Should I get a 13" or 15" MacBook Pro?

I am heading off for a year-long study abroad in Germany this fall. Unfortunately, I won't be able to bring my 3-year-old iMac with me. So I'm looking into getting a MacBook Pro.

I really want something that's portable-- I currently have a 16.4" Dell XPS laptop and my coffee always finds itself fighting for table space in cafes. But I also want power and longevity (~3 years of life). I mainly use my computer for freelance writing, web design and RAW editing. I also would like to be able to play Skyrim when it comes out but it's not a priority.

I am stuck between the high-end 13" MBP and the high-end 15" model. I think the 15" Pro is more suited for photo editing and the bigger screen will help with writing, but I really like the small size of the 13" model. Is the extra power of the 15" MBP worth the extra size and weight?

 

You have already narrowed it down to "brass tacks", on your own.

What you end up choosing is completely dependent on your prioritization of those characteristics you mention. Who is anyone else to say?

For myself, I would choose portability as a priority if I were transporting the computer with many other things (books, papers, etc). You mention table space as a priority. Only you can judge whether you want to accommodate that at the expense of screen space.

 

I was weighing out the whole 13" vs 15" debate when Apple refreshed the MBP line earlier this year. In the end, I went with the higher end 13" model simply because I knew I wouldn't be doing anything that required a quad-core processor, I wanted the portability of the 13" model, I didn't need anything more than the Intel HD 3000 graphics (I have an Xbox 360, PS3, and 3DS for gaming), and I wanted something a little less expensive than the baseline 15" model so I could upgrade certain components down the line (I have already slapped a 750GB 7200 RPM hard drive in there along with 8GB of RAM).

In my opinion, it all comes down to portability. I don't think there is anything you listed that a 13" MBP can't handle (except for the game, I don't know what its system requirements are) but it all depends on your need of portability.

 

13"

15" is way too big. Once you go 13" you wont ever go back to anything larger. Just get an ext LCD for your home desk, I have a 24" and have the best of both worlds.

 

I went to 13" and while the size is nice... after that I went to a 17, and its really not that big, and is soo much nicer.. I doubt I'll ever go back to a 13.

 

As someone who currently has a 13 inch MBP, a 15 inch Dell XPS L501X, a DV9700 HP 17 inch, and a HDX18t 18.4 notebook, Go with the 13 inch. You're not doing a whole lot that requires the 15 inch besides the image editing, and from the sounds of it, you don't do that very often. If I am mistaken on this, then go for the 15 inch.

As a side note, the money you save on the 13 inch could be used for upgrading the RAM and getting a 256 gig SSD. drive.

 

Personally I'd go with the high end 15"Macbook Pro config first, second the entry 15" one.

Obviously 2x the CPU, plus 90,000,000,000,000x the GPU, plus a much more pleasant screen. Well, actually, if I had to use the built in screen all the time, I'd go with the 17" model...

Plus you mentioned RAW stuff, plus games...both of which are going to do trillions of times better on the high end 15" config (i.e., work, versus being unusable).

 

I have had no trouble editing RAW images on my 13" MBP so it is not unusable as you state. In fact, operation is smooth on my 13" MBP even when outputting to a high resolution mini displayport monitor and editing RAW image files.

 

I have a friend who has a 17" MBP and he thinks im dumb for getting the 13" ha. But ironically he is the dumb one, cause to me (having used 17" in the past) its way too cumbersome to lug around.

First off, 17" is too big to carry around daily. Second, even if you use it as your sole home monitor and dont bother with an ext one, 17" just aint gonna cut it, its too small for my tastes. So thats why 13" is the best for me.

Theres no reason why i need anything larger when im out cause i dont usually do heavy intensive work on it when im out and if i do, I can always hook it up to a larger LCD. So I have the most portability when it comes to MBP and a huge 24" LCD on my home desk. Best of both worlds.

13" + my 24" LCD + 8GB ram and 7200rpm drive still turned out cheaper than what a 17" MBP would cost me.

 

I have a 17" that fits in the same bag to carry as my 13" went in... doesn't really feel heavier... at home I have a 27" monitor I also hook up with it at times... used to use the 13" with the same monitor.

I used to say the same thing.. 13" was great... I also said when I went to it I'd never go back to anything bigger... you can even find posts of me saying that on this forum... but i was wrong... Apple's 17s are just so small, just not that much bigger... now if you don't care about the better resolution or much better power, then sure... stick with a 13", but it just cannot handle things the higher end 15 or 17 can, external monitor or not.

 

I've stacked them, and they're not much different in size. I wouldn't have any issue carrying a much larger 17" system, but Apple's isn't even much different.

 

the new apple 17in is great and super light. Then again I've never been one to travel all day with my laptop. I like that I can take it places and it's not a big deal, but it stays in the house most of the time.

 

I agree with the mbp 15 and 17 inch models are fairly small compared to a pc laptop but the 17 is noticably larger than the 13. I compared them in store when i bought my mbp and put the 13 on top of the 17.

 

I never thought I'd want a higher res screen in the 13 MBP until I used the new MBA 13 last week for a few days. I now cannot even fathom the thought of owning the 13 MBP due to the screen res. It made that much of a difference for me.

So to the OP, I would definitely opt for either the 15 MBP or, if you can make do with the specs, a high-end 13 MBA (2.13, 4GB RAM, 256 SSD). Personally I would regret buying a 13 MBP knowing what it's like using the higher res screens of either the MBA 13 or a MBP 15.

 

I used to use only 13" machines (see my sig), but went for a 15" this last time. I am glad that I did. Its hardly any less portable, and the larger screen is great!

 

Get the 15." Since you'll be abroad, you won't be taking a monitor with you (I assume), and the resolution on the 13" MBP is terrible. I went from a 13" to a 15" to most recently a 17" and I can honestly say that after using the larger MBPs, I'd never go back to a 13" again.

Web design on a 13" would be a nightmare, and honestly the 15" isn't that much bigger/heavier for what you gain. But then again, I am a recent 17" convert, so I'm clearly in favor of screen real estate/power over a pound or two in size.

 

The thing that annoys me with the 17" one is that they charge so much more, and it doesn't even have a second drive bay or higher end GPU or something. If I had to actually use the internal screen exclusivly there's no way I'd go with anything smaller. 17" one plus the matte screen would...well, still be worse than hooking up my 24" monitor, but a heck of a lot better than 15 or 13"!

 

$300... for a bigger and more expensive screen... and extra USB port... larger in general case, and slightly bigger battery. yes $300 might be a little more than is needed to cover the differences, but its not astronomical.

 

Just imagine that scene in Swordish--what if you were suddenly abducted while on the road, and your rather insane abductor orders you to encode his videos within 60 seconds or you'll die--you'll be really happy you got that quad-core!

Being on the road is all about having options, and the 15" gives you that. I would never want to be stuck using a 13" as my only means of computing in any situation.


The 15" is only slightly less portable. It's not that much heavier--you probably wouldn't even notice the weight difference when it's in your bag. It's slightly bigger obviously, but not so much so that it would make a major difference in your bag, or even on most coffee tables.

The size difference is noticeable on the screen though, where it matters most. And of course the performance boost in the 15" is significant.

As for external monitors, I didn't get the impression the OP was considering one, but there's no reason why you can't buy a 15" (or even 17") and still get an external later when you stop traveling.

 

Well to me that $ i saved getting the 13" i put towards a 24" LCD. I get the best of both worlds. I could never go back to anything larger than 13". The 13" is so small and light.

 

I also took that extra $300 and rolled it into more RAM ($80), a 750GB 7200 RPM hard drive ($80), a copy of Windows 7 Pro x64 ($30), Apple's bluetooth magic trackpad, and Apple's bluetooth wireless keyboard. To me, I would rather have a smaller notebook with more accessories (which provide a better at home experience) than a larger model.

People are also saying that the 15" isn't that much larger than the 13". I think that is all a matter of perspective and opinion. For example, I can't fit a 15" notebook or MBP in the notebook section of my backpack yet it hold my 13" MBP in a slipcase. Additionally, the 15" might only be a pound more than the 13" model but that can make all the difference in the world by the time I throw in 2 college engineering textbooks (which I think weigh more than my 13" MBP) and two paper notebooks.

That is just me though. Even if I were a constant traveler, I still would have opted for the 13" model simply because it can literally be thrown anywhere and it is lighter than the 15" MBP. 1 lb may not sound like a lot but, as I said, there are many instances when it can make all the difference in the world.

 

Same here, i also put the money I saved to upgrade to 8GB ram and a 7200rpm drive.

To me, the low res on the 13" doesnt bother me cause like I said i only do serious work on it when i have it home or work where its connected to monitors. And both monitors are 1080P. Paying for a bigger laptop with better res on a laptop was moot to me cause I dont need it. For short periods of time here and there i dont mind using my MBP small size but anything longer its hooked up to my 24" 1080P LCD.

I get the maximum portability and bigger screen than a 17" when at home and work.

 

As will I at some point in the near future. If I need a high res screen I have the XPS with 1080p which has one of the best screens on the market for notebooks right now. And if I need something even bigger there is always Monster (HDX18t), but I never use monster anymore except for server duty.

 

On the contrary, I went from a 13" mbp to a 15" mbp, and by far prefer the 15".

 

I agree an external setup at home and a more portable notebook on the go is ideal. Unfortunately, the OP doesn't have the luxury of lugging an external monitor all the way to Germany. I suppose he could buy one there if he really wanted to, but then he'd have to transport it back to the US when he's done, which would largely negate any cost savings from taking this route.

A 13" is more portable, but considering that this will be his only laptop for an entire year, for use both on the road and at his residence abroad, it makes sense to invest in something just a tad bigger and more powerful.

If sometime in the future he does get an external, the 15" will have more power to take better advantage of the higher resolution as well.

 

I thought about this... and I really can't live with such a low resolution since I do web design work. Sometimes I get requests and cannot be bother to hook up to a monitor to do a 5-20 minute edit... the extra resolution really helps on the 15 and looks nicer as well.

 

If you can get the 15 inch by ALL means get it.
There is no reason for you to NOT get it.
People complaining about the portability must have some unfortunate muscle debilitating disease or something or simply they are not man enough to carry something that would be about... a pound heavier.
On top of that, they must carry a tiny backpack because every bag I came across had no problem carrying a 13 inch or 15 inch laptops.
Also the resolution size on the 13 would just want to rip your eyeballs out because it is just wasting the gorgeous MBP screen.

People saying they would rather spend the money on the 13 inch to get the SSD and the extra ram is just basically saying that they are willing to buy a fully decked out Honda Civic compared to a Merc Benz C 300.

Good luck on your choice.

 

Yes, you got it. My balls just haven't dropped and I don't have the muscles to carry around a 5.5 lb notebook. Man, you got me. I am a pure wuss next to you and your godly man figure. What type of response is that? You simply can't fathom how someone would go for the lighter option so you insult them? What a joke. Your analogy is also not relevant either as the 15" MBP is a better performer than a fully speced out 13" model but it isn't entirely in a whole new class (especially if you don't multi-task enough to use the other two cores and all 8 threads as most people don't).

Your reply is just stupid. I am sorry but it is. What type of forum is this where people try to insult others simply because they don't understand something. 1 lb is not a lot. However, as I stated, it can be when you are already carrying around 40 lbs in a backpack. 1 lb can be the difference between being alright and not wanting to get up to carry the bag. Try carrying around a 45-50 lb backpack every single day for at least 4 hours as many students do (including myself). Then you would appreciate the lighter form factor of the 13" model. Then again, I am just a weakling so you should have no trouble doing that since you are soooooooo strong.

 

I'm not agreeing with the poster you're referencing in saying people that don't want to carry the 15"+ models have muscle weakness, but I actually think your argument that the one pound between carrying 46 pounds or 47 pounds makes the difference for you doesn't make a ton of sense. I'm not sure I'd even really be able to differentiate between lifting 46 pounds or 47 pounds at all. it's like a 2% weight increase. I'd be able to tell if it were just the notebook alone, sure. But once you get up that high in lifting weight daily, it seems pointless to worry about a pound.

I do agree with the crux of the argument, which is the weight issue gets a little overblown and in the scheme of things a pound is really not that much. Yes, the 15" and 17" models are bigger and heavier, but some posters (who I suspect have never carried them regularly) act like you're going from carrying a spiral notebook to lugging around a backpack of bricks. I used a 13" for a full year, then a 15" for longer, and after carrying a 17" around lately, I can honestly say for me (and I'm a girl), the weight difference is not that big a deal. Would I want to take my backpack on the trail of tears? No, but that would be the same for the 13" model.

Others may feel differently, but a pound is a bottle of water. If you're already carrying a backpack or a bag, it doesn't suddenly make the bag unliftable. Then again, it's obviously a personal decision based on needs and desires. If the 13" does everything you want it to do, I'm not sure why a person would pay for a heavier, more expensive computer in the first place.

 

To me, carrying around a bag that is 1 lb lighter all day would be great. That is one of the reasons why I went with the 13" model. Others may feel differently and I am not suggesting that the OP is going to carry around 50 lbs of weight all day along with their MBP. I am just saying that, for myself, I can feel a difference of 1 lb in my backpack. I can feel when my bottle of water is empty and when it is full (it is about 24 oz, a little over a pound) and it is just easier to carry my backpack at the end of the day than in the morning. Is it excruciating? Absolutely not. It is just something that I would not want to put up with all day long especially when I already have to deal with the mixed elevation campus of UC.

The point of my posts was to show that yes, 1 lb can make a difference for some people. That and to show that Kaistrous was an artard for making their above statement.

 

13 for consuming content
15 for creating


If you want to shoot something in the head (like gaming) time to time you only have one choice though which is 15. Also i cant see any real reason to get 13mbp over 13mba.
I would get mba for consuming content.

External monitor is always an option but you should make sure that 13mbp will be really that much faster at what you are planning to do to justify weight gain compared to mba.

There is an ultimate reason to get anything — it sounds like "i like it".
Some people just like smaller things, some people like it big, some enjoy circles, some squares.
etc. Following your logic no one should ever buy an ipad if they can afford 15 inch notebook, which is just silly, because you dont need 15 inch screen to write to your twitter.