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After the dust settled, what is the consensus about 2016 MBPs?

I've been looking at Apple's refurb site for the past week and there are a bunch of these 2016 15" MBP's for sale, right now it's 22, it's been pretty consistent 15-22 the past week. I'm sorry but I still find this so weird. Why are so many for sale and why are they not selling out. Is this normal, were there this many refurbs in the store 5 months after release of the 2015 15" MBP?

I know the 2016 model has some issues but it is far better than the 2015 model in almost every respect. I would think it should be reversed, there should be more 2015 models in the refurb store than 2016 models yet everytime a 2015 model shows up it's gone within hours.
 
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MrGuder said:
I've been looking at Apple's refurb site for the past week and there are a bunch of these 2016 15" MBP's for sale, right now it's 22, it's been pretty consistent 15-22 the past week. I'm sorry but I still find this so weird. Why are so many for sale and why are they not selling out. Is this normal, were there this many refurbs in the store 5 months after release of the 2015 15" MBP?

I know the 2016 model has some issues but it is far better than the 2015 model in almost every respect. I would think it should be reversed, there should be more 2015 models in the refurb store than 2016 models yet everytime a 2015 model shows up it's gone within hours.
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Record early sales included a lot of preorders, and no doubt led to lots of early returns due to changes in the keyboard, trackpad, touch bar, and ports that some people didn't like. There were also early problems with graphics, speakers, etc, plus ongoing issues with irregular keyboard clicking that bothers some people, but whether those are more common than the defects of past models I don't know. There are a lot fewer 2015 refurbs because they were no doubt selling slowly in the months before the new ones came out, but some of those who don't like the 2016s want them now.
 
MrGuder said:
I've been looking at Apple's refurb site for the past week and there are a bunch of these 2016 15" MBP's for sale, right now it's 22, it's been pretty consistent 15-22 the past week. I'm sorry but I still find this so weird. Why are so many for sale and why are they not selling out. Is this normal, were there this many refurbs in the store 5 months after release of the 2015 15" MBP?

I know the 2016 model has some issues but it is far better than the 2015 model in almost every respect. I would think it should be reversed, there should be more 2015 models in the refurb store than 2016 models yet everytime a 2015 model shows up it's gone within hours.
Click to expand...



Yes, there were a lot of the refurbs after the release of last years model. I nearly bought one, but savings were too small. The savings for the new models seem worse, so I don't know who'd bother.

A new 15" base model is 2249.00 at B&H at the moment. Why buy a refurb at such a small discount?


R.
[doublepost=1490933511][/doublepost]I also think the early adopter battery issues resulted in a bunch of returns. It's resolved now and my 15" really kills for battery life, so glad I did not miss out.

20170223_095028_resized.jpg


R.
 
I have the non-TB - and love it. My wife ordered one too after using mine for a bit (she's coming from a 2015 12", me downsizing from 2015 15").

Battery life is great, and USB-C is much cleaner than having tons of stuff plugged in to it.

Probably my favorite release form Apple so far (with the 12" close behind).
 
After some initial battery issues and. Failed motherboard that required sending it away for a week for replacement, I've been very happy with it. Probably the best Mac I've owned. I don't use the Touch Bar all the time, but I like it and use it in a few programs--also I added a permanent Spotlight button for quick searches. The keyboard is great and the big trackpad is excellent!
 
Well to each their own. I'm a "pro" user and I have yet to need a single dongle for my 2016 MacBook Pro.

I own one. A USB-C to USB-A, on the off chance that one day I'll need to plug someone else's flash drive into my machine. Haven't had to use it yet.

If it doesn't work for you, so be it. But clearly it's working fine for others, because they are selling pretty damn well.
 
CaptRB said:
My close friend works for apple and his wife works with the Genius Bar. I get pretty good intel on what's going on and when a problem is real or not.

Example: I knew for a fact that the battery issues upon release were a serious problem for the 15". It got fixed fast, but it caused a HUGE kick of issues at stores, so not isolated at all.

But this is not the case for most of what we hear in these forums. What we do see are "batch issues" where a run of systems have the same defect, but that happens with most products of this type.

So, in spite of the "misery loves company" aspect and the "my computer is busted so everyone else's must be too" stories, the reality is that most owners are having a good experience with the new machines. Read forums on cars, cameras, watches or food processors, and you'd end up never buying anything!


R.
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Thats a really good answer!!

But, don't the high amount of refurbs available argue that there have been alot of returns ?
 
Absolutely love my 13", no issues whatsoever, but as I approach the end of my return date.... still thinking about the 15". Could use the screen real estate, don't really need the extra horsepower but it's so tempting. If the cost was just a little closer it'd be a no-brainer. Decisions, decisions...
 
The Mercurian said:
Thats a really good answer!!

But, don't the high amount of refurbs available argue that there have been alot of returns ?
Click to expand...

Apple sold 4.886 million Macs in Q4 2016 and another 5.374 million Macs in Q1 2017. Out of 10.26 million Macs sold in the past 2 quarters, is that fact that there are currently 22 refurbished models for sale really that surprising?

People return computers for all kinds of reasons, some because they had problems, some because due do buyers remorse or because they ordered X spec and decided later they should have ordered Y, such as more RAM or bigger SSD.

Just because an item is being offered as a refurb, doesn't necessarily mean that there was ever actually anything functionally wrong with it in the first place, other than it didn't meet someone's needs for any number of reasons. It isn't necessarily an indicator that this model has been more problematic than past models.
 
SDColorado said:
Apple sold 4.886 million Macs in Q4 2016 and another 5.374 million Macs in Q1 2017. Out of 10.26 million Macs sold in the past 2 quarters, is that fact that there are currently 22 refurbished models for sale really that surprising?

People return computers for all kinds of reasons, some because they had problems, some because due do buyers remorse or because they ordered X spec and decided later they should have ordered Y, such as more RAM or bigger SSD.

Just because an item is being offered as a refurb, doesn't necessarily mean that there was ever actually anything functionally wrong with it in the first place, other than it didn't meet someone's needs for any number of reasons. It isn't necessarily an indicator that this model has been more problematic than past models.
Click to expand...

Apple never publish sales figures - where did you get those ones from ?
 
smallcoffee said:
No it's not at all. And while there is no need to debate, since your comparison was poor and your otherwise incorrect , I don't want people coming here and reading silly comments about USBc.

A better analogy would be all vehicles have the same mechanism for refueling, and all gas stations having a mechanism that fits into all cars to refuel them regardless of brand.
Click to expand...

I'm already done on the topic. Just stop with the terrible analogies already.
 
The Mercurian said:
Thats a really good answer!!

But, don't the high amount of refurbs available argue that there have been alot of returns ?
Click to expand...



Uhh....nope.
20 or 30 refurbs out of 10's of thousands machines is tiny. Last year there were more of the 2015 models available.

Also: Here's a little inside info for you: Apple has MANY more refurbs of various models standing by, but isn't dumb enough to flood their website with them.

Think about it. Demand/pricing for refurbs is maximized by slowly releasing them.

R.
[doublepost=1490973172][/doublepost]
The Mercurian said:
Apple never publish sales figures - where did you get those ones from ?
Click to expand...



Uhhhh...what?

I have Apple stock as do MANY others. Apple MUST release sales figures. Period.

Please do some homework. It sounds as though you're very uneducated on Apple in general. 22 refurbs is hardly a lot, nor is it even a measure of returns at all since Apple careful controls the flow of refurbs on their site.

The new MacBook Pro is selling briskly, but I do think next years model will be an even bigger hit. I bought three of the new machines, but will happily trade up if the next generation does anything worthy of upgrading an already highly refined and capable machine.


R.
 
SDColorado said:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/appl...evenue-figures-apple-earnings-report-3581769/

https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/31/apple-earnings-fy17-q1/
Click to expand...
Ok wow I stand corrected. I saw people say that on here before and like a fool just believed it. I found direct link here: http://images.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Q1FY17DataSummary.pdf

Ok but I must raise some skepticism. 1. THere was pent up demand. 2. We don't know how many of those units were 2016 MBPS. I suspect they still sell alot of 2015 models and other models. And those sales figures only up 1% year on year, though profit up a bunch. Colour me unimpressed.

CaptRB said:
Uhh....nope.
20 or 30 refurbs out of 10's of thousands machines is tiny. Last year there were more of the 2015 models available.

Also: Here's a little inside info for you: Apple has MANY more refurbs of various models standing by, but isn't dumb enough to flood their website with them.

Think about it. Demand/pricing for refurbs is maximized by slowly releasing them.

R.
[doublepost=1490973172][/doublepost]
Click to expand...

Yes. I agree 20 or 30 out of that many is not alot. But as you say - they have many more refurbs in reserve of different models. I know that already. I am judging this by refurb availability in my country (a small country with much smaller volumes), so soon after the product release. In my refurb store right now this minute - there are 19 15" MBP 2016 models. There are ZERO 15" MBP 2015 models. You would expect it the other way around. That speaks volumes to me (if you will pardon the pun!)
 
The Mercurian said:
But, don't the high amount of refurbs available argue that there have been alot of returns ?
Click to expand...

These forums were full of people through November and December who were taking advantage of the extended holiday return period. Many people on these forums bought multiple computers to try out which configuration they liked, or having heard about various issues, thought they'd try a few and pick the best. Many people wrote here about having to make a decision before their return period ran out. I think the stock of refurbished might have to do with that.
 
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The Mercurian said:
Ok wow I stand corrected. I saw people say that on here before and like a fool just believed it. I found direct link here: http://images.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Q1FY17DataSummary.pdf

Ok but I must raise some skepticism. 1. THere was pent up demand. 2. We don't know how many of those units were 2016 MBPS. I suspect they still sell alot of 2015 models and other models. And those sales figures only up 1% year on year, though profit up a bunch. Colour me unimpressed.



Yes. I agree 20 or 30 out of that many is not alot. But as you say - they have many more refurbs in reserve of different models. I know that already. I am judging this by refurb availability in my country (a small country with much smaller volumes), so soon after the product release. In my refurb store right now this minute - there are 19 15" MBP 2016 models. There are ZERO 15" MBP 2015 models. You would expect it the other way around. That speaks volumes to me (if you will pardon the pun!)
Click to expand...



The 2015 model is out of production. The new machines are selling fast and there are returns.
Last year it was exactly the same, so why do you see this as somehow different? I owned a 2015 15" and nearly bought a refurb 2014 but 15% wasn't enough to bother. At the time there were a LOT of 2015's and just a few of the 2014's.

And again, Apple controls how and when refurbs are sold, so it's ultimately meaningless anyway.

It sounds like you're trying to hint at some sort of idea that people want the 2015 more than the 2016 or that a lot of the latter are being returned. 22 units is a pretty poor case even if it was a real number. I assure you that Apple gets more than 22 returns every hour of every day of every product.

If you prefer the 2015 for some reason, just buy one. But the 2016 machine is superior in most respects. It won't make everyone happy of course.


R.
 
Ayemerica said:
The big issue many are facing is that the base model isn't a "real" pro machine,
Click to expand...


None!!! of the new MBP models are real pro machines.
They're good for browsing the internet, check your emails etc....assuming you're not using Safari.
 
GtrDude said:
None!!! of the new MBP models are real pro machines.
They're good for browsing the internet, check your emails etc....assuming you're not using Safari.
Click to expand...



Yup...using the 15" tethered for a shoot next week, then heading for a writers meeting right after. But I still use a Mac Air for pro use as well. Hopefully nobody finds out and I end up making less money.

"Pro" isn't the computer. It's the user.


R.
 
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CaptRB said:
The 2015 model is out of production. The new machines are selling fast and there are returns.
Last year it was exactly the same, so why do you see this as somehow different? I owned a 2015 15" and nearly bought a refurb 2014 but 15% wasn't enough to bother. At the time there were a LOT of 2015's and just a few of the 2014's.

And again, Apple controls how and when refurbs are sold, so it's ultimately meaningless anyway.

It sounds like you're trying to hint at some sort of idea that people want the 2015 more than the 2016 or that a lot of the latter are being returned. 22 units is a pretty poor case even if it was a real number. I assure you that Apple gets more than 22 returns every hour of every day of every product.

If you prefer the 2015 for some reason, just buy one. But the 2016 machine is superior in most respects. It won't make everyone happy of course.


R.
Click to expand...

Well where I am usually the older ones populate the refurb store not the new ones. You seem to think I'm kaing up an idea of people wanting the 2015 - there are numerous numerous posts on here of people buying the 2015 in preference to the 2016. Personally I have a 2014 - I see no need to upgrade it to either 2015 or 2016 as they don't offer me anything worth upgrading. Unless things change by the end of the year I'll likely go Dell
 
CaptRB said:
Yup...using the 15" tethered for a shoot next week, then heading for a writers meeting right after. But I still use a Mac Air for pro use as well. Hopefully nobody finds out and I end up making less money.

"Pro" isn't the computer. It's the user.


R.
Click to expand...

Pro is neither the user nor computer IMO. Your task either requires a lot of resources or it doesn't. My 8yr old loves to play video games and pushes the beast of a pc I built more than I do during development.

Just bad naming by Apple. Same as the iPad Pro.

You can write the software for this forum in notepad for windows or textedit for mac on a really low spec machine. The same that would lag when viewing certain keynote presentations or whatever the pc equivalent program is.
 
GtrDude said:
None!!! of the new MBP models are real pro machines.
They're good for browsing the internet, check your emails etc....assuming you're not using Safari.
Click to expand...



LOL....Next week my new 15" touch bar will be tethered to Nikon D810 for a jewelry shoot. All post is done on it as well. Running LR and photoshop.

But that's not even taxing this machine much, even with multiple apps and RAW files handled. My friend is cutting a feature film (Red system) on the new machines and starts on 4K trailers next week. He's pretty happy with the workflow.

As I indicated, a thread like this brings out the bad with the good and people with minimal experience.


R.
 
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The Mercurian said:
Ok wow I stand corrected. I saw people say that on here before and like a fool just believed it. I found direct link here: http://images.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Q1FY17DataSummary.pdf

Ok but I must raise some skepticism. 1. THere was pent up demand. 2. We don't know how many of those units were 2016 MBPS. I suspect they still sell alot of 2015 models and other models. And those sales figures only up 1% year on year, though profit up a bunch. Colour me unimpressed.



Yes. I agree 20 or 30 out of that many is not alot. But as you say - they have many more refurbs in reserve of different models. I know that already. I am judging this by refurb availability in my country (a small country with much smaller volumes), so soon after the product release. In my refurb store right now this minute - there are 19 15" MBP 2016 models. There are ZERO 15" MBP 2015 models. You would expect it the other way around. That speaks volumes to me (if you will pardon the pun!)
Click to expand...


I agree that we don't know how many are 2016 models. I posted the numbers in regards to the question in a post about 22 for sale if that number seems high. But 22 is statistically insignificant unless we were to assume the total number of 2016's was somehow only in the 100's or 1000's.


Also the fact that there are models for sale is really pretty much uninteresting without knowing why. I returned a MacBook Air the day after I bought one, because after 24 hours of living with it, it just wasn't for me. Nothing wrong with the laptop, other than it didn't fit my needs. I am sure it was put up for sale as "refurbished," despite the fact it never had anything wrong with it, other than it was open or used.

The more popular something is and the more units they sell, will also result in a higher number of returns and refurbished models for sale. Vitamix blenders are a good example, there are sh**ton of refurbished models for sale because they sell a sh**ton of them to begin with :)
 
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