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MBP 15" or 17" ?

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Jultou

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I would like to your opinion about buying my first Mac.

I mostly do Lightroom and internet. I would use my mac only at home but I like to have the flexibilty to move from one room to another. If I go out I'm happy with my Iphone.

I have a deal for a refurb 15" i5 at 1700$+tx (Apple store) or a 17" i7 from a reseller at 1900$.

Now I hesitate about the size. The 17" would be nice for Lightroom work but it is a bit bulky to use on knees for example.

So I would like to know what are your experiences using MBP 15" and 17"

Thanks,
Julien
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8045341@N04/
 
If you want desktop area, but you are worried about the bulk of a 17" laptop, you might want to take a look at a custom-order 15" MBP. The optional "hi-res" screen (1680 x 1050 pixels) provides 77% as much desktop area as the 17" MBP screen (the "stock" screen (1440 x 900 pixels) only provides 56% as much).
Jultou said:
I have a deal for a refurb 15" i5 at 1700$+tx (Apple store) or a 17" i7 from a reseller at 1900$.
Click to expand...
Most of the 15" MBPs in the Refurbished section of the Apple Store have the lower-resolution (1440 x 900 pixel) screen. (Since that is the screen that new buyers get if they don't make a special effort to custom-order, that's what would be on most Macs coming in to be refurbished.)

I'm not saying this to scare you away from the Refurbished section. Just to make you aware that if there are optional features (like the 1680 x 1050 pixel screen, or anti-glare treatment) that you want, you need to be extra-attentive when scanning the Refurbished listings.
 
The only size issue for me with the 17" is that it's too much for me to schlep around with. It crosses the line for how much I can add to my bag without it being a chore.

Room to room or on the knees no problem for me. But I'm happy with my 15" hi res matte.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12029655@N02/
 
Thanks for your inputs. I don't plan to go outside home with the MBP, for me both 15 and 17" are too big for that.

About the resolution/screen size, it is not that I want that much desktop area but more space for lightroom use. I currently sometime use a 14" laptop for lightroom and it becomes annoying to always hide and show the menus to see the pictures at a reasonable size.

With extra money would you a) move from i5 to i7 b) 4 gig of ram to 8 c) Apple care plan.

Julien
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8045341@N04/
 
The 17" is the only Macbook that has an ExpressCard/34 slot. This opens up the possibility to add a card that provides eSATA or USB 3.0 support. Another aspect to consider.
 
Thanks everyones for your advices.

Good to know that you can take Apple care later as long as the MB is still under warranty. Same for the RAM, you can add later only if needed.

Now I see that there's a refurb 15" MBP i7, Hi res non-glossy screen at 2,000$ on Apple store Canada. Very tempting...

--
Julien
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8045341@N04/
 
Jultou said:
I mostly do Lightroom and internet. I would use my mac only at home but I like to have the flexibilty to move from one room to another. If I go out I'm happy with my Iphone.
Click to expand...
Do yourself a favour and get an iMac (Lightroom and internet) and some cheap netbook (internet).

--
Edvinas
 
I went to macword site to compare the performances of the MBP and imac. Clearly the imac is superior mostly due to the quad core i5 and i7.

I did not mention it in my OP but I would like to have access to the mac on my TV. This is the main reason for me to not go with an Imac.

--
Julien
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8045341@N04/
 
... is a monster. The largest I would go for is the 15". Add an external monitor if you want more screen real estate.
 
Jultou said:
I would like to your opinion about buying my first Mac.

I mostly do Lightroom and internet. I would use my mac only at home but I like to have the flexibilty to move from one room to another. If I go out I'm happy with my Iphone.

I have a deal for a refurb 15" i5 at 1700$+tx (Apple store) or a 17" i7 from a reseller at 1900$.

Now I hesitate about the size. The 17" would be nice for Lightroom work but it is a bit bulky to use on knees for example.

So I would like to know what are your experiences using MBP 15" and 17"
Click to expand...
it's depend do you use the macbook pro outdoor, if you do I will suggest you for the 15", the 17" is just too big and heavry and the battery don't last as long and it is not portable, I will suggest you go with a apple LED 27" screen, then you will have the both of the world, you bring the 15" mbp to work, then after you come home, you just connect to the big screen.
 
I take my 15" everywhere. I wish it were thinner and lighter but I need the screen size and the power, so no regrets. From my perspective, the justification for the 17" is very specialized: You require such a huge screen while you are mobile. If you don't have that requirement, most people would be happier with either a 13/15" plus a large desktop monitor, or an iMac if it's rarely going to leave the desk. You pay such a huge premium for the 17" over the smaller laptops or a comparable iMac, it's ridiculous.
 
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