13" MacBook Pro for a 12" Macbook?

[majid23]

Hey Everyone,

Looking for some input. I have a then-new Mid-2014 13" MacBook Pro (128 GB, 2.6 GHz i5, 8 GB RAM) that I'm thinking of selling to buy a refurbished 2015 12" MacBook (256 GB, 1.10 GHz M, 8 GB RAM).

I'm mainly interested in the size of the SSD and the lighter weight for carrying around daily. It would be a nice change after a few years and I like the Space Gray look.

The downside seems to be the processor. I mainly use the laptop for email, messaging, web, and rarely Photoshop. For school I sometimes use JAVA based apps. I don't play games on my laptop anymore. Will I notice a substantial difference on a day to day basis? Will opening apps and switching apps seem noticeably slower on the 12"? Does it load just as instantaneously when opening the lid?

The other downside is the lack of USB but then again I rarely connect anything other than an external hard drive for Time Machine purposes.

Also, the FaceTime camera is of a lower quality on the 12". Is it very noticeable to those I FaceTime with? Though I FaceTime more with my iPhone so this isn't a big issue.

From what I've seen on eBay, it'll end up being an almost even trade price-wise ($700-800). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DJKillerKeemstar]

I would not do that, and here are the reasons why:

You can just upgrade the SSD inside of the MacBook Pro for ~$200
The MacBook Pro is still going to be substantially faster
MacBook Pro has more ports

That's basically it lol

 

[majid23]

I would not do that, and here are the reasons why:

You can just upgrade the SSD inside of the MacBook Pro for ~$200
The MacBook Pro is still going to be substantially faster
MacBook Pro has more ports

That's basically it lol

That's true regarding the upgrade of the SSD and the ports. I'm not too concerned about the ports but is the Pro really substantially faster for my day-to-day usage? It's too bad that there's nowhere I can test this exact machine...the newer processors on the MacBooks at Apple Stores are quick.

 

[madgibbon]

If you can stretch to it I would recommend a 2016 MacBook over the 2015 model. I've owned both and the 2016 is noticeably quicker than the 2015 model (both were entry level spec).

However unless you value portability I would stick with the MacBook Pro. I've just traded my 2016 MacBook for a 2017 MacBook Pro 13.3 and its so much faster.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

I think that if you go through with this, sooner or later down the road you are going to have "regrets"...
Probably sooner...

 

[David58117]

The 12" rMB is awesome. I had the 2015 (base) model and loved it.

It really doesn't sound like you do anything processor intensive, the only issue I can see will be the camera, which is noticeably low quality.

But the SSD is fast, so opening apps / opening the lid won't be slower.

It's mainly with sustained loads where you run into problems.

Try to get the 2016 model though at least, as the improvements are suppose to be pretty noticeable.

 

[Frosties]

The 2015 MacBook is a first try, and slow. The 2016 is better but with Black friday coming you should get a good price for the 2017 m3 MacBook. On the MacBook you will notice the speed up of the ssd between years.

 

[ZapNZs]

I think the single most pronounced differences you will notice will be the keyboard and, depending upon the condition of the 2015 rMB versus the condition of your current 2014 MBPr, potentially there could be huge differences in battery life (in either direction, dependent upon the battery condition, and your usage patterns.) I personally hated the keyboard from that design to a point where I did not purchase one until they updated it with the 2017 model - others love it, and others are neutral towards it.

CPU-wise, you will absolutely notice a difference. How much this bothers you will depend on how tolerant you are of delays. IIRC, the read speeds on the MacBook SSD are a bit slower than the read speeds on your current MBP - this alone probably will not have a pronounced impact.

The [lack of] quality of the built-in camera is very, very noticeable IMO.

As you are aware, like your current MacBook Pro, the retina MacBook uses the same legacy USB (just with a different connector) - which, considering how there is only one USB port everything, may or may not be an issue for your needs.

If it were me personally, I would only make the exchange for a 2017 retina MacBook - especially considering with sale prices you can sometimes find them new for around $1,000. I personally feel it has several improvements that have dramatic real-world impact. Further, if you are considering purchasing from eBay or from a 3rd party seller elsewhere, there is always the risk that you wind up with a machine that is in inferior functional condition to your current machine, given a refurbished model from a 3rd party seller is generally defined/refurbished very differently than a refurbished model is directly from Apple. YMMV.

 

[BornAgainMac]

The Macbook is really nice. I can see it being as popular as the Air if the price was less and Apple updated to Thunderbolt 3 and the Webcam. Perhaps have the fully loaded i7 / 16 GB configuration under $1,500. Currently, it is priced too close to the Macbook Pro and the weight difference is not enough.

 

[alphaod]

The current MacBook is fine for most tasks. The original 2015 model is not.

 

[majid23]

Thanks everyone for your advice...some really good points. I'm just going to get a 2017 MacBook then!

 

[1rottenapple]

Hey Everyone,

Looking for some input. I have a then-new Mid-2014 13" MacBook Pro (128 GB, 2.6 GHz i5, 8 GB RAM) that I'm thinking of selling to buy a refurbished 2015 12" MacBook (256 GB, 1.10 GHz M, 8 GB RAM).

I'm mainly interested in the size of the SSD and the lighter weight for carrying around daily. It would be a nice change after a few years and I like the Space Gray look.

The downside seems to be the processor. I mainly use the laptop for email, messaging, web, and rarely Photoshop. For school I sometimes use JAVA based apps. I don't play games on my laptop anymore. Will I notice a substantial difference on a day to day basis? Will opening apps and switching apps seem noticeably slower on the 12"? Does it load just as instantaneously when opening the lid?

The other downside is the lack of USB but then again I rarely connect anything other than an external hard drive for Time Machine purposes.

Also, the FaceTime camera is of a lower quality on the 12". Is it very noticeable to those I FaceTime with? Though I FaceTime more with my iPhone so this isn't a big issue.

From what I've seen on eBay, it'll end up being an almost even trade price-wise ($700-800). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Where are you? I just upgraded to a MBP 2017 model and selling my macbook 2015 512gb.

There's pros and cons. I notice the MB its a great couch surfing/BED laptop. Its cool 90% of the time. I don't notice the heat. For casual use its fast. Safari, mail, heck itunes and photos are pretty fast. Just know its limits. You're not gonna transcode video quickly from one format to the other; best leave it on overnight for that.