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How to get comfortable on 13" coming from 15" or 17"?

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Nov 5, 2009
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So I've been using a 15" since around 05 or 06 and just downgraded to my first 13". I'm moving and will be doing a lot of walking/carrying with this thing so I figured it's time to hop on the 13" bandwagon.

Anyways, I've got all of my stuff transfered over and she's ready to go...but damn to I feel cramped! My 15" wasn't even high res, but still.

For those of you with this experience, how long did it take you to adjust? And was it worth it in the end?
 
I went from 15 to 13. I started using Spaces. Right now I use 4 Spaces.

Nice! You can assign which app for which space. I keep Safari open in one space and Chrome in another. Then I use the other two for Mail and whatever.

I also set the lower right corner in Expose to reveal all the Spaces. Try it. Feels like a much bigger screen.

EDIT-- I just added two more Spaces and assigned two more apps. Just use as many as you want/need and have an app open in each. You don't have to assign, but it helps that you get accustomed to which Space for which app.

EDIT 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwkFuQGz0Mc

Check out some videos
 
Last edited:
8CoreWhore said:
I went from 15 to 13. I started using Spaces. Right now I use 4 Spaces.

Nice! You can assign which app for which space. I keep Safari open in one space and Chrome in another. Then I use the other two for Mail and whatever.

I also set the lower right corner in Expose to reveal all the Spaces. Try it. Feels like a much bigger screen.
Click to expand...

I have a 13" and use spaces extensively. I find it to totally make it feel as if I have a larger screen with multiple monitors.

I use about 9 spaces (8 regularly) for applications I use on a frequent basis. Definitely try spaces! It's a great feature.
 
I'm definitely gonna set that up. Never used spaces much on the 15".

Do you guys see yourselves going back to 15" anytime soon? (If not for power).
 
cost is a big reason for me (the entry 13" is obviously a fair bit cheaper than a 15" or upgraded 15").

I would like to think that by teh time I get a new mbp they will have a higher res option screen and I'll snag that :)
 
Also (while I'm here), I know that the font's and whatnot arent any smaller (obviously since it's a lower resolution) but I feel like focusing and reading things on this screen is a little more difficult and causing strain. I don't have the best vision, but never had a problem on the 15"

I suppose it's just going to take some getting used to.
 

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If your eyes are tired it's cause you're up all night reading on Reddit. :p

Maybe the screen is too bright?
 
In other words, although it is lower resolution, it's not really because the screen is smaller. And in this case, the 13 is higher res than the regular 15.

I thought you were saying your reading difficulty might be caused by a lower res. So, that wouldn't be it. It'd have to be some other reason.

In my case, I'm coming from an older MBP with a dimmer screen. This one is blinding at times. Staring into it ids not helpful for comfortable reading - so maybe it's the screen brightness(?).
 
So it kind of is a higher resolution, which could be why I'm having trouble.
 
You know what, maybe it's just because things are so much more scrunched together in the browser? Facebook, for instance. On my 15" all of the different coment boxes, images, etc were pretty spread apart, now everything is close, causing me to focus harder? I don't know. I need to get my eyes fixed.
 
torbjoern said:
Get a 13" Air and you will have the same screen real estate you had on the 15" Pro (assuming the latter had default res)
Click to expand...

Well I prefer to be able to upgrade my ram and HDD so the air is a no go. Besides, I go this 2010 13" for $770.
 
Just wondering...Does having, say, 4 spaces and a couple of applications running on each eat battery life quickly?
 
Try switching back and fourth from 17" Hi Res + 20" Cinema Display to a 13".

The 13 inch is small & cute but I can't figure out how people use it without an external monitor, unless you're really focused and have 1 app open.

Fugue said:
Just wondering...Does having, say, 4 spaces and a couple of applications running on each eat battery life quickly?
Click to expand...

No. Spaces are just essentially dividers for one large desktop. Whether or not you have 4 firefox windows open in one space or 1 in four spaces the consumption is the same. On a technical level the gpu might perk up just for a second to do the animations but nothing that'll affect your battery life greatly.
 
I'm also new to the mac world with my MBP 13" early 2011. I'm loving the experience, but do find the smaller screen a strain for my eyes, and a little too cramped for my style.

Spaces is new to me, and I'm experimenting with it now. It's amazing! Thanks for the suggestions. Never thought to use it.

As for the OP, I'd recommend getting your eyes checked and maybe picking up an inexpensive pair of glasses and lens. That's what I did when I started having headaches staring at my MBP. Now I wear glasses to accommodate my MBP use and have been having no problems seeing nor headaches occurring. You may be straining your eyes and making them worse without corrective lens. Just a suggestion.

My gf has a 15" and the extra screen real estate is incredibly nice, but Spaces help a lot. I love my little 13" ; )
 
It took me no time to adjust. The 13" size is perfect and I say that as a once stalwart supporter of the 15". My only wish is that Apple would put a real video card inside.
 
Well things seem to be a little bit better now that It's not 2 in the morning. I'll give it few days and see what happens. Problem is I've got offers on the table for my 15", scared to pass that up but scared to let go of it when I'm still on the fence : /
 
ozreth said:
So I've been using a 15" since around 05 or 06 and just downgraded to my first 13".

For those of you with this experience, how long did it take you to adjust? And was it worth it in the end?
Click to expand...

Honestly, I never adjusted and ended up going back to the 15" MBP. The small screen just got on my nerves and I hated being dependent on an external monitor. But screen size and resolution are important to me, I'm a recent 17" convert.
 
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