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LouieSamman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 23, 2008
909
9
Orlando, Florida
How does it feel using a 17" Macbook Pro on your lap? Is it too big? does it extend outside your lap?

I am looking forward to purchasing a Macbook Pro 17" 2011 and would like to know the experience you have with it in terms of comfort using.
 
I had a 17" laptop and it was great - but I rarely took it anywhere. It pretty much just sat on my desk. I will be going smaller in my next laptop - but that's not to say that the 17" is bad... it depends on how much you're going to be moving it around.
 
How does it feel using a 17" Macbook Pro on your lap? Is it too big? does it extend outside your lap?

I am looking forward to purchasing a Macbook Pro 17" 2011 and would like to know the experience you have with it in terms of comfort using.

I love mine it's perfect but I don't take it many places
 
I have the speck hardshell on mine and sometimes whenever i'm wearing dress pants (which is often), it'll slide slightly, but I can still do it; it's not unwieldy or anything.

Don't let anyone deter you from getting it because of it's 'epic' size. Many don't realize it's only 1.1 pounds heavier than the 15".
 
i have found mine to be incredibly easy to use. it was a change from my 13", but i am so glad i got the 17" now. it's just perfect.
 
i've a cousin who used a 2006 17", he didnt really like it since it wasnt really portable so he switched to 2009 13"

now its up to u= Power or Portability?
 
i use it in bed...it fits nice on my lap and feel nice while typing.

it's the perfect size!

Exactly what I want to do. Thanks

Yeah it's fine. But it will get hot if you are running it hard.

Well I will be playing high graphical games from steam on the MBP. Maybe the new MBP 2011 will not be as bad.

I had a 17" laptop and it was great - but I rarely took it anywhere. It pretty much just sat on my desk. I will be going smaller in my next laptop - but that's not to say that the 17" is bad... it depends on how much you're going to be moving it around.

I want a laptop for home use so moving the 17" Macbook Pro won't be so bad. I will use an iPad for outside the home. But I am waiting for the 3rd generation iPad because of the fact that I want 4g internet. 3g is too slow to pay $30 a month.

Best laptop ever.

Screen size can't be beat. Well worth the weight.

Definitely want the extra screen real estate after coming from a 13" will be great when browsing the web (can put two web browser side by side) & Gaming

I love mine it's perfect but I don't take it many places

Same. Just want to lug it around home.

I have the speck hardshell on mine and sometimes whenever i'm wearing dress pants (which is often), it'll slide slightly, but I can still do it; it's not unwieldy or anything.

Don't let anyone deter you from getting it because of it's 'epic' size. Many don't realize it's only 1.1 pounds heavier than the 15".

I find that the MBP will get lighter over the years so I can suffice with the weight now and when Apple updates the MBP, the lighter weight will be a plus when I upgrade to a newer MBP 17". We all know how Apple likes to make things thin and light. Also I find that the MBP will discontinue the MBA once technology gets advance enough that the MBP can be greatly powerful and thin/light.

i have found mine to be incredibly easy to use. it was a change from my 13", but i am so glad i got the 17" now. it's just perfect.

Yeah I had the 13" Macbook (Not the MBP) Then I got the 13" Macbook Air.

So I had the 13" laptop for some time now and I want a change and more power so I'm going to sell the Macbook Air and get the new MBP 17" 2011 thats coming out soon.

Thanks so much for the response guys. You've taken away my worry of it being to large to have it on my lap & of letting me know of it's ease of use even though it's a big laptop.

All I have to do is wait for Apple to update the MBPs which will be soon.
 
Same, went from 13" 2006 MB + 2009 Mac Mini (23" Monitor) to 17" 2010 MPB, and I've had no problems with portability or lap use. I move around a lot so I needed one main laptop and the size it perfect for my graphic design.
 
I used nothing but 17 inch Mac laptops from 2003 until last October. I got a 17 inch Powerbook G4 in 2003 and replaced it in 2008 with a 17 inch 2.4 GHz Santa Rosa MBP in 2008. Finally, I replaced the MBA as my go to computer with a 13 inch 2.13GHz MBA with 4GB of RAM. I have loved the MBA but that's a story for another day.

Both the Powerbook and the MBA served as desktop replacements. The only limiting factor was their size and weight. For anyone who doesn't place a real premium on small size and ultra lightweight, though, I still think the 17 inch MBP is the way to go.
 
I had 2 17" laptops on the trot and pretty much never took them anywhere.
I take my 15" pretty much everywhere, mostly because I can.
You can always go for a smaller screen + external monitor. Best of both worlds, portability plus a big screen for "proper" work.
 
the good thing about the 17" is that it is wide enough that if you spread your legs to where the mbp is resting on its edges, the increased airflow actually allows it to run cooler then if you had it on a table.
 
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