Anyone else regretting buying the MBA?

[Dammit Cubs]

Yes, but the OP specifically mentioned that he found the 11.6" too small. The 13" is probably going to be more comfortable for someone coming from a 13" MBP...

I understand that. This comment wasn't addressed to the OP but to the person who says the 13 is the same width and height as the 11. It's not. People who don't mind the 0.6 inch weight or the 1-2 inches wider and deeper, then thats cool as well. I'm just stating they size different between the two are noticeable. oh..just realized ...you wrote the comment. LOL.

both are great machines. Just correcting an error.

I seriously don't think of the macbook air as a ripoff. Considering that you are getting a computer thats 0.5 inches. It runs extremely well on the OSX. And the fact that at this time, SSDs are like 300 to 400 dollars. You get what you pay for and i think for what you are getting. its price right.

Its just how it is. Smaller gadgets that do alot cost more. We pay for more than just the components, we are paying for the r&d and apple's time. that's not adjusted in the price. Also, the quality of build compared to an asus netbook or even the asus ULV core2duo processors...


I think people on this message board, other than not reading other threads on this matter....don't understand that having a 11'' MBA as your primary computer with no external monitor setup will haunt you. It's meant for portability. Don't complain that your ipod touch can't make you a milkshake. Same with the 11''. there is only so much you can go with a small screen. people who buy the 11 want one thing and one thing only: PORTABILITY. that is it.

if your macbook air is staying in your house...getting the 11 the ridiculous considering the value you get out of the 13''. Also, having the 11 is a great secondary computer. get the smaller hard drive and just use it get work done. Use cloud storage and flash drives and use the 11 wisely. That's what I did and for alot of people, they have a secondary computer that they like to use when they are home like a macbook pro.

personally for me, I would love to have the 13'' and I did have one...i had the ultimate 13'' but for the price, i felt like it would have to be my primary computer and thats not what I wanted. I have a plan to how i want to manage my data and handle my computer needs and having one mac wasn't that. I decided to go with the 11 because I can carry it with me every where. Also, because it was underpowered, there was a hierachy of computers. I know that at home, i have a 2.4ghz mac mini with plex to do my evil ruling. but when i am away from the home I have the mba and still get work done for my specific needs. ( i don't do graphics stuff).

People need to really understand. Do you really need this computer? yes, its the new hotness right now. Yes, you probably get people to look at your computer. Yes, you might even get a pretty girl start asking questions and maybe you won't blow it. But in 6 months, there will be a new macbook product and a new craziness.

 

[OSMac]

Just wondering for those with a 13 Pro why not just put a Intel SSD in it?

Sure it weighs more than a 13 Air but it the Pro is faster and has a longer battery life, many more I/O connections, backlit keyboard etc etc,

And in your lap both are the same size?

 

[Winglet]

No Regrets!

Purchased a maxed out 13" MBA to supplement a 15" MBP. I have not taken the MBP out of it's case in over two weeks. The Air is fast, lightweight and an all around awesome machine for me.

 

[KPOM]

I purchased a 11.6'' 128GB MBA a few weeks ago and have found myself using my MBP 13'' instead. I love the air for how light it is and it's perfect to carry around university all day, as the MBP can feel like carrying around bricks, but the MBA is simply too small.

I was selling my MBP as I cannot afford to keep both, but I think I'm going to have to see the Air....

If you are still within the return period, I'd definitely consider returning it and trying the base 13" model (perhaps consider the RAM upgrade). It would be much closer to the 13" Pro, and since you are trading up the Apple store likely would waive the restocking fee.

 

[Corax]

Purchased a maxed out 13" MBA to supplement a 15" MBP. I have not taken the MBP out of it's case in over two weeks. The Air is fast, lightweight and an all around awesome machine for me.

Same here, absolutely no regrets! Sold my 13" MacBook alu unibody for it (2,4GHz, 4GB upgraded high end with backlit keyboard) and my iMac is going to be sold. We travel often (by air) and almost daily on the road.
On my desk there will only be an external dvd-rw and external hdd. And maybe in a while an external display.
At home I'm already using the MBA for watching movies (BR-Rips) on my 42" Full HD TV.
As a sidekick I also have an iPad 3G (I have to share al this stuff with my wife, so just 1 item isn't an option), but we found out that al this is ideal for our use.

 

[KPOM]

Curious where you use your laptop that a 13" is simply too big. I travel a ton and my 13" works quite well for me. Can't imagine where a 13" would be too big.

A coach airplane seat is one place where the 11" might come in handy, particularly if the person in front of you leans back or you are in the middle seat (or both).

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

I think the biggest single drawback of the 11" netbook model is the battery life. Apple has been on a major upswing in the past year with battery improvement. I love the iPad's long-life, full-day (even multi-day) battery. Thats what drew me to the 13" MBA as well...it was a no-compromise ultralight computing device. Its not much more powerful than a netbook but it feels like it and blows my netbook (Dell Mini) battery life out of the water.

Nothing ruins the illusion of portability like having to sit somewhere you don't want to because you need to be close to a power outlet. The ability to just open my laptop and use it anywhere, not having to drag cords or a power brick out so that they drape across a boardroom table or a Starbucks table, is what "portability" means to me. Its me and the computer...no wires needed.

I ordered the 11" netbook version for my assistant. She's a petite thing and just doesn't like lugging her 13" MBP everywhere. She's young, has good eyesight and tiny hands. She only uses her MBP now for email, booking travel, surfing and typing up memo's or making edits to presentations. The little netbook should be perfect for her and the low battery life shouldn't be an issue since she's always sitting at a desk somewhere.

If the above fits your own personal profile, I think you'd find no regrets with the 11" version. If your needs are more or you love the freedom of being truly "wireless" for a full business day....you'd have been better off with the full 13" MBA or even a larger MBP model.

Its all about tradeoffs and needs. If you feel regrets...I'd say return it as those regrets will never go away and life is too short to make computing compromises. Save your compromises for things that really matter.

 

[peapody]

I ordered the 11" netbook version for my assistant. She's a petite thing and just doesn't like lugging her 13" MBP everywhere. She's young, has good eyesight and tiny hands. She only uses her MBP now for email, booking travel, surfing and typing up memo's or making edits to presentations. The little netbook should be perfect for her and the low battery life shouldn't be an issue since she's always sitting at a desk somewhere.

If the above fits your own personal profile, I think you'd find no regrets with the 11" version. If your needs are more or you love the freedom of being truly "wireless" for a full business day....you'd have been better off with the full 13" MBA or even a larger MBP model.

This topic is on point. Grown and large men using netbooks look ridiculous and uncomfortable to me.

 

[dmelgar]

Just wondering for those with a 13 Pro why not just put a Intel SSD in it?

Sure it weighs more than a 13 Air but it the Pro is faster and has a longer battery life, many more I/O connections, backlit keyboard etc etc,

And in your lap both are the same size?

In my case, I'd end up spending over $200 minimum for a 128GB SSD. Potentially another $100 if I want to replace the superdrive with my current hard drive. If I keep the MBA, I'd sell the MBP. I figure the MBA would end up costing me around $500.

Spending $300 on an older, bigger, bulkier machine is not very enticing.

I have found few if any advantages to my current 13" MBP. The only advantage is that i wouldn't have to spend any money if I keep it.

My 13" MBP battery life is NOT better than the 11" MBA. I would miss FW800, but I've been impressed with how fast the USB port is working on the MBA. I find that I never "need" the backlit keyboard.

After using the MBA, my 13" MBP seems huge, insanely heavily and bulky. But then I see my wifes brand new 15" Lenovo laptop. Its like a cheap plastic desktop machine with a handle. Weights a ton. Flexes way more than the air. Like night and day difference.

 

[dmelgar]

If you are still within the return period, I'd definitely consider returning it and trying the base 13" model (perhaps consider the RAM upgrade). It would be much closer to the 13" Pro, and since you are trading up the Apple store likely would waive the restocking fee.

I'd definitely want 4GB which then requires a build to order on the website and not from the store. Lots more hassle to return, exchange. And I'd probably be stuck with the restocking fee returning the 11".
I wish I could test drive the 13" for a few hours. But I can't get over the feeling that I'm just using my 13" MBP.
The only thing I'm concerned about with the 11" is the display. Mostly the text being smaller. The 13" MBA has the same small text, less portable. But it is faster, and has better battery life for the same price (other than the restocking fee I'd have to pay).

 

[jmoore5196]

I sold my 13" 2.53 MBP and bought the base 13" MBA. Trust me when I tell you ... you'll certainly know you aren't using the MBP! The low weight and sheer portability of the MBA make themselves felt very quickly.

The other point I'd make is that the 13" MBA screen is certainly the equal of the screen on my 15" 2.4 i5 MBP. The 13" MBA display is simply amazing; because of the resolution, you'll think you're using a substantially larger computer.

 

[mac jones]

Nope.

Love the little guy

 

[gwsat]

I bought a maxed out 13 inch MBA two weeks ago and love it. It runs Windows 7 and a couple of Windows apps in VMware Fusion in Unity mode simultaneously with a half dozen OS X apps, despite the MBA having only 4GB of RAM. I would not have thought that possible before the advent of flash storage. Although I get a significant number of page outs with this setup, both the speed of operations and their stability have been satisfactory.

I seriously considered the 11 inch MBA but in the end its 128GB storage limitation forced me to eliminate it from consideration because my programs and data use more storage space than that. Also, I was concerned that my aging eyes might have trouble with the 11 inch MBA's small size.

 

[dmelgar]

Curious where you use your laptop that a 13" is simply too big. I travel a ton and my 13" works quite well for me. Can't imagine where a 13" would be too big.

With my 13" MBP, at home I tend to keep it in my office, hooked up to a bunch of external devices, 2 displays, external drives, etc. With the 11" MBA, I keep it in a sleeve on the kitchen counter by my cell phones. I find myself tempted to use it all the time wherever I happen to be, on the sofa, eat-in table, grab it heading out the door to wherever, etc. Its so small and fast, its convenient like the iPad, but more fragile. The 13" being larger I think would make it harder to pop out and use on a whim.

 

[kp98077]

A coach airplane seat is one place where the 11" might come in handy, particularly if the person in front of you leans back or you are in the middle seat (or both).

I have both the 13 and 11 and the 13 likely will barely fit in tray I am sure. 11 no problems. the 13 and I am not sure why just feels HUGE to me bigger than my old 13 MBP, and about the same as my old 15" mbp.

 

[KnightWRX]

With the screen resolutions being about equivalent on the 13" MBP and the 11.6" MBA, I have problems understanding what you find "too small" about it. You get the same screen real-estate and thus both will show as much information on screen.

What is it you do on the MBP 13" that the 11.6" can't do and makes you regret the purchase ?

I replaced a 13" MB alu unibody with a 13.3" MBA. Can't say I regret anything, it's a fantastic machine, the higher res screen alone makes the purchase price worth every penny.

 

[bcaslis]

This topic is on point. Grown and large men using netbooks look ridiculous and uncomfortable to me.

Ah, so we should factor in how we look using a computer before getting one! We'll all be sure to get your looks approval before buying anything.

 

[teski]

A coach airplane seat is one place where the 11" might come in handy, particularly if the person in front of you leans back or you are in the middle seat (or both).

Although I was just in coach two days ago with my 13" and the person leaned there seat back. No issues. Sure, I'd have had even more room with the 11.6 but still not worth the perf sacrifice for me.

 

[maflynn]

No offense to the OP, but why did you buy an MBA when you already had a laptop?

I don't want apple is offering, I can't see the advantages of owning two laptops. A laptop and desktop, yes, but not two laptops.

My advice is to return the MBA.

 

[gman901]

I think it is a manner of opinion. I am used to having an 11.6" screen so the 11" MBA was a no brainer for me. I love it compared to my previous laptop. My thought when deciding on the 13" or the 11" was that the 13" was too close to the MBP (which is cheaper) so I wanted to get the smallest one. I have no regrets. I was actually amazed on the performance I am getting compared to the Rev. C model.

 

[Scottsdale]

Your regret isn't that you bought an MBA, it's that you bought the wrong MBA.

I feel the 11.6" MBA requires too many compromises versus the 13.3" MBA.

 

[KPOM]

I'd definitely want 4GB which then requires a build to order on the website and not from the store. Lots more hassle to return, exchange. And I'd probably be stuck with the restocking fee returning the 11".
I wish I could test drive the 13" for a few hours. But I can't get over the feeling that I'm just using my 13" MBP.
The only thing I'm concerned about with the 11" is the display. Mostly the text being smaller. The 13" MBA has the same small text, less portable. But it is faster, and has better battery life for the same price (other than the restocking fee I'd have to pay).

Some Apple stores have the 4GB models in stock. The best thing to do would be to stop by and ask. Spec-wise, there isn't much difference between the 13" Air and 13" Pro, apart from the lack of expandability of the Air and the 2.4GHz processor in the Pro, so I think you'd be OK with it.

 

[jamesryanbell]

Your regret isn't that you bought an MBA, it's that you bought the wrong MBA.

I feel the 11.6" MBA requires too many compromises versus the 13.3" MBA.

Agreed, if not for processor speed and storage alone.

 

[Rob.G]

I was ready to get an 11" MBA to supplement my 17" MBP, but as some here may have read, I'm having warranty issues trying to get my MBP fixed. That's causing me to not want to give Apple anymore money. I'm already selling my iPad.

Last night I took a chance and ordered a new Alienware M11x 11.6" laptop. It has the Core i7 dual-core mobile CPU, 4 gig RAM (upgradable to 8 gig), NVidia 335M 1G graphics, WLED 720p display, all for about a grand. It's a bit heavier than the MBA (4.5 lbs) but has a 7+ hour battery. Reviews put battery life at 8 hours in fact.

So I'll try it out and see if it's any good. It can't hold a candle to any of the aluminum-body Macs in appearance and style, but it should be decently powerful. I may keep it, I may return it, I dunno.

Meanwhile I'm still trying to get my MBP serviced.

Rob

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Your regret isn't that you bought an MBA, it's that you bought the wrong MBA.

I feel the 11.6" MBA requires too many compromises versus the 13.3" MBA.

This.