New 13” or 16”?

[SimplicityFirst]

Edit:
OKAY: so I decided to go with the 13”. Is this one enough for Adobe and some 4K video editing? It doesn’t have to be the fastest computer in the world and I will buy an external screen if I need it for editing:

10th gen i5 or i7? (Is it really much of a difference?)
32GB RAM
1TB SSD

Hi,

I’m planning on buying a new MBP. I prefer the 13” over the 16” because of the size and portability. I’m a graphic designer, and I use Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign a lot. I’m also doing some 4K editing in FCP.

I don’t know a lot about specs. I want a laptop that works fast with Adobe and does 4K rendering well enough to not have to do it overnight.

I’m thinking about buying this one:
The new 13” with 10th gen 2,3GHz i7, 32GB and 1TB.

Is this overkill? Can I save money by downgrading to i5 or 16GB, or do I need those specs for my needs?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Alex W.]

16", to get a similar spec 13" you're like 300-400 off the base model 16" with a extra gpu tossed in, bigger screen and speakers and the most godly track pad size where you'll never need a mouse again. 10gen intel is the same performance as gen 9, just with a better onboard GPU -- it still sucks its like 15% worse vs a mx 150, and that barely did anything.

The main thing to keep in mind the base 16" has very little difference from a maxed out CPU wise, and GPU wise, mainly the 5300m base gpu is 7% from the 5800m 8gb.

 

[esphil]

I've had my air about a week and decided that I didn't like the screen being so small. I needed up ordering the 16" and it just arrived. I'm absolutely loving the screen size and the difference so far. The 13 just feels too small to me and like a toy. I felt like it would be limiting me especially getting into more video and music production. Honestly the weight doesn't feel like that much more in comparison.

 

[SimplicityFirst]

Thanks, I still prefer the 13” chassis size. I agree it feels like a toy but I’ve never had anything else than 13” and it works fine for me.

I’m considering 16” because of the beter specs, but I think I’m going to regret it because it’s so big. But maybe that’s something I have to get used to...

Will the 13” from my OP work for me? And is the base model 16” also good enough?

 

[Spartan23R]

Thanks, I still prefer the 13” chassis size. I agree it feels like a toy but I’ve never had anything else than 13” and it works fine for me.

I’m considering 16” because of the beter specs, but I think I’m going to regret it because it’s so big. But maybe that’s something I have to get used to...

Will the 13” from my OP work for me? And is the base model 16” also good enough?

16" base model is enough for your use case, you will love it.

 

[azt33]

It depends on where you are coming from. If your current laptop does not have high specs, then either one will be an upgrade for you. And it also depends on your portability needs, do you need to carry it with you every day, or does it remain more on the desk. Another point is the longevity, do you upgrade every 2-3 years, or do you intend to keep it for 5+ years.

For me, I started doing video editing on a base 2015 12" MacBook, and upgraded to a 2016 13" tMBP - that was a huge jump for me in performance! I know have a 2017 15" MBP, but kind of considering going back smaller again...

 

[christcc2]

When I was looking at a similar decision, I ended up going for a 13 inch, and getting an eGPU so that I had more Metal compute power for video editing and better graphics for gaming, compared to the dGPU in the 16 inch models.

 

[bill-p]

When I was looking at a similar decision, I ended up going for a 13 inch, and getting an eGPU so that I had more Metal compute power for video editing and better graphics for gaming, compared to the dGPU in the 16 inch models.

eGPU only helps with gaming.

Video editing and graphics will still be better with the dGPU in the 16" model. Here's a video showing the difference:

TLD;DR: Thunderbolt 3 hampers eGPU performance when it comes to video editing and some computations (Photoshop, Lightroom, etc...). If you're just rendering stuffs like Blender or video games, the eGPU will indeed be faster.

This is my experience as well since I have the exact same setups as that video. The 13" + eGPU setup is indeed faster at gaming but photo editing and video editing are much faster with the 16". Also the eGPU is loud and noisy as hell even when it's idling.

 

[christcc2]

Actually depending on your choice of card, that's not true - at least for me. I watched that video. I'm getting much higher scores, and shorter encode times with my card in Premiere Pro and After Effects than what the 5300M and 5500M can provide. It all depends on your workflow and software choice. And on top of that now I can upgrade my GPU on a 1-2 year basis and not be stuck with what's on my motherboard.

 

[magbarn]

You won't need overnight to render most decent clips on the 13, but the 16 will do it much better. You'll have a hexa/octa core CPU that will run rings around the 10th gen chip as it has 50-100% more cores which is highly beneficial to most high CPU usage. It's dGPU also accelerates video editing, not sure with premiere, but FCPX definitely benefits from a true GPU...

OTOH, I have a 13 on order as the 16 is just too bulky when traveling....(whenever we start again!!!)

 

[SimplicityFirst]

Thanks all for answering.

I‘m still using my lovely MBP 13” mid 2010 base model for graphic work, but I edit my videos on a 2018 27” iMac (which I’ll have to trade in soon). So the upgrade will be huge anyway.

Portability is not an issue backpack and travel wise, but I don’t use a desk that often and I’m very much used to working from my couch. So a 13” will be more comfortable.

 

[tothemoonsands]

My two cents:

First of all, I actually have a pretty identical use-case to you. Adobe Illustrator, Indesign, and Photoshop. A bit of 4K editing in FCPX or Premiere Pro on the side.

I bought a maxed out 15" in 2017 to accomplish my needs, but quickly experienced how large & unwieldy of a device it is. Perhaps for some, this is not an issue. For me, this resulted in me not using it as much. Battery life wasn't great, fans were on constantly yet it still would get quite hot.

I sold this machine, and now have ordered the 2020 13" w/ i7, 32 GB RAM, and 2TB SSD.
While I cannot yet comment on the performance difference yet, mine is set to arrive on Friday May 8th (fingers crossed), I can say that I am willing to take a bit of a performance hit in order to have the portability that a 13" offers versus that unwieldy beast that is called the 16".

In my opinion, if you have any hesitation that a 16" is too large, then chances are quite good that it is indeed too large for you.

I can report back on the performance of the aforementioned Adobe apps if you'd like. I plan on really putting it to the test the first few days to determine suitability - worst case I need to return it and play the waiting game for an updated 16" - but I truly hope it won't come to that, and I am expecting the 13" to be more than capable in its own right.

 

[SimplicityFirst]

My two cents:

First of all, I actually have a pretty identical use-case to you. Adobe Illustrator, Indesign, and Photoshop. A bit of 4K editing in FCPX or Premiere Pro on the side.

I bought a maxed out 15" in 2017 to accomplish my needs, but quickly experienced how large & unwieldy of a device it is. Perhaps for some, this is not an issue. For me, this resulted in me not using it as much. Battery life wasn't great, fans were on constantly yet it still would get quite hot.

I sold this machine, and now have ordered the 2020 13" w/ i7, 32 GB RAM, and 2TB SSD.
While I cannot yet comment on the performance difference yet, mine is set to arrive on Friday May 8th (fingers crossed), I can say that I am willing to take a bit of a performance hit in order to have the portability that a 13" offers versus that unwieldy beast that is called the 16".

In my opinion, if you have any hesitation that a 16" is too large, then chances are quite good that it is indeed too large for you.

I can report back on the performance of the aforementioned Adobe apps if you'd like. I plan on really putting it to the test the first few days to determine suitability - worst case I need to return it and play the waiting game for an updated 16" - but I truly hope it won't come to that, and I am expecting the 13" to be more than capable in its own right.

Thanks, I think I’m gonna go with the 13”. If it’s really too small or not serving my needs I can always return it and buy a 16”.

 

[bill-p]

Actually depending on your choice of card, that's not true - at least for me. I watched that video. I'm getting much higher scores, and shorter encode times with my card in Premiere Pro and After Effects than what the 5300M and 5500M can provide. It all depends on your workflow and software choice. And on top of that now I can upgrade my GPU on a 1-2 year basis and not be stuck with what's on my motherboard.

I have tried 580, 5700XT and VII. The VII is big, bulky, expensive and wasn't worth it at all. The 5700XT gets pretty damn close.

I guess Premiere and After Effects do benefit in some ways, but then again, IIRC they also run better under Windows than on Mac, as is the case with most Adobe apps these days. But on a Mac, the 16" is just far faster with FCPX. And Capture One is also far faster than Lightroom, which I'm transitioning from. So I guess our use case differs in that I'm moving away from Adobe, and you're still with them.

Within 2 or 3 years, I'll most likely upgrade the 16" MacBook again. It's not because I want to, either, but because Apple has forced me into this cycle of having to constantly upgrade the computer. Gone are the days where a Mac computer would last years on end and has everything upgradeable 4 years down the line.

 

[naturalstar]

Different take - don’t buy a 16” if you want portability. Everyone talks about buying the 16” because if you spend past X amount, then you should buy it.

No.

There is also value in your priorities, time, comfort, and overall user experience. You can live with not getting the specs to an exact science, but the size will get to you, then you’ll be looking to get something smaller.

There are too many here on MR that look only at the entry-level MBP like the high-end shouldn’t even exist. It really is a viable option for people who travel a lot and/or work is various locations on a given day or week.

Get the 13” and spec it to your needs. If it cost as much as a 16”, so what? You’ll never be able to resize that 16” to a 13”. And why waste money later? Spend the money now and be done until you next need another 13”.

 

[dirteater666]

16" if you want to get any real work done

 

[tothemoonsands]

Different take - don’t buy a 16” if you want portability. Everyone talks about buying the 16” because if you spend past X amount, then you should buy it.

No.

There is also value in your priorities, time, comfort, and overall user experience. You can live with not getting the specs to an exact science, but the size will get to you, then you’ll be looking to get something smaller.

There are too many here on MR that look only at the entry-level MBP like the high-end shouldn’t even exist. It really is a viable option for people who travel a lot and/or work is various locations on a given day or week.

Get the 13” and spec it to your needs. If it cost as much as a 16”, so what? You’ll never be able to resize that 16” to a 13”. And why waste money later? Spend the money now and be done until you next need another 13”.

This. This. This. I loved your post, but I feel the need to write a comment too...you are spot on!!

16" if you want to get any real work done

See comment above

 

[dirteater666]

This. This. This. I loved your post, but I feel the need to write a comment too...you are spot on!!



See comment above

the size also gets to you when you try to do any meaningful work that requires simultaneous references to multiple documents/applications on a 13" screen. That's just common knowledge. The jump from 13" to 16" in terms of productivity is immense for most, and 16" 4.3lbs is hardly unwieldy.

 

[tothemoonsands]

the size also gets to you when you try to do any meaningful work that requires simultaneous references to multiple documents/applications on a 13" screen. That's just common knowledge. The jump from 13" to 16" in terms of productivity is immense for most, and 16" 4.3lbs is hardly unwieldy.

I agree that the larger screen size, in general, increases productivity. To what extent may vary based on the person and the work. In any case, there’s definitely a trade off. A 13” can still be hooked up to two 4K monitors for that simultaneous references / multiple documents and applications.

 

[bill-p]

Well, I guess for some, this is a significant size difference.

Honestly, for me, I actually wish the 16" screen was even bigger. I wouldn't mind a 18" MacBook at all.

Pick what you need.

Although I think Apple could avoid this dilemma problem by introducing a 14.5" MacBook and make the bezel vanishingly small. The iPad Pro has bezels that small and they could still add a front-facing camera to it. There's no reason they can't do the same to a Mac computer other than laziness. The top and bottom bezels on the 16" MacBook are still embarrassingly large.

 

[naturalstar]

Well, I guess for some, this is a significant size difference.

Honestly, for me, I actually wish the 16" screen was even bigger. I wouldn't mind a 18" MacBook at all.

Pick what you need.

Although I think Apple could avoid this dilemma problem by introducing a 14.5" MacBook and make the bezel vanishingly small. The iPad Pro has bezels that small and they could still add a front-facing camera to it. There's no reason they can't do the same to a Mac computer other than laziness. The top and bottom bezels on the 16" MacBook are still embarrassingly large.

The 16" is actually light. It's like holding an aluminum legal-sized padfolio. It's not heavy, but it can be cumbersome in some instances.

Think about if you are using those small tray tables in Economy or Economy+. Think about working in a small coffee shop. Hoteling in a shared work space. Small desk space in a college lecture hall or library. What if a person is a travel blogger, a digital nomad, a road warrior consultant? Maybe someone is in a BYOD environment and takes public transportation to work. There are a lot of cases where the 16" simply won't fit.

I even see people here mention having multiple devices where one is for "light, on-the-go work" and then have an iMac, a Mini, or the larger 16" for at home/stationary use. How many people are traveling around regularly with their 16" devices? Probably some, but I doubt a majority.

That said, I agree that it would be good if Apple could squeeze every bit of screen real estate out of the current 13" size. Maybe that will be the case when (if) the 14.1" arrives.

 

[bill-p]

Well... on an Economy flight, I tried and couldn't even fit the 13" at all. The 12" MacBook was borderlining on "too big".

If I'm going jogging, the 12.9" iPad is the best device for me to hold.

In fact, in every situation you have outlined above, the 12.9" iPad is literally the best device. Except for maybe the travel blogger. The pencil actually would be a godsend for college kids who need to take notes that require more than just texts. I still remember back in my college years when I tried to take notes with my MacBook and I couldn't do graphs and pictures. I wished I could have an iPad with a Pencil.

If we're talking about "portability", the iPad easily beats out the 13" MacBook Pro by far. The biggest iPad is literally half the weight of the lightest 13" MacBook.

So this obsession with portability can go both ways honestly. If I was so obsessed with a thin and light computing device that I can use for light tasks whenever I'm not at home, I'd rather have an iPad then. It's not like I absolutely need to have a keyboard to write code in every situation where I'm out and about.

 

[tothemoonsands]

Well... on an Economy flight, I tried and couldn't even fit the 13" at all. The 12" MacBook was borderlining on "too big".

If I'm going jogging, the 12.9" iPad is the best device for me to hold.

In fact, in every situation you have outlined above, the 12.9" iPad is literally the best device. Except for maybe the travel blogger. The pencil actually would be a godsend for college kids who need to take notes that require more than just texts. I still remember back in my college years when I tried to take notes with my MacBook and I couldn't do graphs and pictures. I wished I could have an iPad with a Pencil.

If we're talking about "portability", the iPad easily beats out the 13" MacBook Pro by far. The biggest iPad is literally half the weight of the lightest 13" MacBook.

So this obsession with portability can go both ways honestly. If I was so obsessed with a thin and light computing device that I can use for light tasks whenever I'm not at home, I'd rather have an iPad then. It's not like I absolutely need to have a keyboard to write code in every situation where I'm out and about.

I am in an interesting situation in that I already have a 12.9” iPad Pro 2020 (1TB LTE) with Magic Keyboard case. ”Common sense” from people would probably be such that since I already have that device, especially given the keyboard, I should go with a larger 16” to differentiate (iPP for portability, 16” for power).

However, I have to go back to my experience with my 2017 15”. As naturalstar mentioned, it is actually quite light on its own. The problem is though - adding in the bulky charger and case into the equation. I always felt it was difficult to get in and out of my bag. Even though I had a spec’d out model, I was actually jealous of my Mom’s base model 13” whenever I held it. It just felt great!

The iPad Pro 12.9 is certainly a compelling option. Recently I created an iOS shortcut for the VM company Paperspace (featured on their blog - blog.paperspace.com) that allows remote management of a VM. With a VM, you can run full Windows 10 apps on the iPad, and it only costs ~$5/mo. + $0.20/hr of use).

That said, I still found that there were holes in my productivity flow. A VM can’t replace the experience of running software on the device right in front of you.

All of this is to say....there are SO MANY OPTIONS. Ultimately, you just have to do your own research & take a chance. Worst case, Apple will understand if you need to return the device within the 14 day window - that is what it is there for.

 

[bill-p]

Well, so... one of the things you probably haven't tried is to bring a 60W charger with your 15".

Hands-on: Is a 60W charger good enough for all MacBook Pro models? - 9to5Mac

Apple includes three different USB-C chargers depending on the MacBook model you have. While the 61W charger is powerful enough...

9to5mac.com

I did try this with my work-issued 2018 15" a while back. It wasn't that much worse than the 87W charger. This same charger is now used when I need to lug a charger around the house. I don't try to render my 3D models while I'm on the go, so a 60W charger works for me.

And I still have my 13" here. No iPad Pro 12.9. I gave that to my mom. She doesn't want the 13".

Let's just say I'm with the camp that needs more screen space (did I mention I want a 18" MacBook?). I don't envy the 13" at all. My wife will continue to use it. It replaces her 12" now, but... she's already saying it's too large and heavy for her. It's too light and small for me.

 

[christcc2]

Different take - don’t buy a 16” if you want portability. Everyone talks about buying the 16” because if you spend past X amount, then you should buy it.

No.

There is also value in your priorities, time, comfort, and overall user experience. You can live with not getting the specs to an exact science, but the size will get to you, then you’ll be looking to get something smaller.

There are too many here on MR that look only at the entry-level MBP like the high-end shouldn’t even exist. It really is a viable option for people who travel a lot and/or work is various locations on a given day or week.

Get the 13” and spec it to your needs. If it cost as much as a 16”, so what? You’ll never be able to resize that 16” to a 13”. And why waste money later? Spend the money now and be done until you next need another 13”.

That's part of the reason I went with the 13 inch. I'm 50/50 connected to my Thunderbolt dock and eGPU, and out working away from home (at least I was pre-quarantine). I needed power to go, and additional power to plug into when I need it.
[automerge]1588739773[/automerge]

16" if you want to get any real work done

I get a lot of real work done on my 13 inch. Spent 2 days working on a large complicated project in After Effects and Premiere - had plenty of power, speed and compute for encoding when connected to my eGPU. Sitting with the MBP on my lap now in Photoshop and Illustrator and I'm quite happy with an i7, cooler temps, and longer battery life.