Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
MacBook Air 15 for travel?
- Thread starter Ravox
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Hate these questions. Your travel computer is what works for you and no one else. 13", 15", who cares? Just get what you love and use it. I've seen big ole HP's in the airport and Dells and every other brand, and folks are using them while waiting to board their planes. Everyone is different. I'm just saying.
I'd give the edge to the 13" if you're on the road a LOT because the 15" is a little bigger and heavier. That said, the right bag makes all the difference and so in most of the places you list (hotels, airports) it's really just a matter of preference.
Personally, I don't like using the even 13" in a coach airline seat. An inconsiderate person in front who reclines violently (we've all had them) can destroy your machine if it's on the tray table and not your lap.
Personally, I don't like using the even 13" in a coach airline seat. An inconsiderate person in front who reclines violently (we've all had them) can destroy your machine if it's on the tray table and not your lap.
I see that you have a M1 Pro and a M2 Air what size each one and which one you use to travel around?
i take either my 13.6" Air or the iPad, depending on where i'm travelling.
domestic = iPad. o/seas = Air
domestic = iPad. o/seas = Air
The 14" M1 Pro is really my workhorse. I use it for my consulting business, video editing, logic, VM's etc. I was, however, getting tired of the routine of having to shutdown all my work stuff in the evening just to use it as a personal device. I don't want to see work when I'm not working...
I started off looking for a used M1 Air, then came across a used base spec. 13" M2 Air and bought that as a couch computer and for personal email, web etc... It impressed me so much that when the 15" Air came, after a bit of hesitation, I bought that one and sold the 13".
In truth, I miss the 13" form factor. But the trade-off for me is the bigger screen, and as I get older the 15" works better.
Back to your original question. For travel, well, it's always the 14" M1Pro, because I need to able to work when I'm on the road. It has a 1TB SSD with all my stuff on it, and I can use it for work and personal. If I had to rank them for travel, it would be 13" > 14" > 15". Smaller/lighter is always better. The 15" hasn't left the house yet, but I would travel with it too if I didn't have the 14". I wouldn't (and don't) use any of them in a coach class airline seat.
Create a second user account on your Mac. That way you get a wall between personal and work uses.
System Settings > Users & Groups > Add Account
I have both my Macs set up this way and it's a lifesaver. My work account is logged into all my work stuff, but the second I switch back to my personal account I see none of it. Then when I go back to work, every window is exactly where I left it. I use a separate Apple ID for each of these accounts to keep Safari tabs, etc all separate.
As a bonus, you can set up a different fingerprint for TouchID that will bring you into each account with a press of the sensor. I use my main finger for personal, middle finger for work
Create a second user account on your Mac. That way you get a wall between personal and work uses.
System Settings > Users & Groups > Add Account
I have both my Macs set up this way and it's a lifesaver. My work account is logged into all my work stuff, but the second I switch back to my personal account I see none of it. Then when I go back to work, every window is exactly where I left it. I use a separate Apple ID for each of these accounts to keep Safari tabs, etc all separate.
As a bonus, you can set up a different fingerprint for TouchID that will bring you into each account with a press of the sensor. I use my main finger for personal, middle finger for work
Thanks for the suggestion. I did try this initially but felt like I had a lot of duplications (e.g. iCloud, OneDrive etc.). It's bad practice, but since I work for myself I mingle my work and personal files in the same Apple ID / iCloud account under different folders. That said, now that OneDrive files on demand works MUCH better I might try again.
I was basically too lazy to figure out a best practice approach, so just bought a secondary laptop to solve the problem(!) I might have another go at this though. I have both AppleIDs and the Apple One Family account, so I could try again to separate stuff. It will be especially good when traveling since I only take the 14" with me.
I think the approach I would take is to use optimized storage for my cloud services such that they only download files on demand. Dropbox and Google Sync are great with this and let you pin files to keep downloaded, iCloud Drive much less so. Using separate Apple IDs (tied together with Family Sharing to share iCloud Drive quota) works really well for me. But yeah, multiple accounts really makes it easy to keep your work environment totally out of the way. It's almost like having a second Mac.
OK - you've inspired me. I'll be traveling for a month in December and I'm not taking two laptops, so I going to do it with a separate work account. 👍
It might also stop me wasting time on MacRumors when I could be doing billable work!
It might also stop me wasting time on MacRumors when I could be doing billable work!
Haha, I actually have a *third* user account (same Apple ID as my personal) I use only for writing, has no email or Messages or any notifications of any kind. If I want to F around on the internet, I have to switch accounts and that keeps me reasonably honest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It's great thanks to its weight and feel - that's a big advantage over 15/16" MBPs, but the one negative is the footprint which is nearly the same. If you're traveling economy or working somewhere with limited desk space, it can take up all the room you have with nowhere for phones, notes, food & drink etc.
Just worth bearing in mind depending on where you'll be using it on the go and for how long.
Just worth bearing in mind depending on where you'll be using it on the go and for how long.