Macbook Air 11", big enough screen for everyday?

[Adam C Lubkin]

I'm getting either a 13" or 11" tomorrow. I've been agonizing over which to get. The 13" has the same resolution as my beloved 15" MBP . The Air will be my portable office and used for light editing when I'm traveling or feel like working at the cafe. I have no doubt that the 13" will suit me well, but the little bit extra portability of the 11" means it will slip into the side pocket of my slingpack and I'll barely know it's there. The intention is to take it everywhere, and the 11" is perfect for that, but I'm worried about feeling cramped with the screen size. Any of you using an 11" this way and have thoughts on the matter?
Thanks!
Adam

 

[Justin O'Neill]

I had the same dilemma...the 11" ended up just not quite having enough vertical space for my tastes. A lot of programs felt really squished. I got the 13" and absolutely love it. It is a bit bigger but so light I carry it around with me all the time and barley notice it's there.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

I have been traveling for the past 5 years with the 17" MBP, till recently, as it has now become a ridiculous amount of gear that I carry,
so the 17" only goes on Set with the EPICs, and every were else I travel with no EPIC, very few times this days, I take the new Thunderbolt MBA 11", simply a little wonder,
does everything super fast and well, I got the maximum set up currently available, and running everything on it, of course I am not Editor, so not sure if it will do what Editors on the go need to.

But I have it loaded with SW, and runs beautifully, what I also love is the fact that it can handle a 27" Cinema Display, that is pretty cool for this little thing...

The reduced size and weight of this little one, has now me carrying it literally every were, problem is that I also carry the iPAD II and some other stuff in the same bag, so there it goes been super light he he.

 

[Adam C Lubkin]

One vote for 13", one for 11". Thanks guys, now I'm just as confused as ever.

What I'm getting is that if you use the Air for general tasks then the 11" may be preferable, but the 13" shines when you need the screen real estate for certain tasks like editing.

I've been thinking that if the screen on the 11" went right near the edge instead of having the 1/2" border around it, you could have a 13" screen with the 11" form-factor... Better get busy, Apple!

 

[Sam Taylor]

As the others have said I really think it comes down to how much work you are doing with it, and what you are using it for. If you are really doing quite a bit of editing on the road, I would go 13, or larger. If it is for doing the occasional quick edit, or checking off-loads etc then the 11 could work. I use the 13 MBP for mobile work, but even then I don't think it is that ideal size wise. If you look at cine-x pro on the 13, then everything is pretty small for using it a lot. I am thinking however of the MBA 11 for expedition work, when size and weight is at absolute premium. It would not be for editing though, just checking everything was there!

 

[John Marchant]

I went 13" - screen area feels better, partly due to res, partly due to the psychological factor of the relatively smaller bezel feeling less claustrophobic. Better battery life too. Either way you'll want SSD for your app/boot drive on everything after this