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LxHunter

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Nov 14, 2010
502
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Has anyone bought the 15 and then switched to 13? Just curious about experiences.

I am buying MBP 15
Need the screen size for spreadsheets etc.
Prepared to lug the extra weight.
 
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Yes, I did.

As I travel 3hrs per day on a train, I found the 15" too big and heavy to lug around. Whilst I miss the quad-core CPU and screen real-estate, the longer battery life and size of the 13" is much better for me. Its not much heavier than the 13" MBA.
 
Yes, I did.

As I travel 3hrs per day on a train, I found the 15" too big and heavy to lug around. Whilst I miss the quad-core CPU and screen real-estate, the longer battery life and size of the 13" is much better for me. Its not much heavier than the 13" MBA.

Thanks thats what I was wondering.
I have the MBA 13
I travel about 1 ½ hrs a day.
And flying.
 
I started with a 13" MacBook in 2008, then late last year got a 15" MBP (2010 model). And finally ended back up with my 13" rMBP.

In the end, I prefer the 13" for portability and weight. It's great. I use an external monitor at my desk so it's a non issue for bigger projects, and with the rMBP you can scale the screen to give you extra screen real-estate as well.

It's a personal preference though. I did enjoy the 15", just didn't move it around as much.
 
i went from a 13" mb to a 17" mbp and now I'm back to a 13" rmbp

I generally hook it up to an external display, and now that you can run the 13" at 1680x1050, I'm happy.
 
I went from a 15" to a 13 back to a 15.

I wanted something more portable (or so I thought) and so when the time came to replace my aging 15" laptop, I opted for the 13" model. I realized that it was a mistake in the sense I missed the extra screen real estate. The laptop is not that much portable,i.e., the 15" is nearly the same weight as the 13" give or take a pound. So when it was time to upgrade that model, I went back to the 15" and I've happy I did.

One size doesn't fit all, but for me, using photoshop, Lightroom and accessing my work's computers and servers via RDP. The larger screen makes a world of difference.
 
I used a 15" Early 2008 MBP for many years, but when I chose to replace it, I went with the 13" rMBP. Like others, I preferred the smaller form factor for portability and convenience, and I haven't missed the extra screen space. If I need more real estate, I can always plug into an external display, but most of the time I use the built-in screen. YMMV
 
Thanks for all the input.
I think I will give the 15' a try for a few months.
I carried much heavier PC laptops years ago
May go back to lighter 13' - will see
 
My first one was 17, than 13, now 15 inch.
The 13 inch would be perfect if ... only have the same current specs as the 15 one, basically is to weak for my needs.
 
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I went from a 13" Air to a 13" Pro and now to a 15" Pro. I love the 15" and I'm not looking back.
 
Thanks for all the input.
I think I will give the 15' a try for a few months.
I carried much heavier PC laptops years ago
May go back to lighter 13' - will see

Unless you lug around a lot of other stuff, I don't think the weight difference is significant. It's the footprint which you'll either be able to live with or not.
 
Unless you lug around a lot of other stuff, I don't think the weight difference is significant. It's the footprint which you'll either be able to live with or not.

Thanks.
These days, with Dropbox and the MacBook I hardly ever carry paper files. And with better battery performance I never carry a charger.
Will pick up the MBP 15 this week and give it a try.
 
Thanks.
These days, with Dropbox and the MacBook I hardly ever carry paper files. And with better battery performance I never carry a charger.
Will pick up the MBP 15 this week and give it a try.

Hope you like it :)

For me the footprint was important (and you have to deal with that dimension over two almost perpendicular planes when using it), so I went with the 13". They have a good return policy so it gives you a chance to see if the same applies to you.
 
I switched from a early 2011 15" to late 2013 13".

I got the 13" and set it next to my 15" and I was a little bit scared that I made the wrong decision. It was quite a bit smaller!!

Now after using the 13" for the last 2 months. I am completely pleased with my purchase. It really is a nice all around size!!
 

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I did. It was smaller. Now I use an 11" Air. It's smaller than the 13.

I used an office MBA 11 for a few months. Caused me great anxiety each morning for the first few days. Getting on subway - so light in my bag had momentary panic that I had left at home.
Perfect machine just too small a screen for my business work.
 
Perfect machine just too small a screen for my business work.

Yeah, I was tempted by its tiny size, which translates into higher mobility, but the smaller screen caused too much eye strain for me.
 
The weight difference is equivalent to one 20oz bottle of water. 15" is worth it in my book.
 
Neither one works perfectly for me, but the 13" works better. However, the smaller screen size is not quite what I want and it still takes up just a little too much room on the desk.

The perfect layout would be the 15" with very thin bezels and no extra space next to the keyboard, like the 12" PowerBook. It would be roughly the same footprint as the 13" is now, but with a bigger screen.
 
I've had a gamut of Macs.. Most being 13.3" and two 15" Pros.. I find the 13" to suit me better overall.. I liked the 15" if I had enough room for it.. It's not very easy to whip out and start using in the airport as the MBP13" is but it's still manageable.. The Macbook 15" is more like someone elses Windows 14" and the 13" is closer to a Lenovo 12" or even smaller..

I much prefer the 13" footprint.. It fits perfectly on an airplane tray (15 does not).. The 13 Pro is a bit smaller than the Air in terms of footprint, Air is just lighter and thinner at the front (the rear of the Macbook Air is the same thickness of the Pro 13/15 front to back).

Anyways, I wish there was a quad-core option for the 13 Pro like others say.. More power would be ideal but I went with the 2.8ghz i5 and have enjoyed every minute of using the machine.. Very fast and gorgeous screen.. To me, it's the perfect travel sub-compact machine.. And i've had a crazy amount of Windows based Ultrabooks and nothing can compare to the macbook pro 13 package.

I love the 15" for the power, the weight isn't a big deal for the 15".. It's a little too big for what I like when I travel.
 
After all the different MBP's we've had and have, I would just tell you to go with what you feel the best for you. Our house "just myself and bride" we have this = a late 13 15 BTO maxed out. It's my website design go to. A early 14 13 rMBP that's used for streaming TV & Movies to our iTV. Two late 13 08's that we use for everyday stuff, just the everyday stuff. We have a late 11 13 i7 that I use for showing website to customers. "My 15 BTO does NOT leave the house"

My bride has a early 11 MBA 11" for stuff while sitting in her chair. I also have a REV A MBA 1.1 for sitting on the couch watching TV.

Not bragging, just want to let you know that it's up to you! As you can see, different ones for different things. Just a note, Man it's hard to go back to the Non-Retna screens. Keep that in mind.

Love Ya like a Brother

Mike
 
Through the years, my screen size has changed. I had a 14" PC compatible. Went to a 12". Then my MBP 15". I think that, when I replace it, I'll go with some retina 13" variant. I can just move the laptop closer if necessary.

Mine is nearly 4 years old now. The ability to upgrade has helped. 8GB RAM and SSD.
 
After all the different MBP's we've had and have, I would just tell you to go with what you feel the best for you. Our house "just myself and bride" we have this = a late 13 15 BTO maxed out. It's my website design go to. A early 14 13 rMBP that's used for streaming TV & Movies to our iTV. Two late 13 08's that we use for everyday stuff, just the everyday stuff. We have a late 11 13 i7 that I use for showing website to customers. "My 15 BTO does NOT leave the house"

My bride has a early 11 MBA 11" for stuff while sitting in her chair. I also have a REV A MBA 1.1 for sitting on the couch watching TV.

Not bragging, just want to let you know that it's up to you! As you can see, different ones for different things. Just a note, Man it's hard to go back to the Non-Retna screens. Keep that in mind.

Love Ya like a Brother

Mike
That's a lot of Mac's.
 
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I bought the 15' this evening. Removed at least 2lbs of cables and junk from my laptop bag. Will give it a try for a few months at least.

But one certain conclusion - love the retina screen. Never going back to a non-retina MBA.
 
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I bought the 15' this evening. Removed at least 2lbs of cables and junk from my laptop bag. Will give it a try for a few months at least.

But one certain conclusion - love the retina screen. Never going back to a non-retina MBA.

Congrats and enjoy your new baby. The screen is amazing, its hard to go back when you use one like that for a while.
 
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