How big is too big?

[CirrusPilot]

What are your opinions on screen size for non-retina MBPs?

13" seems like the perfect size for portability, but I find myself wishing I had a bigger screen. The larger 15" model is nice, but I don't know if it is worth the extra expense and decrease in portability. The 17" model WAS pretty awesome to look at, but I could see no reason someone would buy that if it wasn't going to sit on a desk most of the time.

What are your thoughts? How do you use your 13/15/17?

 

[De5]

I use my 13" cmbp for going places and whatever you know what im sayin? And I use my acer for power. My acer is like 17" big you know? I usually have my acer sittin at my desk y'know? My acer I do bring places also, but mainly my 13" cmbp you know?

 

[mankar4]

The 13" is imminently more portable than the 15"

 

[netdog]

The 13" is imminently more portable than the 15"

Eminently too...

 

[Xgm541]

I carry my laptop in my backpack which can fit up to probably 20 inches so any size is good for me. I had the 11 inch MBA and now the 15inch rMPB and both are equally as portable for me.

 

[switon]

RE: imminently, eminently, immanently...

Eminently too...

Not only that, but also immanently more portable.

Regards,
Switon

 

[throAU]

A 15" laptop is fine, so long as you aren't trying to use it on a flight.

I guess it depends on whether or not you use your machine whilst actually in transit, or more as a portable desktop replacement (i.e., you carry it from desk to desk).

I use mine as a desktop replacement, so am willing to live with a little more weight and size, to the detriment of being able to use whilst actually in transit.

 

[racer1441]

I'd kill for a 17 inch retina.

 

[takeshi74]

How big is too big?

The larger 15" model is nice, but I don't know if it is worth the extra expense and decrease in portability.

All subjective matters. Use whatever works for you. THe 15 hits the sweet spot for me. YMMV as with any subjective matter.

 

[vpro]

demand rising

I'd kill for a 17 inch retina.

the demand is rising it is only a matter of time now as they perfect a large enough retina panel for the right price

there will be a return of the original pro of the macbook pros the macDaddy of them all 17 inch !

so yeah - perfect portable is 11.6inches while ultimate portable limit, absolutely is 17inches !

 

[12dylan34]

The 17 inch would be my choice if they would bring it back. Instead I bought a 27 inch iMac.

 

[Mrbobb]

It's all personal.

I had a 4.5LB laptop for years and secretly wish 3.0 LB would be good. So my recently acquired 2.3, is like WOW... love at first weight. Super spoiled, don't know if I ever go back.

I do take it out EVERYDAY, so even a 13" was too big for me, and went for the 11"

Sure, do I wish I have more real estate, yes. Do I wish I don't have to squint from time to time, yes. But I make do, I can pinch-zoom and it works great. I can tell excel to display at 150%, done. When you know portability is the top of your priority then u have made the decision for yourself.

At the time of my purchase I would had looked real hard at the 13" rMBP, but it wasn't available then, and then the sticker$ shock would probly pushed me back toward the MBA anyways.

 

[mankar4]

Eminently too...

Thanks! Good to learn that here rather than on something more important.

 

[zackkmac]

My 17" never sits on a desk. I still find it pretty portable and once you get used to it, it really isn't that bad to carry around to places.

 

[CirrusPilot]

I could never get away with the 11" in my own personal use. It is just far too small. As a grad student and intern I am constantly working on documents side by side and need more screen real estate than the 11 air could provide. 13" is okay, but I don't think I can justify the huge price jump to get a 15". Its just not worth the extra money for 2" to me.

The 17" is cool, and a retina 17" would be amazing, but that would be a heck of a beast to transport. Not to mention the people sitting beside you on the airplane would probably hate you by the end of a flight (if you could even get it to open up all the way!).

 

[zackkmac]

The 17" is cool, and a retina 17" would be amazing, but that would be a heck of a beast to transport. Not to mention the people sitting beside you on the airplane would probably hate you by the end of a flight (if you could even get it to open up all the way!).

Oh come on it's not that bad!

I set mine on the tray, recline my seat, kick back and watch a movie. You really do not have any space left on your tray for a drink or food, but it's not in the way of your seat neighbor if you have one. It's kind of distracting to them, yes, but any laptop or iPad playing a movie would catch their attention regardless of the size.

One reason I chose having a 17" over a 15" or 13" was that because of the added size, the speakers are better and to me they are worth it. Best laptop speakers I've had yet, especially comparing to those of the two rMBPs I had.

 

[ibarrett94]

A laptop is only as portable as a man is strong.

 

[MCAsan]

I prefer my retina iPad to any 11 or 13 laptop without a GPU. If I take the cost,weight,size of a laptop, I want it to have the resources to be both a good laptop and a desktop replacement.

 

[maflynn]

I've used a 13", 15" and tried a 17".

I like the 13" because of the form factor and portability but I did not like the screen real estate, that is photoshop, and LightRoom were just too constrained on the 13" display. The 15" for me is the sweet spot, not too big, but not too small. I can easily use both of those apps without too much problems and carrying the laptop around is not a pain.

I found the 17" just too ungainly large and while some folks like the larger laptop I think they're in the minority since apple wasn't selling enough of them to justify keeping the 17" model.

 

[Krazy Bill]

What are your opinions on screen size for non-retina MBPs?

I think the 13" is smaller than the 15". It probably weighs less as well. And although I don't own one, I've been told the 11" MBA is even smaller.

How do you use your 13/15/17?

With my hands? Seriously, what useful information can anyone glean in a thread like this? Every one is different. It's all matter of preference.

Based on MBP sales history, 13" is the sweet spot for most. Nobody knows if that's because of price or form factor. Each to his own.

 

[Interstella5555]

The 13" is imminently more portable than the 15"

I see imminent problems in people's future if they can't carry around a 6 lb. computer.

 

[Stetrain]

The 13" Air is also an interesting option, since it's the same size screen as the 13" MBP but has the same resolution (1440x900) as the non-retina 15" MBP.

 

[SchuettS]

the demand is rising it is only a matter of time now as they perfect a large enough retina panel for the right price

there will be a return of the original pro of the macbook pros the macDaddy of them all 17 inch !

so yeah - perfect portable is 11.6inches while ultimate portable limit, absolutely is 17inches !

never going to happen.. they discontinued it for a reason.

 

[mslide]

13" is the perfect size for me. I find it a lot more portable than a 15" laptop but not really because of the weight difference. It's because of the footprint. Once I start getting into 15" laptops, they feel big to me. Yes, I'd prefer the screen real estate of a 15" but portability wins for me.

 

[vpro]

exactly the reason right? ^_^

never going to happen.. they discontinued it for a reason.

well that real reason is because they are still in the testing, developing and refining stage for larger display panels - thats all. have some faith in a giant tech innovator as is.

plus/besides - it is a PROsumer thing, we just understand these things.

..thanks..