MBA to rMB Crossovers

[newellj]

It occurred to me that I have a second and more relevant comparison. I bought a 2014 11" MBA open box for a very attractive price a couple of days before the Spring Forward event. The return window is open through late this week and I'm essentially making a crossover decision on this 11" MBA.

In terms of size and weight, they're very close.

In terms of connectivity, the 11" clearly wins, from my perspective. My laptop management strategy includes one external drive for media (photos, music, movies, etc.) and a second external drive for Time Machine backups of both the internal OS disk and the external media drive. It remains to be seen how easy that will be with a hub on the rMB, if it can be done at all, and what the hub will cost. That's a negative, although one I could work around if I really wanted to, but at extra cost.

The real difference is the display, obviously. Before I owned a retina laptop, I don't think the display on this 11" MBA would have bothered me at all. Having lived with a retina display on my 13" rMBP, it is *really* hard to go back.

The final issue is price. The rMB will cost $1300. I paid $780 for this 11" MBA as an open both with nearly all of its warranty left to run.

So...how badly do I hate the old TN display???

 

[sracer]

Don't you want to try the keyboard first? For the writers I know, the keyboard is the most important feature. The rMB keys reportedly have no travel. Even the chiclets keys have some travel.

Good point. Keyboard preference is indeed highly personal. I've been a software developer for nearly 40 years and a writer (primarily over the past 5 years).

Mechanical keyboards are all the rage now, but I've used mechanical keyboards for most of those 40 years and I find them inferior to the newer keyboards found on Apple products. I suspect that for me, the keyboard on the rMB will be even better for me.

I can type faster for longer periods of time with less fatigue on these keyboards than on mechanical keyboards. Although I'm not in the market for a new notebook (still delighted with my 2014 11" MBA), I definitely want to test out an rMB's keyboard.

 

[iRun26.2]

It occurred to me that I have a second and more relevant comparison. I bought a 2014 11" MBA open box for a very attractive price a couple of days before the Spring Forward event. The return window is open through late this week and I'm essentially making a crossover decision on this 11" MBA.

In terms of size and weight, they're very close.

In terms of connectivity, the 11" clearly wins, from my perspective. My laptop management strategy includes one external drive for media (photos, music, movies, etc.) and a second external drive for Time Machine backups of both the internal OS disk and the external media drive. It remains to be seen how easy that will be with a hub on the rMB, if it can be done at all, and what the hub will cost. That's a negative, although one I could work around if I really wanted to, but at extra cost.

The real difference is the display, obviously. Before I owned a retina laptop, I don't think the display on this 11" MBA would have bothered me at all. Having lived with a retina display on my 13" rMBP, it is *really* hard to go back.

The final issue is price. The rMB will cost $1300. I paid $780 for this 11" MBA as an open both with nearly all of its warranty left to run.

So...how badly do I hate the old TN display???

How dearly I look forward to a retina screen on a notebook computer. I've loved it on my iPhone for many years.

 

[iRun26.2]

11.6" MBA to 12.0" rMB Screen Crossover Math:

When moving from the 11.6" MBA to the new 12" rMB, the user will not just see a change in screen size but also a change in aspect ratio: 16:9 on the 11.6" MBA and 16:10 on the rMB.

I did some calculations and came up with what the resulting change in verticle and horizontal space would be:

11.6" MBA => 10.11" wide by 5.69" high
12.0" rMB => 10.17" wide by 6.36" high

Comments: It's interesting that a 11.6" MBA user really doesn't gain any screen size in the horizontal dimension (width). The increase in screen size and the change in aspect ratio combine to mainly increase the screen's vertical dimension.

That's awesome since vertical space on the 11.6" MBA is mainly what's been missing!

 

[MisterPunchy]

11.6" MBA to 12.0" rMB Screen Crossover Math:

When moving from the 11.6" MBA to the new 12" rMB, the user will not just see a change in screen size but also a change in aspect ratio: 16:9 on the 11.6" MBA and 16:10 on the rMB.

I did some calculations and came up with what the resulting change in verticle and horizontal space would be:

11.6" MBA => 10.11" wide by 5.69" high
12.0" rMB => 10.17" wide by 6.36" high

Comments: It's interesting that a 11.6" MBA user really doesn't gain any screen size in the horizontal dimension (width). The increase in screen size and the change in aspect ratio combine to mainly increase the screen's vertical dimension.

That's awesome since vertical space on the 11.6" MBA is mainly what's been missing!

Thanks for the math! I'm stoked they went with 16:10, instead of 16:9. I used to have an 11"MBA, and my one complaint was the shallow verticle resolution. Too hard to use for productivity. This new resolution, especially being retina, is awesome.

 

[nouveau-apple]

I never liked 11 inch screens.12 is cutting it. I'm coming from the 13

 

[ixxx69]

I have a MBA 13" and I'll be looking to get one. It's a second computer for me - nice to have for on the couch or occasionally taking with me on the go. I use it for surfing the web and writing when away from my desk, so I don't need much.

Why I will upgrade: retina screen; even more portable than the MBA.

Why I won't upgrade: 12" too small; keyboard.

Even for my limited needs, the lack of an addition USB-C port kind of sucks. I don't need a million ports, just two - one to charge the MB while also being able to plug something else in like an iPhone.

Like a lot of people, I don't mind the MB, but I wish they would have added a Retina screen to the MBA - that's what I really wanted - a 13" MBA with a retina screen.

 

[iRun26.2]

I have a MBA 13" and I'll be looking to get one. It's a second computer for me - nice to have for on the couch or occasionally taking with me on the go. I use it for surfing the web and writing when away from my desk, so I don't need much.

Why I will upgrade: retina screen; even more portable than the MBA.

Why I won't upgrade: 12" too small; keyboard.

Even for my limited needs, the lack of an addition USB-C port kind of sucks. I don't need a million ports, just two - one to charge the MB while also being able to plug something else in like an iPhone.

Like a lot of people, I don't mind the MB, but I wish they would have added a Retina screen to the MBA - that's what I really wanted - a 13" MBA with a retina screen.

I would recommend you get the 13" MBP.

 

[tejeshwarsekhon]

I am currently using 11" 2011 base model. Its still going strong but i think its time to change it with the new rMB. Only problems i have faced with this MBA are screen, Low space & Ram which all are miles ahead in the new rMB so its perfect update for me.

 

[maflynn]

I am currently using 11" 2011 base model. Its still going strong but i think its time to change it with the new rMB. Only problems i have faced with this MBA are screen, Low space & Ram which all are miles ahead in the new rMB so its perfect update for me.

I think in your situation, the MB makes perfect sense. You get a better screen, that is a bit larger, more storage/ram and an updated CPU/GPU.

 

[newellj]

11.6" MBA to 12.0" rMB Screen Crossover Math:

When moving from the 11.6" MBA to the new 12" rMB, the user will not just see a change in screen size but also a change in aspect ratio: 16:9 on the 11.6" MBA and 16:10 on the rMB.

I did some calculations and came up with what the resulting change in verticle and horizontal space would be:

11.6" MBA => 10.11" wide by 5.69" high
12.0" rMB => 10.17" wide by 6.36" high

Comments: It's interesting that a 11.6" MBA user really doesn't gain any screen size in the horizontal dimension (width). The increase in screen size and the change in aspect ratio combine to mainly increase the screen's vertical dimension.

That's awesome since vertical space on the 11.6" MBA is mainly what's been missing!

If you run the retina display at full resolution, you'll also see more of a document or web page on the same size screen. The question is: will you be able to read it? Answers will vary on that.

 

[iRun26.2]

If you run the retina display at full resolution, you'll also see more of a document or web page on the same size screen. The question is: will you be able to read it? Answers will vary on that.

I expect that the new display panel (IPS) will have higher contrast and brightness than the current MBA screen (TN). I think it will be easier to see than on the previous screens of the MBA.

(I'll need to put on my reading glasses, though).

 

[newellj]

I expect that the new display panel (IPS) will have higher contrast and brightness than the current MBA screen (TN). I think it will be easier to see than on the previous screens of the MBA.

(I'll need to put on my reading glasses, though).

Certainly. I run my 13" rMBP at full res, and it works for me. Not everyone who tries to read things on my screen feels the same way, though. I haven't compared pixels/inch on the 13" vs 12" retina displays.

 

[iRun26.2]

Certainly. I run my 13" rMBP at full res, and it works for me. Not everyone who tries to read things on my screen feels the same way, though. I haven't compared pixels/inch on the 13" vs 12" retina displays.

As I've heard from coworkers in the past, I'm sure I'll hear "How you stand to work on such a small screen?!"

By the way:
13" rMBP => 227 pixels/inch
12" rMB => 226 pixels/inch

(11.6" MBA => 135 pixels/inch)