Macbook pro - 13" or 15"??????

Question

Hi everyone, thanks for reading...

I will be going to university in september, and i need to buy a laptop. I will be going into a first year medical science program. The question i have is, should i buy the 13" core2duo macbook pro (i would probably get the higher end 2.66ghz one), or the 15" 2.4ghz core i5 macbook pro.

I will most likely be carrying the laptop to classes every day, and i know the 13" would be better in terms of portability, but i need the laptop to last me at least 4 years, so i dont know if i should buy the 15" because it is the latest processor technology..... Will the 15" be much more of a pain in the *** to carry around?

does anyone have either one of these computers that they use for college/uni, if so, what do you think of the one you have, and would you have prefered the other one?

btw, price difference between the two is not an issue

thank you VERY much for any help u can offer

Answer 1

Sounds like you understand the trade-off of portability versus screen size and either model would meet your needs.



However, the Core i5 processor in the entry-level 15" MacBook Pro model is significantly faster than the Core 2 Duo in the 13" MacBook models. Graphics performance in the 15" MacBook Pro is better as well. However, if your needs are basic, a 13" model likely would work well and it's your decision whether or not the larger display and extra performance is more important than the decreased portability to you. Either could last you four years if you take good care of it.



An objective comparison may be useful:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/macbook-pro-unibody-faq/differences-between-macbook-pro-13-15-17-inch-mid-2010.html



For performance, specifically, this also may be worthwhile:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/macbook-pro-unibody-faq/macbook-pro-13-15-17-mid-2010-speed-performance-comparison.html



Hope this helps!

Answer 2

I have neither of the MacBook Pros, but I have a 13" MacBook. It has been pretty easy to carry around. Your going to probably get a case for your MacBook Pro anyway, just buy one that will have a good shoulder strap and be padded and the 15" should be OK. I picked up a case off www.kensington.com that's allowed my MacBook to survive 3 years and several plane flights with no damage. Don't forget the discount, free printer & free iPod Touch at the Apple Educations tore on-line now.

Answer 3

I own a 15" macbook pro with 2.6ghz i7 processor. It's a bit too big to carry around under your arm comfortably, but if you stick it in a backpack then it feels just like a school textbook. I would go with the 15" because it will not become obsolete nearly as quickly as a 13" would.