Is the 13" MBP Really that much more portable then the 15"

[Painter2002]

I don't think I ever implied that someone should buy a machine to maybe " follow a dream". What I said was that you buy it cause it can do more and make your workflow faster and easier and IF, IF!! It makes you inclined to try out other things that weren't possible to you before due to horsepower of your previous machines then that would just be a plus. Obviously if your needs are basic and you are just web browsing and word processing then a $2500 MBP isn't necessary and I don't think I ever suggested it was to those type of users. But if you even have a remote interest in video or photo editing, gaming, etc then you should definitely spend a little more for the 15" and not limit yourself.

I actually did understand what you meant, I probably didn't word my reply the correct way.

I can understand and respect the point of view you have, and for some people that is true. Having the extra power and options is a plus and would allow more people to explore the possibilities that you can do with a more powerful 15" computer. But in general most people have a set idea of what their needs are and buy based on their immediate needs within the foreseeable future, as with most other major purchases in life (house, car... wait, since when did MacBooks get expensive enough to fall in with these categories???? LOL).

But in all seriousness, I personally do photo editing on my 13" MacBook Pro. Do I miss the larger screen size of the 15", sure. But ultimately the 13" is more than powerful enough, and I have the option to connect my external monitors should I need it. Many of the things you mentioned as reasons to buy a higher end 15" MBP can be done on a 13" MBP, albeit the processing might be slightly slower.

Ultimately each person should evaluate what their needs are, and what those needs will be in 5 years. If they have an interest in those things you listed, then sure, consider the bigger more decked out machines, but I still think it's a mistake buying a machine for the possible "ifs" that you may or may not truly use down the road.

 

[macintoshmac]

I agree here mostly with your points. I have a dedicated 1080ti gaming rig but I use it strictly for gaming and not my work or hobby needs aside from gaming. I find my mac easier to edit photos and video on considering I know final cut pro much better than I know premier. My objective with my posts is not to convince those who need a SPECIFIC thing like an ultra portable for just typing and basic internet browsing. That would be foolish of me to think those people would need a 15" MBP. This is for those who keep going back and forth not being able to decide between a 13 and a 15. If the thought even crossed their minds about one or another then they should clearly get a 15", without hesitation. If they are even considering it means they don't value portability that much or enough to rule the 15" out off the bat. THOSE people should be getting a 15". If they have any indecision it means that they would get use out of what the 15" has to offer and with the 13" base being priced as high as it is, any reasonable config for it that has 16gb of ram is very close in price to what a base 15" would cost.

Very well said.

 

[dannyar]

I actually did understand what you meant, I probably didn't word my reply the correct way.

I can understand and respect the point of view you have, and for some people that is true. Having the extra power and options is a plus and would allow more people to explore the possibilities that you can do with a more powerful 15" computer. But in general most people have a set idea of what their needs are and buy based on their immediate needs within the foreseeable future, as with most other major purchases in life (house, car... wait, since when did MacBooks get expensive enough to fall in with these categories???? LOL).

But in all seriousness, I personally do photo editing on my 13" MacBook Pro. Do I miss the larger screen size of the 15", sure. But ultimately the 13" is more than powerful enough, and I have the option to connect my external monitors should I need it. Many of the things you mentioned as reasons to buy a higher end 15" MBP can be done on a 13" MBP, albeit the processing might be slightly slower.

Ultimately each person should evaluate what their needs are, and what those needs will be in 5 years. If they have an interest in those things you listed, then sure, consider the bigger more decked out machines, but I still think it's a mistake buying a machine for the possible "ifs" that you may or may not truly use down the road.

See, but I tried those things on the 13" and it wasn't cutting it. Frame rates would drop considerably watching 4k videos in fullscreen on youtube, export times were drastically longer, forget about editing while importing a file without chop city going into effect. To me it felt like I was already limiting myself and not happy with the performance of a machine that just came out and would only get worse over time. For that reason I decided I needed something much more powerful that would get me through the next 3 years without any problems or regrets on my end.

 

[jerryk]

I actually did understand what you meant, I probably didn't word my reply the correct way.

I can understand and respect the point of view you have, and for some people that is true. Having the extra power and options is a plus and would allow more people to explore the possibilities that you can do with a more powerful 15" computer. But in general most people have a set idea of what their needs are and buy based on their immediate needs within the foreseeable future, as with most other major purchases in life (house, car... wait, since when did MacBooks get expensive enough to fall in with these categories???? LOL).

But in all seriousness, I personally do photo editing on my 13" MacBook Pro. Do I miss the larger screen size of the 15", sure. But ultimately the 13" is more than powerful enough, and I have the option to connect my external monitors should I need it. Many of the things you mentioned as reasons to buy a higher end 15" MBP can be done on a 13" MBP, albeit the processing might be slightly slower.

Ultimately each person should evaluate what their needs are, and what those needs will be in 5 years. If they have an interest in those things you listed, then sure, consider the bigger more decked out machines, but I still think it's a mistake buying a machine for the possible "ifs" that you may or may not truly use down the road.

I think you are correct that MacBook Pros for many are no major expenses. Especially when compared to cars and homes!

And many of the buyers are like me, using the machine as a professional tool and will replace it in 2 to 3 years at most. Especially since it is 100% tax write-off in the 1st year.

 

[Painter2002]

Do you do any intense photo or video editing?Also are your dual monitors 4k? I ask this because when I had my 2018 13" 16/512 for a week it performed horribly with a 32" 4k attached and trying to do any type of video editing. This performance difference is what led me to get rid of it in favor of the 15". I feel like what you lose in performance from the 15 to the 13 is not worth what little is made up for in portability which is why I cant understand why people like you for example given the fact that you used to have a "15 would not find this 15" significantly lighter than the 2012 you lugged around and stick with it for its raw performance advantages versus minor portability advantages. To each his own, I just cant for the life of me after having used both machines before deciding, understand why someone would go with the 13" unless portability was the clear and only thing needed in a laptop.

So no, my dual monitors are 1080 (can't justify spending $800+ yet to upgrade both monitors), and yes, I actually do use my 13" MBP for heavy photo editing. I do batch photo processing of 300+ photos at a time, as well as other work on this machine. And when I do get dual 4k monitors, I wouldn't be hooking them up directly to my 13", I would buy a eGPU that I can upgrade down the road and use with whatever machine I own.

To each his own, but I also am a firm believer of if it works, then it "just works". Just because one machine runs a little faster, doesn't mean I should blow all my money on a more expensive machine to save 10-30 minutes of time a day on processing time. Be sides, that's my coffee break time. Sure, if money was no object to me, then I would buy a 15" machine, but unfortunately most many people myself have to truly evaluate if the cost to value ratio is truly worth it when talking about a $1-2k price difference on machines.

BUT Back to the point of this whole thread, 13" is more portable and takes up less footprint if you take it out often.
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See, but I tried those things on the 13" and it wasn't cutting it. Frame rates would drop considerably watching 4k videos in fullscreen on youtube, export times were drastically longer, forget about editing while importing a file without chop city going into effect. To me it felt like I was already limiting myself and not happy with the performance of a machine that just came out and would only get worse over time. For that reason I decided I needed something much more powerful that would get me through the next 3 years without any problems or regrets on my end.

And this I can see, and ultimately ties back to the person using it. If you need that power, then definitely I'd get the upgraded model, but that is going to be what you personally need/can tolerate.

I sometimes lose frames when doing editing, but nothing enough to stress about spending the extra money I'd have had to dish out for the 15" model.

 

[macintoshmac]

Ultimately each person should evaluate what their needs are, and what those needs will be in 5 years. If they have an interest in those things you listed, then sure, consider the bigger more decked out machines, but I still think it's a mistake buying a machine for the possible "ifs" that you may or may not truly use down the road.

Exactly this; for me, the only thing my 2016 notebook is not doing is gaming on great settings. For that, I can always get myself a dedicated gaming desktop that will outclass (by a laughable shot) any of the MacBooks or even the iMacs. Cost? Somewhere about $1500 since a sizeable chunk will go towards procuring a monitor. If I had a monitor, the cost would be $1000 at best for a far better gaming hardware that can take on any heavy software requirement as well, whenever you want it to.

Core i7 8700K, 16GB DDR4 3200 memory, 512GB NVMe SSD, a solid Z370 motherboard offering, a 6GB 1050 or something graphics card (1070/80 are way highly priced in my country).

The moment I get this, there is a high chance I might lose all desire for larger screen MacBook or iMac. My 13 will suddenly shine.

In a way, danny is right, when we stumble it is usually because we are at crossroads with something we need and something we want. Most often, it is cost to performance value that we are seeking, and not getting, that confuses the hell out of us.

 

[dannyar]

So no, my dual monitors are 1080 (can't justify spending $800+ yet to upgrade both monitors), and yes, I actually do use my 13" MBP for heavy photo editing. I do batch photo processing of 300+ photos at a time, as well as other work on this machine. And when I do get dual 4k monitors, I wouldn't be hooking them up directly to my 13", I would buy a eGPU that I can upgrade down the road and use with whatever machine I own.

To each his own, but I also am a firm believer of if it works, then it "just works". Just because one machine runs a little faster, doesn't mean I should blow all my money on a more expensive machine to save 10-30 minutes of time a day on processing time. Be sides, that's my coffee break time. Sure, if money was no object to me, then I would buy a 15" machine, but unfortunately most many people myself have to truly evaluate if the cost to value ratio is truly worth it when talking about a $1-2k price difference on machines.

BUT Back to the point of this whole thread, 13" is more portable and takes up less footprint if you take it out often.
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And this I can see, and ultimately ties back to the person using it. If you need that power, then definitely I'd get the upgraded model, but that is going to be what you personally need/can tolerate.

I sometimes lose frames when doing editing, but nothing enough to stress about spending the extra money I'd have had to dish out for the 15" model.

I agree again with most of what your saying. I don't agree though on the price differences. when comparing base vs base a 13" and 15" are only $600 apart. When you match the RAM since the 15 has 16gb by default then the difference is now only $400. So ill never agree with the money argument when it comes to the comparisons because when specd similarly the price different isn't significant enough for someone already spending over $2000 on a machine to forgo the more powerful system that needs to last you 3+ years over $400. Ill continue to agree about the footprint. If you definitely need the absolute most portable version of a MBP then go for the 13" if portability is first and foremost.

 

[Painter2002]

I agree again with most of what your saying. I don't agree though on the price differences. when comparing base vs base a 13" and 15" are only $600 apart. When you match the RAM since the 15 has 16gb by default then the difference is now only $400. So ill never agree with the money argument when it comes to the comparisons because when specd similarly the price different isn't significant enough for someone already spending over $2000 on a machine to forgo the more powerful system that needs to last you 3+ years over $400. Ill continue to agree about the footprint. If you definitely need the absolute most portable version of a MBP then go for the 13" if portability is first and foremost.

You make a good point on the price, I will admit I didn't check for exact comparison on the 13 vs 15 MBP prices, and you are right, its only about $400. Part of the exaggerated price comparison is because it seems people tend to go ahead and upgrade the 15" more than the 13", which leads to the $1-2k difference I gave. This could just be perception from being on these forums, but it seems like the average price I see mentioned on the 15" is around $3k, whereas people with the 13" seem to say around $2k.

But you are very right, Apples to Apples (excuse the pun), the price difference isn't huge, and if your primary focus is performance then it would be wise to go with the 15". For me personally that extra $400 was actually a make or break point. It was either get a 13" or go Windows, and since I don't care for the Windows OS, I stuck with the 13". Also, I liked the portability of the 13", and it is easier to use on the go or even just take it out of the office into my living room. I have cats, and the larger 15 would be more likely to fall off my lap while trying to keep a crazy kitten from running around across my lap.

 

[dannyar]

You make a good point on the price, I will admit I didn't check for exact comparison on the 13 vs 15 MBP prices, and you are right, its only about $400. Part of the exaggerated price comparison is because it seems people tend to go ahead and upgrade the 15" more than the 13", which leads to the $1-2k difference I gave. This could just be perception from being on these forums, but it seems like the average price I see mentioned on the 15" is around $3k, whereas people with the 13" seem to say around $2k.

But you are very right, Apples to Apples (excuse the pun), the price difference isn't huge, and if your primary focus is performance then it would be wise to go with the 15". For me personally that extra $400 was actually a make or break point. It was either get a 13" or go Windows, and since I don't care for the Windows OS, I stuck with the 13". Also, I liked the portability of the 13", and it is easier to use on the go or even just take it out of the office into my living room. I have cats, and the larger 15 would be more likely to fall off my lap while trying to keep a crazy kitten from running around across my lap.

Understandable, the perception is that its significantly more and thats cause most professionals opt for the 15" and since they have the money to throw around they upgrade to the 1 or 2tb models which brings the price to over 3k. In reality the mid tier 15" 2.6/16gb/512/560x is only $2799 and only $2599 with edu or govt pricing. I qualified for either or but went for EDU cause of the free beats I sold for $150. You would actually be surprised by how much easier it is to "lap" the 15 vs the 13. I found the 13 too small to lap and always had to keep my legs real close together to keep it on my lap. Also with how I (and based on another thread most people) sit with one leg sitting on top of the opposite knee, that hole that is created naturally between the legs is too large to use a 13 on the lap without it falling through. The 15" is wide enough that it closes that gap and sits comfortably. Not a big issue for most but a pain nonetheless that I felt should be mentioned.

 

[ofarlig]

I have a 2018 13” MBP and it’s a fine machine with so much power on tap but after week using it, I’ve come to the realisation that it’s physically too small...I could read from the screen fine and didn’t feel I needed more screen real estate but because of the machine’s overall height when open, I found myself hunching over it when typing etc. I’m returning mine with some sadness and going for a 15” instead. Although I could use it with an external monitor I wouldn’t have access to this if at work necessarily or if at a friend’s house etc.

Any laptop is terrible to work at sitting up unless you use it with an external screen/keyboard, so you need an external screen either way. Getting a 15" does not really help as you still need to look down to read the bottom of the screen, so unless you only use the top half there isn't a difference.

 

[Momo13Drums]

Did not read the entire thread, but here are my 2c:

I would base your decision on personal preference of physical footprint rather than thinness or weight. Both 13 and 15 inch laptops are extremely portable. If you have an existing bag(s) you require it fit into, then you buy the laptop that fits those bags. Otherwise both laptops are super thin and super light. They have a 1lb difference. Anyone telling you that 1lb is a "big difference" even if it's "carrying it over a long time" would probably be better off spending their money on a gym membership.

I hear this argument a lot in the camera community - X camera is lighter, or X camera is heavier, making it better/worse to carry around all day... when in reality, these devices are all so light and nimble (and within a negligible difference from each other) that if you're experiencing fatigue from carrying them you're probably in dire need of some strength training (medical conditions withstanding).

So with all that ranting aside, get whichever laptop appeals more to you. Both the 13 and 15 are portable, fast, great laptops. If the 15" screen is more appealing to work on but you don't need the extra horsepower, just get the base model and call it a day.

 

[Hustle]

I've owned various MacBook/Pros over the years. I've just taken delivery of the 13' 2018, which will replace my 15" 2016.

I'm lucky enough to be able to buy a new MacBook every few years - it's not like the decision I'm making is life-long.

I much prefer the size of the 13', however the obvious downside is the smaller screen, however I have an external monitor which I often use at home.

 

[maflynn]

[MOD NOTE]
Off topic posts have been removed. This is not the place to discuss cats/dogs.

 

[macintoshmac]

[MOD NOTE]
Off topic posts have been removed. This is not the place to discuss cats/dogs.

So knew with the ballooning of cat/dog posts, an axe from a mod was just coming.

 

[Vazza]

Any laptop is terrible to work at sitting up unless you use it with an external screen/keyboard, so you need an external screen either way. Getting a 15" does not really help as you still need to look down to read the bottom of the screen, so unless you only use the top half there isn't a difference.

Hmm, I’m not sure about this as I’ve never had an issue with my old 15” MBPs?

 

[maflynn]

Any laptop is terrible to work at sitting up unless you use it with an external screen/keyboard, so you need an external screen either way. Getting a 15" does not really help as you still need to look down to read the bottom of the screen, so unless you only use the top half there isn't a difference.

How so, I've used my 15" MBP quite often w/o a keyboard or monitor and I've never had an issue.

 

[Painter2002]

Any laptop is terrible to work at sitting up unless you use it with an external screen/keyboard, so you need an external screen either way. Getting a 15" does not really help as you still need to look down to read the bottom of the screen, so unless you only use the top half there isn't a difference.

I’d actually say I feel the opposite, I like the portability to take the machine out away from the office if I need to, or hook up to monitors and a keyboard. Also, some people have to work in a mobile environment, so monitors and keyboards aren’t an option. That is part of the point of owning a laptop.

If one were to only ever use a laptop (Apple or Windows) with an external keyboard and monitor, it would make better sense to buy a desktop computer, instead of a laptop model. You’d be able to have higher specs and a better cooled machine that wouldn’t be subject to throttling.

 

[jerryk]

Any laptop is terrible to work at sitting up unless you use it with an external screen/keyboard, so you need an external screen either way. Getting a 15" does not really help as you still need to look down to read the bottom of the screen, so unless you only use the top half there isn't a difference.

From an ergometric standpoint I agree. If you want to get a stiff neck and potentially permanent damage, staring down at a laptop screen way down by your fingers is a good way to do this. But, if you do need to do this for short periods of time, the 15" screen does help a bit by character being slightly larger so you are not adding eye strain to the list of sins.

This is one reason I work day in day out with a deskside computer with 2 big monitors, mechanical keyboard, sit-stand desk, and sit in a Herman-Miller Embody chair.

 

[Painter2002]

From an ergometric standpoint I agree. If you want to get a stiff neck and potentially permanent damage, staring down at a laptop screen way down by your fingers is a good way to do this. But, if you do need to do this for short periods of time, the 15" screen does help a bit by character being slightly larger so you are not adding eye strain to the list of sins.

This is one reason I work day in day out with a deskside computer with 2 big monitors, mechanical keyboard, sit-stand desk, and sit in a Herman-Miller Embody chair.

I have been looking for a new office chair myself, and just looked up the chair you listed, but dang that's pricey! Wish that was in the budget but that is almost as much as a entry level MBP.

But it is true if someone uses a laptop all the time on a lap or desk without something to elevate it to eye level, it can cause issues. However I think most "professionals" who are on these machines (i.e. the ones who are on them 8+ hours a day), use them predominantly in a dock situation, and take them out occasionally when traveling or meeting with other people, and like you said the 15" does have better screen real estate for less eye and neck strain.

 

[jerryk]

I have been looking for a new office chair myself, and just looked up the chair you listed, but dang that's pricey! Wish that was in the budget but that is almost as much as a entry level MBP.

But it is true if someone uses a laptop all the time on a lap or desk without something to elevate it to eye level, it can cause issues. However I think most "professionals" who are on these machines (i.e. the ones who are on them 8+ hours a day), use them predominantly in a dock situation, and take them out occasionally when traveling or meeting with other people, and like you said the 15" does have better screen real estate for less eye and neck strain.

You might check around. The list price is way up there, but they are very popular in high tech areas like Austin. We found our for less than 1/2 of list at a chair supply place in a warehouse district that sells to big corporations. Another good H-M chair is the Aeron. It has more adjustments and accessories (too many maybe!) and have been around for decades so there are lot of new and used bargains out there.

But, regarding price. How much is not living with back pain worth? Whatever you do do not get one of those cheap chairs from Office Depot/Max. They are crap.

 

[justinf77]

For what it's worth, I had purchased a 13" i5 / 16 / 512 model a couple weeks ago, but for some reason the 15" kept calling to me. I work all day on my laptop, occasionally traveling to client offices, and even though I have a 27" 4K monitor at home I tend to use it unplugged the majority of the time.

Apple kindly extended my return policy so I could try out the 15", so I bought the higher-level stock config on Saturday. My gut reaction was, "Nope, this is too big, I'm returning it." But then I decided to give it a chance, and after just a few hours, I was honestly kind of blown away by it...

I've been using 13" laptops for so long that I didn't realize how useful the extra 2" of screen real estate would be. I'm able to be more productive on it because I can comfortably interact with multiple applications simultaneously on one screen.

I'm also getting significantly better battery life on the 15", and this seems to be the common scenario for the 2018 MBPs as reported by LaptopMag and Toms Hardware. The form factor is definitely more unwieldy than the 13", but the overall experience to me has been so much better that I'm willing to compromise a bit on portability. The 15" just gives me this immersive experience that makes me feel like I'm sitting in front of a powerful workstation to get **** done, and I like it. The extra power should also come in handy when I get more into video editing this year.

Haven't been this excited about a new computer in a long time, so I'm giving it a few more days before I make up my mind to avoid an emotional decision based on novelty, but at this point I'm leaning heavily towards the 15" model.

 

[SDColorado]

I hear this argument a lot in the camera community - X camera is lighter, or X camera is heavier, making it better/worse to carry around all day... when in reality, these devices are all so light and nimble (and within a negligible difference from each other) that if you're experiencing fatigue from carrying them you're probably in dire need of some strength training (medical conditions withstanding).

So with all that ranting aside, get whichever laptop appeals more to you. Both the 13 and 15 are portable, fast, great laptops. If the 15" screen is more appealing to work on but you don't need the extra horsepower, just get the base model and call it a day.

I am with you on that. Discussion of a pound +/- makes big difference when keeping pack weight down is crucial. But for the average commute I think we can all mostly handle it, obviously with some exertions and special circumstances.

I think the form factor is a far bigger determining factor than weight these days.

 

[jerryk]

I am with you on that. Discussion of a pound +/- makes big difference when keeping pack weight down is crucial. But for the average commute I think we can all mostly handle it, obviously with some exertions and special circumstances.

I think the form factor is a far bigger determining factor than weight these days.

More than the weight, I think the distribution of weight is important. When I carry the 15" to me it "feels" lighter. I know it is not, but it feels less dense and therefore less bulky.

 

[SDColorado]

More than the weight, I think the distribution of weight is important. When I carry the 15" to me it "feels" lighter. I know it is not, but it feels less dense and therefore less bulky.

That’s a good point as well. I like the distribution of the 15” better across my lap as well. But where the 13” shines is seat back trays, small podiums when they have to share space with a projector, etc.

But my experience with a 13” was never as good as I hoped it would be beyond casual use. I find them a better companion device than solo device.

Obviously everyone needs and preferences differ though or we would all be using the same computer with the same configurations

 

[macintoshmac]

For what it's worth, I had purchased a 13" i5 / 16 / 512 model a couple weeks ago, but for some reason the 15" kept calling to me. I work all day on my laptop, occasionally traveling to client offices, and even though I have a 27" 4K monitor at home I tend to use it unplugged the majority of the time.

Apple kindly extended my return policy so I could try out the 15", so I bought the higher-level stock config on Saturday. My gut reaction was, "Nope, this is too big, I'm returning it." But then I decided to give it a chance, and after just a few hours, I was honestly kind of blown away by it...

I've been using 13" laptops for so long that I didn't realize how useful the extra 2" of screen real estate would be. I'm able to be more productive on it because I can comfortably interact with multiple applications simultaneously on one screen.

I'm also getting significantly better battery life on the 15", and this seems to be the common scenario for the 2018 MBPs as reported by LaptopMag and Toms Hardware. The form factor is definitely more unwieldy than the 13", but the overall experience to me has been so much better that I'm willing to compromise a bit on portability. The 15" just gives me this immersive experience that makes me feel like I'm sitting in front of a powerful workstation to get **** done, and I like it. The extra power should also come in handy when I get more into video editing this year.

Haven't been this excited about a new computer in a long time, so I'm giving it a few more days before I make up my mind to avoid an emotional decision based on novelty, but at this point I'm leaning heavily towards the 15" model.

Stick with the 15; you are mobile enough, and you said will get into video as well, the 15 is the one for you then.