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Did you go for the 15” or 13” MacBook Air and why?

Did you buy a 13” or 15” MBA?

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    196
I use a 13" MBA (M3/16GB/1TB). It's basically a replacement for my iPad (was using a 12.9 M1 iPad Pro) and also acts as a backup Mac for me. My old backup was a 2016 15" MBP with some butterfly keyboard keys that didn't work.
It's very portable and I can take it with me wherever I need to use it. It is also more versatile compared to the more limited iPad Pro (and much better than the old Intel/butterfly keyboard MBP).

I considered the bigger 15", but I wanted something more portable and closer in size to my previous iPad Pro. Also my main Mac is already a 16" MBP (M3 Max/48GB/1TB) so when I need the bigger screen/ports/more power.
 
I use a 13" for travel, it's the best. For working, it's not as productive as I want. Especially for coding, I can't really do any split screen. So I would say 13" Air is perfect for travel.
 
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I just “upgraded” my 2021 14” MBP (M1 Pro 32GB/1TB) to a 15” M4 MBA (16GB / 512GB) last week (the Amazon $200 off sale was too good to pass up!)

I also have an M4 11” iPad Pro (with Magic Keyboard). I am a big fan of this combo. I know it’s different than the 13” iPP / 15” MBA that others have mentioned on this thread, but I just love the feel of the 11” iPP (over the 13” iPP) - especially when I take it off the MK and use it “like a tablet” in my hands. It feels light enough for me that it’s still a joy to use in bed, even lying down. I don’t think I could do that with the 13” iPP (although granted have only handled it in an Apple store).

In the meantime, I’ve had my 15” MBA now for a week, and absolutely love it. My use case has changed a bit since 2021 when I bought the 14” M1 Pro. I realized I didn’t really need the power of the Pro chip (or the 32GB memory) anymore… During COVID work-from-home times, the MBP was my primary work computer using it in closed clamshell into an external monitor / kb / mouse. But since I’ve gone back-to-office last few years, my MBP is used more sparingly, and I use it more “like a laptop”. I’m also now just using it for personal stuff, typical e-mail / internet / youtube, and the times I want to use a Mac over my iPP. And this 15” M4 MBA is fitting my current lifestyle use case perfectly.
 
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I recently handed down a 15” M2 replaced with a 13” M4 and I am really happy. Don’t get me wrong, the 15” Air is really something. But I actually don’t miss the extra screen real estate- I equally don’t miss the extra weight. I move around a lot and for me it feels like an ‘Air’ should after carrying the 15” for some time.
 
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Currently trying to decide if I want to downgrade from my 14" M3 Pro MBP to a 13" M4 MBA. I only use it for web browsing, email, and the occasional old game like HOTS or SC2. The only worry I have is the lack of ProMotion on the Air. I tried an iPad Air recently and just could not get used to the screen, so I ended up selling it and getting an M2 iPad Pro.

Is it that much noticeable on a Mac versus an iPad?
 
AHDuke99 said:
Currently trying to decide if I want to downgrade from my 14" M3 Pro MBP to a 13" M4 MBA. I only use it for web browsing, email, and the occasional old game like HOTS or SC2. The only worry I have is the lack of ProMotion on the Air. I tried an iPad Air recently and just could not get used to the screen, so I ended up selling it and getting an M2 iPad Pro.

Is it that much noticeable on a Mac versus an iPad?
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Honestly the screen on the MacBook Pro is gorgeous and you may end up regretting the decision of downgrading. I know I would. I switched from an iPhone 15 to an iPhone 16 Pro Max recently and I don’t think I could ever go back to the 60 Hz display on the phone. I know this will be the case if I ever upgraded to a MacBook Pro from my 13/15 M4 MBA’s.
 
helloapple1 said:
Honestly the screen on the MacBook Pro is gorgeous and you may end up regretting the decision of downgrading. I know I would. I switched from an iPhone 15 to an iPhone 16 Pro Max recently and I don’t think I could ever go back to the 60 Hz display on the phone. I know this will be the case if I ever upgraded to a MacBook Pro from my 13/15 M4 MBA’s.
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That's my fear which is probably why I won't bother downgrading. I have a non pro iPhone through my office and using it compared to be personal 15 Pro is horrible. The screen just feels laggy and almost unusable sometimes.
 
I haven't noticed the lack of promotion that much from 14" MBP (M1 Pro) to 15" MBA (M4). I also have an iPhone 15 Pro Max and an 11" iPad Pro (M4), both of which have ProMotion... FWIW, I feel like in these smaller devices (especially an iPhone), you feel the 120hz vs 60hz difference a lot more, since you scroll a lot more on a smaller screen. The feeling of still being able to "read the text" when scrolling at 120hz, vs at 60hz, the text is kind of blurry/scraggly until it slows down and stops... to me that's very noticeable.

On a laptop screen, personally, I've noticed it less. Maybe because I'm not scrolling text as often as when I'm on a phone (because more text shows up on a screen at once, you can "hold" for longer before you have to scroll), or maybe because it's further away from your eyes... but I just know the feeling doesn't feel as big of a difference on a laptop vs a phone.

So I wouldn't necessarily equate the two, that if you can't deal with 120hz > 60hz on a phone, you won't be able to on a laptop.
 
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Christopher Kim said:
I haven't noticed the lack of promotion that much from 14" MBP (M1 Pro) to 15" MBA (M4). I also have an iPhone 15 Pro Max and an 11" iPad Pro (M4), both of which have ProMotion... FWIW, I feel like in these smaller devices (especially an iPhone), you feel the 120hz vs 60hz difference a lot more, since you scroll a lot more on a smaller screen. The feeling of still being able to "read the text" when scrolling at 120hz, vs at 60hz, the text is kind of blurry/scraggly until it slows down and stops... to me that's very noticeable.

On a laptop screen, personally, I've noticed it less. Maybe because I'm not scrolling text as often as when I'm on a phone (because more text shows up on a screen at once, you can "hold" for longer before you have to scroll), or maybe because it's further away from your eyes... but I just know the feeling doesn't feel as big of a difference on a laptop vs a phone.

So I wouldn't necessarily equate the two, that if you can't deal with 120hz > 60hz on a phone, you won't be able to on a laptop.
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I guess I just need to go try a MBA in person to see how it is. I like the idea that it's more portable. I love the MBP, but it's thick and heavy, and I don't do any high end tasks on it. I'm not a developer or video editors or anything like that.
 
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AHDuke99 said:
I guess I just need to go try a MBA in person to see how it is. I like the idea that it's more portable. I love the MBP, but it's thick and heavy, and I don't do any high end tasks on it. I'm not a developer or video editors or anything like that.
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Yep that's what I did before finally making the change to the 15" M4 MBA. I love the form factor, very thin and portable. Vs the 14" MBP, even if the weight was similar, it "felt" heavier because it thicker and denser.
 
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AHDuke99 said:
I guess I just need to go try a MBA in person to see how it is. I like the idea that it's more portable. I love the MBP, but it's thick and heavy, and I don't do any high end tasks on it. I'm not a developer or video editors or anything like that.
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I am one of those people that can't use a 60hz iPhone or iPad. Had a MBP with promotion, but now enjoying the smaller and lighter M4 MBA. I absolutely do not mind the screen on the air, and don't miss promotion on a laptop screen.
 
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The logic board of my 14” M1 Pro MacBook Pro died suddenly (the machine literally turned off, the MagSafe light extinguished simultaneously, and it was pronounced dead at the Apple Store the following afternoon). I don’t need the “pro” power and I didn’t want to go to a smaller screen, so it’s time to move over to the 15” Air! Sky Blue M4/24GB/2TB ordered! Just wish it wasn’t more than a week for build and shipping…
 
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Went with the 15" for both my M2 and M4 Air. I prefer bigger screens and it is almost similar in size when compared to my 13" 2015 MacBook Air.
 
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bellflyer14 said:
I am one of those people that can't use a 60hz iPhone or iPad. Had a MBP with promotion, but now enjoying the smaller and lighter M4 MBA. I absolutely do not mind the screen on the air, and don't miss promotion on a laptop screen.
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I'm the same way. Bought an iPad Air last year to upgrade from a 2017 iPad Pro and just could not handle the screen, so I ended up selling it for an M2 iPad Pro. I hate using my office iPhone too due to lack of ProMotion. Good to hear it isn't as noticeable on the MBA because I would like a lighter laptop to carry around. I love the MBP but it is heavy.
 
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I spent at least a year going back and forth on this, but I've decided to give the 13" M4 MBA a try. The screen IS small and it does change a bit how I use it (I am taking advantage of hiding apps a lot more). But I can still have two panes open in VSCode and Obsidian easily, which was my main need.

I really wanted the lightest laptop that I could get and the 13" MBA kind of feels like the lightest laptop Apple can make out of aluminum without compromising on things like the keyboard, and a usable amount of ports. Obviously there was the 12" MBA, which was amazing from a form factor perspective, but it had some serious compromises (beyond just the intel chip), that I'm not sure I would want for my only computer.

If I change my mind, I can always pass this one down to my husband who is also due for an upgrade to his M1 Macbook Air.

The Sky Blue color is perhaps my favorite Apple laptop color of all time. And I say this as someone who doesn't really like the color blue.
 
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Saturn1217 said:
I really wanted the lightest laptop that I could get and the 13" MBA kind of feels like the lightest laptop Apple can make out of aluminum without compromising on things like the keyboard, and a usable amount of ports.
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While I went with the 15" MBA, I had slightly different preferences. Having held the 13" MBA plenty of times in the Apple Store, it really is an amazing, marvel of a machine.

While in my view, the 15" MBA is "not heavy", the 13" MBA absolutely "feels light".

And with Apple silicon being so powerful (even more so on 4th gen M4), if portability / mobility is a high factor, the 13" MBA is a fantastic laptop.

Saturn1217 said:
The Sky Blue color is perhaps my favorite Apple laptop color of all time. And I say this as someone who doesn't really like the color blue.
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Totally agree - I'd really characterize it more as "silver with a hint of blue" when you see it in person. In different lights, I think it can easily look like a silver/grey. I think it's a really nice color. In the end I went with silver for my 15" M4 MBA I recently got (I prefer the classic colors), but I seriously thought about Sky Blue for awhile.
 
By now with all these comments your head is swirling ... "yep... take the 13 ...oh wait a mo...maybe the 15 is better!!"
I have a 13 inch MBA M1 ... great machine but seriously thinking about next MBA going to 15 .... the real estate on the keyboard to rest my palms and the larger screen make it tempting....but the WEIGHT. If I am carrying other baggage on the road ...even the 13 can weigh me down as I use a ruck packed with other stuff. I wish Apple would find ways to make their laptops a bit LIGHTER ... at least the non-pro machines. It's a tough call.....personally it comes down to your decision as it is your money .... if I were you I would personally go a Apple retail store or distributor and try both machines out to help you decide.
 
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