Hi all, and especially MBA 11" users!
I will shortly state my case and my dilemmas about buying the MBA 11" (2013), and have a deep hope that some of you experienced Mac-users here can help me:
1) I am new to Mac OS X and Mac machines. (I have, though, and enjoy using, my iPhone 5, iPad Mini and iPad 4, with iOS 7.)
2a) For me portability is my first and most important priority, given that the unit will be capable - in a good way - of performing simple computer tasks such as writing Word documents, email and net-browsing. At this point I must stress that I have no problems using a rather small Windows keyboard, as that's the one I am familiar with - a soon seven years old VAIO TZ with an 11,1 display. Nor have I problems with using this little screen, and I actually prefer the 16:9 ratio, which I have learnt is different from many other on this Forum, who prefer 16:10 ration with more pixels in the height direction.
2b) Further regarding portability: Because of different most practical reasons, I prefer the length and depth of the machine to be max 30 cm and 20 cm. (The MBA 11" is within these measures; the 13" is not so.) Also the weight of about 1 kg is great, and it shouldn't be much more either.
3) Battery time is also of much importance, and here the MBA 11" is great, IMO. No problem - on the contrary!
4a) Will be using Office (most Word) 2011 a lot. Is also using Word 2003 in Parallells possible?
4b) Partly because of the narrow screen (oh, yea, I see your point of many of you preferring the 13" - but still I prefer the 11" 16:9 ratio!), I dislike the all to big ribbon on the top of the screen when using Word 2011 (or 2010 og 2013). What a horrible waste of estate of the screen! Especially using a little screen, this is on the verge of being a problem. I would prefer to rip it all away and just having the option of a pure totally blank white screen, and being able to use the ENTIRE screen for writing, not just a limited space in the middle of it, with large columns on both the left and right side. (And in fact, that was an option using Word 2003 - but this "real full screen" option has been taken away, for not-understandable reasons.)
5) The display of the MBA 2013 is by today's standards somewhat sub-optimal, I have read. But for my simple needs, will be more often than not also using the MBA 11" (2013) indoors, will it be good enough? I prefer that the screen is glossy. More specific: Is it a bright and crisp screen? Are the contrasts good? Is what is supposed to be black, rendered black (enough), etc.? Are the color rendering good and vibrant for writing and browsing (not working with pictures)? Is the letters on the screen easy to read, and can the text (for instance in a Word document) be made bigger (perhaps pretty much bigger) without loosing its sharpness?
6) The Windows 11" alternatives are almost not present. VAIO Pro 11 (as well as Pro 13 and all the Flip models so far) has got a reputation of having a really annoying fan noise (even high pitched, a fan that even kicks in on far to low temperatures). WiFi-connection dropouts have also been reported, and even some other issues.
It's very uncertain that these (for me: serious problems and bummers) have been corrected. My impression from reading on several forums, is that there are still such problems.
I can add that for me, who often work in silent rooms, fan noise (and/or a too loud clicking keyboard) will put me in such a situation that I must have placed my machine outside, and could not have used it in that setting.
7) Because of my pessimism of being offered a VAIO 11" in the first half of 2014 that do NOT have such problems, I really now (again) are looking seriously to the 11" MBA. It seems to me that hardwarewise, this is a very solid and well-founded device, and it has been out for some generations, and take even the benefits from this fact. Most important, in addition to build quality and its very beautiful and elegant looks and small size, it the fact (?) that it runs VERY SILENT with a low and moderate work load? As I wrote above, this is tremendous important for me.
8a) I think therefore that MBA 11" (2013) will be great for me, but is a bit unsure about how good (or: not-so-good) the display is, and how I will like (get accustomed to) the keyboard and OS X, unfamiliar to Mac as I am.
8b) And what about waiting for the possible 12" MBA next year, with a size that I think will be within my limits? The one thing I fear, is that the display of this possible 12" MBA will have the ratio 16:10, and that may be a deal breaker for me. I don't think I will like the 16:10 ratio in the long run.
And it is perhaps possible or probable that this possible 12" MBA will sport a display with the 16:10 ratio?
To end this up: It seems to me that the present 11" MBA also in the next months (perhaps till next summer?) will be the device that will suit me best? Or what do you think? (You Forum-users who have much more experience and knowledge of Macs than I have...)
I will shortly state my case and my dilemmas about buying the MBA 11" (2013), and have a deep hope that some of you experienced Mac-users here can help me:
1) I am new to Mac OS X and Mac machines. (I have, though, and enjoy using, my iPhone 5, iPad Mini and iPad 4, with iOS 7.)
2a) For me portability is my first and most important priority, given that the unit will be capable - in a good way - of performing simple computer tasks such as writing Word documents, email and net-browsing. At this point I must stress that I have no problems using a rather small Windows keyboard, as that's the one I am familiar with - a soon seven years old VAIO TZ with an 11,1 display. Nor have I problems with using this little screen, and I actually prefer the 16:9 ratio, which I have learnt is different from many other on this Forum, who prefer 16:10 ration with more pixels in the height direction.
2b) Further regarding portability: Because of different most practical reasons, I prefer the length and depth of the machine to be max 30 cm and 20 cm. (The MBA 11" is within these measures; the 13" is not so.) Also the weight of about 1 kg is great, and it shouldn't be much more either.
3) Battery time is also of much importance, and here the MBA 11" is great, IMO. No problem - on the contrary!
4a) Will be using Office (most Word) 2011 a lot. Is also using Word 2003 in Parallells possible?
4b) Partly because of the narrow screen (oh, yea, I see your point of many of you preferring the 13" - but still I prefer the 11" 16:9 ratio!), I dislike the all to big ribbon on the top of the screen when using Word 2011 (or 2010 og 2013). What a horrible waste of estate of the screen! Especially using a little screen, this is on the verge of being a problem. I would prefer to rip it all away and just having the option of a pure totally blank white screen, and being able to use the ENTIRE screen for writing, not just a limited space in the middle of it, with large columns on both the left and right side. (And in fact, that was an option using Word 2003 - but this "real full screen" option has been taken away, for not-understandable reasons.)
5) The display of the MBA 2013 is by today's standards somewhat sub-optimal, I have read. But for my simple needs, will be more often than not also using the MBA 11" (2013) indoors, will it be good enough? I prefer that the screen is glossy. More specific: Is it a bright and crisp screen? Are the contrasts good? Is what is supposed to be black, rendered black (enough), etc.? Are the color rendering good and vibrant for writing and browsing (not working with pictures)? Is the letters on the screen easy to read, and can the text (for instance in a Word document) be made bigger (perhaps pretty much bigger) without loosing its sharpness?
6) The Windows 11" alternatives are almost not present. VAIO Pro 11 (as well as Pro 13 and all the Flip models so far) has got a reputation of having a really annoying fan noise (even high pitched, a fan that even kicks in on far to low temperatures). WiFi-connection dropouts have also been reported, and even some other issues.
It's very uncertain that these (for me: serious problems and bummers) have been corrected. My impression from reading on several forums, is that there are still such problems.
I can add that for me, who often work in silent rooms, fan noise (and/or a too loud clicking keyboard) will put me in such a situation that I must have placed my machine outside, and could not have used it in that setting.
7) Because of my pessimism of being offered a VAIO 11" in the first half of 2014 that do NOT have such problems, I really now (again) are looking seriously to the 11" MBA. It seems to me that hardwarewise, this is a very solid and well-founded device, and it has been out for some generations, and take even the benefits from this fact. Most important, in addition to build quality and its very beautiful and elegant looks and small size, it the fact (?) that it runs VERY SILENT with a low and moderate work load? As I wrote above, this is tremendous important for me.
8a) I think therefore that MBA 11" (2013) will be great for me, but is a bit unsure about how good (or: not-so-good) the display is, and how I will like (get accustomed to) the keyboard and OS X, unfamiliar to Mac as I am.
8b) And what about waiting for the possible 12" MBA next year, with a size that I think will be within my limits? The one thing I fear, is that the display of this possible 12" MBA will have the ratio 16:10, and that may be a deal breaker for me. I don't think I will like the 16:10 ratio in the long run.
And it is perhaps possible or probable that this possible 12" MBA will sport a display with the 16:10 ratio?
To end this up: It seems to me that the present 11" MBA also in the next months (perhaps till next summer?) will be the device that will suit me best? Or what do you think? (You Forum-users who have much more experience and knowledge of Macs than I have...)
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