[iMore Question]

I am at secondary school, I want a laptop that I can watch films on and use for school work at home although I won't be taking it into school. I have also got an operation coming up so I'd like to be able to use it in the hospital. I will get a usb SuperDrive to watch films, does anyone also know a cheaper alternative to the apple one? Thank you

[hhashimi]

If you're planning to buy a MacBook Air the the 13 inch model will be a good choice for your use.
A second option you can go for the Dell XPS 13 inch

[robertk328]

I like the portability of the 11" but without a retina screen I would go 13" if it were me

[pkcable]

If money is no object and maximum portability is the goal then I would go for the 12 inch Mac Book. HOWEVER, if you don't mind a little extra bulk, the best bang for your buck is the 13 inch Mac Book Pro! I will warn you both the MBA & MBP models have an older generation intel chip, NOT the latest skylake chip like the Mac Book has.

[nikkisharif]

I love the portability of my 11" MBA so my vote is for the 11"

[robertk328]

If money is no object and maximum portability is the goal then I would go for the 12 inch Mac Book. HOWEVER, if you don't mind a little extra bulk, the best bang for your buck is the 13 inch Mac Book Pro! I will warn you both the MBA & MBP models have an older generation intel chip, NOT the latest skylake chip like the Mac Book has.

Well if we're stepping outside the two options the OP presented, I would agree with this. The 2016 MacBook is the most up-to-date, with the latest processor, AND has a retina screen.