Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

AlphaDogg

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 20, 2010
3,417
7
Ypsilanti, MI
I was at a friend's house, and they have a 17" MacBook Pro. I had my 13" MBP with me, and I compared. The 17 inchers are insane! They have a great screen res, but have an immense lack of portability... This is helpful info for people who are considering getting a 17".

IMG_9117.jpg
IMG_2162.jpg


Sorry for the quality! I had to put my iPhone above my head to take the pic (the 17" is that big or I'm just short) and I didn't allow it to autofocus...
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Dalton63841

macrumors 65816
Nov 27, 2010
1,449
8
SEMO, USA
I've always thought of a 17" laptop as more of a desktop replacement myself. Heck I remember when the most common desktop monitor size was 15".
 

aCondor

macrumors 6502
Oct 20, 2010
430
0
United States
Interesting photos. I'm deciding between a 13" and 15". These pictures really show the size of the 17". Not knocking on anyone who purchased one, but why get a laptop of that size? To each his own, I guess.
 

AlphaDogg

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 20, 2010
3,417
7
Ypsilanti, MI
Interesting photos. I'm deciding between a 13" and 15". These pictures really show the size of the 17". Not knocking on anyone who purchased one, but why get a laptop of that size? To each his own, I guess.
It's not actually my friend's laptop... It's my friend's dad's laptop... He is a "day trader" and likes to trade stock everywhere around their house (their house is ****ing awesome! They have their house wired. You can control the lights from any of the TV's, or a control panel located in every room of the house. You can also play music/radio/whatever on their speakers that are in every room of the house. They have an airport extreme for wifi, and a home theater system. I need to move in there) I guess he likes (partial-)portability and a lot of screen real-estate...
 

vong

macrumors 6502a
Jan 31, 2010
847
8
luckily i went with the 13", 17" would be fine but a hassle to carry around campus
 

Eddyisgreat

macrumors 601
Oct 24, 2007
4,851
2
Meh. 2 or so pounds heavier and a couple of inches larger for several times the power and desktop-esque expandability. If that makes it immobile than...no it doesn't actually.

I mean if all you do is listen to itunes and update your Facebook status (and need to do it on a plane?) than the 13" is unbeatable :D.
 

AlphaDogg

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 20, 2010
3,417
7
Ypsilanti, MI
The 17" isn't just 4 inches larger than the 13", it is also longer and wider. It is larger than the size of my chest (14 year old guy). My 13" is about 2/3 the size of my chest..
 

runofthedill

macrumors member
Dec 22, 2010
67
0
i wanted one. I just fel like the 15in is the perfect size. We sat a 11 in air next to one and that was crazy.
 

brucem91

macrumors 6502
Dec 9, 2009
257
0
thats nothing. I have to take my 17" Dell in sig to school everyday. Probably about just as wide, but easily 2-3 as thick when closed. The power brick is also about 4 times as large as the apple one.

Image.aspx
 

Vurius

macrumors newbie
Jan 7, 2011
23
0
Those pictures make me want a 17" all the much more! I'm currently using a 15" and it's just too small for me. Of course, I don't take it with me anywhere and use it as a desktop replacement. I am very much looking forward to the increase in screen size when I get my new 17" beast at the next refresh. This mid-2006 first-gen macbook pro is certainly getting long in tooth! I've got a 9" netbook running OSX with a 14 hr battery for portability.
 

jjahshik32

macrumors 603
Sep 4, 2006
5,366
52
Those pictures make me want a 17" all the much more! I'm currently using a 15" and it's just too small for me. Of course, I don't take it with me anywhere and use it as a desktop replacement. I am very much looking forward to the increase in screen size when I get my new 17" beast at the next refresh. This mid-2006 first-gen macbook pro is certainly getting long in tooth! I've got a 9" netbook running OSX with a 14 hr battery for portability.

Same here, it almost makes me want to go out and pick up the 17" (matte) mbp!
 

Fubar1977

macrumors 6502a
Jul 30, 2010
885
31
North Yorkshire, UK
My last 2 laptops were 17" and never really left the house for that reason.
My 15" MBP goes everywhere with me now, like a giant iPod :)

That thing is a beast but it`s still more portable than my old Toshiba 17" was. (Sack barrow required).
 

sammich

macrumors 601
Sep 26, 2006
4,305
268
Sarcasmville.
Here is a pic I took when I received my 17" MBP at Christmas. Along with my old 867 12" PB and my brothers 15" 1.5. EDIT: yeah, Christmas...2006 :)

2.jpg
 
Last edited:

DoFoT9

macrumors P6
Jun 11, 2007
17,586
99
London, United Kingdom
i know quite a few people who carry around the 17inch machines - provided they are in a backpack they really arent THAT much larger. thought the 13" are great for portability :) some people just really need the extra screen realestate.
 

mark28

macrumors 68000
Jan 29, 2010
1,632
2
Interesting photos. I'm deciding between a 13" and 15". These pictures really show the size of the 17". Not knocking on anyone who purchased one, but why get a laptop of that size? To each his own, I guess.

I traveled for 2 years with a 17" laptop everyday, it really was no problem. And my old laptop is heavier then a 17" MBP.
 

mark28

macrumors 68000
Jan 29, 2010
1,632
2
meh. 2 or so pounds heavier and a couple of inches larger for several times the power and desktop-esque expandability. If that makes it immobile than...no it doesn't actually.

I mean if all you do is listen to itunes and update your facebook status (and need to do it on a plane?) than the 13" is unbeatable :d.

mba or iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad? :p
 

ExiledMafia

macrumors regular
Jan 26, 2011
167
0
I still think the 13" is a too small and the 17" is too big, I think the 15" is the perfect size
 

greytmom

macrumors 68040
Jun 23, 2010
3,566
1,002
Ah, 14 years old. There will come a time when you will realize that you cannot freaking see anything on a 13" screen, and then the rationale for a 15" screen or a 17" screen will become clear.

<--- 46, and by the time I am 60, my eyes will be so bad I will need a wall-sized screen.
 

xlii

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2006
1,867
121
Millis, Massachusetts
Ah, 14 years old. There will come a time when you will realize that you cannot freaking see anything on a 13" screen, and then the rationale for a 15" screen or a 17" screen will become clear.

<--- 46, and by the time I am 60, my eyes will be so bad I will need a wall-sized screen.

So true... I remember when I was 18 working my first job... a 62 year old said, "Wait until you're 42, and your eyes change." Of course I didn't believe him... of course he was right.
 

greytmom

macrumors 68040
Jun 23, 2010
3,566
1,002
That is exactly when I woke up and couldn't read up close anymore... 42 years old.
 

xlii

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2006
1,867
121
Millis, Massachusetts
That is exactly when I woke up and couldn't read up close anymore... 42 years old.

Well, I'm 57 and I still don't need glasses... but my near vision is gone and I have trouble reading the fine print. Using a cellphone or iPod Touch to read the news at a website isn't fun at all. I didn't have a cellphone until I was about 40 years old and don't feel the pressing need to have or use one.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the 20 somethings who grew up with a cellphone stuck to their ear get into their 40s and 50s and have trouble with the fine print of their cellphone.

Greytmom... what a well thought out screen name you've come up with.
 

waiwai

macrumors regular
Feb 24, 2009
238
1
Florida
I was at a friend's house, and they have a 17" MacBook Pro. I had my 13" MBP with me, and I compared. The 17 inchers are insane! They have a great screen res, but have an immense lack of portability

Captain Obvious is on deck. *facepalm
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.