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iPad iPad Air vs. MacBook Air

Trumpy

Trumpy

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 16, 2009
48
20
Kansas City, MO
As a graphic designer, I am always broke and I need a computer to work, so I bought the 11" MacBook Air the week it came out. Love it! This weekend, I took my iPad 1 to Target and got $200 card. Is it worth it for me to get an iPad Air even though I have the 11" MBA? I could always use the gc for something else in Target but I kind of liked my iPad. Couldn't pass up the gift card deal.

Any comments appreciated!
 
IMO, If I had a MBA 11" I dont see why Id need an iPad on top of that. Doesnt mean you wouldnt get use out of both but I suspect that I would end up using the MBA a lot more than the iPad. The MBA line is almost tablet-like with their sveltness, weight, battery life, and portability. If I had a larger MBP or imac then sure - the ipad starts to make more sense.

Use the GC on something else. IMO ;)
 
I definitely think it is worth it to get an ipad as a companion to the MBA. I have the 13" MBA and the ipad Air and they compliment each other well. I will say though in your case I might be looking at the upcoming Retina Mini instead of the Air, although don't let that statement shy you away from the ipad Air if you really like it.
 
I have a MacMini Server with 27" Apple display, MacBook Air 11", and an ipad Air.

They all have their strengths. I would probably put the money into a Thunderbolt Display if I were a designer before the Air.
 
Whether it is "worth" it or not is entirely dependent on your usage patters and budget. The iPad Air can do some of the things the MBA can do, like check email and browse the web. But there may be some things you need to do that the MBA can do and the iPad can't.

If ALL you do is check email for example, then the iPad Air is cheaper lighter, and does a competent job. But if you need to create a file and prefer to use a keyboard and maybe connect to a larger screen, and run more powerful graphics software, then you need the MBA.

Having the MBA and iPad becomes redundant if YOUR usage patters involves things both do and do well.
 
As the iPad get more and more advanced, I find myself using my 11" MBA a lot less. If it weren't for times I needed to upload files I probably would use it at all.
 
I wouldn't consider picking up the air a bad purchase. The Air is the first iPad that I've owned (had a 1 and 3 ) that I use as my main surfing device now. I would get annoyed at the speed of the previous gens in comparison to my MBA when on the web. This device nearly matches my laptop in speed for doing tasks like that. I'm very impressed.
 
You will enjoy the Air. You will get a ton of use out of it and find that it's pretty hard to put down.
 
I would wait for a Mini Retina, then have middle ground covered between iphone and MBA.
 
The two are comparable in size but hardly in practical use. The only things they really share in common are that they have screens of roughly the same size. We have an 11" Air and a couple of iPads. The Air is if you need a laptop or for some reason don't like tablets. The screen is nowhere near as good, and it's not at all the same internet or reading experience. An ipad is a computing appliance which is fundamentally different than what a laptop tries to be.

I will say that having an ipad1 only gives you a small taste of the ipad experience. The new ones are really powerful, so between the speed increases and the software improvements, where I had to run to a real computer fairly regularly even a year and a half ago, today I do 98% of my day to day computing (non-work) on my ipad.
 
When I travelled a lot (every other week) on business, my iPad 3G went with me and my MBA11 stayed at home.

Now that I don't have to travel, i use my MBA exclusively. No comparison. I use my iPhone for the little things (reading, navigation, email on the go).
 
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