Traveling with 16" MacBook Pro?

[DavidT]

I am in the market for a new laptop and have been waiting for the new 14" and 16" MacBook Pro's to ship which is now. It will be replacing a 10 year old 13" MacBook Pro. I am debating between the 14 and 16" model and wonder for those of you who have a 16" and travel with camera gear if you find it to big or adding to much weight to your bag?

The 14" is about 1lb lighter if I recall correctly.

 

[padrepaul]

I own the 16" macbook pro, got it in 2020, the 16" is nice for editing photos. I travel with it and on planes it easily fits under the seat, it's pretty light.

 

[wes]

I take mine with me sometimes, but this last trip to Costa Rica I left it at home and did everything on my 12.9 inch Ipad Pro which was a real eye opener.
I would think one of the major benefits of the 14 over the 16 inch would be it fitting into a larger number of camera bags. For me I ordered the new 16 inch M1 Max just because I wanted the extra screen real estate since I use it as my main computer and I have a feeling that I will be editing on the laptop screen more now with that new miniLED panel

 

[DavidT]

I take mine with me sometimes, but this last trip to Costa Rica I left it at home and did everything on my 12.9 inch Ipad Pro which was a real eye opener.
I would think one of the major benefits of the 14 over the 16 inch would be it fitting into a larger number of camera bags. For me I ordered the new 16 inch M1 Max just because I wanted the extra screen real estate since I use it as my main computer and I have a feeling that I will be editing on the laptop screen more now with that new miniLED panel

I am currently editing on a 27" iMac and also thought I might edit more on this laptop being it is likely a lot faster. Might be worth buying an external monitor for it which makes me lean towards the 14" but IDK. I don't update computers often which is why I tend to spec them heavy.

 

[wes]

I am currently editing on a 27" iMac and also thought I might edit more on this laptop being it is likely a lot faster. Might be worth buying an external monitor for it which makes me lean towards the 14" but IDK. I don't update computers often which is why I tend to spec them heavy.

I'm currently am using an M1 Mac mini to do my editing and it is super fast. I cant imagine what these new chips are going to be like

 

[RichF]

I am in the market for a new laptop and have been waiting for the new 14" and 16" MacBook Pro's to ship which is now. It will be replacing a 10 year old 13" MacBook Pro. I am debating between the 14 and 16" model and wonder for those of you who have a 16" and travel with camera gear if you find it to big or adding to much weight to your bag?

The 14" is about 1lb lighter if I recall correctly.

Why do you take the Macbook Pro and what do you do with the Macbook when you are not traveling.

If the Macbook Pro will be workhorse and home and when traveling, I would seriously consider a 16". If it is a travel computer (and occasional use at home), then I would opt for the 14".

 

[DavidT]

Why do you take the Macbook Pro and what do you do with the Macbook when you are not traveling.

If the Macbook Pro will be workhorse and home and when traveling, I would seriously consider a 16". If it is a travel computer (and occasional use at home), then I would opt for the 14".

Good questions. My current MacBook is to old to reliably use Adobe or Topaz products. I use my 27" iMac for all editing now as it is much newer and faster. My new MacBook will replace the current one which is used daily on my desk alongside my work computer. Currently I use it for web browsing, banking, forums, YouTube etc. The new one will as well but I also could see using it for editing again as it would likely be faster than my 2017 iMac.

I don't travel with this MacBook Pro anymore for the above reasons along with all of the ports are old and not compatible with my new card readers, SSD drives etc.

The new one would go on photo trips and used to move files off cards onto SSD drives, use PhotoMechanic to sort etc.

 

[RichF]

Good questions. My current MacBook is to old to reliably use Adobe or Topaz products. I use my 27" iMac for all editing now as it is much newer and faster. My new MacBook will replace the current one which is used daily on my desk alongside my work computer. Currently I use it for web browsing, banking, forums, YouTube etc. The new one will as well but I also could see using it for editing again as it would likely be faster than my 2017 iMac.

I don't travel with this MacBook Pro anymore for the above reasons along with all of the ports are old and not compatible with my new card readers, SSD drives etc.

The new one would go on photo trips and used to move files off cards onto SSD drives, use PhotoMechanic to sort etc.

Personally I would opt for the smaller size - easier to travel with.

For online work at home, not sure why you would use the macbook for online work when you have the iMac. If you want to the use the macbook for on line work, consider buying an inexpensive monitor (if it will fit on your desk).

 

[DavidT]

Personally I would opt for the smaller size - easier to travel with.

For online work at home, not sure why you would use the macbook for online work when you have the iMac. If you want to the use the macbook for on line work, consider buying an inexpensive monitor (if it will fit on your desk).

The iMac is on a separate desk in my office and used just for photo editing at this point. My office desk I use for work has my work laptop in a dock with large 37" monitor and my MacBook sits next to me for personal use. I agree the 14" is probably the best all around for what I need. The price difference is only $200 so that is what has me debating.

 

[jeffnles1]

I am currently editing on a 27" iMac and also thought I might edit more on this laptop being it is likely a lot faster. Might be worth buying an external monitor for it which makes me lean towards the 14" but IDK. I don't update computers often which is why I tend to spec them heavy.

I got a 13" M1 MacBook Pro back in Feb and it's a wonderful machine. I use it to travel and sometimes my iPad Pro 12.9. Benefit over the iPad is I can use the same software while traveling as I do when editing at home. At home, I have a 27" monitor attached to it. My wife uses a 15" MacBook and her 16" M1Pro will be delivered tomorrow. She doesn't like the external monitor so she needs (likes) a bigger screen on her laptop. She rarely takes it on trips. She usually takes her iPad however, she rarely edits while away waiting until we get home to do her editing and culling. Just different strokes for different folks. I could easily travel with a 16" but I do find the smaller size a little more convenient. The body of the new 14" isn't a whole lot bigger than the 13" so I would think it would be a fine travel companion.

 

[DavidT]

"if you can travel with a 14 you can travel with a 16" This is what my better half just said when I asked her opinion. She really likes that 16 macbook Pro

You change your name?

 

[DavidT]

I was frustrated with Social Media so I tried to quit all of it, deleted my old account. But I just couldn't stay away from Steve Perry's group. Too many knowledgable people here.

I hear you! I have deleted a lot of stuff and try to avoid the drama. It has been getting old when you express knowledge but constantly get BS responses from those who don't have a clue until a YouTuber says the same thing and then it is gospel. I have just stopped giving advice or experiences for the most part. I don't know how some do it, it sure burns you out.

 

[abc123brian]

I am in the market for a new laptop and have been waiting for the new 14" and 16" MacBook Pro's to ship which is now. It will be replacing a 10 year old 13" MacBook Pro. I am debating between the 14 and 16" model and wonder for those of you who have a 16" and travel with camera gear if you find it to big or adding to much weight to your bag?

The 14" is about 1lb lighter if I recall correctly.

I have gone back and forth between sizes for my own personal use. Started with a 13” quite a few years ago and stayed with that size until I bought a 15” in 2011. I enjoyed the speed difference, but it was heavy and went through battery fast so didn’t like to carry it and bought a MacBook Air just for travel. I bought a new 15.4” in 2017 and it was much better. I carried that one with me a lot more frequently and it was easy enough to take on trips. I bought the M1 MacBook Air this January and quit using my 15.4” from 2017 so recently got rid of it. It wasn’t as much about the size/weight, but battery life/heat during use while editing photos. I do all my editing on the laptop itself, so the larger screen is nice. The MacBook Air is easier to travel with and the M1 is perfect for editing. You have some larger lenses than I do, so a slightly larger laptop probably won’t make much difference. since my main concerns with my 15.4” MacBook Pro are resolved with the M1 chips, I wouldn’t hesitate on recommending the larger size. I travel a lot, so size and weight is important and it didn’t bother me. I’m currently happy with my MacBook Air so not planning to upgrade myself.

 

[DavidT]

I have gone back and forth between sizes for my own personal use. Started with a 13” quite a few years ago and stayed with that size until I bought a 15” in 2011. I enjoyed the speed difference, but it was heavy and went through battery fast so didn’t like to carry it and bought a MacBook Air just for travel. I bought a new 15.4” in 2017 and it was much better. I carried that one with me a lot more frequently and it was easy enough to take on trips. I bought the M1 MacBook Air this January and quit using my 15.4” from 2017 so recently got rid of it. It wasn’t as much about the size/weight, but battery life/heat during use while editing photos. I do all my editing on the laptop itself, so the larger screen is nice. The MacBook Air is easier to travel with and the M1 is perfect for editing. You have some larger lenses than I do, so a slightly larger laptop probably won’t make much difference. since my main concerns with my 15.4” MacBook Pro are resolved with the M1 chips, I wouldn’t hesitate on recommending the larger size. I travel a lot, so size and weight is important and it didn’t bother me. I’m currently happy with my MacBook Air so not planning to upgrade myself.

Thank you for the input. The new 16" is thicker and weighs more than the outgoing 16" model. But it has the M1Pro or M1Max chip and a 20 hour battery running video. The 14" is about the same size as my old 13" now and has a 17 hour video. The other attraction is with the bigger power supply that comes with the M1Max standard and a low cost upgrade to the other you can charge a battery to 50% in 30 min! This is only available on the 16" model.

As for lenses the biggest I have is a 600f4 once it arrives .

 

[AstroEd]

Any suggestions for my first attempt at Mac based setup?

I have considered trying a Mac OS system for photo editing instead of replacing my huge/heavy gaming laptop that is dying. I use a PC desktop at home for now But seems so many pros prefer Mac OS for some reason so I thought I better try it out and learn right.

I never used a Mac before so I will either try a 16” MacBook Pro $4800 for 64GB ram, 2TB hard drive

OR for an estimated $1000 less for the same setup with 64GB ram 2TB internal storage

I have an 11” iPad Pro and I am considering that for my first time trying a Mac for photo editing I will get a new Mac mini with max memory/RAM when they come out with M1pro or M1Max and use a Luna Display dongle and a USB C/Thunderbolt hub or docking station so my iPad Pro 11” can be the monitor for the Mac mini when traveling.
Would an 11” ipad be too small? Another possible downside is the MacBook Pro can be used with battery power where the Mac Mini needs to be always plugged in.

Luna Display — by Astropad

The only hardware solution that turns any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display.

astropad.com

 

[Ralph]

Any suggestions for my first attempt at Mac based setup?

I have considered trying a Mac OS system for photo editing instead of replacing my huge/heavy gaming laptop that is dying. I use a PC desktop at home for now But seems so many pros prefer Mac OS for some reason so I thought I better try it out and learn right.

I never used a Mac before so I will either try a 16” MacBook Pro $4800 for 64GB ram, 2TB hard drive

OR for an estimated $1000 less for the same setup with 64GB ram 2TB internal storage

I have an 11” iPad Pro and I am considering that for my first time trying a Mac for photo editing I will get a new Mac mini with max memory/RAM when they come out with M1pro or M1Max and use a Luna Display dongle and a USB C/Thunderbolt hub or docking station so my iPad Pro 11” can be the monitor for the Mac mini when traveling.
Would an 11” ipad be too small? Another possible downside is the MacBook Pro can be used with battery power where the Mac Mini needs to be always plugged in.

Luna Display — by Astropad

The only hardware solution that turns any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display.

astropad.com

Ed ,
You can’t go wrong with a Mac. I’ve been a Mac user since 1986. But I have always encountered Window’s users over the years who have been confused when switching over because the Mac interface is a little different . They are used to a Window’s interface and get frustrated when they attempt to do something the same way on the Mac. Actually everything about the Mac interface is more intuitive and in my opinion easier. So , before you switch, take one for a test drive or better yet , if you know someone with a Mac, use theirs for a while.
One last thing, I haven’t purchased a M1 Mac yet but from what I been reading , it handles external startup drives much different form the intel versions. It used to be very easy to use any external drive as a startup drive. As long as it had the operating system on it, you would just attach it to the Mac, select the drive and away you would go. Now, it is much more difficult. It’s created a security system which prevents some unauthorized person from attaching an external drive to you system and getting in. As a result is is no longer as simple to do and also very limited. The external drive is dependent on a functioning internal drive, and from what I understand, if that internal drive craps out on you, the external drive will not boot up the computer. Sort of defeats the purpose of an external startup in times like that. If someone out there who owns a M1 Mac has more incite into this feature fell free to comment.

 

[abc123brian]

Any suggestions for my first attempt at Mac based setup?

I have considered trying a Mac OS system for photo editing instead of replacing my huge/heavy gaming laptop that is dying. I use a PC desktop at home for now But seems so many pros prefer Mac OS for some reason so I thought I better try it out and learn right.

I never used a Mac before so I will either try a 16” MacBook Pro $4800 for 64GB ram, 2TB hard drive

OR for an estimated $1000 less for the same setup with 64GB ram 2TB internal storage

I have an 11” iPad Pro and I am considering that for my first time trying a Mac for photo editing I will get a new Mac mini with max memory/RAM when they come out with M1pro or M1Max and use a Luna Display dongle and a USB C/Thunderbolt hub or docking station so my iPad Pro 11” can be the monitor for the Mac mini when traveling.
Would an 11” ipad be too small? Another possible downside is the MacBook Pro can be used with battery power where the Mac Mini needs to be always plugged in.

Luna Display — by Astropad

The only hardware solution that turns any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display.

astropad.com

I think the 11” screen would be too small for editing unless you keep the editing tools minimized off to the sides. MacOS is more memory efficient than Windows, so you might actually be going over spec for what you need. I would probably suggest a different path than what you are looking at, but don’t know if there are any specialized scenarios that you require. I replaced a 2017 15” MacBook Pro with a quad core i7 and 16GB of RAM with a base 13” MacBook Air upgraded to 16GB RAM and it handles photo and video editing significantly better than my old Pro. It wasn’t even a close comparison and the Air doesn’t even have a fan.

My suggestion would be to buy an M1 MacBook Air/Pro for the road now and give it a try. Don’t spec it too high as it would be used for travel and when the updated Mac Mini is released, spec that for your home editing use. This will get you a Mac to test out and play with for a much cheaper entry price (in case you decide it isn’t for you) and provide you a good laptop for travel and a good desktop for home for around the same price.

 

[arbitrage]

Thank you for the input. The new 16" is thicker and weighs more than the outgoing 16" model. But it has the M1Pro or M1Max chip and a 20 hour battery running video. The 14" is about the same size as my old 13" now and has a 17 hour video. The other attraction is with the bigger power supply that comes with the M1Max standard and a low cost upgrade to the other you can charge a battery to 50% in 30 min! This is only available on the 16" model.

As for lenses the biggest I have is a 600f4 once it arrives .

Fast charging (50% in 30mins) is available on both 14" and 16" models. The only model that doesn't support it is the base 14" that comes with the 67W power brick. That can be upgraded to the 96W that does support fast charging for $20.

Also of note, the 14" supports the fast charging over USB-C in addition to MagSafe. The 16" requires the MagSafe to be used to get fast charging (it can still be charged via USB-C but not 50 in 30).

 

[wes]

Any suggestions for my first attempt at Mac based setup?

I have considered trying a Mac OS system for photo editing instead of replacing my huge/heavy gaming laptop that is dying. I use a PC desktop at home for now But seems so many pros prefer Mac OS for some reason so I thought I better try it out and learn right.

I never used a Mac before so I will either try a 16” MacBook Pro $4800 for 64GB ram, 2TB hard drive

OR for an estimated $1000 less for the same setup with 64GB ram 2TB internal storage

I have an 11” iPad Pro and I am considering that for my first time trying a Mac for photo editing I will get a new Mac mini with max memory/RAM when they come out with M1pro or M1Max and use a Luna Display dongle and a USB C/Thunderbolt hub or docking station so my iPad Pro 11” can be the monitor for the Mac mini when traveling.
Would an 11” ipad be too small? Another possible downside is the MacBook Pro can be used with battery power where the Mac Mini needs to be always plugged in.

Luna Display — by Astropad

The only hardware solution that turns any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display.

astropad.com

As others have mentioned, I would suggest getting one just to try before going for a 4800$ macbook pro or a mini(was that the second system you mentioned?) The mini is up for a redesign, so there will be a smaller one coming out next year.

MacOS is very easy to use which is can be great but it can also be a con if you have been a heavy windows user for years. The two operating systems are very different. MacOS is Unix based, so if you have no familiarity with Unix/Linux, it can be very frustrating the first time you are met with a troubleshooting issue, or just trying to figure out the MacOS file structure.

For me one of the best parts of Apple is their ecosystem. If you have an Iphone, Ipad, Apple Watch, Airpods... they all just work together in harmony. For the most part With Icloud, I know my desktop, documents, picture, notes, etc are all going to be in sync across all of my devices

Also you mentioned you have a gaming laptop. I have been a huge gamer most of my life and Macs are not known for their gaming ability. These new chips might change that, but if you still want to play AAA titles on your laptop, you may want to rethink going full Mac

I have the Ipad Pro 12.9 inch and I wouldnt get the smaller one for photo editing honestly. The screen is just too small.

If you are just wanting a Mac JUST for photo editing, you may be disappointed overall. If you are a lightroom user for instance, you are not going to see a massive difference between running it on a Mac vs PC.

 

[Ralph]

As others have mentioned, I would suggest getting one just to try before going for a 4800$ macbook pro or a mini(was that the second system you mentioned?) The mini is up for a redesign, so there will be a smaller one coming out next year.

MacOS is very easy to use which is can be great but it can also be a con if you have been a heavy windows user for years. The two operating systems are very different. MacOS is Unix based, so if you have no familiarity with Unix/Linux, it can be very frustrating the first time you are met with a troubleshooting issue, or just trying to figure out the MacOS file structure.

For me one of the best parts of Apple is their ecosystem. If you have an Iphone, Ipad, Apple Watch, Airpods... they all just work together in harmony. For the most part With Icloud, I know my desktop, documents, picture, notes, etc are all going to be in sync across all of my devices

Also you mentioned you have a gaming laptop. I have been a huge gamer most of my life and Macs are not known for their gaming ability. These new chips might change that, but if you still want to play AAA titles on your laptop, you may want to rethink going full Mac

I have the Ipad Pro 12.9 inch and I wouldnt get the smaller one for photo editing honestly. The screen is just too small.

If you are just wanting a Mac JUST for photo editing, you may be disappointed overall. If you are a lightroom user for instance, you are not going to see a massive difference between running it on a Mac vs PC.

Wes, Just a clarification. Are you referring to intel Mac or M1 Mac in reference to Lightroom? The most recent release of Lightroom increased performance by 25%(June, 2021) in M1 Macs compared to intel Macs.

 

[wes]

Hey Ralph, I was just talking about the interface and workflow more than anything. The Apple Silicon macs do now have a version of Lightroom Classic specifically for the new chipset which is nice and snappy

 

[flyguy]

I bought a 13" MacPro this June, got it for its size and weight and display. That being noted, see my post above (File Names...Windows vs Mac) about what is happening when I view shots on both the Mac and Windows.

 

[AstroEd]

As others have mentioned, I would suggest getting one just to try before going for a 4800$ macbook pro or a mini(was that the second system you mentioned?) The mini is up for a redesign, so there will be a smaller one coming out next year.

MacOS is very easy to use which is can be great but it can also be a con if you have been a heavy windows user for years. The two operating systems are very different. MacOS is Unix based, so if you have no familiarity with Unix/Linux, it can be very frustrating the first time you are met with a troubleshooting issue, or just trying to figure out the MacOS file structure.

For me one of the best parts of Apple is their ecosystem. If you have an Iphone, Ipad, Apple Watch, Airpods... they all just work together in harmony. For the most part With Icloud, I know my desktop, documents, picture, notes, etc are all going to be in sync across all of my devices

Also you mentioned you have a gaming laptop. I have been a huge gamer most of my life and Macs are not known for their gaming ability. These new chips might change that, but if you still want to play AAA titles on your laptop, you may want to rethink going full Mac

I have the Ipad Pro 12.9 inch and I wouldnt get the smaller one for photo editing honestly. The screen is just too small.

If you are just wanting a Mac JUST for photo editing, you may be disappointed overall. If you are a lightroom user for instance, you are not going to see a massive difference between running it on a Mac vs PC.

Getting a Mac was 80% for photo editing as I was getting the impression a Mac M1 would be faster. My current laptop is 5 years old and has started locking up when I try using lightroom for more than a few images (I think it may have dog hair in the fans and is overheating) Every time I try to look for a laptop replacement that will last another 5 years Maxing out RAM and GPU for photo editing and gaming the price is between $4,000-$5,000 So I thought I would try a Mac since the price will be the same. I stopped using the laptop and maxed out my i7 7800k desktop ram to 64GB and looking for a faster GPU or I will update to a newer PC desktop.

 

[DavidT]

Fast charging (50% in 30mins) is available on both 14" and 16" models. The only model that doesn't support it is the base 14" that comes with the 67W power brick. That can be upgraded to the 96W that does support fast charging for $20.

Also of note, the 14" supports the fast charging over USB-C in addition to MagSafe. The 16" requires the MagSafe to be used to get fast charging (it can still be charged via USB-C but not 50 in 30).

Ahhh good catch! That makes the 14 even more attractive

 

[DavidT]

Any suggestions for my first attempt at Mac based setup?

I have considered trying a Mac OS system for photo editing instead of replacing my huge/heavy gaming laptop that is dying. I use a PC desktop at home for now But seems so many pros prefer Mac OS for some reason so I thought I better try it out and learn right.

I never used a Mac before so I will either try a 16” MacBook Pro $4800 for 64GB ram, 2TB hard drive

OR for an estimated $1000 less for the same setup with 64GB ram 2TB internal storage

I have an 11” iPad Pro and I am considering that for my first time trying a Mac for photo editing I will get a new Mac mini with max memory/RAM when they come out with M1pro or M1Max and use a Luna Display dongle and a USB C/Thunderbolt hub or docking station so my iPad Pro 11” can be the monitor for the Mac mini when traveling.
Would an 11” ipad be too small? Another possible downside is the MacBook Pro can be used with battery power where the Mac Mini needs to be always plugged in.

Luna Display — by Astropad

The only hardware solution that turns any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display.

astropad.com

I have played around building them and for photo editing you don't need more than 32G of RAM and with the speed and design of Mac you likely would be fine with 16 but 32 could keep this computer viable for 8-10 years.

Also the base processor is more than enough. You shouldn't need to spend over $3200