15" or 17" macbook pro?

I can't decide which one I should get...

I do web development and play games... I carry my machine with me to work every day, but I do not like depending on external monitors, since most of my work at home is done sitting up in bed.

Help me decide!

Thanks!

 

If you are willing to carry it in a messenger bag instead of a briefcase, I'd go with the 17. It's not that much heavier, and the extra screen real estate is really nice. I've got a 15, and my parents both have 17s, and I have to say, I prefer the 17.

 

Thanks for the feedback, this is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for!

 

Also worth considering: the MBP 15 has a 1440x900 screen as standard, and if you get the high-end model, you can get a 1680x1050 screen (but by then, you're within $200 of the MBP 17). The MBP 17 has a 1920x1200 screen standard. I have a 1440x900 screen on my MBP, a 1680x1050 screen on my work desktop, and a 1920x1080 screen on my Sony. The Sony is the only machine that can display two Microsoft Word documents side-by-side at 100% sizing, at least if you have the dock on the side instead of the bottom (which I do). So I'm a big fan of 1920 columns of pixels instead of 1440 or even 1680.

 

hate to say it but post in the WNSIB forum. there may be better options etc for your specific needs

 

I went with the 15" high end model that BestBuy offers this pass Saturday. I wish I could have gotten the Hi-res Glossy screen option but that would have required me to purchase from Apple directly. Wasn't worth it for me since I'm a rewards member and wanted their accidental damage plan. Not to mention I got a great deal on it since there was a little mishap at the store. This is will be moving with around with me to work then to school and occasional travel everyday for at least the next 2 years hopefully so it was the perfect combo of size and power.

 

I ran into the same dilemma. I spent some time in my local Apple store looking at both the 15" and 17" models.

After going back and forth, I opt'd for the 15". IMO the 15" is the best blend of power and size.

 

What is the WNSIB forum? I am pretty dead set on a mac. I love the trackpad, screens RGB color accuracy and contrast, thin design, time machine, good gpu etc.

 

Yeah, I use the 1680 on my thinkpad and its over kill for simple web browsing, but for photoshop its required... 1920 would be nice, but didnt know if the machine would be so big that it would annoy me. (Apple store is about 2 hours away. )

Then I have to decide to I buy now, or do I make my t500 last until Q2 of 2012... Its 3 years old now, but still works...

I dont need a better IGP since I am using dedicated on the pro most of the time, so that is not a draw, but I wonder if the new ones will run cooler with the smaller process, or if they will get the new hidpi screens? If it would run cooler, that would be nice.... Might be worth holding out just to see.... But I still will need to pick the case size....

I do think I am leaning to the hi rez glare type the best so far though....

 

Get the 15" its a good blend....

 

What Notebook Should I Buy?

^ That is, if you aren't already set on getting a Macbook Pro.

 

I used to do 15s... but the 17s are barely bigger and even fits in most 15" bags... and are smaller than many other brands 15" machines. After having a couple of 15s, and a 13... and now a 17, I like the 17 the best.

 

doh123, Did you have the high rez or low rez 15s?

 

We have a 17" MBP Antiglare and the screen is very nice to work on, a true workstation! We had a 15" a few years back and the resolution was too limiting. If this is your primary machine and you want to get some real work done, get the 17". If you want to surf in bed whip out your iPad...cheers!

 

I didn't mind the size/weight of a 17" at all. My problem was the high resolution 1920x1200 made text way too small for me. Certain websites looked terrible (craigslist, for example) because the type was so small and there was so much extra white space. Zooming helped, but overall, it was just not for me.

You should probably test out both models in person, that's the best way to decide. If you're primarily concerned about the size/weight factor, I found it to be negligible.

After owning almost every type of portable mac, from the Air all the way up to the 17, my favorite combination of power and size has always been the 15. But it truly is a personal preference.

 

I've only had 1440x900 in 15 MBPs, but I have used the 1680x1050 and it is a nice res, but Its hard to give up the 1920x1200 once you get used to it.

 

I got the 17" because I wanted to avoid external monitors, and it has worked pretty well. Not too heavy (though better for a roller bag than over the shoulder). You can also sometimes get a good deal on them used as they are not as popular as the 15".

 

so true, Im thinking of selling the mbp 13 that I have and to get a mba 13 next year, its quite limiting, thats why I work with 4 desktops, its a necessity

 

How hot do this machines get 15" and 17"--and do the fans come on annoyingly loud?

 

Loud.. yes.. annoying? depends on you...

When pushing them to the max (mainly gaming or video encoding) my 17" maxes out around 85º. If I do not spin the fans up manually, it will get over 90º before it cools back down... I don't like that so I manually spin the fans up before I start something like that.

The 15" runs the fans at 6200 rpm max, and the 17" uses 5500 rpm max. You can hear the fans, but they are not annoyingly loud like in some laptops... at least to me.

 

Dont sell yourself short - get one of each!!!


Seriously though, I love the high resolution and desktop real estate of the 17. The 15 is a good balance between the two, and I dont think you could really go wrong with either one.

 

^Please tell me you don't own each one >.<

 

Sad to say, I do. I've tried to bring myself to sell the 15 and 17, but I just cant. I even still have my very first Mac (late 2007 black MacBook) even though it died on me earlier this year. Like I said in another thread, I have WAY too many machines

 

With the 17" MBP, you will have a 0.1907 pixel pitch. With the 15" MBP, you will have either 0.2303 (1440x900) or 0.1974 (1680x1050) pixel pitch.

I just got a 15" MBP with the 1680x1050 screen, and I am having second thoughts about it because in some places text appears way too small. I know you can enlarge text in some areas, but in some places you just can't enlarge it. The 17" MBP would have even smaller text, since it has a smaller pixel pitch. If small text is a concern for you, you can at least get the 1440x900 15" MBP. Then again, the anti-glare screen is only available in 1680x1050, which is why I chose that one.

 

I think if you are going to have a large screen size, the only thing that looks good on it is high res, anything less, just makes it look like an overgrown 13". In fact, high res on smaller screen is just sweet as well.

 

I won't read the whole thread, so sorry if there is something similar said already.

I also work as a web developer, but mainly designer. In January I'm about to move from PC (currently Vaio) to Macbook.

As far as I know, Mac OS X is not that perfect when it comes to gaming stuff.

Donno if you are moving from PC to Mac or you have been using a Mac before, but if you are now moving to MAC and haven't used it before - it will be a lil bit harder, especially for your purposes.

Anyway, if you've finally decided to buy a macbook, I'd recommend you to pickup the 15" version, because as you said you will carry it around. The 17" version is definitely not that portable.

 

I believe the 15" offers a better balance for size, power, and portability over the 17" one. Even the 17" MBP is smaller than many 14-15" notebooks from competitors but the extra size makes it kind of a pain to use in portable computing environments. You can properly equip the 15" MBP so that it will have everything that the 17" version does anyway. That means the only thing it offers over the 15" model is the extra display size.

Since you won't be using your MBP in a non-portable environment (i.e. you will be taking it with you), I see no reason not to get the 15" version. I highly recommend that you go down to your local Apple/electronics store to mess with these in person to see if the default resolution (and glossy display) of the 15" MBP is to your liking. Its resolution is over 1024X768 (still the standard web resolution though 1366X768 and 1280X800 are coming in at 2nd and 3rd) so developing for websites shouldn't be a problem.

Also, as previously mentioned, Macs aren't great when it comes to gaming unless you install Windows via bootcamp. Many Mac games tend to be sloppy Windows ports not providing the same experience. I don't recommend gaming, unless it is extremely casual games like Solitaire or Angry birds, with a Mac unless you plan on installing Windows. Just keep in mind that, if you are going to be gaming in Windows 40% (or more) of the time, you might as well just buy a gaming Windows notebook. It all depends on how big of a factor gaming is going to be.

 

I am familiar with iMacs. I use a 27" iMac at my day job and just use my thinkpad at night for side work. Since my thinkpad has the high rez just like the upgraded 15" macbook pro and I like it and am fine with the small text on it, so should be fine with it on these. It is just too handy to have the work room in dreamweaver because sql queries get so long, you must do a lot of side scrolling to see them and your toolbars, property box and ftp area.

Does the 17" have better or worse cooling ability than the 15"?

Are the speakers the same on both, or do you think the 17" has a bit more umph?

 

The cooling seems the same... the temps run the same, but the 17 will do that with a lower RPM fan, so the cooling must be a bit better on the 17. The 17 fans max at 5500 rpm where the 15 maxes at 6200.

The speakers have always sounded the same to me, but many speaker systems people brag about to me I can never tell the difference in them and cheaper systems, so....

 

Having a bunch of Alienwares laptops and 1 macbook pro "15 seems to fit my bill just fine.

 

Get the 17 and don't look back. If you're going between the two, then if you get the 15, every time you see a 17 you'll kick yourself. Quieter fans and more screen real estate. What's not to like? I've carried both daily and I can't tell the difference.

Different story if price is a consideration-- then get the 15 and some goodies like RAM or SSD. If they were both free, which would you get?

 

Had ago on my friends 17", screen size was impressive and its light. However it got incredibly hot, wouldn't recommend without someone on your lap.

 

Thanks for all of the extra feedback! The closest apple store is a few hours away so it is nice to have your thoughts!

 

If that's the case, you better call them ahead of time to make they have what you want in stock. Nothing worse than wasting a long trip like that.

 

Well, I may avoid making the trip all together and just buy based on what you guys say. That way I can save sales tax by ordering from something like macmall.com. In my state, 8.25% on $2000 is like $165 + the gas savings..