I feel compelled to write this post based on all the hate I see for the new MBP's on this forum. I had a 2015 13" MBP but wanted to upgrade to a 15" MBP. All of the negativity almost stopped me from picking one up but now that I have, I am so thankful I did. I skipped the 2016 as a result of the negativity but when the 2017 came out, I reevaluated. In the short amount of time I have had it, it has been a great machine. So, let this post stand as a record for all those on the fence, my thoughts as a happy purchaser.
I'm going to keep this simple and list what I like:
- I enjoy the keyboard. There is an adjustment period for it, but once you're past it, it is a pleasure to use, IMO. The reduced key travel doesn't bother me at all because the "clickiness" of the keys gives me great feedback. The keyboard is a little loud, but I actually like the clicking sound.
- I love the touch bar. It is sleek, looks sharp, and highly customizable. It is great to answer and end calls (this is a little thing that is honestly just so enjoyable), pull up a quick emoji, iMessage tapback, scrub through video, quickly flag/trash e-mails, and is better to change volume/brightness IMO. Being able to slide the brightness or volume to desired levels with one swipe IS more convenient than repeated taps to get it where you want it. When I learned I could just touch those and swipe all in the same move, that was huge.
I keep reading that the TB is a waste of time because keyboard shortcuts are faster. That may very well be true but for someone who uses few keyboard shortcuts past CMD V & CMD C, it IS a time saver. For someone that also doesn't live and die by function keys, this is a much better use of the area. I can't wait to see what else I gain from it the more I use it.
- I'll take the large touch pad any day of the week. My biggest complaint using any notebook has been with dragging and selecting while using a touch pad and reaching the edge - not any more.
- Sound is great and loud.
- Gorgeous design. So sleek compared to the 2015 model.
- TouchID and ApplePay - amazing to have on a MacBook.
- USBC - glad to be future proofed. A couple adapters as necessary doesn't bother me. I have a MBP to be mobile and don't have it connected to many peripherals in the first place.
To be fair, some things I miss:
- Mag safe - such a thoughtful feature but not a deal breaker. The versatility of USBC trumps MagSafe.
- For nostalgia purposes the startup chime and glowing logo. Not a deal breaker though as these things are so minor.
- SD removal hurts a little but again, nothing I can't work around.
- Price. Ouch. Resale value and years of usage as well as the fact that this is a tool and hence a money maker help in this department.
- I was annoyed having to buy the extension cable separately. It was only $19 - but still.
In short, I'm very satisfied with my upgrade (from a 2015). There are a few small compromises but for my use, the good outweighs the bad by a mile. If you're on the fence I highly recommend going to the Apple Store and taking advantage of the 14 day return window and taking a MBP for a test drive. It takes some time to appreciate some of the changes and features. Don't let all the hate scare you from giving it a try - it's the best notebook I've ever owned*. If these forums are all you're reading, I'm sure you're convinced it's a flop which just isn't true.
*Before anyone starts ragging on about the XPS being a great alternative, I will add this:
My work provides me with a Dell XPS15. I have a top spec'd 2017 model that I have used extensively since spring - it wasn't cheap. I had a 2014 model before that, and a 2013 model before that. It's a great machine (for Windows) and I very much appreciate having a quality machine if I have to use Windows. As great as it is compared to everything else out there, it is still miles behind the Mac. Bloat ware out of the box, Windows 10 convoluted control panel (the settings App and traditional control panel housing different settings), a weird buzzing noise that I'm not sure if it's the processor or something to do with the power (I can hear it in my office just flipping through e-mails - any time I input to the computer, it gets louder), driver issues, lack of parity between hardware and software, abhorrent update situation (windows update, dell update, driver updates, software updates - 100 different places to check/perform updates), and weird keyboard light leak out of the box. Windows just isn't there yet despite how far they've come - same with Dell hardware.
