17" ordered for college grad - change to 15"?

[MovieCutter]

Hmmm... convincing argument, MovieCutter. Have you found it difficult to get bags/cases for the 17" that aren't ridiculously huge or awkward?

Not at all. I used to carry a Brenthaven Pro for about 5 years...built like a tank. Then moved to a slimmer Thule pack and this thing is amazing. Moved around Italy for a couple weeks recently with it. I bike to work with it on a daily basis, sometimes in the rain. It's super slim when it needs to be, but expands tremendously as you need it to as well. There are a ton of bags out there that'll fit 17" MBPs, but I spend good money on them to protect my gear. I've also had bags by inCase and Oakley that comfortably carried my 17" MBPs.

----------

Everyone saying that the 17" over the 15" is a no brainer.... Stop

Most of you are citing the extra room to hold two documents side by side, or the superior resolution... but is that really worth spending $700 more than the 15"?

When you do it for a living...Yes. I make that $700 in a day as a professional who relies on the screen real estate combined with the resolution...so for me, as a professional who deals with scripting, producing, editing, etc, on a daily basis...YES, it's a no brainer. So STOP!

 

[roofz]

To me; Yes. I'd rather pay $700 than paying $850 for a refurbished cinema display. Sure it's only $150 more, but I don't want to drag my cinema display to Starbucks while writing research papers. Like stated, people have different uses and for some a 15" inch may do justice; but for others, it won't.

P.S. I don't go to Starbucks.

you're paying $700 for 2 inches, where if you go the cinema route you could pay $150 for 12 inches more

 

[angrydog]

you're paying $700 for 2 inches, where if you go the cinema route you could pay $150 for 12 inches more

I don't want to start a 'flame war', but like I said; I'm always moving to different environments thus why I got the 'portable' MacBook and cannot drag a cinema display along to which is why the 900p is more valuable and can maneuver multiple documents on one screen real-estate.

Everyone has a different scenario, the 17" isn't a desktop replacement for me but for the next 'Joe' over, it might be.

 

[SaggyBagz]

I don't regret buying my 17" one bit. I lug it to school 2 - 3 times a week for my programming classes and battery life is still outstanding.

 

[sixxmum]

Well, I am more confused than ever Thanks for all the replies, however!
Maybe I should just ask him what he prefers and never mind the surprise factor.

 

[DaveOZ]

Well, I am more confused than ever Thanks for all the replies, however!
Maybe I should just ask him what he prefers and never mind the surprise factor.

Best idea so far.

 

[sixxmum]

Best idea so far.

Yeah, I was trying for the surprise, but it's more important for him to be happy in the long run that surprised for one moment in time.

Cost wasn't really an issue, since we had already purchased the 17 and would have done the anti-glare with bigger drive etc. on the 15, so the difference wasn't that much.

 

[macbook pro i5]

Yeah, I was trying for the surprise, but it's more important for him to be happy in the long run that surprised for one moment in time.

Cost wasn't really an issue, since we had already purchased the 17 and would have done the anti-glare with bigger drive etc. on the 15, so the difference wasn't that much.

So what was his response to that surprise?

 

[sixxmum]

So what was his response to that surprise?

He's pretty stoked! I think he's leaning toward the 17". He is not confronted by the extra weight and size.

 

[macbook pro i5]

He's pretty stoked! I think he's leaning toward the 17". He is not confronted by the extra weight and size.

Oh man I remember when one day when I came back from school my dad said go to your room you have a surprise waiting I ran upstairs and there on my bed was the NEW early 2011 13 MacBook Pro I was SUPER HAPPY I can relate to his happiness

 

[AppleDApp]

Some Dakine Bags also hold a 17" laptop. They have a lifetime warranty which is great. I don't know if that warranty applies to every country.

 

[Ohrstrom]

Well, I am more confused than ever Thanks for all the replies, however!
Maybe I should just ask him what he prefers and never mind the surprise factor.

Father of the year!
Adopt meeeeeeeeee


No but seriously I agree, since this is quite a big deal its a good idea to set the suprise variable aside to learn what he really wants. Its alot of money to spend on something thats not spot on for his wants and needs. Especially so if money is not an object, would have been another matter if it was "settle for 15" inches or sod off, son" but in this case, good call.

 

[sixxmum]

Father of the year!
Adopt meeeeeeeeee


Mother of the year, actually And, sure. I have six, what's one more?

Thanks also for the case recommendations, folks. That's the next decision to be made.

 

[macbook pro i5]

Father of the year!
Adopt meeeeeeeeee


Mother of the year, actually And, sure. I have six, what's one more?

Thanks also for the case recommendations, folks. That's the next decision to be made.

Whats even cooler is that you are a mother that bought a 17" macbook pro for your son adopt me too?

 

[Ohrstrom]

Mother of the year, actually And, sure. I have six, what's one more?

Thanks also for the case recommendations, folks. That's the next decision to be made.

Im terribly sorry, that was poor judgement on my side, your username obviously hints to the gender, I overlooked that bit. Assumption, mother of all...

I bought a 15" Marshall Bergman case from the Apple store, if there would have been a 17" version I would have recommended it because its a great bag, feels like a quality product with good space and some smart solutions.

What type of bag does he want? Thats also very important, Im sure Im not the only one whos literally searched all available bag son ebay and 20 other online sources to find the bag I wanted due to specific needs/wants.

 

[Meever]

I wish I had parents half as nice as you folks when I was a kid. I've been workin since 16. And the last birthday present I got was when I was 15 XD

 

[whitedragon101]

I have a 17" Macbook Pro as my only computer. I used to have the 15".

I use it for work:
magazine writing
software development

and for gaming and as my TV/ Film player.

The 17" is so much nicer to use for all these things. I would never go back to the 15". Its the reason I upped from the 15" in the first place.

----------

Incidentally my 17" Macbook Pro lives on a Zalman ZM-NC3000S notebook cooler. It cools the notebook, is powered off the USB and makes a handy stand/ lap-tray. Its also only about $40.

http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=398

Both the 15" and the 17" get hot. You won't want them directly on your lap. You can put them on a lap-tray (never use a cushion you will cook your laptop) but the heat will pass through to your lap in a couple of minutes . With the Zalman the fan blows the heat away. Even with the fan off the vented design cools by convection.

 

[hallux]

I signed up just to reply here, though I plan to contribute more as time goes on.

I have the Targus CityGear backpack. I have the 15.4" version but they make a 17" version. Let me tell you, this thing holds A LOT. Right now (I'm on a business trip) I'm carrying a 14" Dell Latitude, a 13" MBP, iPod, phone charger, two 2.5" external HDDs, a few network cables and my 10.1" Acer a500 tablet. There's a couple other things in there as well, including a bottle of Aleve for the sore back it induces (well, maybe not quite).

I've had this bag for 5 years, it holds up well but I don't always have this much stuff in it.

This is the 17" version on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Targus-CityGe...QSCK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1335361678&sr=8-4

 

[randy98mtu]

Let us know what your son decides. I'm sure he was surprised however and whenever you told him. And after reflection, he'll be even more appreciative of getting to choose which model he really wants.

Good luck!

 

[chilly7]

I ordered a 17" MBP yesterday for my son who is graduating college. He's heading to LA to look for work shortly and this will be his only computer.

Now that I'm looking for bags, I'm wondering if I should have gone with a 15". Someone want to convince me one way or another?

Thanks!

use 17!

p.s. are u convinced now?

----------

there is almost no difference in performance for the two laptops besides unnecessary bulk

Does 17 less heats?!

----------

you're paying $700 for 2 inches, where if you go the cinema route you could pay $150 for 12 inches more

u are not paying 700$ for 2 inches, the base macbook pro 17 inch is more powerful and less heats, so therefor less noise from fans then 15inch

 

[Queen of Spades]

I'm a screenwriter, and I use a 15" - main reasons are I take my MBP almost everywhere with me, and I didn't like the tiny size of the type on the 17". I didn't enjoy the 1920x1200 resolution at all, but your son may be fine with that.

Using a 15" is perfectly fine in terms of viewing pages in Final Draft, etc. If he's a film editor (sounds like he wants to be a screenwriter, from what you said), he may want the 17" - but myself and a few of my screenwriting colleagues use the 15" model and prefer it.

I didn't see the drawbacks of the 17" to be worth the extra 2" of real estate and tiny menus, fonts, etc. If I really needed to do some work that absolutely required the few hundred extra pixels, I'd prefer to use an external screen. Something your son can think about for the future.

Good luck either way.

 

[tusctodd]

The 17" model is essentially an 1" bigger and 1 pound heavier than a 15".

Anyone that says the weight is really noticeable is yanking your chain. As most students carry their laptops in a backpack they will not even know the difference with their books in the bag.

As for the previous poster commenting on the "tiny menus, fonts, etc.". The 15" hi-res and 17" have essentially the same DPI. The sizes will not be noticeable to the average consumer.

 

[sixxmum]

He decided that he wants the 17". I got it today and I must say, this thing is HUGE (insert "that's what she said" joke here). It's definitely more laptop than I would want. But, if he sees it and decides it's not going to work, we can return and exchange, so it's will be fine either way

 

[chilly7]

He decided that he wants the 17". I got it today and I must say, this thing is HUGE (insert "that's what she said" joke here). It's definitely more laptop than I would want. But, if he sees it and decides it's not going to work, we can return and exchange, so it's will be fine either way

That's right, final word is after ur son, but not u!

P.s.
I think u are a great perent!
Children decide first then perents acustumize to their wishes and needs!!!