Your choice for MacBook screen size?

[andrew upstairs]

This poll is a bit silly.

People will pick the one they bought, and the poll will reflect the popularity of the models. Yes, price is a factor.

The least expensive one will be the most popular, and the most expensive one will be the least popular.

 

[-hh]

In my personal opinion, 13 is too small for me. I do some photography with my Canon Rebel XSi so I need a larger than 13 inch screen. 17 inches is a little to big for me. So I like my 15 inch.

No matter how large, screens always become "tight" when doing photography work. My desktop has a 20" and that's constraining, which means that none of these laptop sizes would be as good.

It's not about money. The 15" has already too big a footprint for carrying.

From a form factor perspective, my last set of work laptops went from a 4:3 to a widescreen and as a result went roughly from the height/width of standard letter paper (8.5" x 11") to legal paper (8.5" x 14") and this has resulted in a huge hassle - - it no longer 'simply drops' in my carry-on, etc. Plus the sucker weighs 7lbs instead of 5lbs, which is quite noticeable...to me.

The next work laptop will be small again. Work is paying for it, so cost is simply not a factor.

Rubbish. Mine's on my lap right now. It's just the right size. The screen is high enough that you don't have to look down.

I've owned a 17" for the last 3 years. Traveled internationally, took it to work every day for a year, been all over the place...If you can deal with the slightly reduced portability .. go for it. It's my only machine and I don't think I'd be happier with any other notebook in the lineup.

I've had major problems opening up my 15" Thinkpads while flying, as soon as the row ahead reclines. If you've been traveling internationally with a 17" without any problem, its obviously not riding back in coach, and/or you're not using it en route.


-hh

 

[bursabaju]

15" better than 13 dan 17.

15" is better for me.
Because their price is ideal for me.
And we can do some graphic design better than 13.

 

[GeekGirl*]

13" all the way!

 

[Maserati7200]

you would be better served with the 17.

1) bigger screen
2) better speakers
3) higher res

Some people also care about portability.

 

[macjonny1]

I would like one of each!

 

[cube]

This poll is a bit silly.

People will pick the one they bought

No, I would prefer at most 13", but I just got the prev gen 15" because ExpressCard becomes even bigger.

 

[drake]

Mine would be a 24" that folds up into the size of a 10" for transport.

 

[Kobra]

I voted for 13" as I want my laptops to be portable, in comparison to "movable" The 13" screen is just about right as it's a descent trade off between light/mobile and usable. I've used a 10" netbook since last autumn but I got rid of it and got the new mbp 13 instead. My only "gripe" with the mbp 13 is that I would have wanted a little bit higher screen resolution 1280*800 is on the lower end of the scale...

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Up to now I've always been a 15" guy. But I just bought a 13" MBP as a 2nd laptop and it's quickly changing my thought. It's just so much easier to carry around. I always thought the 17" was brick, but I'm starting to think the 15" is too. If only Apple would put a dedicated video card in the 13" I might never buy another 15" again.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Traveled internationally, took it to work every day for a year, been all over the place.

Sure, but most of us fly coach where there is barely enough room for our knees, let along a 17" laptop.

 

[MacAlpha]

I have the 15 uMBP and my wife has the 13 uMB. We have had various 13, 15 and 17 Windows laptops over the years. I still would have to say that I like the 15 the best and I carry my laptop everywhere (we also have a desktop screen if we need more real estate).

It really is a matter of personal choice as the difference in price isn't an issue for me, I just like the size of the 15. That being said, if I had to pick one other than the 15, I would go for the 13. I would prefer the Air but I would not buy one until they make one with the new touch pad. I know it seems like a small pet peeve, but after using the new touch pad, I would never go back to one with buttons.

 

[MBP09]

I wanted the 13" the first time it was announced since i don't want the hassle of carrying it around. But i thought about it and glad i got the 15" instead. 13" is cute and all but i like the bigger screen. Pair it up with the Neoprene Sleeve Plus = total portability.

 

[suekitch]

It really depends on what the person in question is after...

Someone who prioritises portability will most likely be going for the 13", unless they have any other specific reason for wanting the 15" (screen estate, but then, a person who wants the most portable is probably not so fussed about screen estate and is more concerned about it being that much easier to carry around all the time).

Someone who wants a desktop replacement will likely go for the 17" and be carrying it around less often.

Someone who wants a bit of both (and the price to match) will go for the 15"!

I've had 12", 13", 15" and a 17" laptop of varying makes over the years. I took the 17" with me on planes and stuff but it was a song and dance, and the charger was damn heavy too. The 12" was much better and meant I could carry more in my bag. My 13" isn't much different, and has the bonus of being thinner.

The 15" I never got to carry around that much, though.

I pick 12/13" because there are times when I carry it for about an hour every day, so it is a big deal to me. Plus it's nicer to watch things, or work on a plane. However, I also have a main desktop PC (which is now an iMac). If I didn't, I might consider a bigger size...

I probably sound like a spoilt computer brat, but the sad fact is I'm so busy with work I don't have time to spend money socially, so it all goes on computer toys D)

 

[thesmoth]

13" laptop and a 22/24" screen at home

It's the best of both worlds.

Having had two 15" laptops in the past, lugging them around was too difficult, not to mention the price jump between 13" and 15". I mean, in Canada, even after the student discount, the cheapest 15" starts @ $1900.

This.

The screen of the 17" would be awesome, and i'm a big guy so i'm not concerned about an extra pound or two (I used to carry around a hiking backpack with about 50 lbs of stuff usually for school during my undergrad). The 17" is just too expensive (i'm in canada as well) and the value isn't there. Getting an external LCD makes more sense.

Although an interesting point. I have a benq G2400 24" LCD here that is about a year old, and it was/is one of the best cheap TN panels around. I compared the quality to that of my new 13" MBP and with a calibrated 9C9E screen it blows away the benq.

Speaking of which I wonder if I can download calibration profiles for the benq?

 

[klee1987]

My 13" MBP is the largest laptop I've ever had - I had a 12" NEC and a 10.6" Sony before the MBP

 

[benlangdon]

(I used to carry around a hiking backpack with about 50 lbs of stuff usually for school during my undergrad).

haha math, physics or chem?

my pack is 40 lb right now, its a military 3 day assault backpack.
its massive, and i still fill it up

 

[harcosparky]

gotta love the poll results, who would not pick the 17 if money was not an option?

I walked into the Apple Store with $3500 in cash to buy a new computer.

After playing with them all, and taking into account planned and future use I opted for the 15".

I've owned 17" notebooks in the past, experience is a great teacher!

I became accustomed to the 15" when I bought into the powerbook line. I really liked the 12" unit, but it had no expansion slot so I went with the 15".

Even when I went in for the MBP, it was the expansion port ( EC ) and portability of the 15" that won me over.

When I go to buy, I don't care what the cost .... it just has to work !!!!

17" is a great " portable desktop ", not really a comfortable laptop!

 

[EMKarelia]

Oh comeon guys where are your 17"? I think that they are the best.

 

[bli625]

15".
Not too big, not too small.

 

[alphaod]

I currently like the 15" because I think that's the minimum screen resolution I can live with; personally if they charged the price of the 15" for the 13" with a 1440x900 display, I'd pay.

 

[tarasis]

Not Sure

My answer is I'm not sure.

I used a White MacBook for the past 2.5 years and it was the best computer / laptop I had ever had. Being able to easily move it around to where ever I was in the house (I look after my kids) and being able to sit with my wife on the sofa in the evening was great.

Come this year I got a 17" MBP (plan had been to buy an iMac for desktop computing / gaming but got swayed by others & more discount on Pro HW for ADC discount) but really it was too big. Don't get me wrong, its an amazing machine but was too big and certainly wasn't an easy thing to use on my lap. So sent it back and waited to see what WWDC would bring.

I opted to get a new 13" MBP (for its lighter weight, better screen, similar / better battery life (old white book was rated for 6 hours), trackpad, the 9400M) but I'm feeling a bit like I should have got the 15" for the extra screen real estate (I am moving more into Mac/iPhone coding in my spare time), the dedicated gfx (for windows games, I really have no need to use the 9600GT on OSX and I don't want to have a Windows PC anymore hence thinking about iMac to compliment the old white MacBook) and in a way the feeling of actually having "upgraded".

What would have been useful for me is to know someone locally that had a 15" that I could borrow for a bit and actually use to see how it felt, particularly on the lap and for moving about. I have become quite used to moving my MB open in the crook of my arm. Ordering a stock one to try it out, return it and ordering a BTO one would have been a bit much but ordering a BTO when I had no idea if I could really live with it also seemed cheeky.

So, long story short, for me 17" is too big, 13" is perfect for 4/5 of my needs and the 15" is unknown. Looks fine in shop but using it for real is something else (and shops don't tend to like you picking it up and putting it in the crook of your arm - odd that). I hope that Apple stick a dedicated chip in there but I suspect they won't given they introduced a 15" with just a 9400M.

 

[maestrocasa]

I'm definitely a 15" guy. I've used them all, and the 13 is just too small to work on for very long. I find myself squinting all the time. The 17" is a great screen, but the machine is too big to be hauled around very much. 15 is a great compromise. Good screen real-estate, not to big or heavy.

 

[entatlrg]

yes, the more I use both here and there, the 15" MBP has won me over, 13" is a little small for doing 'everything' and the 17" is too large for me ...

 

[butterfly0fdoom]

It's a toss-up between 13" and 15" for me. I've used a 14" ThinkPad, a 12" iBook, and an MB, and frankly I've found that the 13" screen was the sweet spot for me. Not that I would object to a 15" screen cuz the extra resolution would be nice. But I don't think I need it.