How much smaller does a 14” feel compared to 15”?

[Broric]

Anyone who answers 1” is getting ignored

I currently have a 2019 15” and I’m trying to decide between the new 14” or 16”. I think the 16” is too heavy and with the higher resolution and smaller bezels it seems that the 14” is very similar in practical size to the 15”.

Thoughts?

 

[chabig]

Go to a store and check them out in person.

 

[maflynn]

As @chabig menntioned, you need to really try it out yourself.

I thought it wasn't a huge difference but for me, the screen size is smaller then I like and the form factor is much more portable. So (again for me), it feels closer to a 13" laptop then a 15" - at least in usage

 

[Broric]

Go to a store and check them out in person.

I did (hence deciding 16 is probably too heavy) but didn’t have the 15 to compare to.

 

[UltimateSyn]

A little bit smaller. I came from 2012/2015/2016 15" MBPs and went down to the 14". I felt very cramped and confined using the 13.3" screens, but my 14" luckily does feel more expansive than those did. Not quite as large as the old 15.4" size, though, and obviously significantly smaller than the new 16.2". The increased PPI and scaling settings allow you to get basically the same effective area as the 15.4" with slightly smaller elements. That's a nice feature.

I say this all the time, but I really do wish they'd make a Goldilocks 15.2" MBP with the current design. I'd be all over that. Overall, I'm very happy with my 14" MBP and its screen size / weight / size combination, and am usually happy I chose it over the 16".

Edit: Here's what I'm talking about with the scaling. 14" MBP scaled resolution are:

• Looks like 1800 x 1169
• Default: Looks like 1512 x 982
• Looks like 1352 x 878
• Looks like 1147 x 745
• Looks like 1024 x 665

The 15.4" MBP scaled resolutions were:

• Looks like 1920 x 1200
• Looks like 1680 x 1050
• Default: Looks like 1440 x 900
• Looks like 1280 x 800
• Looks like 1024 x 640

And the 13" MBP scaled resolutions were:

• Looks like 1680 x 1050
• Looks like 1440 x 900
• Default: Looks like 1280 x 800
• Looks like 1024 x 640 pixels

So you actually get larger effective screen real estate at native / crisp / clear / perfect 2x scaling with the new 14" MBP than you did with the old 15.4" MBP due to the increased PPI - very close to what I consider the perfect effective resolution of 1680 x 1050. The actual elements are, of course, physically smaller, but it's still really nice to be able to put that much content on the screen with 2x scaling.

Edit 2: I realized this was all from a screen size perspective rather than a physical size / weight perspective. The 14” MBP feels very close in size and weight to the old 13” MBP - and closer in footprint to the 13” than the 15”. I think the dimensions would probably support that.

 

[kp98077]

its the closest to the 15" the 16" is absolutely huge and not very tarnsportable IMO

 

[ajf.350d]

Probably about 1 inch…

Seriously, if it helps I’ve just gone from a 15.6 inch Windows laptop (4k screen) to the 14” MacBook Pro and am very happy with the screen size.
As you say, the weight difference is very noticeable, but not so far really had an issue with the smaller screen.
Guess it depends on how many apps you tend to tile at once though. I usually just have a single app, occasionally two, so less of an issue.

 

[lankox]

I personally feel like the 14-inch is a lot closer in size and weight to the 13-inch than to the old 15-inch.

 

[james2538]

Anyone who answers 1” is getting ignored

I currently have a 2019 15” and I’m trying to decide between the new 14” or 16”. I think the 16” is too heavy and with the higher resolution and smaller bezels it seems that the 14” is very similar in practical size to the 15”.

Thoughts?

Size wise it feels like the 13" MBP I used to have. Screen size it feels closet to the 15" MBP I used to have.

It's very much a goldilocks size for me. Not too big, not too small.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Size wise it feels like the 13" MBP I used to have. Screen size it feels closet to the 15" MBP I used to have.

It's very much a goldilocks size for me. Not too big, not too small.

Totally agree about physical size and weight being closer to the old 13” size. Edited my post (again) to add that in. It’s a very nice size.

 

[xraydoc]

Anyone who answers 1” is getting ignored

I currently have a 2019 15” and I’m trying to decide between the new 14” or 16”. I think the 16” is too heavy and with the higher resolution and smaller bezels it seems that the 14” is very similar in practical size to the 15”.

Thoughts?

I have a 14" MBP M1 Pro and my wife has a 2016 15" MBP Core i7.

The 14" display is slightly less wide but a bit taller. Effective desktop space is very close. However, the 14" MBP's narrower width makes it more portable, IMHO.

 

[Trent0341]

I made the switch from the 2018 15" MBP to the 14" 2023 MBP and it is noticeably smaller but I adjusted pretty quick. It's a better size for me based on portability and the fact that I have an external display I use as well. I would not move up to the 16" if I had it to do over again.

 

[groundcontrol]

Thanks to all who are sharing their experiences here. I'll soon be making the same choice - moving from a 2016 15" MBP and weighing which 2023 MBP to purchase. I'd prefer the 14" based on overall size and weight, but as someone who works with photos, the 16" screen size would be very nice. Those who have moved from 15" to the new 14" are making it easier to consider the latter as an option.

 

[james2538]

Thanks to all who are sharing their experiences here. I'll soon be making the same choice - moving from a 2016 15" MBP and weighing which 2023 MBP to purchase. I'd prefer the 14" based on overall size and weight, but as someone who works with photos, the 16" screen size would be very nice. Those who have moved from 15" to the new 14" are making it easier to consider the latter as an option.

I didn’t see if you mentioned in the thread but are you working with photos at a desk?

When I’m at home working I use my 14” MBP with a 27” 4K display in a dual screen setup. Works well and gives me a lot bigger pic, with great portability.

4K displays are relatively cheap now days too

 

[kp98077]

Thanks to all who are sharing their experiences here. I'll soon be making the same choice - moving from a 2016 15" MBP and weighing which 2023 MBP to purchase. I'd prefer the 14" based on overall size and weight, but as someone who works with photos, the 16" screen size would be very nice. Those who have moved from 15" to the new 14" are making it easier to consider the latter as an option.

well I went from 16 to 14 and I am fine 😆 sure a little bit of me would like the extra space but its not all that notable PLUS the 16 is impossible IMO to have on lap or in bed... that was honestly annoying for me...

 

[Broric]

Thanks everyone, that’s helped convince me that 14” is the right call!

 

[ajo]

I was coming from a Late 2013 15" so I was weighing up the higher cost, portability wasn't an issue as I don't really travel with it, but also because of the smaller bezels the 16" is pretty much exactly the same dimensions as the 2013 15".....I went with the 14" - It is still new to me and I am happy with it. Took me a little bit to get used to the text, somewhere on here is a link to turning font smoothing on/off... I don't know of it was that that helped or just getting used to it. I didn't use full screen apps much on the 15" maybe now if I need a little more space using full screen on the 14" will make some difference.

Somewhere on reddit theres a really good image of the screen size difference. I will try to find it.

 

[ajo]

I was coming from a Late 2013 15" so I was weighing up the higher cost, portability wasn't an issue as I don't really travel with it, but also because of the smaller bezels the 16" is pretty much exactly the same dimensions as the 2013 15".....I went with the 14" - It is still new to me and I am happy with it. Took me a little bit to get used to the text, somewhere on here is a link to turning font smoothing on/off... I don't know of it was that that helped or just getting used to it. I didn't use full screen apps much on the 15" maybe now if I need a little more space using full screen on the 14" will make some difference.

Somewhere on reddit theres a really good image of the screen size difference. I will try to find it.

Here it the link to the image that was on reddit. I know you were looking at 16 vs 14, but this shows you aren't really missing much coming from a 15 to 14 - The lines are the screen size without the menu bar.

https://imgur.com/a/lRG28Z7

 

[tyranne201]

It is smaller. I had a 15'' and downgraded to a 14''. But you get used to it. I have a 16'' from work and I find it too bulky and heavy.

 

[Falhófnir]

I'd still say a 14" is a 13" class machine, you get a bit more space, but it isn't transformative of what you can do with the display. 15.4" set to 1680x1050 is really the floor for juggling multiple windows on screen at once in my experience. Below that it's more of a one app at a time device, with some flexibility to use split view or multiple desktops to juggle apps, but it's not a comfortable experience if you're doing it a lot. I think the 14" defaults to 1512x982, and this is already roughly the scale equivalent of 1680x1050 so you can't go higher without things becoming uncomfortably small.

If you can wait, and do without the HDR display and extra performance of the Pro chip, the upcoming 15" MacBook Air might be worth looking at as a third option?

 

[Broric]

Here it the link to the image that was on reddit. I know you were looking at 16 vs 14, but this shows you aren't really missing much coming from a 15 to 14 - The lines are the screen size without the menu bar.

https://imgur.com/a/lRG28Z7

Thanks, that’s exactly what I wanted to see!

 

[groundcontrol]

I didn’t see if you mentioned in the thread but are you working with photos at a desk?

When I’m at home working I use my 14” MBP with a 27” 4K display in a dual screen setup. Works well and gives me a lot bigger pic, with great portability.

4K displays are relatively cheap now days too

Thanks for the suggestion. I do have a desk that I could place a monitor on, and I’ve wanted one for a while now. This might be the time to make it happen!

 

[Beau10]

Totally agree about physical size and weight being closer to the old 13” size. Edited my post (again) to add that in. It’s a very nice size.

Weight-wise, it's actually in the middle of the 13" and 15" (3 / 3.5 / 4).

Personally, I feel the 14" is quite a bit more substantial in hand compared to the 13". I remember picking the 13" up after having used the 14" exclusively for a month and couldn't believe how much smaller it felt. Part of it is the weight, part is the thickness (yes on paper it's not much but by volume it's considerable due to the tapering). The footprint on desk is very similar though, it's just that lugging around factor there is a substantial difference.

Like with anything, you quickly get used it. While I tend to toggle between my 14" and 16" a daily basis, sometimes I'll use one exclusively for a few days then and think "oh it's not too big/small" until going back to the other and then think... "oh, it really is that big/small"