Owners of 2016 MBP 15"... can you please review the portability?

[wnxgenral]

Would any of the owners of the new 2016 touch bar Macbook Pro 15" please give us your thoughts on portability?

Are any of you road warriors? Have you tried using this on an air plane yet?

I am highly considering a move from my current 2011 unibody Macbook Pro 13" to the new 15" but want to ensure that it's not too difficult to port around.

Thank you!

 

[Capt T]

I have had the 15" versions for a long time. This new one is great. It is lighter and fits I. My backpack just like the old one I carried. On the plane, it really depends. If you need to get work done in standard class it is crowded but usable. In first class no problem

 

[sziehr]

The 13 is vastly more portable. The 15 is more useful if your going desk to desk and don't mind carrying the extra weight.

I am on the fence with my 15. I kinda want to shed some more weight back to the 13.

 

[Macalway]

Relative. Try it

Buy it, use it, fly with it, and return it if you need to. A trial run. This is what returns are all about.

Note: this is sort of a one way thing, so don't buy a 13" and wonder about the 15", as that could get complicated.

The new 15 is lighter than the previous model. They really cut it to the bone. I'm going to (I think) try to fly with it in replace of my smaller options as I like it.

If the term 'lug' pops into my head, I'll not do it again

 

[SVTM]

Extremely portable. They barely weigh anything and are thinner than a stack of papers. I can't imagine how or why anyone would have trouble traveling with one.

 

[ipodlover77]

I couldnt do it. Found it to be pretty cumbersome. Immediately sold my 15 to go to the 13

 

[maflynn]

I've owned a 15" for years, it was my favorite form factor, but lately, I've eschewed the screen size and found how much more easier life is with a 13" laptop. The SurfaceBook that I use is incredibly portable, and much easier to deal with going through security in airports, on a plane, or just plane traveling with it, in my backpack

 

[Maccotto]

The 13 is the best notebook portable but with power (MacBook retina or air are more portable but very slow and old).
I chosen the 15" and I will received it the 14 dec because apple its very stupid to prices 13"+ram at 2100€ vs base 15"touch at 2500€ !

I will give you my review when I will have it and I will put it to my 13" photographic messenger bag.

 

[Naimfan]

The machine itself is indistinguishable from my 2014 or 2015 15" as far as portability. It is annoying to have to carry adapters.

The only planes I've used it on are military, so can't offer an opinion on a commercial plane.

 

[xraydoc]

I've gone the other way as some of the posts above. I've only owned 13" or smaller form-factor machines in the last 15+ years (several 13" models plus an 11" MBA). The last 15" size machine I had was the PowerBook G4 circa 2002.

The new 15" weighs only slightly more than my prior 13" models. I have a thin laptop bag for it made out of some kind of neoprene-like material, so carrying it is quite easy (case adds almost nothing to the carry weight). The machine is thinner than my previous 13" as well and an inch wider on each side, so it's surprisingly compact for a 15" machine.

While I haven't had it on a plane, I can't speak to how it fits on a seat tray. But to be honest, I personally don't use my laptop on planes anyway (iPad mini for that). But I do take it to work 2 to 3 days per week and it's been great.

So far I'm quite happy with the switch from the 13" machines.

 

[fs454]

It's gonna be more or less the same amount of portability that the 15" rMBP has always provided, but now you're a half pound lighter and a little bit slimmer.

I'm waiting to board a flight right now and will attempt to use it (I'm still carrying both my Late 2013 15" and my new 2016 15"). It's always cramped with a 15" in economy but it is what it is - I'd rather have a cramped inflight experience than lose quad core and the Pro 460 all day, every day. International flights are less so - usually economy / premium economy both have more generous seat pitch than domestic US flights.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

I'm trying out the 15" currently myself. Realistically, it's not that much different than previous generations. I'm starting to notice that it's not the weight, but more on the size. When you pick it up, depending on where the center of gravity is, it'll feel heavier than it really is. So when you pick up a 13" with one hand, the center of gravity is closer to your hand than if you pick up a 15" with one hand. Thus, that 1lb difference feels substantial.

 

[fokmik]

since you are coming from 13" 2011 with optical drive model...you will fill not losing a lot of portability and weight but you gain a lot lot lot more

 

[fs454]

Yeah, I forget what the 2011 models are like sometimes. They're huge - it's going to feel like a portability upgrade big time going to a 2016 15". It's like half the thickness and half a pound lighter than your current model, with only one inch wider and half an inch longer, too.

Size and weight (13-inch, 2011)

• Height: 0.95 inch (2.41 cm)
• Width: 12.78 inches (32.5 cm)
• Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
• Weight: 4.5 pounds (2.04 kg)1

Size and Weight (15-inch, late 2016)

• Height: 0.61 inch (1.55 cm)
• Width: 13.75 inches (34.93 cm)
• Depth: 9.48 inches (24.07 cm)
• Weight: 4.02 pounds (1.83 kg)

 

[dapork]

I think it's so thin and light (it's lighter than my 2009 13" Macbook) that I won't have any problems with it. I will have to get used to the size, but I'm ready for the extra power and bigger screen. Some software, like Logic for example, suck on a 13" screen.

 

[ipodlover77]

I'm trying out the 15" currently myself. Realistically, it's not that much different than previous generations. I'm starting to notice that it's not the weight, but more on the size. When you pick it up, depending on where the center of gravity is, it'll feel heavier than it really is. So when you pick up a 13" with one hand, the center of gravity is closer to your hand than if you pick up a 15" with one hand. Thus, that 1lb difference feels substantial.

For me at least, the weight wasn't the problem. On the contrary, the 15" felt lighter because the weight was distributed over a large surface area. My issue was the fact that it was so wide that it wouldn't fit on my bed stand or my side table unless i used two hands and maneuvered it into a open space. In other words, it was just too cumbersome to maneuver.

 

[jun180]

I've gone from a 2013 13" MacBook Air to a 2016 15" MacBook Pro. I was also concerned about size and portability (and battery life).

The 15" is great for size and portability...its not much bigger/heavier than the MBP. The screen size itself is worth the upgrade.

I have also tried the 2016 13" MBP and it is very portable (smaller than a 13" MBA) but the screen feels cramped, and I feel the physical size is less comfortable when using away from a desk.

 

[sn0warmy]

The #1 reason I went from a mid-2015 15" MBP to a 2016 13" MBP was to improve portability and the ease of use during air travel. I found the 15" to be nearly impossible to use on a plane (outside of first class) with any sort of ease or comfort. It was simply too big to use in standard seating. Especially as many airlines are decreasing legroom space and making the tray tables smaller.

I understand the 2016 15" is smaller than the 2015 15", but when you compare them side by side you realize that the new one is not that much smaller. After getting used to the vastly decreased footprint of the 13" over the past couple of weeks, when I use my 2015 15" MBP it just seems comically large.

Also, the trackpad on the new 15" is notably larger than the trackpad on the 13". On the 15" the trackpad reaches the outside edges of the Option key on the right and the Command key on the left. Some reviewers find it to be too big and say that it gets in the way. When I was playing with the new 15" in the Apple Store the trackpad seemed a bit too large for my liking, as well. So this is another thing to keep in mind.

 

[Voley]

Extremely portable. They barely weigh anything and are thinner than a stack of papers. I can't imagine how or why anyone would have trouble traveling with one.

Bullcrap, even 13 has a nice weight. 15 is behemoth

 

[fs454]

Bullcrap, even 13 has a nice weight. 15 is behemoth

Lol, chill out. Have you owned a retina 15 before? They're not anything like the pre-retina models, which were insanely huge (even the 13 inch models were). The current generation 15" is absolutely portable. I'm sitting in United economy right now on a Boston to LAX flight and it's just fine on the tray table.
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Also, the trackpad on the new 15" is notably larger than the trackpad on the 13". On the 15" the trackpad reaches the outside edges of the Option key on the right and the Command key on the left. Some reviewers find it to be too big and say that it gets in the way. When I was playing with the new 15" in the Apple Store the trackpad seemed a bit too large for my liking, as well. So this is another thing to keep in mind.

How on earth would it get in the way? I've been using it since mine came on the first wave of shipments and not once has it gotten "in the way". In the way of what? It hasn't once reacted to my palms, even when resting one hand on it to be near the keyboard while using the trackpad with the other. I have to say I do dislike the force touch trackpad in general - it's just not firm/reactive enough, and the click doesn't react as fast as it would with my Late 2013's standard-click multitouch trackpad when working quickly. Can't do anything about that, though, unless I want to stick with the 2013.

Really, at the end of the day, if you need a quad core CPU and/or a GPU, you're getting a 15-inch model, and it will be plenty portable.

 

[Marshall73]

Bullcrap, even 13 has a nice weight. 15 is behemoth

Maybe if you are under 12 or are vertically challenged.

 

[Cache]

Went from 15 to 13, no regrets, 13 inch is the best compromise period. Sometimes feels like I'm carrying an iPad instead of a MBP.

 

[fs454]

Went from 15 to 13, no regrets, 13 inch is the best compromise period. Sometimes feels like I'm carrying an iPad instead of a MBP.

It's a great machine, no doubt. But if you have any inkling that you're gonna need more than 2 cores or a GPU, the 15" is plenty portable while offering these features. It's the most portable pro-level 15" notebook on the market by a long shot. I don't think anything else out there offers a GTX 960M-equivalent GPU + a quad core skylake and 10-hour battery in four pounds, half an inch of chassis.

 

[ImTheOne]

Over the years I have owned the following notebooks, 2006 - 13" MB (non-pro), 2008 - 15", 2012 - 13", 2013 - 15", 2015 - 13", 2016 - 13" and lastly 2016 - 15" and traveled with them frequently. Heres my take.

I love the 15" MBPs, you can tell by my track record that I will bounce around, but I always tend to come back to the 15". This is mainly because I work in IT and I am used to having a 3-4 monitor workspace, so when I am traveling or going site-to-site, I need the max amount of screen space I can get, because my day is non-stop multitasking. I made a 13" work but was never fully satisfied with the amount screen real estate I had to work with. I found myself doing things on my iPad Pro that I would typically have done on the laptop because I had the same amount of usability with it as the 13". I had originally pre-ordered the 13" 2016 tbMBP, I was thoroughly enjoying it, but I couldn't get the possibilities of the 15" off my mind. I was constantly questioning if I REALLY should have bought the 15" instead. I used that one for close to a month or so had an issue with the "O" key on the keyboard sticking and used the opportunity to return it and buy the 15", I will say I have been satisfied with my decision and do not have "buyer's remorse" looking back.

I love the 13" for different reasons, it is extremely portable and has been since the Retina models were introduced. The 2016 model is even more so, for God's sake the thing is just barely larger than a 12.9" iPad Pro and its a full fledge notebook. That's impressive. I will say, I got WORLDS better battery life out of the 2016 13" than I am getting out of the 2016 15". I'm talking HOURS better battery life and I am doing the exact same crap on the 15".

My truthfully deciding factors were these:
- Power
- Screen real estate
- Already carry a 12.9" iPad Pro, I didn't need the same exact thing with a different OS. (Basically)

Thus, my bag is filled with the 12.9" iPad Pro w/ KB and 2016 15" MBP.

My advice to you would be this:
If you ACTUALLY need the power and/or screen size of the 15" and battery life isn't a big deal to you, then go for it. But if portability, battery life, and moderate power is what you are looking for, I'd go 13".

Just like these guys have said, if you think you'd never get the other off your mind, then go buy one and if you don't fall in love, take that sucker back and get the other one.

 

[sarc]

I'm coming from a 2011 15"MBP and I can say this is so much better. It's smaller in every way and much lighter. I have no issues taking this with me every day.
I was thinking about getting the 13" but glad I didnt. The 13" is lighter and smaller again but tbh the 15" is just great with the extra screen space.