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17" MacBook Pro owners, what are you plans going forward?

T

tubeexperience

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Original poster
Feb 17, 2016
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It has now been four years since Apple discontinued the 17" MacBook Pro. Unfortunately, Apple has made no sign of every releasing another 17" MacBook Pro.

For me personally, my Late 2011 MacBook Pro 17" has so many compelling features that still makes it feels modern: SATA 3.0 (for SSD upgrade), upgradable RAM (up to 16 GB) and quad-core. The only thing it lacks is USB 3.0 (Thunderbolt to USB 3.0 adapter available). Of cause, the GPU is an achilles heel to the ever-present danger.

I am sure that many of you, like me, are trying to hang on to your 17" MBP for as long as you can, but what are your plans going forward?
 
4k external monitor has even more resolution to work with, and it works well with the newer rMBP.
 
tubeexperience said:
Am I also suppose to mount a huge magnifying glass in front of it so I can see bigger?

resolution =/= screen size
Click to expand...

???
I'm 45 and I am still (ditched the 17" in 2012 for the rMBP and haven't looked back) blown away by the phenomenal and incredibly sharp display of my 15" rMBPs. I own two, a 2012 and the CTO 2015 2.8/16/1TB - while the '12 is still incredibly well behaved and performance hasn't Missed a beat, the 2015's storage is four times the speed and a TB along with the iGPU updates to the IrisPro & AMD GPU's double the vRAM along with Thunderbolt 2, and the ability to drive 4 & 5K displays, the 2011 is an ancient computer now ...when I use it.
SATA compatibility, dead. All OEMs are moving to PCIe lane and connection access. SATA saturates at 500-550Mb/s, while my 2015 reads at 2,100Mb/s and reads at 1,850. HiDPI scaling on OS X has matured along with apps, even legacy software and browsers. It's almost two pounds lighter and doubles your speed, productivity and time spent waiting on transfers, updates of installs. 17" was nice but 17" in a 15" body is nicer and has the ability to run large displays that dwarf a 17" ...along with the radical user improvements you'll enjoy 3-500% efficiency and battery life along with a lighter load 'cause the charger can stay home without concern for power, the brightness slider and it's (laptop's) longevity
My 2017" is still in tertiary use with my business and plans going forward include the 15" model, their faster 'everything' with battery life, the weight savings, display quality and improved I/O, as well as nearly any other usage and tasks or workflow I'm aware of. Seriously, I was just like yourself and wasn't hearing it. The last MBP I would own was the 17 ... until I bought my bride her 15" rMBP.
I think it took me a half hour, maybe ten minutes and I'd forgotten any and all attributes I'd associated with my 12 years of 17" ownership of laptop computers


tubeexperience said:
I can see just fine.
Click to expand...

Then check this out ...you're gonna P00P yourself when you turn your new 15" rMBP on! (I use glasses, cheaters FWIW, so I'm no longer booting from the toilet)

The other thing is that you eventually get older and you won't see as well. Cheaters from Walmart for a $5 bill and life is good, so long as you're using a 'retina'or HiDPI display. While an incredible display for its day ('11, 17" 1920/1200), it's been improved upon by four, maybe five -taking mobile into account - years/generations by Apple, graphic power progressed through the same time as software and operating systems

Assuming Apple stays the course,,so will I. The 17" comes out, I'll be in line

Til then, the industry shrank bro
It's essentially ubiquitous with a couple outliers. None with the quality of Apple

I agree with brand
G/L
J

PS, they're all quad core and all include 16GB of faster RAM, no need for a price increase as it's 'stock' with the other two concerns you mentioned
 
venom600 said:
What did you do before 2003 when even a 15" notebook was virtually unheard of?
Click to expand...
I'd venture and state that the software that was available wasn't the same or the need for larger display was no has high back in 2003.

As for the OP, I find if you run the display at native resolution, the text is just to small for me to comfortably read. I'd recommend an external monitor during those times he's using it at home/office, and just work within the retrictions of the retina resolution/15" display when he's mobile.

The other solution is to buy a 17" laptop from someone other then Apple.
 
akdj said:
???
I'm 45 and I am still (ditched the 17" in 2012 for the rMBP and haven't looked back) blown away by the phenomenal and incredibly sharp display of my 15" rMBPs. I own two, a 2012 and the CTO 2015 2.8/16/1TB - while the '12 is still incredibly well behaved and performance hasn't Missed a beat, the 2015's storage is four times the speed and a TB along with the iGPU updates to the IrisPro & AMD GPU's double the vRAM along with Thunderbolt 2, and the ability to drive 4 & 5K displays, the 2011 is an ancient computer now ...when I use it.
SATA compatibility, dead. All OEMs are moving to PCIe lane and connection access. SATA saturates at 500-550Mb/s, while my 2015 reads at 2,100Mb/s and reads at 1,850. HiDPI scaling on OS X has matured along with apps, even legacy software and browsers. It's almost two pounds lighter and doubles your speed, productivity and time spent waiting on transfers, updates of installs. 17" was nice but 17" in a 15" body is nicer and has the ability to run large displays that dwarf a 17" ...along with the radical user improvements you'll enjoy 3-500% efficiency and battery life along with a lighter load 'cause the charger can stay home without concern for power, the brightness slider and it's (laptop's) longevity
My 2017" is still in tertiary use with my business and plans going forward include the 15" model, their faster 'everything' with battery life, the weight savings, display quality and improved I/O, as well as nearly any other usage and tasks or workflow I'm aware of. Seriously, I was just like yourself and wasn't hearing it. The last MBP I would own was the 17 ... until I bought my bride her 15" rMBP.
I think it took me a half hour, maybe ten minutes and I'd forgotten any and all attributes I'd associated with my 12 years of 17" ownership of laptop computers
Click to expand...

I do have a 15" MacBook Pro Retina (it's in my signature), but I haven't been "blown away by the phenomenal and incredibly sharp display" so far. It is nice, yes, but not at the expense having a smaller display.

I do appreciate the lighter weight, though. This 17" MacBook Pro is HEAVY.

maflynn said:
I'd venture and state that the software that was available wasn't the same or the need for larger display was no has high back in 2003.

As for the OP, I find if you run the display at native resolution, the text is just to small for me to comfortably read. I'd recommend an external monitor during those times he's using it at home/office, and just work within the retrictions of the retina resolution/15" display when he's mobile.

The other solution is to buy a 17" laptop from someone other then Apple.
Click to expand...

The problem with an external monitor is that it is not very portable. If I were to bring one into a lecture hall regardless, I would have a hard time finding a plug. And if I were to find a plug, someone behind me would complain that he/she can't see because my monitor is obstructing his/her view.

venom600 said:
What did you do before 2003 when even a 15" notebook was virtually unheard of?
Click to expand...

Well, I don't know what baypharm did, but I was in preschool and didn't have a laptop.
 
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I baby mine, never pushing the (free replacement) GPU-- it's got to last. I used to have a 15" with external monitor, but have gotten too spoiled with the 17": it's big enough for two pages side-by-side at a comfortable reading distance, and I can take it to the couch and put my feet up and never have to rearrange or resize windows.
 
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I'm going to miss my Early-2011 17" MBP when it 'retires'. Going forward, I'm thinking of either going for a souped-up desktop replacement 15" MBP, or see if Apple does something similar to Razer.

It would be great to have a MacBook or MBA-style machine that can hook-up to a GPU box via Thunderbolt. That way, it would be perfect for the RAW image editing, occasional gaming, while allowing me to take the light machine around town.
 
I still use my 2011 17-inch model (with SSD upgrade) at home, it can handle casual web browsing and some gaming (mainly Overwatch and Diablo 3) just fine.

I had to have one of the internal fans replaced this month, and I'm starting to get worried about potential end-of-support from Apple next year. Definitely gonna wait for the 2016 Mac product lines refresh to decide which machine I can replace it with, it's either an rMBP with a larger screen or an SkyLake/Polaris iMac 27", the current 15-inch rMBP feels a bit too small for me.
 
To answer the OP's question, my plan is to buy another MBP 17" late 2011 as a back up in the future, and also a spare motherboard if a good deal shows up.

Meanwhile my Powerbook 17" is used periodically for nostalgia and non critical applications.

My mid 2009 MBP 17" is being used as a server, with 2 internal SSDs in Raid_0 backed up to Raid_1 via firewire, and Raid_0 data drives via e-sata, backed up to the cloud - running El -Cap unfortunately because the new os server would not allow Yosemite - had to configure internal raid externally first (no raid support) cannot enable SIP again if in raid (don't really care to have SIP on anyway), and enabled Yosemite disc utility in El Cap, as the new disc Util is near worthless IMO.

My late 2011 MBP 17" is my main working desktop, 2 internal SSDs -500G for system and apps, 1 T for data, e-sata raid1 for backups, and thunderbolt to SSD's in raid for video or photoshop. This I plan to keep on Yosemite - for now.

While most of my younger staff run retinas for their individual tasks, as the planner of the production logistics and coordination, I need the screen space, and the 17" more than keeps up with the rest, and I prefer the real matt screen over the retina's coated one.

The GPU issue which hit my unit this summer, thankfully during the wrap of a production, occurred during the hottest week last month. Wasn't watching the CPU temp (high 90's C) during the frenzy at the office, it crapped out during multiple scans.. Quick run to Tekserve, they replaced the board in 1 day. (God bless them).

Having researched the GPU issue, I do not believe that it is the no lead solder that is the culprit, but rather that the GPU itself is vulnerable to overheating - which is easy to do in the unibody design that has limited airflow. Further aggravating the overheating is the standard fan speed settings which in my opinion are set to minimize noise, rather than cool the board. A good rule of thumb in my book is to Istat the fan settings to a default of 3000 rpms minimum, 5000 - mid, 6000 high. Set them on high for intense apps and video. Keeping the comp on an elevated stand also helps.

No plans on buying a new MBP yet, as I see nothing compelling yet, not fond of retina, not fond of coated screens, not fond of no option to repair by owner or owner upgrades, not fond of glue. Just doesn't scream *quality* to me.

So what's in store for the future for my book? dunno.. been on macs since the start, seems like time stopped for me and macs in 2011...
 
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thewap said:
The GPU issue which hit my unit this summer, thankfully during the wrap of a production, occurred during the hottest week last month. Wasn't watching the CPU temp (high 90's C) during the frenzy at the office, it crapped out during multiple scans.. Quick run to Tekserve, they replaced the board in 1 day. (God bless them).

Having researched the GPU issue, I do not believe that it is the no lead solder that is the culprit, but rather that the GPU itself is vulnerable to overheating - which is easy to do in the unibody design that has limited airflow. Further aggravating the overheating is the standard fan speed settings which in my opinion are set to minimize noise, rather than cool the board. A good rule of thumb in my book is to Istat the fan settings to a default of 3000 rpms minimum, 5000 - mid, 6000 high. Set them on high for intense apps and video. Keeping the comp on an elevated stand also helps.

No plans on buying a new MBP yet, as I see nothing compelling yet, not fond of retina, not fond of coated screens, not fond of no option to repair by owner or owner upgrades, not fond of glue. Just doesn't scream *quality* to me.

So what's in store for the future for my book? dunno.. been on macs since the start, seems like time stopped for me and macs in 2011...
Click to expand...

You might consider buying extra bottom case and drilling holes into them. No airflow in the bottom is definitely part of the problem.

MacBook Pro Retina (right) has air intake, but MacBook Pro non-Retina (left) has no air intake.

DSC_7482.jpg


http://www.anandtech.com/show/6023/the-nextgen-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-review/12
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6409/13inch-retina-macbook-pro-review/12
 
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tubeexperience said:
You might consider buying extra bottom case and drilling holes into them. No airflow in the bottom is definitely part of the problem.

MacBook Pro Retina (right) has air intake, but MacBook Pro non-Retina (left) has no air intake.

DSC_7482.jpg
Click to expand...


I actually thought of doing that after getting the new board - it's a good idea (I do have a drill press :) !)
 
thewap said:
I actually thought of doing that after getting the new board - it's a good idea (I do have a drill press :) !)
Click to expand...

I don't know who thinks that not having an air intake is a good idea.

Apple probably found that it's a big enough issue to add one. Just look at that.

DSC_7485.jpg
 
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I have 2012 rMBP (got it when it was released).
I do agree that the resolution (NATIVE!) is stunning and visually amazing however as soon you as you switch to higher ones (I use 1920x1200) the screen is not as crisp. Native resolution is useless. Visually stunning but 1440x900 (effective) is unusable for most tasks. Yes, maybe for light usage its perfect but thats pretty much where it ends.

So, the reason why people love 17" is because its native is 1920x1200 and the PHYSICAL size allows for more space to work with. That is and never will be replaceable by any 15" regardless how fancy they dress it up.

What is my plan? I think after this 15" rMBP dies I will abandon Apple laptops and will try to find alternative. Maybe 27" iMac or maybe something else. My travelling needs changed a bit so now I don't need workhorse on the go and iPad suffice. I do however want something that is easy to transfer as I sometimes move countries so maybe nMP might be an option too. Will see, for now I'll keep this tiny beast until it dies. :)

Bring back 17" and I'm in line with you :D


akdj said:
???
I'm 45 and I am still (ditched the 17" in 2012 for the rMBP and haven't looked back) blown away by the phenomenal and incredibly sharp display of my 15" rMBPs. I own two, a 2012 and the CTO 2015 2.8/16/1TB - while the '12 is still incredibly well behaved and performance hasn't Missed a beat, the 2015's storage is four times the speed and a TB along with the iGPU updates to the IrisPro & AMD GPU's double the vRAM along with Thunderbolt 2, and the ability to drive 4 & 5K displays, the 2011 is an ancient computer now ...when I use it.
SATA compatibility, dead. All OEMs are moving to PCIe lane and connection access. SATA saturates at 500-550Mb/s, while my 2015 reads at 2,100Mb/s and reads at 1,850. HiDPI scaling on OS X has matured along with apps, even legacy software and browsers. It's almost two pounds lighter and doubles your speed, productivity and time spent waiting on transfers, updates of installs. 17" was nice but 17" in a 15" body is nicer and has the ability to run large displays that dwarf a 17" ...along with the radical user improvements you'll enjoy 3-500% efficiency and battery life along with a lighter load 'cause the charger can stay home without concern for power, the brightness slider and it's (laptop's) longevity
My 2017" is still in tertiary use with my business and plans going forward include the 15" model, their faster 'everything' with battery life, the weight savings, display quality and improved I/O, as well as nearly any other usage and tasks or workflow I'm aware of. Seriously, I was just like yourself and wasn't hearing it. The last MBP I would own was the 17 ... until I bought my bride her 15" rMBP.
I think it took me a half hour, maybe ten minutes and I'd forgotten any and all attributes I'd associated with my 12 years of 17" ownership of laptop computers




Then check this out ...you're gonna P00P yourself when you turn your new 15" rMBP on! (I use glasses, cheaters FWIW, so I'm no longer booting from the toilet)

The other thing is that you eventually get older and you won't see as well. Cheaters from Walmart for a $5 bill and life is good, so long as you're using a 'retina'or HiDPI display. While an incredible display for its day ('11, 17" 1920/1200), it's been improved upon by four, maybe five -taking mobile into account - years/generations by Apple, graphic power progressed through the same time as software and operating systems

Assuming Apple stays the course,,so will I. The 17" comes out, I'll be in line

Til then, the industry shrank bro
It's essentially ubiquitous with a couple outliers. None with the quality of Apple

I agree with brand
G/L
J

PS, they're all quad core and all include 16GB of faster RAM, no need for a price increase as it's 'stock' with the other two concerns you mentioned
Click to expand...
 
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Depending on how the new MBPs are, if they're any good I'm gonna sell my 17" for the high-end 15". While I will miss the extra space, it's not something I need to cling onto forever given its age.

I may not sell it outright, hell I might even keep it, but it wont be my default workhorse if Apple does something good with the new MBP's.
 
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The "plan going forward" is one of two choices:
1. Buy a 15" MacBook Pro, or
2. Buy something else.
 
Fishrrman said:
The "plan going forward" is one of two choices:
1. Buy a 15" MacBook Pro, or
2. Buy something else.
Click to expand...
Settling for an older architecture may not be the best choice for people who having been waiting so long.

The actual choice (in my opinion) should be:

1. Continue waiting for (the nonexisting) 17" replacement.

2. Wait to see if 2016 rMBPs are good enough.

3. Buy a Skylake 5K iMac now.

4. Buy a Skylake laptop from another company (like the XPS15 from Dell), and lose macOS, 16:10 screen, proper HiDPI support,etc.
 
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I think the extra screen space is the single most enduring feature of the 17-inch. The Sandy Bridge architecture is another, as even today it's still a good performer. As mentioned above, the GPU can be an Achilles heel and extra care needs to be taken to avoid overheating. I haven't fully maxed out my early-2011 yet, so I plan to do that starting with a SSD and then enjoy the process.
 
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