Any nTBMBP owners regretting their purchase?

[FineFuturity]

I bought a nTB MacBook Pro (specs in sig) thinking I wasn't going to use the TouchBar all that much. So, to really see if it would be useful to me, I decided to download a utility which displays a virtual Touch Bar and have challenged myself to incorporate into my workflow. After using it in some major apps -- Safari, iTunes, Messages and Skype, to name a few -- for the last hour or so, the Touch Bar is actually starting to make sense.

Going through my 10-20+ tabs is easier with the virtual Touch Bar than scrolling through them in the Safari window. Finding a particular emoji is faster with the virtual Touch Bar than using Cmd+Ctrl+Space to look for it. Scrubbing through YT videos and songs in iTunes is just a breeze, too. It just makes things a little easier. If this is the kind of utility I can get from this thing, I can only imagine how much more BetterTouchTool could give.

Honestly? I just might sell my TB MBP and get the one w/ Touch Bar. Not only for the small little conveniences it adds to the experience, but also because I now realize I would have gotten a slightly beefier computer for just 200 bucks more.

Any of you nTBers thinking the same thing?

EDIT: Thinking about it more, I'm remembering why I got the nTB in the first place. For my needs, processor performance is negligible -- I probably wouldn't notice the difference between what I have now vs the model w/ the 3.1 GHz processor. The two extra ports also would've been nice to have, but I haven't run into a case where I absolutely need them. With all this in mind, I think I'll be fine with what I have.

 

[ilikewhey]

i would pay the 200 bucks and get the touchbar model not because of the touchbar but because you're getting alot more of a computer for 200 bucks. faster ram, 1866 vs 2133. touch ID, faster cpu.

the touchbar from my experience so far has been more or less not that essential. often times i accidentally hit the touchbar by accident while reaching for the number keys, and when i do need to raise or lower the screen brightness, volume, etc. it would require me another extra step or so to tap the expand arrow, thn adjust the slider, while on my 2015 mbp the button for all that is just right there. there is no extra steps required.

switching tables is easy enough without the touchbar, i felt the cool factor leaving me after 3 days of using it.

 

[MLVC]

i would pay the 200 bucks and get the touchbar model not because of the touchbar but because you're getting alot more of a computer for 200 bucks. faster ram, 1866 vs 2133. touch ID, faster cpu.

the touchbar from my experience so far has been more or less not that essential. often times i accidentally hit the touchbar by accident while reaching for the number keys, and when i do need to raise or lower the screen brightness, volume, etc. it would require me another extra step or so to tap the expand arrow, thn adjust the slider, while on my 2015 mbp the button for all that is just right there. there is no extra steps required.

switching tables is easy enough without the touchbar, i felt the cool factor leaving me after 3 days of using it.

Might want to try BetterTouchTool, it brings the touch bar to a whole new level

 

[ilikewhey]

too late now, already returned it. plus the real deal breaker was the new keyboard.

 

[Sodaken]

Interesting question. I was one of the poor souls who has received his 2016 TB within a week prior to WWDC this year.
While I liked the concept of the TB, the activation of Siri by accident annoyed me. Now, I am actually thinking of switching over to a nTB model (sold the 2016 one in the meantime, could not give it back because with the 16 GB RAM it was deemed a customized product....)

The following arguments, I read in this thread are not valid anymore:
Faster RAM - the nTB device now also has 2133 MHz RAM
Faster CPU - if at all, by a margin because of the higher turbo boost. The nTB CPU got a considerable upgrade compared to the TB model. See the geekbench scores here (2017 nTB faster than 2016 TB to say the least) https://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks

However, up to 3 hrs longer battery because of its bigger size (54.4 Wh vs. 49.2) and no drain by the TB and the different CPU (15W compared to 28W won't make a big difference as the limit has been disabled by Apple, however the lower frequency in non turbo boost 2.3 MHz vs. 2.9 MHz might make a difference as can be seen in the comparisons over at notebookcheck.net)

The only thing that keeps me from getting a nTB is that people complain about the fan - just 1 compared to 2 in the TB model, but this 1 runs at higher UPM and makes somewhat annoying sounds, they allege. Haven't checked it myself so far.... Hence, I am interested to hear abt fan behaviour (when does it kick in, how is the sound).....

 

[FineFuturity]

However, up to 3 hrs longer battery because of its bigger size (54.4 Wh vs. 49.2) and no drain by the TB and the different CPU (15W compared to 28W won't make a big difference as the limit has been disabled by Apple, however the lower frequency in non turbo boost 2.3 MHz vs. 2.9 MHz might make a difference as can be seen in the comparisons over at notebookcheck.net)

This is ultimately why I picked up the nTB. Battery life on this thing is just amazing, and I truly believe it's because the battery has less things to power compared to the TB variants.

The only thing that keeps me from getting a nTB is that people complain about the fan - just 1 compared to 2 in the TB model, but this 1 runs at higher UPM and makes somewhat annoying sounds, they allege. Haven't checked it myself so far.... Hence, I am interested to hear abt fan behaviour (when does it kick in, how is the sound).....

I've had the 2017 nTB for about a month now, the fan has behaved as expected: silent while doing light tasks (web browsing, emails, discord, coding), and audible when under load (here, under load = all the light tasks + running a VM). There hasn't been any in between, nor any apparent defects with mine. Take this as you will.

Also remember that if you find a problem with the fan -- or anything else, really -- you can always exchange it.