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It really depends on your work. My current favorite is 14.1" as it allows you to still have power processors and not compromise on the cooling, yet still allows for a higher resolution screen (depends on the laptop). I just got a T410s, 14.1" with 1440x900 and still has a Core i5 in it. 15.6" and 15.4" IMO is too bulky, but at least offers WUXGA or 1080p for people who need the most screen resolution. Also most laptops on the market are 15.6" so price points are good. 13.3" and 13" are too small for certain people, but are portable but sacrifice screen resolution and in most cases powerful processors for that portability and generally being lighter. 13" laptops command a price premium for the smaller design.
If I left my laptop at home, I'd go for a 15" or 17" model. But, I usually have to carry around my laptop a few times a week, so 14"is my favorite. I really like the high-res 14" 900p screens.
No one size fill all, unfortunately. I am more inclined to the small (12/13) and hook up to 23"+ monitor at home/work which also make it very portable.
I saw a Dell Vostro V131(with i2310M) which is under 500CDN that meets almost all my criteria but still choose to skip as I want to wait another year or so for Ivy Bridge.
Ya chimpanzee states it best, one size doesn't fit all. If you buy a business laptop, most of them come with docking solutions, you can have an ultraportable + when you are at home dock it up to a big 23" monitor.
I chose 15.6". It was the smallest screen that came attached to a keyboard with a dedicated number pad. Trying to use the "embedded" number pad of smaller notebooks (and ALL Macs, apparently!) would drive me insane, due to the sort of things I do on a computer (lots of math).
I never liked the smaller, 14" and below screens. Just too small. I pretty much use the machine as a "portable desktop" so weight/size while moving were not as important as usability once I got where I was going.
It's disappointing that I am stuck with a low-resolution screen, even if it's wider. While the diagonal measurement has increased, I have no more vertical resolution (768 pix.) than I did on the awful Compaq notebook I bought in 2001. Display standards are in the gutter. In the 1990's, a physically larger screen, with no additional horizontal lines over older designs, would not have been considered "high resolution."
15.6" seems like a good middle ground, and I personally go with that.
Though I suppose 14" could also fit into that category since it IS a bit smaller, allowing for a tad more portability.
I prefer a smaller screen. 14", 13.3", and 12.1" is what I look for in a notebook. When doing serious work it is either a large external monitor or a desktop.
16" is the sweet spot if I were to have a workstation.
I'd say the largest notebook I would ever consider is 15", and that's for a laptop that will usually remain at the desk. Ideally, I would want a 12-13" laptop with a very high-resolution 1600x900 or 1920x1080 screen for all-purpose use.
15" is only acceptable with 1680x1050 or higher...otherwise it doesn't make sense to have a 15" that is near 17" weight with low resolution. I used to be a 15.4" guy until I saw 12" ultraportables.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
