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Right! I bought the 11" today to compare.

NutsNGum

NutsNGum

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 30, 2010
2,856
367
Glasgow, Scotland
Yesterday, I bought the 13" as I'd been missing having a laptop for quite a while since moving to the iMac from my old MBP.

I posted yesterday explaining how I was a little disappointed with the screen and felt more than a little aggrieved that it came out of the box with a scratch on it. For this reason, I went out this morning and got the 11 with the intention of comparing them, just to see if I'd gotten a raw deal.

I got the 11 ultimate, plunked it down next to the 13 and I immediately noticed a difference, aside from the obvious.

The screen

The screen on the 11 that I have is vastly superior to the 13. Obviously, there is a pixel density difference, but the colour is superior on the 11 by a long shot. This is not a case of viewing angle -- at the same angle, the 13 still appears more washed-out and is really quite grainy. This is particularly noticeable on the dock icons, which look horrible on the 13.

In addition, and I can't explain why, the 11 for me is far easier to read from. I suffer from floaters in the eyes, and when using the 13, they get really quite bad. The 11 by contrast seems much easier on my peepers, I don't know why this would be -- possibly backlight strength, even with the 13 on a dimmer setting, the problem is still worse than I notice on the 11.

Battery life

Sadly, this feels quite a bit shorter on the 11 than the 13, but frankly I'm willing to live with it, as the benefits of the screen far outweigh the hour and a half less I get before charging.

Anyway

Sorry this is a bit light on details, but I thought I'd post it just in case it helps anyone make a decision. I'll post more info when I've tried them out against each other a bit more thoroughly. Regardless, the 11 is definitely ahead so far, 13 will probably be taking an all expenses paid trip back to Cork.
 
G

Geetarpicker

macrumors newbie
Jul 20, 2011
16
0
How is the heat with your new 11" Ultimate?

I just bought a 11" Ultimate yesterday, but my Apple receipt shows a 10% restock unless it's returned unopened. Seems to conflict terms wise with the web site. Anyway sadly I'm afraid to open the darn box until I hear a few more reports on these!
 
J

jp700p

macrumors 6502
Jun 28, 2010
252
40
Geetarpicker said:
How is the heat with your new 11" Ultimate?

I just bought a 11" Ultimate yesterday, but my Apple receipt shows a 10% restock unless it's returned unopened. Seems to conflict terms wise with the web site. Anyway sadly I'm afraid to open the darn box until I hear a few more reports on these!
Click to expand...

How about exchanging? What if I bought the 13" tried it out and changed my mind and exchanged it for the 11", will they still charge me the 10% restocking fee?
 
G

Geetarpicker

macrumors newbie
Jul 20, 2011
16
0
jp700p said:
How about exchanging? What if I bought the 13" tried it out and changed my mind and exchanged it for the 11", will they still charge me the 10% restocking fee?
Click to expand...

Don't know. My Apple Store receipt just has faded type on the back about "Returns". They say if the unit needs "rework prior to resale" they charge 10%. I'm assume rework would be the repackaging, reinstall of OS so the setup is just like a first start up. Just guessing...
 
BENJMNS

BENJMNS

macrumors 6502
Dec 28, 2005
449
0
NutsNGum said:
Yesterday, I bought the 13" as I'd been missing having a laptop for quite a while since moving to the iMac from my old MBP.

I posted yesterday explaining how I was a little disappointed with the screen and felt more than a little aggrieved that it came out of the box with a scratch on it. For this reason, I went out this morning and got the 11 with the intention of comparing them, just to see if I'd gotten a raw deal.

I got the 11 ultimate, plunked it down next to the 13 and I immediately noticed a difference, aside from the obvious.

The screen

The screen on the 11 that I have is vastly superior to the 13. Obviously, there is a pixel density difference, but the colour is superior on the 11 by a long shot. This is not a case of viewing angle -- at the same angle, the 13 still appears more washed-out and is really quite grainy. This is particularly noticeable on the dock icons, which look horrible on the 13.

In addition, and I can't explain why, the 11 for me is far easier to read from. I suffer from floaters in the eyes, and when using the 13, they get really quite bad. The 11 by contrast seems much easier on my peepers, I don't know why this would be -- possibly backlight strength, even with the 13 on a dimmer setting, the problem is still worse than I notice on the 11.

Battery life

Sadly, this feels quite a bit shorter on the 11 than the 13, but frankly I'm willing to live with it, as the benefits of the screen far outweigh the hour and a half less I get before charging.

Anyway

Sorry this is a bit light on details, but I thought I'd post it just in case it helps anyone make a decision. I'll post more info when I've tried them out against each other a bit more thoroughly. Regardless, the 11 is definitely ahead so far, 13 will probably be taking an all expenses paid trip back to Cork.
Click to expand...

sorry but as soon as ready "vastly superior" your opinions suddenly lost all sense of credibility. next. i had both. it's the same ***** unless you have insect eyes.
 
A

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
Geetarpicker said:
How is the heat with your new 11" Ultimate?

I just bought a 11" Ultimate yesterday, but my Apple receipt shows a 10% restock unless it's returned unopened. Seems to conflict terms wise with the web site. Anyway sadly I'm afraid to open the darn box until I hear a few more reports on these!
Click to expand...
The Apple Store I worked at unfortunately had about at least a years worth of old receipt paper in stock when the policy changed. We continued to use it.

The stuff on the back doesn't matter. If you look on the front of the receipt, which was printed you purchased it, if you look near the line that lists the MacBook Air, it should say "No return fee", and list the return date.
 
R

rabid snake

macrumors newbie
Jul 20, 2011
21
0
I have the 11" MBA with the Samsung display and SSD and this thing screams! I feel like the 13" MBA seems clunky in comparison if you have an external monitor you could use at home when not traveling.
 
NutsNGum

NutsNGum

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 30, 2010
2,856
367
Glasgow, Scotland
BENJMNS said:
sorry but as soon as ready "vastly superior" your opinions suddenly lost all sense of credibility. next. i had both. it's the same ***** unless you have insect eyes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, well, that's like, your opinion, man.

You don't have my eyes. I can only speak for myself. For my eyes, the 11 is a hell of a lot better.

I can categorically say that it is not the same *****. Whatever ***** is.
 
bigjnyc

bigjnyc

macrumors G3
Apr 10, 2008
8,304
7,673
So can you walk in to an Apple store and get the 11" with a 256gb SSD? or is that option only available online?
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,311
8,326
bigjnyc said:
So can you walk in to an Apple store and get the 11" with a 256gb SSD? or is that option only available online?
Click to expand...

Yes, though you may also need to get the Core i7. 5th Avenue had the "Ultimate" 11" for $1649. I don't know if they had the Core i5 256GB for $1499 in stock.
 
bigjnyc

bigjnyc

macrumors G3
Apr 10, 2008
8,304
7,673
KPOM said:
Yes, though you may also need to get the Core i7. 5th Avenue had the "Ultimate" 11" for $1649. I don't know if they had the Core i5 256GB for $1499 in stock.
Click to expand...

Cool thanks for the info.
 
T

TheEmpty

macrumors member
Jul 11, 2011
88
0
NYC
NutsNGum said:
The 13's display:

LP133WP1-TJA3
Click to expand...
Yeah so LP I think they said was LG which was lower quality with viewing angles, but they said that was all. Who knows, we need a side by side high definition picture! Praying for dual Samsung for my Air (comes Wednesday morning)
 
O

OSMac

macrumors 65816
Jun 14, 2010
1,455
7
Oh no,
I have the LP (LG Phillips) 13" screen and ever since I got it I felt it was of below expected quality.

I am going to do the same get a 11" or another 13" with a Samsung display to compare.
Hope the Apple Store understands, dont want to pay 10% because LG uses a poor display...

This is disappointing , as I love the machine but the screen is 2nd class.
 
Last edited:
ZBoater

ZBoater

macrumors G3
Jul 2, 2007
8,498
1,325
Sunny Florida
The perception of the display quality tends to be somewhat subjective. When I saw the 13 and 11" side by side at the store, the 13" looked richer and the 11" looked more washed out. But in terms of "vastly" superior, I don't know about that. I don't think the difference is that "vast". To me, vast is the performance difference between a spinning hard drive and SSD. As far as the screens go, they are a lot closer to each other in terms of quality and performance.

In other words, I think that display quality is one of the least important factors in choosing one size MBA over another. Size, weight, battery life, screen real estate - those are more important IMHO.
 
O

OSMac

macrumors 65816
Jun 14, 2010
1,455
7
ZBoater said:
The perception of the display quality tends to be somewhat subjective. When I saw the 13 and 11" side by side at the store, the 13" looked richer and the 11" looked more washed out. ....
Click to expand...

Did you check who made the screens you saw?

The LG 13" screen I have is washed out compared to last gen airs I have used.
 
Last edited:
M

mrgossett

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2008
432
31
Thanks so much for your post. I'm considering buying a new Air to replace my 2008 2nd Gen. model (13") during our state's tax-free weekend of Aug. 5-7. I've never really loved the screen on my 13" Air. The colors wash out very easily at the wrong angle, and it's just not as nice as the one on an old black Macbook that I had. I use my Air almost totally in my recliner on my lap on an Allsop lap desk, which puts the keyboard at just the right angle for typing. I don't have the floater eye problem as much as you do, but I wear no-line bifocals, and I have to pull all my windows in every program to the bottom of the screen to see clearly. It seems to me that the 11" with its narrower height screen would help with that. But I've been concerned about the clarity and text size of the 11" screen. I've never actually tried one, and I don't live close to an Apple store or any other store that would have one on display. Your info on the 11" screen clarity is encouraging, if I can decide that I can handle the smaller text size on the 11."
 
NutsNGum

NutsNGum

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 30, 2010
2,856
367
Glasgow, Scotland
ZBoater said:
The perception of the display quality tends to be somewhat subjective. When I saw the 13 and 11" side by side at the store, the 13" looked richer and the 11" looked more washed out. But in terms of "vastly" superior, I don't know about that. I don't think the difference is that "vast". To me, vast is the performance difference between a spinning hard drive and SSD. As far as the screens go, they are a lot closer to each other in terms of quality and performance.

In other words, I think that display quality is one of the least important factors in choosing one size MBA over another. Size, weight, battery life, screen real estate - those are more important IMHO.
Click to expand...

You're right ZBoater, 'vastly' is a bit of a contentious word to use i suppose. I would say however that I definitely find it to be much better, perhaps vastly is too strong a word.

As OSMac has stated, I find the 13 to be a good bit more washed-out and noticeably grainier than the 11's screen.

Size and weight, the 11 wins hands down. Battery life and the screen real estate are the pertinent points.
 
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