Size matters in packing

My post-test impressions: In terms of everyday features, the Air's screen is brighter and better than that of the MacBook—it’s even a major step up from that of my first-generation, 1.83GHz MacBook Pro, despite the latter’s larger screen size. Performance for most tasks isn't noticeably different from that of my MacBook Pro, and the Air's keyboard feels better than the one on my wife’s MacBook. I’ve also come to the conclusion that I never want another laptop that doesn’t have an ambient-light sensor and a backlit keyboard.

But, as you might expect, it’s really the size and weight of the Air that won me over. For travel and carrying, the MacBook Air is considerably lighter and much more compact than both the MacBook Pro and the MacBook, despite the latter's similar footprint. Although 2 or 3 pounds may not seem like much, the lighter weight makes a big difference when carrying a laptop, especially when your bag also holds a bunch of other stuff. (It’s difficult to appreciate how much lighter the Air is until you go back and use a MacBook Pro or MacBook; as Macworld Editorial Director Jason Snell recently said on Twitter, the MacBook feels "like heavy, heavy bricks" in comparison. Twitter-style hyperbole, of course, but the general sentiment is dead-on.)