Argggg, Can't Decide!

[MichaelThomas]

Im having some trouble deciding on my next upgrade.
I am waiting till leopard ships but I can't decide between the 15" and 17" MBP!
I currently have a 17" PowerBook and I use it as my desktop. Problem being I quite like the size of the 15" for portability.
I study Multimedia Design so would be abit easier to take to university with me than the 17" is.
Ive decided that I will either get a 17" and use it as my desktop computer OR I will get a 15" and then buy another display.
Is there anybody here whos had experiance with the 15" and doing graphic design work on it?
Would be nice to hear other peoples stories who were/are in the same situation as me and their outcome.
Only draw backs I can see about the 15" so far is that it has the same resolution as my current PB, and a smaller hardrive than the 17" although I have an external one anyway...

 

[furious]

Why not a 20" iMac and a low end MB. That way you have a good desktop and portable. Or even Just a iMac. You sound like you never take the PB away from the desk.

 

[nazmac21]

Buy the 17" MacBook Pro (if you don't the portability). You'll enjoy more screen estate than the 15" MacBook Pro and you have an option of a 7200 RPM Harddrive.

 

[Eraserhead]

Why not a 20" iMac and a low end MB. That way you have a good desktop and portable. Or even Just a iMac. You sound like you never take the PB away from the desk.

Sounds like a great choice, the MB is really portable too.

 

[MichaelThomas]

I am at university and tend to find myself travelling home for three days every two weeks or so (free washing - free food - cant be bad). So really I need a laptop and generally prefer them anyway as I occasionally take my laptop into uni with me which is sometimes easier.

Sorry for the confusion but when I said I used my PB as a desktop I meant that as in my main computer as its the only computer I own. In the ideal world I would love the 17" and a black macbook but thats just not going to happen so...

 

[mattscott306]

My friends are all graphic designers and use there macbook pro's for said applications. The only problem is right now programs like photoshop and FCP don't run natively. FCP does now have acrossgrade version you can use which helps, but until the next version of both of these come out it's kinda slow.

Hope that helps.

 

[dbater]

Im having some trouble deciding on my next upgrade.
I am waiting till leopard ships but I can't decide between the 15" and 17" MBP!
I currently have a 17" PowerBook and I use it as my desktop. Problem being I quite like the size of the 15" for portability.
I study Multimedia Design so would be abit easier to take to university with me than the 17" is.
Ive decided that I will either get a 17" and use it as my desktop computer OR I will get a 15" and then buy another display.
Is there anybody here whos had experiance with the 15" and doing graphic design work on it?
Would be nice to hear other peoples stories who were/are in the same situation as me and their outcome.
Only draw backs I can see about the 15" so far is that it has the same resolution as my current PB, and a smaller hardrive than the 17" although I have an external one anyway...

Here is what I did.... 15" macbook pro and a 30" monitor...I have the best of both worlds until an 8 core mac pro comes out....

 

[MichaelThomas]

Here is what I did.... 15" macbook pro and a 30" monitor...I have the best of both worlds until an 8 core mac pro comes out....

do you use either the adobe or macromedia suite? If you do how do you find working on MBP? I dont know anyone with a 15 to try it out and see how it feels for me

 

[synth3tik]

If you would plan on using that 17" as a desktop, why not get a desktop, either a MP or and iMac. Or like another poster said get the 20" iMac and a MB and you get the best of both worlds.

 

[Chile Mac]

My friends are all graphic designers and use there macbook pro's for said applications. The only problem is right now programs like photoshop and FCP don't run natively. FCP does now have acrossgrade version you can use which helps, but until the next version of both of these come out it's kinda slow.

Hope that helps.

That shouldn't be a problem anymore, because the CS3 Creative Suite from Adobe will run natively on intel based macs. In fact, it's the first software of Adobe with that feature.

 

[kingkezz]

My friends are all graphic designers and use there macbook pro's for said applications. The only problem is right now programs like photoshop and FCP don't run natively. FCP does now have acrossgrade version you can use which helps, but until the next version of both of these come out it's kinda slow.

Hope that helps.

FCP does run natively.

 

[srexy]

I use a 15" + external. The ability to have the toolbars on the macbook pro screen and use the external display for the image/page being designed is priceless. Obviously you could do this w/the 17" as well but if you're going to be doing the bulk of the design at a desk you may want the extra portability of the 15"

One caveat though (which may only apply to Photoshop CS) is that if you drag the "blending options" palette on to your external display it won't reset back on to the MBP display if you unplug the external (even if you reset the palettes). I discovered this to my cost while trying to make on the fly changes to a project while in a "Panera" meeting. You have to remember to drag it back on to the MBP display before unplugging...

 

[heehee]

My choice is in my sig.

 

[MRU]

Physical size wise the 15.4" and the 17" arent too disimilar (1.6")

I'd go for a 20" ACD or 22" DELL Monitor (or better still the 24" Dell monitor 1920x1200) and a 15" MBP

you'll end with a big bright monitor for while your at your desk (with dual screen), and a generally more portable powerful laptop.

I work Adobe CS2, Freeway Pro, Painter IX.5, Quark7 from my 15.4" MBP no problem at all. Just make sure you get 2gb of ram minimum for best peformance

 

[MichaelThomas]

Physical size wise the 15.4" and the 17" arent too disimilar (1.6")

I'd go for a 20" ACD or 22" DELL Monitor (or better still the 24" Dell monitor 1920x1200) and a 15" MBP

you'll end with a big bright monitor for while your at your desk (with dual screen), and a generally more portable powerful laptop.

I work Adobe CS2, Freeway Pro, Painter IX.5, Quark7 from my 15.4" MBP no problem at all. Just make sure you get 2gb of ram minimum for best peformance

Haha its crazy how much of a difference 1.6" actually makes though!

But thanks for that Glad to here someone else whos using similar apps to me. I think im starting to lean towards the 15" more but I still love the screen size on the 17" but could get more screen from an external sooo

 

[MRU]

Haha its crazy how much of a difference 1.6" actually makes though!

That's what all the ladies say




Enjoy whatever you choose to get

 

[deadpixels]

That's what all the ladies say

nice one, lol