What makes the 11" Air so much more likable than the 13"?

[JerTheGeek]

Hi, got question, u have air 11 and ipad mini - how does it work together? arent they like substitues? how do they complement each other? thx.

I have iPad mini and Air 11". Both work fine together. The iPad is used rarely, but sometimes I want to use iOS instead of OS X, or I want to just slip it in my bag and not carry my mac with me. Also, I can easily bring it outside or lay in bed with it (even though I do this with my Air). Overall, the Air is used more, but my iPad mini is still nice to have in some cases.

 

[Boyd01]

Once you guys get 50+ you will like the 13" better.

Nonsense. After two years with a 13" MBA, I switched to an 11" MBA last summer and couldn't be happier. I will be 65 next month.

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First, it's ultra portable, but offers limited drive space, so you'd expect the internet to be essential.

My 11" MBA has the 512GB SSD. That is big enough for me, my 2008 15" MBP only had a 160GB hard drive. I don't really feel the need for cellular on my MBA, but if I did I would get a data plan that allowed me to tether it to my iPhone.

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Well, what can an 11MBA do that the iPad cannot? It has no SD card slot, so it's not a photo editing machine. Base model and many subsequent models afterwards can't be used for video editing due to limits in hardware.

Mine can run all the expensive Macintosh software that I have purchased over the years, like Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, FileMaker Pro, VectorWorks, Photoshop, MS Office, etc. I am also a fast touch typist. I hate typing on touchscreens. Sure you could add a keyboard to an iPad, but then it's just as big as the 11" MBA and considerably less powerful. I have an iPhone 5s for those times when I don't want a "real" computer.

You may not understand that the MBA is actually a very powerful computer. The 512GB SSD is blazing fast - over 700 MB/s. The only Mac with a faster disk is the big "trash can" Mac Pro.

And I don't agree with you about video editing either. I edit full HD professional video (Sony XDCAM EX HQ) on my 11" MBA with no problems using the same older version of Final Cut Pro I have owned for years.

I can edit photos on my 11" MBA with no problem also. I just plug my Nikon into the MBA with a USB cable, no card slot needed. I never used the card slot on my 13" MBA anyway.

 

[yinz]

That is wrong.

The 11" MBA is essentially an ultra-portable and a desktop replacement (with an external monitor) at the same time. Very capable, general-purpose computer.

I don't see how I am wrong. Even you said "essentially" meaning even you don't fully believe it is. It is a desktop replacement, if all you do is light-weight stuff, as much as my netbook or smart phone is a desktop (plugged into an external monitor).

There have been arguments that iPads may replace laptops and desktops altogether, which is essentially your point here. Maybe in the future, but not really the case right now. And no, Lightroom may not replace Photoshop for serious photographers.

That's a bit discriminatory towards most photographers around the world. Lightroom is a legitimate replacement for many professionals as it has many of the necessary tools made easy-to-use. It is also more affordable (unless you don't pay for your software), practical for small businesses and has a much smaller learning curve.

You are either pretty old and a bit outdated (as in you still use Photoshop exclusively for editing) or you aren't really a photographer at all. Photoshop is used to do a lot of editing for design, but that's really not the photographer's job. A photographer should take photos that are good enough so that they don't have to do heavy editing in Photoshop. What you are thinking about is design, but given the RAM limitations of the 11MBA, I seriously doubt heavy Photoshop users will opt for this option as it'll take a bit longer to render than other desktops or macs

Another indicator that the 11MBA is not for photographers is that it has no card reader. No serious photographer will settle for THAT. So my friend, it is in fact you who is wrong.

My 11" MBA has the 512GB SSD. That is big enough for me, my 2008 15" MBP only had a 160GB hard drive. I don't really feel the need for cellular on my MBA, but if I did I would get a data plan that allowed me to tether it to my iPhone.

Yes, the SSD is fast, and there are many options for drive space from Apple nowadays, which is nice. I can see that you do not need cellular with that huge SSD. So do you carry your 11MBA around? If it is a desktop, then wouldn't you be better served with a Mac Mini? If it does move around, how do you use it on the go? Standing? Perhaps you travel a lot so you need the portability. I can see an 11MBA for a busy business man as well.

Have you actually used tethering? Your phone gets quite hot. I thought I was going to use tethering a lot to save on cellular plan, but I ended up avoiding it like the plague as it was a heavy drain on my cellphone's battery. I could get maybe two hours of internet out of it, but then the phone would be super hot. I was scared.

Mine can run all the expensive Macintosh software that I have purchased over the years, like Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, FileMaker Pro, VectorWorks, Photoshop, MS Office, etc. I am also a fast touch typist. I hate typing on touchscreens. Sure you could add a keyboard to an iPad, but then it's just as big as the 11" MBA and considerably less powerful. I have an iPhone 5s for those times when I don't want a "real" computer.

You may not understand that the MBA is actually a very powerful computer. The 512GB SSD is blazing fast - over 700 MB/s. The only Mac with a faster disk is the big "trash can" Mac Pro.

And I don't agree with you about video editing either. I edit full HD professional video (Sony XDCAM EX HQ) on my 11" MBA with no problems using the same older version of Final Cut Pro I have owned for years.

I can edit photos on my 11" MBA with no problem also. I just plug my Nikon into the MBA with a USB cable, no card slot needed. I never used the card slot on my 13" MBA anyway.

I don't doubt it can run the software, but how long does the processing and the waiting and the exporting take? If you can live with the pauses and the delay, then by all means, I guess it works. Also, with an 11" screen, where is there room to work? The buttons must be tiny. I don't doubt the write speed of the machine though.

You're 65 years old and you edit full HD professional videos and run photo editing software on an 11" screen? What do you eat and how do you take care of your eyes. Amazing, you're an aberration.

 

[albusseverus]

Once you guys get 50+ you will like the 13" better.

I'm 50+ with an 11" Air and I do find I need to wear my glasses EVERY time I use the Air, but that's about it. It's simply the most portable (full) Mac. iOS and touch is delightful, but for not much extra size or weight, you get a much more powerful computer.

I bought it for typing and general internet, but I've used it for so many things—audio recording & editing, non-professional video editing, even some photo editing. I had it simultaneously ripping and converting Blu-rays on the weekend. It gets the job done with very little fuss, even if it does strain the 2GB of RAM. Totally awesome Mac, at almost iPad size. Just Brilliant!

The screen size is spot-on for portability. If you want more screen, you can always get an external monitor. Could definitely use more pixels though, as long as it keeps the 16:9 aspect ratio, as it matches the human field of vision better.

Also brighter and more colours, especially when on-power, wouldn't hurt. Guess I'll be waiting -another- year for a better display. Hurry up Apple, the 2GB RAM it has is straining at times.

It could (like all Macs) benefit from Touch, like iOS, more intimate and direct for on-screen elements.

I can see a day when all Macs lie down on their backs for touch, and just have an aluminium chin, like the iMac for a wrist-rest. 27" down to 11" slabs, the 'line' moving from desktop to Mac Book seamlessly.

Doesn't leave much room for an on-screen keyboard on an 11" Air, but I guess for serious typing, I'd get a keyboard anyway. A small chin on an 11" Air would change the (beloved) footprint significantly, but if it were thinner, that might make up for it. I do like the full metal clamshell for protection, but I'm not a designer, that's their job to solve.

Great Mac, best size, even for the inconceivably old… Glasses are a small price to pay for the portability.

 

[yosemit]

You get it wrong. "Essentially" means that, if you can look at the basic aspects, the 11" MBA is a very capable, general-purpose computer. It is more capable than an average desktop. No, your netbook won't be a competition to it.

You are a little narrow minded, but use too much imagination. I use both Photoshop and Lightroom. Why not, if you are serious with photography?

I don't see how I am wrong. Even you said "essentially" meaning even you don't fully believe it is. It is a desktop replacement, if all you do is light-weight stuff, as much as my netbook or smart phone is a desktop (plugged into an external monitor).

That's a bit discriminatory towards most photographers around the world. Lightroom is a legitimate replacement for many professionals as it has many of the necessary tools made easy-to-use. It is also more affordable (unless you don't pay for your software), practical for small businesses and has a much smaller learning curve.

You are either pretty old and a bit outdated (as in you still use Photoshop exclusively for editing) or you aren't really a photographer at all. Photoshop is used to do a lot of editing for design, but that's really not the photographer's job. A photographer should take photos that are good enough so that they don't have to do heavy editing in Photoshop. What you are thinking about is design, but given the RAM limitations of the 11MBA, I seriously doubt heavy Photoshop users will opt for this option as it'll take a bit longer to render than other desktops or macs

Another indicator that the 11MBA is not for photographers is that it has no card reader. No serious photographer will settle for THAT. So my friend, it is in fact you who is wrong.

 

[yinz]

You get it wrong. "Essentially" means that, if you can look at the basic aspects, the 11" MBA is a very capable, general-purpose computer. It is more capable than an average desktop. No, your netbook won't be a competition to it.

You are a little narrow minded, but use too much imagination. I use both Photoshop and Lightroom. Why not, if you are serious with photography?

Why would I need to look at the basic aspects? Is it not ultra-portable in its entirety? That shows doubt. If all you need to do is go to gmail, my netbook can do that. Essentially, they fulfil the same purpose.

It really is less about my narrow-mindedness and more about your misconstrued ideas of photographers today. I agree that both, Photoshop and Lightroom, can be used in tandem, but you wouldn't for every photograph (thus replacing Photoshop). You might clean up a few pictures because either the conditions were poor, or you left some equipment, or some other reason, but professional photographers just won't spend that much time in photo editing and using the complex tools Photoshop provides. If they did, it would take 2 hours to shoot and a week to clean up every shot. I'm just being practical here.

Time is money, and the more shots they take, the more money they make. Unless a batch of pictures went horribly wrong, Photoshop isn't really used that much. It's pretty much the last line before giving a full refund.

PS: I don't even know why I'm arguing this with you here. This is way off topic.

 

[yosemit]

You're a little ignorant, too. The development of computers follows the Moore's Law, which means performance doubles about every 18 months (still ongoing). Today's high-end ultra-portables are very capable in raw computing power. Why can't they run Photoshop decently? Do you ever try, or you just assert by the knowledge in you mind?

Why would I need to look at the basic aspects? Is it not ultra-portable in its entirety? That shows doubt. If all you need to do is go to gmail, my netbook can do that. Essentially, they fulfil the same purpose.

 

[chabig]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1735321/

 

[Boyd01]

Amazing, you're an aberration.

You know, it just isn't worth the effort to respond to any of your points. Have a nice day.

 

[0983275]

In the last 2-3 years I've played with 11" and 13" MBA and 13" and 15" rMBP, it's hard to like one better than the other, each of them are good in their own way. (maybe except 13" MBA but I'll explain)

11" MBA is the most portable, when you're carrying it around you won't even know it's there, with Intel HD 5000 you've got a reasonable gaming performance in a tiny package, lack of SD slot is a bit of let down, because of that and the display resolution (unless connected to a monitor) I find it a bit hard to do any serious photography work on it, it also means you'd need to carry around one extra thing, a USB card reader but considering the weight and the size of the thing, it's not a problem.

13" MBA, I'm not sure, it's thin and light, which is nice but considering that 13" rMBP isn't that much thicker and heavier, but if you don't need the retina display and you don't want to spend too much, it's a fine choice.

13" rMBP is probably the best machine I've played with, the thickness and weight is barely any bigger over the 13" MBA, but it's a tad bit smaller due to the smaller bezel, that's a nice plus. If you don't need too much processing power, it's the best option. You also have nice connectivity options due to 2x TB port and a HDMI port.

15" rMBP, nice machine but it's a bit hard to recommend this unless you know you need the bigger screen size and the extra processing power, but it's the only option if you need the extra power from the dedicated graphics card (unless you go eGPU but that's not portable), but that doesn't mean the Iris Pro is weak, it's not, for OpenCL tasks, it's faster than 650m/750m from what I know but for everything else, Nvidia pulls ahead.

If I have to have a MacBook again, I'd go with either 11" MBA or 13" rMBP, it comes down to what you need and the amount of money you're willing to spend.

I had 15" rMBP months ago, sold it because I wanted something a bit more portable, bought 13" rMBP but ended up returning it because of the image retention issue and I couldn't be bothered replacing it, so figured I'd wait a bit before deciding on what I really want.

 

[mortenandersen]

16:9 is to the spot in the field of vision!

I'm 50+ with an 11" Air and I do find I need to wear my glasses EVERY time I use the Air, but that's about it. It's simply the most portable (full) Mac. iOS and touch is delightful, but for not much extra size or weight, you get a much more powerful computer.

I bought it for typing and general internet, but I've used it for so many things—audio recording & editing, non-professional video editing, even some photo editing. I had it simultaneously ripping and converting Blu-rays on the weekend. It gets the job done with very little fuss, even if it does strain the 2GB of RAM. Totally awesome Mac, at almost iPad size. Just Brilliant!

The screen size is spot-on for portability. If you want more screen, you can always get an external monitor. Could definitely use more pixels though, as long as it keeps the 16:9 aspect ratio, as it matches the human field of vision better.

Also brighter and more colours, especially when on-power, wouldn't hurt. Guess I'll be waiting -another- year for a better display. Hurry up Apple, the 2GB RAM it has is straining at times.

It could (like all Macs) benefit from Touch, like iOS, more intimate and direct for on-screen elements.

I can see a day when all Macs lie down on their backs for touch, and just have an aluminium chin, like the iMac for a wrist-rest. 27" down to 11" slabs, the 'line' moving from desktop to Mac Book seamlessly.

Doesn't leave much room for an on-screen keyboard on an 11" Air, but I guess for serious typing, I'd get a keyboard anyway. A small chin on an 11" Air would change the (beloved) footprint significantly, but if it were thinner, that might make up for it. I do like the full metal clamshell for protection, but I'm not a designer, that's their job to solve.

Great Mac, best size, even for the inconceivably old… Glasses are a small price to pay for the portability.

I agree so much with you when you write this: "The screen size is spot-on for portability. If you want more screen, you can always get an external monitor. Could definitely use more pixels though, as long as it keeps the 16:9 aspect ratio, as it matches the human field of vision better."

Many others disagree and prefers the 16:10 ratio, so I think we are a minority.

But IMO it is sad if this 16:9 ratio probably will disappear when the new MBA model comes.

 

[mad3inch1na]

There's no such setting in OS X!

I feel like a company that advocates for accessibility would allow you to increase font size...in Safari Preferences->Accessibility you can change font size, and many other programs allow you to increase font size. Here is a link of other ways to increase font size .

http://www.macworld.com/article/2026699/stop-squinting-make-text-bigger-in-os-x.html

Matt

 

[BSoares]

I prefer the 13" model. Basically because it fits the spot perfectly between my 27" iMac and the iPad Air. The 11" would be too small of a screen, not that much more than an iPad so it wasn't ideal IMO. 13" is still plenty light and thin to carry around with extra resolution on the screen.

 

[FieldingMellish]

The 11 is responsible for my fending off buying any iPad. It’s a lightweight, small computer that does so much more than an iPad. Meanwhile, there are iPad users who go to lengths to make their iPad more laptop-like including the means to prop it up and adding a physical keyboard. I'd have liked a 13, but the 11 hits the sweet spot for me. Plugging it into a large monitor whenever I prefer it is icing on the cake.

 

[JerTheGeek]

Nonsense. After two years with a 13" MBA, I switched to an 11" MBA last summer and couldn't be happier. I will be 65 next month.

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My 11" MBA has the 512GB SSD. That is big enough for me, my 2008 15" MBP only had a 160GB hard drive. I don't really feel the need for cellular on my MBA, but if I did I would get a data plan that allowed me to tether it to my iPhone.

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Mine can run all the expensive Macintosh software that I have purchased over the years, like Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, FileMaker Pro, VectorWorks, Photoshop, MS Office, etc. I am also a fast touch typist. I hate typing on touchscreens. Sure you could add a keyboard to an iPad, but then it's just as big as the 11" MBA and considerably less powerful. I have an iPhone 5s for those times when I don't want a "real" computer.

You may not understand that the MBA is actually a very powerful computer. The 512GB SSD is blazing fast - over 700 MB/s. The only Mac with a faster disk is the big "trash can" Mac Pro.

And I don't agree with you about video editing either. I edit full HD professional video (Sony XDCAM EX HQ) on my 11" MBA with no problems using the same older version of Final Cut Pro I have owned for years.

I can edit photos on my 11" MBA with no problem also. I just plug my Nikon into the MBA with a USB cable, no card slot needed. I never used the card slot on my 13" MBA anyway.

Me too, I edit on iMovie for YouTube around once a week or less, and it is fine; especially in full screen mode!

 

[Boyd01]

Well it should be pretty obvious that it's limiting to try to edit video on a screen this size, although I have done it. I have a big monitor at home, and I have an inexpensive small monitor (13" I think) that I connect with an HDMI cable. That monitor along with my MBA will fit in the same bag I used to carry my 2008 15" MBP. ��

Neither MBA is ideal for video editing, since it only supports one extenal screen and I would really prefer a big screen for the timeline and high quality HD monitor as well. I don't shoot a lot of video anymore, although I did several years ago. At that time I was using a 2008 15" MBP. My real point is that the current 11" MBA just runs circles around that old MBP with CPU almost 3x as fast and disk 10x as fast.

If I ever start shooting video heavily again, I will certainly want another machine for that. But at my current level of use, the MBA is more than enough.

 

[petsk]

Yes it is. The 13" screen is 16:10 (1440x900) and the 11" screen is 16:9 (a useless ratio for a notebook and a woeful 1366x768).

So the Cinema Display is useless because it's using 16:9 ratio? Get real man!

----------

I feel like a company that advocates for accessibility would allow you to increase font size...in Safari Preferences->Accessibility you can change font size, and many other programs allow you to increase font size. Here is a link of other ways to increase font size .

http://www.macworld.com/article/2026699/stop-squinting-make-text-bigger-in-os-x.html

Matt

Not a solution in any way, shape or form. And you can do the same hack in the 11".

 

[Steve121178]

So the Cinema Display is useless because it's using 16:9 ratio? Get real man!

I'm very real. I use my machines to do work. Real work. Apple are one of the very few who still use the 16:10 ratio on their premium notebooks and it's a godsend.

 

[Beachguy]

Once you guys get 50+ you will like the 13" better.

AMEN! Or, if you're diabetic with vision issues from that.

I find my 13" to be light, the screen decent to use. I don't have much desire for a smaller computer. But! That's me. Your mileage, of course, may and often will vary. Good thing both sizes are available!

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Sorry to come to the aid of my perfect computer, with another post, but it is the BEST of all the smaller Laptops. Slap in a i7 and a 512 SSD, and you can rock with the best, for a hell of a lot less money, PLEASE TIM,(I can call you Tim
cus I'm older than you) Please make this the BEST of the BEST, add a RETINA SCREEN TO THE 11" MBA, I'll buy 7 for Family!

 

[mad3inch1na]

Not a solution in any way, shape or form. And you can do the same hack in the 11".

Just wondering, but why do you think nobody could benefit from this? That seems really absolutist. The same hack cannot be done on the 11" to the same effect. There are less pixels so there is less real estate. My grandmother in her 80's uses enlarged font sizes on her 13" MBA. If she had an 11" Air, less would fit on her screen. It isn't a solution that would benefit everybody, but that doesn't make it completely useless.

Matt

 

[Michael Scrip]

I don't doubt it can run the software, but how long does the processing and the waiting and the exporting take? If you can live with the pauses and the delay, then by all means, I guess it works.

I'm unaware of any "pauses and delays" with the Macbook Air. Is it the fastest machine Apple makes? Of course not. But that's not why people buy it.

The 11" Air with the Core i7 processor is pretty fast. It's a ULV dual-core processor that's good on battery life... but it's no slouch either.

The 13" Retina Macbook Pro has a regular dual-core Core i5 that is a little bit faster... but it's in a bigger, heavier machine than the 11" Air.

You can get a quad-core i7 in the Retina 15"... but again... that's an even bigger, heavier machine.

The Macbook Air has never been about raw processing power...

 

[savetheunstable]

Back to the OP - personally I think it is a combination of form factor, lightness, and capability combined with portability. For me, the drawback of the 13" was the specs were the same as the 11" - if I wanted a bigger laptop, I would have gotten one with more power, a dedicated GPU etc. I was aiming for portability however.

I now use the 11" as a primary machine, though when working at home I use an external monitor. I think it's silly to say it cannot be a desktop replacement; it just depends on what you need it for.

I've had to work on machines with much worse specs (often provided by employers), and spent my youth on dial-up; my first PC was a hulking Gateway with a 2-ton CRT monitor. I guess I'm old enough that I am still amazed that this thin little device is an actual computer, lol!

It 's great for travel; last month I spent about 10 hours of a 13 hour plane trip watching movies and listening to music. It fits on the tray table nicely, and doesn't get smooshed when people in front of you put their seat back all the way.

I even do some light gaming on it without any issues (counterstrike, tf2, Civ 5, some retro games).

To be honest, when working and traveling without my external monitor, the screen does start to feel pretty small after extended periods of time. But for movies, and general web use, I think the screen is fine (and I'm very nearsighted).

 

[CoMoMacUser]

Size doesn't matter. Repeat it and believe it.

One of my college roommates had a girlfriend with small hands, which he said he liked because they made his dick look huge. I had a Mac Plus back then.

 

[yinz]

I get that you guys can edit photos and videos on the 11MBA. The question is, is it anymore ideal than the other MacBooks. Probably not for that type of work.

You know, it just isn't worth the effort to respond to any of your points. Have a nice day.

Sorry if I offended you. What I meant to say was you are an exception, I think, as working on a screen that tight seems limiting. It's just rare.

I'm unaware of any "pauses and delays" with the Macbook Air. Is it the fastest machine Apple makes? Of course not. But that's not why people buy it.

The 11" Air with the Core i7 processor is pretty fast. It's a ULV dual-core processor that's good on battery life... but it's no slouch either.

The 13" Retina Macbook Pro has a regular dual-core Core i5 that is a little bit faster... but it's in a bigger, heavier machine than the 11" Air.

You can get a quad-core i7 in the Retina 15"... but again... that's an even bigger, heavier machine.

The Macbook Air has never been about raw processing power...

Of course not, but the delay is still there. I work on RAW files and every time I open a file, it has to load and the bar moves along the bottom every few seconds for every photograph. When you have to deal with several hundred, I wouldn't call this computer a "photo editing" machine.

You're a little ignorant, too. The development of computers follows the Moore's Law, which means performance doubles about every 18 months (still ongoing). Today's high-end ultra-portables are very capable in raw computing power. Why can't they run Photoshop decently? Do you ever try, or you just assert by the knowledge in you mind?

You're a waste of time as all you can do is resort to name calling as you have no response to my points. I'm bored of you now.