Macbook pro 17" vs 15"

[zumajoe]

My first MBP in 2008 was a 15". I bought this because I wanted to be "portable" and "lightweight".

What a stupid mistake that was.

Lesson learned, 2010 I went for the 17" and I couldn't have been happier.

Case in point- you will not even notice a size/weight difference by going with the 17"- but you WILL notice the lower resolution of the 15" and get pissed off when you are running any professional editing software and your work area is completely smothered by palettes. (claustrophobia anyone?)

You want cute and portable go for the MacBook AIR. Then you'll notice the size/weight difference.

With that said.. I'm not exactly answering your question. 17" ANTI-GLARE all the way.

 

[VMMan]

But yes,the 17" would be a good powerful portable desktop replacement.

A MBA 11" or 13" with a 27" display would also be a nice desktop machine.

Don't get me wrong, I think my 2011 MBP 17" is an absolute beast. At home, I bring it to different locations and have never thought it was big or heavy. But I remember the days of wearing a backpack weighing probably 50 lbs of textbooks as a student. I think as a student, the MBA would have been great.

 

[zumajoe]

A MBA 11" or 13" with a 27" display would also be a nice desktop machine.

Don't get me wrong, I think my 2011 MBP 17" is an absolute beast. At home, I bring it to different locations and have never thought it was big or heavy. But I remember the days of wearing a backpack weighing probably 50 lbs of textbooks as a student. I think as a student, the MBA would have been great.

Guess it depends on whether he/she is majoring in film or psychology.

 

[Krafty]

I'm a graphic designer and went for the 17" cause the extra real-estate helps majorly. It's so hard now to help people on 13".

 

[VMMan]

I'm a graphic designer and went for the 17" cause the extra real-estate helps majorly. It's so hard now to help people on 13".

As strange as it may sound, I wish Apple made a MacBook Air 17" that would weigh about 4 lbs.

 

[Krafty]

As strange as it may sound, I wish Apple made a MacBook Air 17" that would weigh about 4 lbs.

Meh, I still wouldn't get it.

I need the big HD space, optical drive (cause we have to burn our projects to CDs), and the USB & Ethernet ports.

I don't find weight to be an issue for me, or the size. It fits in my bag perfectly.

 

[AlvinNguyen]

IMHO the 15" or 17" debate is totally useless. If you are already lugging a big laptop, get the 17" - the 15" is an awkward size - it's like getting an SUV with 5 seats.

If I was deciding the only thing that made sense is deciding between an Air + iMac or a single 17" powerhouse.

 

[Oxonian3]

Hmmm,I've been trollling around some forums and I found that some 2011 17" would shut off on a CPU+GPU load at probably 100C/212F.Was that fixed?

 

[Oxonian3]

Was it? :/

 

[SurferMan]

15" hands down no question.. why? Anti-Glare screen.... trust me, the glass screen will drive you nuckin futz. Even a few people I know that didn't get the anti-glare otion thought it was no big deal, till a few days or weeks into ownership when they realized just how bad and annoying the glare is. One of them is a graphics and product designer, she sold her glossy and went back and bought the anti-glare model.

I'm f'd as they don't offer anti-glare high res on the 13" pro

 

[Oxonian3]

I actually decided on a 17" Antiglare ...I find the higher 17" res and (bigger fans and 95wAh battery) strangely enough made me more attracted to the 17"

 

[Glockcubed]

17" - go for it. I do not understand all of the discussion about the size. It is perfect in every way. I am 6'3 -240 lbs, and it takes just about less space and is lighter than my 15" VAIO.

 

[Oxonian3]

I don't know why but I'm starting to feel a 15" 2.3Ghz Action.I can get it for about $11 More but I don't think 100Mhz and 2mb cache beats 2 More inches,bigger fans and a bigger battery,1 more usb port,better speakers,higher resolution...

 

[Oxonian3]

bump

 

[Sankersizzle]

I don't know why but I'm starting to feel a 15" 2.3Ghz Action.I can get it for about $11 More but I don't think 100Mhz and 2mb cache beats 2 More inches,bigger fans and a bigger battery,1 more usb port,better speakers,higher resolution...

We can't make your decision for you. But you're correct in saying the 17" is better. If you end up making the switch, do come back and tell us so we can ostracize you from our circle while dancing around you making chicken noises. Then when you're about to leave you will find one of us has taken a dump in your shoes.

It's up to you, really.

 

[wegster]

I don't know why but I'm starting to feel a 15" 2.3Ghz Action.I can get it for about $11 More but I don't think 100Mhz and 2mb cache beats 2 More inches,bigger fans and a bigger battery,1 more usb port,better speakers,higher resolution...

Buy what you want - no one will validate your decision but yourself.
I'd go with the AG regardless of which one you get, the rest is all your own justification. I'm guessing you're probably getting 'help' with the purchase due to your thinking you'll find a used 08 pro for $400 - it's not too likely/your pricing is a bit low there, but makes me wonder if you're thinking the 17" isn't portable 'enough' for you.

Carrying any of them isn't a big deal in a backpack, where the size and weight differences matter most IMO is when you're doing lots of 'local moving around,'/really 'mobile' as someone else termed it, meaning carrying it frequently around the house, going in the office from desk to conference rooms, in classes carrying in a single hand along with other stuff but NOT in your backpack, then the weight differences and sizes are more noticeable. If it's mostly in a backpack or not really moving much, there's not too much difference in needed real estate on a desk/plane/etc, so buy whichever floats your boat the most, which really means whichever resolution. If you expect to be doing a lot of 'local moving around,' go with the 15".

Don't wait for votes, just buy whatever it is that makes you happy, and convince yourself that you need.

 

[diannao]

I don't know why but I'm starting to feel a 15" 2.3Ghz Action.

The 15" doesn't let high-end processors run as fast as the 17" does, so that would pretty much be buying a car with a turbo sticker as opposed to an actual turbo.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

The 15" doesn't let high-end processors run as fast as the 17" does, so that would pretty much be buying a car with a turbo sticker as opposed to an actual turbo.

Source? Or just speaking out of your ass. Me thinks the latter.

Anyway, 2.3's a huge waste. If you have $250 to "blow", spend it on the SSD.

 

[wegster]

Source? Or just speaking out of your ass. Me thinks the latter.

Anyway, 2.3's a huge waste. If you have $250 to "blow", spend it on the SSD.

Agreed (and as a 2.3GHz owner). A 10% premium and higher thermals for a 5% gain - put the $ towards an SSD or in your pocket.

 

[VMMan]

@OP,

You can't get everything you want in a single machine.

I use a MBA 11" and a MBP 17". This is a great combo for me.

Only you can figure out what you are willing to tolerate to accept the advantages of one machine over the other.

I have 2 machines. I guess I'm not willing to tolerate too many disadvantages from a single machine...

 

[diannao]

Source? Or just speaking out of your ass. Me thinks the latter.

Might want to try searching before posting; save yourself some embarrassment.

Here's an example showing the 17" with the same processor as the 15" walking away, despite the fact that "The $2499 17-inch model has the same specs as the $2199 15-inch model.":
http://www.macworld.com/article/157893/2011/02/2011macbookpro_benchmarks.html

You'll find similar results whenever the 2011 15" and 17" are compared.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

Are you serious?

That's well within the realm of reasonable statistical error (lol 1-2% difference). Here, I can do it too, from a more credible site:

MBP 17:

3DMark 05 17431 points

3DMark 06
1280x1024 9361 points

3DMark Vantage 5536 points

3DMark 11 1316 points

PCMark Vantage 7432 points

MBP 15:

3DMark 05 17519 points

3DMark 06
1280x1024 9381 points

3DMark Vantage 5575 points

3DMark 11 1319 points

PCMark Vantage 8064 points

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review...-GHz-quad-core-glare-type-screen.50346.0.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review...-GHz-quad-core-glare-type-screen.50344.0.html

PCMark stands out as being outside the boundary of statistical discrepancy... in the MBP 15's favor. Looks like your MBP 17 is playing second fiddle.

"Research", embarrassing.

 

[diannao]

I'm not sure of the value of Windows benchmarks for those of us who buy MBPs to run OS X.

It looks like those tests were also run before the EFI update: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1381 I know my system felt much faster after installing the update.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

You sir, are delusional. And very clueless.

 

[mystik610]

You guys are splitting hairs over a very minute difference in reported performance. Under real world circumstances, even if there were a performance disparity between the 15 and 17 inch, it would not be noticeable. What you're paying for going from the 15-17" inch Macbook pro is the extra screen real estate....whether or not this is worth the additional cost will vary from person to person. No point in trying to impose your reasons for buying something upon another person and grabbing at straws to try to justify it.