Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

17" or 15"?

I

iisarenotnobody

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 18, 2008
77
0
Hi,
I know this has been posted over a million times but i really want to know what would work for my situation. :D

I'm a Junior in HS hope to get into Med school soon. I also use the full arrary of the adobe suite and Final Cut Studio 2 for Video editing, Web Design, and Logo/Ad design.

I'm Split between the 17's Full HD Screen and the 15's Portability.

both will have the same specs: 2.6Ghz 2gb Ram 200Gb 7200 rpm drive Matte

I can't wait until August because i'm leaving on a trip soon and when i come back it will be right back to school.

Thanks for all your help.
 
my powerbook 17'' is portable enough for me, I wouldn't trade it in for a 15 ''.
Get a good bag or backpack and enjoy the real estate of pixels you will get.
 
iisarenotnobody said:
Hi,
I know this has been posted over a million times but i really want to know what would work for my situation. :D

I'm a Junior in HS hope to get into Med school soon. I also use the full arrary of the adobe suite and Final Cut Studio 2 for Video editing, Web Design, and Logo/Ad design.

I'm Split between the 17's Full HD Screen and the 15's Portability.

both will have the same specs: 2.6Ghz 2gb Ram 200Gb 7200 rpm drive Matte

I can't wait until August because i'm leaving on a trip soon and when i come back it will be right back to school.

Thanks for all your help.
Click to expand...

Do you have a Apple or a Best Buy that you can go to see compare the two in person? I ordered my MBP 15" in late Feb and couldn't be happier. We do not have an Apple store in our area and just recently Best Buy started carrying Mac's. I guess it's what you get use to at first, but after getting use to my 15" when I playing with the 17" the keys seemed way forward. Most of the graphic's people I know say it would be painful to work with smaller screens. What I've done and it really works for me, is using a Samsung 26" monitor with my 15" MBP.
 
15,15,15,15,15,15. The 17" is a PITA to carry around. It is heavy and sometimes will not fit well on a small table. Think of a study group around a small table. You will be taking up so much real estate that others in your study group will not have room on the table.
Get a 15" and a 20" monitor. You will spend a ton less and have all the flexibility you need.

Trust me, I have been lugging a 17" powerbook back and forth to China and Germany for the past 3 years. As soon as the new Macbooks are released, I am dumping that boat anchor for something smaller and lighter.
 
MagnumJoe said:
Do you have a Apple or a Best Buy that you can go to see compare the two in person?
Click to expand...

I have and i tried carrying and holding the 17" and it was very easy to.
My cousin has a 15" and i just didnt like it that well.

Thanks for all the Help so far guys! I found a good bag for it as well
the Incase Sling Backpack, can fit all my items that i need.

I'm very used to 17" since my dad has a dell one and i know that the Macbook Pro is wayy lighter than it.
 
Good choice!

But you're too ambitious! Only a junior in HS and already sure you're getting into Med school.
 
I just don't understand people who say that the 17" MacBook Pro "isn't portable". Really? It's less than an inch thick, and if you think the weight is too much you should think about hitting the gym.
I love my 17" and the extra desktop real estate is a godsend especially with the Adobe apps, and I've never been in a situation where the larger footprint presented a problem. I also use the same minimal carry pack that I've used with all my smaller laptops so portability is never a problem.

My $.02
 
Darth.Titan said:
I just don't understand people who say that the 17" MacBook Pro "isn't portable". Really? It's less than an inch thick, and if you think the weight is too much you should think about hitting the gym.
I love my 17" and the extra desktop real estate is a godsend especially with the Adobe apps, and I've never been in a situation where the larger footprint presented a problem. I also use the same minimal carry pack that I've used with all my smaller laptops so portability is never a problem.

My $.02
Click to expand...

It's a little big for usage on the tray tables in economy; most commuter train seats, don't allow enough space; if difficult to sit crosslegged with the computer…
 
17" MBP weights the same as many 15" PC laptops.

So whoever that says it's not portable might need to actually do some exercise.
 
Consultant said:
17" MBP weights the same as many 15" PC laptops.

So whoever that says it's not portable might need to actually do some exercise.
Click to expand...

exercise smecksersize. I don't care how good of shape you are in or how light you think the 17" is. Try lugging it around 4 airports for 24 hours straight. Then you can tell me how "light" and "portable" it is.

I am not suggesting that it is not light or portable compared to others. HOWEVER, if you are going to be walking across campus and dealing with rather small desks, the smaller, lighter the better.
 
mojohanna said:
exercise smecksersize. I don't care how good of shape you are in or how light you think the 17" is. Try lugging it around 4 airports for 24 hours straight. Then you can tell me how "light" and "portable" it is.

I am not suggesting that it is not light or portable compared to others. HOWEVER, if you are going to be walking across campus and dealing with rather small desks, the smaller, lighter the better.
Click to expand...

I walk around with my 17" MBP, holding on left arm, and type with right hand. Yes, it's a 17" iPod and works well for someone who is in shape.

You do know that 1" difference in width and length isn't that much difference when it comes to something 14" by 10"?

Yes I travel internationally, with 2, sometimes 3 laptops.
 
alphaod said:
It's a little big for usage on the tray tables in economy; most commuter train seats, don't allow enough space; if difficult to sit crosslegged with the computer…
Click to expand...

It's a pretty big deal if you're in a classroom too. Even with my 15, in a lecture hall I sometimes can't fit it on the "tray table" sized thing they give us. When I'm in an actually classroom on large tables, I can't have both my computer and my book on the table at the same time.

Sidenote: I use my MBP for Adobe and FCS and have no problem on the 15".
 
I bought a 15" because I just couldn't see paying the difference for two measly inches. Instead, I bought a 22" monitor. Now I have tons of real estate at home and an easily portable laptop.
 
If the higher price is not an issue, then I would go for the 17" machine. The screen real estate and quality of the image will be worth it. Just make sure that you pick up a decent bag that can accommodate the computer, while still being comfortable for you to carry on a regular basis (if you plan on using it in college). There are many bags that can do this, so I would search out for one with great reviews that can carry a 17" computer easily.
 
Sound like you have answered your own question on wether you want a 15 or 17" though:confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back