Exchange policy for 2nd return?

[dave343]

I picked up the MBA 11" yesterday, base model since I've been eyeing it for some time, and the small foot print pulled me in. I've been to the Apple store a few times to compare both the 13 and 11,have but you don't really get the feel for it until you've actually used it in your environment. I brought the 11" home and tested it out last night, ran some netflix, web browsing... etc. What did amaze me was that upon first boot it had 71% battery, and it lasted 7hr + 20min watching netflix and web surfing. That's insane! Anyways... I had a huge gripe with the 11", as many do with the screen. I honestly felt like I wanted to staple the missing portion back onto the top... it kept bugging me how squished it looked. Maybe this feels normal after a while..??

When I was in the store my heart was after the 11, but my mind told me to get the 13 for practical use. I don't travel at all, my job as a comp tech keeps me in one building so I don't really NEED the portability but it's nice to carry around. I won't be hooking it up to an external LCD although I could, but I also don't mind using a small laptop's as is.

This being said though, I decided to return the 11" today and grabbed the base model 13" as a relative has one and it seem's really nice.
As most have stated it definately feels bigger, a little more "un-portable" but maybe that's just me... and although the real esate is welcomed, I can't help but feel it's TOO much real estate. (I'm not a picky person... honestly)

So I'm having a bit of remorse for returning the 11", I feel I should have given it more time because now that I'm on the 13" I think i really liked the 11" more, compared to the 13". They both have there high points and low points but over all I think the 11" I like better. Reading some forums, user's say they have gotten use to the 11" after a while and wouldn't look back, so think I made a mistake.

Will Apple let me revert back to the 11"... I hate returning things and wasting time but I will be using this for 2+ years and so I really want to have the device that works best for me. Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[alphaod]

Of course Apple will let you return the 13" and go back the 11"; they'll even refund the difference!

Just don't abuse the convenience and you should be fine.

 

[macs4nw]

I picked up the MBA 11" yesterday, base model since I've been eyeing it for some time, and the small foot print pulled me in. I've been to the Apple store a few times to compare both the 13 and 11,have but you don't really get the feel for it until you've actually used it in your environment. I brought the 11" home and tested it out last night, ran some netflix, web browsing... etc. What did amaze me was that upon first boot it had 71% battery, and it lasted 7hr + 20min watching netflix and web surfing. That's insane! Anyways... I had a huge gripe with the 11", as many do with the screen. I honestly felt like I wanted to staple the missing portion back onto the top... it kept bugging me how squished it looked. Maybe this feels normal after a while..??

When I was in the store my heart was after the 11, but my mind told me to get the 13 for practical use. I don't travel at all, my job as a comp tech keeps me in one building so I don't really NEED the portability but it's nice to carry around. I won't be hooking it up to an external LCD although I could, but I also don't mind using a small laptop's as is.

This being said though, I decided to return the 11" today and grabbed the base model 13" as a relative has one and it seem's really nice.
As most have stated it definately feels bigger, a little more "un-portable" but maybe that's just me... and although the real esate is welcomed, I can't help but feel it's TOO much real estate. (I'm not a picky person... honestly)

So I'm having a bit of remorse for returning the 11", I feel I should have given it more time because now that I'm on the 13" I think i really liked the 11" more, compared to the 13". They both have there high points and low points but over all I think the 11" I like better. Reading some forums, user's say they have gotten use to the 11" after a while and wouldn't look back, so think I made a mistake.

Will Apple let me revert back to the 11"... I hate returning things and wasting time but I will be using this for 2+ years and so I really want to have the device that works best for me. Thanks in advance for any replies.

As alphaod mentioned, there should be no problem; Apple wants you to be happy with your purchase, after all happy customers are good for business, but if I were you, I would wait till your return 'window' runs out; you may get to like your 13", and you don't want to have buyers remorse twice.

For that $100 difference, the 13" not only gives you the larger screen, but also an SD card reader, as well as a solid 30% longer battery life, compared to the 11" MBA. Think twice.

 

[Dweez]

For that $100 difference, the 13" not only gives you the larger screen, but also an SD card reader, as well as a solid 30% longer battery life, compared to the 11" MBA. Think twice.

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[SDColorado]

Agree with the above 2. Live with the 13" awhile. I am sure some folks do get used to the 11", but I am also sure I am not alone among users that didn't get used to it. I kept mine for 3 months, sure I would eventually adapt and get used to it. It never happened. The 13" took some getting used to with the added size and weight. But that was a quick adjustment.

If at the end of the return window, you still feel the 11" is the better choice for you, then it likely is the better choice. But I wouldn't bring it back and do a second exchange after only a few days, if you have the luxury of a more extended period to live with it.

 

[sofakng]

Heh, I feel your pain. I'm probably close to getting banned by Apple for returning the 11"/13" too many times.

The 11" is really nice and it's so small that it's amazing to carry everywhere, but for me the metal cuts into my wrists becaues the palm rest area is too small and the 11" is just a tiny bit too short.

The 13" feels GREAT and has a nice big screen but it is definitely a little but more bulky.

Unlike a lot of others, I'm not convinced that Retina is the answer either (i.e. 12" Retina Air), because non-Retina applications look pretty terrible and light gaming is much better at native (768p or 900p) plus you can use Steam in-home streaming to stream games and it looks and plays fantastic.

Anyways, I'm still debating between the 11" and 13" so I'm sure this was of no help at all.

 

[dave343]

I didn't see all your replies until now, so maybe I would have waited longer but anyways I went back to the store today and did the exchange for the 11". I couldn't obtain the exact same one I had before as it'd been shipped out.

To be honest though, I doubt I could ever be 100% satisfied with either model as they both have huge advantages and disadvantages. Also, there will be times when the 13" is extremely handy, and other times when the 11" make far more sense.
I don't travel, and I don't sit in coffee shops, so I didn't really "need" the super small form factor, however in my line of work being a comp tech, it is handy to have a small laptop like the 11" air to carry around places. Also, the SD card reader I don't need, and although the extra battery life is a huge positive, I didn't really factor that into my decision, it was more about the size.

Not that I endorse exchanging the devices as I did, however I'm glad I did because I don't think you can accurately get a feel for how the 11" or 13" will work for you in your own environment and with what you do. The Apple store's are always packed, at least mine is, and so you feel rushed to try them both out as people are lined up to play with them as well. Using both the 11" and 13" in my own environment, and using the app's I would, gave me a better idea of which one would work best.
Obviously the 13" has better battery life, and a larger screen, but the small form factor of the 11" just can't be beat, and for me the smaller screen i much prefer. The 13" did really feel much larger, to me at least, and less portable. As other's have stated, the 13" I would feel less inclined to take with me somewhere, or to pull it out of my bag where ever to use it.

On a side note, both devices have AMAZING battery live, Apple really hit a home run, and I can't wait until Intel's Broadwell to see how much further they can push the battery life.
When I first took the 13" out of the box it had 75% battery life left. It ran for just over 10hrs before I had to shut it down, and it still had 33% life left!! so 40% gave me 10hrs!! That's un heard of!! And if you're curious, I was surfing the web lightly, I watched a movie on netflix, and did a bunch of youtube watching.
As for the 11", out of the box it had 71%, and it gave me 7hr's and 20min. That's pretty phenomenal, so that extra 29% I'm sure would have given me another 3hr's.

I think in the end both devices have their high's and low's, for me I wouldn't feel 100% with either because you'll wish for one or the other in certain situations, but you just have to choose the one that you feel provide's more plus's. For me that's the 11".

btw, when I went the first time to exchange the 11" and again when I exchanged the 13", both employee's did a full refund and then sold me the new one. Possibly to have the sale under their name..?

 

[dave343]

Just to add, the full screen apps were made for the 11", that along with multiple desktops/spaces, makes this more of an awesome laptop. I have a 13" MBP 2009 and when i open safari or any other program i never run them full screen, and so using full screen apps on the 11" almost give's the same viewing space as running them non-full screen on the 13"... at least I find.
And gestures, moving between windows... I don't even think once about the missing real estate now.

 

[infernoguy]

I'm glad I read this post...

I'm in the same dilemma as the OP. I just bought a 11" 2014 Air a week ago and I was feeling a little bit of buyers remorse because I thought I would like the 13 better but there's something about this 11" form factor that keeps me from doing it. I'm glad you are enjoying your experience - makes me more reluctant to take it back.

The battery life is insane btw! I've had it on battery only for 7 hours and I'm still at 62%.