13" nTB MBP Users: How's Performance?

[Dulcimer]

I'm thinking of purchasing a 13" nTB MBP with 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD. Will likely stick with 2.3 GHz CPU. My only concern with this machine is how performance is when used for general office programs (Word, Excel), programming in terminals, very occasional VM usage, web browsing, etc., especially since it’s a dual core CPU.

So current nTB users (especially 2017 ones), how’s performance?

 

[JesterAZ]

It's insane. 15 excel docs, three or four word docs, 20-30 tabs in safari, plus Spotify, iTunes and my usual reddit **** posting.

No slow down, no beachballs, no lag, my memory compression is next to nothing.

I don't do any programming.

2017 nTB, 16 gig of ram, 256gig HD 13"

 

[ZapNZs]

Terrible. It can't even run solitaire. Drove me back to TI-85s and slide rules.















But in all seriousness, even the base model 13 nTB is screaming fast. For your usage, even if you went with the 8 GB RAM model, it would be fast like a bat out of hell. I use a base model 2017 retina MacBook for VMs and it runs them like a champ - the 2017 MBP has a much more capable CPU in it than the rMB, so you will be absolutely fine with the base version.

 

[Jamalogo10]

It's a very powerful machine. Don't let the GHz fool you.

I have a 2017 i7 512 16gb nTB 13" macbook pro and it is nothing short of amazing.
The base i5 with kaby lake is more powerful than the 2016's TB i7... just to put things into perspective.

Here's my geekbench score for reference:
https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/3468305

 

[sahnjuro]

Comparing a 2.3GHz i5 and a 2.5GHz i7 nTB MBPs both with 16gb and 512 GB atm. Both feels pretty fast. Geek bench score is about 10% smaller for the 2.3 i5. FWIW the screen on the i7 is better. 2.3's screen seems slightly fuzzier and not as sharp as 2.5's. I would have to say that my iPhone 7 has a better and sharper screen than the MBPs though. Bloody LCD lottery. Lol

 

[JesterAZ]

My LCD is perfect with zero bleeding, fuzziness, or issues on my base i5.

Ironically I said I don't do any video editing..and I don't...

Until a professor told me I needed to make a video and then edit it for a project.