I’ve been traveling with a 13 inch MacBook Air since 2011 and have had the 2011, 2012, and now the 2013 version. Before 2011, I was traveling with a bulky 13 inch MacBook Pro and it was one of the best devices. Pre-2008, I traveled with $200 Netbooks (had 3 and each of them never lasted more than a year) and bulky IBM laptops.
Fast forward to today and I truly believe the 2013 MacBook Air is the best device for frequent fliers. No, this is not an ad for Apple and yes, I do run Windows 8 on my MacBook Air.
Honestly, I don’t use my MacBook Air outside of traveling. I’m an avid desktop computer user and need a bigger screen than 13 inches.
Here are some top reasons why I love my 2013 MacBook Air:
1. Battery life. The battery life on a 2013 MacbookAir is simply astounding. I can surf the web using Gogo internet for 12 hours or watch a video for 10 hours straight. What other laptop can do that?
2. Ability to run Windows. I primarily use Windows as my main operating system when I’m at home. When Apple announced they were switching to Intel based Macs, I was sold and became an avid Apple user. The ability to run a Windows operating system natively is crucial for me.
3. Beautiful aesthetics. The MacBook Air is just simply sexy. It’s so simplistic and functional at the same time.
4. Lightweight. The MacBook Air weighs in at just under 3 lbs. This is absolutely a necessity when traveling because every ounce of weight counts. Sometimes I just travel with my leather bag and traveling with a 10 lb laptop would be taxing.
5. Stabilization. I’ve owned three MacBook Air’s in the past three years and haven’t had a single Mac or Windows operating system crash. These machines are built to last and you won’t find a blue screen of death.
It’s a pricey machine, but well worth the trade-off for all the headaches it will save you down the road. Did I mention that the laptop is incredibly sexy and has an amazing 12 hour battery life from a single charge?
awhh come on … I was totally with you until I saw a picture of windows 8 on your mac 😛
You don’t need that Jamison !!
iPad?
Why do you switch versions every year?
The new macbook air has fantastic battery life and is so light and thin. that’s why i bought it, no other computer has that.
Another one blinded by the Apple bling and still thinking that it’s an exclusive/sexy brand while half the world has one….
Don’t get me wrong, I own one myself, but there are plenty of choices out there that are just as good. And to claim good battery life when running Windows is false, battery life is not that good because it misses all the OS tweaks that have been made by Apple. You won’t get more than 2/3 of the battery life you would have running OS X…
There is zero difference when running Windows, it’s the exact same hardware in a different enclosure (although very nice) that others are using. Even the touchpad will lose most of it’s functionality….
And a tablet is even better for most frequent fliers.
You should check out the Sony VAIO Pro.
Yes, it’s a similar price as the MBA. But I do like much more the design, battery is better (if you use the sheet battery) and it’s lighter (if you don’t use the sheet battery)
I absolutely love my Samsung 9 Series that I picked up for $600 used on eBay. I’d argue it goes toe to toe with any MBA: http://j.mp/H05NAO
I once thought the MBA was the laptop of choice but after seeing the new Lenovo Yoga 2, I changed my mind. Keep in mind my wife owns a Mac Air as well.
I love the Yoga 2 for these reasons:
1. Functions as a laptop, a touch screen and a tablet all in one. It has 4 modes of operation (laptop, tablet, tent and stand mode. The touchscreen is a game changer. This is something Apple does not have unless you want a tablet right now which means you are using 2 devices. Ever used Visio or Word to play with documents? Yeah, it’s awesome.
2. Battery life is great. Claim is near 10 hours.
3. Weight. 3.1 lbs is plenty light
4. Ultra HD screen. 3200×1800 HD display. This is 3x the display screen on the Air and nearly double the typical display resolution of most laptops.
I’m buying one soon.
Not been my experience with a MacBook Air. Mine had a total hard drive failure that was unrepairable. Happened 1 month after the warranty expired. Apple washed their hands.