Would I be crazy to trade-in my 10.2" iPad for an 11" MBA?

[B S Magnet]

I'm a fun-sized university student: a skinny and short twink. As the main computer in my dorm, I use the 13-inch MacBook Air M1, which does everything I need. I seriously love the horsepower this device offers for my writing and content creation needs, but bringing it to university in a ruggedized Thule sleeve has been killing my back. It takes the largest amount of weight in my backpack and it's becoming cumbersome to lug around.

I kept my Mac at home and brought my 2021 10.2-inch iPad with Smart Keyboard to university. The problem: I keep buying and selling this particular iPad model (and now I'm considering to sell it, again). Even with it's ultra-portability, there's no way the iPad with it's software limitations and touch interface can replace a full-fledged computer for me. I don't know how students are using this device, but it doesn't fit my multitasking needs. There are times I have to skim through twenty PDF sources with multiple instances of Safari running next to each other and my lectures are too fast-paced to take handwritten notes. Besides that, I'm an amateur screenwriter and the iPad versions of Scrivener and Final Draft are not as feature-packed as their Mac counterparts.

Seeking the ultimate university computing device is driving me crazy. I tried a Windows convertible with a vast array of ports, but I was far too deep into the Apple ecosystem to combine it with my Mac, even when my university offers working in the cloud with a Microsoft 365 subscription. So I narrowed down my search to the now obsolete 11-inch MacBook Air models as a secondary computer. I can sell my iPad set-up for 300 EUR, and buy the Mac I want in like-new condition for the same price. I'm aware it's a severely outdated and underpowered notebook, but this particular model is still popular across office workers and writers for it's portability and feature-set - and I think I can get even more use out of it, when compared to my iPad, which has been sitting in my drawer ever since I worked my ass off to buy it two months ago.

Would this be a crazy decision? With a patcher, the 11-inch MacBook Air will probably outlast the iPad. There are no alternatives for those who seek MacOS on an affordable, ultra-portable machine. The 12-inch MacBook is still too expensive on the used market and is plagued with issues and the iPads with Stage Manager are nearing 600 EUR. And I cannot stress how tired I am of all the additional, expensive accessories I need to convert a tablet into a half-decent computer.

Because of its form factor and relationship to the era which overlaps with 11-inch MBAs from the “early” Intel Macs period, you might want to post this question over on the Early Intel Macs forum, as there are a number of folks there who still daily-drive their 11-inch MBAs.

Also, I’m suggesting this as an idea to explore as several responses in this thread seem to completely bypass and even avoid resolving what you’re asking. You know yourself best, and you don’t need people doling out advice on your body’s limits. :hard eyeroll at those doing that:

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I don’t really understand the question.
You can’t carry your current M1 MacBook Air… Because it has a two heavy rugged case on it.
So you’re going to get a really old computer and… Not put a case on it? Because the second you put a case on it the weight difference between it and the new computer will be tiny.
The solution here seems simple and cheap, just take the case off.
I’ve carried around a MacBook without a case for years and years and years, unless you’re just taking your bag and slamming it against the ground Intentionally, your computer should be fine. These are computers built to take a normal days travels and tribulations, and I’d assume AppleCare is probably cheaper than buying an older laptop.
Not to mention, the 11 inch air will have such poor battery life that you’re going to have to add that weight right back with the cable and adapter, meanwhile the M1 can easily last 10+ hours on a single charge if you’re not doing anything too demanding.
Either way in the end, the computers are going to weigh about the same.
The 11 inch air isn’t even the lightest computer they made, that would be the 12 inch MacBook, which is newer, faster, has better battery life, and a better display. If maximum portability is what you need, that’s what you should be looking at. And even then, it’s hard to recommend over the M1 air because it’s over six years old and has plenty of reliability issues.
Edit: not exactly sure which sleeve you were referring to that you had but I’m assuming if it’s one like this…

Thule Gauntlet MacBook Sleeve, Black, One Size

A molded, sleek sleeve with rugged protection and in-case usability.

www.amazon.com

That’s adding 3/4LB to the laptop, and the second you put the 11 inch air in that it’s going to probably feel just about the same as the current 13 inch one you have.

 

[sifpilsen]

As mentioned already, you could probably get away with a much smaller charger or none at all with the M1 MBA.

All my colleagues with M1 MacBook Airs are telling that tale, 1-2 days battery depending on workload. For school, it would most likely be 2 days.

 

[Zest28]

Keep your iPad and use your M1 MBA instead. Why have 2 MBA with one of them super outdated makes no sense at all?

Just learn how to make use of your tools, because an iPad and M1 MBA should be all that you need in college.

 

[Lioness~]

Keep your MBA 13". Sell or keep your iPad Pro. But you don’t need an old 11" MacBook.

What you do need is to the Gym and get stronger if the MBA is too heavy for you.

If Apple however release new 11"s and you're still too weak to carry the 13" you have, go for it.

 

[okkibs]

I do get that the M1 Air can be too heavy, it's not as lightweight as other laptops. But there is no other laptop with the same performance and battery life for the price. The weight shaved off by switching will result in less battery life (possibly requiring a power adapter again, increasing the weight), less performance and at a higher cost that you ruled out initially anyways.

The Air is just about the best performing portable computer you can possibly have and at a very reasonable entry price. It would be absurd to buy something else when that Mac is already there, and paid for.

 

[fisherking]

I understand the desire for the smaller laptop, it's unfortunate that this category has been completely axed from Apple's lineup.

My biggest concerns wouldn't be pegged to performance necessarily, but battery life and screen. The battery life will likely take a noticeable hit, especially considering the age of the batteries at this point. If you don't mind having to charge it on every outing, this may not be a major issue however.

Since you'll be working in Office, the screen quality and size may be a rough downgrade. The screen is very hard to read unless you're right up close to it, and the optical quality of the display is probably the worst of any computer I've used, due to the TN panel's limited viewing angles. It may end up feeling much more cramped as well. I find that the 16:9 aspect ratio (especially at such a small size) for Office is massively inferior to the excellent 4:3 that the iPad offers, but I understand people are much more used to the widescreen these days.

If it wasn't for the faulty keyboards, I'd heartily recommend a 12" MacBook. These rectified many of the screen quality issues mentioned above and are more modern. Really a shame that those machines were cursed by that keyboard.

i had my 12" MB for 6 years (2016 model), and i loved that keyboard... more than the M2 air one. the feel, the spacing of the keys, was great (& maybe i was lucky, but no keyboard issues).

if apple gives us a silicon 12", am on it...

 

[xboxbml]

I'm a fun-sized university student: a skinny and short twink. As the main computer in my dorm, I use the 13-inch MacBook Air M1, which does everything I need. I seriously love the horsepower this device offers for my writing and content creation needs, but bringing it to university in a ruggedized Thule sleeve has been killing my back. It takes the largest amount of weight in my backpack and it's becoming cumbersome to lug around.

I kept my Mac at home and brought my 2021 10.2-inch iPad with Smart Keyboard to university. The problem: I keep buying and selling this particular iPad model (and now I'm considering to sell it, again). Even with it's ultra-portability, there's no way the iPad with it's software limitations and touch interface can replace a full-fledged computer for me. I don't know how students are using this device, but it doesn't fit my multitasking needs. There are times I have to skim through twenty PDF sources with multiple instances of Safari running next to each other and my lectures are too fast-paced to take handwritten notes. Besides that, I'm an amateur screenwriter and the iPad versions of Scrivener and Final Draft are not as feature-packed as their Mac counterparts.

Seeking the ultimate university computing device is driving me crazy. I tried a Windows convertible with a vast array of ports, but I was far too deep into the Apple ecosystem to combine it with my Mac, even when my university offers working in the cloud with a Microsoft 365 subscription. So I narrowed down my search to the now obsolete 11-inch MacBook Air models as a secondary computer. I can sell my iPad set-up for 300 EUR, and buy the Mac I want in like-new condition for the same price. I'm aware it's a severely outdated and underpowered notebook, but this particular model is still popular across office workers and writers for it's portability and feature-set - and I think I can get even more use out of it, when compared to my iPad, which has been sitting in my drawer ever since I worked my ass off to buy it two months ago.

Would this be a crazy decision? With a patcher, the 11-inch MacBook Air will probably outlast the iPad. There are no alternatives for those who seek MacOS on an affordable, ultra-portable machine. The 12-inch MacBook is still too expensive on the used market and is plagued with issues and the iPads with Stage Manager are nearing 600 EUR. And I cannot stress how tired I am of all the additional, expensive accessories I need to convert a tablet into a half-decent computer.

I wouldn't do it.. Sell the iPad if you want, but as you have one of the best devices, I wouldn't go for an older one that can't perform like what you have. If the weight difference between the M1 and 11"MBA is too much for you, I would search over the contents of your backpack and see if there is anything else in there you don't absolutely need to have along. Or perhaps the "ruggedized case" is taking up too much space in the backpack and messing with weight distribution on the backpack. Or perhaps it's the backpack isn't a good one for all of what you're carrying and not distributing weight correctly. Make sure the backpack adjustable shoulder straps are cinched up enough to keep the load more toward the upper part of your back. If you leave those too long and let the load hang too far down, THAT WILL wear on your back! Trust me I know. Mine carries about 25-30 pounds of stuff. Also, DO NOT sling it just over 1 shoulder. That will also not help your back or shoulder. It also stretches out the shoulder strap so then it's uneven with the other one. Good luck.

 

[Tagbert]

I'm a fun-sized university student: a skinny and short twink. As the main computer in my dorm, I use the 13-inch MacBook Air M1, which does everything I need. I seriously love the horsepower this device offers for my writing and content creation needs, but bringing it to university in a ruggedized Thule sleeve has been killing my back. It takes the largest amount of weight in my backpack and it's becoming cumbersome to lug around.

I kept my Mac at home and brought my 2021 10.2-inch iPad with Smart Keyboard to university. The problem: I keep buying and selling this particular iPad model (and now I'm considering to sell it, again). Even with it's ultra-portability, there's no way the iPad with it's software limitations and touch interface can replace a full-fledged computer for me. I don't know how students are using this device, but it doesn't fit my multitasking needs. There are times I have to skim through twenty PDF sources with multiple instances of Safari running next to each other and my lectures are too fast-paced to take handwritten notes. Besides that, I'm an amateur screenwriter and the iPad versions of Scrivener and Final Draft are not as feature-packed as their Mac counterparts.

Seeking the ultimate university computing device is driving me crazy. I tried a Windows convertible with a vast array of ports, but I was far too deep into the Apple ecosystem to combine it with my Mac, even when my university offers working in the cloud with a Microsoft 365 subscription. So I narrowed down my search to the now obsolete 11-inch MacBook Air models as a secondary computer. I can sell my iPad set-up for 300 EUR, and buy the Mac I want in like-new condition for the same price. I'm aware it's a severely outdated and underpowered notebook, but this particular model is still popular across office workers and writers for it's portability and feature-set - and I think I can get even more use out of it, when compared to my iPad, which has been sitting in my drawer ever since I worked my ass off to buy it two months ago.

Would this be a crazy decision? With a patcher, the 11-inch MacBook Air will probably outlast the iPad. There are no alternatives for those who seek MacOS on an affordable, ultra-portable machine. The 12-inch MacBook is still too expensive on the used market and is plagued with issues and the iPads with Stage Manager are nearing 600 EUR. And I cannot stress how tired I am of all the additional, expensive accessories I need to convert a tablet into a half-decent computer.

I have an 11” Air and used it for several years as my main computer but that screen was hard to work with even then. The height is the limitation. It made everything very cramped. I used it with an external display as often as I could. That was over 10 years ago and I’m not sure what modern software would do with that screen. I’m also not sure what software you can run on such an old OS. Something to consider depending on what you are running. It is is mainly built in apps, then maybe. Not sure what browsers work anymore either.

 

[J&JPolangin]

My 2013 11" MBA runs Big Sur (still supported) fine.

 

[PlayUltimate]

Personally, as others have suggested, upgrade your backpack and use what you currently own. The STM Myth backpack is quite good for padding/transportation and has the built-in sleeve lifted so that the computer does not directly touch the ground.