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casetheace · Jun 26, 2006, 07:27 AM

Hello all, as a noob poster, but a long-time Mac-user (mostly desktops), I was wondering how the screen size of the MB added-to or detracted-from the overall user experience. I am coming from using a 17" flatscreen with my Dell (shudders), but for school next year I am going to need a laptop. Having never used a MB up-close, I was just wondering whether the widescreen was popular with you folks, and also whether the 13.3" proved to be enough screen real estate. I will be using the MB for basic office tasks, in addition to some light photoshop and web development (though nothing too major). Any insights into the topic would be much appreciated.

mduell · Jun 26, 2006, 08:02 AM

The screen area on the 13.3" is adequate, it's just the resolution that's a problem for me.
150 dpi screens (2.3 Megapixels (1920x1200) at 15") have been shipping on laptops for years; scaled down to 13.3" that yields 1.8Mpix (1680x1050). But Apple insists on using low-resolution screens; the 13.3" MB is only 1.0Mpix (1280x800) and even the 17" is only 1.8Mpix (1680x1050).
There's quite a bit of bezel on the MacBook; perhaps Apple will upgrade it to a 14" widescreen someday.

TerryJ · Jun 26, 2006, 08:32 AM

I find the screen to be a perfect balance in size for a portable. With the ability to span to an external display, you will have the ability to use a nice sized desktop arrangement in the office while enjoyiing a perfect widescreen size wile on the move. I sold my MBP 15" after using a MB 13.3" for a while as it made the MBP seem like a huge, hulking monster in comparison. Granted it also is a beautiful display, but if you plan on carrying your machine around with you much as I do, then take advantage of the MB screen then span it to a 17" or 19" display on your desk and you will have the best of both worlds.

rhashem · Jun 26, 2006, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by casetheace

Hello all, as a noob poster, but a long-time Mac-user (mostly desktops), I was wondering how the screen size of the MB added-to or detracted-from the overall user experience. I am coming from using a 17" flatscreen with my Dell (shudders), but for school next year I am going to need a laptop. Having never used a MB up-close, I was just wondering whether the widescreen was popular with you folks, and also whether the 13.3" proved to be enough screen real estate. I will be using the MB for basic office tasks, in addition to some light photoshop and web development (though nothing too major). Any insights into the topic would be much appreciated.

I use a Macbook next to an absolutely huge Inspiron 9100 at work, and I can't say the MB gives anything up to it. Yeah, the screen is smaller, but its highly usable, even for coding.

fesdds · Jun 26, 2006, 09:53 AM

I enjoy the 13.3 screen. It feels huge compared to my iBook 12 inch. In most situations I think I like the glossy better.

aristobrat · Jun 26, 2006, 09:59 AM

Not that it helps much since my MB has 2 GB of memory, but in clamshell mode, the video is perfect. Expose and Dashboard are smooth. "Cubing into" Parallels is smooth too.

TerryJ · Jun 26, 2006, 10:09 AM

I am spanning my MB 2.0/2GB with a Sony 15" LCD and there are no problems at all. I have been playing a few games such as Wingnuts demo and I am amazed at how well it runs. I have no stuttering or slow downs at all and I have the game settings turned up near the max. At first, I was pretty concerned about the 950 graphics as compared to my (now sold) MBP 1.83 with the X1600/128MB, but I have to tell ya', I can't tell one bit of difference. The most graphically intense stuff I have thrown at it, such as the games and iTunes visualizer, run equally well and without grief.
This machine is a surprising powerhouse and I think as more people get more seat time with them, they will see that too.

Velocity211 · Jun 26, 2006, 10:47 AM

It looks really nice with the glossy screen. 1280x800 is a bit low but it is a consumer machine.

aristobrat · Jun 26, 2006, 12:03 PM

I thought that the screen size was going to be an issue for me as well (I was used to 15" widescreens), but it hasn't been.

Like Terry, I find the size to be a great balance. So much of a better balance that I find myself taking my MB places I wouldn't bother with my 15" PB/MBP.

masugu · Jun 26, 2006, 12:23 PM

Yup...Love my BlacBook 13: screen. Miss my Ti PB, but digging the MB glossy / the way photos look etc.

pheonixash · Jun 26, 2006, 12:26 PM

Hey,

I moved from a 15.1" ThinkPad to the MacBook and I actually prefer this screen. Any screen real estate lost is made up by the widescreen configuration (which IBM refused to embrace, though now Lenovo has released some widescreen ThinkPad's). I also span to a 17" monitor and dashboard and Expose are smooth as butter, with 1 GB of RAM.

Brien · Jun 26, 2006, 12:42 PM

I love the size - just a tad bigger than my 12" iBook. And the glossy finish is much nicer than I thought it would be.

Ruddigger · Jun 26, 2006, 01:52 PM

I thought it would be too small, but once i started using it I forgot about the size of the screen. It's perfect for me, I think the size is just right. What I cant stand is the damn glossiness, it makes the color shift too much, and looking at the reflections of lights and things out of the corner of my eye gives me a headache.

sieb · Jun 26, 2006, 05:17 PM

I have been wondering this too since I am used to my 15". But are there any issues when plugging into an external display? I have read that Expose or the Dashboard are choppy on the external display but wondered if this was issolated to Spanning mode or in both spanning and clamshell mode? Or if lots of ram solved it.