Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Owners of the 11 incher - do you wish you went for 13'?

Uguubot

Uguubot

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 16, 2010
97
5
Minnesota
Hey, I'm looking to buy a Macbook Air, maybe not this generation but next (I'll be a senior, and might as well spend a lot of money on an updated laptop), and I am wondering if any 11 inch owners regret not getting a bigger screen?

Aside from notes and web browsing research, I'd use it for blogging, light photo editing (cropping, adding text, graphics, etc), and chatting on steam.

Oh, also, are they durable? I am certainly delicate with my electronics (My iPhone 4S, bought in December, has no scratches or chips), but accidents happen.
 
Last edited:
Topic Title is dirty :D

On-Topic: MBA is my main computing system, so I went with 13''.

Apple Computers are very durable. I'm careful with my electronics, but apparently the aluminium coating of Apple notebooks are really eroded metal so it doesn't scratch easily.
 
I've owned a lot of notebooks between 10" and 17" but I think 13" is the sweet spot between all day useability and mobility.

Ive had a 13" MBA in the past and it's likely my all time favorite notebook. Great screen and keyboard, enough power and capacity and a great mobile experience.

I switched to the 11" when it came out in 2010 and don't regret it. My eyes are not the best so the screen is on the edge for me but it's a great screen even though its small and I travel a lot so the trade off is worth it to me. It's a terrific machine to use in short bursts but for all day use I'd need an external monitor.

Before I upgraded recently to a 2012, I took a close look at the 11" vs 13" again and still chose the 11" for it's superior travel experience. If I didn't travel a lot I would have chosen the 13" though.
 
Originally ordered the 13", received it and had regrets. Went to the apple store to play around with the 11" and get a feel for it and went to some of the sites I would normally frequent and checked to make sure I could use it daily without issue.

I love the smaller form factor but still packs a full punch. Easy decision for me, exchanged the 13" for an 11" ultimate, no regrets.

Battery life is a little weaker, but I'm never too far away from an outlet if needed after the 4-5hr battery is dead.
 
I've had all size screens through the years, most recently a 17-in PC laptop. That was essentially a desktop in laptop format and as for being portable - forget it. It weighed a ton, was wayyy too bulky.

That screen, even though 17 inches, was wide, but not very tall. I rarely used it and was sorry I hadn't bought a smaller screen laptop. Ironically, at that time, smaller screen PC laptops were more expensive than larger screens - for that same reason.

I now have the 13-in MBP (late 2011) and LOVE it!! I also have an iPad2 with it's 10-inch screen. I didn't think 11 would be enough of a difference. I agree with the poster that the 13-inch is a "sweet spot" in size... totally functional and portable (unless you are doing pro graphics or photo editing where you need more real estate for close-up detail work).
 
Had the 2011 11" and went for the 2012 11" as well. You just can't beat the feeling of these ultra light notebooks. Used to have a 13" but now when I see one I just think damn they are huge.
 
I was debating between the 11" Air and the MBP 13" a few years ago. Got the 13", but ended up leaving it at home all the time because of its size and weight.

Just got my new 11" MBA, and loving it! The display size is good once I moved the dock to the side.
 
trondah said:
Had the 2011 11" and went for the 2012 11" as well. You just can't beat the feeling of these ultra light notebooks. Used to have a 13" but now when I see one I just think damn they are huge.
Click to expand...

Isn't that the truth. When I switched from a 13" MBP to a 13" MBA years ago, the 13" MBA seemed a huge improvement from a mobility perspective and was incredibly happy with it for several years.

Then the 11" came out and it seemed another big leap in mobility. Even though I would prefer the larger screen the 11" is definitely worth the compromise to me. And I can't picture going back to the "huge" 13" MBA :D
 
I just can't imagine using an 11 inch computer as a main device. I absolutely hate my brother's 10 inch netbook.
 
11" as your main computer? No, I can't see it either. As a VERY convenient travel computer, though, yes.

Boy, have we ever come full circle. My company bought an IBM Thinkpad 365csd back in 1995 for $2400 and it had a 10.4" TFT color display, and we just all thought that was the hottest thing out there!

----------
Uguubot said:
...
Aside from notes and web browsing research, I'd use it for blogging, light photo editing (cropping, adding text, graphics, etc), and chatting on steam.
....
Click to expand...
I think if you're doing any sort of photo editing, light or not, you're going to want the extra real estate of the 13" screen.
 
pandaguy said:
I just can't imagine using an 11 inch computer as a main device. I absolutely hate my brother's 10 inch netbook.
Click to expand...

While the 11" is a small screen and I wouldn't want to work on it all day long without an external monitor its as powerful as many 13" machines and has a competitive screen resolution to many. Its got a full size keyboard and a good trackpad. A far cry from any netbook.

I can be productive on the 11" screen but for me more screen real-estate means more productivity for many tasks - so regardless of having an 11" or 13" or 15" laptop, I often use external monitors when available.
 
MBA 11", been using it as my main machine (~8-10 hrs / day) for the past 14 months with absolutely no regrets.
 
Goth both the 11'' and 13'' ordered because I could not decide. :cool:
The 11" should be here today and I'm stoked.
 
I had the 2010 11 inch air and it was just ok. now I have the 2012 13 inch air and im way happier. its so much more usable.
 
Do a side by side comparison

If you have an Apple Store or a Best Buy near-by, do a side by side comparison of the 11" and 13". I did, and was immediately turned toward the 13". The screen real estate is very noticeably larger: more than you might think. The size difference is not much: 1" wider and 1.4" deeper and same height. The 13" is less than 6/10 of a pound heavier, but hold them both simultaneously in your hands and see if that will truly wear you down (no wimpish aspersions being cast). Think about battery life, as they have respectively 5hr vs 7 hr battery charges.

I'm going for the 13".
 
I went from a 13-inch MBA to an 11-inch earlier this year and have no regrets (however, it's not my main computer - a 27-inch iMac is). I think the 11-inch is amazingly portable and I don't think I'd ever go back to the 13-inch as a second computer for working outside the house and traveling.

I use it for writing, Excel, and some light photo editing. The smaller screen isn't ideal for the Excel work but it's do-able.

I haven't tested its durability by dropping it but I don't worry about it excessively. I keep it in a padded sleeve in my bag and also have a clear SGP skin on it since the thing I worry most about is scratches thanks to a bad experience with the TSA and my last MBA.
 
I have external monitors at home, so the larger screen size of the laptop wasn't the deciding factor for me. If you have large hands like me though, definitely test out typing in store because the sharp edges on the palm rest are what made me lean toward the 13" over the 11".
 
Last edited:
Basically seems like most people who have an 11" either use it as a second computer, or a main computer b.c they travel with it a lot. I have an 11" and 13". If I had to pick one I would go with the 13" since I am at home mostly when I use a computer. The 11" is great, but to use more than a few hours "I" feel hunched over.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back