Those that switched from a 13” to a 15” - could you ever go back?

[helloapple1]

I recently switched from a 13” M1 MBA to a 15” M2 MBA, and after a few weeks of use I don’t think I could ever go back to a 13” screen size. The 15” size is just too comfortable. I now look at my 13” and feel like it’s a toy. Not to say the 13” is bad, but for me there’s no comparison.

Wondering what people’s thoughts are who switched?

 

[RokinAmerica]

Counter point... I recently bought a 15" Air, switching from a 17" lappy (windows) to supplement my mobile work setup. Miss the screen size, but the Air is so light, screen so good, speakers very impressive and battery life incredible.

I am older so 13' is not for me, but this is like changing from carrying a bowling ball around to a basketball.

Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase.

 

[profH]

I have both and both have use cases for which they are best (unfortunately; I am drowning in devices).

 

[GMShadow]

Depends on your use cases and needs. I moved off the Air to the Pros years ago because 13" + crappy TN screen was killing my eyes. Still have the 16" today (the Intel model, which is a fair amount lighter/thinner than the newer ones) but I recently grabbed a 12" Surface Laptop Go 2 for ultraportable stuff, as Apple no longer makes a 12" MacBook. If they still did, I'd have grabbed it (I don't care for the M1 Air and the M2 felt like overkill for what I needed).

 

[mysticmanix]

Bought a 13 inch air, bought a 16 inch pro, then bought a 15 Air and sold the 16 inch pro. The 15 is so much lighter and thinner and more comfortable to type on than the 16 inch. The screen sizes between the 15 and 16 aren't that far apart because it's 15.3 and 16.2, but the difference between the 15.3 air and 13.3 air screens is enormous.

I'm keeping my M1 Air just as a backup but I haven't used it in probably a month. Kind of a nitpick but in comparison the 13 inch's much thicker top bezel annoys me, and the amount I have to slouch to use the 13 air was also no good for my back because it's such a small screen. The 15 air is also closer to a 3:2 screen ratio than 16:10, which just feels larger, almost like the good old days of 4:3 screens.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I recently switched from a 13” M1 MBA to a 15” M2 MBA, and after a few weeks of use I don’t think I could ever go back to a 13” screen size. The 15” size is just too comfortable. I now look at my 13” and feel like it’s a toy. Not to say the 13” is bad, but for me there’s no comparison.

Wondering what people’s thoughts are who switched?

Gun to my head, yeah, I could... but I would not like it... that extra 2" of real estate makes the 15" M2 MBA pretty close to perfect for me...

 

[thadoggfather]

I gave it a week with my m2 15" air and traded my m1 air back to apple for a gift card

the form factor of 13" is really nice when its closed, but the 15" air is pretty light for as big as the screen is. im a fan of how much brighter and better contrast the panel is too. seems like a big leap in practice

 

[1BadManVan]

I guess it depends if it's your only machine. I love my 13.6" m2 air because of how small and portable it is and when I want more screen real estate, I have a desktop with a 27" monitor. My main use case for my air is on the couch these days which I think is the better size laptop for my usage vs a 15"

 

[TurboJobo]

Since I use my laptop mostly on the bed or couch 13.6'' is better for me than the 15''
It is more portable and lighter

 

[playtech1]

I've switched back and forth between 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 inch Apple laptops over the years and always end up gravitating to the smaller machines - currently the 14 inch MBP is my daily driver and is just about perfect as a portable powerhouse. I am tempted to switch my 16 inch MBP for a 15 inch MBA for the lighter weight.

 

[jclardy]

In the era of USB-C, I'm 100% for more portability. I work remote, and often from my home office on a studio display. So at that point it doesn't matter - the smaller size takes up less desk space. The only time it matters is when I'm out working from a coffee shop or the kitchen, outside, traveling etc. And in those cases, I usually only have a small work area...so I prefer the smaller size.

 

[adrianlondon]

I went from a late-2013 15" MBP to a 13" Intel 2020 MBA.

It's much easier to use as an actual laptop and to carry around. I can connect it to a monitor if I need more space. I run it at 1680x1050.

 

[Timpetus]

I've been all over the map, here are the PowerBook and MacBook Pros I've had: 12" 17" 15" 16" 14" and borrowed a 13" MacBook for a while. Currently loving the 14" as a wonderful middle ground size. I don't miss the 17" for sure, as that machine was from when I rarely took my laptop with me and now I carry my 14" (previously my 15") with me to work every day.

I could definitely go back, and would be perfectly happy even with another 12" if it was still powerful enough to do what I need. I miss the era when there were 3 full power MBP options! Apple, bring out a 12" MBP so we can have little, medium, and large screens again

 

[MarkNewton2023]

I recently switched from a 13” M1 MBA to a 15” M2 MBA, and after a few weeks of use I don’t think I could ever go back to a 13” screen size. The 15” size is just too comfortable. I now look at my 13” and feel like it’s a toy. Not to say the 13” is bad, but for me there’s no comparison.

Wondering what people’s thoughts are who switched?

No. I love larger screen size❤️😊

 

[onFIRE]

I would definitely go for the 15" MBA if I didn't have the 13" M2 MBA currently. Did anyone trade in their 13" M2 MBA? If so, how much did you get?

 

[msackey]

I recently switched from a 13” M1 MBA to a 15” M2 MBA, and after a few weeks of use I don’t think I could ever go back to a 13” screen size. The 15” size is just too comfortable. I now look at my 13” and feel like it’s a toy. Not to say the 13” is bad, but for me there’s no comparison.

Wondering what people’s thoughts are who switched?

I went from a 15" MacBook Pro (long time ago) to 13" MBA/MBP (before the latest rendition of MBA). Back then, the 15" MacBook Pro was just too heavy and too big when compared to the 13". Yes, the size of the 15" screen is lovely, but overall the weight and size was just too clunky to carry around easily, to say, cafe and shops to do work.

I cannot imagine going back to a 15" size Mac unless the entire form factor is about the size of the 13" MPB. Perhaps this could be achieved with even thinner bezels or what not. The 14" MBP's form factor seems roughly equivalent enough to my current 13" MBP touchbar so I think that size would be ok.

 

[thadoggfather]

The 14" MBP is considerably chunkier than the 15" Air, and 16" MBP just a smidge thicker than the 14" as well

 

[sherwinzadeh]

Only time I wish I had a smaller MacBook was on a long flight that I wanted to get work done. Otherwise would always go with the largest screen Apple made. I'd get a 19" if they had one.

 

[jonathanjoestar]

i went from a 15 inch macbook pro to a 13" m2 air, i really do miss the screensize + better build of the pro. The air feels cramped and honestly flimsy at times compared to my old machine

 

[Zest28]

The 15” MBA is as heavy as a 14” MBP. I don’t see the point of it as being an “Air”.

Also you don’t get much extra screen real estate from what I have seen in the Apple Store. If you need more screen real estate, use an external display.

The 13” MBA remains for me to be the best ultra portable laptop.

 

[ShiftHappens]

I'm always using external displays, so decided to go from 15'' MBP to 14'' in 2021. No regrets - I really like the form factor and the portability.

 

[Mainsail]

The 15” MBA is as heavy as a 14” MBP. I don’t see the point of it as being an “Air”.

Also you don’t get much extra screen real estate from what I have seen in the Apple Store. If you need more screen real estate, use an external display.

The 13” MBA remains for me to be the best ultra portable laptop.

I tend to agree with you. I have the 13in M2 MBA, and it is the best laptop I have ever owned. Great portability and battery life. If I need more screen real estate, I plug into an inexpensive 23in 1080p external monitor. That said; I realize some people need extra screen space while away from their desk, so there certainly is a market for the 15in MBA. I just don't run into that issue very often. In general, the 13.6in display is large enough for my purposes. YMMV.

 

[thadoggfather]

i went from a 15 inch macbook pro to a 13" m2 air, i really do miss the screensize + better build of the pro. The air feels cramped and honestly flimsy at times compared to my old machine

What feels flimsy in particular? I don't have the 13" m2 Air but I wouldn't described it as flimsy. it feels light while being structurally sound I dunno..

 

[ascender]

What feels flimsy in particular? I don't have the 13" m2 Air but I wouldn't described it as flimsy. it feels light while being structurally sound I dunno..

I've seen a few people mention this, but to me the 15" air screen and top-lid feel way more substantial than the old 13" Air did. The Pro does feel like a proper chunk of metal though by comparison - but the Airs don't feel flimsy. Even my wife's 13" feels much less flimsy than the first-gen and old Intel ones.