So confused! Yet another 11.6'' vs 13'' dilemma

[HLdan]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. In the end, I decided not to wait. I'm selling my 15'' and my 11.6'' on eBay to get the MBA 13''. I realized that for what I do with my computer now, a 15'' is overkill. I don't really care about long-term either because I generally upgrade every 1-2 years in which case the Air is perfect for both the specs, weight, and new factor.

How much should I ask for my 15? I was thinking 2200? 2250? (It's opened which diminishes the value I feel even though mine retails for $2400). If it doesn't sell for a good price, I'm just gonna keep my MBP and sit it out.

I put the 11.6 for $1300 and already got a bid. It's unopened =D

I can't wait to be able to buy the 13'' once the bidding ends (if the MBP sells!) and the money comes through! Very excited! Thanks again!

Why are you selling your 11.6" Air on Ebay? Aren't you still within the 14 day return period?

 

[cambookpro]

My thoughts (have a 15" MBP and would LOVE a 11" MBA but can't afford it):

-Keep the MBP
-Keep the 11" Air

It looks like you have sort of the best of both worlds with power in the MBP and portability in the MBA.

 

[qosie]

So I thought about my decision over the week again. I had listed both of the computers on eBay and I was even getting quite a few bids.

Suddenly...I took a look at my MacBook Pro's backlit keyboard and gorgeous antiglare hi-res screen and I realized something....this computer is both beautiful and powerful. Sure it's twice the weight of my 11.6'' MBA and sure the 13'' MBA would be a great stand-alone mac...but I would be sacrificing so much power and future upgradeability.

So I took off the computers on eBay, ran into my closet and ripped open my new 11.6'' MBA and I feel so great. This little computer is zippy, small, and ultraportable. I'm in the library right now working on a paper due for one of my grad classes and I couldn't have been happier.

For people complaining about the lack of vertical space...right now I'm not really caring. My main concern is generally horizontal space. I tend to have two Word documents open side-by-side or a few PDF articles open when I'm doing work so this extra space on the sides is perfect for me.

Right now I don't have anything major installed on here...but I can say that it's super zippy and I'm loving it.

 

[gwsat]

gosie -- I think you made a good choice. No 11 inch MBA is going to be a be able to do what your 15 inch i7 MBP handles but it is, nevertheless, a real computer, which can run circles around an iPad and is only a little bigger and heavier. I saw you had already concluded that your iPad was a waste. I agree. I went with a maxed out 13 inch MBA but my MBP is nearly 3 years old. After using my MBA for not quite a week I have concluded that the MBA does everything the MBP ever did and does it almost as quickly.

If I had been the owner of a state of the art i7 MBP, though, I would have bought the 11 inch MBA as a replacement for the iPad and continued to use the MBP as my every day machine. As it stands, my 13 inch does double duty. My loaded 13 inch MBA really is the functional equivalent of my old MBP and is a reasonable substitute for the iPad but it is certainly not as good an iPad substitute as the significantly smaller and lighter 11 inch model would have been.

Like all compromises there are some good aspects to the 13 inch MBA but some not so good ones, too.

 

[Romulus]

Case settled... Where for medical school?

 

[BENJMNS]

gosie -- I think you made a good choice. No 11 inch MBA is going to be a be able to do what your 15 inch i7 MBP handles but it is, nevertheless, a real computer, which can run circles around an iPad and is only a little bigger and heavier. I saw you had already concluded that your iPad was a waste. I agree. I went with a maxed out 13 inch MBA but my MBP is nearly 3 years old. After using my MBA for not quite a week I have concluded that the MBA does everything the MBP ever did and does it almost as quickly.

If I had been the owner of a state of the art i7 MBP, though, I would have bought the 11 inch MBA as a replacement for the iPad and continued to use the MBP as my every day machine. As it stands, my 13 inch does double duty. My loaded 13 inch MBA really is the functional equivalent of my old MBP and is a reasonable substitute for the iPad but it is certainly not as good an iPad substitute as the significantly smaller and lighter 11 inch model would have been.

Like all compromises there are some good aspects to the 13 inch MBA but some not so good ones, too.

but the mba 13 is so capable, it lets you save thousands of dollars serving as a 2 in 1

-fellow mba 13 ultimate owner here

i don't care too much about future upgradeability. i don't even know what city i'll be in the next week. with technology i buy for today and replace as the next hot thing comes along.

 

[Poochi]

Here's my thought:
- Gamer + student
1/
-> iMac for games
-> MBA 13" for everyday use and classes, and still great for moderate gaming while travelling (hotel, out of state etc).
-> iPad for fun - couch and washroom, for media consumption it is good enough

2/ (if skipping iPad)
-> iMac for games
-> MBA 11" for ultra portability, but light gaming only (due to slower cpu)

- Your case
1/
-> MBA 13" for the main and only computer, it really does everything you need to do

2/
-> iMac /or keep your MBP, and use MBA 11" for portability : like you have finally decided. Only downside is that you are depreciating 2 computers at once where in option 1 you can save quite a bit and easily upgrade every year on each revision.


RE: iPad - I think iPad is a great device, especially for people who only use computers for casual gaming, surfing the web, and emails (like a lot of mothers I know) - and yes you can also make Skype call from iPad .