MBA 11 or 13 for existing MBP 17" user

[hajime]

Hello. I got the SR 17' MBP and Apple kindly swapped it with the new 2010 MBP 17" due to the NVIDIA problem. I think the weight of the 2007 model was about 2.7kg but the 2010 one I got is 3kg. After using it for a few months, I am considering to get a lighter computer for non-computationally intensive work. Which MBA do you recommend? The 11 model seems attractive but I worry about the letters being too small. (My eyesight is not that good.) They do not look that bad in stores but I may have problems if I use the machine for a long time, say in 2-3 consecutive hours. I am ok with the 17" model though.

How many more extra weight will be put on the laptops if I max out the 11 and 13 models? Thanks.

 

[spinnerlys]

The SR 17" MBP weighs 3.08 kg, the 2010 17" MBP weighs 2.99 kg, thus 90 g have been saved.

The additional components will not add more than a couple of gram, not more than 100 g though.

Btw, I have the mid-2009 17" MBP and personally would take the 11", the resolution is okay for its size, not too small and not too big. And it is fast and testing the 11" in the store convinced me to get an SSD for my 17", which is now even faster.

 

[aleni]

i have both 2009 17" mbp and 11" air. the 17" with 1900x1200 makes everything smaller, i sometimes got eyestrain when reading websites on the 17" screen. with the 11", text in websites is bigger than on the 17", what only lacks with the 11" is only the screen real
estate.

i use my 17" only for photoshop.

 

[Abstract]

Pixel density between the two MBA models are very similar. In fact, if you have the 1920 x 1200 screen on your 17" ( I believe it was optional back then), text on the MBAs may be the same size as on your 17".

Another option would be the 13" MBP, which would give you bigger text than on the 13" MBA, and crazy awesome battery life.

So I guess I recommend either the 11" MBA, or 13" MBP.

 

[aleni]

Pixel density between the two MBA models are very similar. In fact, if you have the 1920 x 1200 screen on your 17" ( I believe it was optional back then), text on the MBAs may be the same size as on your 17".

Another option would be the 13" MBP, which would give you bigger text than on the 13" MBA, and crazy awesome battery life.

So I guess I recommend either the 11" MBA, or 13" MBP.

i got the early 2009 17" unibody. so the 1900x1200 is not BTO. and it seems the text on the 17" is smaller than the 11" mba. maybe it's because a longer distance because i use my 17" on table while with my 11" mba, i use it on bed and the screen is in much closer distance to my eyes.