Experiences owning both the 11.6" and 13.3" -- Impressions and Review

[treynolds]

I had both the 11.6" and 13.3". I initially had the 11.6", it was nice and all, but way too small -- the screen, that is. I returned it for the base 13.3". The bigger screen is definitely welcomed!

I'm in a quandry as to which one to get and threads like these help...

I have looked at three different builds, all with similar specs:

1. A 11.6 MBA with 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1.4Ghz CPU, $1299

2. A 13.3 MBA with 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1.86Ghz CPU, $1399

3. A refurb 13.3" MBP with 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 2.4Ghz CPU, $1299

The last one is on and off the Apple refurb page. They seem to go as fast as they list them.

My main workstation (at home) is a 27" iMac, late 2009 build. It does a great job. My work machine is a Dell M90 17" that weighs 8 lbs, about 9 with the brick. My personal "portable" is an aging HP 17". The Dell has 1920x1200 res and is a real workhorse of a machine. The HP is 1440x900.

I have been vacillating between the three systems above. I don't want to spend too much dough, as I think the MBP's will get a major update this next year. Nevertheless, there is a tremendous difference in weight. The 11.6 is one-half the weight of the 13.3" MBP. That's a lot.

I've played with the two side-by-side at the Apple Store and Best Buy. I've looked at reviews ad nauseum. I would mostly use any of these for web browsing, light work and the ocassional Photoshop or AutoCAD LT file. I will be running XP under Parallels for ACAD. Even so, it won't get much use on the smaller machine.

My biggest concern is screen res. I'm used to having high-res machines and am afraid that I'll be cramped having to scroll around a lot with the smaller machine. That's what holds me off on the 13.3" MBP refurb, that and the fact that it's twice the weight of the 11.6".

I'm attracted to the 11.6 for one reason, it's portability. It has better resolution that the 13" MBP, but that machine beats the 11.6 in every other spec. I'm leaning towards the 13.3" MBA because of the higher clock speed, greater screen res and SD slot (for cameras), but am concerned about the footprint, I suppose the 11.8x7.5 inch footprint of the 13.3" Air is about 2/3 that of the Dell M90 which is 15.5x11.5 inches.

I'm trying not to get too hung-up on CPU speeds, etc, as many people are reporting good experiences even with the slower clock speeds of the Airs. I'm definitely looking at a second system (third, really, counting the office) and I commute daily on a motorcycle. Weight is a real consideration, especially on days like yesterday where I had to lug BOTH 17" machines home from the office...

Any advice?

Tony

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Keep in mind that the larger footprint of the 13" gives you better resolution, more storage, better CPU and most importantly a much better battery. It's basically a MBP experience in a MBA package. The 11" is ok if all you really need is surfing and word processing and don't mind carrying the power charger with you on all day trips and searching for power outlets to top off the battery. But once you add in the weight of the charger for the 11" you could be carrying th 13" without any compromises.

 

[treynolds]

Keep in mind that the larger footprint of the 13" gives you better resolution, more storage, better CPU and most importantly a much better battery. It's basically a MBP experience in a MBA package. The 11" is ok if all you really need is surfing and word processing and don't mind carrying the power charger with you on all day trips and searching for power outlets to top off the battery. But once you add in the weight of the charger for the 11" you could be carrying th 13" without any compromises.

RBF: What do you see as far as an advantage in any configuration beyond what I've quoted for the 13.3? (13.3, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1.86Ghz CPU...)

I'm not certain that for a secondary machine the extra $400 to max it out is really worth it, and can be used for other things, like Aperture, etc.

?

Tony

 

[ozreth]

I understand why someone would want the 11.6" MBA as a secondary computer, but what benefit is there to own the higher spec 13" MBA as opposed to the base 15" MBP model, perhaps with the 1680 x 1050 screen?

You said you got the 11" MBA for "true portability", so it can be assumed that the 13" MBA was not purchased for this purpose. If so, then I can't think of any benefit of getting the 13" MBA as your "main" computer other than to say, "I have it." Perhaps boot times, but I usually leave my system on for months without rebooting (51 days, 16:59 hours according to Terminal), but I suppose you could have gotten good boot times from an SSD installed in a 15" MBP.

If I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[treynolds]

...what benefit is there to own the higher spec 13" MBA as opposed to the base 15" MBP model, perhaps with the 1680 x 1050 screen?

The benefit is in dollars saved. That 15.4" MBP with the high-res screen is twice the weight of the 13.3" MBA and significantly more expensive. A 15.4 with a 2.66Ghz CPU, 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD and the high-res screen option is going to set you back about $2749. That's almost a grand more than the 13" MBA Ultimate. Spec'ing the 2.4Ghz 15.4" only saves $200.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

To use the 11" for 7 hours, full working day, requires you to carry the charger and find an outlet. That's not as portable as the 13" with a 7 hour battery by itself and weighs the same.

The 11" has a half day battery for a working professional. For light duty the 11" is fine but it is no more portable than the 13" and you have to make far more compromises.

 

[treynolds]

To use the 11" for 7 hours, full working day, requires you to carry the charger and find an outlet. That's not as portable as the 13" with a 7 hour battery by itself and weighs the same.

The 11" has a half day battery for a working professional. For light duty the 11" is fine but it is no more portable than the 13" and you have to make far more compromises.

Thanks, I'm all over the better battery in the 13 , but was asking about the specs of the less-than-ultimate base 13" with the RAM upgrade for general work. Most people seem to indicate that it's still very speedy. Thoughts?

Tony

 

[wirelessmacuser]

Well, the 11" really is a fun computer to use. I use my 11" more than my 13" really, because I like holding it and carrying it better,

I find the my 13" MBA a really fun computer to use.

Too bad it's blown up and on it's way back to Apple (but that's another topic).

While my 13" is gone, I'm using my 11" and find it a close second to my 13".

Viva Le choice...

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Blown up? WTH happened?

 

[gwsat]

RBF: What do you see as far as an advantage in any configuration beyond what I've quoted for the 13.3? (13.3, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1.86Ghz CPU...)

I'm not certain that for a secondary machine the extra $400 to max it out is really worth it, and can be used for other things, like Aperture, etc.

I agree that spending the extra $400 might not be the thing to do for somebody who wanted only a secondary machine. I decided to max out my 13 inch MBA because I wanted it to replace my MBP for as much as possible. To do that I knew that I would need an MBA with enough power to run Windows 7 under VMware Fusion in Unity mode, with a couple of Windows apps open simultaneously with a half dozen open OS X apps. Obviously, at least 4GB of RAM were required for that. Also, I migrated 125GB of programs and data from my MBP to the MBA, so the 256GB flash storage option was indispensable.

 

[treynolds]

I agree that spending the extra $400 might not be the thing to do for somebody who wanted only a secondary machine. I decided to max out my 13 inch MBA because I wanted it to replace my MBP for as much as possible. To do that I knew that I would need an MBA with enough power to run Windows 7 under VMware Fusion in Unity mode, with a couple of Windows apps open simultaneously with a half dozen open OS X apps. Obviously, at least 4GB of RAM were required for that. Also, I migrated 125GB of programs and data from my MBP to the MBA, so the 256GB flash storage option was indispensable.

Hmmmm... I have an extra $700 from sale of a camera and another item, so that nets me out at $1100 out-of-pocket for the MBA 13" Ultimate...

 

[WardC]

To use the 11" for 7 hours, full working day, requires you to carry the charger and find an outlet. That's not as portable as the 13" with a 7 hour battery by itself and weighs the same.

The 11" has a half day battery for a working professional. For light duty the 11" is fine but it is no more portable than the 13" and you have to make far more compromises.

I completely disagree. The 11" actually feels MUCH MUCH lighter than the 13" model, it is so much smaller and more portable it is unreal. The 13" feels like a fullsize laptop, it's huge, and it's much heavier than the 11". The 11" feels like a true ultraportable and it can do everything the 13" can do except run 1440x900 on the larger display size. Oh, and that little SD card slot if it matters.

 

[treynolds]

I completely disagree. The 11" actually feels MUCH MUCH lighter than the 13" model, it is so much smaller and more portable it is unreal. The 13" feels like a fullsize laptop, it's huge, and it's much heavier than the 11". The 11" feels like a true ultraportable and it can do everything the 13" can do except run 1440x900 on the larger display size. Oh, and that little SD card slot if it matters.

Well, I can only afford one. Even though I like the 11.6 for it's "cuddly factor", I'm probably going to have to go with the 13.3. A lot is going to come down to screen real estate and the apps I'm running. I made up some cut-down paper reams at the correct weight for the 11.6 and 13.3 MBA as well as the 13.3 MBP. I couldn't tell much of a difference carrying the two MBA mockups around my warehouse. Definitely could tell the difference between either of those and the MBP however.

 

[jimboutilier]

+1 on wanting to know this as well.

I have the '10 13.3 MBP and have a hard time justifying either model for extra portability. I've been to the store twice to play with them both. I'm trying to talk myself into either for "portability" reasons. Just can't do it. I guess I'm spoiled with the SSD setup and already enjoy the 15 second boot times and snappy app response. I suppose if I were gaining performance AND portability, it would be an easier decision.

As a frequent traveler Who flies most weeks, spends lot of time in airports, hotels, remote offices, and moves from place to place and meeting to meeting each day I put a lot of value on portability and mobility.

If I could only have one machine I'd pick a 13" MBP maxed out as it can do everything I need done all day long, hold everything I need it to hold, and still offer adequate portability.

But the MBA is significantly more portable and if you can live within it's limitations while traveling it's a terrific option well worth the price. While numbers like a pound and a half or a quarter inch might not sound like much, the MBP is 1.5 x heavier and on average is almost twice as thick. It's a big difference if you are very mobile. And the 11" model makes an even bigger difference.

You really have to carry one around for a bit to fully appreciate the difference and obviously the MBA is not for everyone but it's worth a good close look of you are very mobile.

 

[1BadMac]

As a frequent traveler Who flies most weeks, spends lot of time in airports, hotels, remote offices, and moves from place to place and meeting to meeting each day I put a lot of value on portability and mobility.

If I could only have one machine I'd pick a 13" MBP maxed out as it can do everything I need done all day long, hold everything I need it to hold, and still offer adequate portability.

But the MBA is significantly more portable and if you can live within it's limitations while traveling it's a terrific option well worth the price. While numbers like a pound and a half or a quarter inch might not sound like much, the MBP is 1.5 x heavier and on average is almost twice as thick. It's a big difference if you are very mobile. And the 11" model makes an even bigger difference.

You really have to carry one around for a bit to fully appreciate the difference and obviously the MBA is not for everyone but it's worth a good close look of you are very mobile.

I travel frequently and actually am a mobile employee at my company, where I carry a laptop with me 8-10 hours a day all week. I use a Timbuk2 messenger to carry my work issued machine, which happens to be a 15" AG 2008 edition MBP. This is heavier than I'd like, especially by the time I include the charger, dongle for VGA output, etc. So I unfortunately am accustomed to carrying around a lot of equipment.

I guess I'd like to see some real world battery life comparisons. My 13" 2010 model gets almost every bit of the advertised 9-10 hours with light "wireless internet" usage on reduced lighting settings, etc... If the 13" MBA can get closer to that, it would make it an easier sell. I'm seeing more responses though putting it in the 6 hour range.

 

[gwsat]

I completely disagree. The 11" actually feels MUCH MUCH lighter than the 13" model, it is so much smaller and more portable it is unreal. The 13" feels like a fullsize laptop, it's huge, and it's much heavier than the 11". The 11" feels like a true ultraportable and it can do everything the 13" can do except run 1440x900 on the larger display size. Oh, and that little SD card slot if it matters.

I have only used the 11 inch MBA, albeit fairly extensively, at the Apple Store. As much as I admire and largely agree with your enthusiasm for the 11 inch MBA, I own a 13 inch MBA and will say categorically that there is nothing about it that even remotely qualifies it as "a fullsize laptop, . . .huge, and [] much heavier than the 11." Let's look at the record: The 11 inch MBA is exactly the same thickness as the 13 inch model, .11 of an inch at the thinnest end and .68 of an inch at the thickest. The 11 inch MBA weighs 2.3 pounds and the 13 inch 2.9 pounds. The .6 of a pound difference means that the 11 inch MBA is only a little over 20 percent lighter than the 13 inch model.

Now let's look at the 13 inch MPB compared to the 13 inch MBA. The MBP is nearly an inch thick, both front to back and side to side, whereas the average width of the 13 inch MBA is less than .5 of an inch. the MBP weighs 4.5 pounds, more than 50 percent more than the 2.9 pound 13 inch MBA.

The purpose of this exercise was to demonstrate that hyperbole has its limits.

 

[kazmac]

thanks WardC

I appreciate your very thorough real world comparisons between both models. I haven't gotten to an Apple store yet (and probably won't until after the holidays). I do not need another machine right now even though I'd like to have a portable for writing (my iPhone isn't enough).

If either of these MBAs are comfortable for me to use, I probably would go with the 13.3 because of the resolution. Again, I'd have to test extensively in the stores as I don't want to repeat the buy and return of another Apple laptop if it cannot work for me. Thank you for posting the details regarding the resolution.

I'm glad the screen issues are a software fix away, and that so many people are enjoying these MBAs. Conceptually they're a nice beginning to where laptops are headed.

Please keep posting your impressions!

 

[bcaslis]

I have only used the 11 inch MBA, albeit fairly extensively, at the Apple Store. As much as I admire and largely agree with your enthusiasm for the 11 inch MBA, I own a 13 inch MBA and will say categorically that there is nothing about it that even remotely qualifies it as "a fullsize laptop, . . .huge, and [] much heavier than the 11." Let's look at the record: The 11 inch MBA is exactly the same thickness as the 13 inch model, .11 of an inch at the thinnest end and .68 of an inch at the thickest. The 11 inch MBA weighs 2.3 pounds and the 13 inch 2.9 pounds. The .6 of a pound difference means that the 11 inch MBA is only a little over 20 percent lighter than the 13 inch model.

Now let's look at the 13 inch MPB compared to the 13 inch MBA. The MBP is nearly an inch thick, both front to back and side to side, whereas the average width of the 13 inch MBA is less than .5 of an inch. the MBP weighs 4.5 pounds, more than 50 percent more than the 2.9 pound 13 inch MBA.

The purpose of this exercise was to demonstrate that hyperbole has its limits.

Anyone who has the 13" or wants one is fine to do so. Nobody is trying to change anyone. But I've carried around both back and forth to work. There is no comparison. The 11" is like a slightly large iPad while the 13" is like a very light laptop. The 11" fits in my iPad bag. The 13" can't even dream of fitting in there.

To each their own. But 13" owners trying to convince 11" owners that there isn't much difference are very wrong. It's a very different experience.

 

[gwsat]

Anyone who has the 13" or wants one is fine to do so. Nobody is trying to change anyone. But I've carried around both back and forth to work. There is no comparison. The 11" is like a slightly large iPad while the 13" is like a very light laptop. The 11" fits in my iPad bag. The 13" can't even dream of fitting in there.

To each their own. But 13" owners trying to convince 11" owners that there isn't much difference are very wrong. It's a very different experience.

In order that we establish clarity here, are your telling us that you have a fitted iPad sleeve built in to the bag in which you have been carrying your 11 inch MBA? I ask because I have a fitted sleeve for my iPad but it is only 11 inches wide along the outside, whereas the 11 inch MBA is 11.8 inches wide. Thus, it seems to me that an 11 inch MBA could not possibly fit into an iPad sleeve. While the 11 inch MBA is somewhat smaller and lighter than the 13 inch model, both are still ultra lightweight laptops. There are reasons to chose one over the other but it seems to me the decision turns far more on how you expect to use an MBA than it does on their relative size.

 

[treynolds]

There are reasons to chose one over the other but it seems to me the decision turns far more on how you expect to use an MBA than it does on their relative size.

Indeed.

 

[barefeats]

As I read this forum thread, I'm sitting on my bed watching college football with my three amigos:
9.7" iPad
13.3" MacBook Air
17" MacBook Pro

That's what I call a well balanced set.

 

[gwsat]

As I read this forum thread, I'm sitting on my bed watching college football with my three amigos:
9.7" iPad
13.3" MacBook Air
17" MacBook Pro

That's what I call a well balanced set.

You have a point. The last couple of days I have been copying a bunch of CDs into iTunes with my 17 inch MBP. During the several minutes it takes iTunes to compress the files from each CD and copy them into the iTunes directory, I have placed the MBP on the footstool in front of my TV watching chair and while that is going on I watch TV and work MacRumors and other forums with my MBA, which is in my lap. It's been pretty neat, far better than trying to use the MBP for other purposes while iTunes is cranking.

 

[Pipper99]

My thinking as well. I have a Mac Pro, a 13" MBP and an iPad. I went from a 17" MBP to the 13" MBP because I wanted to use my machine while flying. If I'm in coach and the seat in front of me is reclined - which describes 80% of my flying time - then I can't use my 13" MBP, so I fall back to reading on my iPad.

I'm due for an upgrade (through work) in 2011 and have asked for a 17" i7 MBP since I want the screen more than I want the portability. I might spring for an 11" MBA out of my own pocket if it would help with working while flying, but I can't really see replacing my 13" MBP with either model with the MBA - especially since my MBP has 8G memory which I fully utilize.

My wife has taken over my iPad and is pushing me to get a MBA so she can have my iPad. But until I'm sure I'm getting a new 17" MBP, I don't see the sense in carrying a MBA and a 13" MBP.

Now, THAT must be a great job!

 

[Parrotlet]

It's a waste of money in my opinion. Just get the one you want, who buys multiple laptops at once

 

[bcaslis]

In order that we establish clarity here, are your telling us that you have a fitted iPad sleeve built in to the bag in which you have been carrying your 11 inch MBA? I ask because I have a fitted sleeve for my iPad but it is only 11 inches wide along the outside, whereas the 11 inch MBA is 11.8 inches wide. Thus, it seems to me that an 11 inch MBA could not possibly fit into an iPad sleeve. While the 11 inch MBA is somewhat smaller and lighter than the 13 inch model, both are still ultra lightweight laptops. There are reasons to chose one over the other but it seems to me the decision turns far more on how you expect to use an MBA than it does on their relative size.

I have the Tom Bihn Ristretto for iPad case. It has an integrated sleeve for the iPad. The 11" is the same size as the iPad except longer. It fits (although just barely due to length) into this case just fine.

The 13" and 11" are both light but in extended use the 11" feels much lighter than .6 pounds. And the smaller dimensions make it just in a different category than the 13". The 13" is a fine machine but except for weight and thickness it feels just like any other Apple 13" laptop. The 11" feels completely difference size wise.