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What is wrong with me? Two weeks with 11" and 13" and can't decide which to keep!

S

sofakng

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 5, 2008
270
32
Perhaps I'm a bad person, but I just couldn't decide in the store between the 11" and 13" models so I decided to purchase both of them and test them extensively at home.

After two works, I'm leaning towards the 11" but I can't decide.

The primary purpose of the laptop is to use as an iPad replacement while I'm on the couch. This means playing indie (light) PC games and browsing the web, etc.

The secondary purpose is to bring to work and watch videos (16:9 ratio is really nice on the 11") during lunch. I might also use it to take notes during meetings but I'm not sure.

When I'm looking at them side-by-side, the 13" looks nice and big and it makes the 11" look small, but carrying the 11" around the house is so much easier and doesn't feel any bigger than a writing pad, etc. When I'm on the couch, the 11" is a bit easier to use as well since I can move it around as needed, etc.

My other option is to just stick to my iPad since it's great for gaming but then I can't play the indie/light PC games, and any odd-ball video I want to watch requires re-encoding for the iPad, plus the iPad has such limited space. (yes, this is a first world "problem" and I know a lot of people would kill to have to deal with this)
 
It sounds like you've made a choice you probably won't have a problem living with.

You could keep both and sell the ipad, couch, some blood and a kid to make up for the cost?
 
From your post it sounds like you prefer the 11". You didn't have anything to say about the 13" other than that it makes the 11" look small (which isn't necessarily a point in favor of the 13").
I've got the 11" here, and I think it's the perfect size. :)
 
For me, there is plenty of screen real estate on the 11" for most normal tasks, plus the portability is outstanding.

And, as a few others have already posted, it seems that you have already made your decision on the 11". :)
 
wermy said:
From your post it sounds like you prefer the 11". You didn't have anything to say about the 13" other than that it makes the 11" look small (which isn't necessarily a point in favor of the 13").
I've got the 11" here, and I think it's the perfect size. :)
Click to expand...

^+1

That's what I read too. 11" it is.
 
Did the same thing here. Basically wanted to demo both with the new chip sets.

I'm just going to keep both.
 
Its really tough. My first MBA was a 2010 11". Went to the 13" in 2011 and really missed the 11". Just received my new 2013 11" and loving the portability. I travel a lot and the smaller size makes a huge difference when working on the airplane.

They are both great and have subtle tradeoffs. Sounds like the 11" is better for you.
 
I have a 2012 11" and a 2013 13" arriving tomorrow morning. I like the 16:10 ratio on the non-11 and higher resolution. I have to see if the size and weight differential matters or not. I tend to use the 11 both on the sofa and in bed , so the 13 might be too big.
 
Go with the 11." IMHO this is where the air really shines. The 13" is too close to the price point of the rMBP 13" which is also a small laptop.
 
The problem I always had with the 11 is that the screen is just too darn small. It was convenient to bring with me on the couch, but I had to squint to read whatever was on the screen. And it just got to the point where I really preferred not to use it unless I had an external monitor as well.
 
sofakng said:
Perhaps I'm a bad person, but I just couldn't decide in the store between the 11" and 13" models so I decided to purchase both of them and test them extensively at home.
Click to expand...

You're a typical MR member. Can't make a decision and start a thread to ask strangers on the Internet to tell you what to do.
 
kodeman53 said:
You're a typical MR member. Can't make a decision and start a thread to ask strangers on the Internet to tell you what to do.
Click to expand...

That's not just a MacRumors issue. This is a general problem of tech enthusiasts in the internet age.
 
i said it before, i really don't understand the mba 13" at all-- the footprint is actually larger than a retina mbp, prior to this update the battery difference seemed negligible, and if you buy refurbished, it even seems cheaper for more speed:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/F...-26ghz-dual-core-intel-i5-with-retina-display

that one's faster, has a better screen, a smaller footprint, essentially the same price as the 8g i5, and cheaper than the i7. just seems like a better value overall.

the only benefits to the 13" air i can possibly see are weight and now battery life.

the 11" i get-- it's the smallest macbook by a longshot, the cheapest portable, and powerful enough to do pretty much whatever you want on the go. i'm amazed by it so far.
 
Last edited:
I'm an 11" fan. Used to have 13" before but now it just seems huge to me, never going back.
 
kodeman53 said:
Um, wouldn't weight and battery life be two of the top criteria people look for in a laptop? :confused:
Click to expand...

i look at that, but i also look at the other stuff i wrote just above what you quoted. footprint, power, and screen. and its not like battery and weight differences are incredibly dramatic- especially the weight :more confused:
 
I've owned both, and I admit I do miss the 13" MBA's SD card slot from time to time. But I've stuck with my 2012 11" - and a 2011 11" before that - because of the portability advantage.

Admittedly, I enjoyed the 11" more before TSA, in violation of its own rules, started making me remove it from my bag during screening. Now that I'm treated the same as the guy behind me with the 17" Dell, the 11" does lose a bit of its allure.

Every time I pick up my wife's 13" MBA, however, I'm struck by the rather significant difference in both footprint and weight. My honest thought is that a portable computer should be both small and capable. The 11" fills that bill nicely for me.

I will probably upgrade to the 2013 version at some point because I do enough heavy lifting with my 11" MBA to make good use of the longer battery life, faster SSD and improved GPU. Otherwise, I'm content with the machine I have ... it's pretty close to being the perfect portable computer.
 
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