Did you go for the 15” or 13” MacBook Air and why?

[iPhilPHX]

13" 16/512. Mostly, it is what I have always had and never felt I needed more ( though I sometimes think it would be nice ). Also, price was a consideration. My 2017 MBP "died" ( won't boot up and fan just runs at a ridiculous pace with a black screen ). I didn't want the base configuration, in either the Air or the MBP. This Air feels like an ideal replacement. I don't to anything "professional" in any case. Overall it's a definite upgrade from the Intel MBP. The one thing that has become noticeable is the display is clearly not as "crisp" as my previous laptop. But I'll live. Happy with the choice.

 

[Lakris]

13" because its small, portable and light. I don't have the need for 15" for my (mostly light) usage. Its surpringsingly smaller than my old MBA (13" early 2015), a lot has been upgraded since then.

 

[Zest28]

13", because the MacBook Air is for outside use.

 

[lillefot]

I’m going back to Mac after a year with Windows. My use case is studying (non tech) and I plan to do a bit of Lightroom-editing, for everything else I use my iPad Pro 11.

An Air 13 inch for lightweight when bringing it with me to the university is preferable, but this will be my only computer. I’m thinking I could use my old trusted iPad with Sidecar when writing papers, for showing articles while writing on the Mac (I have done this manually with Windows). Lightroom seems to be possible to use with the iPad too, to increase the available screen area.

But I could of course just go for the 15 inch.

If anyone has any input on this, it would be highly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Torty]

I’m going back to Mac after a year with Windows. My use case is studying (non tech) and I plan to do a bit of Lightroom-editing, for everything else I use my iPad Pro 11.

An Air 13 inch for lightweight when bringing it with me to the university is preferable, but this will be my only computer. I’m thinking I could use my old trusted iPad with Sidecar when writing papers, for showing articles while writing on the Mac (I have done this manually with Windows). Lightroom seems to be possible to use with the iPad too, to increase the available screen area.

But I could of course just go for the 15 inch.

If anyone has any input on this, it would be highly appreciated. Thanks!

If I were you I would check if the 15" MBA fits in your bags and if the weight is OK for you. Cause I would prefer in your case the 15" over the 13" cause you have already the 11" ipad pro for ultraportable usage.

 

[dandyryan]

15" all the way. wish they made a 17" air. </3

 

[adrianlondon]

I went from a 2013 15" MBP to my early/Intel 2020 13" MBA.

I run it at 1680x1050 and I'm happy with it.

I already have my dock on the side of the screen: I don't need more width, but more height would be useful. The height difference between the 13" and 15" MBAs isn't enough for me to put up with the slightly larger footprint and weight. So my next laptop is likely to be another 13" one.

 

[raythompsontn]

I’m going back to Mac after a year with Windows. My use case is studying (non tech) and I plan to do a bit of Lightroom-editing, for everything else I use my iPad Pro 11.

I run Lightroom on a 13" M2 Air. It works just fine for my needs. I process, at times, 2K images or more. To go through those images to select the top 100 takes less than an hour. Cropping, color balancing, takes only a couple of minutes. Exporting as JPG then takes another 2 or 3 minutes.

Lightroom is much faster deleting images on the Mac than Windows. To delete 2K images in Lightroom on a Windows machine takes several minutes. On a Mac it only takes a few seconds. Difference in file handling maybe or something else.

I would not use an iPad for running Lightroom. I would not use an iPad for creating any content unless there was a keyboard attached. I find the M2 Air is just as easy to carry as an iPad. Only thing missing is a touch screen and that is really not needed on the Mac. Given a choice between carrying an iPad or M2, the M2 air wins hands down.

I also travel, by plane. The 13" fits nicely on the Comfort+ (Delta) or coach seats tray table. I cannot afford 1st class. The 15" would be awkward on a coach tray table.

 

[Saturn007]

But I could of course just go for the 15 inch.

If anyone has any input on this, it would be highly appreciated.

For college? Definitely the 13”. Easier to schlep around college — and travel to and from it. Easier to take to a classroom, better able to fit on a classroom chair arm, better for taking to the student union, another dorm room, a lounge area, etc.

I have a 15” M2 sitting on my coffee table, but reach for the old Intel 13” MBA nearly all the time.

 

[lsquare]

Is the audio much better on the 15"? It's hard to tell when I test this myself at the Apple Store. The 13" sounds pretty good too.

 

[arcite]

Audio is really nice on the 15 air. Except at the highest volume, there is some distortion. Also, the 15 has slightly better thermals than the 13, due to larger surface area to dissipate heat.

 

[roadkill401]

13. I have had my share of large laptops. I prefer light & portable.

But all the Apple laptops are small and portable. I remember when they use to be

 

[Howard2k]

But all the Apple laptops are small and portable. I remember when they use to be

View attachment 2391814

It’s like when people complain that they cannot use current displays of only 60Hz. Those people would literally have died using CGA 😂

 

[lsquare]

Audio is really nice on the 15 air. Except at the highest volume, there is some distortion. Also, the 15 has slightly better thermals than the 13, due to larger surface area to dissipate heat.

Has this been tested and proven? It would be great if the 15" can sustain a higher clock speed than the 13".

 

[kschendel]

15" because I was used to the extra screen space (coming from a late 2013 15" rMBP), my eyes are old and weak, and I don't carry the computer around all that often. It travels maybe a half-dozen times a year for a week or so at a time. The rest of the time it sits on my desk as the "office" computer.

If I were carrying it every day I might have chosen differently.

 

[dizzbuster]

But all the Apple laptops are small and portable. I remember when they use to be

View attachment 2391814

I remember those. The Compaq Lugable... I carted one through Asia back in the day... Used it to collect data to pump in to a Lotus 123 Spreadsheet for statistical analysis... But no Google or Netflix back then. Ahh.... the memories.

 

[leifp]

My father has the 13” because he gets the smallest/most portable laptop (he was an 11” MBAir user). My brother has the 15” because he wants the largest screen on a laptop while keeping costs in line: the M2 chip in his laptop is miles more power than he needs (the same goes for my father) so a 16” MBPro is a non-option.

 

[helloapple1]

The more I’m using my 15” and getting used to it the more I’m enjoying it. It was a bit jarring going from a 13” M1 but now that I’m used to the 15” it is much nicer imo.

 

[thadoggfather]

The more I’m using my 15” and getting used to it the more I’m enjoying it. It was a bit jarring going from a 13” M1 but now that I’m used to the 15” it is much nicer imo.

Such a vibe when you acclimate

 

[Yebubbleman]

It would seem to me that the 15-inch MacBook Air is perfect for those that were forced to buy a 16-inch MacBook Pro between its original launch in late 2019 and WWDC 2023; all because they just needed a Mac with a larger screen. Lots of wasted performance (and money) when all you're buying a 16-inch MacBook Pro for is the screen real estate.

 

[dotnet]

I’ve got an M1 iPad Pro with Magic KB that I’m thinking of replacing. I had a look at both the M3 MBAs at the Apple Store today, I think I’ll go for the 13”. The display size is plenty (slightly larger than the iPad), it’s much thinner than the iPad + KB combo and it weighs 140g less. The only thing I’ll miss is ProMotion, but I’ll have to get used to that. In return I get a better keyboard and trackpad, and macOS.

I don’t think I’ll go for the 15” MBA. Screen real estate is not an issue for me, the price difference is considerable and I don’t like the look of the 15” (the big empty space around the keyboard and the enormous trackpad).

I used to have a 17” MBP in the past, thinking bigger was better, but instead hated the size most of the time.

 

[Surfsalot]

13" is much better for portability even around the house.
No wasted space around the keyboard.
Those with old tired eyes need some glasses anyway lol

 

[adrianlondon]

13" is much better for portability even around the house.
No wasted space around the keyboard.
Those with old tired eyes need some glasses anyway lol

Agree. And I have "old tired eyes" and wear reading glasses when using my 13" MBA, as I run it at the max resolution and decided reading glasses are much cheaper than a larger screen 😁

 

[Surfsalot]

Agree. And I have "old tired eyes" and wear reading glasses when using my 13" MBA, as I run it at the max resolution and decided reading glasses are much cheaper than a larger screen 😁

I am using 1280 x 832, I wear reading glasses 1.5.

 

[adrianlondon]

I am using 1280 x 832, I wear reading glasses 1.5.

1680 x 1050, also wearing 1.5 glasses (when using my laptop or reading anything when it's not bright).

As I get older I guess there will be a trade-off between stronger glasses and lower resolution!