2016 MBP nTB vs 2015 rMBP ports etc.?

[Shaunthesheep]

Hello,

I'm thinking of purchasing a new MBP 13 inch, not because I'm a pro user but I want the performance and the ports offered. I'm a college student in mechanical engineering and we don't really use any heavy programs. I'll mostly use it for office programs, web browsing and perhaps some really light gaming.

The main reason I'm leaning towards the rMBP is mainly the keyboard and the price. However, I have a real hard time deciding what I should get.

The thing that concerns me the most is the worry of that it isnt going to last me 4-5 years which I want it to. Could Apple drop the support for it in 4 years etc?

Also, say, 3 years from now when the world has adapted to USB-C somewhat more. If I would like to connect a USB-C device to my rMBP, would I be able to do so via a Thunderbolt 2 - USB-C or a USB-A - USB-C adapter? I get that the transferspeeds etc will be limited, but could I perhaps connect a screen? Also, are there any Thunderbolt 2 male - Thunderbolt 3 female adapters, is it when possible?
For me, that answer to that question could be a dealbreaker.

So what do you guys think? Can I get a rMBP 13 inch 2,7 ghz(probably base model) and feel good about it and not be worried?

Sorry for a somewhat messy post, but I would really like to know what you guys think!

 

[maflynn]

The thing that concerns me the most is the worry of that it isnt going to last me 4-5 years which I want it to. Could Apple drop the support for it in 4 years etc?

No, apple won't stop supporting this in 4 years, in fact they are the marketleader regarding support. The laptop will carry a standard 1 year warranty, you have the option of buying AppleCare, an extended warranty that provides an additional two years so you have 3 years. What I'm saying is that while they'll repair any defects for up to 3 years, but you'll have to foot the bill for any repairs in year 4.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Apart from apple all new computers come with USB A still some only usb A most of them have no thunderbolt or anything better than USB 3 (A configuration) all these computers will be fine in 3-4 years time as will my 2013 rMBP and even older machines. Apple will support you hardware wise for 5 years and at least that software wise (usually 6-7 years on software).

Most peripherals use a separate cable and are backwards compatible so you can just swap out the cable to one that will work nothing to worry about. Unless you foresee a need for TB 3 (a 5k screen or external GPU) then the biggest bonus on the 2016 are the better portability, the nicer brighter screen and better graphics, if you would rather have money than these things then the 2015 13 inch is still a top machine

 

[Shaunthesheep]

Thank you for the answers! Come to think of it, I pretty much never connect anything to my computer other than a flashdrive and my television via HDMI once in a while. So the old MBP may be the better choice here

 

[ZapNZs]

In my personal opinion, while it seems all but certain that USB-C will eventually dominate the landscape (considering it can support twice the theoretical speed [w/ 3.1 Gen 2], can close some of the gap between maximum theoretical transfer speed vs. maximum real-world transfer speeds, uses a reversible plug, has a rated plug-unplug cycle life that is 2-7 times longer than older USB iterations, is far more flexible in terms of bus power, etc.), I think the timeline is going to be somewhat slower than some may expect. Many new devices are still USB-A - 2.0, and many new USB-C devices are still using the same 3.1 Gen 1 speed (formally USB 3.0 Super Speed) that USB 3.1 type-A uses.

USB 2.0 came out in 2000. USB 3.0 (now 3.1 Gen 1) came out in 2008, and it is still replacing 2.0 to a certain extent. Further, Windows machines are probably going to feature USB-A and USB-C side-by-side for some time (and arguably especially ones marked for enterprise use), incentivizing accessory device manufacturers to ensure they support both. So I don't think USB-A is going anywhere soon, and even 3 years from now I think it might still be at least equally common as USB-C. So I think in the near future A and/or C should be good to go, FWIW.

You can use a TB3-->TB2 adapter in that it is bidirectional. So you could buy a CalDigit TB3 dock, and use USB-C with a 2015 MBP. Right now you can also get some really good buys on TB2 docks. At least thus far, the fastest speeds I am getting with single external SATA SSDs has been with the eSATA interface, and many of these docks have that.

I doubt HDMI will be going anywhere soon...there are just too many powerful organizations that financially benefit from it, and even the venerable Mini DisplayPort couldn't unseat it. I imagine displays with HDMI and USB-C side-by-side will become increasingly common with time, but there will be people working very hard to ensure HDMI remains commonplace, even if supplemented by newer [and superior] options.

If your future work will eventually involve graphics-oriented programs, the 2016 takes a big lead here over the previous gen. Also, if you spend a lot of time working outside or working in brightly lit rooms, I find the screen on the 2016 is also a nice improvement in terms of readability when working around bright light.

 

[maflynn]

I pretty much never connect anything to my computer other than a flashdrive and my television via HDMI once in a while.

If you don't use the ports very much, then I suggest the newer MBP is a better option