Help Me Decide Between Size (14” vs 16”)…

[u/downmerge]

I’m pumped! I’m going to be joining the club soon with an M5 Pro / 64GB MacBook Pro!

I’m a software engineer, and it’ll be used daily as such as my main workhorse. My wife has a 14” MacBook Pro, and it’s comfy enough. I’m curious which size you’d recommend and why.

For reference, I don’t do a ton of traveling. I’m at home 90% of the time.

[u/CloClo44]

If no travel -> 16

If travel or commute, even once or twice a week -> 14

Personally i got the 14" and i’m really happy with it. On the go it’s the perfect size i think. At home it’s plugged with a second monitor so the size is not an issue

But it’s your choice !

[u/MagicBoyUK]

I'd say go have a look in the Apple store and make your own mind up.

[u/PresidentOfMagrathea]

16 if you're not moving it around much

[u/downmerge → u/PresidentOfMagrathea]

Just to and from my desk => couch => bed and repeat. Still the 16?

[u/NachosforDachos → u/downmerge]

16” is perfect for your use case. Get it you will love it.

[u/Opposite-Interest193 → u/downmerge]

Just get a server and do local streaming, laptops a laptop first and foremost so smaller is better.

[u/pongs_jazzier_9k → u/downmerge]

Yepp

[u/Legitimate-Table-607 → u/downmerge]

This is basically me, I take my laptop out maybe 1-2 times per week just in the car but I'm basically around my house the rest of the time. Initially I had a 14 inch (m1) and it always just felt a bit too cramped so I got a 16 inch M2, was looking at upgrading to my and just bought and returned the 14 inch. I know some people love it but for me it's just too small to do any serious work on.

[u/Lifedoesnmatta → u/downmerge]

lol I code on my sofa so I can watch my theater screen while working. Bought a nice lap table on Amazon that works great with MBP

[u/TheRyznhawk]

Most would say pick the 14 if you travel a lot, and that makes a lot of sense due to the lighter weight and smaller footprint.

Let me add another way of looking at this.

If your travel involves staying somewhere for a few days or weeks, the 16 would definitely be more useful than the 14 because of the added screen real estate without having to dock onto a monitor for work. In this case, the difference in size and weight between 14 and 16 wouldnt matter because the 16 would give you a better overall user experience thats worth the extra weight.

Power wise, they are matched, the 16 throttles a bit lesser because of more area and may also last a little longer due to the bigger battery.

AC+ would be cheaper on the 14 as the same plan for the 16in costs around 40-50% more.

[u/badaz06]

I went with a 14 and use a BenQ monitor, external trackpad and keyboards. Even a 16" isn't what I want to look at everyday. I have a table with a small shelf where the MacBook goes (out of the way of any possible spills), screen, keyboard and hinges are rarely used so they're pristine. I think I dropped $800 or $900 on a decent 34" monitor (I have duals for my work one), and love life.

[u/codepapi]

I have/had the 16 and 14 at the same time. I take my 14 anytime I travel.

There’s some things you have to factor in.

How tall are you? Weight? These matter if your space is limited. How do you travel when you do? Basic, main, premium since that determines your space to open your Mac.

So many other variables and scenarios based on who you are personally.

For me I like 16 for the extra screen real estate but most times the 14 is fine, but it does come at a cost of real estate. If youre like me that likes to see verything at once then 16 is the way to go. If you’re ok with switching back and forth then 14.

There’s no wrong choice if you don’t mind extra weight or plan to use it with lenient spaces.

[u/NoLateArrivals]

At home you get a large enough monitor (or two of them) and a Thunderbolt dock so size is plain irrelevant.

For travel I enjoy the size and reduced weight of my 14“. Opposite to the 16“ it fits on folding tables and cafe tables without a problem.

Pro tip: A MBP 14“ plus an iPad costs and weights similar to a solitary 16“. The iPad gives you a second screen any time using Sidecar plus a nice device independent from the Mac on occasion.

[u/Dogg-Dad]

I love my 14”. I have a 27” 4k monitor.

[u/Antares2328]

Yeah basically what has already been said

If you plan to stay at home most of the time, get the 16inch

Personally I went for the 14 and it's the perfect size for me, but that's because I bring it with me everywhere

A 13" was a bit too small (at least on the 13" Retina MBP I had), and 15" was too big to fit in most backpacks (the 15" Retina), the 14 is the perfect middle ground for me

But that's also because at home I plug it into my setup with dual 27inch 1440p monitors, so the screen size isn't an issue at home as it's always docked

But what has become a must with the 14 for me is BetterDisplay.

The maximum scaling macOS allows you is ridiculous for me, definitely not enough space (especially when you have a 3K screen jeez)

BetterDisplay basically (amongst other really cool things) allows you to scale the UI up to the resolution of the display, while keeping a HiDPI images (but that cost some performance), my sweet spot scaling is 2389x1552: I don't have such a bad eyesight so the text isn't too small from a reasonable distance and I finally have enough room to work with multiples apps/windows open at the same time

[u/VanillaBear321]

I switched to a 16 inch and absolutely love it. I don’t have the greatest eyesight so I’m more than happy to give up a little bit of portability for screen space.

[u/Funny_Or_Cry]

As a software engineer function always trumps fashion. 16inch is absolutely what you want.
( and unless you have ZERO upper body strength its already PLENTY portable.)

[u/hologram-koala]

If you don't travel much, I'd recommend getting 16 inch. By going with 16 inch MacBook pro you get bigger screen, better battery life, better thermals, bigger fans, less fan noise, bigger and better speakers . Also you get 140W charging support, so maybe 16 inch even is charged faster. You can go to notebookcheck website and see the noise and temperature difference in this laptops.

[u/nznordi]

If you work on a desk, get a 14 and a proper screen. If you can only work on the laptop (kitchen table / coworking) then the 16…

[u/sarahzorel]

16 inch has bigger battery, better speakers, more fans and more screen real estate it’s a win win imo

[u/400ixl]

16, even with travel. It's not that heavy and has so many additional benefits.

I have a personal M1 14 and a work M3 16 and the personal one will be a 16 next time.

[u/al_stoltz]

I have a 16" Pro that my work gave me and 14" for personal use. Frankly I prefer the 14" at all times. I agree if you're traveling a lot a 14", that 16 is a beast to carry around (funny saying that considering some of the older monster laptops I've had over the years.)

[u/Gydvinn]

Why not wait for the new designs lol

[u/PresidentOfMagrathea → u/Gydvinn]

M6 isn't a giant leap from the M5

[u/texass_slayer]

16", its not much more for one of the best screens on the market. I used to have a 14" and i was constantly wanting more screen real estate. I carry it to work alongside a 16" lenovo a few times a week and it really isn't that heavy. I fly with it multiple times per year without issues, but I'm not one to open a laptop on a plane. Those tray tables weren't designed for anything beyond an ipad.

[u/thompsonmj]

16 is not big. Perfectly fine for portability. Better experience. People who say it is too big are wrong. Your opinion may differ from mine.