I love the 17" unibody, and Apple sucks!

I've been playing with the 17" unibody I recently acquired (don't ask!), and after using it for some days, it's a NIGHTMARE going back to my 15.4" unibody MBP. Why? The resolution. I spent many a year with a Dell Inspiron 8600 15.4", which had a 1920x1200 display. What year was that? Oh yes, 2003.

So what's the deal with Apple and their CRAPPY resolution 15.4" notebooks? No excuses, seriously.

Anyway, I'm selling my 15.4" notebook. I've seen the light. 1080p or bust.

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OK, in all seriousness, I love my 15.4" MBP. It's awesome. But the lack of pixel resolution just gets to me, especially since I use Lightroom, and have multiple windows open often (including chat windows). The 17" is just so comfortable to use, like a mini 24" LED Cinema Display. Just lovely.

Now if Apple upped the res on the 15.4" to 1680x1050 or 1920x1200, gosh I'd be happy!

For now, though, I'll just use the 17" and sell my 15.4". Move along. Nothing to see here.

 

I agree that Apple lack of customization on the screen.
However, I found that WXGA+ for me is not too bad. I think it's just personal opinion. I know some ppl even cant handle WXGA on their 19" screen.

 

Hmm how much are you selling the 15.4" macbook for?

 

1920 on a 15.4 screen is too small for me, while I can't use wxga at all on any screen. I like 1400x900 or 1680x1050 for 15.4 screens.

 

not sure what's coming up, but the current 1440x900 is not high enough, maybe 1680x1050 will be better.

but if things go right, i'd rather have a 12inch w/ decent(enough) GPU and 12+ battery life and a desktop

 

I would go for the 17" mbp (already sold my 15" 2.53GHz unibody mbp a while back) but the flickering issues of the 15" and 17" mbp on lower brightness notches will keep me away until the next revision.

 

That really is a non-issue. It's something to do with the system being cold + the power inverter = flicker at the LOWEST brightness level. After 2 minutes, the flickering goes away, though my new 17" doesn't do it.

 

Not sure. Accepting all offers.

 

I ll give you 3 dollars and hamburger!deal?

 

Oh so tempting!

 

I tend to agree. And I've seen similar on lots of other notebooks with LED screens. The screen is the least of your problems on a unibody Crapbook Pro.

For a bog-standard LED screen, I like the matte screen on the 17" UBMBP. As for the pixel density, on a 1920 x xxxx screen I'd be expecting to do more involved stuff than just the office, notetaking, etc - so I don't think I could deal with the res on a 15" screen.

 

and to make it even better,I ll add this-

 

I'm perfectly comfortable with the 1440X900 but perhaps that's because i have never tried the 1680X1050 resolution.

 

I seriously need an upgrade from my current Macbook. I start silently crying from within whenever I have to use it on the road now, since I'm away from my 24" monitor.

But as always, it would be nice if Apple offered more customisable configurations for their laptops.

 

I do too, When ever I'm not on my 24inch I feel like I can't even use it because each windows doesn't have it's own spot on the screen. It feels to crowded. But that wouldn't really change if the resolution was bigger.

 

That's why you should not get an external monitor. You get so used with it!!!

 

I have a 24" that I hook up to now and then. It's nice to have a big res, but on a big screen it's nice. I'm pretty fine with 1440x900, not sure how 1680x1050 would be, but I think 1920x1200 would be too small for 15"

 

I don't think Apple sucks, but 1440x900 on a "15" laptop does.

For those that never tried WXSGA+ or WUXGA, come over too the dark side! :-D

 

Yeah I really wanted to go back to a 15" laptop, but couldn't go below 1680x1050...so I ended up with the 17" and 1920x1200...not that I'm complaining, but its still absurd that there isn't that option on the 15" in this day and age.

 

I find that Spaces greatly alleviates the low resolution problem. I wish Apple would also offer S-IPS or P/MVA LCD panels on their notebooks.

 

It is strange that they don't - many true pros would appreciate even a costly good display option. How many LED IPS screens do you see out there on laptops? That would be innovative.

Not everyone likes using Spaces, and it doesn't play nice with CS4, for example.

 

I'll top that, $4.00, hamburger and a drink.

Anyway, I'm not a huge resolution-pusher; for me, 1440x900 is about right on a 15.4-inch; 1680 x 1050 I wouldn't mind, but 1920 x 1200 is too much for me .

To compare, I'm on a 22-inch 1680 x 1050 and I think its just right .

 

The problem with this is how much more Apple will charge for the MBs/MBAs/MBPs?

 

I think the bigger problem is that these panels simply do not exist . A few years ago there were a few 4:3 IPS panels used by a select few Asus and IBM notebooks but no one really bought them so these panels were phased out. In comparison with their desktop counterparts, all notebook LCDs simply suck.

 

you need to get out of your apple cave

aren't the RGB LCD's good?

 

They wouldn't know

(But they'll have an opinion on it anyway, as long as it's not made by Apple - when it is, then it'll be amazing ;) )

 

competely agree!

I trade my desktop for your MBP. lolz

 

in short,no.

btw,apple has high quality screens on mbp and mba...

 

MBA screen quality is good???
I really doubt that.

 

Macbook air rev. a's screen was very nice but rev. b is of lower quality.

 

I hadn't noticed any difference between the rev. a and rev. b screens on the MBA, but I hadn't really examined them closely. The rev. a (I had one for a bit) has a WAY better screen than the current MacBook (non-Pro) line. Just gorgeous.

 

yes they do.

dad has rev b. and mom rev a. and they are the same IMO.both are in other country so can't check

BTW Will,where is the review?

 

Haha. A review is expected, this late in the game? Good grief.

I'll get a write-up done at some point, including the OCZ Vertex SSD drive I threw in there over the weekend. In the meantime, here's a crappy cellphone picture of all the MBPs together, with the new king in the middle.

 

Superb. Thanks for the pics, WilliamG. If you've the time, would you mind taking some photos with the screens turned on for us?

 

shame on you Will!Give us awesome pics like in good old days!

 

Yep, definitely, as soon as I get a moment to calibrate the new one's LCD and set stuff up...

Fine, fine. Give me a bit to get my life sorted out. Just moved to Seattle from Minnesota, and am still getting unpacked.

 

Gotta calibrate em' before you show them off!? Shame on you...

Congrats on the move! Hope it all went well!

 

Every laptop screen is utterly worthless before a proper hardware calibration, and each one needs to be calibrated or I can't use them. Can't stand how blue and washed out Apple screens are out of the box.

Move went well, thank you! Just trying to get organized here!

 

I'm just kidding with you. I agree though, every screen needs a good calibration for the full effect.

I had to move to college, and it was terrible! I can't imagine what it would be like to move from state to state.

 

are those all yours???

 

Now I know you said not to ask, but why/how did you accquire a 17" uMBP?

 

Yes they're all "mine."

OK, here's the story regarding the 17".

My wife owns the 15" unibody MBP (the one on the right LOL), and decided she wanted more resolution than 1440x900. She travels at times doing conferences for IBM. At home, like me, she has the 24" LED Cinema Display, which she loves for the resolution. So we bought the 17" (got a KILLER deal on this brand new one from eBay - $1798 shipped - another story...), and then after receiving it she decided it was too big/heavy what with having to use a larger case for it etc... *sigh*

So I decided rather than sell it, I'd keep it. So I think I'm keeping it. I haven't had a chance to get it all set up completely, but I'm addicted to 1920x1200 on the go, and the battery life is tremendous for a 17", and the little bump in speed (as small as it is) is probably a tiny bonus (2.66ghz vs 2.53ghz), as is the extra USB port, better sound quality over the 15.4", and.... ummm I think that's it?

So there's the story. Next question.

 

Sort of topic but what do you guys use to calibrate your screens?

 

I personally use a Spyder2Pro.

 

@WilliamG

How about you send me one of them?

 

I wonder the samething

@MAG: love your desktop!

 

Thank you I just got it a month ago

 

I'd be happy to send anyone one of them, for a price. I intend to put it on eBay, with a brand new, sealed retail box of Microsoft Office 2008 Mac, and a brand new Timbuk2 messenger bag (still in plastic), for $1750 shipped, FedEx insured. The 15.4" is in perfect condition. Only been charged 14 or 15 times (according to iStat pro). 100% health on the battery, and no scratches/dead pixels etc. It sat on my desk 99% of the time. Feel free to PM me if you're interested. I know this isn't the buy/sell forum, but it will be up there in the next few days in any case.

 

i have a 1920x1080 screen now, and the writing is too small. i cant imagine 1900x1200 in a 15.4".
1400x900 is fine for 15.4" im thinking.

 

Very few people want 1900X1200 on a 15.4 inch screen.