Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Portability of 2016 MBP 15 for college student
- Thread starter 913479
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Are you referring to the 2016 Macbook Pro or older ones? 2016 model has a slightly smaller footprint? I'm asking because I travel a lot, and as you said, with the 13" I have no problem in the plane, but I was thinking of getting a 15" soon...
Also interested in this as I find my 2014 15" a tad too big for the plane - wondering how the 2016 version is in a plane seat
I just checked, it's 6mm shorter than 2015 model...not that much. Still, it would be interesting if someone with first-hand experience in a plane seat could give his two cents.
I have owned both the 13" 2016 and the 15" 2016, and while there is only a pound difference in weight, I found that lugging it around a college campus for hours at a time, the 15" was overkill for my needs. That said, I have a pretty monster iMac at home, so for me, having portability was more important than power.
For crowded lecture halls and classrooms, you can't beat the 13".
For crowded lecture halls and classrooms, you can't beat the 13".
That's the general idea I've gotten. If Apple only releases an update for the 15 inch on Monday though I might have to go with a 15 instead of a 13
Okd
Older ones. Have not flown with the 2016 model. Well if you fly first class problem solved.
Older ones. Have not flown with the 2016 model. Well if you fly first class problem solved.
If you fly internationally I suspect problem will be resolved for all if current ban is extended and adopted by all carriers
I used an even larger older-model 15" MBP in class throughout college and grad school. It was great. I wouldn't want to go smaller, as you can have a lot of screen space on the go.
I think your point is completely valid in that most of the people I know who carry the 15" use it as their main machine. The resolution is fantastic, and it's still fairly portable.
But all of that being said I also know a lot of people (surprisingly) with the 13" who do web design full time on the 13" without an external display.
For me, if I didn't have the large screen iMac at home, I would have to carry the 15". I can't imagine using illustrator or photoshop on the 13" screen full time. However, being able to pull out my MacBook Pro on the train commute and rock out some code or tweak some illustrator files is invaluable.
The 13" feels much smaller and more portable. I almost mistook it for a 12" Macbook. That is good - you want your notebook to be portable and I think the 13" is the best mix of power and mobility.
I need 15" for illustration work, but if you're just going to do things that don't require the screen space - I would say go with 13".
Nava wrote:
"If Apple only releases an update for the 15 inch on Monday though I might have to go with a 15 instead of a 13"
Keep in mind that even though a new 13" might not be -announced- at WWDC, its release probably won't be far behind...
"If Apple only releases an update for the 15 inch on Monday though I might have to go with a 15 instead of a 13"
Keep in mind that even though a new 13" might not be -announced- at WWDC, its release probably won't be far behind...
Likely October. That seems to be a popular time for Apple to get computers out before the Xmas buying season, and after back to school, where they drop the prices or give other incentives on the current models to clean out inventory.
[doublepost=1496331148][/doublepost]BTW, I know this is way off topic, but do students really use a laptop to take notes? It has been a long time since I was in college, but I imagine something like a iPad Pro with a pencil would be a much better choice.
Yes. I suppose anything is "portable." I carried a 15 in my briefcase for years. It was portable. But, it still had a big footprint. And, it was heavy.
This time I wanted something different so I purchased a 13" after comparing the two. The 15" is fine and much lighter than previous generations, but it still has a huge footprint. The 13" is light and easy to carry with one hand. After using both, I'm happy with the screen size and the quad core processor in the 15" is an overkill for my use.
For a student, I don't think you can go wrong with the 13".
Ah I'm in a bad situation where I need a new computer soon. I got a MBP 2016 in May, and immediately sold my old MBA 2013. I saw the possibility that new ones could be released at WWDC... so I returned the MBP 2016.
Yes, I could rebuy a 2016 MBP 13 inch or get a 2017 MBP 15 inch.
Best case is the 13 also gets updated on Monday but that seems less likely from what I've read.
Forget what you read. No one knows except Apple people, and they are not talking. But on Monday we will all know.
I haven't seen any students in my classes using iPad and pencil for taking notes, but in an average class of 20 college freshmen, I typically have a breakdown like thus:
7-8 students don't take any notes at all (but 2-3 of them will have an iPad just for accessing online readings and PDF handouts)
7-8 take notes with old fashioned paper and pencil (but again, 2-3 of them will have an ipad just for accessing online readings and PDF handouts)
4-5 take notes on a laptop.
Mind you--that's for freshmen. By the time they're sophomores, the 7-8 that don't take any notes at all have often washed out or are repeating freshman classes they failed.
Rubbish. If you are taking notes you are not listening and these days there are always downloads. The 7-8 not taking notes are probably the top of class group / hungover
