My old Whitebook is a perfect size for flights (coach) but I'd love a larger screen. Is the 15 inch too large for this sort of thing without getting clutzy and cumbersome?
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Is the 15 inch MBP too large for comfortable use in planes etc?
- Thread starter Whackintosh
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I use the 17" all the time. With the 17" you cannot have a drink and have your notebook out obviously at the same time, unless you want to place the drink on the notebook. I would say no to the 15" being too large. I mean are you really on a plane that often?
15" means you'll have to fly 1st class (or hope the ***** in front of you doesn't think he's at home in his Barcalounger.) I fly quite a bit and the planes are shrinking. Regional jets seem like the direction a lot of carriers are going.
15" is too big. One of the reasons why I have an Air and a 15" MBP.
These days a 15" is not realistic on an airplane. I was traveling not too long ago with a friend who had a 13" Air. He could use his just fine, but I couldn't open the screen on the 15" far enough to see the display. Kind of sad really.
It depends. In my experience, if the person in front of me has their seat all the way back, I don't have room to push the screen back all the way. That said, I'm 187cm tall (6'1), so I need to push it back further than most. My girlfriend has no trouble, no matter what the seat position of the person in front.
Public Service Announcement: You have the right to put your seat all the way back, but be nice and put it forward during the meals, and push it back slowly so you don't damage anyone's computer, knock over their drinks, or, if they're leaning forward, whack them in the head.
Public Service Announcement: You have the right to put your seat all the way back, but be nice and put it forward during the meals, and push it back slowly so you don't damage anyone's computer, knock over their drinks, or, if they're leaning forward, whack them in the head.
I've used my 15" in economy / business class for years. It's hard to say. it works but my arms are so cramped! My wrists start hurting and I've nearly broken and LCD when someone backed their chair up and my notebook got stuck where the tray table goes. (it's hard to explain but people have all experienced it).
IDK. Ideally. 12" is perfect for an airplane. 15 is doable unless you pay for extra legroom and then it's great!
IDK. Ideally. 12" is perfect for an airplane. 15 is doable unless you pay for extra legroom and then it's great!
I use my 15" on the plane, but it barely fits most of the time; the issue isn't fitting the computer, it's the inability to tilt the screen back to a more comfortable angle for viewing the screen.
If possible, I usually pay a bit more for the "extra legroom" or premium economy seats. If those are not available I request the emergency exit or bulkhead seats (where you have the fold out tray table and no one reclining in front of you.
I've flown business a few times, and it's been an utter waste of money; I'd rather just go read a book (which I end up doing anyways).
I had a 17" before and that definitely did not fit.
If possible, I usually pay a bit more for the "extra legroom" or premium economy seats. If those are not available I request the emergency exit or bulkhead seats (where you have the fold out tray table and no one reclining in front of you.
I've flown business a few times, and it's been an utter waste of money; I'd rather just go read a book (which I end up doing anyways).
I had a 17" before and that definitely did not fit.
My 15" fits just barely. I have to keep a drink on the palm rest. If you fly often enough, then get a smaller laptop. If you only fly a couple times a year, get the larger laptop. Simple.
I personally think no laptop is comfy to be using on a airplane, especially if the dude or lady has their seat reclined all the way back.. haha..
I was on a flight from Detroit, MI to Nagoya, Japan. At the time, I was using the old Macbook Pro (before Unibody).
I was sitting in coach on the way there and it was okay to use mainly, but I couldn't move the screen back too far since the person was reclined nearly the whole flight. I ask them to put it up a little bit so I can eat and they give me an attitude (I never recline or only slightly so I don't disturb the space of the person behind me). EDIT: I usually try to ask if its okay to recline or at least be asked, just in case I have food or something out. But it took up the whole tray. On the way back, I got a spot in front of the projector where the movie plays; fits nice on the table that flips from the armrest. Downside, no legroom
. I flew Business from Nagoya to Manila. It was nice because all the extra room and I used my points, thus equalling free. I wouldn't pay for it, but I loved it.
I honestly believe that if you are a heavy traveller, I wouldn't get the 15" unless you absolutely need it. Your best bet would be the 13", which I plan on doing soon before my trip to California.
I was sitting in coach on the way there and it was okay to use mainly, but I couldn't move the screen back too far since the person was reclined nearly the whole flight. I ask them to put it up a little bit so I can eat and they give me an attitude (I never recline or only slightly so I don't disturb the space of the person behind me). EDIT: I usually try to ask if its okay to recline or at least be asked, just in case I have food or something out. But it took up the whole tray. On the way back, I got a spot in front of the projector where the movie plays; fits nice on the table that flips from the armrest. Downside, no legroom
. I flew Business from Nagoya to Manila. It was nice because all the extra room and I used my points, thus equalling free. I wouldn't pay for it, but I loved it.I honestly believe that if you are a heavy traveller, I wouldn't get the 15" unless you absolutely need it. Your best bet would be the 13", which I plan on doing soon before my trip to California.
I really fly all the time and a 15 inch is fine.
One thing though, some airlines that have the trays fold out of the seat in front of you: if you have it on the tray pushed back to the seat in front, beware of the person jacking their seat back and putting a huge impulse on your screen hinge.
Seriously it messed up my PB hinge this way.
And for you infrequent flyers, do not SMASH your seat back for this reason, slow and steady makes sure no notebooks behind you die. This only applies to coach. If your flying business elite or something by all means recline fully.
One thing though, some airlines that have the trays fold out of the seat in front of you: if you have it on the tray pushed back to the seat in front, beware of the person jacking their seat back and putting a huge impulse on your screen hinge.
Seriously it messed up my PB hinge this way.
And for you infrequent flyers, do not SMASH your seat back for this reason, slow and steady makes sure no notebooks behind you die. This only applies to coach. If your flying business elite or something by all means recline fully.
I fly very frequently. (As in, a normal sized passport book lasts me about a year.) Mostly international/intercontinental flights, usually economy but sometimes business. The space between seats is usually just enough for my 15" MBP, but I usually find something else to do b/c it is cramped.
Some of this depends on the airline and the specific plane. The Asian airlines that are almost exclusively trans-Pacific flights are the best in terms of space and amenities, but there are some European airlines that do EU->NA, EU->Asia, EU->Africa that aren't too shabby, either.
Think about this though - do you REALLY need to use your computer on the plane?
Anyway, for those times that I'm in coach and absolutely need to use my MBP, I ask the person in the seat in front of me to tell me if he's going to push the seat back. I don't think people pushing their seatbacks back are jerks - I like to sleep on 10+ hour flights, too. Come to think of it, I see a lot of people complaining about this on many forums but I generally assume that seat in front of me is coming back and 90% of the time, it usually does. Dunno why people think it's such an invasion of personal space.
Some of this depends on the airline and the specific plane. The Asian airlines that are almost exclusively trans-Pacific flights are the best in terms of space and amenities, but there are some European airlines that do EU->NA, EU->Asia, EU->Africa that aren't too shabby, either.
Think about this though - do you REALLY need to use your computer on the plane?
Anyway, for those times that I'm in coach and absolutely need to use my MBP, I ask the person in the seat in front of me to tell me if he's going to push the seat back. I don't think people pushing their seatbacks back are jerks - I like to sleep on 10+ hour flights, too. Come to think of it, I see a lot of people complaining about this on many forums but I generally assume that seat in front of me is coming back and 90% of the time, it usually does. Dunno why people think it's such an invasion of personal space.
Don't go bigger than 15 in coach unless you want space issues. My 15in uMBP fit just right in a USAir 737 coach class.
In a prior job, I flew a lot and rode in all classes; Economy, Business and First Class.
If I were to have a similar job today, I would get a MBA or MBP13 for use when traveling if I had or wanted to use it during the flight.
Even in Business Class, when the seats come back they can crowd the tray and hence your laptop if you have a large screen. I much prefer to have a solution were I do not need to worry about the seat in front of me coming down on my laptop computer.
If I were to have a similar job today, I would get a MBA or MBP13 for use when traveling if I had or wanted to use it during the flight.
Even in Business Class, when the seats come back they can crowd the tray and hence your laptop if you have a large screen. I much prefer to have a solution were I do not need to worry about the seat in front of me coming down on my laptop computer.
I fly alot (movie industry) with a 17inch MBP mostly in Business Class.
In economy your screwed if the seat in front is fully reclined with both the 15 and 17. Premium Economy and up the 15 and 17 is fine.
If you fly on airlines like Emirates which have 110v seat power they only support 65w adaptors, so the 3.06Ghz 15 and all the 17inch models with 85w adaptors won't work and will trip the circuit breaker.
So if you really want to work in Economy Class a 13inch is your best bet if it works okay with your applications using the integrated graphics.
In economy your screwed if the seat in front is fully reclined with both the 15 and 17. Premium Economy and up the 15 and 17 is fine.
If you fly on airlines like Emirates which have 110v seat power they only support 65w adaptors, so the 3.06Ghz 15 and all the 17inch models with 85w adaptors won't work and will trip the circuit breaker.
So if you really want to work in Economy Class a 13inch is your best bet if it works okay with your applications using the integrated graphics.
I'm perfectly happy traveling with my MBP 15" on any airline. 13" isn't much different from 15" or 10" same is same.....