17 or 15 inch...buy now or later

[fedgirl]

Why buy a 17 inch MacPro over a 15 inch-is there a big difference besides the inches?

I was going to go with Leopard and wait but I believe its best to have a stable operating system then a new one, my theory is to wait a yr after Leopards released then buy to upgrade the lappy. Sure it will cost money but at least I can go back if I choose to. I was waiting on mac office 2008 but it does not seem to be coming anytime soon. Any idea about blueray with Leopard...

I have a 7 yr oldDell inspiron laptop for which my screen is holding on by a wire,the hinges broke off after all the screws fell out...am I nuts for waiting...I hold my screen to type...sad but true. Its a 600 mhz, 192 mb, 20 gbhd running XP.

Wait or buy and get on with it...

 

[Zel]

Some reviews show the 17 is actually a hair faster, which is weird since the internals are the same.

I'd get the 15, because th 17 is too large to carry around.

I'd buy now, but im waiting to have enough money saved, even though I could buy it now, i know better than to ever zero out my savings (or worse, owe Visa at 20% per month).

 

[thegrifman]

If you need it go ahead and buy it. Leopard will probably only cost you $130 when it comes out and about $70 if you're a student so it's not as costly as upgrading windows. I agree with the previous poster though, the 17" is nice but would be a pain to lug around. I have my 15" hooked up to a 20" lcd I bought from newegg whenever I'm at home and when I'm not the 1440x900 resolution suits me just fine.

 

[Jamiephofe]

I personally don't see any difference in carrying a 15" laptop around compared to a 17". The weight isn't noticeable to me, and 2" won't make any difference at all. The only difference is that with the Hi-Res option it'll have the screen real estate of a 21" I believe.

Then again, that's just my opinion.

 

[L3X]

it sounds like you need a new laptop and these new MBPs are sweet.

get the 17" if you want the screen size. Otherwise, either 15" will be more than enough. As Jamiephofe says, the 17" is still very light so don't worry about weight.

Leopard will be a relatively inexpensive upgrade, and Office 2008 should be out in the fall.

 

[dcv]

If you need one now, get it now. Leopard is still 3 months or so away and there will always be bigger/better/faster things (hardware-wise) around the corner.

Trust me, I've been through the same 15" vs 17" dilemmas... over and over and over again! I love the hi-def display on the 17" but that's my only reason for considering something that size. In the end I chose the 15" because it's just that bit more manageable to carry around. I've found it a really comfortable size and weight to use on my lap and the screen resolution is plenty big enough for my needs.

 

[timnosenzo]

The only difference is that with the Hi-Res option it'll have the screen real estate of a 21" I believe.

Actually its the same as their 23" ACD!

From apple.com:

About display resolution
The standard 1680 x 1050 resolution on the 17-inch MacBook Pro offers as many pixels as the 20-inch Apple Cinema Display.

By upgrading to the high-resolution 1920x1200 pixel display, you'll enjoy a workspace with 30% more pixels than the standard model, or as many pixels as the 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display. You'll have more space for palettes and windows, and you can watch 1080 HD video content at full resolution.

Pretty awesome, can't wait to get one!

 

[Zel]

The 17" with high-res is the same resolution as my 24" dell desktop monitor! The pixels must be TINY.

Feel out the size in a retail store, when you close the laptop and try to pick it up and put it under your arm you will see how gigantic the 17 is.

 

[1Life]

Why buy a 17 inch MacPro over a 15 inch-is there a big difference besides the inches?

I was going to go with Leopard and wait but I believe its best to have a stable operating system then a new one, my theory is to wait a yr after Leopards released then buy to upgrade the lappy. Sure it will cost money but at least I can go back if I choose to. I was waiting on mac office 2008 but it does not seem to be coming anytime soon. Any idea about blueray with Leopard...

I have a 7 yr oldDell inspiron laptop for which my screen is holding on by a wire,the hinges broke off after all the screws fell out...am I nuts for waiting...I hold my screen to type...sad but true. Its a 600 mhz, 192 mb, 20 gbhd running XP.

Wait or buy and get on with it...

I'm in the exact same position your are in. I have a 4 yr old Dell Inspiron with broken hinges and want to upgrade to a MBP 15". I would say that Leopard should be the least of your concerns.

Go to your local Apple store and take a look at the notebooks. The 17" notebook looked enormous to me in person and the price tag is hefty. If I was looking for a desktop replacement (and had extra cash) the 17" (w/ HD display) would have been my first choice.

IMO, the LED 15" version definitely needs some issues ironed out. But take a look in person and maybe you'll be able to overlook the display issues that people like myself have complained about. Personally, I think I could accept these shortcomings if the notebook was in the $1500 range or below.

Apple makes it tough because you don't really have the flexibility in customization that would drop the 15" notebook price to a range of $1200-$1500 that would make it more attractive to budget conscious users. IMO, if your Dell and Windows XP is not giving you major problems you should definitely wait until at least Leopard comes out. For others, problems with viruses and Windows is enough to justify the premium cost.

 

[mbpcron]

Why now and not later ?

The bleeding edge pays the most and suffers the most.

2 weeks ago I bought a MBP 15 2.1 for $1600 from Apple's refurb page.
A. As a late 2006 model the bugs were fixed and tested.
B. 10.4.8 is stable; don't upgrade unless you need the fix is the tried
and true UNIX dogma.
C. Good price and 1 year warranty.
D. Yeah, I'll wait until 10.5.2
E. My MBP has worked perfectly, even the Linksys wireless !!

Buy , enjoy.

 

[fedgirl]

If you need one now, get it now. Leopard is still 3 months or so away and there will always be bigger/better/faster things (hardware-wise) around the corner.

Trust me, I've been through the same 15" vs 17" dilemmas... over and over and over again! I love the hi-def display on the 17" but that's my only reason for considering something that size. In the end I chose the 15" because it's just that bit more manageable to carry around. I've found it a really comfortable size and weight to use on my lap and the screen resolution is plenty big enough for my needs.

I too love that hi-def display on the 17" and wish they implemented into the 15". I took a look at the 17" and 15" side by side at the Apple store on my government travels and noticed that the 17" is massive but very impressive to say the least with the HD. I understand and agree with you on the 15" being more manageable than the 17", it could be difficult to lug around for business travels.

I will have to take it into consideration. That is was my problem with my Dell it was 10lbs to carry on my shoulders while finishing my degree(s) and I hated it but it got me through two degrees with no problems, but a pest to carry around.

Thanks for the advice and an eye opener I definitely did not even think about the weight issue.

Take care!

 

[fedgirl]

1Life:

I'm in the exact same position your are in. I have a 4 yr old Dell Inspiron with broken hinges and want to upgrade to a MBP 15". I would say that Leopard should be the least of your concerns.

I finally hooked my Dell lappy up to a monitor and I have it running pretty smooth now, maybe I won't need that Apple (yeah right) after all. I know I will because I can't really depend on the lappy to last me much longer. I was told I have a prehistoric dinosaur and I believe I do.

Go to your local Apple store and take a look at the notebooks. The 17" notebook looked enormous to me in person and the price tag is hefty. If I was looking for a desktop replacement (and had extra cash) the 17" (w/ HD display) would have been my first choice.

I went to an Apple store during my government travels and took a look at the 15" and 17" side by side, and yes the 17" is massive in size, but looks mighty good I might add. The high cost and the fact that its a desktop replacement is something I need to think about. My Inspiron was 10lbs to lug around and I surely don't want to have to run into a heavy monster again.

Do you know if they plan to add an HD display to the 15" screens at all in the up and coming future? I am highly interested in the HD's.

IMO, the LED 15" version definitely needs some issues ironed out. But take a look in person and maybe you'll be able to overlook the display issues that people like myself have complained about. Personally, I think I could accept these shortcomings if the notebook was in the $1500 range or below.

I agree, with all the posts about the yellow and shadows etc. on the 15" it kind of worries me to purchase it because I hate to put that much money into something to run into some of the issues individuals have been encountering on the forum. I know I had a bright green dead pixel on my Dell once, dead center of the screen but its gone. It's rough investing a large sum of money into a lappy only to get a yellowish screen, my lappy has to be "perfect" if I am going to pay in the high dollar range, just my opinion.

Apple makes it tough because you don't really have the flexibility in customization that would drop the 15" notebook price to a range of $1200-$1500 that would make it more attractive to budget conscious users.

Well said and I can't agree with you more!

My Dell with Windows XP is not giving me any major issues, just a flukey a/c adapter and screen is hanging off but now that I hooked it up to a monitor that screen issues has been fixed. You do have a point now that I fixed this lappy up, to wait for Leopard but I need to think more seriously, because I don't trust that I can depend on this prehistoric dinosaur much longer, I am afraid it my die on me, so I have to put on my thinking cap and make a smart decision.

Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated!