

Ask HN: MBP 13" or MBP 15"? - kung-fu-master

My current laptop is Dell with 17" screen (1920x1200). I'm switching to MBP but I can't decide MBP 13" or MBP 15". Is it comfortable to work on MBP 13" (mostly web development)? Or it would be better to buy 15"?<p>Another options are:
iMac (21", 27")
MBP 17"
MBA 13"<p>Any thoughts?
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dutchrapley
The answer is - it depends. I'll categorize them based on each computer.

I'm basing my recommendations on using a 13" Macbook for the last 3 1/2 years
and a 17" Macbook Pro (from work) for the last couple of months. Also, you
might want to hold off a little longer as the Macbook Pro line is due for an
update and it might be worth it to see what Apple does to them
(<http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/>).

13" Macbook Air

-memory capped at 4GB ram -1440 display resolution -no disc drive

The resolution makes this great choice for a portable 13". But, you don't have
a disc drive. You're limited to 4GB RAM and 256GB disk space. If you plan to
run any virtual machines or dual boot into Windows - I'd pass on the Air. If
you plan to do any work with iMovie and iDVD, that also rules this out with no
disk drive (you can buy an external drive). Otherwise, it's a solid choice or
portability.

\------------------------------------------ The Macbook Pro line is due for a
refresh.

13" Macbook Pro

-1280 dispaly resolution

This display size is a little small. That being said, I'm curious to see it
Apple will upgrade the display when this model is refreshed. I would loved to
see this form factor include the 1440 display that is in the MBAir. If you
plan to spend a great deal of time working from the same desk and have a
decent external display. This with a 27" Apple display would be a killer combo
and I'd prefer it over a 17" Macbook Pro. But, if you're on the go, I'd pass.

15" Macbook Pro

-1440 display resolution (upgradeable to 1680)

My next personal MBP would probably be this one with the upgraded display.
It's not too big and you've got a decent amount of screen real estate.

17" Macbook Pro

-1920 display resolution

This one is a little pricey, but at times the resolution is nice when using
something like BetterSnapTool or Double Pane to resize windows on the fly to
fill half a screen.

\------------------------------------------

CONCLUSION

The best all around value is the 15" Pro (with or without the upgraded
display). I would only buy another 13" if I knew I was going to be stationary
(most of the time) and would lean heavily on an external display.

------
achompas
Some people swear by their 15", while others (like me) have traded a bit of
screen size for some portability.

There are two major differences between the 15" Pro and the 13" Pro: monitor
options and computing power. The 15" is obviously more powerful, but you can
also add a higher resolution, anti-glare, or both to your screen. These are
non-trivial costs ($150-200 each, I think).

The 13" Air is the ultimate in portability, and people love their performance
so far. I ultimately went with the MBP, though, b/c I use my laptops for years
and questioned the Air's non-expandable RAM (4GB max).

~~~
ja27
I went with the 15" MBP with the screen upgrade (1680x1050 and anti-glare). To
me, the extra vertical pixels are a big plus when coding or writing.

------
brackin
I would say if you're going for a pro then go for the 15" MBP, you get the
full resolution display which is great for design and feels much more
comfortable. I'm using one now. Especially the trackpad and screen size.

On the 13" i'd go with an Air because where it loses in some places it makes
up in the advantages, such as weight and portability.

These are the choices i'd look at when looking for another Mac. My
recommendation for an all rounder is the 15" pro. It's not too heavy, thick or
hard to work from. I know a few 17" owners and they have trouble opening it up
and using it in a lot of places.

------
SHOwnsYou
I went with 15" MBP. I really wouldn't trade it for anything. In the store,
the 13" looked too small and an additional 2" was trivial in price (~200?).

A lot of people swear by the MBA - I'm not convinced. Do they weigh less than
my MBP? Yes. But can I swing the extra ~3LBS of weight? Yes. MBP has
expandable ram, more screen real estate, and a disk drive -- I need Windows
for a few applications I run and occasionally for testing - I don't even know
if it would be possible to install it without the disk drive.

------
hboon
If you (1) are willing to pay a bit more and (2) can do with the 4GB RAM
limit, and (3) can work with an external monitor when you need it, get the
most expensive MBA 13" base model with an upgraded processor.

If not, get the 3rd 15" MBP and upgrade the processor, screen to hi-res and HD
to SSD.

I just bought both recently.

------
wmf
I wouldn't give up my 15" MBP. But if you are in the market for 13", the Air +
TB display/dock looks better than the Pro.

------
pasbesoin
I recall reading that there are differences in the Thunderbolt support between
the 13" MB Pro and the 15". This may not matter to you, but if you are
planning/hoping to hook up a bunch of stuff (e.g. multiple external monitors),
have a look at this aspect before deciding.

