2017 nTB or 2017 TB 13 inch MBP

[ipeemyself]

Hello! For the last few months, the 2017 13 inch nTB model has been my dream laptop. However, after hearing about some performance issues as well as fan issues, I'm considering purchasing the TB MBP just for its second fan, and the higher wattage CPU. Unfortunately, I'm not the biggest fan of the touch bar. Please help me decide between these two models!!

1) 2017 nTB 13 inch, 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, base CPU
2) 2017 tb 13 inch, 16gb ram, 256gb ssd, base CPU

I'm going to use this laptop for at least the next 5 years and will be mainly web browsing, Netflix, android studio, auto cad, matlab and solidworks.

 

[whg]

Hello! For the last few months, the 2017 13 inch nTB model has been my dream laptop. However, after hearing about some performance issues as well as fan issues, I'm considering purchasing the TB MBP just for its second fan, and the higher wattage CPU. Unfortunately, I'm not the biggest fan of the touch bar. Please help me decide between these two models!!

1) 2017 nTB 13 inch, 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, base CPU
2) 2017 tb 13 inch, 16gb ram, 256gb ssd, base CPU

I'm going to use this laptop for at least the next 5 years and will be mainly web browsing, Netflix, android studio, auto cad, matlab and solidworks.

Why don't you just give the nTB a try. If you find that the fan on your specimen bothers you, give it back to try another one or upgrade to the one with touchbar.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Hello! For the last few months, the 2017 13 inch nTB model has been my dream laptop. However, after hearing about some performance issues as well as fan issues, I'm considering purchasing the TB MBP just for its second fan, and the higher wattage CPU. Unfortunately, I'm not the biggest fan of the touch bar. Please help me decide between these two models!!

1) 2017 nTB 13 inch, 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, base CPU
2) 2017 tb 13 inch, 16gb ram, 256gb ssd, base CPU

I'm going to use this laptop for at least the next 5 years and will be mainly web browsing, Netflix, android studio, auto cad, matlab and solidworks.

AutoCAD? Really depends on what you're working on, I would lean to the TB model for doing any CAD work, but there's a big difference in file size and CPU/RAM stress with files.

TB is just a bar, don't need to be a fan of it. Be a fan of the more powerful CPU and extra ports instead.

 

[Sodaken]

Why don't you just give the nTB a try. If you find that the fan on your specimen bothers you, give it back to try another one or upgrade to the one with touchbar.

Because the 16 GB one is - at least at Apple Shops in Germany - considered BTO and, thus, cannot be given back without plausible reason within that 2 weeks period.... Being annoyed by fan noise is not considered as a faulty machine (I have been there )

 

[bkends35]

AutoCAD? Really depends on what you're working on, I would lean to the TB model for doing any CAD work, but there's a big difference in file size and CPU/RAM stress with files.

TB is just a bar, don't need to be a fan of it. Be a fan of the more powerful CPU and extra ports instead.

I'd say the opposite for CAD. You use the function keys a good amount and it's a lot easier to feel where they are with physical buttons, nTB gets my vote.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

I'd say the opposite for CAD. You use the function keys a good amount and it's a lot easier to feel where they are with physical buttons, nTB gets my vote.

I always just use normal key combos or type in the tool though? Pretty sure there's nothing specific on the function row, and if it is doing large files with x-refs all over the place you'd much prefer the more powerful machine.

Bare in mind I don't use AutoCAD on the Mac, it's been a few years but as far as I know it's still garbage. Try VectorWorks instead.

 

[ipeemyself]

I'd say the opposite for CAD. You use the function keys a good amount and it's a lot easier to feel where they are with physical buttons, nTB gets my vote.

Do you have the 2017 nTB yourself? If so, can you comment on the performance of the laptop as well as the cooling/fan issues addressed in this forum?

 

[bkends35]

I always just use normal key combos or type in the tool though? Pretty sure there's nothing specific on the function row, and if it is doing large files with x-refs all over the place you'd much prefer the more powerful machine.

Bare in mind I don't use AutoCAD on the Mac, it's been a few years but as far as I know it's still garbage. Try VectorWorks instead.

I use Inventor on windows all the time and having phyi

Do you have the 2017 nTB yourself? If so, can you comment on the performance of the laptop as well as the cooling/fan issues addressed in this forum?

No, I just use CAD a lot and I need physical function keys for my workflow.

 

[Texas04]

Let us know when you make a decision and get the performance, I am going back and fourth between these models as well. I have a Retina 5K iMac 2016 model that I plan to use as my workhorse, and the MBP will be for the few times a year I am remote somewhere.

Let me know!

 

[thedwp]

I've been teetering back and forth on this issue as well. I had the nTB for 5 days. For the most part I had no issues. It was quiet, fast and did what it was supposed to do. Then I tried to push it using Lightroom. I have a huge LR library. So I brought in about 50 raw pics to see how fast LR would respond. And almost right away the fan came on and it heated up. Then things slowed down. Nothing drastic, but enough for me to head out and exchange it for the TB version. Once I get it fully setup I'll report back to see if I could tell a difference.

So far on the TB version, the TB is actually quite awkward. But it's new and I'm going to give it a chance. First impressions, meh.

 

[ipeemyself]

Let us know when you make a decision and get the performance, I am going back and fourth between these models as well. I have a Retina 5K iMac 2016 model that I plan to use as my workhorse, and the MBP will be for the few times a year I am remote somewhere.

Let me know!

I ordered the nTB version and after the responses here and reading about issues with the fan on the nTB, I exchanged for a TB version. It's currently getting delivered so I'll report back on my experience with it. However, im now conflicted between the base 15 inch and an upgraded 13 inch so I have another problem in my hands.

 

[asoksevil]

Very interesting thread, I'm on the fence as well and will be closely monitoring this.

 

[Hexiii]

I use Inventor on windows all the time and having phyi

Do you use bootcamp on mac or a windows machine for Inventor?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Because the 16 GB one is - at least at Apple Shops in Germany - considered BTO and, thus, cannot be given back without plausible reason within that 2 weeks period.... Being annoyed by fan noise is not considered as a faulty machine (I have been there )

BTO still has a 14 day return period no questions asked the same as any apple computer.

 

[bkends35]

Do you use bootcamp on mac or a windows machine for Inventor?

Bootcamp

 

[thedwp]

1st full day of work with the 13" TB. Battery is still at 43%. I haven't ran it hard all day but I've been doing mostly basic office stuff. So I'm feeling better about the battery.

Also, I downloaded BetterTouchTool. If you haven't seen it, check it out. You can create custom buttons for the TB and assign them to all sorts of stuff. I'm still playing with it, but again, starting to feel better about the TB choice.

 

[mydogeatsbeats]

which problems with the fan exactly?

 

[Sodaken]

BTO still has a 14 day return period no questions asked the same as any apple computer.

I see. All I can say is that I had long discussions with my Relationship Manager at the Apple Store (I buy a lot) without success. I ended up selling through eBay. Should have brought you along .

Apple states on its website for the German Apple Shop (on- and offline) that the 14 day return policy does not apply to BTO devices. This may differ in other jurisdictions, but for Germany, your statement does not seem to be good guidance for potential buyers, as below return policy and my case suggest (relevant statements highlighted/bolded by myself)

https://www.apple.com/de/shop/help/returns_refund

Ausschluss des Widerrufsrechts
Das Widerrufsrecht besteht nicht

• bei Verträgen zur Lieferung von Waren, die nicht vorgefertigt sind und für deren Herstellung eine individuelle Auswahl oder Bestimmung durch den Käufer maßgeblich ist oder die eindeutig auf die persönlichen Bedürfnisse des Käufers zugeschnitten sind.
• bei Verträgen zur Lieferung von Waren, wenn diese nach der Lieferung aufgrund ihrer Beschaffenheit untrennbar mit anderen Gütern vermischt wurden.
• bei Verträgen zur Lieferung von Ton- oder Videoaufnahmen oder Computersoftware in einer versiegelten Packung, wenn die Versiegelung nach der Lieferung entfernt wurde.