Air 13' or MB 12'?

[franzkfk]

I have an opportunity to buy new Air 13' for a cheaper price than usual.
Do you think it is an outdated machine and I should go with the Macbook 12' or is it just fine?

For my needs there is no difference between those machines.

I would like to hear some thoughts ...

 

[capathy21]

The 12 inch retina MacBook has a much better display, more portable and much better speakers.

The Air has a better keyboard, a multitude of ports, and longer battery life.

It really depends on what features you value the most. As much as I've always loved the Air, its display is terrible. The display alone is reason enough for me to vote for the 12 inch retina MacBook.

 

[jjhoekstra]

We own both. I use and like the Macbook a lot, my wife and sons are avid Air-users. If the display is good enough for you, go for the Air. And always test the keyboard of the Macbook before you buy one, as it has very shallow key-travel, a bit like typing on pavement-bricks. But both are fine computers.

 

[Robert Davies]

I've just gone FROM a 12" MB back to a 13" MBA.

I found the MB 12" keyboard completely unliveable with, and the lack of ports, a dongle hanging disaster. Plus Magsafe on MBA, not on the MB

My MBA is the i7 2.2ghz with 512gb HD and 8GB RAM, my MB was the M7 with 512GB HD and 8GB RAM - the MBA runs rings around the MB in terms of actual speed and usability.

The MB's screen is prettier.

 

[minton]

MBA has the full gamut of ports and magsafe for power.
The MB has no fans, which I appreciate having dealt with occasions that the MBA sounds like it's getting ready to take off. Fans on laptops will be phased out eventually, but it's nice that you don't have to deal w. them on the MB.

 

[Pugly]

The MBA is great if you don't care about how it looks or the screen. The bad things: A large bezel, low end screen and a size that is now the largest 13" Mac. The good things... everything else. It's powerful, portable, and has all the connectivity you need today... (maybe not tomorrow...).

It's a very usable computer for getting stuff done without any flash about it.

If you have no problems using a 2010 design into 2020 and beyond... the Air is great.

The 12" seems very specialized, it's the great secondary computer. One port is too limiting to me, but if you can work with that limitation it's probably a better choice. Someday it'll be the future computer we all use, but for now it has too many limitations to use right now. I don't want to carry a dongle just to plug in a thumb drive...