size for school laptop

hey ive read up on the new macbook and it looks sweet. i am rethinking getting a macbook for college next year. i am just wondering if a 13.3" screen size would be too small. this would be my only computer for a long time. wat would i not be able to do with a macbook that i would with a macbook pro? is the lack of an express card slot a big deal?

 

If you are going to be takign it to class, usually the smaller the better. But if you will just occasionaly take it to class, I'd say go with a 15incher.

 

will a 13" screen be too small for just useage at home? for long periods of time? like sufing stuff like that?

 

13" should be fine. A 12" screen could be painful to read for prolonged periods. I do miss the WUXGA of my 15.4" since I can read more without scrolling.

 

I suggest you visit the nearest Apple store or dealer and try it for yourself.

The resolution is perfect for a 13,3" screen (1280x800) and it should be very easy to read from it.

The size difference compared to its bigger brother, the MacBook Pro (15,4"), is not really a problem lugging around. It really doesn't feel that big. They weigh nearly the same too.

 

I think the MacBook should be fine - if you're going to be moving around campous, you'll appriciate its smaller size. The only thing I have to gripe about is its weight - it's about a pound too heavy for its class.

 

thanks guys i'll go check out the sizes at the store.

 

Something like a ThinkPad T60 or Dell D620 will be more durable around the same price.

 

the new macbook is half the price of a t60

 

15.4 in is the cutoff for a classroom notebook. Anything bigger than that is an eye sore for your teacher and classmates.

Also, if this is going to be your primary computer for a while, definitely go for the bigger screen. Smaller laptops are less comfortable to type on, IMO.

FYI, I rarely every see anyone use their laptops for taking notes. Most of the time people are playing poker or talking on aim on their laptops.

 

Um, you say this with experience? I have a T60 and a MB and I wouldn't say the Thinkpad is any more durable. If anything the MB feels more solid.

 

apparently they both have the same keyboard so that should not be a concern

 

So for those of you in university already, in retrospect, what size notebook would be the best. In other words, how often did you carry the notebook around (class, library, just sitting around and working) versus sitting at a desk with it (I know this is a subjective questions)? I'm trying to debate between the merits of a thin and light becuase I want to be able to work anywhere and a 17-incher because I want a large screen that does not cause eyestrain.

 

I was refering to the MacBook not the Pro. And they are not 1/2 as much. You can get decently equiped D620 for $1200 and a ThinkPad for a few hundred more.

 

Borrowed my roommates T42/T43 (forgot which, 15"?) to class, felt paranoid the whole 2 hours that the thing would fall off the tiny Desk. Have a T42 now from work, seems like a good size.

I've seen classmates with 12" ibooks and powerbooks, seem like the perfect size.. easy to carry around.

I've only seen people using 17" in a few buildings (the ones with the large rows as desks).. i'm assuming because their too dang big for anywhere else.

15" is a safe bet.. I personally am going to get the MacBook when I head back to school next fall