2012-2015 Retina MacBook Pro Provides the Most Longevity of Any Modern Apple Product

[MICHAELSD]

After seeing the reviews and benchmarks for the newest MacBook Pro, I am genuinely impressed that the 15" Retina MacBook Pro I purchased in 2012 with a base price of $2200 (further discounted ~ $300) still holds up in benchmarks -- scoring about 40% better in GeekBench than the 13" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. The new 15" MacBook Pro scores about 30% higher, but it's hardly the type of performance increase expected from a new generation.

Frankly where I'm most impressed is that in this modern age of Apple the longest I'd go without upgrading a product would be four years for my MacBook Pro. The iPhone feels outdated after a year and obsolete after two, and the iPad is constantly pushing new models that significantly improve performance and usage. Meanwhile the design and Retina Display on the 2012-2015 MacBook Pro are still unmistakably modern. It seems that anyone with a Retina MacBook Pro now could go 8+ years, two upgrade cycles, all the while still owning a modern Mac that performs on par or better than the latest base models.

Disclaimer: I will still keep an eye on the market for the new MacBook Pro, but it isn't a must-have upgrade for me. I just came to the realization of how great of a bang-for-the-buck the Retina MacBook Pro was, and how it'll be the only modern Apple product that can keep owners satisfied for a good portion of a decade.

 

[leman]

Thats because the computer tech is stagnating. Just few years ago, CPU/GPU performance would show impressive increases almost every year. Not anymore. We have reached a plateau of integrated circuit performance and are tinkering with efficiency. Until something principally new is discovered, the speed of computers will remain more or less the same. They will get more compact and more efficient though.

 

[jlaumans]

I agree with you!

My 2012 15" rMBP has been holding up really well performance wise... but battery has been killing me. I can only get about 2-3 hours of work done before needing to charge my laptop.

The 2012 dGPU was great value for 2200.... can't believe I just spent so much money on a 13" laptop that according to benchmarks shouldn't be much faster (and slower in some areas)...
But let's hope the new SSDs make up for something!

 

[JohnnyGo]

I agree with you!

My 2012 15" rMBP has been holding up really well performance wise... but battery has been killing me. I can only get about 2-3 hours of work done before needing to charge my laptop.

The 2012 dGPU was great value for 2200.... can't believe I just spent so much money on a 13" laptop that according to benchmarks shouldn't be much faster (and slower in some areas)...
But let's hope the new SSDs make up for something!

Replacing batteries after 3-4 years (close to 1000 cycles) is to b expected. It's a $100 investment/maintenance expense.

 

[Creep89]

Thats because the computer tech is stagnating. Just few years ago, CPU/GPU performance would show impressive increases almost every year. Not anymore. We have reached a plateau of integrated circuit performance and are tinkering with efficiency. Until something principally new is discovered, the speed of computers will remain more or less the same. They will get more compact and more efficient though.

It's because Intel has no real competition. It's basically the same for NVIDIA. For years they had no major competitor.

 

[andreyush]

I agree with you!

My 2012 15" rMBP has been holding up really well performance wise... but battery has been killing me. I can only get about 2-3 hours of work done before needing to charge my laptop.

The 2012 dGPU was great value for 2200.... can't believe I just spent so much money on a 13" laptop that according to benchmarks shouldn't be much faster (and slower in some areas)...
But let's hope the new SSDs make up for something!

Aren't you afraid that your dGPU will fail ?

 

[thadoggfather]

The proof is in the pudding

I picked up a late 2013 bought mid 2014 with receipt and applecare still valid until July next year, for $600

8GB/256GB model too!

Using it a lot more than 12" rMB presently, but still use 12" on occasion

 

[Howard2k]

All the more reason to take good care of it. I typically much of my stuff as "tools" and although I try to take care of my stuff I don't baby it. But given how drastically the generational performance gains have reduced it's really worth taking care of your stuff. As noted, battery replacement is to be expected.

I remember the old days of going from 286 to 386, 386 to 486 etc. There were very rapid and major steps in processing improvement. These days it's a significantly slower cycle.

I also remember when we could replace the processors in our laptops too

 

[arbitrage]

This is why I plan to test the **** out of my new 2016 back to back with my 2012 up until the Jan 8th return window. If this new one doesn't give some meaningful real world workflow improvements then I don't think I can justify keeping a $4,500CDN new laptop even though I do like smaller and lighter. I really hope it seems like a noticeable difference but otherwise I'll keep using my perfectly functional 2012 rMBP (15" maxed out from the original release). $4500 can go a long ways towards a Canon 400 2.8ISII instead!!

 

[Trey M]

I posted something similar to this about a month ago. It really is incredible how well the 2012 rMBP has aged. The innovation has become so stagnant in the computer industry; I am hardly jealous of features 2015 MBP's include since so little has changed. The battery life & force touch trackpad are the only true major differences, to me. The rMBP is my daily at-work driver which I use at least 8 hours a day.

I go back and forth of whether I want to sell my rMBP sometime soon while I can still get some money out of it but it'll be hard to let the machine go. As others have said, it's trumping the 2016 13'' in some areas which is pretty crazy to think about. It's been a joy to own and I will probably just hang on to it and see how long I can make it last. Even today, I can appreciate the thinness and overall design of the machine, which is not something I can say about many (or any) other electronics after 4 years.

 

[Barnfather]

All Macbook designs are good and well built. I use an 'ancient' 2008 MB (unibody) and it still looks good.

I don't doubt the spec/performance stuff with the 2012 rMBP either, although will say that once the new MBP's are 'in the wild' to any degree, the prior model will look very dated I feel. It's a bit like cars... In fact the evolution of Apples notebook has a lot of similarities with the car industry I think.

 

[dk808]

So the 2016 models are better than the 2012-2015 yet don't have the most longevity? Lmao

 

[NoFlame]

Late 2013 15' MBPr w/ GTX 750m checking in.

Still runs like a champ. I'm not upgrading unless there's a really significant GPU Upgrade (hopefully something by Nvidia).

 

[ARealRain]

After seeing the reviews and benchmarks for the newest MacBook Pro, I am genuinely impressed that the 15" Retina MacBook Pro I purchased in 2012 with a base price of $2200 (further discounted ~ $300) still holds up in benchmarks -- scoring about 40% better in GeekBench than the 13" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. The new 15" MacBook Pro scores about 30% higher, but it's hardly the type of performance increase expected from a new generation.

Frankly where I'm most impressed is that in this modern age of Apple the longest I'd go without upgrading a product would be four years for my MacBook Pro. The iPhone feels outdated after a year and obsolete after two, and the iPad is constantly pushing new models that significantly improve performance and usage. Meanwhile the design and Retina Display on the 2012-2015 MacBook Pro are still unmistakably modern. It seems that anyone with a Retina MacBook Pro now could go 8+ years, two upgrade cycles, all the while still owning a modern Mac that performs on par or better than the latest base models.

Disclaimer: I will still keep an eye on the market for the new MacBook Pro, but it isn't a must-have upgrade for me. I just came to the realization of how great of a bang-for-the-buck the Retina MacBook Pro was, and how it'll be the only modern Apple product that can keep owners satisfied for a good portion of a decade.

 

[MICHAELSD]

So the 2016 models are better than the 2012-2015 yet don't have the most longevity? Lmao

No, because I believe we'll see a greater degree of performance improvements and must-have features like an OLED (4K?) display on the next-generation in 2020.

 

[dk808]

No, because I believe we'll see a greater degree of performance improvements and must-have features like an OLED (4K?) display on the next-generation in 2020.

Exactly, so the 2016 will last the longest until then

 

[NoFlame]

Exactly, so the 2016 will last the longest until then

Except those improvements will likely arrive within the next two years.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Exactly, so the 2016 will last the longest until then

My point was that until Apple adds meaningful significant improvements in another refresh, the 2012-2015 models will be as capable as the 2016+ Touch Bar model.

 

[NoFlame]

.

 

[bobosing316]

This is why I plan to test the **** out of my new 2016 back to back with my 2012 up until the Jan 8th return window. If this new one doesn't give some meaningful real world workflow improvements then I don't think I can justify keeping a $4,500CDN new laptop even though I do like smaller and lighter. I really hope it seems like a noticeable difference but otherwise I'll keep using my perfectly functional 2012 rMBP (15" maxed out from the original release). $4500 can go a long ways towards a Canon 400 2.8ISII instead!!

This is what I am thinking also, I can get a new Nikon 70-200 F2.8 VR2 lens with that money

 

[dk808]

Except those improvements will likely arrive within the next two years.

My point was that until Apple adds meaningful significant improvements in another refresh, the 2012-2015 models will be as capable as the 2016+ Touch Bar model.

And what leads you to believe that? Most info says that advances in CPU power has been stagnating

 

[NoFlame]

And what leads you to believe that? Most info says that advances in CPU power has been stagnating

I was more talking about GPU upgrades and the oled screen. Also the bugs will have been worked and likely more USB-C/TB3 support.

 

[dk808]

I was more talking about GPU upgrades and the oled screen. Also the bugs will have been worked and likely more USB-C/TB3 support.

The amount of increase in gpu to the 2016 model from the 2012 model will probably not be too much different from the 2016 to 2020. Apple only does mid range gpus for the MacBook Pro. The major advsncement would be the oled screen, but oled screens have even worse longevity than the retina screens