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Which screen size suits you, and why?

Which screen size suits you?

  • 13"

    Votes: 156 39.7%

  • 15"

    Votes: 177 45.0%

  • 17"

    Votes: 60 15.3%
  • Total voters
    393
I really think the 13" size is the sweet spot for me. When I'm at home, I hook my laptop up to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, so I don't really need a big screen on the laptop itself. When I'm on the go, I'll take the portability of the 13 over a 15 anytime!

That being said, I have a 15" MBP because solid discrete graphics are important to me. I don't play many games but I do at least like to have that capability. I am interested to see what Apple does with the new 13s. If it continues to be the "low end" of the spectrum, power and features wise, I'll likely be moving to the new Sony Vaio Z. (I like OS X but I am not wed to either platform).
 
Azmordean said:
I really think the 13" size is the sweet spot for me. When I'm at home, I hook my laptop up to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, so I don't really need a big screen on the laptop itself. When I'm on the go, I'll take the portability of the 13 over a 15 anytime!

That being said, I have a 15" MBP because solid discrete graphics are important to me. I don't play many games but I do at least like to have that capability. I am interested to see what Apple does with the new 13s. If it continues to be the "low end" of the spectrum, power and features wise, I'll likely be moving to the new Sony Vaio Z. (I like OS X but I am not wed to either platform).
Click to expand...

Yeah I like the 13", and the 15" too but the 13" is lighter and a bit more portable:D
 
Resolution?

Hmm... why are these polls always about screen size and not about resolution?

I don't really care about screen size. What I care about are the number of pixels on screen. Ideally I'd want 2560x1600 pixels on my laptop. But whether that's 13", 15" or 17" I don't care as much.

I know 2560x1600 pixels on a 13" screen would be super small text.
But it would be great if a laptop that size would have that many pixels.
Many apps can zoom these days - you just get crisper text, and that's what counts for me.
And if the (mythical) resolution independence ever happens this should be even less of an issue.

So which box do I tick in the poll? :D
 
the 13... i have an iMac if i need a bigger screen. 13 is more portable and i don't need a big screen for what i use it for. Not to mention it was cheaper:)
 
I like the 15, it gives you a good size screen for on a desk, and its not to big to put on your lap. Although if portability is the key need, than the 12inch ands down. I really see no need for the 17, you can get basically all the same hardware in the 15, and if your really looking for a big monitor to work on at home, you can always pick up an external monitor.
 
13" is more portable than the others, and good for most day to day tasks, but anything serious or requiring a better resolution sort of bugs me.

I hope when they redesign they put a higher resolution display on the 13", then it would be my ideal machine
 
I currently use a 13" MBA and a 15" MBP. I like the 13" 10X more than the 15". I want portability.

I have also owned a 10" netbook... and returned it because it was to small to be useful for my needs.

My overall advice:

Dual Machine (Notebook and Desktop)

Notebook: Optimize for portability/usability. For me, 13" works great
Desktop: Bigger is better: I have a 27" i7 iMac and a 30" PC.​

Single Machine (Notebook only)
Consider a 15" instead.​

/Jim
 
The 13" display on my MBA is just fine for me because I mainly travel with it for the sake of having email, internet, etc. with the ability to occasionally do work on it. But it's not my main work machine (that would be the 27" iMac).
 
auero said:
15" but I'm going back to a 17" next revision. The resolution is much needed (for me personally) and I like being able to have a portable "desktop". Yeah you can have a monitor attached but that means you have to work at your desk where that screen is. When I had a 17" I was able to setup anywhere I go and not have to be pestered with cables and calibrating monitors. If you're doing any design work or photography the 17" is the way to go. For everything else, the 15" is suitable.

I wonder what some of you are complaining about when you say the 17" is too big. It's width is only 1.12 inches more and its depth is only 0.69 inches more. Thats hardly a difference to say it's way too big and clunky. The previous aluminum 17" which I had did feel bulky but with this new unibody design its beautiful.

4d19j9
Click to expand...

I'm agree with you.
 
Pro commercial and fine art photographer here, the 13" is much better for travel, I have a MacPro at home for big scans, large edits. I used to have a 15", but it did not fit in nearly the amount of spaces the 13 does. I miss the extra screen size only sometimes.

I will never own larger than the 13...
 
After seeing my friend's 15", I really wouldn't mind having one of those. I got the 13" myself for portability, but I think I would enjoy having the extra 2".
 
wow, the 15" is now equal to the 13" in the Poll for the first time.

I'm surprised, I expected due to the lower price of the 13" that it would be ahead, goes to show I suppose that regardless of price a LOT of people are set on the 15"....
 
entatlrg said:
wow, the 15" is now equal to the 13" in the Poll for the first time.

I'm surprised, I expected due to the lower price of the 13" that it would be ahead, goes to show I suppose that regardless of price a LOT of people are set on the 15"....
Click to expand...

Yeah Apple said so themselves that the 13" was their most popular Mac... Though 116 people is hardly a lot of people... Maybe all the 13" owners aren't on Mac Rumours lol...:rolleyes:
 
17 for the resolution

My work environment has both 15s and 17s, and I can't tell the difference unless I look closely.
 
13, because of the portability.

For me it's perfect, fits in my different tote bags. I assume if I actually did work on it, i'd get a bigger size lol.
 
Yea, 13" is great for all tasks on the go and it's ideal if you have or can hook up to an external monitor at office/home.

15/17" becomes desirable if you're not carrying it that much and you're not hooking up to an external monitor often.

Although some would argue the 13" is best for on the couch use too ... lighter on the lap and less clunky too handle....
 
I have a 15", and it's great, but I'd prefer the 13" if I was getting a new machine, for the portability (not the weight, but the size). I wanted aluminum, and back in 2006, 13" was only in the black and white plastic macbooks.

However, I might stick with 15" for future machines if Apple decides not to stick dedicated graphics into the 13".
 
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