13" MBP - Will I regret it?

[Mwindow]

Hello,

So with Lion due soon(ish) I'm getting ready to make the jump to a Mac. I just need to decide between 13" MBP or 15" MBP with hi-res screen?

With Apple Care and education discount the difference is £455.40. Is the 15" worth the extra or will I regret going small?

cheers,
Matt

 

[Christopher]

15" is the better machine if it's your main computer, especially now with the HR upgrade.

If you travel or move around a lot, you'll find the 13" better. I still find my 15" MBP a little bulky to move around sometimes. I'd get an Air but it still lacks things I want.

 

[Munson]

Yes you will regret it. The screen on the 13" is from 1999.

 

[Revels]

What are you going to be doing with it? Where are you going to be doing it?

 

[The Boosh!]

I got a 13" one for university/watching p**n.

It's excellent to be honest. I hardly notice it in my bag and it's a very powerful machine for the size of it.

 

[Christopher]

Yes you will regret it. The screen on the 13" is from 1999.

Pretty much. Very dated nowadays, I can't believe it wasn't sorted for the last revision.

 

[Christopher]

F*cking forum!!!!!

 

[Munson]

Pretty much. Very dated nowadays, I can't believe it wasn't sorted for the last revision.

Yup. It's pretty terrible when you're used to panels with half decent PPI. The reduction working area is not the main concern, it's the fact that Apple's font smoothing looks very ropey in such low PPI. Turning the brightness up high makes it even worse. If the OP thinks he may be disappointed with the 13" screen, then I promise he will be. Don't do it. I did and hardly use it anymore.

 

[Munson]

Pretty much. Very dated nowadays, I can't believe it wasn't sorted for the last revision.

Yup. It's pretty terrible when you're used to panels with half decent PPI. The reduction working area is not the main concern, it's the fact that Apple's font smoothing looks very ropey in such low PPI. Turning the brightness up high makes it even worse. If the OP thinks he may be disappointed with the 13" screen, then I promise he will be. Don't do it. I did and hardly use it anymore.

 

[Munson]

F*cking forum!!!!!

F*cking forum!!!!

 

[Munson]

F*cking forum!!!!!

F*cking forum!!!!

EDIT: Oh JFC

 

[Revels]

Just buy a 27" TBH.

 

[DB.]

I got the 13" for the same reason as Boosh, kinda wish I had the 15" now though!

Ah well, getting a 27" iMac soon

 

[Coby.]

Just buy a 27" TBH.

CS needs a stock phrase section where this and buy Turinis should be the only 2 options.

 

[cava83]

I am happy with my 13" due to the portability. When I need to see things clearer, I use my external monitor.

Depends on what you are looking to do.

As stated, the 13" screen, specially on the latest revision hasnt been improved, should be the same as the MBA but they didn't upgrade it.

Don't think you will regret it, just depends what you need to do for it.

If it's p**n, it's too small.

 

[Revels]

CS needs a stock phrase section where this and buy Turinis should be the only 2 options.

The 27" iMac is the best thing Apple make. By far.

You have to use one regularly to realise just how brilliant it is.

 

[Cup_Phil]

If you plan on using it outside the glossy screen is a bag of s**t - you need to get the matt screen or all you can see is your own reflection!

And if it's your main machine - I'd go for the 15"

I got the 15" a year ago and chucked an 8gb crucial memory kit in it for £60 - it flies.
Girlfriend has the 13" and it does struggle if you do any photo editing or anything like that on it

If you're just using it for documents/web/email and only in the house though the 13" glossy screen will be fine. Though you could save more money and get an iPad 2 instead

 

[Mwindow]

WOW cheers for all the responses guys.

In a ideal world I would be getting a 27" iMac as it will be my main (only) machine and may only leave the house a couple of times a year when I go to the parents place in Spain. Unfortunately I've not long since moved in with the other half and she hasn't got the room. We just got back from a Cunard cruise and they had an iRange suite onboard which had 25, 27" iMac's in it. I have to hold my hand up and say that I went to all of the seminars and 'instructional sessions' on iPad's, OSX vs Windows, learning Mac basics etc.....

It's looking like 15" with the hi-res screen is the winner!

 

[Christopher]

Good decision mate.

 

[ChrisR]

I like my 13, the screen issue whilst not great isn't a show stopper. It's used as my main machine and will be ideal lugging around as I'll be moving around a lot in the coming weeks.

One thing to maybe think about as there's a rumoured Air update happening June/July which will be bringing Sandybridge with it.

So a 13inch Air with Sandybridge and the big SSD would be a nice thought

 

[sneeks]

No regrets, I love my 13" MBP

 

[BurnyC]

No regrets, I love my 13" MBP

Agreed. I use it as my main computer for graphic design work, photography etc taking it around with me and it's fantastic. Very portable and I've never had an issue with the screen? Best one I've used on a laptop anyway. Sometimes would appreciate some extra screen real estate but that's only as I switch between big iMacs then my MacBook! Can always plug it into my spare monitor anyway.

 

[john.med]

I love mine. Yeah I'm sure the 15" is better; particularly the screen, but I didn't want to spend the extra £. For me, dropping a grand on a laptop was crazy enough. I just use it for email and net.

It's lovely. If the AIr's battery was better and had a bit more SSD memory I'd have jumped on that... Or if i'd been on CS wages I'd have just bought the biggest, bestest etc.

 

[Dan1587]

I got a 13'' MBP and I love it, alot better. 13'' on your lap is big enough tbf just imagine a 13'' ****. I used for internet and p**n too tbf! Simple!!

 

[tomstamp2008]

I cose to <3 my MBP nearly as much as family members lol sometimes I wish I got the 15" but the 13" is so portable and powerful for what it is, its my everyday machine and I have no regrets.

 

[Munson]

FYI I think it's fairly clear why Apple didn't update the 13" MBP with the MBA panel...it's 16:9. MBPs currently use 16:10 resolutions, although I'd be surprised is this didn't change next year. I actually prefer 16:10 for computers, as 16:9 panels can often leave you wanting for more vertical space. Obviously that doesn't apply to the 2560x1400 iMac.

I've seen and used the Dell version of that screen, and it's mind blowing. My next gaming PC will use it (unless there's something better at that time).

To clarify, there's nothing 'wrong' with the current 13" MBP display, but if you're quite fussy about PPI, and how text appears, then it's a definite downer. OP, good choice on going 15" 1680x1050. A pal of mine has one and it's a massive improvement over my 13" POS. Not as good as the 17" 1920x1200 of course, but it's a lot more portable.

 

[Rasclart]

I bought a 13" MBP yesterday. More than happy with it to be honest. Does what I want it too. Unless you look really hard and think about it the 15" screen while better is not that much better.

 

[El Marko]

another one for 13"

Absolutely no issues with the display. It looks just as good as every screen ive worked on, inc Apples HD Monitors.

 

[jenic]

another one for 13"

Absolutely no issues with the display. It looks just as good as every screen ive worked on, inc Apples HD Monitors.

Have you used a recent 27" iMac/Cinema Display?

I admit the 13" isnt as bad as people make out, its still better than a lot of/most windows laptops, but it doesn't touch the iMac/Cinema Display

 

[Revels]

another one for 13"

Absolutely no issues with the display. It looks just as good as every screen ive worked on, inc Apples HD Monitors.

No. Absolutely not.

 

[DB.]

Agree with Revels and Jenic.

My 13 is decent, but no where near the quality of my dads iMac. I think I will have enough to order next month, bloody girlfriends 21st getting in the way.

 

[Adam.]

Think I'm gonna order one of these next week :approve:

 

[Munson]

another one for 13"

Absolutely no issues with the display. It looks just as good as every screen ive worked on, inc Apples HD Monitors.

It might do to your eyes, but you're clearly not very fussy if you can't see a difference between a 13" MBP panel and a 27" iMac. It's a nice bright/white screen for sure, but the PPI is too low. Mac OSX doesn't do font smoothing as well as Windows either, which makes text even fuzzier than it would be on an equivalent pauper laptop.

 

[Tom]

When you dont know any better thats not important.

I do wish they would fit the Air screen to the MBP

 

[Rasclart]

Looked Ok to me last night when viewing the porns!

Tom's mums snatch looked detailed enough to me!

 

[Danny133]

You could plug the 13 into a cinema display though for ultimate res at home and ultimate portability outside of that ..

 

[Marcus---]

Personally i love my MBP, so much better than any PC ive ever had, will be even better when Lion comes out as well..

 

[seb]

i have a 13'' mbp

if the only reason for the 15 is the screen then i'd rather pocket the extra ££

 

[El Marko]

It might do to your eyes, but you're clearly not very fussy if you can't see a difference between a 13" MBP panel and a 27" iMac. It's a nice bright/white screen for sure, but the PPI is too low. Mac OSX doesn't do font smoothing as well as Windows either, which makes text even fuzzier than it would be on an equivalent pauper laptop.

I agree that the text is a little 'fuzzy' but it is so minimal. Any new mac user with no knowledge of the 13" screen being out of date would have no idea.

I am yet to use the latest 27" iMac but use a 23" Apple HD Cinema Display on a daily basis and do not notice any difference

 

[Mr Pants]

I've not owned the 27" but I can tell the screen on my 13 MBP isn't fantastic. And I have s**t eye sight.