Is 17" too big?

Hey everyone!

So I'm planning on purchasing a MBP. It will mainly be a 'sit on desk' laptop for my room, but I would take it to places on some occassions (i.e. on holiday, on planes/trains and so on).

I was just wondering, though. Is 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...

Just give me your personal opinions and experiences on it!

Thanks! 🙂

Macbook Pro 17" Mid 2009, Windows 7, None

Posted on Jan 28, 2010 2:43 AM

Feb 4, 2010 7:35 PM in response to Hurt Locker

Yes, I think size is relative. To me, the extra size and weight of the 17", given my needs, is a big difference which I didn't want to deal with. Which again, is a very good reason to go to the Apple store or someplace where you can compare all the different sizes and determine for your own needs what will work best. (Some people just swear by those little 13"s, but being a graphic designer, I do need a little more screen than that and don't want to feel like it's only a "travel" computer.)

I have the unibody model before the latest version came out (bought in early 2009) and it is the 15" with the ExpressCard slot. I am with you, I love that ExpressCard thing and I think it's a downgrade that it got dropped from the current 15". I have a SD card reader, and a card with extra firewire and USB ports among others. It is nice to get those extra USB ports since the two that come with this laptop are so close together that sometimes I can't use both of them at once depending on the size of USB plug that is going into it (manufacturers need to learn to slim these down for us laptop users).

Anyway, all these posts are just a really good argument for going to the store and comparing them all. Better yet if you have a friend or two who will let you use one for a couple of hours so you can really get a feel for it. I was lucky to have access to a 17" at work which was instrumental in helping me with my decision.
Raji