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15'' rMBP Owners - wish you had the 13?

Compared to most 15" laptops, the 15" rMBP is noticeably lighter. I have a 15" Windows laptop that weighs about 2-3 lbs more than my retina machine, and that one I won't carry around. I carry the rMBP with me on a regular basis, and haven't regretted the size/weight once.
 
yjchua95 said:
Laptop i5s and dual core i7s both hyper thread (both have 2 cores and 4 threads).

However, desktop i5s cannot hyper thread (desktop i5s have 4 cores and 4 threads). Desktop i7s can hyper thread (desktop i7s have 4 cores and 8 threads).
Click to expand...

It works like this actually for i3/i5/i7:

All i5's and i7's have Turbo Boost.
For dual core CPUs, all CPUs have Hyper Threading.
For quad core CPUs, only i7 CPUs have Hyper Threading.

For desktop, I think they might have one i5 that is dual core, and it would have HT. For laptops, they just simply don't have any quad core i5's.
 
I went from a 17" to a 15" and find the 15" a little small at times. When I've played with a 13" in the store it is just too small for me. I never use it in places where size might matter like planes or classrooms.
 
I used to own a non-Apple 15" machine at one point, and ironically found it a little large to carry with me in SoFLA. Now that I live in NYC, anything larger than 13" is a massive pain to carry. It's not only a question of weight, it's also carrying a larger object in and out of the subway and walking across town, especially when its raining or snowing.

13" for me is the perfect size... although I really wish there was an Iris Pro GPU option. :(
 
bniu said:
It works like this actually for i3/i5/i7:

All i5's and i7's have Turbo Boost.
For dual core CPUs, all CPUs have Hyper Threading.
For quad core CPUs, only i7 CPUs have Hyper Threading.

For desktop, I think they might have one i5 that is dual core, and it would have HT. For laptops, they just simply don't have any quad core i5's.
Click to expand...

Yup, good analysis.

I did read from somewhere that i5s have a maximum of 4 threads, regardless of the physical number of cores they have.

Meanwhile, i7s are available in either 2c/4t or 4c/8t.

i3s also TurboBoost if I'm not mistaken.
 
I was carrying a 13" notebook around for over three years before I got my 15" rMBP. I take it with me every weekday, and I personally have barely noticed the difference, partly because it (just) fits in the same carrier bag I already had, with the books I'm forced to carry around also. I find it makes more sense to choose between the 13" and 15" based on your performance needs/wants as opposed to the size, unless you're really concerned about the footprint with fitting it into a small bag or on small trays/desks. The weight is a non-issue really.
 
Definitely not. I wish I had a rMBP15 that was twice as powerful, certainly, but never less.
 
For carrying it around, the form factor is more important than the weight. These days I just throw my 13'' rMBP in a small bag together with some note pads, and thats it.

My older 15'' (non-retina) and 17'' (non-unibody) used to get they keys pressed onto the screen in some messenger bags, or when I had to fill up my backpack. The smaller size makes the 13'' more rigid, so this is less likely to happen.

As you can see I don't like to cover my laptops in several layers of protection. With the 13'' rMBP I never have the feeling that I put it in some kind of danger. Also the lower purchase price helps!

This doesn't mean that I wouldn't like the quad core and screen real estate of the 15''. Just this time I went for portability over performance, and so far I don't regret it.
 
Hmm no. Let me share with you my experience:

My first 13" laptop was a Sony Vaio bought in 2005 with superhuman specs (costed me like 3k euros) and i wanted it for the extreme portability and yes, weight.

Use: Ps Ai Fw (heavy) Ae Pr Id (medium)

It lasted quite a lot. In 2011 i decided to switch on OSX and went for a MBP. I needed the top specs and the 15" was the only choice.

I was pleasantly surprised by the weight, but i hated the shape of the bags people usually used to bring around laptops: they were WIDE. I know it might sound strange but hey, i wanted to bring my laptop around easily and with "elegance". The 13" for me was the best, because the bag for it was less wide.

But then again i found a nice leather bag from Knomo ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As3_isvGMq8&feature=player_embedded ) and hey, i'm super happy with it.

Fact is: i now realize that for my kind of work, and the resolutions needed now 13" is not a choice. And i own a rMBP nowadays.

Unless you have HEAVY carrying problems that force you to have it 13" sized, go for the 15".

Imho.
 
Nope, it's a few inches bigger, it's still pretty portable!

I prefer the higher specs and the bigger screen over the extra portability.
 
I've owned 13" Laptops and I found them too small. Before my rMBP I owned a 13" MBP and after a while was bothered by the smaller display. I purchased it because it was more portable but in the end it hampered my work.

I'm quite happy with the 15" rMBP and wouldn't trade it in for anything.
 
I currently have a 15 and would consider a 13 for my next purchase.

Although, I must admit, I will likely spend some time with my sons 13" MBP before deciding.
 
thanks all. definitely going with the 15.

my apple products will now range the following display sizes:

4'', 9.7'', 11'', 15'', 27''

pretty healthy combo yeah??

:)
 
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I have the 13" rMBP (my first legit Mac!) and I love it. But that's obvious.

In my opinion, the fact you can build a discrete GPU into your kit at 15" is a huge boon for that particular model. I don't know how powerful the Iris integrated chipset is and I haven't noticed any slow performance from my 13, but with all of these pixels and the fact that it's a Pro machine, the extra graphics power is certainly excellent.

That being said I feel that, for me, the 13 was a more "complete package." For me is the key phrase here. I don't push the graphics in my machines to the brink of a house fire, so I'm hoping that the Iris will suffice in the long run.

Either way, it's nice to have the option.
 
I would never the get the 13"...far too underpowered for its price range especially with that wimpy dual core processor. Took a little bit of getting used to the 15" coming from a 12" toshiba but now I don't even notice it. I feel like anything less would be too small.
 
blooperz said:
I would never the get the 13"...far too underpowered for its price range especially with that wimpy dual core processor. Took a little bit of getting used to the 15" coming from a 12" toshiba but now I don't even notice it. I feel like anything less would be too small.
Click to expand...

This exactly. For that price I expect more CPU power. While I could deal with a dual core, I dont want to. That eliminates the 13" from my decision.
 
I have a 15" rMBP and keep wishing I had the 13" for the smaller footprint. It does make a difference in size in a bag, and space on a table, ... The weight isn't a problem.

But I'm afraid the 13" will be too small. Ideally, I'd have a 14" - I had a 14" PC for many years. I do use2 or more windows on the screen and the 15" size is great for that.
 
I've just passed on my 13" Late 2013 to my son, he is doing Graphic Design at Uni and thinks it is brilliant. He was using a 15" HP but prefers the 13 rMBP (although he want's my new 15" lol).

Barney
 
I've gone the opposite of most people is this thread. I had a early 2013 15" rMBP that I used as my daily driver for everything which included some heavier video editing. Since I received my Mac Pro I was really missing something more portable so I sold my 15" and picked up the late 2013 13" with the i5 8GB 512. This was best for my workflow I couldn't be happier, but without an iMac or my Mac Pro I would have stuck with the 15" due to the raw speed and screen real estate.
 
MacTCE said:
I've gone the opposite of most people is this thread. I had a early 2013 15" rMBP that I used as my daily driver for everything which included some heavier video editing. Since I received my Mac Pro I was really missing something more portable so I sold my 15" and picked up the late 2013 13" with the i5 8GB 512. This was best for my workflow I couldn't be happier, but without an iMac or my Mac Pro I would have stuck with the 15" due to the raw speed and screen real estate.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have a 27 inch iMac (2010 I believe, whatever was the model just before thunderbolt was released), and I can't stand using it anymore. It's slow, bloated, grumbles constantly (even though I've had the hard drive and logic board replaced via apple care).

I would likely use the 15 in conjunction with the imac as a second screen, or as a portable workstation.

Might pick up a mac pro in a year or two.
 
I use my 13" way more than my 15" mainly b/c I have my desktop and if traveling I take the 13". Thinking about upgrading the 13" to a new Pro or Air. Pry just sell the 15" as it barely gets used.
 
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