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Your Thoughts on MBA 11" (and What You Do)

I have the 11" ultimate I got last year and I love it. It is my only computer so I rely on it for everything, though I do have an iPad 3 that I use as extension of my iPhone, and for books and signatures.

I have a henge dock with a 24" dell monitor, super drive, 500gb external hard drive, apple wireless keyboard and mouse and use it as a desktop replacement when I need more screen real estate. Thoug I really don't tax it too much, I mostly web surf, use Microsoft office, iMovie, and occasnally go into windows 7, it has never felt slow or underpowered. For just casually browsing the Internet I prefer it over my iPad because I know whatever site I go to will work on my MacBook Air, it has a larger screen for viewing movies, and can prop it self up. However if I have a lot of reading to do, I grab the iPad because of the retina screen is easier on my eyes.
 
Video Editor and an 11" Air

I'm a video producer/editor and use my 2012 11" Air for my mobile video set-up. The i7 Ivy Bridge at 2Ghz along with the 8GB or RAM make this machine extremely viable for video editing. I use Avid Media Composer 6.5 (Which is no lightweight when it comes to system resources) and I have to say it performs flawlessly on the SSD. I shoot and edit a lot of video nowadays with a RED Scarlet that shoots 4K video (4x regular HD). Between the USB 3 and Thunderbolt, my external drives are free to give me great performance when trying to stream such a bandwidth intensive video resolution. I'm a huge fan of keeping an external monitor around to give myself a little bit more screen real estate when I need to do prolonged remote video work. It's only 3,000 points below my 2010 fully loaded iMac on the Geekbench scale, which given its size is extremely impressive.

I also have a 16GB iPad 3 Wi-Fi only and use it mainly for Facebook, Class notes, Reddit, and HBO Go. I also use it on a lot of film shoots as a slate (to sync audio - a high tech 'clapper') and also to have people sign release forms right on the device for easy filing. I love having the audio go to my Apple TV hooked up to my surround sound so I can lay any way in bed and get awesome audio with whatever I'm doing.

I love Messages too, across all my devices I don't even need to take my phone out of my pocket to have a conversation with someone.
 
2012 11" MBA 8GB 256GB i7

I had a 2011 13" 4GB 128GB i5 before and the difference is incredible. I was worried the 11" would feel too small especially since I do a lot of RAW editing using Aperture from my 5D Mk II. I thought I'd use it for field editing and small projects and then have my iMac do the muscle work. Honestly, I rarely use my 27" iMac (still do though for the super serious stuff and archiving) and do almost all my edits on the MBA. So much more convenient and the screen does not feel near as small as I had thought, not to mention it's small and light and can do it all on the road. Even the 13" felt a tad too big at times. They cut the size from 13" to 11" in such a way that you don't feel like you lost too much screen. My MBA can plow through RAW files with no problem at all, sometimes the fans will come one, but not a huge deal. USB 3 is a plus as well.
 
I'm a law student, and I find my 2012 11" MBA 8GB 256GB i7 is perfect for me. I had a 15" MacBook Pro with a 2.2 i7 that I was using before and I miss it sometimes, but I have a 23" Cinema Display my uncle gave me that solves my space issues.

I mostly use PowerPoint (for my lecture slides) and Word for my notes. I do some surfing and some PDF reading (cases, legislation, etc).

All in all, it's the perfect little machine with underrated power.


Quick question... anyone else having Wi-Fi issues?
 
I have a 13" MBP 2010 and 11" MBA. Both laptops are useful. The Pro is great for more demanding tasks (like Photoshop/Final Cut, games, watching DVDs) and when I want a bigger screen, but for carrying around the Air is brilliant. I carry my Air around college every day and I use it for the internet, the odd sneaky game of Angry Birds in boring lectures, college work and a bit of iTunes. Also my Pro runs Snow Leopard so I also have the benefit of a non-iOSified OSX :cool:
 
MBA 2011 11" 4GB 128 GB i5

I'm a researcher at Uni, doing biochemistry and biophysics. I use the Air for every single task, from preparing lectures to image analysis and statistics. Never had a single problem. Portability is great, I carry the baby in my backpack and it is like not having anything in there.

At work I plug it to an old 19" LG screen. At home, I use it as-it-is on the couch or plug it to a 32" FullHD TV if I have to watch movies.

I would say, best computer (and best Mac) I have ever had.
 
Thanks for starting this thread, and for all these responses. While my situation isn't similar, it has answered a ton of questions I have. I have an iMac but I'm replacing an old Dell that my kids use for homework, consumption, etc. I was concerned about the size of the 11" MBA since we have an iPad already, but these responses make me think the MBA will suit our needs quite nicely.

My time horizon is 3 - 6 months, depending. What are the chances of Apple releasing a retina display MBA early to mid next year?

Thank you all, again.
 
Allenbf said:
Thanks for starting this thread, and for all these responses. While my situation isn't similar, it has answered a ton of questions I have. I have an iMac but I'm replacing an old Dell that my kids use for homework, consumption, etc. I was concerned about the size of the 11" MBA since we have an iPad already, but these responses make me think the MBA will suit our needs quite nicely.

My time horizon is 3 - 6 months, depending. What are the chances of Apple releasing a retina display MBA early to mid next year?

Thank you all, again.
Click to expand...

Highly unlikely, nows a good time to buy, the 11" is near retina anyways.
 
I recently got a 2012 11" ultimate and I love it. I'm an engineer and mainly do valve design work, I keep all of my reference documents and CAD design files on it. When im at my desk my desktop comp. pushes 2 23" monitors but ill also have the 11" open for referencing. I haven't had to actually design anything on it yet but if i need to im not worries because its a little power house. I do have a 15.4 MBP with the hi-res screen at home if I need more screen space but the 11" is the best ultra portable ever :)
 
Love the 11" Air

I have the latest 11" ultimate Air, LOVE it!! Whats really weird is that when I go over to my 15" MBP it looks to big, it's not but it just seems that way. As far as eye strain goes when using the 11", I think it's BS, I use my Air daily for work and travel and never have eye strain.
 
goinskiing said:
Highly unlikely, nows a good time to buy, the 11" is near retina anyways.
Click to expand...

Why is it highly unlikely? He said he won't be getting one for 3-6 months. This new Air came in mid 2012 so why wouldn't the next Air out mid 2013? Whether it will include retina or not we'll have to wait and see but chances are it will.
 
mediacomposer said:
I'm a video producer/editor and use my 2012 11" Air for my mobile video set-up. The i7 Ivy Bridge at 2Ghz along with the 8GB or RAM make this machine extremely viable for video editing. I use Avid Media Composer 6.5 (Which is no lightweight when it comes to system resources) and I have to say it performs flawlessly on the SSD. I shoot and edit a lot of video nowadays with a RED Scarlet that shoots 4K video (4x regular HD). Between the USB 3 and Thunderbolt, my external drives are free to give me great performance when trying to stream such a bandwidth intensive video resolution. I'm a huge fan of keeping an external monitor around to give myself a little bit more screen real estate when I need to do prolonged remote video work. It's only 3,000 points below my 2010 fully loaded iMac on the Geekbench scale, which given its size is extremely impressive. .
Click to expand...

Very cool to hear from people in the field using Airs.

What do you do mobile computing wise? Quick edits to get a blueprint of your shoot then do you edit later on the iMac?
 
bubbleboyjones said:
Very cool to hear from people in the field using Airs.

What do you do mobile computing wise? Quick edits to get a blueprint of your shoot then do you edit later on the iMac?
Click to expand...

Mainly email, view .dwg files, prepare quotes. I fly 2-4 days a week, live in airports. Couldn't imagine using the laptop my company gave me, it's an HP Elite book 8460P.
 
Perfect for my needs

I had an iMac 2011 21" that I sold when finances where tight. Had to go back to my old Macbook 2007 and that size difference took a while to overcome...

So when my wallet was filled up again I struggled between buying the Macbook Air 11" or 13". The iMac 21" was an excellent computer, but I missed the ability to move around in the house with my comp. Finally I choose the 11". I knew how 13" was so I wanted to try this very portable Air 11".

I was nervous it would turn out too small - But no, it is perfect for my needs!:D
It is my main computer and I do everything on it. Surf internet, play chess, watch movies and documentaries, some word processing (Pages) and of course downloading music and other media.

The adjustment from 13" to 11" was much faster then from 21" to 13".

And I dont see myself buying anything bigger in the future. I plan however to buy an Apple TV so that I occasionally "mirror" my computer screen on my 40" flatscreen HD-TV.

My iPad is rarely used nowadays. I have some programs (dictionaries) that I use - But other then that not much. I thought the iPad was going to be a good reading device, but... it is just too heavy. When the Mini-iPad comes I am gonna buy that one instead.:D
 
I had a 2011 11" and then sold it a couple months ago and got the 2012 13". Both are excellent machines, but I'm going to go back to the 11". It's the perfect size and if I need anything bigger then I can hook it up to an external monitor.
 
iamsen47 said:
I guess I kinda do things in reverse. I use the Air as a powered up version of the iPad rather than the iPad as a powered down version of a laptop like most other people.
Click to expand...

That's how I see my MBA 11" too. I opted for an MBA over an iPad because I wanted some of the extra functionality of a full-blown laptop, and the form factor of the 11" is perfect. I'm hoping that Apple release an iPad Mini that is a true member of the iPad family (such as it exists today) and not some Apple knock-off of a Kindle Fire HD or cheap/small iPad 2, because I think that form factor in an iPad would be the perfect complement to the MBA 11" and would cover all my bases.
 
I'm happy I went with the 11" over the 13"

It's perfect for travel, bringing to work, etc....than I just hook it up to this sweet Acer monitor at home when I gotta do work in Lightroom.

So basically I have the ultimate portable laptop and when I'm at my desk, I hook it up to the Acer for a desktop feel.

Wish battery life was longer (only downside for me) :mad:
 
I'm pretty sure the MBA 11''s lack in vertical pixels will become an annoyance after a while using Photoshop..
 
I think I'm going to end up with a 13" MBA until the battery life gets better on the 11's...the $90 difference to get a larger screen, SD card slot built in & better battery life are all very attractive additions right now for just a little bit more $$.

Hopefully Intel's Haswell/Boradwell changes power consumption enough for the 11's to be able to be productive for a whole day of "my use".
 
Just wanted to add I bought the 2012 MBA 13" 256 8MB and wish I'd gotten the 11" instead. I really like it - came from a MBP 13"- but it seems a little BIG for the thin factor and I would have been fine with an 11". As someone said, if you need more screen space, hook up to an external monitor. Otherwise, the 11" is the perfect mobile laptop!
 
koigirl said:
Just wanted to add I bought the 2012 MBA 13" 256 8MB and wish I'd gotten the 11" instead. I really like it - came from a MBP 13"- but it seems a little BIG for the thin factor and I would have been fine with an 11". As someone said, if you need more screen space, hook up to an external monitor. Otherwise, the 11" is the perfect mobile laptop!
Click to expand...

I was trying out both sizes at my local apple retailer, and noticed something which no one ever seems to bring up - the size of the palm rest.

On the 11", the tip of my palms (roughly 2-3cm from my wrists) protrude awkwardly over the edge of the air, though I didn't get to use it long enough to discover if this might cause any discomfort after extended usage, though. Conversely, on the 13", my palms rest perfectly beside the trackpad.

Is this an issue for anyone? :confused:
 
Abazigal said:
Is this an issue for anyone? :confused:
Click to expand...

Yep. I have pretty big hands so the larger palm rest is a major plus for me in the 13".

The other pluses (for me) are longer battery life, 16:10 screen, and more screen estate overall.

The 11" form is pretty nice, if you can work with it. If the only computer I could get was a 11" (2012, USB 3 model), I would not be complaining. Just prefer the 13", given the choice.
 
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