i recently purchased a 15" screen due to the extra portability, and also because i plan on getting a 19" screen to leave in studio (providing i have the space). plus, my old laptop was a 15", i'm already used to it and have no complaints, so why go bigger?

sounds like you already have your mind set on a 15"? i don't think bigger is not necessarily better.

15" MacBookPro and I've had absolutely no complaints of dissatisfaction so far.

I'm on the same bus as you, getting some sort of peripheral display for home/studio. Also want to get a commuter bike and SLR camera.... ok I'm going to need to stop drinking or maybe eating now to afford this.

what's the price difference, if every other spec is the same, between the 15" and 17"?

I'm all about portability, I take my Powerbook G4 12" Apple with me most places.
At work I have a 17" screen that I always have to push back because it kills my eyes.

i went with 15" its a UXGA screen with flexview so i opted for resolution over pure size. its all about how you use it. ;)

but at 6lbs, this is perfect for mobility and performance. and if you need a bigger one, buy an external.

by the way, i highly recommend this machine, i can't say enough about. read for yourself. dell can f themselves with their overpriced junk [dell owners don't take that personally, i have a bone to pick]

http://www.desktoppipeline.com/181401198

ACfA/shaybug -- I've been waiting for someone to suggest that on the other threads...guess I should've been more proactive!

Having owned a 17" mac laptop since '03, I found the addt'l weight to be a real drag (so to speak). I don't think they're getting any lighter these days. The extra screen size wasn't worth the price and hassle...especially if you transfer the price differential into an external display to leave in the studio. Just make sure your laptop has the right external video connections.

So, to beat your double entendre into the ground, I don't think size matters in this case...especially if you can use the proverbial "strap-on" in the form of a larger external display. (did I just cross a line?)

The only other consideration is whether or not your preferred brand's 17" configuration offers other features (connections, et al) that are critical to your needs. As much as I love my Macs, Apple really uses this sort of shit to force you into the higher price range. PCs tend to be more flexible with configuration as I'm sure you're aware.

I have a 15.4" widescreen in my Acer laptop and it is very much suited to my needs. At work though, I have two 19" double-screens....
IMHO, 17" laptops are more suited to desktop replacements, and if you want that size of desktop replacement, i think you'd get a much better desktop with 2 monitors

my laptop is 17" at work is 19" and quite frankly I wouldn't work on anything smaller - it really makes things difficult.

brilliant broccolijet..

i have a 12 inch laptop that is fine for cad work... i do use a desktop for most of my work though. i think the extra monitor thing is the way to go. btw, 19inch lcds, even good ones have gotten to be really cheap over teh past few months.

My PC died last week and I just bought a 15" MacBookPro in anticipation of going back to grad school next year. Yeah I had some money saved up, but I'm not going to lie, spending that much money at once is scary. However, I do have a 19" flat screen at home that I can plug it into, which I will use most of the time.

I would say that the 17", while great, is just more than I need. Personally. But that's just me.

laptop widescreen linked to a 17" lcd monitor for maximum desktop space. I can run the dreaded AutoCAD across two screens for extra productivity if I feel the need - never!

15" macbook pro and a 23" cinema display... in this case you could go for a dell display since they are quite similar technically except the dell looks like it's been designed by some startrek fanboy.