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Today, I visited an Apple distributor nearby, armed (cough) with a good muscle memory of how my 13" feels. Actually, both the new 15" and 13" are quite close. I played around for a while with the 15". Going to the 13" afterwards, it felt way too small. What also makes a difference is that the 15"'s default scale mode is 1680x1050 whereas my 13" defaults to 1280x800. That's a lot more usable space.
As for weight and size: I wouldn't call the 15" unbalanced when I was holding it open by a corner in one hand. The fact that it's thinner makes it great to hold. So I've overcome my doubts about the size of the machine. When I order my next one, it'll be a 15".

NB IIRC I think that the default res on the MBP15 is 1440x900 (as the screen is 2880x1800), but yes - once you look at the 15 inch screen then it really does offer a lot more usable area than the 13" (when both are at their default res).
 
I always enter into a self-imposed mini battle whenever I have to buy a new computer. I love a bigger screen, but I love a compact design way more.
I almost went with the 15 incher last year and an Apple associate actually talked me off that ledge since he understood that I travel a lot and carry multiple devices and a heavier bigger computer would not be ok. I mean right now in my carry on I throw in an iPad, a Kindle, a Nintendo, a Macbook, a 2TB drive and two external batteries. Throw in power cords and a few dongles and it all turns out to be pretty heavy.
 
NB IIRC I think that the default res on the MBP15 is 1440x900 (as the screen is 2880x1800)
I double-checked in the system preferences - display settings. The default scaling mode is 1680x1050. There's one higher (simulated) resolution to the right: 1920x1200. The 1440x900 setting is the first scaled mode to the left of the default setting.
I thought that was weird, too. I was also under the impression that Apple preferred the simple doubled resolutions. But they may have chosen the 1680x1050 resolution now because nobody complains about the 12" macbook's resolution, which is also not a straight double?
In any case, that 1680x1050 resolution worked great. I much preferred it over the 1440x900. And even mucher over my 13" 1280 resolution. But I have to say that, when couch surfing as I'm doing now, the 13" and its "low res" are really for single-window no-distraction mode (while surfing, no distraction, right!).
 
Another 15" thread, but in this case half of it is mental - feeling self-conscious about using such a big machine in public... any opinions/advice?

Love the size of the 13"... but work a lot from coffee shops and I would feel kind of self-conscious taking a large 15" computer out - whereas the 13" rMBP (and 13" MBA before that) is discrete.

lolwut. If that is your only reason, then don't hesitate to buy it. Self-conscious about breaking out a normal-sized, expensive laptop that's fancy and kind of baller? Nah. 17" maybe but not a 15", please.
 
lolwut. If that is your only reason, then don't hesitate to buy it. Self-conscious about breaking out a normal-sized, expensive laptop that's fancy and kind of baller? Nah. 17" maybe but not a 15", please.

:) It's that I love the size and the portability of the 13" - the 15" just seems so huge in terms of footprint (though only 22% more) - in my case though, the 15" is literally wider than I am - it looks out of proportion in the nimble hands of a man of my stature :-s But there is no way around the 15" having a bigger screen, which is simply more productive when out and about.
 
I’m still using the 15” rMBP from 2013. The smaller mac laptops are always enticing, I do like its footprint versus the 15” rMBP. I use my iPad for everything else, so the 15” only gets some love when I need to do some work. Mobility isn’t much of a factor for me.

For my use case, the only instance where I find the 15” size annoying is when I use it on a vintage school desk in Uni. Even still, it is barely passable with the 13”. It’s so small, even kindergarteners will scoff at the sight of one.

This is the exact desk size I’m dealing with on a daily basis. I’m still not giving up my 15” though.

Elegant-Old-School-Desk-H38F-In-Stunning-Small-Home-Decoration-Ideas-with-Old-School-Desk.jpg
 
Thank you for the encouragement. The portability of the 13" has done me well since 2011, but with advancing age I'm going to give the larger size a try.

I usually do an hour or two of work in a cafe in the morning (7am to 9am) then bike to a client and work some hours there. I just asked the cafe owner - he's a consultant to the O&G industry that runs a coffee shop as a hobby. In any case - he uses a 2015 rMBP15 and expressed the opinion that 15" is the way to go. It's also interesting that phones (and iPads) have been creeping up into enormous sizes - and people definitely felt silly using those a couple of years ago.

Actually the cafe purposefully does not have WiFi - even though I go there regularly to work a bit :oops: but sometimes chat with the staff if it's a slow day.

And finally, perhaps it will force me to be more aware when and where I use my machine, so that it's not just pulled out idly everywhere, but will require a more conscious effort to use it, even if I do carry it with my in my rucksack everywhere.

That’s great! And remember that 15-inch post-2016 are thinner so they’ll feel a bit lighter and won’t compromise too much in portability :)
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I’m still using the 15” rMBP from 2013. The smaller mac laptops are always enticing, I do like its footprint versus the 15” rMBP. I use my iPad for everything else, so the 15” only gets some love when I need to do some work. Mobility isn’t much of a factor for me.

For my use case, the only instance where I find the 15” size annoying is when I use it on a vintage school desk in Uni. Even still, it is barely passable with the 13”. It’s so small, even kindergarteners will scoff at the sight of one.

This is the exact desk size I’m dealing with on a daily basis. I’m still not giving up my 15” though.

Elegant-Old-School-Desk-H38F-In-Stunning-Small-Home-Decoration-Ideas-with-Old-School-Desk.jpg

That looks like something straight out of the year 1600, lol!
 
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