Going from 15" to 13"?

[iKrl]

I've been doing some reaserch and I am now more undecided than before.

I make no use of creative professional applications, I use Office and browse the internet. I used to have the 15" model from 2011 and I loved the screen size for everyday tasks and for watching videos.

I am conflicted between the 13" and 15" because at the Apple Store they told me that I would never make use of the Quad Core Processor, the dedicated graphics card or even the 16 GB RAM. I asked about future proofing and they said it depends more on what software you use than how long you use it for. I plan to keep this new Mac for around 4 years so that is also something to think about.

Portability is not my top priority and I can afford the 15" MacBook Pro but I wouldn't want to spend $600 extra if I am not really going to take advantage of the features of a more powerful laptop.

That's my dilema, thanks for your thoughts!

 

[GoodOne]

Simple, no Dilemma at all.

You already got 15 Inch, portability isn't import and you like the size plus you can afford it. Get the 15 and don't worry anymore.

I'm going from a 13 to 15 and I can't wait for the upgrade in Screen estate.

 

[Chrystal Ocean]

I've been doing some reaserch and I am now more undecided than before.

I make no use of creative professional applications, I use Office and browse the internet. I used to have the 15" model from 2011 and I loved the screen size for everyday tasks and for watching videos.

I am conflicted between the 13" and 15" because at the Apple Store they told me that I would never make use of the Quad Core Processor, the dedicated graphics card or even the 16 GB RAM. I asked about future proofing and they said it depends more on what software you use than how long you use it for. I plan to keep this new Mac for around 4 years so that is also something to think about.

Portability is not my top priority and I can afford the 15" MacBook Pro but I wouldn't want to spend $600 extra if I am not really going to take advantage of the features of a more powerful laptop.

That's my dilema, thanks for your thoughts!

My usage is similar to yours and I've ordered the 13" TouchBar with the RAM boosted to 16GB. I plan to make my new MBP last for 5-6 years. The mini I'm using currently is 9-1/2 years old. I also thought about getting the 15", but budget is a consideration for me both now and when the unit will need replacing in the future. Another consideration is that these MBPs with Touch Bars are first generation. Therefore I think it possible I shall want to replace my first-gen MBP sooner than I'm planning, regardless of whether I'd have gone for 15" or the 13".

 

[Macalway]

What KILLS me is the 256GB for $2400! This is wrong.

So really the base quad is $2600. IMO. That's a bit.

 

[Nick11Mac]

The 13.3" is still a good screen size. Perhaps use the cash saved for other goodies.

 

[ssong]

I've been doing some reaserch and I am now more undecided than before.

I make no use of creative professional applications, I use Office and browse the internet. I used to have the 15" model from 2011 and I loved the screen size for everyday tasks and for watching videos.

I am conflicted between the 13" and 15" because at the Apple Store they told me that I would never make use of the Quad Core Processor, the dedicated graphics card or even the 16 GB RAM. I asked about future proofing and they said it depends more on what software you use than how long you use it for. I plan to keep this new Mac for around 4 years so that is also something to think about.

Portability is not my top priority and I can afford the 15" MacBook Pro but I wouldn't want to spend $600 extra if I am not really going to take advantage of the features of a more powerful laptop.

That's my dilema, thanks for your thoughts!

TBH I've had a 13" 2015 MBP and switched eventually to a 15" 2015 MBP. I use my device mainly for my comp sci degree but occasionally play with video editing software and photo editing software, aswell as the odd csgo here and there. What I could tell is, the 13" (at least in my experience) seemed to heat up a lot more than the 15". If portability and anything else isn't an issue, then I would actually recommend the mid 2015 15" MBP, not the 2016 versions. I was close to pulling the trigger on the 2016 one and while the minor gains on cpu and the fairly hefty gain on the gpu may be interesting, the lack of ports and the seeming issues with the dgpu put me off of it. So yeah... mid 2015 iGPU 15" MBP would be a decent choice imo.

 

[Stangy123]

IMO If you like screen real estate: 13 inch + 5K Ultrafine > 15 inch at around the same cost

 

[titans1127]

IMO If you like screen real estate: 13 inch + 5K Ultrafine > 15 inch at around the same cost

Thats pretty much what I plan on doing just no 5K monitor. Gonna look for a good 2K or 4K on Black Friday.

 

[iKrl]

My usage is similar to yours and I've ordered the 13" TouchBar with the RAM boosted to 16GB. I plan to make my new MBP last for 5-6 years. The mini I'm using currently is 9-1/2 years old. I also thought about getting the 15", but budget is a consideration for me both now and when the unit will need replacing in the future. Another consideration is that these MBPs with Touch Bars are first generation. Therefore I think it possible I shall want to replace my first-gen MBP sooner than I'm planning, regardless of whether I'd have gone for 15" or the 13".

I do agree with you, I have come to see no real value in spending $600 on a computer that I won't really use to its potential. I am thinking about the 16 GB RAM upgrade but I'm hesitant because the Apple people keep telling me that the 8 GB RAM will be more than enough. So I need to figure that out as well.

TBH I've had a 13" 2015 MBP and switched eventually to a 15" 2015 MBP. I use my device mainly for my comp sci degree but occasionally play with video editing software and photo editing software, aswell as the odd csgo here and there. What I could tell is, the 13" (at least in my experience) seemed to heat up a lot more than the 15". If portability and anything else isn't an issue, then I would actually recommend the mid 2015 15" MBP, not the 2016 versions. I was close to pulling the trigger on the 2016 one and while the minor gains on cpu and the fairly hefty gain on the gpu may be interesting, the lack of ports and the seeming issues with the dgpu put me off of it. So yeah... mid 2015 iGPU 15" MBP would be a decent choice imo.

When comparing the Macbook 15" 2015 with the Macbook 13" 2016 I lean towards the 13" because I do want to keep it for a while and having a newer version would help to somewhat future proof a little more. I do get where you're coming from based on your degree, but for me it will be purely for personal use.

IMO If you like screen real estate: 13 inch + 5K Ultrafine > 15 inch at around the same cost

That is something I had not considered, I guess it makes more sense to put the difference into other stuff rather than on a what you could call a powerhouse