I’m about to purchase a new MBP and wonder what size people find most comfortable/efficient for using Scriv? I’d love 13’ for the obvious reasons of portability but wonder if the 13’ screen is too small/confining? Or does it function really well? Or maybe should I go to 15’?
I’d appreciate your advice/experience/input…
I have the 15"(and love it!) but it also acts as my main computer. If I had a desktop, I could easily live with the 13".
When using Scrivener, I like how much screen real-estate I can devote to different areas on teh 15" screen - I always have open the binder and notes while editing. In full screen mode there is a lot of black space on each side of the screen - not necessarily a bad thing, but if you mainly work in full-screen mode, then 15" would be overkill. On the other hand, I am starting to experiment with using Dragon Dictate for Mac and Scrivener together. So far I am finding them to work very well together, especially in full-screen mode. But I digress…
Looking forward to seeing others’ comments.
I agree with nom. Scrivener definitely benefits from having lots of real-estate, but it doesn’t need it like some applications do (Aperture, Final Cut Pro, etc). Using it with a smaller screen might limit some of your options for some of the more expansive layouts possible, but these could be considered a luxury.
My 15" is my main computer, and until I get my LCD monitor replaced, it’s also my main screen. I don’t often gripe for lack of space in Scrivener. It would be nice to have Binder + Left Split + Right Split + Inspector open sometimes, and there isn’t quite enough space for that configuration, but without an Inspector it works fine. The other area I often wish I had more space for is corkboards. Before this computer, I used a 13" MacBook, and it did feel a little limiting at times, but it wasn’t bad. If you can afford it, I’d recommend getting a big screen for home that you can plug your computer into, it makes a lot of difference and for things like writing, you don’t need anything expensive with fast refresh and a super wide colour gamut.
Full screen could honestly work just fine on a NetBook, so I wouldn’t revolve my decision around that feature. It’s the full interface that can benefit from space. With QuickReference panels and freeform corkboards coming up, there will be even more you can do with a large monitor.
I have a version 1 MBP 17" as my main computer and a version 1 MacBook Air for carrying around. As I’m working on translations, I always work with a vertical split screen. For that the MBP is perfect … binder, full-size left split, full-size right split, plenty of space for the inspector.
But the truth is, with my work, I don’t actually use the inspector much; the only thing in the inspector that I use is Labels with the colour copied to the binder icon. So by hiding the inspector, which can be opened at the click of an icon, and using right-click to change the label on the document icon(s) in a slightly narrower binder, I can work comfortably on the MBA.
To me, a 15" would therefore be a compromise, but if was to have only one, I would probably make that compromise and go for that.
Mark
For the record, Scrivener is developed on a 13" MacBook (the silver kind that got renamed to MacBook Pro a few months after they came out). I plug it into a 24" monitor when I’m at my desk, but I work equally in both configurations. It’s always been designed to work well on small screens (originally, Scrivener used to be developed on a 12" iBook), so you should be fine no matter what model you choose.
All the best,
Keith
I love my 13" MBP’s form factor, but I would pay almost anything for the non-glare screen. Mine is almost unusable in a sunny room. You can pay extra for the matte screen on the 15".
Since a couple years, the MacBook Pro 15" (Early 2008 version) has been my main machine. While I’ve used it most of the time plugged to a 21" monitor, it works great even with its internal display (and I do desktop publishing, video editing and written music composition). But this is for a main machine: for a portable one, I would choose the smaller monitor (and, in fact, I usually go around carrying with me a 10" Samsung netbook…)
Scrivener has a precious feature called the Layouts. You can save a window configuration filling your 13" screen with the corkboard alone, then another with the binder and the editor, then another one with the binder, the outliner, the editor, and the info panes. Just choose the layout that is best for the current session, and your screen size will be absolutely perfect.
Paolo
I bought a 17" Macbook Pro a few years ago for work purposes. It has now become my personal machine. It’s heavy - no question on that score I’d rather have something smaller - but I find it great for writing. I tend to always have 2-3 Scrivener windows open at one time, so having the extra screen real estate helps a lot with that.
However, when I’m just writing, a smaller screen would be fine - iPad, 13", 15", they would all be fine (although as we know, no Scrivener on the iPad…).
I would say that the, while ultimately you’ll need to decide which factors are most important for you, the factors that are important for me are screen real estate matching my writing style, and weight. Anything else I could adapt to fairly easily, I think.
I thought long and hard about getting a smaller laptop, but in the end, I put up with the (relatively) heavy weight of the 17" and just make that work.
If one likes small and really portable, he could wait for the real announcement of the rumored 11.6" MacBook Air, probably due for the end of the current year. I’m trying to preorder it, but the Store doesn’t allows for it.
Paolo
Unless you absolutely need wide screen (say waveform editing) do not go with the 17". I love my MBP but I don’t like the size. 90% of the time I am connected to an external display. The remainder of the time the extra real estate is unused/needed.
3 years ago when I was doing more music editing I loved the 17" but now … I would have survived.
Lot of great replies. I personally own a 15" MBP (2010), I spent some time deciding between the 13, 15 and 17 and felt the 15 was the best balance of price, weight and screen real-estate.
Some do prefer the 13" and it honestly does not feel that much smaller than the 15" to me. My roomate bought a 13" shortly after I got my 15" and I didn’t even notice it was smaller until we put them side-by-side.
That said, on closer inspection I’m really glad I settled on the 15". I think the 17" is too big for someone who needs to carry a laptop around often like I do. Also I’ve also been a bit muffed that they didn’t put a full keyboard on the 17" (with a numbpad) since there is more than enough room to do so. Oh well.
This is just me, but if you find yourselfworking on the MBP’s built-in screen a lot rather than an external, 13" starts to feel a bit cramped to me.
I bought a new, early 2008 MBP 15" matte screen, which means it is approaching three years. I am on the road 70% of the time, and this is my only computer. At times when flying, the 13" might be more convenient, but I usually sleep on flights, so…
This computer has been great for my work, ranging from writing (Scriv. Mellel, NWP), page layout (InDesign, Papyrus), to frequent exchange of files across platforms (OpenOffice). I am glad I have the 15"; it is just right for me.
I’m on a 14" ibook, and I usually don’t use my entire screen for working in Scrivener. Most of it, yes, but not all. Would I prefer a larger screen sometimes? Sure. But I’m fine on my screen, for now.