Owning an 11.6 MBA and an iPad

[i0Nic]

I've got a 15" MBP with an external display, thinking about selling both and getting an iMac as well as an 11.6 Air.

I also own an iPad.

The reason why I'd want an 11.6 Air is because I love Apple laptops and would love the convenience of OSX in a laptop form factor. However ever since owning an iPad my usage scenarios for a laptop have dropped significantly, so I'm finding it hard to justify getting a laptop if I have the iPad and also will have an iMac.

Anyone else thinking of getting an Air along with their iPad, along with another primary machine ie iMac?

Are the use cases for both the iPad and 11.6 MBA too similar to warrant owning both?

 

[rxtiger]

I'm thinking of doing the exact same thing! I have an iMac and iPad, but would really like the portability of a Mac os that the air would afford. I am considering the 13 inch though.

 

[steve31]

I have a iMac and a iPad. I am getting a 11 inch 1.6 ghz 4 gb 128gb MacBook Air. Sold my 13 inch MBP to get it. Have not used the MBP since the iPad came out. But I do like the idea of a small OSX MacBook also......and you will love the new iMacs. My 27 inch iMac is the best machine I have ever owned.

 

[laff2]

My 2 Cents

I am a MBP 15 - i7 user (with a Apple Display) that I moved from an Air - Rev C - (had a Rev A before that as well). I switched 4 months ago as the Mac Air was having problems doing the work I needed or simply drive me up the wall sometimes when playing videos. This was a tough call for me as I was using an iMac with my Air for a few years. I loved the size and weight, especially when traveling. I also own a iPad.

Today I saw the new Air's. I think they are much better with the exception of having no back light on the keyboard.

Apple is like an addiction of want. I think I want the 11"...and it seems like many people do. This reminds me of when the first Air came out. Big WOW factor. But I as well question if I need a 11" and an iPad. Would I miss the iPad if I had the 11"? I do not see me living only with an Air as I need more power and a larger screen. But not always.

If you can afford it - do it. If you think you can really use it...go for it. You can always keep all or sell off whatever you don't use if that's the case.

I understand the dilemma.

 

[aberrero]

Its funny because I had an HP Envy 15, which is about as good of a gaming laptop as you could get, and I spent MUCH more time gaming on the iPad than on the Envy. It has convinced me that I don't need much gaming power in a laptop, although I would buy the 13.3" Air over the 11.6".

If you need ultraportability, the iPad is going to be better than the 11", and if you have some sort of bag on you anyway, might as well carry the 13". As far as i'm concerned, it is just a better value. You get a lot more hardware for only a little more money. You spend basically $300 to get an upgrade to 128GB SSD, 13" screen, 2 extra hours of battery life, SD card slot, larger trackpad, and a 30% faster processor. I think that is worth it.

For me though, I would get a pc desktop over an iMac, but it just depends on whether windows is useful for you.

 

[treynolds]

As far as i'm concerned, it is just a better value. You get a lot more hardware for only a little more money. You spend basically $300 to get an upgrade to 128GB SSD, 13" screen, 2 extra hours of battery life, SD card slot, larger trackpad, and a 30% faster processor. I think that is worth it.

My thinking exactly. I think the 128GB 13.3" with RAM upgraded to 4GB is the sweet-spot in the new MBA line-up.

TR

 

[spamboxnet]

I had an iPad for a few days, returned it for a refund.

I purchased the MBA11 straight away. It is the best!!! It makes the iPad look like **** and outclasses it in everyway. It doesn't attract finger prints, has a full OS, still boots up as fast, and is super thin and light but also feels robust.

Until you see one in person, and have some hands on time, you really can't understand how amazing it is. Seriously, order one online from the Apple store, and I will bet you will ditch that ugly black iPad, and go MBA!

I just bought a D-link wireless modem/router for it. The thing is almost the same size as my MBA and over twice as thick.

 

[flynz4]

I've got a 15" MBP with an external display, thinking about selling both and getting an iMac as well as an 11.6 Air.

I also own an iPad.

The reason why I'd want an 11.6 Air is because I love Apple laptops and would love the convenience of OSX in a laptop form factor. However ever since owning an iPad my usage scenarios for a laptop have dropped significantly, so I'm finding it hard to justify getting a laptop if I have the iPad and also will have an iMac.

Anyone else thinking of getting an Air along with their iPad, along with another primary machine ie iMac?

Are the use cases for both the iPad and 11.6 MBA too similar to warrant owning both?

This is our new configuration (once my 11.6 arrives):

Me:
- 27" 2TB iMac (shared with wife)
- 11.6" 126GB 1.6Ghz MBA
- 64GB 3G iPad
- iPhone 4

My wife:
- 27" 2TB iMac (shared with me)
- 13.3" Rev C 2.13Ghz MBA w/SSD
- 32GB WiFi iPad
- iPhone 4

There are some things that the iPad does better than the MBA... and vice versa. For this reason, we each like having both an iPad and a MacBook Air.

We both travel a lot, and having very light weight, easy to hold devices are ideal for us. Both my wife and I also have 15" MBP's (Alu pre-unibody). They have been turned off for months and have now been EOL'd. After using the MBA... it was really difficult for us to go back to the 15" MBA. However (this is important)... we do have the 27" iMac that serves as our "home server"... as well as the work horse for compute or storage intensive tasks. If we did not have the iMac... than I do not think we would be happy with MBAs as our only OSX device. If we choose to use only one device... we would opt for a MBP.

Bottom line... if you want multiple devices, they can all fill a specific role very well.

/Jim

 

[ntrigue]

A MacBook Air 11" and Kindle would be required to replace my iPad. I use Instapaper and Kindle.app for 75% of my iPad's usage.

*Ridiculous battery life using it this way. 10 days and 20 hours usage!

 

[MacModMachine]

I had an iPad for a few days, returned it for a refund.

I purchased the MBA11 straight away. It is the best!!! It makes the iPad look like **** and outclasses it in everyway. It doesn't attract finger prints, has a full OS, still boots up as fast, and is super thin and light but also feels robust.

Until you see one in person, and have some hands on time, you really can't understand how amazing it is. Seriously, order one online from the Apple store, and I will bet you will ditch that ugly black iPad, and go MBA!

I just bought a D-link wireless modem/router for it. The thing is almost the same size as my MBA and over twice as thick.

your comparing a ipad to a notebook...2 different classes totally,

both are used for totally different things.

 

[MartiNZ]

My thinking exactly. I think the 128GB 13.3" with RAM upgraded to 4GB is the sweet-spot in the new MBA line-up.

TR

That's what I've concluded after much deliberation also. That's the point where 13 is cheaper than the 11 you want, and has several other nicer things going for it. Ironically it was hearing that the keyboard surround dip is not quite so aesthetically pleasing on the 11 that really made me side with the 13 ... at least that's what I'm telling myself .

As an '08 15" MBP user I'm really looking forward to having one half the weight and probably almost as powerful/fast overall. I have foregone the iPad altogether, although would probably go for a 7" one if Steve changed his mind . Clearly from that I can see why one would want an MBA alongside an iPad if one had one; I feel the difference, in terms of ease of content creation, is a big one. In my experience of people with iPads, they are used more as at home devices; the Air rather just as any other laptop, with the added bonus of being very light.

 

[wirelessmacuser]

My thinking exactly. I think the 128GB 13.3" with RAM upgraded to 4GB is the sweet-spot in the new MBA line-up.

I concur. I ordered this configuration the moment the Apple store came back up on the day of the announcement. Although I have a brand new 15" Core i7 MBP for my heavy daily work. I also travel a lot, the 13" MBA will slip in my bag as a perfect replacement for my first gen MBA.

 

[cambookpro]

Darn, how much money have you people got!?

I have an iMac except it's shared and I never use it. I have an iPad, an iPhone and an MBP as my main computer. TBH, the MBA is too expensive for too little. I'd love it as a secondary laptop, but can't justify it.

 

[KandyKane]

Apple is like an addiction of want. I think I want the 11"...and it seems like many people do.

I agree, I want everything Apple makes. It's gotta stop somewhere... right??
I have a 13" MBP, iPad, iPhone 4.
Maybe I'll sell the MBP and get an iMac and an 11" MBA. That's adding ANOTHER thing to the vicious cycle of addiction, plus if they ever happen to update 2 things at the same time, I'm screwed!

 

[rkahl]

I agree, I want everything Apple makes. It's gotta stop somewhere... right??
I have a 13" MBP, iPad, iPhone 4.
Maybe I'll sell the MBP and get an iMac and an 11" MBA. That's adding ANOTHER thing to the vicious cycle of addiction, plus if they ever happen to update 2 things at the same time, I'm screwed!

I agree, Apple is an addiction!

 

[AppleGoddess]

I have the 11" MBA and the iPad from launch day, I am selling the ipad now and will put the money away for the next update.

For me the little i do on both, outweighs keeping both.

 

[PieMac]

I have the 11" MBA and the iPad from launch day, I am selling the ipad now and will put the money away for the next update.

For me the little i do on both, outweighs keeping both.

Ditto...figure if I miss my iPad that much, I'll switch back next revision and sell the 11" MBA. One thing you can always count on-Apple has great resale value!

 

[S.B.G]

I have been going back and forth in my mind for days on whether or not to get the new MBA or an iPad. I already have a MBP (pre-Santa-Rosa) that I am upgrading this week with more RAM and a faster HDD. I also have a relatively new iMac 24".

I was about to get the new MBA, but the more I think about it, after the MBP upgrade (parts arrive tomorrow), it would be redundant to have two laptops for me. I say that because of the MBP upgrade and the fact that the MBP will continue to do all my heavy work (Garageband mostly).

I was going to get either the MBA or iPad for browsing, email and blogging mostly.

Cost has a little to do with it, and I can afford either. But I think I made my decision and I'll get the iPad in light of the MBP upgrade, portability and cost.

 

[yegon]

Yep, I'm selling my iPad and getting a fully specced 11" MBA. I was previously very happy with my iPad but the 11" MBA is the true ultra portable* mac I've always wanted, bar the lack of backlit keyboard . I really cannot see me using the iPad much once I've got the MBA so it seems silly not to sell it while the resale price is so high.

I've got a 17" MBP for the heavy lifting.

*My first mac was a white MB in 2006 so the 12" Powerbook was before my time.

 

[MRU]

I have a 64Gb 3G iPad.

I'm contemplating selling it and buying a 11.6" MBA and a Kindle 3 for ebooks instead.

 

[Scottsdale]

I've got a 15" MBP with an external display, thinking about selling both and getting an iMac as well as an 11.6 Air.

I also own an iPad.

The reason why I'd want an 11.6 Air is because I love Apple laptops and would love the convenience of OSX in a laptop form factor. However ever since owning an iPad my usage scenarios for a laptop have dropped significantly, so I'm finding it hard to justify getting a laptop if I have the iPad and also will have an iMac.

Anyone else thinking of getting an Air along with their iPad, along with another primary machine ie iMac?

Are the use cases for both the iPad and 11.6 MBA too similar to warrant owning both?

Or, you could just buy the MBA, and add a 27" LED ACD to it. It is a stunning setup. I absolutely adore the LED ACD.

The really great thing with the new MBA, is it has power, USB port, and sound on the same side, and this means the LED ACD cable doesn't need to split apart to reach both sides as the prior MBA did.

Anyways, there is almost nothing the MBA cannot do, and with the hub on the back of it, you can keep all of your peripherals attached and not worry about plugging and unplugging. If you buy a BluRay external you can attach it to the hub on back of the ACD also, and run BR within Windows.

I just think most people don't truly need an iMac along with an MBA. I have the 27" iMac, and it's beautiful, but it was a total waste of my money, as the MBA does everything I want it to do faster than the iMac anyways. These SSDs are making MBAs feel faster than Mac Pros for normal tasks.

Anyways, I think everyone should consider not pairing an MBA with an iMac, Mac mini, MBP, or whatever else. It is so much easier to keep everything on one MBA and just use it as an ultraportable or a desktop when at the desk.

Good luck with whatever you buy.

 

[navanod]

I have a:
MBP 15 w/ Cinema Display for work
iPad 3G for home browsing news, paying bills and on the go fun for my son
MBA 11 for work portability

Had I have to buy today, I would buy the exact same thing, subbing the MBP 15 for a MP Tower. Thing is when I bought the MBP, the iPad and MBA 11 didn't exist and for my needs at the time the MBP was best.

 

[jagger27]

Are you kidding? What benefit can you possibly get from buying an iMac to supplement your MBP + ext display? If you put a couple hundred (not thousand!) into some large external HDDs (firewire/NAS) and a nice keyboard and mouse, you'd have a portable iMac that doesn't need to be synced.

As for the MBA, what do you hope to accomplish with it that you can't already do with your iPad? Would you benefit from having them both? Together, they probably weigh more than your MBP.

I have a 64Gb 3G iPad.

I'm contemplating selling it and buying a 11.6" MBA and a Kindle 3 for ebooks instead.

There's an idea! Go for it! There's no sense in having devices that overlap each other in functionality.

 

[BigCanoe]

I have:

A PC (boo) with a 20" cinema display
An iPad
A iPhone 3gs

I am thinking of going to:

Air 13 (loaded) with the cinema display
iPhone 4

 

[jazz1]

I have a 64Gb 3G iPad.

I'm contemplating selling it and buying a 11.6" MBA and a Kindle 3 for ebooks instead.

I was of the same mind, but I think I'd miss the built-in 3G of my current iPad which has the unlimited data plan (grandfathered in). On the other hand that 11" Air was really nice. If I sold the iPad, I'd probably end up getting the next generation one and enjoy the Air for a few months before the next iPad.