Size matters?!

[zwt]

All right I just registered cos I wanted your opinion and feedback guys here. I have a wonderful 13" MacBook Pro from 2010 with 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM which I use daily (10-12 hours) in the past almost 10 years now for programming/coding. It works great but in the past few weeks it started to wear down so while I'm aware of the issues with the recent hardwares I said why not and bought myself a 13" MacBook Pro with touch bar. It just arrived a few days ago and it feels so different than the old one. Much thinner, more powerful (less fan spin ups), better looking little machine.

So I have turned this on and I immediately noticed that even though the screen size supposed to be the same, the texts and overall everything is much smaller than on my old one.- Looking at the settings the default is 1440x990, setting this to 1280x800 made things better while 1024x640 is just ugly so I decided to keep this on 1280x800 and now things are larger but I feel its still smaller than on the old one. I compared the computer and from outside the screen seems to be identical physically, just the body got smaller over the years.

All in all, the question: Is there anybody using this new 13" Retina MacBook for work for +10 hour daily in the past at least 2 years? Is this okay for a long term? I'm worried about my eyes. Maybe it just that the whole thing feels much smaller what I had and it will go away. I seriously started to consider switching this to a 15 inch but I really like it's portability.

Share your feedbacks please, thanks.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I went with portability - 2017 MBP TB 13'. I'm fighting between best for display (1440) and more space (1680 I believe?).

I code on 2 27' monitors. I don't know if I could code on my 13' MBP. Sure they're only 1920x1080 but readability is more important to me than massive resolutions.

I connect my 13' MBP to an external monitor at home when I use it.

That's my feedback. I'd recommend external monitors. If I had to code on the MBP only, I'd go with the 15' if portability and price were of no factor.

 

[zwt]

That's what everybody tells me get an external display. I just don't want to. I spent 10 years with a 13" and it was okay, had no issues so just wondering is it because its new and different or really somehow things changed.

 

[pallymore]

I've been using 13inch MBPs for the past 7 years - however at work I usually use two external displays which are essential for productivity. I chose the 13inch because I travel a lot and I like its portability. When I'm traveling I use 1680x1050 - the fonts are indeed a bit small but it doesn't bother me too much.

If you feel like the fonts are too small for you at higher res, and they are too big when you use the default, you probably should get a 15inch. current gen 15inch MBPs are not too bad when it comes to portability - however it feels like a monster at first if you are used to its smaller brother.

 

[Howard2k]

You should use what's comfortable for you, not what's comfortable for the majority. I use a 13" and use 1440. I'd change it in a heartbeat if I felt like it, since I can just change it back just as easily.

I don't use an external monitor.


I haven't died yet.

 

[kp98077]

you could get a 15"?

 

[leman]

The resolution has increased compared to your old laptop. You will get used to it. The new display is massively better. It’s ok for long term. And text in the 15” is not larger, it’s identical. You just have more display area to work with.

Make sure you are using optical correction (if your eye sight is not 100%), set the display to whatever works for you, and enjoy your wonderful machine.

 

[zwt]

The resolution has increased compared to your old laptop. You will get used to it. The new display is massively better. It’s ok for long term. And text in the 15” is not larger, it’s identical. You just have more display area to work with.

Make sure you are using optical correction (if your eye sight is not 100%), set the display to whatever works for you, and enjoy your wonderful machine.

Thank you. Its just 2 days old so fingers crossed