13" and MS Office

[Smartie]

Hi,
I've recently started to think that I should get a 13" MBA with a TBD instead of an iMac. I could really use the portability in the house even if I already have an iPad.

My main use is web, mail, and iPhoto. No heavy photoshopping or movie making, maybe some basic home video editing in iMovie. In addition, I do use quite some big PowerPoint presentations (sometimes 100+ slides) and big MS Excel files with a few macros at work. I tend to work on those on my home computer in the week evenings. Will the 13" MBA handle this with ease or do I need something else. No particular budget constraints soi can max it out if need be.

Thanks in advance.

 

[kodeman53]

The MBA13, or even the MBA11, will be more than adequate for the tasks you've listed. The biggest issue I've found are the differences between Office2010 on Windows at work and Office on my iMac and MBA11. There are enough differences, particularly with Excel, to make it something I do only in emergencies.

 

[Smartie]

Thanks. What are the main issues? Big enough not to Go OS X and rather stay with Windows? Hope not.

 

[kodeman53]

Thanks. What are the main issues? Big enough not to Go OS X and rather stay with Windows? Hope not.

Simple things like the ribbon being different. I do a lot of sorts, subtotals, etc. and am accustomed to clicking on Data, Subtotals, Group, Ungroup, etc. and I found myself having to search for the equivalent location in Office for Mac. I didn't find anything I couldn't do in Office for Mac, but it was different enough to be frustrating.

I have heard the next release of Office for Mac will get both versions looking the same.

 

[Smartie]

I have heard the next release of Office for Mac will get both versions looking the same.

Here's for hoping you are right. Thanks for your help.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Here's for hoping you are right. Thanks for your help.

I hope that's true as well. MS Office on Mac is a joke. I'm going to get Parallel Desktop and install the Windows version I think.

 

[rygamble]

I hope that's true as well. MS Office on Mac is a joke. I'm going to get Parallel Desktop and install the Windows version I think.

Yeah, this is probably the best bet. Just get 8gb of RAM too lol.

 

[theSeb]

Simple things like the ribbon being different. I do a lot of sorts, subtotals, etc. and am accustomed to clicking on Data, Subtotals, Group, Ungroup, etc. and I found myself having to search for the equivalent location in Office for Mac. I didn't find anything I couldn't do in Office for Mac, but it was different enough to be frustrating.

I have heard the next release of Office for Mac will get both versions looking the same.

Then there is also the messed up date formatting, which can drive one insane. I stick to using MS office in Windows via bootcamp.