Is 17" too big?

17 inches is measured diagonally. It is 10.51 inches (26.7 cm) x 15.47 inches (39.3 cm)

Source: http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs-17inch.html

A Boeing 737-300 does not have the tray table space, but a 737-700 does.
So it really depends on which planes and trains you are going to be on.

In my opinion the 17" is too big for travel. I've had a 15" and a 13", and I prefer the 13" for its portability. I did use the 15" for several years though, and it was a perfectly acceptable size as well. Unless you desperately need the screen real estate, I'd go with the 15".

"... the 17" 'too big' to comfortably type if it is on your lap? I mean, I don't want to buy something which will fall off my lap because my legs don't act as a 'support' for it..."

It generally is not advisable to sit the notebook on your lap as it may inhibit proper ventilation. It is not a laptop. It is a notebook.

ALthough I don't have a 17" MBP, I do have a 17" HP similar in size and weight to the 17" MBP. I did take it to Vegas once. Walked and rode the bus around the strip and downtown until my hotel room was ready. (I had a early morning flight so had about 6 hours to wait.) The 17" is not something I'd recommend traveling with. If you do, get a good notebook backpack with padded shoulders. While the extra 1-2 pounds doesn't sound like much, it all adds up after a while. And the larger screen means a larger bag, which you'll probably put more stuff in and now it won't fit under your seat on the plane and you can't put it overhead because it's full and you were late boarding because you were out of breath from carrying the extra weight. 😉

I got the 15" MBP because at the time the 13" MBPs weren't out yet. Fortunately I don't travel as much as I did a few years ago. But if I did I'd be inclined toward the 13". But in my daily commute, the 15" is a good fit.

As for typing, IMO, yes, the 17" is a little too big to type on your lap. Apple's design is better than my HP (the HP has a numeric keypad, so the weight is pushed more on my right leg when I use it on my lap.) But still it's not as pleasant as the smaller devices.

Perhaps you want to consider a 13" MBP and attach a external monitor. That way on your desk, where you say the computer will be most of the time, you get the large monitor. (You can even get one larger than 17" that way), yet still have something portable when needed. (This is what I did with my 15" MBP before I got a Mac Mini as my desk computer.)

Beyond all this good advice, you really should go to some store, see all three laptops, pick them up, play on them. In the end, go with the laptop that not only suits your needs, but that you fall in love with. I've known many 17" users that make it work for them--including traveling with it and such. It isn't going to fit so easily as the others on small cafe tables or be the thing to use on most airline flights, but it is still a laptop, still portable and meant to be so. So don't be afraid of it on that score.

Check it out in person. Whether it feels too big for you or not is what matters most.

I had a similar debate with myself over whether to get the 13-inch or the 15-inch MBP. And, the previous posters are right, you need, if you have not already gone, to go to the nearest Apple store and use them. For me, when I saw the three sitting next to each other, I knew the 17 was too big for me (might not be for you though) and the 15 seemed kinda the same. I fell for the 13-Inch and love the ease of portability I have with it. As I type this, Im in a cafe, with enough room for other things on the table.

I carry my 17" around all the time. It's so slim it's very portable.

However, if you want it on your lap, go for the 15" (remembering my old Powerbook).

I type this from my lap however, but yes, it's a little big.

The 17" is a great desktop replacement.

I have a 17" and travel a lot by car. I really like the real estate on the 17", so personally I would always go with a 17". My 12" iBook G4 was smaller and easier to carry around, but I always hated the tiny screen.

I have a Brenthaven Pro 17 (no longer made) bag which I carry everywhere. The good--and the bad--thing is that it holds a lot--all the accessories, a portable hard drive, my camera charger, my cell phone charger, a cable lock, lots of cables (always carry an ethernet for hotel rooms). It's great, but a lot to lug around.

I spent a long time trying to decide between the 15" and the 17", and in the end I opted for the bigger screen and have never regretted it. It's on my lap right now (I know I'm not supposed to), an it rests comfortably on my knees. I've never had a heat problem--mostly feels about like a kitty cat. It's perfectly comfortable to type on for me.

Spend some time at the Apple Store or Apple retailer, and try the different screen sizes and see what feels best to you. I would also check with the bag manufacturer about whether it would fit under the airline seat. Last time I flew, I didn't take it, but I did measure the space under the seat in front of me, and my Brenthaven bag would have fit with no problem.

Ultimately it will boil down to personal choice--whether you like the larger screen enough to put up with lugging around the extra weight.

Good luck, and happy hunting!

If the MBP will be your only computer and you don't have a desktop, I think you would want the 17" model. You should also carefully consider whether you want a glossy or an antiglare display. There are many opinions on this, and it does boil down to personal choice. You should be aware that some people have enormous problems with the reflections on the glossy display and others simply love it.

You can also opt for a hi-res display with the 17".

Good luck, and happy computing!

I had the same dilemma when choosing which MBP to buy. I do travel a lot, by plane and car, with one or two international flights per year. I ended up getting the 15", thinking it would be a good compromise between the small 13" and the big 17".

Well I have to say, that I'm SO glad I didn't get the 17". The 15" is a nightmare enough while traveling and I agree with the poster who said that those extra 1-2 lbs can really end up feeling a lot heavier while lugging a backpack around an airport thru 2 delayed flights (as happened to me over Christmas). The 15" was bad enough and I can't imagine how the 17" would have felt. Also, I think you run a bit more chance of dropping it due to the size and weight when taking it out of the bag for those endless security checkpoints. Also, on the 5 flight segments I had over Christmas, the 15" barely fit on the tray table of some flights and was pretty unusable on others. As soon as the guy in front of me reclined on one segment, it pretty much precluded me from keeping the screen lid open unless it was hanging halfway off the tray. I was sure envious of the guy two seats away happily watching a movie with his 13", and enough room left over to keep the bag of peanuts next to the computer.

My MBP is for all intents and purposes my only computer (I have a G3 and G5 that see little use). I do have access to a 17" at work and I can say that I don't miss the extra screen real estate at all. I think the 15" is such a good compromise in terms of screen size and portability that I can't imagine ever replacing mine with something bigger.

Just my 2 cents, and trying them all at the store is really good advice, but think about how much lugging around you will actually do with this machine before settling on a size (I didn't think I'd haul mine around as much as I do, but I love it so much it's hard to be parted from it!).

Raji

I have not had got any MBP on my hands, but I'd like to give some of my thoughts. I am thinking of buying a 17" model.

Have anyone used an IKEA BAGN Bed Tray? It seems to fit 17" MBP very well as I compare my BAGN tray from the inside perimeter with the APPLE's 17" spec. The 17" model should fit in the inside flat area quite well leaving about 0.5 cm gaps from the edges of both cup stands. This might solve some of the problems using it on laps while working in bed.

I think SSD will solve some problem if one who likes to travel with 17" MBP for long distance. I had a 12" Acer 7 years ago which weighted about 1.5kg. The first year I came to UK, I worried it may be stolen while it was not with me so I carried it around sometimes in a backpack. Speaking frankly, an 1.5kg laptop with accessories was already enough to kill me if I carry it on shoulder for 3 hours, not to say the long term burden we have to put on our shoulders as an office worker. Personally I will never want to carry "anything" on my shoulders for more than 3 hours.

My idea is to carry the notebook in a trolley suitcase with minimal vibration when traveling. With SSD, I will have peace of mind as I accidentally dropped my luggage or laptop while it is inside a laptop case. I am not sure whether a 17" MBP will fit in the airliner trolley suitcase or not, so yet I need to test it.

They do make airport friendly cases for 17" computers, some with wheels. You can go to an office supply store to take a look at these. Some bags have a strap and snaps on one side so that the whole thing will attach to a regular rolling luggage case. My Brenthaven bag fits nicely onto my Eagle creek rolling travel bag, and I think having one thing on wheels when traveling would be easier than having two. I also have a backpack for the iBook, and even though it is not designed to be used with the rolling luggage, I find I can still slip it over the handle so it all moves as one unit.

Some luggage specialty stores may have all these things to look at--it's good to try out your arrangement at home before having to race from one terminal to the other at the airport.

Just some thoughts. Good luck!

I went to a Mac store today and have my IKEA BAGN Bed Tray tested with 17" MBP. It is simply an excellent match!! The MBP can be opened to about 120 degree wide, with the whole body fixed steadily in the tray.

I have also checked if the power line is interfered and it is not. Quite Nice!!!! I think I will buy a MBP 17" next week.

Too big is relative. I went into the Apple store and stacked them on top of each other. The 13" MBP was a great travel size but the limited screen size was a show stopper for me as an everyday computer. The 15" I thought was ideal and I was really leaning towards that especially since you can load it up just like a top of the line 17".

But the more I compared the size difference of the 15" vs. 17" the more I started liking the 17". To me there just wasn't a big enough difference size wise all around for me. It's like 2.9 cm width by 1.8 cm depth and a little less than 1 lb difference in the two. Too me not a big deal. I like the screen resolution on the 17" better than the 15", plus I like having the Express Card/34 slot option which I currently populated with an 18 in 1 media card reader instead of the 15" MBP's SD card reader.

Just my 2 cents.