If you want a 16" screen and you want a Mac laptop, there is no other choice. It's really that simple. I don't have any problems with the size and a 5 lb weight is nothing to me. And the 16" has better battery life than the 14".
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Do you find the new 16” too big?
- Thread starter mattlukea
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I’m completely thrilled with the 16” and do not find it heavy at all or have restrained mobility around the house or out and about. Granted for most of the workday, it is docked but then undocked for leisure. I’m coming from the 13” 2010/2011 MBPs and the 2018/2020 MBA and the 2020 M1 MBA. It has a hot minute to adjust to the larger screen, but I couldn’t be happier.
As others have mentioned above it’s all subjective and should be a personal decision. If you can, go to your local apple store to see/play/judge weight in person and ensure it meets your needs before you make a decision.
As others have mentioned above it’s all subjective and should be a personal decision. If you can, go to your local apple store to see/play/judge weight in person and ensure it meets your needs before you make a decision.
I was debating the same thing but I wanted a laptop to replace my aging iMac. I always originally wanted the 16 but then started second guessing myself because I began to debate whether or not I wanted it to be mobile as well. I went to the Apple store yesterday and the 16 blew me away with the screen and for my purposes it's not that big. It will rarely leave the house. So I ordered and got a December delivery time. Just checked my local store and now its in stock so I canceled and I'm going to pick it up this evening.
I am coming from a 13 AIR, wanted something bigger. something about the 16 keyboard feels MUCH better than the 14. The additional screen size is amazing, I bought both the 14 and the 16 with the intention 16 would go back. Well, the 14 went back, mainly because I don't travel much with my laptop maybe the coffee shop here and there, but even still half half the coffee shops has large computers anyway......
Lucky man! Costco screwed me over so I am stuck waiting. I guess you are getting a base model? Those seem like the only ones you can snag in store lately.
I'm a smaller guy (5'6", 140 lbs)... it's fine for say an hour or so.
I've been going back/forth between my work 16" i9 and my personal 14" today and def prefer the ergo of the 14". I'm also fine w/ the screen real estate for the vast majority of things I do - the main advantage of the 16" for me is when other engineers screen share at work, typically I'll see some external monitor with a ton of code on it. Beyond that I learned long ago to maximize the real estate I got w/ the use of divvy as a tile manager solution and workspaces.
Depends. The Intel 16" runs hot, so that is a factor. But if I'm focused solely on the experience of a 16" form factor, of course the large screen is nice. The keyboard reach for my medium to large sized hands is just annoying enough to be, well, annoying. For me, it's just not an enjoyable experience overall.
Thanks for all your replies. I’m thinking i will go for the 16” and make it feel like a major upgrade from my 13” 2016 MBP! Will try and get to my local store to be sure though!
I thought it was big too after checking it out in store side by side. First, I focused on testing out the 16 and I just adored the screen so much. It also has louder speakers. Then I tried the 14 and immediately, I missed the bigger screen. I knew I wanted the 10/16 cores so the price difference is not even an issue. This feels like the 16 inch intel but sleeker, prettier and faster. This size is not a problem. Long time ago, I carried heavier laptops while riding the metro/train-bus. Now I have cars and laptop bags
16 also has better thermals and battery life
For working around the house and "occasional" use outside the house, the 16" is what you want. The bigger screen will never feel like a compromise. If you were traveling to work on BART, or flying often in coach, or squeezing into tight lecture halls at a UC, then I'd say the 14" would be a better fit. I'm typing this right now, from home, on a 16" and didn't even think twice about choosing it over the 14." I too use mine mainly at home with just an occasional foray with it outside these four walls.
Here's something I've noticed. The screens look bigger in the store than they do at home. For some reason they don't seem to measure up as big outside the store, so if the 14" seems big enough in the context of the display table at Apple, it may shrink in your perception when sitting on your dining room table.
Long time ago, I carried heavier laptops while riding the metro/train-bus. Now I have cars and laptop bags
For sure, if we're going back more than 7-8 years, these are light and compact laptops. The original Intel MacBook Pro of the mid-late '00s came in at 5.5 lbs, which I remember at the time was considered a fairly sleek machine. I worked at a computer lab in the mid 90s servicing just about everything Mac, including a bunch of powerbooks. Looking up Apple's best machine back then, a Powerbook 540c "blackbird", it clocked in at just over 7 pounds. That was probably about average, maybe even on the lighter side. I seem to recall the first 486 laptops for instance were in the 8 lb range.
All that said, times change and we become accustomed to those changes. There's a certain segment of us who got to experience a 2 lb laptop in the 11" MBA and 12" MacBook for awhile, making something like a 3 lb MBP feel slightly heavy. Creeping up toward 5 lbs is quite heavy by today's standards... adding about 3/4 lb over the last 15" MBP, which was the thinnest/lightest Apple got for its flagship. But of course anyone will get used to it and find it perfectly workable.
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If you're used to a 15-16" MacBook Pro, its nearly the same just feels a bit more chunky. Coming from a 13" you will want to check it out in person first but after I switched to a 15" back in 2017 the new 16" just feels normal. I definitely prefer the larger screen but I also don't have to work in many cramped spaces and the extra weight is worth it for the added screen real estate.
I think the money goes right back on you card. When I returned an iPad it was on my debit card in minutes and when I traded in my 2019 16” same thing.
I originally got the 14" because I though the 16" would be too big, but when I got the chance to touch it at the Apple Store it didn't seem that big.
Ultimately, the 16" is pretty much the same size as the retina unibody 15" from 2012-2015.
Ultimately, the 16" is pretty much the same size as the retina unibody 15" from 2012-2015.
I think you'll like the 16, coming from someone who always thought things needed to be small ?
Its just a pleasure to use, sure at time big when when you open that screen and type on the keyboard, its magical really. And if its for work, forget it, nothing is more productive than the 16 (new one) hands down!
they have done their best to minimize the footprint for a 16.2 inch screen. they could probably make it thinner and lighter for large Air version but I think they prefer to keep the 16 at these high ridiculous prices.
The 16 is a real pleasure to use. Initially, I was very critical of its chunk, weight and thickness but I assume for most folks, it will be used mostly on a desk in which case you don't notice it much. I also like that it has excellent battery for those times you actually travel with it.
The 16 is not terrible in terms of portability. I think the 13 is just too small for me personally to get some serious work done. If my 13 is not connected to my monitor, it's for a short/simple task. The 16 is large enough to work on things for hours straight.
I have a 2019 16in and its too big. I love the screen size don't get me wrong, but traveling with it is unwieldy. I went with the air than the 14in.
Compared to the 2019 16" MBP, the difference is barely noticeable. If you like/need the screen real estate, you already know what you'll be dealing with. I'm sure it's a lot for someone coming from a 13" tho. There is a massive gap in portability when you compare the two. I generally don't recommend larger laptops to people unless they do a lot of graphics/art/design work on the go and/or travel a lot.
I had the 16 for a few days and loved it - the screen, the size was amazing when on a desk.
Then I had to go back to work, and it took two days of commuting on a bike and carrying it around from location to location in the workplace before I realised I was dreaming of getting a Macbook Air as well to take to work. At which point I had to stop and face reality, that the 16" wasn't for me.
Plus imagining trying to use it mid flight (should we be so lucky to fly again), or dragging it up to a lecture to give a talk… I was very sad to send the 16" back though, it really was a great computer, and I still get a bit envious when I see people working with a larger laptop.
The 14 to me is perfect size for a laptop that can be used just anywhere. The 16” is better as a “tabletop” or mobile desktop if you don't have to carry it around much. That's my opinion anyway.
Plus, the new 14" screen is much more usable than the old 13" retina MPB - even with this increase in screen size I feel more productive.
Then I had to go back to work, and it took two days of commuting on a bike and carrying it around from location to location in the workplace before I realised I was dreaming of getting a Macbook Air as well to take to work. At which point I had to stop and face reality, that the 16" wasn't for me.
Plus imagining trying to use it mid flight (should we be so lucky to fly again), or dragging it up to a lecture to give a talk… I was very sad to send the 16" back though, it really was a great computer, and I still get a bit envious when I see people working with a larger laptop.
The 14 to me is perfect size for a laptop that can be used just anywhere. The 16” is better as a “tabletop” or mobile desktop if you don't have to carry it around much. That's my opinion anyway.
Plus, the new 14" screen is much more usable than the old 13" retina MPB - even with this increase in screen size I feel more productive.
I initially thought about getting the 16", ended up buying the 14", loved it, saw the 16" in store and confirmed that it was too big.
Then I decided to pick up the 16" anyway because I'd never have peace of mind if I didn't compare... and now I'm glad I did because I really like the 16" MBP.
I don't mind the weight at all and the size doesn't bother me. If I need something a bit more portable, I have an 11" iPad Pro to use which I love.
Cheers.
Then I decided to pick up the 16" anyway because I'd never have peace of mind if I didn't compare... and now I'm glad I did because I really like the 16" MBP.
I don't mind the weight at all and the size doesn't bother me. If I need something a bit more portable, I have an 11" iPad Pro to use which I love.
Cheers.