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Pros:

-Portability

-lighter

-smaller size

-function key option

-significantly cheaper

-better speakers in non-TB model (less tinny)

-Way better battery life (non-TB model)

-Higher pixel density on screen (correct me if I'm wrong.)

Cons:

-Less power, even maxed specs (15-25%, depending on 13" specs)

-Smaller screen

-smaller bag required for 13", which may look more like a man purse.
-so lighter and smaller size are included into portability thing
-better speakers? no... Touchbar 13"<non touchbar 13" < Touchbar 15"
-better battery only when you compare the non TB to the 15" otherwise the 13" TB has less
 
Certainly. Or you can keep the screen and use it for the laptop when you sell your 13" and get the next one. Or buy a used screen and save some money.

Only you can decide which is more important to you, but it sounds like you are leaning towards power over portability.
I am a bit yes. But i want to know really whether it's easy enough to carry around and pull out a 15 inch in a coffee shop or on a train to use it.
 
The 13" has a significantly stronger iGPU, which is what you want unless you run graphically intensive software or games often.

I wish I could trade the dGPU in my 2016 MBP 15" for the iGPU in the 2016 MBP 13": A) it runs cooler, B) it helps battery life and C) less prone to hardware failures.
 
The 13" has a significantly stronger iGPU, which is what you want unless you run graphically intensive software or games often.

I wish I could trade the dGPU in my MBP 15" for the MBP 13" iGPU: A) it runs cooler, B) it helps battery life and C) less prone to hardware failures.
I've heard reports the 15 inch has better battery life.
 
When does it kick in? Isn't that only if you play games or do video editing?

Not really. It kicks in whenever the system reckons that there's not enough graphical oomph to render the content. Maybe a graph-intense website, or a heavy keynote presentation or PDF, etc. I see my dGPU activating all the time even though I dont game nor I edit video.
 
Not really. It kicks in whenever the system reckons that there's not enough graphical oomph to render the content. Maybe a graph-intense website, or a heavy keynote presentation or PDF, etc. I see my dGPU activating all the time even though I dont game nor I edit video.
I see. But do you think it's worth the trade off for the extra screen real estate?
 
15 is too large, you won't be moving it around a lot without second thought as you would with 13.
It is just too bulky, huge.
Also 13 just looks much sexier. Here, check out this image:

2016-MacBook-Pro-13-vs-15.jpg


Like, why this ugly space between screen and keyboard on 15?
Why the grills are so huge?
Finally, why the keyboard is so small? They are identical keyboards, only on 15 it is pasted into middle and looks ugly as hell, but on 13 it looks great.


I actually agreed with this. I was set on 15" but after seeing them in store, 13" for me. I saw little advantage in screen real estate and the whole thing felt clunky and oddly proportioned.

I am coming from 13" mba and 13" rMBP. I like portability bc I bring it around every day.
 
I see. But do you think it's worth the trade off for the extra screen real estate?

I got the MBP 15" over the 13" exclusively for the extra screen. To be honest, I dont need a quad core nor a dGPU, but I did want the extra screen real estate. HOWEVER, that being said, I am seriously considering switching back to the 13": lighter, more portable, longer battery, stronger dGPU, better value dollar-wise, etc.

Honestly, if you are not a pro user running CPU+dGPU intensive apps (4k video editing, 3D graphic rendering, etc), then I would really recommend the 13" over the 15".
 
I am a bit yes. But i want to know really whether it's easy enough to carry around and pull out a 15 inch in a coffee shop or on a train to use it.

I can't think of any reason why you would be able to carry the 13" but the 15" is just too heavy. I really can't. I went with a 13" because it's smaller, lighter, and cheaper, but not because I couldn't pull the 15" around with me.

But that argument always comes up. Even though the current 15" is just fractionally larger than last years 13" you'll almost certainly still see people who were happy to carry a far even heavier early gen 13" but somehow cannot carry a current gen 15". :D

This was a 2008 MacBook
la_pic.php



It weighed 5lbs and people carried them around all the time.

The new 15" weighs 4lbs.

If 4lbs is too heavy then get the 13" and a set of weights. :)
 
I can't think of any reason why you would be able to carry the 13" but the 15" is just too heavy. I really can't. I went with a 13" because it's smaller, lighter, and cheaper, but not because I couldn't pull the 15" around with me.

But that argument always comes up. Even though the current 15" is just fractionally larger than last years 13" you'll almost certainly still see people who were happy to carry a far even heavier early gen 13" but somehow cannot carry a current gen 15". :D

This was a 2008 MacBook
la_pic.php



It weighed 5lbs and people carried them around all the time.

The new 15" weighs 4lbs.

If 4lbs is too heavy then get the 13" and a set of weights. :)
People probably pulled those out less on flights etc though?
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I got the MBP 15" over the 13" exclusively for the extra screen. To be honest, I dont need a quad core nor a dGPU, but I did want the extra screen real estate. HOWEVER, that being said, I am seriously considering switching back to the 13": lighter, more portable, longer battery, stronger dGPU, better value dollar-wise, etc.

Honestly, if you are not a pro user running CPU+dGPU intensive apps (4k video editing, 3D graphic rendering, etc), then I would really recommend the 13" over the 15".
So the extra real estate wasn't as significant as you thought?
 
People probably pulled those out less on flights etc though?


I doubt it. People probably weren't sitting around saying "Damn, if this was 1lb lighter I'd be using it so much more". They were probably saying "Damn this is 2lb lighter than the 2002 laptop, that's so awesome!"
 
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So the extra real estate wasn't as significant as you thought?

The difference is in resolution: 1680x1050 (15 incher) vs 1440x900 (13 incher), or thereabouts, depending on your display scaling. Is that 10% extra width and 15% extra height worth all the other cons? quite frankly, I dont think so, which is why I am SERIOUSLY considering switching to the 13".
 
The difference is in resolution: 1680x1050 (15 incher) vs 1440x900 (13 incher), or thereabouts, depending on your display scaling. Is that 10% extra width and 15% extra height worth all the other cons? quite frankly, I dont think so, which is why I am SERIOUSLY considering switching to the 13".
I wouldn't know. I've never used a 13 inch notebook.
 
I wouldn't know. I've never used a 13 inch notebook.

Switch your 15" screen resolution from 1680x1050 to 1440x900, back and forth a few times, and you will have an idea of the type of screen real state you trade.
 
I came from a 13 inch MBA.

Got the 13 TB are really liked it, but was super into the idea of the 15 given that it wasn't much bigger than my MBA.

Got it inn wednesday and man I'm blown away. It's certainly not quite as portable, or elegant (the 13 has pure sex appeal)... but ya still portable enough, light enough and fits on your lap fine, and man the extra screen real estate is amazing. It doesn't feel cramped like the 13 inch screen does

Super happy with the idea to upsize, even with portability being a key factor for me, the trade off is small given the advantage of the larger screen
 
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I got the MBP 15" over the 13" exclusively for the extra screen. To be honest, I dont need a quad core nor a dGPU, but I did want the extra screen real estate. HOWEVER, that being said, I am seriously considering switching back to the 13": lighter, more portable, longer battery, stronger dGPU, better value dollar-wise, etc.

Honestly, if you are not a pro user running CPU+dGPU intensive apps (4k video editing, 3D graphic rendering, etc), then I would really recommend the 13" over the 15".

The 13 inch doesn't have a dGPU and these battery claims are dubious at best given the varying experiences on here. I think the dust needs to settle on certain factors but what is clear is that the choice is between power and screen real estate (15 inch) v mobility and value (13 inch), as it's always been with the MBPs.
 
I've had both side by side and I own a 2006 white Macbook. I thought based on the fact I had the white MB the 15, which is still larger than the white MB by a smidge, I could handle it. After a few days with both the 2016 13 and 15 the 13 was absolutely the best way to go for me. The 15 inch has the allure of the screen and power (which technically I don't need) but the 13 just was easier to toss around from room to room and felt better on my lap. 15 felt wobbly to me on my lap and when you pick it up to move it around you do think twice about how you hold it. It's thin, but it's very wide. The 13 is almost like handling an iPad.

This is going to be a personal decision with lots of opinions. For me the 13 is perfection.
 
I buy them both, use them for a few months (or more), and by then it's clear which one I will be using. Then I just sell the one not being used. This insanity costs, but it's fun as hell. :D The last time I did this, about 4 years ago, the 15" won out, but I then bought an Air. The 13" now is much different and very desirable, so I bought that first. (Ok, it's true, these things are worse than crack)

BTW, I got decent deals on these, so resale won't take a huge hit. Pricey still.
 
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Well, let's see. It's number 13. And if you buy on a Friday, that too a Black Friday, you are literally guaranteed to get a perfect, flawless, invincible device with no issues.
 
15 is too large, you won't be moving it around a lot without second thought as you would with 13.
It is just too bulky, huge.
Also 13 just looks much sexier. Here, check out this image:

2016-MacBook-Pro-13-vs-15.jpg


Like, why this ugly space between screen and keyboard on 15?
Why the grills are so huge?
Finally, why the keyboard is so small? They are identical keyboards, only on 15 it is pasted into middle and looks ugly as hell, but on 13 it looks great.
I take my 15" laptop with me everywhere.
 
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I take my 15" laptop with me everywhere.

I take my laptop with me everywhere, regardless of size. I buy it to work on not work out with! Even a monster 17" laptop can be used in confined spaces, it's just if you tend to work in confined spaces a lot you might get better benefit of a smaller laptop...
 
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