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MB screen too small?

K

kylep6190

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 4, 2007
67
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I am wondering if the 13.3" Macbook screen would be too small for me. My friend has a 15" Dell and I doubt I would like anything smaller than that. But I know I want a Macbook so I can throw vista/ubuntu on it. I was planning on the Black Macbook and then throwing in 2 or 4GB of ram. But now I wish I could afford even the bottom of the line Macbook Pro since it has the bigger screen and better graphics card. I will be doing a lot of web design on it so I will have a lot of windows open at once and it is nice to have a big screen for this. Why must I pay an extra $500 for a 1.7" bigger screen? Why can't Apple just make a 15" Macbook for an extra $100 or something? Clever marketing scheme boys. In the eternal words of the night club owner in Night at the Roxbury - "I'm on to your tricks Dewey!"

Should I compromise and get an older Macbook Pro? Will I notice much difference in a Macbook Pro 2.0 Core Duo and the Macbook 2.2 Core 2 Duo?
 
your going to get a lot of replys mine being one of them about the fact that the mb and the mbp are two different monsters. don't think its just a bigger screen your paying for. your paying for an led screen, and a Much better graphics card and 2bg ram standard. so before you go on believing that its just the screen, take a closer look and then you will realize why they call them the pro models and why they cost more
 
Thats the thing, I doubt I will need all the power of the MBP, just the bigger screen. And those refurbed ones are still an extra $300 when you add in tax. Thank you for the suggestion though, I appreciate your help.
 
kylep6190 said:
Thats the thing, I doubt I will need all the power of the MBP, just the bigger screen. And those refurbed ones are still an extra $300 when you add in tax. Thank you for the suggestion though, I appreciate your help.
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Why don't you just spend $200 on an external LCD?
 
Well, how much of your web design will you be doing on the go? If it's a lot, then the MBP will be better for your large screen needs.

If you're only mobile some of the time, a MacBook with an external monitor should suit your needs just fine.
 
I'd like to have an external monitor, but I will be in a college dorm with 3 people squeezed into a double, so it will be hard enough to walk in and out let alone have room for an extra monitor.
 
i honestly don't think that the 13.3 inch is that small. i would never want to lug around a 17 inch laptop. the 13 incher is small but i very nice sized screen. i think once you have it you will get used to is and you won't really realize that its an inch and a half smaller than the mbp
 
I love my MB! Small enough to take everywhere, and the 1280x800 resolution makes it seem like I have enough space.

I'm not sure if I'd do intense graphics work on it though. The good thing is that Spaces pretty much killed any concern about cramped windows.
 
The lower screen resolution (1200x800?) on the mac book's makes it almost impossible for me to get anything done. The MBP's 1400x800 is just right for coding/editing photos a notebook imo. Of course, you could always save your money, buy a MacBook a 20inch refurb ACD.
 
I love my MacBook. The screen size is fine for almost everything - then again as my signature indicates I have a 17" iMac as well.

I have never hooked up my MacBook to an external monitor, so I can't tell you whether the resolution is sufficient.
 
Yes, to me, the macbook screen is too small for real productivity. The extra size and resolution make all the difference to me. My girlfriend has a macbook, and I use it all the time, and inevitably feel like I'm a bit cramped. I had a powebook G4 before this, with effectively the macbook resolution on a macbook pro sized screen, and that always seemed more or less ok to me. Which implies to me that it's really the combination of the smaller LCD size at that resolution that makes me feel like I'm squinting and cramped.

The 1440x900 at 15" of the MBP turns out to be the sweet spot for me. I love working on larger, external monitors, but feel like there's always room for both the program and any palletes I need beside the main window. That's something you run into *every* single day you use your computer, so $300 extra for it is totally worth it. That plus the keyboard of the MBP is fantastic.

Everybody's experience is different, but frankly, it sounds like you tend to feel more like I do about these things. If it seems a little cramped to you, it probably always will. Spend the money and get the refurb, you'll be glad you did.
 
This is interesting. I have a PowerBook G4 which has the same resolution as the MB, only on a 15" screen. I've been thinking that when I upgrade I'll just go with the MB because it's the same resolution. But sounds like it's not that simple. (I'm also tired of lugging it around - we'll see what they come out with in Jan...)



pna said:
Yes, to me, the macbook screen is too small for real productivity. The extra size and resolution make all the difference to me. My girlfriend has a macbook, and I use it all the time, and inevitably feel like I'm a bit cramped. I had a powebook G4 before this, with effectively the macbook resolution on a macbook pro sized screen, and that always seemed more or less ok to me. Which implies to me that it's really the combination of the smaller LCD size at that resolution that makes me feel like I'm squinting and cramped.
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Kyle,

I had a 15" MBP and now switched to a 13" MB. To echo everyone's sentiments here, I switched because I frequently travel and use it as a office/email/internet laptop. For you, however, since you are space constricted and need the extra CPU/GPU power for your web design stuff, I'd recommend getting a refurbished MBP. One generation behind won't kill you if you can sacrifice some Mhz, no LED screen, etc...Good luck. You won't be disappointed and the extra pixels on the 15" will be worth the $$$.
 
Yeah thats what I figured...I most likely will get a sligtly older MBP for a little extra. I don't need one until next summer, although I would really like to get it sooner, but I guess I will just keep checking out craigslist and ebay and hopefully I should find something by then. Thanks everyone for your advice!
 
Hmm was watching some thing son ebay and saw a C2D 2.16 Ghz MBP go for just under $1300. That would be plenty fast for me, and $200 cheaper than the MB I wanted so I could just max out the ram and possibly get a new HD for the same price as a MB!
 
macanudo said:
For you, however, since you are space constricted and need the extra CPU/GPU power for your web design stuff, I'd recommend getting a refurbished MBP.
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Why on earth would you need GPU power for web design :confused:
 
I was wondering the same thing before I bought mine two weeks ago, but it is fine and the quality of the screen is enough to make you not even notice. The size of the screen is not a problem.
 
No... the old MBP is not worth it and will be slower than the current MB. The MacBooks are plenty fast now... faster than I could have ever thought. If you don't have the $500 for the 15" then I think you should really consider getting the 13.3" Macbook and getting used to the display. In reality it's not that much smaller than the 15" and IMHO it's too big to be a small notebook.

I am looking for a 12" or 11" notebook to be the small take everywhere machine I need.

I don't think Apple should do anything in regards to their notebook lineup except add a smaller notebook. A 15" MacBook would be a bit heavy and unnecessary. Trust me... get the $500 for Christmas, or from your parents or from a student loan since you're a college student and get the current MBP if you want the screen size.
 
Hmm is the Macbook screen 13" viewable or total? Because my friends laptop is 14" viewable and I really don't think I would mind going 1 inch smaller, especially with a better screen than his 3 year old dell.
 
this is one thing i was worried about before buying my macbook.

I decided to go ahead and buy the MB instead of the MBP, and I must say I've gotten used to the screen being a couple inches smaller, and there is plenty of room to do everything i need to do. Expose will become your best friend.
 
Why need a bigger screen

ok so whats the need for a bigger screen? to many windows use SPACES... ram won't make a difference since they both upgrade to 4gigs... and graphics card will only really help with 3d and most websites arn't 3d ... if so its flash or that quicktime thingy which the macbook can handle especially the new one with the x3100. which i will be getting soon =D

i do webdesign too just need a server... will post site when i am finished.. will probably get .mac =D
 
kylep6190 said:
Hmm was watching some thing son ebay and saw a C2D 2.16 Ghz MBP go for just under $1300. That would be plenty fast for me, and $200 cheaper than the MB I wanted so I could just max out the ram and possibly get a new HD for the same price as a MB!
Click to expand...

quote: do not buy on ebay end quote. You will be very dissapointed. Ebay is for selling not for buying.

Sign up for ADC student membership and get 20 percent off a new mbP. You will not be disappointed.
 
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