MBP - right choice?

LongLensPhotography

LongLensPhotography

Th..th..that's all folks!
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LongLensPhotography
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I'm just looking for a quick sanity check before I pull out my CC.

I am about to order a pretty standard 13" model with 256GB SSD. This is mainly intended as travel laptop and also for use at work. The main workhorse remains i7 Mac mini 16GB. I see the 13" are a long way off in geekbench scores, but at least it is the cheapest one if anything happens.

Or do I go all out and get 15" one? They are so much better for an extra 35% ish cost. The only bugbear is limited 4K support at only 24Hz, so this would too end up being sold off within a couple of years.

I would want to take one on holiday next week for doing some work (!!!) so next model is probably out of question.
 
Are you looking at the retina or non-retina 13"?
 
I had 15" for home and a secondhand 11" for travel but now just have the 13" retina and its ideal imo.
256GB will quickly fill up though with programs and images so either get 512GB or have a back-up drive.
Also get a decent travel bag/cover e.g. knomo leather sleeve to keep it protected. (£65 but knomo_outlet on ebay have it for £18)
 
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Rapscallion said:
Are you looking at the retina or non-retina 13"?
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Of course I'm looking at retina; only those come with SSD :) (I'm a bit surprised they still sell a 3-year old obsolete model at that price)

Hopefully it is not too slow
 
I've used the 13" rMBP and it's OK for photo editing if you don't mind the small screen. Lightroom is OK(ish). Photoshop you may find a little less easy to use. Unfortunately now Adobe are using the subscription model for their software Apple stores no longer have Photoshop installed on their machines , so you can't try it out in store.. If you like me only use laptops for travelling then the 256 Gb SSD is OK , as I tend to off load as soon as possible, plus if you do need extra storage the USB3 ports make reasonably fast to use a small external drive ( You could opt for Thunderbolt but they are a bit expensive)

If you try both the 13" and the 15" I think you'll see the advantages of the bigger machine especially if you are going to use it for Video. I opted for the 15". It is so much better. However you have to weigh the cost against size. FCPX on the 13" is not really workable except to view daily"s . I'd get down to an Apple store or reseller and have a look at both. I suspect you'll opt for the 15"
 
Neither 13" nor 15" will be ideal for editing images on the go, though 15" will be less like mouse-milking. But if you're likely to flog both after just a couple of years because of inadequacies then it makes more sense to buy the cheaper one. Also since this is for travel it will be lighter and easier to cart about.
 
ancient_mariner said:
Neither 13" nor 15" will be ideal for editing images on the go, though 15" will be less like mouse-milking. But if you're likely to flog both after just a couple of years because of inadequacies then it makes more sense to buy the cheaper one. Also since this is for travel it will be lighter and easier to cart about.
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You are right, they both aren't good for editing unless you plug in to a monitor. It's OK to quickly adjust colour, backup and delete some files on the fly. Most importantly it will replace iPad and will have all necessary productivity software.
 
I ordered a 13" this time. If they come up with innovative new macbook within the next 2-3 years I'll have a good incentive to upgrade :)

Which case(s) / shells did you say were advisable?
 
I have a Spec hard shell. Not the cheapest but fits well and protects the MacBook. You can then drop it into any carry case you want without any concerns. Some shells come with a keyboard cover. with the Mac's being so slim now this can leave marks on the screen when the lid is closed, plus I find they make using the keyboard a bit dificult
 
Chappers said:
I have a Spec hard shell. Not the cheapest but fits well and protects the MacBook. You can then drop it into any carry case you want without any concerns. Some shells come with a keyboard cover. with the Mac's being so slim now this can leave marks on the screen when the lid is closed, plus I find they make using the keyboard a bit dificult
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i have a speck hard shell, but the covers are less than half the price and have very good reviews on amazon. I have on on order for delivery tomorrow and will feedback my impressions.
 
Rapscallion said:
i have a speck hard shell, but the covers are less than half the price and have very good reviews on amazon. I have on on order for delivery tomorrow and will feedback my impressions.
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the m-cover case from amazon has come, and it isn't as nicely finished as a speck case. more of a hard plastic feel and the edges are a little sharper. so off it will go back to amazon....
 
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