Wow, you're 'bang on', very very well written.
Now if you'll excuse me, I think I need a moment too.
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What is it about the 11" MBA? The 13" ticks more boxes but still want the 11!
- Thread starter entatlrg
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Wow, you're 'bang on', very very well written.
Now if you'll excuse me, I think I need a moment too.
Reading the PPI specifications for the 11 and 13 inch screens I find it quite odd when people claim the 11" puts stress on your eyes The 11" has 135 PPI and the 13" has 128 PPI, in other words are they virtually the same.
If you'd move the 11" Air just one inch closer to your eyes at normal working distance you would totally eliminate the PPI difference.
So where do people get this idea from?
The 11" has 135 PPI and the 13" has 128 PPI, in other words are they virtually the same.If you'd move the 11" Air just one inch closer to your eyes at normal working distance you would totally eliminate the PPI difference.
So where do people get this idea from?
Reading the PPI specifications for the 11 and 13 inch screens I find it quite odd when people claim the 11" puts stress on your eyes
If you'd move the 11" Air just one inch closer to your eyes at normal working distance you would totally eliminate the PPI difference.
So where do people get this idea from?
People get it from their experience. Specs don't tell the whole story. I personally find the 11" so crisp and clear the smaller size of everything I'm looking at doesn't bother me. But I can see it WOULD bother some people.
Take a look at the same web site on an 11" and a 13" and what you see on the 11" is considerably smaller. For some that may bean the difference between a comfortable, relaxed seating position and a hunched over one thats not comfortable. Thats not only from the size of things on the screen but the fact that the top of the 11" screen is considerably lower.
It may not bother you or me but lots of folks indicate it does bother them. So why discount their experience based on a spec that says the PPI only differs by 5% - the relative object sizes differ by considerably more and the screen to eye geometry are different so PPI is not the only factor.
Sure you can fit more content on the 13 inch screen but we are not talking about that. We are talking about the size of the GUI (text, icons etc).
Some people say that their eyes get strained and they need glasses etc. with the 11 inch but not with the 13 inch. I've read this in several threads and in my opinion it's a completely false statement.
It makes no sense because you will need glasses on both machines if you need glasses on one of them. Glasses won't let you fit more or less content on the screen. Facts are facts and you cannot change that with "personal experience".
Smaller is smaller. 135 PPI is smaller than 128 PPI. Add to that a lower top of screen point. Add to that the resolution difference. It might not be a DRASTIC difference, but it's not "virtually the same."Reading the PPI specifications for the 11 and 13 inch screens I find it quite odd when people claim the 11" puts stress on your eyes
agreed!
not sure what the other poster's issue is -- if he likes smaller, good for him and enjoy his 11". i think the mba 11 is a great laptop. i had one for 2 years. but love moving up to 13".
no reason to say folks that prefer the 13" are liars...
Ok, so what Apple needs is a damn 12" Air to replace the both of these...the sweet spot. Simplify the supply chain, reduce options and churn like we see pages of here...12" is the perfect size. Could even squeeze the SD slot back in there.
12" w/ IPS Display (retina or not, who cares)
add SD slot
slightly bigger battery
8gb and 512 SSD
No comparison...would hands down be the most ideal Air in size/power/weight/res/etc.
12" w/ IPS Display (retina or not, who cares)
add SD slot
slightly bigger battery
8gb and 512 SSD
No comparison...would hands down be the most ideal Air in size/power/weight/res/etc.
So you're saying that the 13 inch Air is recommended for anyone who get their eyes strained over the 11 inch Air? If so, you are plain dumb.
Hiding everything but a portion of the screen on both the 11" and 13" and comparing the size of the text would make it a guessing game for you to tell wish screen is 11 inch and wish is 13 inch. To tell the difference you'd have to be able to count each individual pixel.
The MBP 13"/15" is a much better option for strained eyes. Stay away from the Air and especially the 27 inch ACD/iMac.
Perfect sense. The 16:9 ratio is actually more pleasing to the eye, which is why it was chosen for cinema/HD.
Sure the 13" is a bigger screen, but it's not as pleasing to the eye. It's not a heart decision, it's not even purely aesthetic, it's a scientific fact that the 16:9 aspect ratio is all that's needed, in all the right places. And it's smaller and lighter -again- in all the right ways for a portable computer.
The 13" looks significantly larger, side by side in the shop, and there's a part of us that thinks, "Not much bigger, but bigger screen." Using both separately though, the 11" is just more of everything you actually need, without the bulk of the 13". The 13" has more, but in all the wrong ways, in every way that counts, except battery life, maybe (more on this later).
If the 13" was 16:9, the choice might be harder, but no such animal exists. And it wouldn't LOOK as much larger in the screen as the current 13", because of the aspect ratio. If Apple could make it as light as the current 11" that would be a hard choice.
As for battery life - well, if you're using the 11" in your lap, I doubt you could exhaust the battery before you exhaust the comfort factor, sitting that way. If you're using it on a desk, then in all likelihood, you can plug in the power, too. Portable computers' batteries are for the in-between times - bus, train, plane, lounge chair, back garden. The rest of the time, you'll be plugged into the power.
If the 11" Air was my only machine, I don't know if I'd be as happy (unless I had a 27" external monitor, of course), but for sheer portability I think expectations have changed quite a lot.
Witness the 15" Retina - pick that up and it feels too large, these days - for a portable, I mean. As a Pro desktop, it's a winner. As a transportable workstation, it's awesome. For general and even some special purpose computing we just don't need that much grunt/screen. There's sooo much more power in an 11" Air nowadays, and the pokey little iPhone and iPad screens have changed perceptions of what's a useable size.
Yes, I use glasses more than I do for my iMac, but what can you expect? The power of a Mac that fits in your iPad bag. I could put my glasses on for THAT.
Gruber uses an 11" because he was given one with Mountain Lion on it. I might be wrong, but I don't think he's given that back, yet. Let's see if he parts with the cash when he returns the loaner. Laporte (for example) loved the 11" long-time, but changed to 13". I wonder if he'd got a new 11" maxed out, whether he'd have changed. Gruber liked the instant-on of the new 11" Air, which is something we previous-model owners just don't get.
I totally think this is the best ode ever written to my new adorable computer. Yes, I do come from a 2010 MBP 13", and since this little baby arrived on Wednesday, I also did have my doubts about the screen and font size. Now I use the 11" MBA all the time and already feel that I've gotten more used to the smaller screen. I hope it's going to continue this way. My eyes easily get tired from reading on displays which is why I much prefer reading on my Kindle to reading on the iPad. My point is that if I can get used to reading and writing on this one, most people can.
My biggest fear is that I'll fall asleep while watching a movie on this gorgeous display because it's so light I barely notice it's there.
What can I say - I'm crazy in love, too, and while the MBA was supposed to be my 'portable' laptop, it already seems like it's simply replacing the MBP 13" as my main computer.
So with the font, it maybe wasn't 'love at first sight', but now that we're getting to know each other better, this might actually turn into true love.
i think gruber said on the talk show that he personally had a 11 inch mba and mac pro tower. apple gave him a 13 air with m. lion.
Apple needs to redesign the MacBook Air next year.
Only one size
13" IPS display
Standard voltage CPU and user serviceable RAM/SSD (ok, this will never happen)
Zero bezel
8 hrs battery life
Named "MacBook"
Starting at $999
Trash 13" Macbook Pro and both 11" and 13" Macbook Air (mass economy FTW)
Would completely blow away every Ultrabook competitor. Bar none.
Only one size
13" IPS display
Standard voltage CPU and user serviceable RAM/SSD (ok, this will never happen)
Zero bezel
8 hrs battery life
Named "MacBook"
Starting at $999
Trash 13" Macbook Pro and both 11" and 13" Macbook Air (mass economy FTW)
Would completely blow away every Ultrabook competitor. Bar none.
Exactly, that's the wisest post I've read on this forum to date. Why Apple didn't do this I have no idea. Probably thought they'd make more money selling an 11 and 13" instead.
That would be my dream computer.
I wish it was a 12.5" screen IPS like the x220/x230. I swear there's enough bezel room. Keep the same footprint. Bam.
I noticed eyestrain when playing with the 11" MBA (almost left out MBA and realized that didn't sound very good...) in store but I think it may have been the lighting, etc. because I happened to pass by a Sony store yesterday and looked at an 11.6" Vaio and had no problems with it. The resolution is the same as that of the 11" MBA. I also had no problem with an 8.9" netbook in the past. I'll take a look at the 11" MBA again the next time I'm in store and play around with the backlight settings, etc.
I know plenty of people with vaio's who have had problems to a man/woman. I personally would not even entertain buying one. Note, I've got two HP laptops and a 17" Samsung at home, so I'm quite biased towards PCs but it's surprised me the number of problems a decent band such as Sony seem to have..
I've had a Vaio in the past without problems, but I'm actually not considering a Vaio at all (although I found that my battery on my Vaio died MUCH more quickly than other PCs I've had and than my current Mac; Died as in no longer held a charge at all. I only had one Vaio though so I can't generalize and say this is the case for all). I more meant that since I was able to handle the screen on that computer - at the same resolution and size - the Air screen should be fine for me too. So I'll have to check it out again.
I actually used an 11 today. I held it next to a 13 and was almost amazed by the horsiness of the 13. I've made my choice and, quite frankly, it was easier than I thought it would be. Now to place my order.
One word comes to mind... Whee!!!
One word comes to mind... Whee!!!
I had the 11'' for about a week and glad I returned it and finally got a 13''. The 11 is quite usable and for me the only issue is the vertical space, so it's just a matter of if you really need the portability and are willing to view a more limited area at one time.
All in all I'm very pleased to have purchased it locally, with a $165 discount, as the first one I ordered had an error with the tracking notification that I found unacceptable communication.
I'm off to a good start with this one and love the 13'' It really is the perfect computer for day to day use for me.
All in all I'm very pleased to have purchased it locally, with a $165 discount, as the first one I ordered had an error with the tracking notification that I found unacceptable communication.
I'm off to a good start with this one and love the 13'' It really is the perfect computer for day to day use for me.