MBP 17" Mystique...Aura...Panache?

Yet again I am stuck at the crossroads, currently owning multiple Windows systems, but wishfully hoping to move back to OSx.

For whatever reason, I am perpetually enamored by the 17" MBP. The rMBP just doesn't seem to do it for me.

That said, can anyone advise if I am crazy to go on a witch hunt for a 2860QM / 6770 17" from 2011? Is there some 17" alternative on the horizon, or is 15" going to be the largest they have from here on out.



With regards to the flame bait I imagine this will be regarding my "need" for 17" of real estate...

• High resolution is a must for viewing multiple data sets at a time
• 15" screen based on my Apple store and Windows machine experiences is not enough for a high resolution display for me
• I do not like using the various Spaces within Apple much...prefer to see it all at once
• Must be "mobile," yet spends most of its time sitting on my desk which I would prefer to not have clutered with another mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

 

Nobody knows if Apple will come out with a new 17" notebook or if 15" is going to be it for them. We only know those things once Apple officially announces them. Until then, everything is just rumor or conjecture and there hasn't been any of that surrounding a 17" portable Mac.

Personally, if you are absolutely dead set on 17" (even though the RMBP is going to have more actual real-estate than other 15-17" notebooks), you should look elsewhere unless you can find a really good deal on a 17" MBP (I would get the updated ones, not a first generation SB model since those were released in January of 2011) that is in tip top shape. You should really go back and spend some time with the RMBP as it meets all of your criteria except for one thing (the screen size). It will be more portable than a 17" MBP, it will have a much higher resolution, it will allow you to see everything at once, it will allow you to see much larger data sets, and it has more room for expansion since it comes with two thunderbolt ports along with USB 3.0.

 

I agree I would be capable of seeing much larger data sets, but I can't actually see much larger data sets. Eyes aren't good enough for that pixel pitch and still get appropriate use out of it. Things like databases would need to be resized to the point where the effect pitch pretty much matches that of a 17" 1920x01080.

 

I get the desire for physical real estate, not just resolution. Unfortunately, the 17" laptop is a dying breed. The MBP 17 isn't the only to disappear; Sony deep-sixed the Vaio F2 (16.4), Dell deep-sixed the XPS 17, and Lenovo no longer sells any 17" models at all. Given Apple's ever-increasing emphasis on portability, I wouldn't hold my breath on a return of the MBP 17. So I'd either get a used one or look at PC manufacturers that do still offer 17" multimedia laptops, like the HP Envy 17.

 

Another 17" choice could be the Dell Precision M6700. It also has a good IPS screen option although only 1920x1080.

 

Also the new razer blade.. 660m gtx. Super thin. thinner than mbp 17.

 

And if you really want screen real estate, and are willing to tolerate a heavier laptop design (not sure if by "mobile" you mean "laptop not desktop" or "relatively light laptop"), Alienware still sells an 18.4" 1080p design...the M18X.

 

I am currently sitting on a 17" Sager NP7280, so getting back towards something <10 lbs is the goal. Should be easy to manage, or at least would have been prior to the 17" MBP discontinuation.

The 15" rMBP is not quite out of the question, but due to my eyesight, while I could feasibly get 3 or more documents side by side at 100% zoom, I still cannot ready them as fluidly as I would like. The screen is beautiful for imagery and the like, but just is not feasible for me glossing through numerous PDF files and the like.

 

The HP Envy 17 weighs 7.3 lbs. The Razer Blade weighs 6.6 lbs. The Dell Precision M6700 weighs 7.76 lbs. And the HP Elitebook 8770w weighs 7.66 lbs. Any of those should be a good option for a 17" 1080p screen at significantly under 10 lbs.

 

Those are great performing machines ... but they do not have the 1920x1200.

Also absolutely hate the left sided touchpad. I do not need a numpad for my work (DBs/vms) and so the left sided touchpad does not help at all ..

The Dell m6500 has 1920x1200 - and is a great machine. But I have to use it with a regular keyboard and mouse. Thus mobility is zero. Also the battery is more like an UPS.

What would be a good deal for a 17"MBP now ?
Apple store is selling refurbs @ $2k for the Feb 2011 (i7-2820qm) and 2.1K for Oct 2011 (i7-2860qm). Are these good prices ?