The wait is over, but which one? 13/15

[jmdMac]

Hi all,
I am ready to buy a new macbook and have been waiting since winter break for the updates. I however cannont decide between the base 15" or the high end 13". I am not exactly sure what my needs even call for. I am a junior engineering student, I use a lot of excel, word processing, photoshop, and a couple minor engineering programs. I would like to get into photography a little more and may be trying out aperture as well. Other than that I surf the web, listen to itunes, watch movies, and play a few games once in a while. The games I play are usually not that high end(heroes of newerth, AOE, rome, and those type of games) but it would be nice to play them on decently high settings.
The portability of the 13" is a major plus, but how much is even really compared to a 15"?
Any input on this would be much appreciated, this is an expensive decision I want to make right.

 

[armaanjena]

I would suggest you either go for the base 13" or the base 15" as they seem the best value for money options now BUT WHATEVER YOU DO AVOID THE HIGH END 13".

 

[jmdMac]

I would suggest you either go for the base 13" or the base 15" as they seem the best value for money options now BUT WHATEVER YOU DO AVOID THE HIGH END 13".

wow thanks for the advice, i was seriously considering getting the high end 13
but why should i avoid it?

 

[A Macbook Pro]

wow thanks for the advice, i was seriously considering getting the high end 13
but why should i avoid it?

Because the difference is extremely minimal for the price. Just get the 15'' base and get the latest i5 technology, the better graphics, and the bigger screen. You will NOT regret it!

 

[mg1921]

Hi all,

First time poster looking at making the switch from PC to Mac and the new MBP updates look good. I'm currently at university so like the portability of a laptop (currently have a 1.5 year old Asus laptop). However looking at either selling this and buying MBP or alternatively buying 27" iMac and keeping laptop.
Alternatives as I see it are:
13" MBP base model ($1399 AUD with edu discount) (and then buy external monitor)
15" MBP base or 2nd model i5 ($2099/$2299)
27" iMac quad core ($2480)

Will the 13" be sufficient to be my main computer in terms of RAM and processor speed?

Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[jmdMac]

Hi all,

First time poster looking at making the switch from PC to Mac and the new MBP updates look good. I'm currently at university so like the portability of a laptop (currently have a 1.5 year old Asus laptop). However looking at either selling this and buying MBP or alternatively buying 27" iMac and keeping laptop.
Alternatives as I see it are:
13" MBP base model ($1399 AUD with edu discount) (and then buy external monitor)
15" MBP base or 2nd model i5 ($2099/$2299)
27" iMac quad core ($2480)

Will the 13" be sufficient to be my main computer in terms of RAM and processor speed?

Thanks, much appreciated!

I would say the base 15 would do you nicely, as it was suggested for me. and we seem to be in the same boat. but i'm no expert, hopefully one will answer this.

 

[A Macbook Pro]

Hi all,

First time poster looking at making the switch from PC to Mac and the new MBP updates look good. I'm currently at university so like the portability of a laptop (currently have a 1.5 year old Asus laptop). However looking at either selling this and buying MBP or alternatively buying 27" iMac and keeping laptop.
Alternatives as I see it are:
13" MBP base model ($1399 AUD with edu discount) (and then buy external monitor)
15" MBP base or 2nd model i5 ($2099/$2299)
27" iMac quad core ($2480)

Will the 13" be sufficient to be my main computer in terms of RAM and processor speed?

Thanks, much appreciated!

Hi! Welcome to the forums!

The 13'' may not be the best computer for you I reckon. The middle 15'' will do everything you want it to do at a fast speed and you will be pretty well off. Remember though you do not need an Apple monitor to connect your MBP. I use my Sony TV!

 

[mg1921]

I would say the base 15 would do you nicely, as it was suggested for me. and we seem to be in the same boat. but i'm no expert, hopefully one will answer this.

Thanks jmdMac - I would say I use mine for the same reasons as you - running MS Office for uni, having a few safari pages open, perhaps watching videos mainly and some very light gaming. The thing that is attracting me to the iMac is the extra screen real estate for watching movies etc.

 

[A Macbook Pro]

Thanks jmdMac - I would say I use mine for the same reasons as you - running MS Office for uni, having a few safari pages open, perhaps watching videos mainly and some very light gaming. The thing that is attracting me to the iMac is the extra screen real estate for watching movies etc.

Oh, well if that's what your doing then bottom 15'' is the obvious choice. Anything else is just stupid.

 

[hypermog]

Hi all,
I am ready to buy a new macbook and have been waiting since winter break for the updates. I however cannont decide between the base 15" or the high end 13". I am not exactly sure what my needs even call for. I am a junior engineering student, I use a lot of excel, word processing, photoshop, and a couple minor engineering programs. I would like to get into photography a little more and may be trying out aperture as well. Other than that I surf the web, listen to itunes, watch movies, and play a few games once in a while. The games I play are usually not that high end(heroes of newerth, AOE, rome, and those type of games) but it would be nice to play them on decently high settings.
The portability of the 13" is a major plus, but how much is even really compared to a 15"?
Any input on this would be much appreciated, this is an expensive decision I want to make right.

I think the performance gain for the $300 you spend going from high end 13" to base 15" will be well worth it. The only factor I can see is which size you prefer.

 

[zodqyv]

I bought a new 13" MacBook Pro (along with an iPad). I don't care how much more powerful the 15" machines are. I need a compact computer for sitting around the house, taking on roadtrips, and taking on airplanes. At home I can always use a Mac Pro if I need more power.

I have a small family (three) so we basically buy one of each new 13" machines as they are released. That way they don't all become outdated at the same time.

 

[JoeG4]

I had a MacBook and a 15" PowerBook G4. I still have the PowerBook laying around, but sold the MacBook after 2 years because I couldn't stand that little screen.

I'm not sure where you fall on that, but the plusses of the 15" to me far outweigh the negatives. For example, that awesome 15" screen, and its high(er) res when compared to the 13". When working on pictures and in photoshop you will LOVE that extra res, I am positive.

Some people are all over the place on this though. Does an extra pound matter to you THAT much? Does the extra size ruin portability for you? Do you have a desktop?

If you have a desktop you will use for hardcore work like Photoshopping and Aperature, then get the 13". If the computer will be your only computer, I'd think about a 15".

Shoot, I went nuts and got a 16" this time around and so far I'm loving that, but I'm beginning to think it was largely overkill since I have a very large monitor setup at my desk and plan on getting a shiny new Mac Pro this summer.

 

[mg1921]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I suppose what it comes down to is whether and to what extent I will notice the difference in speed and power between the base 13" and the base 15" for the uses I listed above. And is the extra $700 price between the two worth it? Any thoughts? As I can always buy an external monitor from another manufacturer down the track. Thanks again!

 

[King Apple]

get the base 15"

 

[dendritic cells]

If you have time, you might want to wait for benchmarks and direct comparison between those two. Actually you can already get some hints here: 13 and 15.

I think 13 will be sufficient for most of your needs (including CS5), but if you really need the performance for routine heavy duty Aperture/Photoshop stuffs I would consider the 15 or even iMac.

And I agree with those guys, I would avoid the high-end 13.