a pleasure to pull out to use. I take it with me everyday, and yet at home it doesn't feel like it's challenging the 17" and creating redundancy, which something bigger would have.
I cringe remembering the strain of moving around the city with my 17". God that freaking backpack...now I just have a small half messenger bag with my kindle & MBA
After trying them out in the store, the 13" just crossed that line of feeling too big for the kind of portability I wanted. I feared it would feel like a second laptop more than a portable companion. So that's why I opted for the 11" 128GB. It's a perfect fit and such a pleasure to pull out to use. I take it with me everyday, and yet at home it doesn't feel like it's challenging the 17" and creating redundancy, which something bigger would have.
I cringe remembering the strain of moving around the city with my 17". God that freaking backpack...now I just have a small half messenger bag with my kindle & MBA
Wel back when the MBA's were in the stores my better half and I were on a road trip to Williamsburg... we had our fill of tourist stuff... so I talked then in taking a drive down to Norfolk to just look and kill some time...
We were both taken by it... he went for the 11" and I went for the 13"... I went for the 13" for the screen size and the SD slot... he went for the 11" since he had his sight on the iPad. Not to mention he had a 5yo better Macbook...
We both love our choices that day.... but do wish that the 11" MBA would have had the SD slot.. then we would be matching LOL
The perfect research tool
I need a small light notebook to take to the library and work remotely on my Doctorate. The heavy lifting will be done on my iMac i7, but I needed something with a larger screen than the 11" that could run MS Word and Excell, the MacBook Air 13" was the perect tool for the job. To date it has done nothing but leave my friends and I truly impressed with it's speed and capabilities.
I need a small light notebook to take to the library and work remotely on my Doctorate. The heavy lifting will be done on my iMac i7, but I needed something with a larger screen than the 11" that could run MS Word and Excell, the MacBook Air 13" was the perect tool for the job. To date it has done nothing but leave my friends and I truly impressed with it's speed and capabilities.
I also have i5 15" MBP. But I am on process to sell it since I never use it anymore. Instead, I am getting a external drive for all of my iTunes media and external display for home use.
I think modern laptop is fast enough for most of us. And honestly, my MBA seems like it is faster than my i5 MBP on normal usage due to SSD.