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Macbook Pro 13" Resolution/buy or not?

G

Gintoki-kun

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 7, 2012
89
10
Hello,
How are you?
I'm going to college in some months. So, I will need a laptop. I have a very good iMac, so I don't need an high end laptop, thou I don't want the worst. A mid term laptop, let's say.
There are two things wondering my mind:

1st. Is 13" enough? The price from the best 13" to the cheapest 15" is a lot.

2nd. What's his resolution? I've read his review in apple store but I got a bit confused? Is the resolution good?

Finally, I would like to have your own review about the 13" model. And if possible another one about the 15", to see which one should I go to.
Thank you in advance!

Btw, I'm talking about the classic MBP.
 
Oh sorry... I forgot to mention, I will edit it.
I'm talking about the classic/normal ones.
Thank you
 
the resolution on the 13" is manageable. it is 1200x800, which is a little low for my liking, but it doesn't really bother me from day to day use, and since it won't be your main machine, that probably won't be a problem.

If you need the extra resolution go with a 15" or MacBook Air for even more portability.
 
hey fellow student. ive been using the 13 inch mbp for years now especially for uni and the size is perfect to take it to classes imo

i also wrote many essays on it without any problem, display is just fine

if u want a slightly better screen and less weight to carry i'd recommend u to get an air however
 
Ty for both answers.
I forgot to mention I will take computer engineer. Probably follow software path.
Thank you
 
I'd consider the 13" Air. The resolution is 1440x900, and it is a lot more portable than the classic 13" MBP. It's a good second machine. Consider upgrading to 8GB for longevity. 128GB SSD should be sufficient for a second machine, plus there is always the SDHC slot.
 
If its a second computer i would really recommend the Air. Faster then the 13pro, lighter, etc. I feel like the screen is also better but some argue that.


I have spent a lot of time deciding on macbooks and i am now stuck on which 15 to get. i feel like 13 is a bit small to do a lot of research on / extensive daily use
 
Go play with them. The 15" has some performance advantages, beyond screen size. It has a dedicated GPU, and a faster CPU.

However, me, personally, I don't find 15" portable. I find it cumbersome, and it takes up a lot of valuable desk space in classes. Others prefer it ergonomically to the 13". Go to the Apple store and play with them, pick them up, imagine yourself using it in a dorm room or a classroom or just all around. Which is better?

Also, determine your performance needs. Even if you prefer the 13", if you're doing more heavy duty stuff, you may need the 15" (though the current 13" is quite a powerful machine).

Like I said, I ended up going with the 13". I really, really prefer the 'feel' of it. Fits perfectly, it's nice and easy to use, portable, etc. I use a powerful desktop for a lot of stuff, so I need a PORTABLE laptop. I need to do more than I can do with my iPad, however. The 13" MBP fit that gap, for me at least.

-John
 
yeah, I also have a powerful iMac. Its an high end mid 2011.
I really need to go to see with my own eyes like you said.
Thank y'all.
 
I would recommend the Pro over the Air. I have the mid-2012 13 inch pro and I love it. The main reason I would recommend it over the air is the hard drive size. The 128gb in the Air is extremely small. For example, I have a few dozen games on my laptop and some are over 10gb each. So if I got the pro I would be very limited in the number of games I could play.
 
Laco said:
I would recommend the Pro over the Air. I have the mid-2012 13 inch pro and I love it. The main reason I would recommend it over the air is the hard drive size. The 128gb in the Air is extremely small. For example, I have a few dozen games on my laptop and some are over 10gb each. So if I got the pro I would be very limited in the number of games I could play.
Click to expand...

HDD/SSD space shouldn't be a determining factor in whether you get a MBA or MBP. You get more space with the base MBP but it's also a painfully slow 5400 RPM drive compared to the SSD the base MBA comes with. If you need more space then get a USB 3.0 drive, SD card, or USB 3.0 external. I would never buy the MBP at this point unless I was going to upgrade it with an SSD and more RAM. The MBA is the future of cheaper Apple computers while the classic MBP will be pushed out soon.
 
coldjeanzzz said:
HDD/SSD space shouldn't be a determining factor in whether you get a MBA or MBP. You get more space with the base MBP but it's also a painfully slow 5400 RPM drive compared to the SSD the base MBA comes with. If you need more space then get a USB 3.0 drive, SD card, or USB 3.0 external. I would never buy the MBP at this point unless I was going to upgrade it with an SSD and more RAM. The MBA is the future of cheaper Apple computers while the classic MBP will be pushed out soon.
Click to expand...

I completely disagree with this. I find it extremely annoying having to have my files on external devices that is why I ultimately bought the Macbook Pro. For me size matters not speed. I hate having to constantly delete and reinstall programmes because of insufficient space.
 
I have the Pro with a user installed 500 GB SSD.

Having the ethernet port has been very useful (though people say you can get an adapter for the thunderbolt port if you need it).

I do a lot of work on the 13" base, and I have never had a problem with the screen resolution.

My base PC / laptop has a 1920x1080 17" screen, and I am STILL ok with the MBP.

I would buy the $1199 base 13" MBP, add 4GB of RAM and an SSD (both aftermarket since they cost a fraction of what Apple would charge you) and save your money for other stuff.

However, if you want this for games, you better reconsider. This is not a gaming machine in ANY way - unless you play only solitaire.

R
 
Rhyalus said:
I have the Pro with a user installed 500 GB SSD.

Having the ethernet port has been very useful (though people say you can get an adapter for the thunderbolt port if you need it).

I do a lot of work on the 13" base, and I have never had a problem with the screen resolution.

My base PC / laptop has a 1920x1080 17" screen, and I am STILL ok with the MBP.

I would buy the $1199 base 13" MBP, add 4GB of RAM and an SSD (both aftermarket since they cost a fraction of what Apple would charge you) and save your money for other stuff.

However, if you want this for games, you better reconsider. This is not a gaming machine in ANY way - unless you play only solitaire.

R
Click to expand...

I play Assassins Creed II and Brotherhood on my Pro and they run great. All other games I have played also look great: such as Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, the new Duke Nukem game etc. Pretty much everything on the App store works well. However, there are some games that you can't play but those are in the very minority: like the new Serious Sam and Splinter Cell.
 
On a base 13" with intel hd graphics?

How do u hear the game over the fan?

The base is not good enough for gaming. You must have a higher end machine.

R
 
Rhyalus said:
On a base 13" with intel hd graphics?

How do u hear the game over the fan?

The base is not good enough for gaming. You must have a higher end machine.

R
Click to expand...

I have the mid 2012 13 inch base. Yes the fans go crazy when I play these game but that does not bother me at all.
 
Laco said:
I have the mid 2012 13 inch base. Yes the fans go crazy when I play these game but that does not bother me at all.
Click to expand...

Sorry dude, this computer SUCKS for gaming... I am not sure what the quality settings are that you are using, but I can tell you that the experience is many times better on a machine with a discrete GPU and better processor...

More power to you if you are ok with the games that you play, though!


R
 
Rhyalus said:
I have the Pro with a user installed 500 GB SSD.

Having the ethernet port has been very useful (though people say you can get an adapter for the thunderbolt port if you need it).

I do a lot of work on the 13" base, and I have never had a problem with the screen resolution.

My base PC / laptop has a 1920x1080 17" screen, and I am STILL ok with the MBP.

I would buy the $1199 base 13" MBP, add 4GB of RAM and an SSD (both aftermarket since they cost a fraction of what Apple would charge you) and save your money for other stuff.

However, if you want this for games, you better reconsider. This is not a gaming machine in ANY way - unless you play only solitaire.

R
Click to expand...

Hello,
Thank you for your answer!
I have an iMac mid 2011 27" 4gb ram, 3.1GHz quadcore i5, AMD Radeon HD 6970M 1024 MB, and the screen resolution is 2560 x 1440 , which I love a lot. :) And I don't want to use it for gaming.
Where would I put the ssd? Change the HDD for the SSD? Or change the optical drive?
I was thinking of buying the one with 8gb ram.
How much would be the SSD?
Another question I have. Doesn't the dual-core make it too slow? I'm a bit confused about that.
thank you
 
Gintoki-kun said:
Hello,
Thank you for your answer!
I have an iMac mid 2011 27" 4gb ram, 3.1GHz quadcore i5, AMD Radeon HD 6970M 1024 MB, and the screen resolution is 2560 x 1440 , which I love a lot. :) And I don't want to use it for gaming.
Where would I put the ssd? Change the HDD for the SSD? Or change the optical drive?
I was thinking of buying the one with 8gb ram.
How much would be the SSD?
Another question I have. Doesn't the dual-core make it too slow? I'm a bit confused about that.
thank you
Click to expand...

Well, I replaced the 5400 RPM hard drive with a Samsung 840 500 GB SSD - the cost was $314 and I got a free game with it (Far Cry 3, which I am playing on my gaming PC). The performance is great with the SSD - and you can find it cheaper and/or buy a smaller unit (256GB).

Keep the optical drive - you may need it.

Check the prices for RAM - I bought RAM and upgraded the system myself to 8 GB and it was really cheap last year. I am not sure what the comparison is to purchasing it from Apple with 8GB.

Regarding speed, the real question is what you are going to ultimately do with it. I use MS Office (outlook, powerpoint and excel, mostly). I also watch movies, stream internet video (NFL games and Netflix) and the performance is absolutely perfect. If you are going to do more CPU and GPU intensive tasks, then this may not be the right machine for you. For college, I personally think this is the right choice - either this or the Air - both are light weight and portable.

One other thing; getting an SSD is really important. If you will use it in class, carry it while it is on (from table to table in labs, etc.), it is a much smarter choice than a conventional HDD.

R
 
Rhyalus said:
Well, I replaced the 5400 RPM hard drive with a Samsung 840 500 GB SSD - the cost was $314 and I got a free game with it (Far Cry 3, which I am playing on my gaming PC). The performance is great with the SSD - and you can find it cheaper and/or buy a smaller unit (256GB).

Keep the optical drive - you may need it.

Check the prices for RAM - I bought RAM and upgraded the system myself to 8 GB and it was really cheap last year. I am not sure what the comparison is to purchasing it from Apple with 8GB.

Regarding speed, the real question is what you are going to ultimately do with it. I use MS Office (outlook, powerpoint and excel, mostly). I also watch movies, stream internet video (NFL games and Netflix) and the performance is absolutely perfect. If you are going to do more CPU and GPU intensive tasks, then this may not be the right machine for you. For college, I personally think this is the right choice - either this or the Air - both are light weight and portable.

One other thing; getting an SSD is really important. If you will use it in class, carry it while it is on (from table to table in labs, etc.), it is a much smarter choice than a conventional HDD.

R
Click to expand...

Hello,
You are being a great help! :)
I will buy the new model that comes out this year, hope the CPU gets better!
I work with C sharp, or c++, and things like that. I want to take informatics :)
Thank you
 
Laco said:
I completely disagree with this. I find it extremely annoying having to have my files on external devices that is why I ultimately bought the Macbook Pro. For me size matters not speed. I hate having to constantly delete and reinstall programmes because of insufficient space.
Click to expand...

Have you ever used an SSD on your main machine before? I've never met anyone who used an SSD that reverted back to a standard HDD. The speed difference is just too significant. Yes it does suck having such a small amount of space in comparison to a HDD, but once you realize you don't need to store everything on your drive it doesn't become such a problem.
 
I have the "13" MBP and resolution wise I am quite satisfied. As for gaming I play some games on mine and mine is a base MBP. Everything runs well and I haven't had any problems.
 
KPOM said:
I'd consider the 13" Air. The resolution is 1440x900, and it is a lot more portable than the classic 13" MBP. It's a good second machine. Consider upgrading to 8GB for longevity. 128GB SSD should be sufficient for a second machine, plus there is always the SDHC slot.
Click to expand...

I had the 15" MBP returned it for the 13" MBP and have an MBA also.

The 13 MBP is all you need if you are looking for a slightly higher resolution, get the MBA like was suggested above, however the 13 will do most of the work.
 
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