Macbook 12 screen state enough for work

[ohenriquez]

Dear Members

Perhaps this has been covered elsewhere
I have an imAc as my main machine
I like the portability factor and I actually don't use ports much
I have read that some people are fine with a 11 LBS FOR working purposes
I will be doing word, excel, one more, Safari, Evernote, iTunes
Wonder whether screen state will be enough
I had worked with rMBP and I had noticed that I had extra space available when working with safari and word Dove
I believe with the new MB I won't be able to open 2 Documents next to each other but I may survive without this
Your opinions will be appreciated

 

[pasadena]

The real estate on the rMB at native resolution is less than the 11" MBA. Which is a shame, unless you're like me and run your retina screens in scaled mode.

It's also 16:10 - which I find infinitely more comfortable for office-type work and web browsing. The MBA is 16:9.

But is it "enough" for you... only you can answer that. It is for me on a secodnary machine (not on a primary one), but as I said I most always run Retina screens in scaled mode.

Again, this is very, very personal. I would advise you to wait until it's out, go to an Apple store, and use one for a while.

 

[Queen6]

I usually roll with two 15" MBP`s in the field, late last year I went down to a 13" MBPr for one and have not looked back as I run it scaled 100% of the time and it makes the world of difference.

I am also looking at the new MacBook, equally I am waiting on more details on the performance as running scaled is a bigger hit on performance.

Q-6

 

[technosix]

I usually roll with two 15" MBP`s in the field, late last year I went down to a 13" MBPr for one and have not looked back as I run it scaled 100% of the time and it makes the world of difference.

I am also looking at the new MacBook, equally I am waiting on more details on the performance as running scaled is a bigger hit on performance.

Q-6

What dictates the need for two 15" MBP's?

 

[DanGoh]

IDK............Sometimes I feel cramped on my 13" Retina..........

 

[crucius]

The real estate on the rMB at native resolution is less than the 11" MBA. Which is a shame, unless you're like me and run your retina screens in scaled mode.

I keep reading about this native resolution and real estate but I really can't figure what that is. Isn't the screen on the rMB far superior (resolution-wise) to the ones on the Airs?

I also feel cramped with my 13'' MBP but since at home I connect it to an external monitor I don't think it will be a problem.

 

[maflynn]

I tend to feel a bit cramped in smaller displays but I think the MB will be fine. I rock with a 12" Surface Pro for much of my mobility needs (my rMBP is now my main machine and it stays home). True the scaling of Windows is different then OS X, but I my point is that I think it will be fine.

 

[ohenriquez]

Thank you for your responses
Interesting to see that it will come with less screen state than the 11 MBA and I believe that this means less space available for Word documents and Safari?

I may wait, it would be a shame as I like the portability factor
Second option would be rMBP 13 inches (still quite portable)

 

[Queen6]

What dictates the need for two 15" MBP's?

I work remotely, sometimes in isolated areas so there is a necessitation for two computers. Previously the 15" made sense as it offered performance and workspace, now Notebook`s are getting more powerful in smaller formats, so it makes sense to scale down.

If the MacBook can deal with the basics adequately I will likely look to run with one and the new Skylake 15" Should the primary system go "dark' at least I have a backup, albeit significantly less powerful.

Q-6

 

[newellj]

The real estate on the rMB at native resolution is less than the 11" MBA. Which is a shame, unless you're like me and run your retina screens in scaled mode.

It's also 16:10 - which I find infinitely more comfortable for office-type work and web browsing. The MBA is 16:9.

But is it "enough" for you... only you can answer that. It is for me on a secodnary machine (not on a primary one), but as I said I most always run Retina screens in scaled mode.

Again, this is very, very personal. I would advise you to wait until it's out, go to an Apple store, and use one for a while.

I'm probably missing something and will blame lack of caffeine but that doesn't sound right? The rMB display is 2304 by 1440 vs. 1366 by 768 for the 11" MBA. PPI on the 12" is 226 vs. 227 for the 13" rMBP.

 

[JTToft]

I'm probably missing something and will blame lack of caffeine but that doesn't sound right? The rMB display is 2304 by 1440 vs. 1366 by 768 for the 11" MBA. PPI on the 12" is 226 vs. 227 for the 13" rMBP.

- The resolution of the 12" MB is far superior to the 11" Air. Put crudely, the thing is that to achieve the "Retina" effect, the 12" MB uses four (2 by 2) physical pixels to make up one pixel in the graphical interface, effectively cutting the screen real estate from 2304 by 1440 to 1152 by 720 (which is less than the 11" Air's 1366 by 768).

The 12" MB will most likely support various scaling options, though - possibly all the way up to the likely unusable non-Retina 2304 by 1440 - to increase screen real estate.

 

[Mike Boreham]

The 12" MB will most likely support various scaling options, though - possibly all the way up to the likely unusable non-Retina 2304 by 1440 - to increase screen real estate.

Supported scaled resolutions are:

1440 x 900

1280 x 800

1024 x 640

taken from rMB Tech Specs

 

[JTToft]

Supported scaled resolutions are:

1440 x 900

1280 x 800

1024 x 640

taken from rMB Tech Specs

- Thanks. And via third party software, you could probably get the full 2304 x 1440 if you wanted.

 

[newellj]

- The resolution of the 12" MB is far superior to the 11" Air. Put crudely, the thing is that to achieve the "Retina" effect, the 12" MB uses four (2 by 2) physical pixels to make up one pixel in the graphical interface, effectively cutting the screen real estate from 2304 by 1440 to 1152 by 720 (which is less than the 11" Air's 1366 by 768).

The 12" MB will most likely support various scaling options, though - possibly all the way up to the likely unusable non-Retina 2304 by 1440 - to increase screen real estate.

I'm guessing that I will be comfortable with the rMB at 2304x1440. I run my 13" rMBP at 2560x1600 and the pixel pitch is essentially identical. If not, as Pasadena points out, the rMB may be disappointing from the point of view of screen real estate.

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- Thanks. And via third party software, you could probably get the full 2304 x 1440 if you wanted.

That should be available directly in system preferences.

 

[Steve121178]

2304 by 1440 is essentially 1152 x 720 viewable so that's far too small for me to use as my main machine. However, it's more than adequate for occasional use which is all I'd use this for when travelling.

 

[Queen6]

2304 by 1440 is essentially 1152 x 720 viewable so that's far too small for me to use as my main machine. However, it's more than adequate for occasional use which is all I'd use this for when travelling.

I plan to scale to 1440 x 900, same as my 13" Retina, if I go for one. QuickRes should have no problem with the MacBook even up to 2304 by 1440. What concerns me more is does the MacBook`s iGPU have the muscle to drive the display scaled as 1152x720 is too little for my liking.

Q-6

 

[JTToft]

That should be available directly in system preferences.

- Hm. From what I've been reading (example 1, example 2) that option is no longer available in system preferences. Have I been misinformed?

 

[Traverse]

The real estate on the rMB at native resolution is less than the 11" MBA. Which is a shame, unless you're like me and run your retina screens in scaled mode.

But scaled come come with decreased fluidity.

I was kind of shocked at the funky resolution they chose.

 

[Queen6]

- Hm. From what I've been reading (example 1, example 2) that option is no longer available in system preferences. Have I been misinformed?

It is; one level of decreased space, default and two levels of increased space. Look under Display, Scaled. If you want more resolutions use QuickRes or SwitchRes X.

I have no reason to expect the Retina MacBook to be different.

Q-6

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But scaled come come with decreased fluidity.

I was kind of shocked at the funky resolution they chose.

Yeah and now we are talking, this is my primary concern "performance" as we are very much uninformed on this aspect and have to wait until the reviews start rolling in. I run my 13" Retina scaled 100% of the time and have no issue, yet others do, equally my 13" is a 2014 2.8Ghz.

Resolution is comparable to the 13" with it`s 1280x800 standard HiDPi, I always defer to 1440x900 or greater, everything is far too big on standard.

Q-6

 

[cycledance]

the black area is the extra real screen estate an 11" mba gives you over the 12" mb. of course the 12" mb will be sharper.

 

[Queen6]

the black area is the extra real screen estate an 11" mba gives you over the 12" mb. of course the 12" mb will be sharper.

Agreed, however you will be able use the scaled resolutions on the MacBook like 1440x900 or greater, question is does the iGPU have the power?

Q-6

 

[JTToft]

It is; one level of decreased space, default and two levels of increased space. Look under Display, Scaled. If you want more resolutions use QuickRes or SwitchRes X.

I have no reason to expect the Retina MacBook to be different.

- Interesting. Thanks for correcting me, then.
Though now I'm confused as to why various sources claim it isn't possible to choose the full resolution in system preferences. Any idea?

While Apple's new Retina MacBook Pro includes a display measuring 2880x1800 pixels, the default display options do not allow users to run their systems at that raw resolution.

 

[newellj]

- Hm. From what I've been reading (example 1, example 2) that option is no longer available in system preferences. Have I been misinformed?

It's possible I've got my nouns wrong. Here's my rMBP system prefs setting at max res:

----------

- Interesting. Thanks for correcting me, then.
Though now I'm confused as to why various sources claim it isn't possible to choose the full resolution in system preferences. Any idea?

The key word there may be "default" (see my screen print above).

 

[Queen6]

- Interesting. Thanks for correcting me, then.
Though now I'm confused as to why various sources claim it isn't possible to choose the full resolution in system preferences. Any idea?

Sorry you can change to various scaled resolution, however you will need a 3rd party application to go beyond what Apple offer. I use QuickRes as I like the ease of use. SwitchRes X can do a lot more, but I don't need the functionality now.

I can get full resolution of the built in panel, and occasionally it has it`s uses.

Q-6

 

[newellj]

Sorry you can change to various scaled resolution, however you will need a 3rd party application to go beyond what Apple offer. I use QuickRes as I like the ease of use. SwitchRes X can do a lot more, but I don't need the functionality now.

I can get full resolution of the built in panel, and occasionally it has it`s uses.

Q-6

So have I got my labels incorrect? Take a look at my screen shot above - is that not full res for that display? It is in the "scaled" section of system prefs, but it presents the largest screen area.