Anyone switched from an old 15" MBP to a 13" version...only ever had 15" MBP in the past but have been without one since my 2010 MBP died a year ago. Thinking of a 2017 13" but worried I'll miss the bigger screen as it will be used as a desktop replacement.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The Definitive 2017 Macbook Pro 13 inch or 15 inch Thread
- Thread starter OSXCrusader
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I completed my chemical engineering PhD using 2013 11" MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and 512 SSD (Started with 2010 11" MBA). I used native macintosh versions of MATLAB, Mathematica, ChemLab, MS Office, Endnote, EagleFiler, and Curio with no problems. I also used VMware Fusion with Windows 7 then 10 to run LABView, Autodesk Inventor, and SigmaPlot with no problems.
Now as a faculty member, I use a 2016 12" MacBook using these same apps with no problems. I have 27" USB-C monitors at both my office and house, which makes for one cable docking (video, power, data)--this is amazingly convenient and really negates what many see as a liability of only having one port.
Still ... I am torn over what to replace my personal 2013 11" MacBook Air with ... I don't want another 12" MacBook because the performance is really about the same as the 2013 MBA, and after 7+ years of ultra portable machines, I'm not sure even a 3# 13" wouldn't feel like a crippling large brick to drag around ...
Honestly, your decision is much easier: You have never used a 15" and you got through some very impressive periods of your life using highly portable and low powered machines, so we know you like those.
The 2016/17 13" Macbook Pro is THINNER than the air but has quite a bit of juice. I think you will appreciate the 720p camera, the gorgeous display, the 4 USB-C's for power and projection and expanding onto your desk monitors when you are presenting in classes etc. You can get the base 13" with touch bar.
I 13" feels "dense" (at about 3 pounds) but is extremely portable! That's why I'm so torn. I love the portability of the 13" but of course the 15" has more screen and juice and goodies, and the price difference is so close at about $200 or so dollars.
People on this thread seem to be consolidating around the 15" and the poll so far shows 60% favoring the 15".
Right now, I am actually leaning towards the 13" myself. I might return the one I just bought (fully spec'd out 2017 13" and buy the base since people have said the CPU upgrade won't be noticeable.)
However, I also ordered a 2017 15". I will wait to see how that machine feels for a few days before I return one or the other or both in favor of a base 13"
I would do the same in your case: why not buy all your options and run some tests? take one or the other in your briefcase/bag to your office, use in a classroom and simulate what each will feel like.
However, if you value extreme portability, and I don't blame you, then you might want to wait until Apple's next generation of the Macbook 12". They may throw in another usb C and some other goodies that make the value proposition worth it.
[doublepost=1501440545][/doublepost]
why did you spec it out?
Also, can someone compare a fully spec'd 13" MBP to the base 15" MBP (2017, touch bar versions)
Good points to think on, but in my response to watchthesky, I was focusing on the ability to successfully complete STEM degrees using "low power" ultra portable computers.
My first mac was a PowerBook Duo 210 with 9.1" 4-grayscale display. I then moved to Duo 270c with 8.4" color display, which was followed by a iBook SE with 12.1" display. In 2001, I opted for a 15" PowerBook G4 (original-Ti supercomputer). I really liked how "thin" and portable this machine was for the time, but after awhile I started looking smaller again. A 2005 12.1" iBook G4 was next quickly followed by a Mid-2007 13.3" MacBook polycarbonate "core 2 duo" (which my sister is still using today). I went a little crazy in 2008 and got a 15" MacBook Pro that I then, using Other World Computing, maxed out the RAM and swapped both HD and optical drives for dual SSDs (... which pushed this machine close to $3500)! Sold that computer and started on 11" MacBook Airs: 2010, 2011, 2012, finally settling on 2013 model.
So, 9.1", 8.4", 12.1", 15", 12.1", 13.3", 15", and now 11" (and 12" for work), over 24-years.
My preference to smaller screens seems more clear listings these all out. One thing to note is that for all of these laptops, I have always setup external monitors to use at home and work, so 80% use connected to (depending on year) 15", 17", 20", 24", or 27" external displays and 20% using built in display.
This is getting away from your 13 vs 15 intent, but my ideal machine would be a 12" MacBook SE. Basically take all the high end internals from 15" MacBook Pro and shoehorn it into a smaller chassis (similar to iPhone 6S/iPhone SE). I think that I will sit out this year and see if the 2018 MacBook gets an upgrade to thunderbolt. Otherwise, the next 13" MacBook Pro will probably be my next computer.
This probably explains the preference for small screens. What might you to say to someone who is only going to use the laptop's screen as their primary screen?
Also, good strategy!
If you are only going to use the internal display then to me it comes down to how good your eyes are and how much information you are trying to display at one time. My 11" MBA has a resolution of 1366x768, so I am only getting one full width window of each app at a time. On my 12" MacBook with 2304x1440, I can get one full window and another partial window on screen, but the physical size of the screen is right at the limit of easy viewing--every once in a while, I need to move closer to the screen to see some detail. My external 27" monitor is 2560x1440, which comfortable gives me two full width app windows on screen.
Also, I would consider where you are most productive. For me it is sequestered away at my desk (work or home), so I always have an external monitor. For meetings or travel, I am fine using internal display, but I know that most of my work will get done and I will be most productive in my office.
For teaching, I sometimes use the classroom projector for Keynote presentations, but I don't really use my laptop screen to review or read the slides. More likely, I have something projected as reference for the students then I write on a white board on either side of the projector screen.
So, it comes down to personal preference--how good are your eyes, how much do you want to display on screen at one time, where do you do your best work?
So I used my work Dell laptop today, which I thought was 13" but got a shock when I looked it up...the screen is actually 14"! Used my girlfriends 14" Lenovo Yoga 710 and again the screen felt small to view. Having had a 2010 15" MBP I'm not sure how I'll cope with a 13" MBP...anyone made this change? I wasn't planning to get an external display tbh 
Made me rethink my plan to get the 13" MBP and go for the base 15" instead.
Made me rethink my plan to get the 13" MBP and go for the base 15" instead.
So I used my work Dell laptop today, which I thought was 13" but got a shock when I looked it up...the screen is actually 14"! Used my girlfriends 14" Lenovo Yoga 710 and again the screen felt small to view. Having had a 2010 15" MBP I'm not sure how I'll cope with a 13" MBP...anyone made this change? I wasn't planning to get an external display tbh
Made me rethink my plan to get the 13" MBP and go for the base 15" instead.
Why would you expect the screen to be smaller. 15" is 15". Are you thinking the resolution makes things too small. If so, you can adjust that in the preferences.
No, I think my post was confusing. Up until now I had mistakenly thought my Dell work laptop's screen was only 13" in size but it's actually 14"...there have been times I felt it was small hence my assumption it was 13". I was going to get a 2017 13" MBP but now I'm thinking the screen will be too small for my liking and therefore I'm contemplating going for the base 15" MBP with upgraded SSD. I previously owned a 2010 15" MBP until it died a year ago so perhaps I've never really been able to adjust to a small screen having used it for over 6 years? Was wondering if anyone else has "downgraded" from 15" MBP to a new 13" one and what they feel now about the move?
Ok. Sorry for not understanding.
I like additional real estate of the 15". I also like the additional performance of the faster CPU and dGPU. So I choose to accept the additional weight and bulk of the 15" over the 13".
I too was going back and forth between the 15 and the 13. In the end, I ordered the 13 with 16GB of RAM and the 512 HD. I liked the screen size of the 15, but ultimately didn't want to sacrifice the portability and the less weight. Plus I didn't need the dedicated graphics card and couldn't justify the extra money for the 15. I also have a monitor I can hook up if I'm doing work that requires a larger screen.
I have to add/explain another layer of complexity for choosing between 13" and bigger size. In my workflow and working environment, I feel much more productive/creative when sitting with MacBook - I just like a combo of keyboard/trackpad and screen. I am trying to put a finger on this phenomena but it is not measurable by any means.
I do not see it reasonable to exchange bright P3 retina screen for external monitor (unless it is iMac 5k). Why should I buy fancy 15" if I am going to hook it up to an external monitor for 90% of a time? On the other hand to drive (with decent results) 5k external monitor you will need dedicated or exGPU - 13" with its thin thermal envelope -- not possible (or you can buy thermally unbalanced Razer and hear fans blowing all the time).
King's ransom for Apple (or any manufacturer) to finally and properly solve it (with Apple made GPU?).
I do not see it reasonable to exchange bright P3 retina screen for external monitor (unless it is iMac 5k). Why should I buy fancy 15" if I am going to hook it up to an external monitor for 90% of a time? On the other hand to drive (with decent results) 5k external monitor you will need dedicated or exGPU - 13" with its thin thermal envelope -- not possible (or you can buy thermally unbalanced Razer and hear fans blowing all the time).
King's ransom for Apple (or any manufacturer) to finally and properly solve it (with Apple made GPU?).
I have the 13" but will move to 15" because having 2 apps up helps me with writing and the 13" is just a little bit too small.
It depends on your use case, but if you have a desk at all, I'd say the 13" is a clear winner.
Why: it's the most portable, and you'll want the 13" on your lap in a conference room or airline seat.
In all other situations, you can probably grab a monitor.
If, on the other hand, you are never at the office and work on improvised desks at construction sites and the like all the time, go with the 15".
I feel macOS really helps in making the 13" with its comparatively limited real estate a viable option.
Why: it's the most portable, and you'll want the 13" on your lap in a conference room or airline seat.
In all other situations, you can probably grab a monitor.
If, on the other hand, you are never at the office and work on improvised desks at construction sites and the like all the time, go with the 15".
I feel macOS really helps in making the 13" with its comparatively limited real estate a viable option.
Hey, any update on your decision? I'm in the same dilemma as you and am interested in how things pan out for you.
Same here. I have a 2017 13" tMBP, and I just got my 2012 rMBP (with bad battery) replaced with a 2016 15" MBP...and for the life of me I cannot decide which one to keep!
This is such a good point. Portability, without a need for a dgpu was the deciding factor for me. College classrooms, airline tables, lap usage, coffee shops, etc etc the 13in just seems to be the right size. Laptops are meant to be travel companions. I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to balance my old 15in MBP in my lap if I were a smallish person.
This is obviously very subjective and YMMV.
In my case I had a 13" 2008 Macbook that I replaced with a 2017 MBP. I looked at both sizes and eventually went with the 15". The 2017 15" is smaller and lighter than its predecessor and having the extra screen is very useful to me.
I travel may be 20% of the time. The rest it is stationary with no extra display attached.
In my case I had a 13" 2008 Macbook that I replaced with a 2017 MBP. I looked at both sizes and eventually went with the 15". The 2017 15" is smaller and lighter than its predecessor and having the extra screen is very useful to me.
I travel may be 20% of the time. The rest it is stationary with no extra display attached.
Macheads, macrumors lurkers and contributors to this thread. I have finally made a decision!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I talk about my decision and why, I just want to seriously say - thank you to everyone who voted and contributed to this thread! I really do love this community and how helpful everyone is. You guys, no matter where you are in the world, have taken the time to carefully share your thoughts and have made me make a more informed purchasing decision! Seriously, you are all awesome! I really hope this thread continues to gain more inputs and helps more people feel better about their decisions too! Apple products are obviously special purchase for all of us and often a reflection of us (so even a decision between 13" and 15" in terms of what we value, how we look at cost ultimately reinforce who we are) and computers/laptops even more so due to the longer holding period.
Alright, onto the meat -
Let's look at some pictures first. You will see several - my original 13", my 15" which arrived last week and of course the beast (my mid 2010 15" macbook pro)
Before I talk about my decision and why, I just want to seriously say - thank you to everyone who voted and contributed to this thread! I really do love this community and how helpful everyone is. You guys, no matter where you are in the world, have taken the time to carefully share your thoughts and have made me make a more informed purchasing decision! Seriously, you are all awesome! I really hope this thread continues to gain more inputs and helps more people feel better about their decisions too! Apple products are obviously special purchase for all of us and often a reflection of us (so even a decision between 13" and 15" in terms of what we value, how we look at cost ultimately reinforce who we are) and computers/laptops even more so due to the longer holding period.
Alright, onto the meat -
Let's look at some pictures first. You will see several - my original 13", my 15" which arrived last week and of course the beast (my mid 2010 15" macbook pro)
Let me just start by saying that the new 2017 15" is simply a stunning machine! It's gorgeous, this big flat piece of aluminum and for the 2500 dollars that it will end up costing you, you will definitely feel like you bought something worth it. Yes, it surprisingly light and easy to hold in one hand as well. It weirdly feels more balanced and less dense than the 13" actually. Maybe its actually because when you see the 13", you actually expect/imagine the laptop being a lot lighter than it really is. The best thing about the 15" though (dGPU, quad core aside), that gorgeous 15" display. Watching HD/4K videos from the Youtube GoPro channel on the 15" very quickly demonstrates how awesome the display is. It is truly immersive and wow, looking at 2 full page, word documents top to bottom is easy and amazing! People who decide the 15" are going to love it, it is more like workstation because the screen looked bigger than my 2010 but the bezels are smaller. People who go 15" are going to do amazing things with it. That being said........
It's NOT the laptop for me :/
I only needed to spend 2 hours with it to realize that while an amazing machine, it is too overpowered for what I am realistically going to do with it and it is too big. The pictures should tell you plenty - I'm not going to turn this into a "why I don't like the 15" " but I just couldn't imagine carrying that 15" around for the next 4-5 years - in my bag through airports, internationally, at cafes, on my couch, or bed.
I love the display on the 15", I really do but the form factor is too huge - if you look at the keyboard, it just looks like an island in the middle of all that aluminum, it's just too much laptop!
So let me break it down - how things went for me. While I was super confused and impulse ordered a custom 15" right after buying a custom 13", just the day or two before the 15" arrived, I had to update my resume since I'm getting ready to apply to jobs! And believe me (trump voice) when I tell you that I'm super OCD when it comes to details. That was probably the first unconscious serious task that I did on the 13" without thinking in the back of my head (oh I'm using 13", let's measure how it feels.) I spent about 5-6 hours editing my resume (with hardly any details to fill in), just moving stuff around, watched some netflix and in that moment, I kind of realized how awesome the 13" was as a portable machine. It just feels more intimate. The speakers aren't overly large (fake grills anyway), the trackpad isn't ultra-humongous, and everything feels a lot more proportional. The closest analogy I can think of is this - the 15" is the 13" stretched out in an amateur way and that's where these larger speaker grills, large trackpad, the large amounts aluminum, between screen and keyboard and either sides of trackpads, (again, I'm not saying its ugly), just that in the 13", everything flows better, the screen to macbook pro logo, to touchbar, to keyboard to trackpad and everything around it.
I went to sleep that night falling in love with the 13" again, knowing the 15" was on its way.
The 13" just feels amazing to hold and carry around. It is slightly thinner than the 15" and a pound less heavy and I found/find myself carrying it around my room for no reason, just to simply admire how much smaller and portable it is as a machine - this is after all the appeal of the Air and 12" Macbook lines.
I am able to be just as productive if not more and I can honestly say, this is the best mac I've owned to date! If you are on the fence and my experience/words aren't helping, you should just buy both machines and plan to actually get some important work like an assignment for school/task for work done on both machines. I think that will tell you more than posts.
so what happened when the 15" arrived? Well, it only took me 2 hours to know and decide. I returned both the 13" and 15" that same evening the 15" delivered and actually ordered a new custom 13" with more SSD (although I probably won't need it.) The 13" just felt so much better. The only think I really miss about the 15" is the screen size when watching full screen videos. Also, it is indeed true that text is much more easily visible with more screen space at the default resolution of the 15". I can scale the 13" for more space but it makes text a little too small to comfortably ready over long periods of time.
The 13" has not lagged in anyway at all, boots up ultra fast, is snappy for everything I am doing - browsing with 20 plus tabs open in chrome (2 different user sessions), imessage, facetime, files, photo editing in photos.
I really think I was overvaluing the capabilities/benefits of quad core and dGPU for doing most of the tasks that I care about.
Also, I think the reason I was on the fence was because deep down inside - I knew I valued portability more, and cost was a consideration even though I had the money to go all out. Hell, I remember seeing cool, sexy people at coffee shops with space gray 12" macbooks and thinking - damn, I need something like that.
However, I'm obviously caught up in the "spec world" and thinking about value for money, and those things were in conflict. The 13" is the best compromise between power and portability and if you lean more portable, then get this anyway until the 12" is powerful enough and if you are on the power hungry side, go for the 15".
Some other things for people to consider who might be weighing this based on display size and the dGPU. It is true that you could always connect your 13"/15" to an external and get essentially whatever size display you wanted. I used to connect my mid 2010 15" to my 55" SAMSUNG TV for streaming or displaying PPTs or pictures of a trip so really, that's not much a limitation. I dock my work computer to 2 displays at work and I am really glad I have them as opposed to just the laptop screen (whatever size it may be.)
In terms of DGPU, keep in mind that with metal 2, apple is adding functionality for external dGPUs. It is very possible that third parties will design for this market, introducing sleek "external drive like" GPU units with fancy chassis that are small, sleek and may even have multiple bays for multiple GPUs (AMD/NVid). The left side of the 13" USB/thunderbolt ports will have support for that. SO maybe you don't need that power when traveling but when you come back to your desk ,you just hook up to the dGPU on the left, the external displays on the right and voila!
If you are conflicted, just get both machines as I keep saying and play with both in the comfort of your home and you will have a pretty good idea which one to keep.
Again, as many videos like the first one I posted as well as people on this forum have pointed out, 90% of folks will be just fine with a 13", highly unlikely me or others are in the 10% that understand their needs very well in which case, they aren't conflicted.
Do I wish Apple had put a quad core in this 13"? sure! Do I wish a dGPU existed inside the 13"? sure! On a side note, I don't think I have heard the fan at all over the entire week that I have been using this 13". Is it ever going to come on? not even during video playback.
I think the reason that some of you are conflicted to begin with might be a strong indicator that you too probably value portability and so you just need to pop the bubble about the assumed noticeable benefits to you that a 15" might bring, in which case - again - ideally, buy both machines, together, or start with the 13", if you're not happy, go to a store and buy the base 15" a week later, and compare and then return one.
I am finally SO SO happy with my choice and very confident that I won't be changing my mind. I'm glad I went through the painful exercise of figuring out which one, using data, soliciting feedback and real world experimentation/simulation.
Which brings me to my final point - I think part of what made this difficult was the price difference. It just seems a little crazy to me that the most powerful 13" is only $300 cheaper than the most powerful 15", granted both laptops are $2000+
I think Apple might have a price signaling problem (probably on the 13 which is too overpriced) and I'm talking education discount prices.
I got it $200 cheaper and plus free beats solo3 wireless headphones, and I'm "pretty rich/fortunate" and come from a wealthy family. This must be so much harder for people that are more cash strapped but still want to enjoy apple products and get the best value for their money.
I think I could have been ok if the 13" maxxed out at $2000 and the 15" at $2700-$3000 (taxes included)
I also still think a 14" form factor would be interesting.
To come full circle, I think the video at the start of the thread summarized it well honestly. Unless you LOVE LOVE editing 4k video and enjoy bigger screens, you should just get the 13" (weirdly he has a video where he showed a 12" macbook editing 4k video in FCP, importing and exporting and compared it to a windows with dGPU- I think)
The rest of you will be just fine with the 13", more than fine, you will love the portability.
Both will of course fit easy into a backpack but the 13" will feel way better. I've ordered a fancy sleeve for mine. Will be awesome to just carry your 13" in a sleeve, your phone and your wallet, to class or a cafe, or to work, or to visit a friends house or to a park or a brewery.
I will probably keep this one until a redesign happens. Some of you with newer laptops may want to wait until coffee lake which is promising some crazy gains.
Also, I should say - I really believe in Apple's wireless future. These wireless headphones are pretty awesome. I'm thinking this and a wireless magic mouse and that will make this 13" the perfect machine and combo to travel and do work with at home. Someday, even wireless charging for the macbook may become a thing.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see a day where there's only one USB port on a "Pro" machine. Also, curious why I can't already just use airplay to mirror my display onto a display like the LG ultra-fine. Why should I need an Apple TV. I would think Apple could throw in a Chip to make it happen and to really sell their wireless future.
Lastly, remember guys: This is just a computer, LOL. Yes, its important to make an informed decision especially for this kind of money but don't agonize over it like I did. This is a long repeatable game and this will probably not be the last macbook you own, you can also always sell and re-buy 2 years down the line vs 4-5 or 7 years like me. There are way better things to go spend your time thinking about or your money on.
Wow! What a crazy ride - ordered 3 custom MBPs in one month lol! I hope no one else has to do what I did but hey, I'm finally happy!
It's NOT the laptop for me :/
I only needed to spend 2 hours with it to realize that while an amazing machine, it is too overpowered for what I am realistically going to do with it and it is too big. The pictures should tell you plenty - I'm not going to turn this into a "why I don't like the 15" " but I just couldn't imagine carrying that 15" around for the next 4-5 years - in my bag through airports, internationally, at cafes, on my couch, or bed.
I love the display on the 15", I really do but the form factor is too huge - if you look at the keyboard, it just looks like an island in the middle of all that aluminum, it's just too much laptop!
So let me break it down - how things went for me. While I was super confused and impulse ordered a custom 15" right after buying a custom 13", just the day or two before the 15" arrived, I had to update my resume since I'm getting ready to apply to jobs! And believe me (trump voice) when I tell you that I'm super OCD when it comes to details. That was probably the first unconscious serious task that I did on the 13" without thinking in the back of my head (oh I'm using 13", let's measure how it feels.) I spent about 5-6 hours editing my resume (with hardly any details to fill in), just moving stuff around, watched some netflix and in that moment, I kind of realized how awesome the 13" was as a portable machine. It just feels more intimate. The speakers aren't overly large (fake grills anyway), the trackpad isn't ultra-humongous, and everything feels a lot more proportional. The closest analogy I can think of is this - the 15" is the 13" stretched out in an amateur way and that's where these larger speaker grills, large trackpad, the large amounts aluminum, between screen and keyboard and either sides of trackpads, (again, I'm not saying its ugly), just that in the 13", everything flows better, the screen to macbook pro logo, to touchbar, to keyboard to trackpad and everything around it.
I went to sleep that night falling in love with the 13" again, knowing the 15" was on its way.
The 13" just feels amazing to hold and carry around. It is slightly thinner than the 15" and a pound less heavy and I found/find myself carrying it around my room for no reason, just to simply admire how much smaller and portable it is as a machine - this is after all the appeal of the Air and 12" Macbook lines.
I am able to be just as productive if not more and I can honestly say, this is the best mac I've owned to date! If you are on the fence and my experience/words aren't helping, you should just buy both machines and plan to actually get some important work like an assignment for school/task for work done on both machines. I think that will tell you more than posts.
so what happened when the 15" arrived? Well, it only took me 2 hours to know and decide. I returned both the 13" and 15" that same evening the 15" delivered and actually ordered a new custom 13" with more SSD (although I probably won't need it.) The 13" just felt so much better. The only think I really miss about the 15" is the screen size when watching full screen videos. Also, it is indeed true that text is much more easily visible with more screen space at the default resolution of the 15". I can scale the 13" for more space but it makes text a little too small to comfortably ready over long periods of time.
The 13" has not lagged in anyway at all, boots up ultra fast, is snappy for everything I am doing - browsing with 20 plus tabs open in chrome (2 different user sessions), imessage, facetime, files, photo editing in photos.
I really think I was overvaluing the capabilities/benefits of quad core and dGPU for doing most of the tasks that I care about.
Also, I think the reason I was on the fence was because deep down inside - I knew I valued portability more, and cost was a consideration even though I had the money to go all out. Hell, I remember seeing cool, sexy people at coffee shops with space gray 12" macbooks and thinking - damn, I need something like that.
However, I'm obviously caught up in the "spec world" and thinking about value for money, and those things were in conflict. The 13" is the best compromise between power and portability and if you lean more portable, then get this anyway until the 12" is powerful enough and if you are on the power hungry side, go for the 15".
Some other things for people to consider who might be weighing this based on display size and the dGPU. It is true that you could always connect your 13"/15" to an external and get essentially whatever size display you wanted. I used to connect my mid 2010 15" to my 55" SAMSUNG TV for streaming or displaying PPTs or pictures of a trip so really, that's not much a limitation. I dock my work computer to 2 displays at work and I am really glad I have them as opposed to just the laptop screen (whatever size it may be.)
In terms of DGPU, keep in mind that with metal 2, apple is adding functionality for external dGPUs. It is very possible that third parties will design for this market, introducing sleek "external drive like" GPU units with fancy chassis that are small, sleek and may even have multiple bays for multiple GPUs (AMD/NVid). The left side of the 13" USB/thunderbolt ports will have support for that. SO maybe you don't need that power when traveling but when you come back to your desk ,you just hook up to the dGPU on the left, the external displays on the right and voila!
If you are conflicted, just get both machines as I keep saying and play with both in the comfort of your home and you will have a pretty good idea which one to keep.
Again, as many videos like the first one I posted as well as people on this forum have pointed out, 90% of folks will be just fine with a 13", highly unlikely me or others are in the 10% that understand their needs very well in which case, they aren't conflicted.
Do I wish Apple had put a quad core in this 13"? sure! Do I wish a dGPU existed inside the 13"? sure! On a side note, I don't think I have heard the fan at all over the entire week that I have been using this 13". Is it ever going to come on? not even during video playback.
I think the reason that some of you are conflicted to begin with might be a strong indicator that you too probably value portability and so you just need to pop the bubble about the assumed noticeable benefits to you that a 15" might bring, in which case - again - ideally, buy both machines, together, or start with the 13", if you're not happy, go to a store and buy the base 15" a week later, and compare and then return one.
I am finally SO SO happy with my choice and very confident that I won't be changing my mind. I'm glad I went through the painful exercise of figuring out which one, using data, soliciting feedback and real world experimentation/simulation.
Which brings me to my final point - I think part of what made this difficult was the price difference. It just seems a little crazy to me that the most powerful 13" is only $300 cheaper than the most powerful 15", granted both laptops are $2000+
I think Apple might have a price signaling problem (probably on the 13 which is too overpriced) and I'm talking education discount prices.
I got it $200 cheaper and plus free beats solo3 wireless headphones, and I'm "pretty rich/fortunate" and come from a wealthy family. This must be so much harder for people that are more cash strapped but still want to enjoy apple products and get the best value for their money.
I think I could have been ok if the 13" maxxed out at $2000 and the 15" at $2700-$3000 (taxes included)
I also still think a 14" form factor would be interesting.
To come full circle, I think the video at the start of the thread summarized it well honestly. Unless you LOVE LOVE editing 4k video and enjoy bigger screens, you should just get the 13" (weirdly he has a video where he showed a 12" macbook editing 4k video in FCP, importing and exporting and compared it to a windows with dGPU- I think)
The rest of you will be just fine with the 13", more than fine, you will love the portability.
Both will of course fit easy into a backpack but the 13" will feel way better. I've ordered a fancy sleeve for mine. Will be awesome to just carry your 13" in a sleeve, your phone and your wallet, to class or a cafe, or to work, or to visit a friends house or to a park or a brewery.
I will probably keep this one until a redesign happens. Some of you with newer laptops may want to wait until coffee lake which is promising some crazy gains.
Also, I should say - I really believe in Apple's wireless future. These wireless headphones are pretty awesome. I'm thinking this and a wireless magic mouse and that will make this 13" the perfect machine and combo to travel and do work with at home. Someday, even wireless charging for the macbook may become a thing.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see a day where there's only one USB port on a "Pro" machine. Also, curious why I can't already just use airplay to mirror my display onto a display like the LG ultra-fine. Why should I need an Apple TV. I would think Apple could throw in a Chip to make it happen and to really sell their wireless future.
Lastly, remember guys: This is just a computer, LOL. Yes, its important to make an informed decision especially for this kind of money but don't agonize over it like I did. This is a long repeatable game and this will probably not be the last macbook you own, you can also always sell and re-buy 2 years down the line vs 4-5 or 7 years like me. There are way better things to go spend your time thinking about or your money on.
Wow! What a crazy ride - ordered 3 custom MBPs in one month lol! I hope no one else has to do what I did but hey, I'm finally happy!
Last edited:
Damn was hoping you'd say that you preferred the 15" MBP
I'm still undecided as I will be using the MBP as a desktop replacement and won't take it out and about too often so the 13" MBP's portability is not essential but I also don't need the dGPU/faster processor of the 15".
Well, I prefer the 15" MBP, but that's more because it's easier on my eyes for reading, and with Xcode, the more screen space, the better.Damn was hoping you'd say that you preferred the 15" MBP
I'm still undecided as I will be using the MBP as a desktop replacement and won't take it out and about too often so the 13" MBP's portability is not essential but I also don't need the dGPU/faster processor of the 15".
I think the quad core is also more future-proofed for powering our new AI overlords, LOL.
ARKit and CoreML are the only things that have made my first gen 12.9" iPad Pro heat up the back casing. I now know where the CPU package is located inside my iPP. I think this heat output will be a surprise for some people.
You should try the native OS X version of LabVIEW. At least you'll get the full battery life rather than halving it by running it in a VM.