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UGHHH, how do you even decide?

kp98077

kp98077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 26, 2010
4,328
2,770
Whistler, BC
between the 2019 Pro 13" and 15" such a tough decision:
15"2019 Love base line model): Screen size, Power (did I say Power?!), full, nice keyboard!Ease of seeing entire article/photos easily on large screen. Tradition....

13" love: travel ease, ease for travel, prettify powerful, decent keyboard, but I prefer 15" better, easier to type on .

Will be hard decision as to which on to keep! anyone been though this and have any ideas or wisdom?

thanks-
 
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For me the 15" travels just as well. I think it'll come down to what you do with your machine. Will you need the extra power and screen real estate? I'm a professional photographer and videographer - so the power and screen size of the 15 wins out.
 
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I have a 13" from 2015, so in between the current generation 13" and 15" in terms of size and weight. Assuming that similar dimensions are in use for my next purchase, that means that it's a slight uplift I'm load for a 15" and a slight reduction of load for the 13". The 15" isn't going to break my back (neither would the 2015 15") so while I value portability as I take my MacBook in a backpack on a regular basis, it's not a deal breaker between these two. I don't need the performance of the quad core or more though. It would be nice, I likely will go quad core next time, but it's not like I need it. When I am hammering the processor it's not in time sensitive conditions that are costing me dollars, it's for casual use.

So 13" and 15" screen sizes being equally useful for me, I still lean to the 13" for the ease of carry, cheaper price point, and because I just don't need the horsepower of the 15". I am tempted alll the same :D. But the reality is that the 13" fits my needs better.
 
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kp98077 said:
Will be hard decision as to which on to keep! anyone been though this and have any ideas or wisdom?
Click to expand...
For me it wasn't a hard decision.
15" pros: larger screen - more real estate, more cores, faster processor, dedicated GPU. Typically you can upgrade the components more, i.e., higher values of ram, etc etc.
 
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I came from a 2011 13" MacBook Pro. it weighed 4.5 pounds I think and my 2016 15" is just as portable if not more and weighs 4 pounds. Its not much bigger than a normal notebook in a backpack. 15" all the way to me its very portable because of how thin and light it is. A 17" would be good for me if they kept it the same thickness as current gens.
 
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maflynn said:
For me it wasn't a hard decision.
15" pros: larger screen - more real estate, more cores, faster processor, dedicated GPU. Typically you can upgrade the components more, i.e., higher values of ram, etc etc.
Click to expand...

This.

I got a 13" and immediately regretted my purchase a few weeks in... Was too late to send it back again.. Never settle for a 13" unless you are a causal user.
 
Go to a store that carries them and try both. I have no regrets for getting the 13", despite being an advanced user. It felt more comfortable for me to use/carry and the specs were fine for my use.

I only wish you could get the same specs without a touch bar, but that's not a huge problem. It would be nice to still have a hardware escape key, is all.
 
MrGunnyPT said:
This.

I got a 13" and immediately regretted my purchase a few weeks in... Was too late to send it back again.. Never settle for a 13" unless you are a causal user.
Click to expand...
Now that's practical advise :) so true though!
[doublepost=1559143226][/doublepost]
Buran said:
Go to a store that carries them and try both. I have no regrets for getting the 13", despite being an advanced user. It felt more comfortable for me to use/carry and the specs were fine for my use.

I only wish you could get the same specs without a touch bar, but that's not a huge problem. It would be nice to still have a hardware escape key, is all.
Click to expand...
yes good points, but the 2019 13 performance is not that close to the baseline 15 even IMO...apple really differentiated the two I believe.......
 
kp98077 said:
Now that's practical advise :) so true though!
[doublepost=1559143226][/doublepost]
yes good points, but the 2019 13 performance is not that close to the baseline 15 even IMO...apple really differentiated the two I believe.......
Click to expand...

Try to connect 13" tb 2017 to dual 4k monitors and come talk to me.. ain't pretty.
 
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the 15" is definitely to me anyway, not as lap friendly (seems a bit heavy, but no intolerable...) as the 13" :(
guess you can't have all features (unless they unveil a 14" haha....
 
Just remember that at the end of the day, they are both ultrabooks and are lighter than any other plain laptop. I only say that if you think you need the extra power, then you should get the 15" because it's the same for me.
I got the 13" 2017 MBP 128GB, then went to the 256GB because it was clear I was going to store more stuff on it. Then I switched up to the 2018 MBP 512GB... mostly because of a sale, but really because I also wanted the quad core processor for longevity.

The 15" has a 6 core no? That laptop will last a real long time.

And don't forget to get Applecare :)
 
currahee2100 said:
Just remember that at the end of the day, they are both ultrabooks and are lighter than any other plain laptop. I only say that if you think you need the extra power, then you should get the 15" because it's the same for me.
I got the 13" 2017 MBP 128GB, then went to the 256GB because it was clear I was going to store more stuff on it. Then I switched up to the 2018 MBP 512GB... mostly because of a sale, but really because I also wanted the quad core processor for longevity.

The 15" has a 6 core no? That laptop will last a real long time.

And don't forget to get Applecare :)
Click to expand...
thanks, do you have a 15"? or do you find 13" good enough for your needs?
 
If there were no hardware issues, no question I'd own a 15" MBP - more screen real estate, more powerful components inside.

I briefly purchased both sizes some years ago and preferred the 15". Whenever I go into an Apple Store that is the size I always fiddle around with.
 
kazmac said:
If there were no hardware issues, no question I'd own a 15" MBP - more screen real estate, more powerful components inside.

I briefly purchased both sizes some years ago and preferred the 15". Whenever I go into an Apple Store that is the size I always fiddle around with.
Click to expand...

yeah good points,, for the hardware, I think the 2019 is much better.. well see..
 
Anyone choose the base model or 6 core 15"? the 8 core is another $400 (of course you get the 512 memory too which is nice).. jeez these things are expensive....!
 
I can speak from my personal experience and give my personal opinion.

I used a late 2013 rMPB 13" until recently. Upgraded to a 2019 15"

I have no regrets. The bigger screen makes up for the lack of portability.

It's big, IMO, but I couldn't go back to a 13"

So I'm having to adjust, but it's worth it.

If i absolutely had to have portability then I would get the 13". That thing is super nice IMO.
 
Hieveryone said:
I can speak from my personal experience and give my personal opinion.

I used a late 2013 rMPB 13" until recently. Upgraded to a 2019 15"

I have no regrets. The bigger screen makes up for the lack of portability.

It's big, IMO, but I couldn't go back to a 13"

So I'm having to adjust, but it's worth it.

If i absolutely had to have portability then I would get the 13". That thing is super nice IMO.
Click to expand...

Yeah I agree! That screen! Sexy ....
What configuration did you get ?
 
2019 13", i7, 16GB, 1TB. CalDigit TS3+ Thunderbolt Dock, Razer Core X, Sapphire Radeon Vega 56 with dual Dell 27" 4K displays, bootcamp on an external Samsung X5 SSD for Windows gaming. Portable workhorse on the go, easy to carry anywhere and incredibly compact. Docked here it's a beast in Windows or MacOS. 2019-06-05 23.52.16.jpg 2019-06-05 23.52.33.jpg
 
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WickedPorter said:
2019 13", i7, 16GB, 1TB. CalDigit TS3+ Thunderbolt Dock, Razer Core X, Sapphire Radeon Vega 56 with dual Dell 27" 4K displays, bootcamp on an external Samsung X5 SSD for Windows gaming. Portable workhorse on the go, easy to carry anywhere and incredibly compact. Docked here it's a beast in Windows or MacOS. View attachment 841172 View attachment 841173
Click to expand...

That’s a NIIICE setup you got there!
 
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I would say that it depends on what you are doing workflow wise, also which screen size you prefer. I had a 2011 Macbook Pro before it died last year, it was the 15" version and it was a great machine. Be mindful tho that the Macbook Pro's from 2016 were reduced in volume, so the 15" Macbook Pro from 2011 for example is wider, thicker and taller (i believe) mine was also heavier (around 5 pounds).

The first time i picked up a 15" Macbook Pro 2018 i was amazed at how light it was, in fact i had to look in case i had picked up the 13" by mistake. Compared to the older Mac's the newer ones are a lot lighter and more portable.

Personally whenever i go to the Apple store, i play around with both the 13" and 15" models. I do like the bigger screen since you can do more multitasking, BUT with the Sidecar feature coming in MacOS Catalina (assuming you have an iPad) screen size might not be that much of an issue.

The 13" is still more portable, it has a quad core processor which for most lightweight tasks i don't think will be an issue. If you need a powerhouse i would get the 15".
 
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