Many consumers think 2012 MacBook Air 11-inch is better than 13-inch version

[Abazigal]

I think I can understand why the article is written the way it is - it seems more like a compilation of water fountain talk (i.e: unsubstantiated rumours and opinions about the air) that the writer decided to cobble together and call it a day. The article has its merits, but certainly could be written a lot better.

For example, it is a fair point to call out that the 11" MBA is lacking a SD card, something people may overlook when purchasing one and realising it only when they want to transfer photos over. I wouldn't call it a key difference, but still something that is good to know upfront.

Same for battery life, something we know about, but don't really emphasise because to us, it seems pretty obvious, but may not be so to the typical consumer.

Likewise,

I was able to use Final Cut Pro with both units, although it ran slightly more smooth on the 13-inch unit.

I wonder if the writer realises this is likely due to the 13" air having a faster processor? Upgrade both to the same 2.0ghz version and this should eliminate any disparity in performance.

It is not advisable to get either unit without at least 4GB RAM.

She is probably thinking of the 2011 11" base air model, which does come with just 2gb of ram.

The upper-end 11-inch MacBook Air comes with 128GB of flash storage, while the upper-end 13-inch comes with 256GB of flash storage

Which is relevant only if you are planning to buy your air from an apple store or retailer (and naturally, more flash storage means a heftier price tag, you aren't getting them free). Else, through the online apple store, the 11" air too can have 256 gb of flash if you are willing to pony up the extra cash, just as both can be upgraded to 512gb of storage.

Not wrong, but again, the story is quite 1-sided and doesn't give the full picture. At the end of the day, both 11" and 13" airs can have the same specs, with the only differing aspects being the screen size (and consequently larger footprint), presence/absence of a SD card slot and battery life for an extra $200 (which could in turn be spent on related accessories).

Finally, I disagree with the 11" air being an ipad replacement, or choosing a laptop based solely on battery life as the deal breaker, but again, we are all entitled to our own opinions, and I respect their decision for that.

 

[Acorn]

right when someone posted that the article recommends you get at least 4 gigs of ram i just passed on it. seriously they didnt take the 30 seconds to see what the minimum was. what a bunch of idiots.

 

[26139]

Well, yeah...

The 11" 2012 MBA IS better than the 2012 13" MBA.

For me.

 

[ickarumba1]

The 11 inch is the new 13 inch.

The 13 inch is the new 15 inch.

The 15 inch is the new 17 inch.

Do you think my girlfriend will believe me when I tell her that 6 inch is the new 8 inch?

 

[Aniseedvan]

I thought this was a poor article but then I have been reading mac rumours too long to be a little more informed now!

Very sad when there are genuine prospective buyers who may be swayed one way or another on the basis of this article possibly for all the wrong reasons..

 

[HishamAkhtar]

Do you think my girlfriend will believe me when I tell her that 6 inch is the new 8 inch?

Hahahaha +1!

I was hoping someone made that joke when I posted that comment

----------

Finally, I disagree with the 11" air being an ipad replacement, or choosing a laptop based solely on battery life as the deal breaker, but again, we are all entitled to our own opinions, and I respect their decision for that.

Yeah I know some people who were thinking about getting the iPad and then went head and got the 11 inch MBA.

Doesn't the 11 inch have much worse battery life compared to the 13 inch?

 

[Hexiii]

The main difference between the 11-inch and 13-inch units is that the 13-inch unit has an SD card slot on the rear right of the unit.

Oh is it? Now the price difference makes sense. I always thought it's about the screen.

 

[OnceYouGoMac]

That said I feel the 11-inch is just too small for me to be a primary computer.

I don't find the 11" too small, but at the moment it's a secondary computer. I still love it though

Do you think my girlfriend will believe me when I tell her that 6 inch is the new 8 inch?

Well why don't you ask her? Let us know her response

 

[Dustman]

I don't find the 11" too small, but at the moment it's a secondary computer. I still love it though



Well why don't you ask her? Let us know her response

The perfect size is in the eyes of the beholder. ...at both of these responses.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Originally, I was going to get the Macbook Air 11 but upon using it in the store, it was way too small for my liking. Having come from a Latitude D830 brick, the Air 13' was EXACTLY what I wanted for my next laptop. The screen space is almost perfect and the text size isn't tiny and isn't too big. The keyboard is awesome.

I bought this in April of 2011 (or March, can't really remember). If I had to choose now what I wanted, I'd be tempted by the Macbook Pro Retina as it's close to the Macbook Air 13' but bigger. Portability is a big thing so I'm 50/50 for another Air 13' or a Macbook Pro Retina. The price difference would probably have me getting an Air 13'.

 

[ryannel2003]

I've tried to get used to the screen on the 11" because I wanted something very portable to take back and forth to school, but the screen was just too small so I went ahead and got the 13" and I'm happy with it. The 11" is better for people who don't use it as a main computer but for me, I don't think I would be able to get used to the size.

 

[tim100]

i think the 11 inch mba has gotten less attention this time. the only reviews for the spec bumped new model has been of the 13 inch.

 

[stchman]

Hmm, somebody didn't do their homework.

The upper-end models of both devices come with 4GB of RAM, but can be configured for more. It is not advisable to get either unit without at least 4GB RAM.

The 2012 MBA has TWO memory configurations 4GB and 8GB. You cannot get LESS than 4GB RAM on the 2012 MBA.

After reading that article, it appears that the 13" MBA is the better choice.

 

[tim100]

i am not sure why the 11 inch is losing popularity. maybe the hype of the release has worn off and people are picking the 13 inch for screen and battery life.

 

[26139]

Yep

I've tried to get used to the screen on the 11" because I wanted something very portable to take back and forth to school, but the screen was just too small so I went ahead and got the 13" and I'm happy with it. The 11" is better for people who don't use it as a main computer but for me, I don't think I would be able to get used to the size.

I had the same dilemma, but went with the 11" because most of my working time is spent at my desk with an external monitor.

For the short time I'm bouncing to and from client meetings, on the road or just at a coffee shop, the 11"'s size and weight (especially Tom Bihn bag size) made up for the issues I had with the screen.

But I certainly don't think I would be unhappy with a 13" MBA.

 

[entatlrg]

i am not sure why the 11 inch is losing popularity. maybe the hype of the release has worn off and people are picking the 13 inch for screen and battery life.

What size do you like more?

For me it's the 11" .... until I've sat with it on my lap for a few hours. The small size is great but if you're using it for many hours at a time the small size becomes a disadvantage more than a feature. The 11" screen starts to seem small and cramped, I miss the larger trackpad and palm rests. Use the 11 at desk or table for hours at a time everyday and the 13" becomes REAL inviting.

For short sessions or as a secondary computer the 11" is really cool. Anything more than that and I think most would appreciate the 13" more. Actually the 13" is excellent as a second computer too, longer battery life, bigger screen. It's hard to go wrong with the 13".

That's my experience of owning both notebooks and using them for hours on end.

 

[ryannel2003]

I had the same dilemma, but went with the 11" because most of my working time is spent at my desk with an external monitor.

For the short time I'm bouncing to and from client meetings, on the road or just at a coffee shop, the 11"'s size and weight (especially Tom Bihn bag size) made up for the issues I had with the screen.

But I certainly don't think I would be unhappy with a 13" MBA.

Even though the footprint is nearly the same as a 13" Pro, the damn weight of it is so noticeable I can't believe I hadn't bought an Air earlier. I had reservations buying one last year because I was worried of the SSD size limitations and the processor but honestly the SSD was worth it because of how quick it is. I don't miss my DVD drive at all... I might have to buy the ethernet adapter for use one day but otherwise I've been really enjoying it.

 

[26139]

Yep

Even though the footprint is nearly the same as a 13" Pro, the damn weight of it is so noticeable I can't believe I hadn't bought an Air earlier. I had reservations buying one last year because I was worried of the SSD size limitations and the processor but honestly the SSD was worth it because of how quick it is. I don't miss my DVD drive at all... I might have to buy the ethernet adapter for use one day but otherwise I've been really enjoying it.

I very much wanted the smallest computer possible, as my favorite previous laptop was the last 12" Powerbook (sniff...).

Processor isn't an issue (2.0ghz i7).
Screen size is manageable.
SSD size (128) just meant I had to clean up a bunch of crap I never accessed anymore. I did have a ton of video footage, but all of that was easily transferred or archived online.

DVD drive is solely so I can copy stuff for others.

If you're worried about the MBA, get the 13", but most of us that aren't serious gamers, graphic designers or video editors will love either.

 

[plucky duck]

What size do you like more?

For me it's the 11" .... until I've sat with it on my lap for a few hours. The small size is great but if you're using it for many hours at a time the small size becomes a disadvantage more than a feature. The 11" screen starts to seem small and cramped, I miss the larger trackpad and palm rests. Use the 11 at desk or table for hours at a time everyday and the 13" becomes REAL inviting.

For short sessions or as a secondary computer the 11" is really cool. Anything more than that and I think most would appreciate the 13" more. Actually the 13" is excellent as a second computer too, longer battery life, bigger screen. It's hard to go wrong with the 13".

That's my experience of owning both notebooks and using them for hours on end.

For sure if you're mostly stationary the 13" is more pleasant to use, but for me I don't use it stationary on a desk, I like to carry it with me wherever I go so mobility is a bigger factor than screen real estate and battery life. 11" did appear small to me at first, but after awhile it feels just perfect. I don't notice the loss in height of the display as I do the shrinkage in form factor and increase in mobility.

 

[Alameda]

Obviously, many consumers think 11" is better, or else Apple wouldn't sell any. Guess what? Lots of consumers also prefer the 13" over the 11",

This is news?

 

[ryannel2003]

I very much wanted the smallest computer possible, as my favorite previous laptop was the last 12" Powerbook (sniff...).

Processor isn't an issue (2.0ghz i7).
Screen size is manageable.
SSD size (128) just meant I had to clean up a bunch of crap I never accessed anymore. I did have a ton of video footage, but all of that was easily transferred or archived online.

DVD drive is solely so I can copy stuff for others.

If you're worried about the MBA, get the 13", but most of us that aren't serious gamers, graphic designers or video editors will love either.

Yeah for me since I use mine as a main machine all the time I definitely needed the extra screen space. The Air's in general are excellent machines!