MacBook Pro 13" vs 15"

[smc333]

Go for the 15' if you want to do some text editing. The 13' is not serious enough to work, so to speak, more like a toy. 15' is 2x better if you work on two A4 size documents the same time on screen. 1280x800 just not enough for dual window editing. Even 1366x768 is not enough.

I can testify to that. Right now I have a Dell Studio XPS 1640 with a 16" 1366x768 screen and it is NOT enough. I can't wait for when I get my MBP 15" for the 1440x900 resolution alone.

Seriously though, there's a possibility of new MBPs on the 27th, I'd at least wait until then in case they do shake up the lineup a bit.

Edit: Wow, I did not realize how old this thread was. Someone please kill this post...

 

[Alvi]

get the 15", it's way better, you will feel the difference, getting an external display is not enough the quality of a 200$ one is very bad compared to the MacBook Pro's one

 

[robfromabove]

Seriously though, there's a possibility of new MBPs on the 27th, I'd at least wait until then in case they do shake up the lineup a bit.

As am I. I have the funds available to buy a MBP now, but I'm going to wait and see before I do anything I regret.

 

[RudyGrow]

I would go for the low end 13, and updrage to 4gb of ram and a 7200 rpm drive or an external monitor. I was in the same dillema as you last month and upgraded the low end 13. Never looked back.

 

[aquahell]

I can hear the difference in sound. between both and the 15" is much louder. I'm a video editor should I get the 15"? I would be traveling a lot. (by car)

 

[ARF900]

I think it really depends. For most people I think the 13" would be better with an external display. But some people need the extra graphics, or are out and about too much to sacrifice screen space.

 

[doberman211]

Just googled and found this place. I'm thinking of getting a MacBook Pro also, and i was looking for either the low end 13" with 4GB RAM and 320GB HDD, or the 15" with same capabilities but 2.53 GHz.

I kinda want the 13" for the porability (though my laptop right now is 15" and is still very portable) and because of the damned price tag on the 15" is WAY up there. ($1,749.00)

I want the 15" because of higher resolution, it would be hard to switch from my Lenovo 15.4" to a 13", and the speakers are louder on the 15". i know people. it's a lot louder. and i want that to blare my music. but that aside, if i can get the extra 350$ for the 15", i would get the 15".

This WILL be my first MAC, but im gladly willing to switch from PC. im a mac supporter

Just some extra for this page

 

[Tomorrow]

Now, I probably am going to need design software like CAD, which will be windows only, and I am willing to install windows, so thats not a problem. But is the 13" screen big enough (res: 1280 x 800)? I like the portability factor, and am planning on taking a spare monitor to hook up in my dorm. I have a limited budget and the low end 15" is as high as I will go, I just can't decide.

I actually am a mechanical engineer, and I use CAD software pretty regularly. I use a Dell laptop (1280x800) plus an external monitor.

My advice to you would be to buy the smaller MacBook or MacBook Pro and get an external monitor, preferably 1920x1080 or larger. I wouldn't be happy with anything smaller than that, myself.

 

[navid]

just googled and found this page.
im going to buy a MBP,but im very confused in buying 13 or 15.
my usage is regular,internet,watching movie.
sometime playing games like general 4,and programs such az photoshop or autocad.
1. is it worth paying 700$ more and buy the low end 15 inc?or low end 13 will do the job?
2.does 13 inc monitor teases the eye?(im computer worm and i spend most of my day working with computer)
3.what do u guys offer me,for usage that i mentioned?
4.what about high end 13?

thanks

 

[cyclone84]

13".

I carried a 15" PowerBook G4 around campus for three years and it was a b*tch to lug around. If screen size is really an issue for your CAD programs, utilize the computer lab and get an external monitor in your dorm/apartment. Your spine and shoulders will thank you.

Furthermore, good luck with school! Hit the ground running, as they say. I paid for my first semester grades for the next 4 years.

 

[melvinchien]

26% more pixels can be a significant difference in terms of on-screen real-estate. On the other hand, OS X's Spaces capability mitigates a lot of that if the issue is multiple windows rather than the size of windows. If you run lots of apps with normal-sized windows, the 13" would be fine in that respect. But for CAD modeling and other applications where screen real-estate is intensively used, you need pixels.

The 13" is very nice for portability. Personally, I use every square mm of my 15"'s desktop space, and the 15" is plenty portable. 15" would be my choice, and in fact it will be when I upgrade when the quad-core units come out next year (I'm a virtual machine freak).

The current 15" models are available with more processor speed and more RAM than the current 13"s. Again, depending on your usage, that might be important. Or not. (More RAM is always good.)

Of course, the same logic might apply to the 17" vs. the 15", and you gain battery life as well, in the current models. But the 17" is just too damn big for me. Sure is nice though... there's small but non-zero odds that that's what I'll end up with. IMHO the 15" is the best compromise.

Very well put. If you are getting an external monitor, I would say go with high end 13", but I think that a 15" without the monitor would be better for you, since you need it to last around 5 years. The bigger screen really makes a difference. And if you want it to be even "bigger" you can upgrade to the hi-res.

 

[budugu]

I'm going into engineering next year (mechanical) and am going to get one of the newly update MacBook Pros but I cannot decide on the high-end 13" or low-end 15". My question is which one will suit me the best, in your opinion?

Now, I probably am going to need design software like CAD, which will be windows only, and I am willing to install windows, so thats not a problem. But is the 13" screen big enough (res: 1280 x 800)? I like the portability factor, and am planning on taking a spare monitor to hook up in my dorm. I have a limited budget and the low end 15" is as high as I will go, I just can't decide.

EDIT: Looks like I'm not the only one going into Mechanical Engineering on the board

I would say get the 15" and forget the external monitor. Your homework you will end up doing in the lab / library and other places. And 1280x800 comes up really short. I would put the money of the monitor which you will rarely use towards 15".

Also a hight end 13" is a complete waste.

 

[iByrd441]

.....

 

[Shop]

If you are going to do any CAD work then you are going to want the largest external monitor you can afford, and it won't matter if you got the 13" or 15".

 

[uncaduncad]

I have the 13" 2.66 MBP with 8 GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD drive.

I'll race any 15" MBP, unless you have the SSD drive.

This thing is freaky fast! However, I've worked with CAD users. If you're only going to be using an external monitor the 13" is fine. It'll be a year or two before CAD probably streamlines for the i5... If you plan on using the laptop alone, you should get the highres 15" ...

 

[Climbinjunkie]

It's probably already been said...

I'm a student in healthcare and just got the 13". No need for CAD for me, but when I'm not taking my MBP with me, I drop it into a Henge Dock and connect to an HD 24" monitor. I've had a 13" PC laptop for about 2 years prior to this and it's been plenty as far as monitor size ... as far as Windows... well, we no longer speak of those days. But I LOVE how easy it is to move my 13" around and take to class, if I had a 15" it would stay at home. And I got the i7 13", so I have plenty of processor, I'm just going to upgrade it to 8GB of RAM on my own and save $100 or so off upgrading when I bought it.