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Dabearfan101

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
28
0
I don't use any graphic programs such as coding or photoshop. I won't be playing any games on my laptop either. Mainly used for emails, web browsing, researching, and watching videos. I understand the price difference and spec difference between the 13inch retina vs the 15 inch retina. For my uses, which do you think would be better? I like the bigger screen on the 15, but i like the smaller form on the 13. Can't decide.
 
I don't use any graphic programs such as coding or photoshop. I won't be playing any games on my laptop either. Mainly used for emails, web browsing, researching, and watching videos. I understand the price difference and spec difference between the 13inch retina vs the 15 inch retina. For my uses, which do you think would be better? I like the bigger screen on the 15, but i like the smaller form on the 13. Can't decide.

You could also buy a baseline 11" MacBook Air and hook it up to an external display.
 
If you have a Apple store, Best Buy, MicroCenter, etc near you I would go and test out the different screen sizes. Personally I like 13" screens and think 15" big but that's just me. Some people where swear by the 15" and the added 1.7 - 1.8in of extra screen.
 
The eyes have it

I don't use any graphic programs such as coding or photoshop. I won't be playing any games on my laptop either. Mainly used for emails, web browsing, researching, and watching videos. I understand the price difference and spec difference between the 13inch retina vs the 15 inch retina. For my uses, which do you think would be better? I like the bigger screen on the 15, but i like the smaller form on the 13. Can't decide.

Depends on how good your eyesight is, I'd have thought.

Thus for me now the 15 inch screen would be favourite. However, if I was choosing as the sharp eyed youth I once was, the svelte lines of the 13 inch would be more attractive.
 
I have horrible eyesight and I don't have a problem working with 13" laptops. I find the 15" a bit too big and clunky... If I want a bigger screen I usually hook it up to my 24 inch display. But if you're not gonna carry it around much and don't have (and don't want to buy) an external monitor, 15" is the better choice.
 
I am typing this on the 13" I just bought, and I am now contemplating getting the 15".

The 13 is very small and light which is nice, but more screen real estate would be good imo as well. The retina display while good, makes some things smaller and I need to zoom the pages.
 
I am typing this on the 13" I just bought, and I am now contemplating getting the 15".

The 13 is very small and light which is nice, but more screen real estate would be good imo as well. The retina display while good, makes some things smaller and I need to zoom the pages.

Go 15" if funds allow. The portability difference is truly minimal, while allowing for a better overall experience (bigger screen, more processing power, more comfortable to type on).
 
The 15” is not that much bigger and weighs like the 13” macbook pro from 2012.
I’d go with that one and 16GB of ram. Go to an electronics store and poke around on the different models to see which one would fit you best.
 
I don't use any graphic programs such as coding or photoshop. I won't be playing any games on my laptop either. Mainly used for emails, web browsing, researching, and watching videos. I understand the price difference and spec difference between the 13inch retina vs the 15 inch retina. For my uses, which do you think would be better? I like the bigger screen on the 15, but i like the smaller form on the 13. Can't decide.

Will you primarily be using it on your lap, the couch, in bed, taking it around town, on airplanes, vacations etc.? I'd say 13"

If you're using it on a desk primarily, 15" is gonna be more enjoyable...
 
For my uses, which do you think would be better?
Only you can make that decision. You understand all the data points now it comes down to which machine do you ultimately want.

Why not go to an apple store and play with both to get a better feel of which model fits your needs the best.
 
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