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17 macbook pro too big

is 17 mbp just too big

  • too big

    Votes: 492 53.1%

  • not too big

    Votes: 434 46.9%
  • Total voters
    926
IMO, it's too big. It's only saving grace is it's 1920x1200 display, even so, there have been 15" laptops in the mobile workstation market with that resolution (in the immediate past, not currently :(), so IMO, the 15" Pro should be able to handle the job. Primarily too large, IMO, since the other specs of the MBP17 do not seem improved over the internals of the MBP17 to justify it outside of the screen. Even the battery doesn't seem to be much larger to justify having the frame.

Of course, as 17" laptops go, the MBP17 is actually rather slim, and small. So IMO, it still is the most justifiable of 17" laptops (short of maybe, the m17xR3, if only due to sheer graphical processing power in that machine + HDMI input capability).
 
I love my new 13'' MBP. Always wanted a laptop that's super-compact, stylish, has an amazing screen and powerful. I can carry it anywhere I go easily, in its small case it's so comfy and light and mobile like a breeze.

It all depends on what you do - personally I don't like the bulky feel of the big box on my lap nor in front of my airline seat, but if you are using the 17'' solely on the desk it's ok.....I'm using my laptop in more "mobile" situations, so 17'' and even 15'' would be a real hassle. MB Air on the other side, although super-light, feels lot less powerful than 13'' MBP, a bit stripped of the features and the screen not that good. Even the 13'' MBP feels sometimes "crippled", since its lack of the dedicated graphics slows it down significantly when processing a higher quality photo let's say.

The only big complaint about all new MBPs though, is their sharp edges... did you ever feel circulation in your wrists being cut by the sharp edge below and around the touchpad after a long typing session?
 
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LinuxPete said:
The only big complaint about all new MBPs though, is their sharp edges... did you ever feel circulation in your wrists being cut by the sharp edge below and around the touchpad after a long typing session?
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Type "properly" with good posture and this becomes a non-issue. If the edges of the MacBook Pro are bothering you while typing, it means you aren't "floating"... you are only supposed to rest your hands on the palm rest during pauses of your typing :).....

....Maybe I had a little too much Mavis Beacon.
 
dontwalkhand said:
Type "properly" with good posture and this becomes a non-issue. If the edges of the MacBook Pro are bothering you while typing, it means you aren't "floating"... you are only supposed to rest your hands on the palm rest during pauses of your typing :).....

....Maybe I had a little too much Mavis Beacon.
Click to expand...

Or it's the best way to prevent getting carpal tunnel.
 
Facts:

The majority of citizens are not overly wealthy.

AND

The majority of voters in the poll said it was too big.

Put two and two together.

If 390 people said it is NOT too big, what is the deal with these other 450 people? Doesn't it add up? That their motivation is most likely financial? This laptop is not for everybody --but not because you wouldn't want it if you could have it.

A lot of times when I show girls my 17 incher they mention that they've never really seen anybody own one this size.

Lets be real here... its a $2500 laptop....
 
Or, it's too big. Stop overreaching. Let's face, most MacBook pros are expensive. I don't believe overall cost is a major factor, here; maybe relative cost vs the smaller mbp15, though.
 
Don't bother bringing cost to the equation, we're talking about Mac's here.

Isn't the 17" advertised as a desktop replacement? In that case, it's perfectly fine with its large size. In fact, for a desktop replacement, I can argue that it's small and warrants a 19".

Like I said, the keyword here is DESKTOP REPLACEMENT. The 15 and 13 inch (and definitely not the air) are not desktop replacements; They're portable work computers but aren't meant to replace desktops.
 
jeremyshaw said:
Or, it's too big. Stop overreaching. Let's face, most MacBook pros are expensive. I don't believe overall cost is a major factor, here; maybe relative cost vs the smaller mbp15, though.
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Yeah you said it, relative cost is a huge factor.

What you don't realize is that people stretch their finances to get a Mac vs a PC already. So its expensive enough as it is, why spend twice as much more for a bigger resolution.

Thats how you gotta look at it.

They are in fact hoping and justifying that there is a downside so they don't have to cough up the $2500 that they don't have to feel fulfilled.

People make up downsides when there are zero downsides to owning a 17. Its all upsides.

Suno said:
Don't bother bringing cost to the equation, we're talking about Mac's here.

Isn't the 17" advertised as a desktop replacement? In that case, it's perfectly fine with its large size. In fact, for a desktop replacement, I can argue that it's small and warrants a 19".

Like I said, the keyword here is DESKTOP REPLACEMENT. The 15 and 13 inch (and definitely not the air) are not desktop replacements; They're portable work computers but aren't meant to replace desktops.
Click to expand...

That is not how you classify them.

The 17 is just as small as the 15. They are practically the same thing.
 
NutsNGum said:
Wrong.

Weight-wise the difference isn't substantial, but footprint definitely is. I could fit my previous 15" in my bag without any problems, the 17" I have now does not fit that bag at all.
Click to expand...

I assume the solution is obvious to you?
 
Bobby Corwen said:
People make up downsides when there are zero downsides to owning a 17. Its all upsides.
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Totally false. The 17 is just too big. The price doesn't matter for this argument. I currently have a 13 inch MBP, and have had Windows laptops up to 15.6" before - and I think the 13" MBP is perfect. I could handle a 15" (I've had laptops that size before), but that is right about the upper limit. 17 inches is just simply way too big to be used as a mobile laptop. Like other posters have said, downsides (that you say don't exist) include being too big to comfortably use in areas like airplane seats, not being able to fit into backpacks, and being too heavy.

Yes, they are pricy, there is no denying it. But that doesn't really mean anything in an argument solely about the size.
 
tyrell456 said:
Totally false. The 17 is just too big. The price doesn't matter for this argument. I currently have a 13 inch MBP, and have had Windows laptops up to 15.6" before - and I think the 13" MBP is perfect. I could handle a 15" (I've had laptops that size before), but that is right about the upper limit. 17 inches is just simply way too big to be used as a mobile laptop. Like other posters have said, downsides (that you say don't exist) include being too big to comfortably use in areas like airplane seats, not being able to fit into backpacks, and being too heavy.

Yes, they are pricy, there is no denying it. But that doesn't really mean anything in an argument solely about the size.
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As much as I agree the 13" is the perfect size and weight for a laptop, for me its specs let it down so I can't consider it.
If it was possible to have a higher resolution screen, anti glare option and discrete graphics I would totally buy one.
Until that time I will stick with the 15" hi-res anti glare which is the best compromise.

I have a 15" and a 17" and the are both pretty equal in that they are easy to transport but I dont consider either to be a "grab and go" laptop I can chuck around like an air or mbp13. With the 15 and 17 I have to actually think to myself, am I really going to need it? when I had an air I just took it everywhere
 
I agree. 13" is the upper limit for me, and I have to travel too frequently. 15" MBP is a maybe, since it's bezels are vey thin, so it's about a 14" by most laptop standards. Though I'm just waiting on Apple to create a more powerful 13" (want to replace my Vaio SA), with decent battery life. If they don't pump up the MBP13 significantly by the Ivy Bridge refresh, it's going to be a tough decision between a MBA13 (and keeping the Vaio SA as a workhorse), or a MBP15 for me.
 
The Asus Gaming laptops are the only time 17" is too big.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...4OqJMb7sQK-x63nCw&ved=0CKYBEPMCMAM#ps-sellers

There's a guy here who brings his machine in and we just rag on so much for such a huge machine. He's a video editor as well, but I just think it's laughable to have these huge machines and they still only get about 1 1/2 hours battery life. He's a mac hater too. And yes Jeremyshaw, those exhaust ports are huge!

Bobby Corwen said:
A lot of times when I show girls my 17 incher they mention that they've never really seen anybody own one this size.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, you lost my interest in your opinion with this line right here.
 
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vastoholic said:
The Asus Gaming laptops are the only time 17" is too big.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...4OqJMb7sQK-x63nCw&ved=0CKYBEPMCMAM#ps-sellers

There's a guy here who brings his machine in and we just rag on so much for such a huge machine. He's a video editor as well, but I just think it's laughable to have these huge machines and they still only get about 1 1/2 battery life. He's a mac hater too.
Click to expand...

The puny battery life is mostly because ASUS refuses to implement nVidia Optimus or any switchable GPU on their gaming laptops (though they are fine with all their other laptops).

No clue why they do that, for comparison, the Alienware m17xR3 can have a GTX580, but around 5 hours of battery life, too.

But you are right. I've seen that ASUS G7x lineup in person, and it's.... massive. Even the exhaust area is oversized :eek:
 
Is the 17" Macbook Pro too big?
Click to expand...

- As a mobile laptop?
Absolutely! I'd even argue that the 15" is too big too. If you want to truly be mobile, it's gotta be the 13".

- As a desktop replacement?
That's debatable. Truth is that the 17" is a beast as a desktop replacement, probably the best there is in the market, as long as you don't need to ever lift it off your desk. But then again, that begs the following question: if you don't need to be mobile... why not getting an iMac 27" for better specs and less money? :rolleyes:
 
jeremyshaw said:
I agree. 13" is the upper limit for me, and I have to travel too frequently. 15" MBP is a maybe, since it's bezels are vey thin, so it's about a 14" by most laptop standards. Though I'm just waiting on Apple to create a more powerful 13" (want to replace my Vaio SA), with decent battery life. If they don't pump up the MBP13 significantly by the Ivy Bridge refresh, it's going to be a tough decision between a MBA13 (and keeping the Vaio SA as a workhorse), or a MBP15 for me.
Click to expand...

Yeah, if they put the SA internals in a mbp13 I would buy it in an instant.

How do you find the SA? The fan noise and screen put me off
 
ninja2000 said:
Yeah, if they put the SA internals in a mbp13 I would buy it in an instant.

How do you find the SA? The fan noise and screen put me off
Click to expand...

Since the last few BIOS updates, fan noise has gone down considerably. Though.... I had a SC before the SA, and the SC was, strangely, much louder under load. The fan noise is much less than the old m11xR2 I replaced (and my boss was making "double ugly," comments about the laptop). The screen, well, lol. It's what you expect. 1600x900, matte, not much else going in it's favor (the matte coating doesn't help with it's horrible contrast, either - it's better than netbook, good enough so you don't think it's crap, but I've seen the MBA13 and MBP13 screens, :(. Despite being glossy [so I don't like], they are much better. Just hoping for IPS to differentiate MBP13 display next refresh :D :D). I'm mostly looking at a MB-13 because I'm rather sure Sony is just going to ignore Displayport.
 
When I travel by car I take the 17" and an AIR with me; if I need that sort of thing. Otherwise I just take the Air.
 
KohPhiPhi said:
if you don't need to be mobile... why not getting an iMac 27" for better specs and less money? :rolleyes:
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Try taking the iMac through to the kitchen if you fancy a change of scenery.

The option is at least there to go mobile with the 17" MBP, with the iMac, it most definitely isn't, you're also at the mercy of plug socket positioning with desktops. With the MBP, you have at least a few hours of freedom, and a fairly massive extension cord.

I've owned both over the course of this year and have decided that the 17" suits me a lot better, although I do love the iMac. If I had the money for both, I'd have em both, but then, I'll admit that I'd have almost everything Apple produced if I had the money for it.
 
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