Best laptop screen size for photography, 13" vs. 16" (Page 2): 13" is lite and perfect for travel and easy to use. It is much less expensive. It is really great for the quick screening...

dan59019 Loc: Washington Mi

13" is lite and perfect for travel and easy to use. It is much less expensive. It is really great for the quick screening and thinning of each day's work.

Any laptop screen will yield a disapointing editing experience unless attached to a 24"+ size screen. My daughter just bought a 36" screen and loves it for editing.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

A 13" laptop is great for travel and making PowerPoint presentations. If you want to do photo editing it is inadequate. A large laptop is not so portable but is what I would think of as a minimum requirement for photos. Any laptop can be used with a an external keyboard and monitor to make the experience better.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

mizzee wrote:

I have a MacBook Pro 13” and am very happy with it. I’ve never felt the need for any bigger. Like you, I made the switch because I hated the neck cricks from looking at the desktop. Now I can sit in a more comfy place with a wireless mouse or just my finger and be happy! I got the 13” because it’s a more convenient size for travel. I’m sure others will disagree, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Apple DOES make the very best trackpads in the industry, and they always have.

Over the years, I had a PowerBook 540, a PowerBook G3, a PowerBook G4 17", and a MacBook Pro 15", and my twins each use a MacBook Pro 15" now. I've never needed a mouse when using any of those, even for photo retouching.

I always had a second monitor when in the office. That was the one I calibrated and used for photo editing.

Apple is likely to update the 13" to a 14" this year, the same way they moved from the 15" to the 16" in late 2019. They need to get rid of the butterfly keyboard and get back to the scissor keyboard they reincarnated for the 16". Once they do that, and up the RAM and SSD options, the smaller MBP will be a LOT more desirable.

Right now, the 13" is being discounted heavily. If you don't mind risking the keyboard failure (Apple put an extended warranty on it), it is a great deal.

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

mizzee wrote:

I have a MacBook Pro 13” and am very happy with it. I’ve never felt the need for any bigger. Like you, I made the switch because I hated the neck cricks from looking at the desktop. Now I can sit in a more comfy place with a wireless mouse or just my finger and be happy! I got the 13” because it’s a more convenient size for travel. I’m sure others will disagree, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Agree completely. I take the 13" with me everywhere I go--Just got back from Haiti. I wouldn't want to lug it's big brother around all day. If it was only used at home, that would be different, but then I have a 27" iMac....

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Designdweeb wrote:

I'm tired of sharing the family desktop, and I'm looking to get myself a MacBook Pro laptop for my photography and other business. Are the 13" screens too small for field shooting and using LR & Pshop?

IMHO, Bigger is Better

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Designdweeb wrote:

I'm tired of sharing the family desktop, and I'm looking to get myself a MacBook Pro laptop for my photography and other business. Are the 13" screens too small for field shooting and using LR & Pshop?

I have to two 15" 4K display laptops (PC) and they work quite well for photo editing.

bwa

DanCulleton

I have an idea I haven’t tried yet.
A 13” MacBook Pro with screen mirroring to an iPad used with a stylus.
My eyes and back aren’t what they used to be, I can sit in a comfy chair with the iPad in hand, and then use a stylus as in input device, way superior to a mouse and maybe more intuitive than a Wacom tablet.
Has anyone tried this?

Siemienczuk

I am in the process of changing from laptop to desktop based on RAM for $. But I never found the laptop screen adequate for editing. Not sure if they can be calibrated, but the size just does not cut it. So with the laptop I have used a 24" Asus ProArt photo editing monitor. Very affordable. If I had it to do over I would go 27". Real estate is lost to navigation bars and tool bars in LR, all four sides. You can close the bars but it's a little tedious. I think maybe you can put the bars on a second monitor, perhaps the laptop screen, but I don't know for sure.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

Designdweeb wrote:

I'm tired of sharing the family desktop, and I'm looking to get myself a MacBook Pro laptop for my photography and other business. Are the 13" screens too small for field shooting and using LR & Pshop?

Most people use a MUCH larger screen for photography tasks.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

I much prefer my Dual 27" 5k monitors on my iMac, but also use a 15.6" MBP for tethering and when I must. If I were to buy a new machine today, it would be a 16". Best of luck.

frjeff Loc: Mid-Michigan

I used a 13” MacBook Pro. Too small. Went to an 15.6” Acer. Too small. Now use the Acer with a Dell 25” , QHD 2560 x 1440 at 60 Hz. I am thrilled. Tried a 27”, but like the 25” better.

Plus, my eyes are not all bloodshot anymore.

smugmug

I use a MacBook pro 15 inch and keep the monitor calibrated each month. Works great for me. Most of my work is sport and team photographs. I also use a 27 inch mac desktop for detailed portrait work. I think if you can keep the monitor calibrated it would be just fine.

bfstuff

hassighedgehog wrote:

Simple answer is, yes. I have a 17" PC laptop and it sometimes seems too small.

Ditto... too small. Looking for a 4K monitor.

Designdweeb Loc: Metro NYC & East Stroudsburg, PA

Mucho thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the input, and bought a 16" Macbook Pro, 2.6Ghz, i7 core, 16 gig Ram, 512 GB SSD with an external dongle with an 8 in 1 hub. The dealer Demo-ed the LG 27" 4k screen for me. I like the ability to work in landscape and/or portrait mode. That or one of the other screens are on the radar...

mjmoly

I recently purchased an HP Z27. I did considerable research and decided on it. I've been very satisfied and it didn't break the bank. I would suggest just add it to the ones you check out.