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Read all the threads, but still can't decide re:MBA!!

S

spaceryder

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 15, 2008
7
0
Have spent a lot of the festive break reading these discussions and still can't decide between 11'' or 13.''

I will be replacing a G4 PB which is acting as my desk top. My main needs are: email, internet, Office, music storage and photography( playing rather than serious user!).

I suspect the 11'' may do for my needs, but the 13'' seems 'better value for money' and perhaps more future proof?

I could sum it up by saying: my heart says 11'' but my head says 13!''

I need to buy before Jan 4th to beat the UK VAT rise. If I spend any more time researching this on the net, either I'll go mad or my wife will leave (tempting choices! -just kidding!)

Any help gratefully received.
 
If it's your main computer that 11" screen is just too small.

Were it me, I'd wait, let the wife go and buy a 15" MBP. :D
 
Last edited:
I had both the 11 and 13 MBA's. I returned the 11 cause it was just too slow! I have the ultimate 13" with 4gig of ram, 256 flash. I LOVE IT! I use it for everything. Have it connected to my 27" Cinema display. I never hear the fan. I run Photoshop, quark, word, pages, filemaker pro, parallels with Windows 7, quicken Windows. I never have any problem. It seems much faster than my 2010 MBP 13". I strongly recommend the 4gig ram and larger drive. You don't realize how much stuff you can have on your computer. Good luck!
 
uniforms said:
I had both the 11 and 13 MBA's. I returned the 11 cause it was just too slow! I have the ultimate 13" with 4gig of ram, 256 flash. I LOVE IT! I use it for everything. Have it connected to my 27" Cinema display. I never hear the fan. I run Photoshop, quark, word, pages, filemaker pro, parallels with Windows 7, quicken Windows. I never have any problem. It seems much faster than my 2010 MBP 13". I strongly recommend the 4gig ram and larger drive. You don't realize how much stuff you can have on your computer. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Same here: I tried the Macbook Air 11", and I returned it because the screen was too small. I got the MBA 13" Ultimate, and I love it. I really wanted to love the 11" because it was so small and unique, but the screen size was too restrictive for me. The 13" screen resolution is like having the lower res 15" MBP.
 
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It all depends on what your situation is. For my purposes the 11 is perfect. It's a secondary machine and what I carry with me all the time. The 13 would be too big (I used to have a 13 MBP) for that. At home, I've got a 21.5 iMac.

But if this unit is going to be your primary computer, I agree that the 13 would be better.
 
Since you are replacing your 1 computer, get the 13".

I just got an 11" for Christmas, but this is my second computer (I have a 15" MBP as my main computer). For me, 11" was for traveling convenience. When I need to do intensive work, I use the 15" MBP.

Go with 13", 4gb ram for sure, and 256 SSD and faster processer if you can afford it.
 
I Love My 11.6" Model

If you base your decision on what other posters have said so far you would probably think you should go with the 13.3" version. I'm here to say that I absolutely love my 11.6" version!

I would recommend that you try out the 11.6" model and simply return it for the 13.3" model if it doesn't meet your needs. I was a little concerned that I would find the screen too small. After several months of use, I am still very happy with it. My old 13.3" Rev A MBA now feels huge and heavy! :)
 
I use an 11" while traveling etc. I think for students it may be a great full time laptop. But if you do not need to be that mobile then the 13" is a much better choice. The screen size and extra processing power are going to be appreciated. The 13" can totally replace a MBP 13". Almost no noticeable drop in real world performance. but the 11" feels like a better netbook- good but not good enough to be my daily laptop.
 
Having owned both - 11" is small for a main computer. Pic up the 13" you will be infinitely more happy you did. Especially an ultimate 13". It competed with my macbook pro!
 
Well there are a couple of questions you need to ask yourself.

Do you need an optical drive?
Does your current mac have a backlit keyboard? Would you miss it?

I've just been bought the ultimate 13" and I think it's brilliant. I was originally considering a 13" MBP but after careful consideration I went with the air.

Some of my reasons for going with the air was

  • I didn't really need an optical drive
  • The difference in processor speeds between the 13" MBP and 13" MBA are marginal
  • Better screen resolution
 
iRun26.2 said:
If you base your decision on what other posters have said so far you would probably think you should go with the 13.3" version. I'm here to say that I absolutely love my 11.6" version!

I would recommend that you try out the 11.6" model and simply return it for the 13.3" model if it doesn't meet your needs. I was a little concerned that I would find the screen too small. After several months of use, I am still very happy with it. My old 13.3" Rev A MBA now feels huge and heavy! :)
Click to expand...

the 11.6 is the BEST laptop I've ever owned...
 
My heart said 11" also, but my head and wallet continues to say stay with the 13". Once the novelty of the 11" runs dry, people will wish they had gotten the 13". I mean come on, better screen resolution, battery life, and it only weighs .6 of a pound difference. Thats like a pencil.
 
Shasta McNasty said:
My heart said 11" also, but my head and wallet continues to say stay with the 13". Once the novelty of the 11" runs dry, people will wish they had gotten the 13". I mean come on, better screen resolution, battery life, and it only weighs .6 of a pound difference. Thats like a pencil.
Click to expand...

You need a better scale if your's says: 1 pencil = 0.6 lbs. :)
 
Another thing that I should take in consideration is the battery life... the 11" has 2 hours less battery life for standard use, and if you're using a little flash now en then you won't reach the claimed 5 hours too.
 
I was on a flight today, two flights. The flight attendant said "no laptops in the seat pocket in front of you for takeoff or landing" and my 11.6 fit right in there and is like no laptop at all, no worries. Just one more reason why I love the MBA.

I had my iPad, my Kindle and my MBA in the seat pocket in coach, no problems and the flight attendant was none the wiser.
 
The UPS truck just arrived, with my 11" MBA. I gave the driver my 13" 2009 model that I'm using as a trade-in with PowerMax. Why? Size. I've got a Mac Pro for my main computer. I want a portable that is as small as possible - that fits into a backpack, a pouch in a suitcase, that won't have problems when I fly in economy and the guy ahead of me reclines his seat back all the way.

Sure, the 2010 13" has more screen resolution. But it turns out that the resolution of the 11" is close to the resolution of the 2009 model. Besides which, no laptop display can replace a desktop monitor.
 
Thank you for all the replies.

My decision is..( drum roll)...a 13'' MBA for all the reasons stated above.

To all the people who have the 11'' and are happy with it, I would say I'm sure it' s a great machine but I think the 13'' would suit me better as my only PC.

If money were no object, I would consider an iMac, 11'' MBA and iphone( which I have) +/- ipad! But, alas, it is!
 
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