12-inch versus 15-inch: More Better PowerBook

TUAW Reader, Ben, wrote in the comments to my previous post, saying "I have been looking at switching to the 15" PB. For better screen area and the PC Card slot as well as just an upgraded computer. My Powerbook goes everywhere with me...How does the 15" compare, do you take it lots of places? I would be interested on your thoughts. Thanks!"
Here's my thoughts: before I had a 15-inch PowerBook, I thought it was a hulking beast. Who would want to carry around such a large monstrosity? I was also a huge fan of the 12-incher and never thought I would go big.

However, now that I have a 15-inch, the reality sinks in: it only weighs a pound more than the 12-inch and it's a better machine. Sure, it's not as easy to whip this puppy out on a crowded bus and type away as it was with the teeny 12-inch, but I'm taking it everywhere, jut like I did with my 12-inch, and there are other advantages. The screen is not only bigger, it's brighter and better. The light up keyboard is the coolest thing ever for a late night blog session. The speakers blow the tiny tinny little speakers on the 12-inch out of the water. It doesn't get as easy-bake-oven-ish feeling under my left wrist (or on top of my left thigh) after an hours or so of usage. It's faster, although I was having a few slow downs on the default 512MBs of RAM. Upping the RAM to 2GBs makes this puppy scream. And there are several bits of technology I haven't been able to use yet: PC-card slot and the FW800. And, so far, no warping (knock on aluminum). I love it, and highly recommend it.

The 17-inch, however, is a large monstrosity that I would never want to lug around.