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Which MBP? 17" -vs- 15"

shecky said:
i was on the fence for a while about the 15 vs. 17 MBP and then i did a very wise thing: i went to an apple store and saw them side-by-side. the 17 is marginally bigger in size, marginally heavier, and marginally more expensive. but you get much bigger screen, better video (in this incarnation at least) FW800, cooler running, more battery life. now who is to say what the C2D versions will bring, but at the moment the benefits far outweigh the negatives on the 17. i think people who say "thats huge! its not portable!" etc.. have never actually stood in an apple store and seen it next to a 15.

the 17 vs. a MB seems like to wildly different ends of the spectrum to me. if you can live with the MB then it seems like the 17 would be way too much computer for what you are doing; in which case save the money and go to a macbook. for me (professional designer in print + motion) the MB is not enough. Actually i was considering going with an entry level MB and a mid-level Mac Pro since i MUST have portability but i can do all the heavy stuff at home; unfortunately that would be 30% more expensive and a bigger PITA to sync data across two machines, so since i can only afford one machine its gonna be the 17 MBP.
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shecky - I did exactly that last weekend with my other/better (only because she introduced me to the world of Macs!) half. I agree, the 17" is only marginally bigger, heavier, and more expensive, and hence I ended up in this conundrum of not knowing what to do. The issue is this - I am NOT paying for the 15" - it is being sent to me by Apple as a replacement for my now-dead 12" PowerBook, which means that I will have to sell it (probably at a discount) to fund either a top-of-the range MacBook without any additional cash or pony up some $$$ for the 17" MacBook Pro.

You're also right in that the machines I am looking at are at different ends of the laptop world. As you pointed out, the MacBook would definitely be sufficient for my needs; the main driving force behind an interest in the 17" Macbook Pro is the screen size. However, it is not vital, and I could live with the MacBook as my main computer, sans external screen.

In any case, thanks for your thoughts - much appreciated as I slowly approach decision day.
 
The 17" MBP is truly a mini-desktop computer. It's actually a BETTER machine than the iMac, even the highest-end one, so it's going to be extreme overkill for you if you don't use any Pro Apps.

Get yourself a nice big iMac for home, and a cheapie MB or even a used iBook to tote around if need be. Sure, you'll have two depreciating machines instead of one, but at the end of the day, I think you'll have less issues with the iMac than you would a notebook (just by default) and it's never a good idea to use a notebook as your primary machine - having two is ideal, as you save wear and tear on your notebook.
 
clintob said:
The 17" MBP is truly a mini-desktop computer. It's actually a BETTER machine than the iMac, even the highest-end one, so it's going to be extreme overkill for you if you don't use any Pro Apps.

Get yourself a nice big iMac for home, and a cheapie MB or even a used iBook to tote around if need be. Sure, you'll have two depreciating machines instead of one, but at the end of the day, I think you'll have less issues with the iMac than you would a notebook (just by default) and it's never a good idea to use a notebook as your primary machine - having two is ideal, as you save wear and tear on your notebook.
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clintob - I think (well, I know!) you are right; unfortuantely, I live in a flat so a desktop is not an option for home, and the office space is temporary at best, and I might actually end up working at home. Hence the whole debate about the two machines centering around screen size.

But for my needs, the MacBook is truly enough... I think I will go down that route.
 
shecky said:
agreed. one thing: have you considered the glossy vs. matte screen issue? for me personally the glossy screen is not something i would want whatsoever.

just an FYI.
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Thanks for the heads-up; one further complication - the person I was going to sell my 15" MBP (if/when it arrives from Apple) liked the notion of a 17" (he asked why I was selling, and I told him) that he just went and bought one!!! :-( Oh well, but at least there is another convert amongst us. :)
 
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