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How did you decide which size Air you went for?

I already have a 13" MBP and I thought the 11" Air would be ideal as a secondary computer plus I had been drooling over it in the Apple Store every time I went in there :p I also wanted something that was small and light like the iPad and seeing as me and iPads don't get on very well I decided the 11" Air was the next best thing.
 
I chose the 11" model

The trade off between the 11" and 13" models is portability versus battery life. I travel a lot so the portability factor won out for me.

I also felt that the difference in weight between the 13" MBA v the 13" MBP was not big enough to justify not having the DVD drive. I have bought a portable DVD drive for the MBA but I very rarely use it and so almost never carry it.

The 11" screen size is perfectly adequate for most jobs, but when working on larger documents, where you really need to see lots of text, the screen size is irritating. I have an iMac at home that assists with this, so the 11"MBA was a great fit for me.

What ultimately swayed me to the 11" model was when I considered how light it was. I decided that the lighter my laptop was, the more likely I'd take it with me, and the more likely I'd get it out and actually work on it. And that's exactly how it's panned out.
 
I got the 11" because I find it to be a comfortable sized screen to work on and consume media, all while being small enough that it isn't in the way during non computer work.

I would possibly consider the 13 if it had dedicated graphics or something else drastically different to the 11", but as it is the same, except for screen and an SD card slot, it doesn't do it for me.
 
In 2011, I bought both 11 and 13 inch and use both since I couldn't decide. After a year of usage, I found that i went to the 13 more so I went with that for 2012.
 
the eyes have it

Older chappy that I am, I have never been a fan of portable computers. It has been desk top for me; when I leave my desk I like to turn my back on work and my computer. A Mac Mini has served my needs just fine. It is easily transportable without being portable.

However in my next move in life is likely to be to a more itinerant phase. I can see the need for something more self contained and portable. The MacBook Air looks good to me.

Checking them out in a shop, on the 11" screen everything is a bit small for comfort for my 58 year-old eyes. If/when I do make the move the 13" it will be.

If I was a sharp eyed 29 year-old I reckon my eyes would not look past the 11", cute little thing that it is.
 
Micky Do said:
Checking them out in a shop, on the 11" screen everything is a bit small for comfort for my 58 year-old eyes. If/when I do make the move the 13" it will be.

If I was a sharp eyed 29 year-old I reckon my eyes would not look past the 11", cute little thing that it is.
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The fonts are basically the same size on both the 11" and 13" - you can just see more on the bigger screen.
 
Micky Do said:
I'll take your word for it, but in my experience there is enough of a difference to to make a difference.
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I have to agree with this. The font sizes are almost the same, but slightly bigger on the 13. Ever so slightly. To some people, this may be enough of a difference to choose the 13.
 
Micky Do said:
I'll take your word for it, but in my experience there is enough of a difference to to make a difference.
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They're not -exactly- the same but very close, 5% different.. Another thing to consider is your eyes like the Samsung screen more than the LG or vice versa.

11" Air - 135 ppi

13" Air - 128 ppi

The high-res 15 and 17 inch model also have about the same size pixels.

15" Pro high-res - 128ppi

17" Pro - 132ppi

For comparison the 13" Pro and 15" Pro are around 110 ppi!
 
11 inch for its exceptional portability. I own other Macs and old Mac displays to attach it to when at the home or office. It's also okay on its own, but at times can be a hassle. (seeing a lot more of a drawing or photoshop image in its enlarged state; trying to make a large screen grab, etc.)
 
I went for the 11 and glad I did. It turned out to be the perfect laptop for me. i also have a 2011 13inch Macbook Pro, so I wanted something for school that was more portable.
 
Blackberryroid said:
The 13 Inch will always be the best size. 11 Inch is for those who wants it cheaper.

There's nothing wrong with the 11. It's not small, you'll adapt to it.
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That's such a silly assumption - there is a discussion in the iPad forum regarding this same misconception, that price is the factor that determines the size of product one chooses. I'm sure for some that price is actually the determining factor, but don't make the mistake in assuming price is the reason all people choose smaller, especially regarding Apple products.

Less is more to many of us, which means that a smaller form factor is a good thing, even if it means paying more. Travelling with work for so many years taught me the value of small and lightweight, and price has nothing to do with it. In fact, with many products and components, the smaller something is, the higher the price. The 13" may be perfect for you, but the 11" is perfect for lots of others, regardless of which item costs more.
 
noobinator said:
The 11 to me just feels right. Somehow it is a world of difference from most other laptops netbooks near this size.
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I agree. I've got an old Dell Mini 910 that I ran as a hackintosh for a while. The Air is pretty much the same weight but it's so much more usable. Those two extra inches of screen space make all the difference.
 
My advice: buy the 11-inch tricked out and then see if it feels cramped to you after living with it a week. I wish I had taken this route. I gave my 2011 MBP 13 to my daughter and bought the 2012 8GB 256 MBA 13 and it honestly feels a little "big" to me. I just think the 11" MBA is unique and a fantastic little machine. I bought the 13" for the added battery life and screen real estate but honestly wish I'd tried to make an 11" work first.
 
koigirl said:
My advice: buy the 11-inch tricked out and then see if it feels cramped to you after living with it a week. I wish I had taken this route. I gave my 2011 MBP 13 to my daughter and bought the 2012 8GB 256 MBA 13 and it honestly feels a little "big" to me. I just think the 11" MBA is unique and a fantastic little machine. I bought the 13" for the added battery life and screen real estate but honestly wish I'd tried to make an 11" work first.
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The 13" is like the wife, the 11" the girlfriend. The wife is more practical, but the girlfriend is so much more fun to play with :p:D

Seriously though I found the 13" to be big, taking up too much valuable space in a backpack, on the table, and just feels "fat" and undesirable. I didn't need practical, I want something fun and enjoyable to play with.
 
I have the 13 inch. I went to the Apple store and Best Buy a lot before I made my final purchase, I watch Netflix on my laptops and knew the 11 inch was just to small even though it felt much lighter and was a bit more portable. Posture was also a big deal for me, Im on a computer all day at work and its not the best set up, ergonomically speaking, so I wanted to make sure that I got the larger screen to avoid any chance of being hunched over.
 
I've owned both

Depends on you & what you do :) The 11" is super easy to pinch between finger & thumb and walk around, the 13" has a bit more screen and battery. I like this case http://www.incipio.com/MacBook-Air-...r-11in-feather-Ultralight-Hard-Shell-Case.asp for either of them if you're rough on stuff. I miss my 11" a lot when counting stuff standing on a ladder and entering the count into a spreadsheet, or just going from a workstation to the couch. The 11" feels stronger; very little flex in the aluminum case. If you're usually plugged into power and a monitor, I'd recommend the 11".

I really want a retina 11" with a much smaller screen bezel; I think it's the perfect sized 'docking' laptop, but the current resolution is limiting when doing some tasks.

I just got a 15" rMBP and it's a sweet machine which I rarely bother to dock because the screen is so good but I miss the 11 :)
 
Two key factors for me:

1. I have an iPad and felt that a 11" would overlap too much with that.
2. I wanted the extra screen estate and battery life. I wanted the Air as my main travelling device, and I'm often away for up to three weeks. During this time, I want to work on a larger screen than the 11". I'm a researcher and like to place my articles/ data/ notes etc next to each other on the screen as I'm writing.
 
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kierennyc said:
Thats a ridiculous statement. My spec'd 11" was almost $2k.

I bought the 11" because I wanted an ultra-portable and I'm sure thats the case for 99% of 11" owners. If you cant afford another $100 for a 13" and thats really the deciding factor, you probably shouldn't be buying a mac period.
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Same here. I wanted the opposite of my 17" MBP and it had to fit on an airplane/train tray table, but still provide decent horsepower. IMHO, best laptop ever made.
 
I've had my 11" air for 2 weeks now....I like it a lot but at times wish I gotten the 13". I will admit it is a bit crampt at times and there is some overlap with the ipad I have.

At the same time I love the small footprint and one thing I hate is clutter....so being able to have this thing on a coffee table with so little room taken up is amazing.
 
dbdynsty25 said:
That thought will only get stronger. I ultimately had to sell my 11" and get a 13" to alleviate it. :) You've been warned.
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I sold my 11" and regretted it. I used my 13" for a few months. Ended up buying another 11"!
 
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