Can't really make up my mind. MBA 11" or iPad 2?

[teerexx52]

I am sitting in the local Starbucks today with my iPad 2 typing email, doing my journal and surfing. I left my MacBook Air home today to see how I would do with just the iPad 2. So far it is a breeze for me using the virtual keyboard and entering text. In fact, with my two fingered typing I might be quicker on the iPad. Screen is bright and clean and the surfing experience is really very nice. Of course it is missing flash and that does have some impact on what I do. It is definitely not a MacBook air but if I had to make a choice between the two it would be difficult but the edge has to go to the air.

 

[jamesryanbell]

Emphasis mine. The Air is a fine machine for most things students do, even some light gaming. However, there are certain activities that would seriously tax the Air, one well-known example being HandBrake. Then again, HandBrake can't even be run on an iPad...

Ok, so it's taxed. So what, as long as it gets the job done in a reasonable amount of time. It'll encode the same video in 40 minutes that my MBP can do in 25 minutes. That's not THAT bad. (Most people don't even do it that much anyway).

How fast does an iPad encode? Oh wait...

 

[sjenkins49]

I have a 13" Air and an iPad2. I can tell you I would give up the iPad2 before the air. I have an iPhone so the iPad is more of a toy for reading books and typing emails with a decent keyboard. If I would have purchased an 11 instead of the 13 I would be taking the iPad2 back.

Sorry for the crappy HTC Evo picture.

 

[teerexx52]

I have a 13" Air and an iPad2. I can tell you I would give up the iPad2 before the air. I have an iPhone so the iPad is more of a toy for reading books and typing emails with a decent keyboard. If I would have purchased an 11 instead of the 13 I would be taking the iPad2 back.

Sorry for the crappy HTC Evo picture.

Right now I'm thinking of keeping the 13" MBA, selling the 11" MBA and keeping the ipad 2

 

[Kaidan]

I just switched from a 2009 MBP 13 to a MBA 13 Ultimate, and, I must say, I don't notice any performance slow down. In fact, it seems as fast or faster with any that I do on it, and it runs COD 4 very smoothly. The weight/size difference between the two is very noticeable and worthwhile.

I'd go MBA 13".

Absolutely spot on. My experience also and I don't even rock an ultimate. The new Airs are great portable machines, more powerful than you would think. God bless flash drives.

 

[Steve-Jobs]

Hi, I'm having the same problem, can't decide whether I should get a MBA or iPad2. I'm a graphic designer and use Adobe products all the time, but I mostly use my iMac for that, but I want to have a device which I can carry my work with me.
I was going to get a MBP but I don't need a laptop that fast and expensive. I think I'm warming to MBA 13'' idea.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Edit: I have an iPhone4 as well.
Edit2: When do you think the new MBA come out?

 

[aneftp]

$499 ipad 2 vs. maxed out MBA 11 inch 1.6 128 GB 4GB $1399. At that price difference the ipad 2 is a tempting choice IF the OP has access to a full power laptop/desktop.

However if the OP is deciding between the $829 ipad 2 3g 64GB vs. the base $999 MBA 11 inch with 2GB RAM, than the MBA begans to look more tempting because the price difference is so small.

The OP should just keep his 2009 MBP (that laptop should still be good for at least another 2 years for a student) and just save up enough money and buy a base ipad 2.

 

[thelookingglass]

If I had to choose between one or the other, it would clearly be the MBA. I'm excited to get my iPad 2 soon, but it's really only good for very specific uses like reading books and watching movies when traveling, doing some casual browsing on the couch at home, etc. Any heavier lifting requires an MBA. But let's see what iOS 5.0 brings. My issues with the iPad's limitations are all completely software-related and can all be fixed if Apple opens up iOS a little bit more.