My 17" is on the way and now because of the wait i've had to endured I've considered every aspect, and I'm seriously wondering if 17" is just too big a laptop for me...I've had a 15" for 3 years now, so maybe I've just grown accustomed to a 15? Anyone else go through this?
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Is 17" too big?
- Thread starter NJPitcher
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Well... what do you plan on using that laptop for? Where? If you lug it around from home to work, it probably will be fine. But if you lug it around to home, the coffee store, to class, to work, everywhere, I say its too big.
Especially for students, like myself, I can never see myself carrying a 17'' anything with me all day. My friend got a Dell 17'' laptop, and it has become a desktop then anything else because its just too big to carry to classes and doesnt fit well in classes.
Especially for students, like myself, I can never see myself carrying a 17'' anything with me all day. My friend got a Dell 17'' laptop, and it has become a desktop then anything else because its just too big to carry to classes and doesnt fit well in classes.
i've used both 13" and 15" machines, and i find the 13" to be great for portable use, and the 15" as a sweet spot of portability and screen estate. I haven't used a 17" powerbook/macbook pro for long enough to know what its like, but i can guess its more of a portable desktop rather than a notebook.
As wako said, its great if you don't plan on moving it around too much, but if you take it everywhere with you, then consider the 15" MBP closer.
As wako said, its great if you don't plan on moving it around too much, but if you take it everywhere with you, then consider the 15" MBP closer.
The 17" really isn't that much bigger than the 15". Compare the weight and dimension specs and you'll be amazed. The 17" can displays 36% more, yet has a footprint (base area) that is only 18% bigger, is only 9.2% wider and 8.3% deeper, and weighs only about 1 lb more.
Frankly, I will go on the record saying that anyone who buys the high end 15" model based on the perception that they're getting a significantly smaller form factor are totally misguided, which is another way of to saying st****.
Not quite a fair comparison between a Dell 17inch and an Macbook pro. Macbook Pros are mere 1 inch thin and only weighs a pound or two more than the 15inch version.
In the past I owned a 17inch g4 powerbook and took it everywhere. Yes, it was a physically large machine, but never considered as 'lugging' it around. (A few years prior you would have carried a much smaller machine that weighed as much)
In the past I owned a 17inch g4 powerbook and took it everywhere. Yes, it was a physically large machine, but never considered as 'lugging' it around. (A few years prior you would have carried a much smaller machine that weighed as much)
The 17 isn't that much bigger than the 15. Do you need to carry it around every day? If so maybe a 15 would be better, but think: 1 pound won't make much of a difference anyway, so might as well get the biggest screen and best features, right?
I travel the world with the 17".
Sure, now and then I think about the joy of a small MacBook. But then I am on the road, cranking on work, and I am so happy to have the screen real estate.
(And in the office I connect my 17" to a 30" display. Yes, I love big screens.)
Sure, now and then I think about the joy of a small MacBook. But then I am on the road, cranking on work, and I am so happy to have the screen real estate.
(And in the office I connect my 17" to a 30" display. Yes, I love big screens.)
I use the 12" PB for 4 years and till now I'm still screaming at how small the screen is and even typing word document is so hard to look at.
Thus I rather get a 17" at least never a problem with screen anymore. Big screen are good....
Well if a buy a gd bag to carry the 17" it should be fine to bring it anywhere.
Thus I rather get a 17" at least never a problem with screen anymore. Big screen are good....
Well if a buy a gd bag to carry the 17" it should be fine to bring it anywhere.
I've had 2 15" powerbooks and a 15" MBP. Basically I've been using a 15" machine for 5 years every single day.
So I struggled with the choice also. For me I take my laptop from my home office to the driveway, from the garage to my office, and then back again. About once a week or so I take it from my office down the hall to the conference room. So I decided the portability isn't that big a deal. I got a laptop bag that is about a pound lighter than my last one to make up some of the difference.
But the screen real estate is a big deal. I remember sitting at some airport a few months ago next to another developer who was using eclipse on a 17", and I was like "OK, I NEED that."
BTW, I rarely use my laptops in airports or cafes. For one thing, I'm usually late for flights. And if I'm in a coffee house or something, I'm just catching up with mail on my blackberry. And on planes, I'm not comfortable with other people watching me work on client's work. Especially sensitive things.
So I struggled with the choice also. For me I take my laptop from my home office to the driveway, from the garage to my office, and then back again. About once a week or so I take it from my office down the hall to the conference room. So I decided the portability isn't that big a deal. I got a laptop bag that is about a pound lighter than my last one to make up some of the difference.
But the screen real estate is a big deal. I remember sitting at some airport a few months ago next to another developer who was using eclipse on a 17", and I was like "OK, I NEED that."
BTW, I rarely use my laptops in airports or cafes. For one thing, I'm usually late for flights. And if I'm in a coffee house or something, I'm just catching up with mail on my blackberry. And on planes, I'm not comfortable with other people watching me work on client's work. Especially sensitive things.
Nope
I don't think it is too big at all. In fact I think it is a great size for a portable computer. I've had my 17" for the past 10 weeks or so and have been very impressed with its portability. I agonized over this for quite some time before deciding on the 17". The 15" is a great computer, but the 17" just won me over. My first mac portable was a 12" g4 iBook. I greatly enjoy the increased screen size and feel that I am more able to spread out my work on the screen. I was always switching between programs using the applekey/tab command, but now I can have stuff running all over the place. The 17" is the same resolution as my wife's 20" iMac if that helps you at all. I think the 15" is the same resolution as a 17" iMac.
cw
I don't think it is too big at all. In fact I think it is a great size for a portable computer. I've had my 17" for the past 10 weeks or so and have been very impressed with its portability. I agonized over this for quite some time before deciding on the 17". The 15" is a great computer, but the 17" just won me over. My first mac portable was a 12" g4 iBook. I greatly enjoy the increased screen size and feel that I am more able to spread out my work on the screen. I was always switching between programs using the applekey/tab command, but now I can have stuff running all over the place. The 17" is the same resolution as my wife's 20" iMac if that helps you at all. I think the 15" is the same resolution as a 17" iMac.
cw
So it's settled: the yays have it!
EDIT: Actually, the nays have it (as in no, it's not too big)
EDIT: Actually, the nays have it (as in no, it's not too big)
NJPitcher - YES - I have just gone through this
I got a new 17" CD but after a couple of days the C2D was announced and I decided to go with the C2D at 15". The dimensions / weight on the 17" don't look like much of a difference. In my experience - it is just enough bigger and heavier to make me go to the 15". The area where I noticed it most was on the sofa moving it to the coffee table or arm of the sofa as I got up for a moment. Walking it to another room was more of a two hand effort than one. My heavy work is done on a QUAD with multiple monitors so the screen real estate was nice but not that critical for my use.
For me it was too big and heavy - the 15" is perfect for my needs and I might even add one of the new C2D Macbooks for those times when you really are on the run.
I got a new 17" CD but after a couple of days the C2D was announced and I decided to go with the C2D at 15". The dimensions / weight on the 17" don't look like much of a difference. In my experience - it is just enough bigger and heavier to make me go to the 15". The area where I noticed it most was on the sofa moving it to the coffee table or arm of the sofa as I got up for a moment. Walking it to another room was more of a two hand effort than one. My heavy work is done on a QUAD with multiple monitors so the screen real estate was nice but not that critical for my use.
For me it was too big and heavy - the 15" is perfect for my needs and I might even add one of the new C2D Macbooks for those times when you really are on the run.
So you're saying anyone with a 15" MBP can't afford a 17". That's awfully stuck up and snobby of you. Why else would someone buy a 15" over a 17".
So you're saying anyone with a 15" MBP can't afford a 17". That's awfully stuck up and snobby of you. Why else would someone buy a 15" over a 17".
You misunderstood me. I'm saying that those who buy a high end 15" can clearly afford a 17". It's because they don't buy a 17" that I think they're... well, misguided.
And BTW, in addition to being a snob, I'm also a racist, an antisemite, a xenophobe, a misogynist, and I voted for Al Gore. So there
17 inch rules -- had 15 inch for 5-6 years.. and I am over it...
love
17 inch is better...
stays cooler
runs faster
longer battery life
and you get a better work out carrying it around.. can truly tighten your quads and calves 11% more than the 15 inch....
and finally she LOVES my 17 inch.. loves IT!!!
love
17 inch is better...
stays cooler
runs faster
longer battery life
and you get a better work out carrying it around.. can truly tighten your quads and calves 11% more than the 15 inch....
and finally she LOVES my 17 inch.. loves IT!!!
In a addition to being a snob, I'm also a racist, an antisemitie, a xenophobe, a misogynist, and I voted for Al Gore. So there
Hey, Borat's here!!
I've got a window from a glass too Borat.
As for whether 17" is going to be too big, you've gotta look at the space you'll be using it in. If the place you're going to put it is either too small or you'd have to change the position to a point where it could be uncomfortable for you to use it to it's full extent then you might want to look at downsizing.
In my dorm I have more than enough space, that's not the issue. I was hoping I'd be able to carry it around everywhere (weight's not an issue, I couldn't care less), I just don't want it feeling too bulky in my bag. Oh well, we'll find out when it gets here, won't we?
I love the size of my 17" MBP. It doesn't feel unwieldy to me. It's dense but not too heavy. And I love having all this screen real estate.
My previous laptop had a smaller screen and I never wanted to use it for anything productive because it felt so cramped compared to my desktop. I'd put off doing tasks because I didn't feel like I had enough room to work comfortably. No such problem with my 17" MBP.
--
AJ
My previous laptop had a smaller screen and I never wanted to use it for anything productive because it felt so cramped compared to my desktop. I'd put off doing tasks because I didn't feel like I had enough room to work comfortably. No such problem with my 17" MBP.
--
AJ