Best for browsing the web, reading in bed MBA model

[yliu]

browsing in bed? = iPad

I'd say iPad mini. The iPad is quite heavy to hold up, and it keeps slipping out of my hands.


Although I can't imagine how someone use a laptop "in bed laying on the back with the MBA on the chest"... Try it with another laptop, your neck will be sore in 10 minutes.
You might use your to elevate your body (so you're not lying flat) and use the laptop on your lap. In this case, I'd opt for the 13 inch for the larger screen and better battery life.

There is no point of using an 11 inch as portability is not an important factor. Plus, the larger screen will fill your vision more at night.

 

[Aylan]

I will chime in and say that it is definitely not worth getting the BTO options just for the sake of resale value. Most people seem to ignore those and they look at the price of the base model as a guide for pricing. For your usage, I'd say go with the 11" i5. Unless you will be using pro apps, 4GB will be just fine for RAM. I would say to consider the uprgade to the 256GB SSD if you have a large media collection or just have tons of files.

 

[MacAndMic]

Get the base 11" and save the rest for your chiropractor.

 

[coldjeanzzz]

A maxed out 11 inch MBA for those purposes is a giant waste of money and you're not doing yourself any favors by aiming for resale value when it would be easier to sell a base mode down the road. But oh well your money, spend it how you want