2016 15" Touch Bar MBP — which option is better value?

[maerz001]

I still haven't decided, but thanks for all of the feedback.

Sounds like the base 15" plus the 512 GB HD is probably plenty for a non-gamer, non-video editor like myself.

I am pretty sure that your 2012 rMBP can play lots of videos smoothly!?
So why do u even think you need to upgrade? That's such a basic task that every Mac from ten years ago can do

Or do you play them simultaneously on external monitors?

 

[havenyoung]

I still haven't decided, but thanks for all of the feedback.

Sounds like the base 15" plus the 512 GB HD is probably plenty for a non-gamer, non-video editor like myself.

That's what I'm considering now. I originally ordered a 2.7 with 460 upgrade but decided that both CPU and GPU upgrade would be an overkill for me so I cancelled the order. I'm coming from a 2012 13" non-retina MBP.

 

[jk73]

I am pretty sure that your 2012 rMBP can play lots of videos smoothly!?
So why do u even think you need to upgrade? That's such a basic task that every Mac from ten years ago can do

Or do you play them simultaneously on external monitors?

Playing video files and streaming video are two different things. My 2012 rMBP has been great, but it seems like the fan runs a lot more often now than it did in 2012. I'm also down to about 10 GB of available HD space, so I don't have much of a choice but to upgrade.

It sounds like the base 15" with a 512 GB HD would be plenty for me, but I'm looking at 2-3 weeks (or more) for that to be shipped from Apple. On the other hand, the 2.7 model with the 512 GB HD is available locally. I was thinking of just getting that one to save the time, but then people started talking about the 2.7 being worse/hotter than the 2.6, and I'm still trying to figure out what's what.

If I decide to spend the extra $200, is it safe to say that a non-gamer and non-video editor like myself would notice the faster speed of the 2.7 (and extra cache) more than I'd notice the 460 GPU?

 

[xraydoc]

Thanks. If it's true that the 2.7 will likely get hotter, I'll probably stick with the 2.6 and simply buy the 512 GB HD upgrade.

I have the 2.7, and while I don't often hit 100% on the CPU, my machine remains much cooler than my 2.4GHz i5 2013 13" MBP did.

 

[maerz001]

Still streaming video is not really demanding for a 2012 quad core. Maybe you have just dust in your cooling channels and fans after 4 years which has to be cleaned. What does activity monitor say about CPU usage?

OWC offers aftermarket SSD for upgrading the storage of your machine. By selling the old one it would be like a 200$ invest for 480GB

U won't notice the faster CPU in your use case. Spending 200$ for two weeks waiting is another story... if you have money to waste than sure go for it

Well I understand the wish for a new system. Having something new and fancy. But this is not a technical decision in your case. Really, streaming video does not need a 3000$ machine. That's hilarious. Every computer and even every smartphone u can buy for hundred bucks is capable of doing this.

 

[Maccotto]

I have 15 base with 450 and i can say is good for a lot of things.

I have doubt if take the model with 460 because i don't understand the difference i will have with lightroom and photoshop.

 

[jk73]

Not that you guys are on the edge of your seats, but I ended up buying the 15" 2.7/512 GB model today for $2,599 at BestBuy.com via a price-match from B&H.

Since I needed the 512 GB HD anyway, I essentially got the other upgrades for free, and should get the machine about 2 weeks faster than Apple's current BTO shipping estimates (i.e., if I had bought the base 15" and upgraded to 512 GB).

Best Buy says I should have it Friday. Thanks to all who contributed in this thread.