Laptop Size preference

Chat about just about anything else
Forum rules
Do not post support questions here. Before you post read the forum rules. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 30 days after creation.
User avatar
MurphCID
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5895
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 10:29 pm
Location: Near San Antonio, Texas

Laptop Size preference

Post by MurphCID »

For those of us who use laptops, and for those of us who are getting older (eye sight), what is your preferred laptop size?

I use a 15.6" laptop for most things, but I find I really miss my 13.3" HP which had a really good screen when I had Linux on it before I had to put Windows back on it to replace a dead laptop for the kids to use in school. I have the Darter Pro, which is alright, but seems a bit big at times. I really like the 13.3/14" size laptops. To me they offer the best compromise of portability, battery life, ergonomics, and comfort. So my vote is:

13.3"/14" as the right size.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 07, 2022 4:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 30 days after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
hydrurga
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 746
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 4:08 pm

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by hydrurga »

15.6" is my preferred size if we're talking about my home laptop.

For travelling, a 12.5" screen will do fine. I used to use a 10.1" while travelling but it wasn't great for my eyes.
User avatar
antikythera
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5723
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:52 pm
Location: Cymru

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by antikythera »

It depends more on screen resolution as to what size panel I find comfortable. A 14" laptop with a 1080p panel is okay, a 15.6" at the same resolution better. Any higher dpi and I would struggle with 1.0 scaling. I've got central serous retinopathy in my left eye caused by aggressive doses of medication for Crohn's to the point everything looks blurry and distorted like one of those funfair mirrors when I am looking straight ahead out of that eye only. I can look sideways out of it and everything looks normal and focused. Thankfully so far my right eye has escaped the same fate but it gets tired quicker compensating.
I’ll tell you a DNS joke but be advised, it could take up to 24 hours for everyone to get it.
User avatar
Portreve
Level 13
Level 13
Posts: 4882
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:03 am
Location: Within 20,004 km of YOU!
Contact:

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by Portreve »

I've owned 15" and 13" laptops, and I've used 17" laptops, and all I can say is I don't want to carry around anything bigger than a 13" one. Anything bigger is just too unwieldy and possibly too heavy, particularly if you're constantly on the move.
Flying this flag in support of freedom 🇺🇦

Recommended keyboard layout: English (intl., with AltGR dead keys)

Podcasts: Linux Unplugged, Destination Linux

Also check out Thor Hartmannsson's Linux Tips YouTube Channel
exploder
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5623
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:50 am
Location: HartfordCity, Indiana USA

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by exploder »

15.6" is what I prefer. Both my Windows Laptop and Chromebook have 15.6" displays, they are thin and light and have long battery life. I had a laptop with a 17" display, it was heavy and had crappy battery life, gave it to my son.
User avatar
Pierre
Level 21
Level 21
Posts: 13192
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 am
Location: Perth, AU.

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by Pierre »

most of my older Laptops are ~12" in size,
and my newer Laptops are all ~16" in size . .

it probably is more, an case of just how recent, that your Laptop, actually is.
Image
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
User avatar
MurphCID
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5895
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 10:29 pm
Location: Near San Antonio, Texas

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by MurphCID »

If I am on the go, I really appreciate the 13.3/14" size laptops. I have never owned or used a 17" laptop, although the new HP Envy 17" looks decent and not too heavy.
Hoser Rob
Level 20
Level 20
Posts: 11806
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:57 am

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by Hoser Rob »

15.6" for general use at home, smaller/lighter like 10.1" for schlepping around.
For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong - H. L. Mencken
pebcak
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 4:59 am

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by pebcak »

13.3"/14" for all kind of use.
User avatar
Swampthing
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 2:26 pm
Location: Denmark

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by Swampthing »

"I like big laptops and I cannot lie" :P
The bigger the screen, the better.
User avatar
blackcarajillo
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 121
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 12:33 pm

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by blackcarajillo »

MurphCID wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:56 am I really like the 13.3/14" size laptops. To me they offer the best compromise of portability, battery life, ergonomics, and comfort. So my vote is:

13.3"/14" as the right size.
Same here and my actual laptop has 13.3. I like even smaller because of improved portability.
User avatar
antikythera
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5723
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:52 pm
Location: Cymru

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by antikythera »

Swampthing wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:49 am "I like big laptops and I cannot lie" :P
I see what you did there Sir Mix A Lot, thanks for tonight's ear worm :lol:
I’ll tell you a DNS joke but be advised, it could take up to 24 hours for everyone to get it.
User avatar
Swampthing
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 2:26 pm
Location: Denmark

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by Swampthing »

antikythera wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:30 pm
Swampthing wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 11:49 am "I like big laptops and I cannot lie" :P
I see what you did there Sir Mix A Lot, thanks for tonight's ear worm :lol:
Yup! Its been in my head ever since I wrote that. :lol:
User avatar
senjoz
Level 5
Level 5
Posts: 890
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2020 3:55 am
Location: Kamnik

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by senjoz »

I have a business line notebook Fujitsu Lifebook U727 with 12.5 inch panel at resolution 1920x1080. For portability or working on the couch it is perfect. It has exchangeable battery and service ports for ram upgrade and M2 disk exchange. That kind of notebooks are mostly out of the production lines. Now 13.3 inch notebooks with small display borders have similar dimensions. That would be perfect but all that notebooks have no service ports and the battery is not exchangeable.

My opinion is that a 17 inch notebook has no sense. Instead of that I prefere desktop computer with a big monitor and comfortable keyboard.

Regards,
Jože
User avatar
Swampthing
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 2:26 pm
Location: Denmark

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by Swampthing »

My main laptop is 15,6", a Lenovo L520.
I use it mostly on the couch and have travelled with it too.
It fits me perfectly.
User avatar
antikythera
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5723
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:52 pm
Location: Cymru

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by antikythera »

PineBook Pro is tempting me at the moment. There are already Linux distribution install images for it.
I’ll tell you a DNS joke but be advised, it could take up to 24 hours for everyone to get it.
sarge816
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2010 9:04 pm

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by sarge816 »

15.6" with these new fangled 16:9 screens (much prefer 16:10 ratio), but 1920x1080 is really hard on the eyes in LM Xfce. It just doesn't scale well, and standard HD resolution 720p is easier to read, too.
User avatar
AZgl1800
Level 20
Level 20
Posts: 11146
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2015 3:20 am
Location: Oklahoma where the wind comes Sweeping down the Plains
Contact:

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by AZgl1800 »

13 inch is so small, as to be useless, no 10 key pad on them

15 inch is okay, sort of, easy to carry around.

17 inch is by far my preference as the perfect laptop....
I have 3 of them, they are all ASUS and about 5 years apart.

the oldest is a TUF Gaming laptop with a horribly heavy battery pack, 9 lbs of it.
the middle one is a Thinbook TP500L and is great, when it works.
replaced the keyboard and it is still wonky, just different types of wonky crap...
and it does not have 5g WiFi which for me, is a killer.

my newest one is now 15 months old, FX705GM and does everything perfect.
lighted keyboard, the others do not have that.
great audio, the Thinbook audio is useless w/o headphones.

I have a 15 inch Acer of ancient vintage, all I do with that is try out a new distro and then it sits.
probably will give it to a school kid one day soon.... lots of kids don't have flush parents to help them out.

.
LM21.3 Cinnamon ASUS FX705GM | Donate to Mint https://www.patreon.com/linux_mint
Image
User avatar
antikythera
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5723
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 12:52 pm
Location: Cymru

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by antikythera »

I gave my old ASUS F3Sr away for that exact reason, not everyone can afford to buy a computer. Okay, it was a piece of rebranded early Clevo junk with thermal and power circuit design issues but it was better than no computer at all for the recipient. The battery lasted 3 hours even when new at a push and the ATI Radeon HD 2400 GPU was not cooled properly by the heatsink design, which led to a chassis crack heading towards the right keyboard hinge. I warned them of these flaws when I gave it to them since they asked why I was giving it away. No point lying about it and they were still happy to use it for as long as it lasted on a desk where the screen was not going to be opened and closed too often and battery life did not matter.
I’ll tell you a DNS joke but be advised, it could take up to 24 hours for everyone to get it.
User avatar
MurphCID
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5895
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 10:29 pm
Location: Near San Antonio, Texas

Re: Laptop Size preference

Post by MurphCID »

antikythera wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:02 am I gave my old ASUS F3Sr away for that exact reason, not everyone can afford to buy a computer. Okay, it was a piece of rebranded early Clevo junk with thermal and power circuit design issues but it was better than no computer at all for the recipient. The battery lasted 3 hours even when new at a push and the ATI Radeon HD 2400 GPU was not cooled properly by the heatsink design, which led to a chassis crack heading towards the right keyboard hinge. I warned them of these flaws when I gave it to them since they asked why I was giving it away. No point lying about it and they were still happy to use it for as long as it lasted on a desk where the screen was not going to be opened and closed too often and battery life did not matter.
I do similar things, I clean them up, re-install the O/S and give them to friends and family who do not have computers. I gave my brother in law my daughters old HP, after I had installed an SSD in it to replace the hard drive. I gave my wife's old laptop to a buddy who is a single dad, and who needed a laptop, I replaced the hard drive on this one as well with an SSD. It is all about helping others.
Locked

Return to “Open Chat”