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Can't Decide Between 14" and 16"
- Thread starter StoneCold X
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Nicely said.
But man, people have gotten soft or what? 15 years ago when I was in uni, my main laptop was 4.5 lbs (and 13" only) and I didn't bat an eye.
The weight should not be an issue and if that's the case, going with 16" is an easy decision.
As a student, I'd have loved more real estate on my laptop.
Honestly when I say that, it's more of the size problem. Have you seen how small the folding desks that they give students these days are? Even an 11" iPad can be a pain sometimes, they are tiny! Finding the space for a 16" with someone a few inches away from you on that folding setup would be legitimately difficult.
16gb. My old 16" was 32gb but this thing is so much faster and I don't think I'll ever hit that limit within the next few years. This thing is an absolute dream to edit photos on. Handles RAW files better than my old 16" handled JPEGS. It's insane. I justified the upgrade because my 16" could offset the cost 100% if I accepted the 32->16gb and 2tb->1tb downgrade and so far I am beyond satisfied with that tradeoff.32 GB RAM or 16 GB?
I agonized over this and had both for 4 days. I really just kept using both often and seeing which I liked more, but more importantly, what was the one I really wanted to grab more. It was definitely the 16". There's something really special about picking it up and using it. I like it a lot on my lap on the couch. I also use it in bed sometimes and of course on my desk. The 14" is a great machine.
And if I traveled a lot and needed to do work on planes, I'd probably go that route. But I did feel like it was harder to see a bit as much (maybe I'm getting older). I usually like to scale down the text on smaller machines because I want to see more on the smaller display. But it was a bit cramped. On the 16" the default scale is actually very comfortable.
The extra screen and battery are terrific. I really enjoy it a lot. I don't hate on the 14". It's a great machine and it would easily be my choice if it was my work travel machine. But I absolutely love the 16". I also personally feel the keyboard is more comfy because I have more space for my wrists.
And if I traveled a lot and needed to do work on planes, I'd probably go that route. But I did feel like it was harder to see a bit as much (maybe I'm getting older). I usually like to scale down the text on smaller machines because I want to see more on the smaller display. But it was a bit cramped. On the 16" the default scale is actually very comfortable.
The extra screen and battery are terrific. I really enjoy it a lot. I don't hate on the 14". It's a great machine and it would easily be my choice if it was my work travel machine. But I absolutely love the 16". I also personally feel the keyboard is more comfy because I have more space for my wrists.
wow I set this 16 Mac up and have been using it for 2 hours now. battery was 20 hours and now at 18:46. I get the feeling this is a 24 hour MacBook if you keep brightness on the low end. I mean I'm getting 20 hours at medium brightness.
I made the same justification and couldn’t be happier! Totally worth trading in my 2019, and I went with the same configuration as you did. I get why people want to future proof with 32 GB of RAM, but I truly don’t think it’s necessary for the majority of use cases. Check out Max Tech‘s video on 16 vs 32 if anyone has their doubts. The unified architecture and blazing-fast SSDs are what make this possible.
I have 16" since a week and was still doubting the decision (went to the store twice in the past days to check on the 14", coming from very light m1 Air. Girlfriend thinks I am totally crazy haha). The 14" and 16" are almost of the same thickness, the real difference is not even 1mm... (between the old 16" and new 16" the difference on the table is much higher, probably thanks to the feet). Sticking with the 16" for good, even though I will carry it to the office few days a week... But working on the display on a shared office desk (so without external monitor) is simply great. Also working in the train here is much nicer with the 16" - I don't use desks in the train and just keep the laptop in the lap, and it's more comfortable with the big screen, don't need to hunch over and I can do much more with it.
The biggest problem now is that it does not fit (just so so) to the nice Piquadro backpack I had, so I just had to order a bigger one, more €€€ gone
The biggest problem now is that it does not fit (just so so) to the nice Piquadro backpack I had, so I just had to order a bigger one, more €€€ gone
LOL I've also gone to the Apple store twice to try to decide between the sizes while I'm waiting for my 16" to ship. It's tough because the 16 is so big and the 14 is just slightly cramped for productive use. If I was taking it into the office 3x a week though I'm pretty sure I'd go 14". With a good backpack it doesn't matter much - if you're using am messenger bag though it will feel really heavy.I have 16" since a week and was still doubting the decision (went to the store twice in the past days to check on the 14", coming from very light m1 Air. Girlfriend thinks I am totally crazy haha). The 14" and 16" are almost of the same thickness, the real difference is not even 1mm... (between the old 16" and new 16" the difference on the table is much higher, probably thanks to the feet). Sticking with the 16" for good, even though I will carry it to the office few days a week... But working on the display on a shared office desk (so without external monitor) is simply great. Also working in the train here is much nicer with the 16" - I don't use desks in the train and just keep the laptop in the lap, and it's more comfortable with the big screen, don't need to hunch over and I can do much more with it.
The biggest problem now is that it does not fit (just so so) to the nice Piquadro backpack I had, so I just had to order a bigger one, more €€€ gone
In fairness, it's a pound and a half. The weight is really being overblown when compared to the 14". I had both for 4 days. The biggest thing that you'll notice is the footprint size more than the weight, imo.
Going back to a 14" machine when you're used to the 16" machine SUCKS. The screen really is limiting when you're trying to have a couple of windows open or one app at a decent size! First world problems and all that, but its funny how quickly you adjust to the different sizes.
100%.
I say that exact thing every time the subject comes-up. Assuming you're able-bodied, its the footprint which is restrictive when working on the move in cramped places.
My 16" was faulty and they didn't have any to replace it with, hence the 14".
The 14" is a great laptop - surprised by how good the speakers are, nearly on a par with 16".
I've not been this impressed with both sizes of laptops for many a year.
The only other downside is that the fans obviously come on sooner but that might just be my workflow.
Finally made my decision on this matter. Both are incredible machines in their own right.
I've been romanticizing about the idea 14" MBP for so long. Now that it's out I'm having my doubts. I currently have the 2019 16" MBP and my biggest complaint are the dang fans. They cut on for just about everything. Forget having this thing on your lap.. it gets uncomfortably hot when I'm in FCP or Lightroom/photoshop.
I'm a photographer and I travel quite a bit. I used to leave my 16" at home and just use my 12.9" iPad Pro on the road but the iPad version of Lightroom and photoshop are missing some features that are only available on Mac. So the 14" would be perfect for my scenario. My biggest concern are thermals and compromises. I feel like I won't get the best out of the M1 Max chip on the 14" or the hidden HPM that's exclusive on the 16".
I've seen them both in person. They are t h i c c. I really don't know what to do.
I'm a photographer and I travel quite a bit. I used to leave my 16" at home and just use my 12.9" iPad Pro on the road but the iPad version of Lightroom and photoshop are missing some features that are only available on Mac. So the 14" would be perfect for my scenario. My biggest concern are thermals and compromises. I feel like I won't get the best out of the M1 Max chip on the 14" or the hidden HPM that's exclusive on the 16".
I've seen them both in person. They are t h i c c. I really don't know what to do.
Haha, tough decision righ? I wish they simply launched 15" as the high-power pro machine and leave 13" for M1 Air/Pro (with less power but better footprint).
I can't use messenger bags, even with a 700g camera I hate them, my lower back starts to hurt hehe. Usually I commute by bike and I put the backpack into the bike panniers, so no issue during riding. But now with worse weather here public transport will become the norm again... Though it's also less painful to carry it since I just take the backpack off when I sit down in the tram/train. Anyway, I commited to the decision now by buing the AppleCare+
HPM has been found to do basically nothing under normal workloads. Even with intense workloads I don't think anyone found much difference in actual performance - the HPM just let the machine get hotter.
You'll get the same performance out of the M1 Max in the 14", it just comes at the cost of some heat and battery life. I recommend just picking which screen size you prefer based on the size and weight. (I say "just" like it didn't take me a week and a half of intense deliberation to make my decision)
once you bring the 16 home, it appears no different than your 2019. The screen will be brighter (brighter in a shiny way even at low setting) and the resolution sharper so you can scale down and see more on the screen. For me its not even about the fan and heat comparison of the 2019. 2019 runs like an old computer in comparison. The 16.2 is snappy like an iPad. playing with them in store I didn't see a difference in performance. but when I Brough it home, I was touchy feely about it. The biggest deal for me was the extra resolution and the snappy performance. Looking down at the keyboard, I can't tell which year Mac this is. looks the same and feels the same. The thickness on the 16 is overblown by looking at photos at low angle. I probably have large screen bias but I can't accept a bulky laptop as a mobile laptop. Id rather buy an Air or lighter. I can assure you Intel Macs are dead.
From the beginning I was sure I would get the 16" as I wanted to replace my 21" iMac that is long in the tooth. Then I read this thread and started thinking did I want to have any mobility with it. I don't work on a laptop in the traditional sense but do want to get back into home music recording and being able to transport the machine would be advantageous. I became a bit confused so I went into the Apple store today and decided to stick with the 16" as its not big at all from a desktop perspective and not outrageously big sitting next to the 14" IMO. I would certainly prefer that screen size at the desk. I'm just glad I could see it in person before I made a decision. Now I just have to wait a month!!!
I couldn’t handle it long enough to update the OS. Back in the box it went. I guess 13/14 MacBooks aren’t for me. Sucked to type on too. Sharp edge. 16 at least has more wrist space.