16" MBP upgrade recommendations - STEM PhD researcher

[stegowary]

Hi all. Occasional lurker/first-time poster here. I’m after some advice re: 16” MBP possible upgrades based on my specific use.

Apologies this is long, I just want to give as much info as possible!

tldr - thinking about upgrading to 16" MBP, not sure if my use warrants RAM or processor upgrades.

I’m a PhD researcher in STEM, doing ecology and animal behaviour work which includes stats and coding, as well as a lot of creative stuff on the side. Specifically, I use programs for writing (Scrivener mostly, sometimes Word), reference management (Mendeley/Zotero), video analysis and coding (BORIS+VLC), vocal/sound analysis (Raven Pro), stats/data management (RStudio/Excel), some GIS stuff (R/QGis), RAW photo editing (Affinity Photo/ON1 RAW), graphics (Affinity Designer), and presentations (Powerpoint). And then of course the usual faffing around one does on the internet and streaming videos.

I’ve been using a 2017 13” MBP (3.1 GHz dual core i5 8GB RAM) for several years now, and it’s been ok, but the keyboard has failed three times now and it struggles with some tasks. I don't really trust it to do more than one thing at a time, and some programs barely work. This machine was a replacement from Apple for a base 2014 13” MBP that had so many issues that they eventually gave up repairing it and gave me a new one in 2018 after three years.

The keyboard on my current machine has already been replaced twice (most recently in Nov 2019) and it’s just started failing again (bye-bye Y key). I just want to throw the whole thing out the window. I’m writing my thesis so do *a lot* of typing, and it’s just so frustrating. It’s also been struggling a lot recently with some things, especially vocal analysis and photo editing. My older Macs were super reliable and I never had any issues, it’s just the two from 2015 to now that have been a chore to use.

During my honours I had a 2012 15” MBP and it was great! I think going back to a larger screen will be handy, especially as I don’t have a second monitor. Having more screen space for documents and also behavioural and vocal analysis is really handy. I only sold the 15” because my uni gave me this 13” when I started (yeah I kinda regret that now).

I’m late to the party and just realised that the new 16” MBP a) exists, and b) has a good keyboard again, so I’m wondering whether I should fork out for one. Being a PhD researcher means money is precious, esp as I recently lost all my paid work due to my university moving online for classes etc, so making a large purchase at the moment is something I’ll need to put a lot of thought into. Fortunately I have some savings and can access the education discount, but I’m also in Australia where things are generally much more expensive than elsewhere. If I do splurge on this I’d want to keep it and use it for at least the next 3-5 years (or as long as possible).

The base 16” MBP will already be a big upgrade for me (and it will have a working keyboard!), I’m just not sure whether I’ll need extra RAM or processing power. The last MacBook I actually bought myself was upgradable (that 2015 15"), so I’ve never had to make this decision before.

So, my questions for you are 1) whether the base 16” MBP is likely to be adequate for my computing needs for the next few years, and 2) if not, would it be better to upgrade the processor or the RAM? I could only really afford one upgrade, if any.

I’m looking forward to your (sensible) recommendations! Don’t forget that I’m in Australia, so a RAM upgrade is AU$560 (32GB) and the processor upgrade is also AU$600 also (i7 to i9) (after edu discount).

Thanks!

 

[coolX]

does it have to be a Mac? Dell is coming out with a new XPS 15 next month and its looks like it might be pretty special.

 

[stegowary]

I would much prefer not to have to use Windows. I also wouldn't want to have to buy all my software licences again.

 

[coolX]

I would much prefer not to have to use Windows. I also wouldn't want to have to buy all my software licences again.

makes sense just the 16" is a first gen product and its seems as though people have been having problems with it...

 

[stegowary]

I dunno, I've read a lot of forum posts and watched a lot of reviews and it seems like the general consensus is that it's pretty good. People are more likely to complain about things on forums than they are to praise something. Seems like the first MacBook in many years that is actually worth getting. Definitely an improvement on my current MacBook anyway, problems or no.

 

[Sterkenburg]

Unless your computational/stats work is very demanding, the base 16" should be completely fine. As for RAM, I can see why you might be struggling with an 8GB machine, but if you had specific uses for 32GB you would probably be aware of it. My bet is that you will be good with 16GB. The 8 core i9 is a decent upgrade over the 6 core i7 if you're doing a lot of multicore computations, but you can pass on it if budget is a concern.

As for the possible issues reported for the 16", well, my personal opinion is that none of them is worse than a keyboard that auto-fails regularly. Why don't you grab a refurb base model and see how you like it?

 

[stegowary]

Excellent. Thank you! I also suspect that the base will probably be fine, it's already a big upgrade from my current computer.

In a couple of years time I'll be done with my PhD so I'm not sure how much coding or stats I'll be doing on my own computer in the future. I'm doing a lot of science communication stuff these days so I'm also doing minor video editing sometimes, but only in iMovie because it's free (very important!). I guess if I need to upgrade again in a few years it won't be such a big deal because *in theory* I'll have a proper job that actually pays me some money. Though jobs are scarce at the moment so that might be wishful thinking.

The thing that my current comp has struggled with the most in R is doing some GIS stuff and using gganimate to make some cool gifs. My vocal analysis program is also not happy, and photo editing is super slow and laggy. Over the next few weeks I'm going to pay more attention to how it responds while doing things, if the fans kick in or anything like that. A lot of programs don't seem to state their tech spec requirements any more, which is frustrating, but those that I can find are 16GB+ preferred.

I can't help but wonder how much time I'm losing and how much mental energy I'm wasting on things that could be fixed by upgrading my computer. Yes, the one I have now does still work, but things could be infinitely better.

There aren't any refurb 16" models in Aus, otherwise I'd definitely go for one of those. There's a bunch of 13" and 15" refurbs, but there's no way I'm getting another butterfly keyboard!

 

[bill-p]

GIS will definitely benefit from the i9 processor. I'd know because... my senior design project before I graduated was GIS-related.

But having said that, you can get by with the i7 just fine, and I'd say the 16GB of RAM actually will be the most significant "upgrade" that you'll see. 8GB of RAM is barely enough for the tasks you mentioned. We have come a long way and retina graphics assets take up far more space than people realize. 16GB is the "new" 4GB when compared to 2008 (oh yeah, I still remember that far back when 2GB computers were the "base model").

Go big but don't go over, I'd say. Sure, you can earn more when you graduate and you start working, but personally, I still keep my computer purchases to less than my monthly income. The extra savings can be spent on other more necessary things.

 

[stegowary]

Definitely! I'm used to earning well below minimum wage so I only spend money on rent, bills, and essential food, with anything else going into savings. I'll be sitting on this decision for a few weeks at least to make sure I'm ok with it.

I don't do too much GIS stuff, though it is something I want to learn more of, because so many jobs these days need GIS skills. I just missed out on GIS in undergrad, so need to teach myself.

Ha! I think my first MacBook in 2007 had 2GB. I upgraded the ram on my next one though because I'd started doing more digital photo stuff. If I had a choice with my current computer I would have got 16GB, but we're not given a choice on specs at uni. I had to jump through a lot of hoops just to get a Mac instead of the standard Windows computers they usually give out. Uni IT does not like Macs!

I just noticed that the base model has an option to upgrade the processor from 2.6GHz 6-core i7 to 2.4GHz 8-core i9 for $425, which seems better and cheaper than jumping up to the next model. I guess, assuming I can only afford one upgrade, I'm just trying to work out if I should go with extra ram or better processor. Too much choice!

I'm not too concerned about storage as I've been stuck with 128 and 256GB hard drives for years, plus externals are getting pretty cheap, definitely cheaper than paying Apple for an upgrade!

 

[cp1160]

makes sense just the 16" is a first gen product and its seems as though people have been having problems with it...

Seems as though "some" people have been having an issue with it. The main issue appears to still be the running hot and allowed if connected to an external monitor with the clamshell open. It would seem to be a software issue to me, but I'm not an expert, but it certainly has not been addressed. Some driver/software issue maybe. But if you are not using an external monitor, not an issue.

I'm not one of those people. My experience has been very good, better than my MBP 13 2018 by far.

I'm a firm believer in more memory over faster processor. You'll have few issues running applications with plenty of memory than you will have applications running slowly due to a lower end processor.

That applies until you get to things like editing 4K video...then you want both if you can afford it....

I think you will be very happy with it.

Always bold to see Dell recommendations on Mac boards.

BTW, I use both Windows and Mac. Have high end units for both. Have a Dell.

Which do I use the most. Mac by far. Period.

But then I am not a gamer looking for the ultimate Windows gaming machine.....

 

[stegowary]

I did read about that issue when using an external monitor, which could *possibly* be a problem in the future, but hopefully it gets fixed before I'll ever reach that point. I do sometimes use an external monitor as a second display, but I don't actually have one that works well with my current computer, so tend not to bother. I only have access to old VGA monitors, which means using a dongle, and the resolution is all whacky and just isn't pleasant to look at. That's another advantage of upgrading, extra screen real estate without needing a second screen (or the desk space for a second screen).

I can't see myself getting into 4K video. At the moment I just record cool wildlife encounters using my phone or my 4:3 camera when I'm out doing fieldwork. Sometimes they need minor editing or I'll join some clips together into one video, nothing fancy at all.

Yeah the more I read the more it seems like more RAM is likely to be more useful in the long run, though there also seems to be a point of diminishing returns when it comes to RAM + processor (ie with certain processors there's no point getting extra RAM as it won't be able to use it to its full potential anyway).

(Ugh, I'm so sick of this stupid keyboard and the Touch Bar. The TB keep activating when I'm typing and nowhere near it. It's like it has a mind of its own!)

 

[chengengaun]

I just noticed that the base model has an option to upgrade the processor from 2.6GHz 6-core i7 to 2.4GHz 8-core i9 for $425, which seems better and cheaper than jumping up to the next model.

If this is your plan, I highly recommend you go with the higher-end base configuration (2.3GHz 8-core i9, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB) instead. You’d get a much better CPU and GPU at a similar price. The GPU will help with graphic-intensive applications. I believe the 100MHz difference between 2.3 and 2.4 are not that great, especially if you are running it over a long period time (e.g. python multiprocessing scripts).

But having said that...

I'm a firm believer in more memory over faster processor. You'll have few issues running applications with plenty of memory than you will have applications running slowly due to a lower end processor.

I definitely second this. It might be a good idea to look at memory pressure in Activity Monitor while running intensive workflows. If the chart is frequently yellow or red, then adding RAM beyond your current specs is sensible.

The Education Store discount should help too. Good luck!

 

[stegowary]

Thanks!
I'm leaning towards either the plain base model or a RAM upgrade if I can swing it. Though the upgrade is like a fortnight's rent 😬 so I might just skip it. Even the base will be a big jump compared to my current computer. I only have 8GB RAM at the moment!

I'll be sitting on this decision for a while and will also start noting what I'm doing when my current computer struggles.

 

[lobo1978]

I’m writing my thesis so do *a lot* of typing, and it’s just so frustrating

Quick fix should be buying external keyboard... It is not as expensive as a new computer. You could finish your PhD without stress.

—
Looking into your background and needs my recommendation would be base i9 (2.3 GHz, 5500M 4GB, 1 TB SSD) + 32 GB RAM to future proof you purchase. Unless you are planning to keep this laptop only for 2-3 years max (which I assume you don’t).
Ask yourself: What % of base price is extra RAM? How much is it over min. 3 years?

the upgrade is like a fortnight's rent 😬

You shouldn’t think about this long-term investment in terms of the next two weeks... Obviously this purchase will give you added value and improve working conditions.

P.S. I have a PhD in engineering. Using mac for similar works applied in environmental engineering (R/Python/QGIS/Octave/VM) but much less video/photo editing than you do. Contrary to you I am using single VM most of the time (RAM split 50/50: 8GB + 8GB).

 

[stegowary]

I have a keyboard that I got from my local Buy Nothing group, but it's super grubby and needs cleaning. I also can't use it everywhere I write, but yes, it's a good temporary solution!

I get the whole "how much is it divided over x years/months/weeks", but that doesn't help with finances now. I'll have to see how much I can scrounge up in the next month or so!


Thanks for your input as another scientist/phd. We have a weird set of requirements and often need powerful machines, but are not usually mentioned in reviews/recommendations etc.

 

[dirteater666]

Fellow PhD candidate here, though I'm in the US at Stanford. Recognize that people have been doing your research for years and years with much worse technology than what's out there right now. I know fellowship life and you should be buying the cheapest thing you can get that will get the job done for the next few years, no less, no more. You'll get a lot of people on this forum with more disposable income than us dropping stupid posts all over the place like "i9 is worth it for sure" or "i would never get less than 32GB of RAM" when the honest truth is that unless you're maxing out your cores for hours DAILY as part of your workflow and using multiple memory intensive programs (i.e VMs), the upgrades won't be worth it. Apart from the 16" your only alternative is to wait for the 14", though it won't be giving you anything more than the 16" that you need and undoubtedly you'll get better specs/performance per dollar on the 16" given the current discounts. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend you need anything more than the base i7 model if it's going to cost you apple prices to upgrade. The only specific upgrades I would recommend you to consider are having 1TB of storage space total to accommodate your raw video/image editing, though the 512GB would be fine if you pick up a cheaper external SSD. You should buy refurbished. Much cheaper, same warranty schedule. Visit the refurb tracker website (google apple refurb tracker) and get alerts for the configs under ~3300AUD and wait until you get the email to purchase it rather than buying new, which is a bad idea when refurbs are out. Note the biggest 16" issue is high power draw from the dgpu reducing cpu performance when using some external monitor configurations and the laptop isn't in clamshell mode. Currently, you cannot use an external monitor and your laptop screen at the same time without a significant performance hit.

 

[stegowary]

Hey! Thanks for the input! Yeah I did some of the same stuff for my honours years ago with a lesser computer, and I totally agree. Anything will be an improvement on my current comp. I think the base will be what I go for if/when I pull the trigger.

I've bought refurbs in the past and I would definitely one now if there were any available here, but we don't seem to be getting refurb 16s here in Aus yet. However, my friend offered me their staff discount, so that pushes the base down to ~AU$3230. Though I'll be waiting a while before pulling the trigger though so I can make sure I'm cool with the decision, so maybe some refurbs will be available by then.

I'm not too concerned about hard drive space, all my videos and sound files are over 1TB anyway, so they're all on several external drives and also in my uni's research data store. I'm used to 128-256GB internal space, so 512 will feel luxurious!

Yeah I currently don't have a decent external monitor (it's stuck at uni in my office anyway) so I'm not too concerned about those problems.

P.S. What's your research field?

 

[dirteater666]

Hey! Thanks for the input! Yeah I did some of the same stuff for my honours years ago with a lesser computer, and I totally agree. Anything will be an improvement on my current comp. I think the base will be what I go for if/when I pull the trigger.

I've bought refurbs in the past and I would definitely one now if there were any available here, but we don't seem to be getting refurb 16s here in Aus yet. However, my friend offered me their staff discount, so that pushes the base down to ~AU$3230. Though I'll be waiting a while before pulling the trigger though so I can make sure I'm cool with the decision, so maybe some refurbs will be available by then.

I'm not too concerned about hard drive space, all my videos and sound files are over 1TB anyway, so they're all on several external drives and also in my uni's research data store. I'm used to 128-256GB internal space, so 512 will feel luxurious!

Yeah I currently don't have a decent external monitor (it's stuck at uni in my office anyway) so I'm not too concerned about those problems.

P.S. What's your research field?

Yeah I'd look around to see if they're not yet released on the aus refurb store yet or that they just go quickly. Either way, 3230AUD for the base model is about as cheap as you can get it new anywhere in the world. It'll definitely hold it's value and last you the 2-3 years until you graduate so no need to be shy if you know you want a macbook. I would actually be surprised if you lost more than $800-1000 AUD on it in 3 years because they're shaping up to be popular machines for years to come and you're already saving a lot off the base price. I was a bit cash strapped too and came to the realization that 32GB was the only upgrade I really needed for my work and got my i7+32gb+1TB+5500m for the equivalent of 3500AUD off the refurb store. i9 is mostly justified as an upgrade if you were going to get the 1TB/GPU upgrade anyway so you'd just choose the base i9 model, though if you know you don't need any of those and don't have another $500 to spare on an already expensive machine then no need. I do research in the field of autonomous systems/self driving cars so my workflow is pretty involved computationally, though the i7 in the base model is a killer as it is.

 

[stegowary]

Looks like you got a pretty good deal! I'll keep thinking about that RAM upgrade, but will probably skip it, unless I get paid for the work I lost this semester (we're all hoping they will honour contracted hours).

It's such a weird time at the moment. It seems silly to be thinking about something like a computer upgrade, but unfortunately the expectations from uni haven't lessened, even though we're in the middle of a global pandemic.

 

[Macalicious2011]

Excellent thread. During Covid19 lockdown I have used my spare time to learn python programming for Data Science.

Jupyter notebook is my coding environment for analysing 50-200mb csv files - some of which I can't open in Numbers without the computer freezing. Further more I am now using Adobe illustrator and other adobe apps to develop a website that that will exploit my new data science skills.

My 2012 Macbook Pro that has served me well for 8 years, is not up for the task

When I bought it, the base 15inch macbook pro was £1,700. Now, a base 16inch macbook pro cost £2,300!!

Reading comment here about RAM is interesting.

Should I buy a base 16 inch or a 13 inch with 32GB RAM?

 

[chengengaun]

Personally I used BBEdit to inspect and manipulate csv files of up to 400MB each without problems. I have four 300MB files open now and it takes less than 3GB of RAM. So I think 16GB is more than enough for working with large CSV files; SSD read/write speed is more likely to be the consideration here (though all MacBooks should be able to handle that with no problem).

 

[tbobmccoy]

I'd upgrade to the base model 16". It's a huge improvement- the keyboard alone is worth the upgrade to me, honestly. RAM upgrade seems too expensive unless you already know you're going to need that RAM. I'd rather save that money for upgrading to the next MacBook Pro in a couple years. Especially because you didn't cite video editing as work you do- the extra RAM would help with 4K video processing, but 16GB should work for everything else you listed. You might consider upgrading the vRAM to 8GB since it's a cheap upgrade that might benefit your graphics design, but it'll be minimal. The base MBP this cycle is pretty great.

 

[Macalicious2011]

Personally I used BBEdit to inspect and manipulate csv files of up to 400MB each without problems. I have four 300MB files open now and it takes less than 3GB of RAM. So I think 16GB is more than enough for working with large CSV files; SSD read/write speed is more likely to be the consideration here (though all MacBooks should be able to handle that with no problem).

Thanks for BBEdit. I have just downloaded it. Similar to using Jupyter Notebooks for Python, there are no troubles opening large CSV files. However, I occasionally want to use Numbers to scroll through data without having to write formulas or formulas or even use conditional formatting.

My workaround Numbers freezing when I open large files, has been to use Google Sheets. For that usecase Sheets is faster than Numbers on my Macbook. However Safari occasionally warns of Safari using up alot of memory.

I'd upgrade to the base model 16". It's a huge improvement- the keyboard alone is worth the upgrade to me, honestly. RAM upgrade seems too expensive unless you already know you're going to need that RAM. I'd rather save that money for upgrading to the next MacBook Pro in a couple years. Especially because you didn't cite video editing as work you do- the extra RAM would help with 4K video processing, but 16GB should work for everything else you listed. You might consider upgrading the vRAM to 8GB since it's a cheap upgrade that might benefit your graphics design, but it'll be minimal. The base MBP this cycle is pretty great.

Good tip about saving £400 on RAM upgrade unless I will max out the capacity on a regular basis. My partner just got a big tax return and fancies a Macbook but doesn't want to inherit mine the same way she inherited a Macbook from her ex 8 years ago. 😁

We are likely to buy a refurbished 16 inch as she finds a 13 inch screen to small.

A big bonus about the 16' is the ability to use it as a gaming console until PS5/Xbox Series X are available. I sold my PS4 Pro two months ago.

 

[impulse462]

I did read about that issue when using an external monitor, which could *possibly* be a problem in the future, but hopefully it gets fixed before I'll ever reach that point. I do sometimes use an external monitor as a second display, but I don't actually have one that works well with my current computer, so tend not to bother. I only have access to old VGA monitors, which means using a dongle, and the resolution is all whacky and just isn't pleasant to look at. That's another advantage of upgrading, extra screen real estate without needing a second screen (or the desk space for a second screen).

I can't see myself getting into 4K video. At the moment I just record cool wildlife encounters using my phone or my 4:3 camera when I'm out doing fieldwork. Sometimes they need minor editing or I'll join some clips together into one video, nothing fancy at all.

Yeah the more I read the more it seems like more RAM is likely to be more useful in the long run, though there also seems to be a point of diminishing returns when it comes to RAM + processor (ie with certain processors there's no point getting extra RAM as it won't be able to use it to its full potential anyway).

(Ugh, I'm so sick of this stupid keyboard and the Touch Bar. The TB keep activating when I'm typing and nowhere near it. It's like it has a mind of its own!)

I'm an engineering phd student and I use my 16" (stats in my sig) connected to a 5k and 4k display almost all day and there is no problem using external monitors at all. My use consists mostly of matlab/jupyter notebook/intellj/xcode, multiple safari windows with multiple tabs, multiple microsoft office apps open. I suggest getting an 8-core and 32gb of ram if you can afford it to future proof this computer (> 4 years).

Quick fix should be buying external keyboard... It is not as expensive as a new computer. You could finish your PhD without stress.

—
Looking into your background and needs my recommendation would be base i9 (2.3 GHz, 5500M 4GB, 1 TB SSD) + 32 GB RAM to future proof you purchase. Unless you are planning to keep this laptop only for 2-3 years max (which I assume you don’t).
Ask yourself: What % of base price is extra RAM? How much is it over min. 3 years?



You shouldn’t think about this long-term investment in terms of the next two weeks... Obviously this purchase will give you added value and improve working conditions.

P.S. I have a PhD in engineering. Using mac for similar works applied in environmental engineering (R/Python/QGIS/Octave/VM) but much less video/photo editing than you do. Contrary to you I am using single VM most of the time (RAM split 50/50: 8GB + 8GB).

I agree with everything in this post. glad to see another engineering phd student using this 16". its a fantastic computer imo.

Fellow PhD candidate here, though I'm in the US at Stanford. Recognize that people have been doing your research for years and years with much worse technology than what's out there right now. I know fellowship life and you should be buying the cheapest thing you can get that will get the job done for the next few years, no less, no more. You'll get a lot of people on this forum with more disposable income than us dropping stupid posts all over the place like "i9 is worth it for sure" or "i would never get less than 32GB of RAM" when the honest truth is that unless you're maxing out your cores for hours DAILY as part of your workflow and using multiple memory intensive programs (i.e VMs), the upgrades won't be worth it. Apart from the 16" your only alternative is to wait for the 14", though it won't be giving you anything more than the 16" that you need and undoubtedly you'll get better specs/performance per dollar on the 16" given the current discounts. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend you need anything more than the base i7 model if it's going to cost you apple prices to upgrade. The only specific upgrades I would recommend you to consider are having 1TB of storage space total to accommodate your raw video/image editing, though the 512GB would be fine if you pick up a cheaper external SSD. You should buy refurbished. Much cheaper, same warranty schedule. Visit the refurb tracker website (google apple refurb tracker) and get alerts for the configs under ~3300AUD and wait until you get the email to purchase it rather than buying new, which is a bad idea when refurbs are out. Note the biggest 16" issue is high power draw from the dgpu reducing cpu performance when using some external monitor configurations and the laptop isn't in clamshell mode. Currently, you cannot use an external monitor and your laptop screen at the same time without a significant performance hit.

A fellow engineering phd student at berkeley says hi. while i agree with you that people have been doing our research with much worse hardware than before, we have access to better hardware, and I think OP should make use of that. as for the external monitor performance it...there may be a slight hit if the laptop lid is open, but in clamshell mode there shouldn't be at all.

 

[lobo1978]

I have a keyboard that I got from my local Buy Nothing group, but it's super grubby and needs cleaning. I also can't use it everywhere I write, but yes, it's a good temporary solution!

I get the whole "how much is it divided over x years/months/weeks", but that doesn't help with finances now. I'll have to see how much I can scrounge up in the next month or so!

Hmmm... I have read again through this thread just to reanalyze and understand your situation. I do not want to judge you but provide genuine and reasonable answer (from my point of view). So don’t get me wrong but it seems that you cannot afford to buy the new macbook at this time.

You are going for thrift keyboard while preparing to spend +3200 AUD for new laptop? You are skimping on reasonable upgrade suited for long-term big investment.

One good analogy. For me it seems like you are in Porsche dealership, holding just enough money for basic config but you are affraid you will not make it home because you have no money left for gas...

Brand new magic keyboard with numeric Keypad is 179 AUD (from Apple - you can get it cheaper refurbished/demo). With current laptop and new external keyboard you are perfectly fine to finish your PhD and come by until you can afford a good setup.
You will have money for rent for the next half year or so...

On the positive side - I have made my MSc + PhD with desktop box I build myself from spare parts (AMD Duran era) and 15” CRT monitor. At that time I could only dream to buy IBM Thinkpad (my dream computer in the past). I never even exercised a thought I would spend so much money on tool.

Now (some +15 years after PhD) with my disposable income I can buy 1.5 BTO full spec 16” MBP - but hey, that why you are investing in YOU.
So chill out, computer is just a tool. Take the reasonable choice - don’t buy it.

And take my advice:
If you buy it, it might become you “precious” tool. You will examine every spot, creak, overreacting on every sign of “malfunction“ - fueling most of threads in this forum. Instead of doing your job (PhD) you will examine your precious tool. Waste of time.

Good luck on your PhD for you and other fellows!