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2012 13" MBA or 2013 11" MBA?

2012 13" MBA or 2013 11" MBA?

  • 2012 13" MBA: Keep it for another ~5 months

    Votes: 24 43.6%

  • 2013 11" MBA: Upgrade soon for about net $70

    Votes: 31 56.4%
  • Total voters
    55
dmk1974

dmk1974

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
2,513
568
Per another thread, I have decided against upgrading from a 2012 13" MBA to a 2013 13" MBA.

But I have also been testing out a 2013 11" MBA and am really considering keeping it instead of my 2012 13" MBA. The 11" is much more attractive than it had been in the past because of the real-world battery life now doubling from about 3.5 hours to 7 hours.

I have a Mac Mini as well as my home media server machine and when at my desk, I often connect my MBA to a 24" monitor and BT Apple keyboard and trackpad. But I do use the MBA as my primary machine and in other locations in the house, outdoor patio, and maybe about once a month to someone's house or Panera or something.

Screen Size:
11.6" vs 13.3" (13": 15% longer on diagonal)
16:9 ratio vs 16:10 (13": 11% taller per ratio)
1366x768 vs 1440x900 (13": 24% more pixels, 17% more vertical rows)
135 DPI vs 127 DPI (11": slightly sharper)
57.5 sq.in vs 79.5 sq.in. (13": 38% more surface area)
Weight:
2.38 lb. vs 2.96 lb. (13": 24% heavier)
Footprint:
85.2 sq.in. vs 114.4 sq.in. (13": 34% bigger)
Battery Life:
7 hours vs 5 hours real-life usage (2013 11": 40% longer)
SD Reader:
11" No vs 13" Yes
Graphics:
HD 4000 vs HD 5000 (2013 11": ~30% faster)
SSD Speed:
write/read of 230/440 vs 320/720 (MB/s)(2013 11": ~40%/~60% faster)
Speakers:
2012 13" louder/better than 2013 11"


I still figure that I can clear $800 or so if I sell the 2012 13" MBA (still has 5 months of warranty on it). With my brother's teacher discount, and hopefully a $100 iTunes BTS promo soon, the base 2013 11" MBA should only cost me about a net $70 to upgrade to.

So:
2012 13" MBA: Keep it for another ~5 months
or
2013 11" MBA: Upgrade soon for about net $70

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
i have to admit i'm confused by the 13" MBA-- it has a larger footprint than a MBP. whats the appeal, battery life and weight?
 
davideotape said:
i have to admit i'm confused by the 13" MBA-- it has a larger footprint than a MBP. whats the appeal, battery life and weight?
Click to expand...

To me, the 13" MBA is a much better machine and value than the 13" cMBP, especially if someone wants to then spend the extra to buy more RAM and an SSD for the cMBP. The 13" rMBP, especially whenever the Haswell version comes out, will truly be the "Pro" machine with premium display, graphics, and power (and cost to go along with it).

While IMO the 13" MBA is the sweet-spot for value of a fast, portable MacBook with a 1440x900 display, the 11" MBA is really amazing if you need something portable. If I didn't have a monitor/keyboard/trackpad to connect to, I'd go 13" MBA all the way. But since I do, that's why I am tempted by the 11" MBA.
 
Unless you desperately need the tiny size of the 11", the 13" is a much better machine; battery life, way better screen res, better aspect (16x10 vs 16x9 on the 11").

I've used an 11" and didn't particularly like it. the screen is just too small for me to get anything done effectively. Sure i can plug in a monitor, but the whole point of an ultraportable (for me) is to use AWAY from a desk.

The ex loved it though as it fit in her handbag, but the 13" isn't THAT much bigger.
 
Base 11" Mid 2013 MBA (base model) here. I'm a college student and already have a maxed-out 27" iMac. I was looking for the most portable and frankly the cheapest Mac notebook I could get, as I can't get by with only an iPad. The 11" MBA has fit the ticket perfectly so far. I feel like I can bring it anywhere I want to go. I love it.
 
falconeight said:
Until the air updates it's display with something viewable I would take the old one.
Click to expand...

I don't think they will get Retina for a long long time. That will be one of the big distinctions between the MBA and rMBP. Just like how they still sell the iPad 2 (somehow) along side the iPad 4.
 
I updated the comparison in the first post to include comparison of the speakers as well.
 
Thread/poll title is misleading. After you click it's a bait and switch and you find out why the 2k12 mba is in the title.
 
dmk1974 said:
Huh? I think it's pretty darn clear.
Click to expand...

Well that's what you think.

When I read it, I was like "I wonder why he wants to get a 2012.. maybe a refurb and save some cash?"... so I clicked, only to find out he's only asking "should I upgrade or not"?

Just saying it would have been simpler if the thread/poll was "Should I upgrade from 2012 mba?"

edit: OP, I don't think the 2013 is a worthy upgrade if you already have the 2012. Only if battery life and time away from the wall socket is of the upmost for you.
 
Last edited:
i think 13" if it's your only computer, 11" if it's your mobile secondary.

i love my 11" for traveling.
 
Kevbodian said:
Well that's what you think.

When I read it, I was like "I wonder why he wants to get a 2012.. maybe a refurb and save some cash?"... so I clicked, only to find out he's only asking "should I upgrade or not"?

Just saying it would have been simpler if the thread/poll was "Should I upgrade from 2012 mba?"

edit: OP, I don't think the 2013 is a worthy upgrade if you already have the 2012. Only if battery life and time away from the wall socket is of the upmost for you.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. No intent on "bait and switch" though. Poll is specific to my situation, but realistically, the two machines compared are still only about $50 different from my comparison if the decision was between a 2012 13" MBA from the Apple Refurb store ($849 when they have it) and a new 2013 11" MBA with the assumed BTS promo and education pricing.
 
dmk1974 said:
Fair enough. No intent on "bait and switch" though. Poll is specific to my situation, but realistically, the two machines compared are still only about $50 different from my comparison if the decision was between a 2012 13" MBA from the Apple Refurb store ($849 when they have it) and a new 2013 11" MBA with the assumed BTS promo and education pricing.
Click to expand...

I may have had my troll suit on a bit - I love how the green colour matches my eyes.

It's a tough call. I like the battery on the new model but I'm biased in that I never had the 2012. I did have the 2011 but I returned it because I didn't feel that a 3 hour battery was good enough for a $1400 computer.
 
Kevbodian said:
I may have had my troll suit on a bit - I love how the green colour matches my eyes.

It's a tough call. I like the battery on the new model but I'm biased in that I never had the 2012. I did have the 2011 but I returned it because I didn't feel that a 3 hour battery was good enough for a $1400 computer.
Click to expand...

Well, the BTS promo has started today. I think I'm going to get the 2013 11" MBA. Just need to sell off the 13" 2012 now. Thanks!
 
Battery life on this 2013 11" is pretty sweet! Real-world, getting 7 hours on a full charge. I'd assume that the 2013 13" would get about 9, but 7 is plenty.
 
I still have the 11" MBA 2013 which is the best for battery life and portability, but have found myself using the heavier 13" retina MBP 2012 quite a but more lately. The screen is very clear even at 1680 x 1050...perfect for my fantasy football spreadsheets ;)
 
I was initially looking to get the new 2013 13" MBA, after checking out the 11" for a while, I ended up getting the 11" in the base for Travel/ Work/Commute. Great battery life, incredible portability; nothing really comes close to it in my mind.
 
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