Bad idea to buy MBP nTB 2016?

[hwso1129]

I'm looking at refurbished models on the apple store and I see a great deal on MacBook Pro 2016 with 16GB RAM + 256GB SSD. I was hoping to get the 2017 model but it's out of stock. These are the only two models that fit my needs and my budget, so the choice will have to be either. I was leaning towards just getting the 2016 model until I read the posts here.

I see that quite a number of you have had issues with the 2016 MacBook Pro, such as failing keyboards and strange noises coming from the unit. So I am wondering if I should wait for the 2017 to be restocked (it's not restocked as often as the 2016 model it seems)

What are your opinions on this?

 

[andy9l]

Always buy the best you can for your budget. In your case, that is the 2017 model, so have some patience.

 

[The Mercurian]

You do realise you framed your poll as option A or option B, then asked for a yes/no answer? Poll makes no sense.

For what its worth, I don't think there is much between the 2 models. The real question is: is 256GB a big enough hard drive? I'd spend what you are saving by getting the older model on a bigger SSD

 

[hwso1129]

You do realise you framed your poll as option A or option B, then asked for a yes/no answer? Poll makes no sense.

For what its worth, I don't think there is much between the 2 models. The real question is: is 256GB a big enough hard drive? I'd spend what you are saving by getting the older model on a bigger SSD

My bad. It's 1AM where I live - seems like my brain went to sleep first. I don't seem to be able to edit the options for my poll anymore though...

I can get by with 256GB since I plan to store all my other files on external hard disk or SSD (in the case of parallels). So you'd suggest I just get the 2016 model?

 

[The Mercurian]

I guess it depends whats the price difference between them ? I'd only pay a premium of maybe $150 or so for the newer one. Anymore than $200 anyhow and I would get the older one.

I should say, I'm working off the assumption that the newer keyboard is not gonna last much longer than the old one.

 

[hwso1129]

I guess it depends whats the price difference between them ? I'd only pay a premium of maybe $150 or so for the newer one. Anymore than $200 anyhow and I would get the older one.

I should say, I'm working off the assumption that the newer keyboard is not gonna last much longer than the old one.

Not sure if it's normal in other parts of the world, but the difference between the 2016 and 2017 model with the same specs are about US$100. That's what's making me even more hesitant on buying the 2016 model. Thanks for your replies though! Really appreciate it.

 

[c0ppo]

Not sure if it's normal in other parts of the world, but the difference between the 2016 and 2017 model with the same specs are about US$100. That's what's making me even more hesitant on buying the 2016 model. Thanks for your replies though! Really appreciate it.

In that case, I would wait for 2017 to become available. Unless you really need it 'right now', and I doubt you do (then this thread wouldn't exist), I would wait.

You will love yourself for waiting.

 

[ZapNZs]

I would not personally purchase the 2016 (I owned one, was very happy with it, but feel the 2017 is a substantially improved machine.)

Further, it is available now
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/...-Intel-Core-i5-with-Retina-display-Space-Gray

as is the more powerful touch bar model in the same tier configuration
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/...-Intel-Core-i5-with-Retina-display-Space-Gray

 

[lambertjohn]

I wouldn't buy the 2016. Too many keyboard issues. I think the 2017 nTB MBP is a better value, as well as a bit more refined. I mean, you're going to spend more than a $1000 anyway on whichever one you get; why not apply it all to the latest MBP?

 

[The Mercurian]

Yeah if its only $100 in the difference I would get the newer one

 

[hwso1129]

I would not personally purchase the 2016 (I owned one, was very happy with it, but feel the 2017 is a substantially improved machine.)

Further, it is available now

Shame I don't stay in the US, as it always has plenty of refurbished products. I'm staying in Singapore with a relatively small market, so restocking doesn't seem to happen as frequently as in the US.

I wouldn't buy the 2016. Too many keyboard issues. I think the 2017 nTB MBP is a better value, as well as a bit more refined. I mean, you're going to spend more than a $1000 anyway on whichever one you get; why not apply it all to the latest MBP?

I would actually love to get the 2017 model, but it's been out of stock (for refurbished) since late September. As my 14 days return window for the 2017 8GB model is coming to an end soon, I am torn whether "upgrading" to 2016 would be a bad idea even with the extra RAM.

I wouldn't buy the 2016. Too many keyboard issues. I think the 2017 nTB MBP is a better value, as well as a bit more refined. I mean, you're going to spend more than a $1000 anyway on whichever one you get; why not apply it all to the latest MBP?

I actually might be alright with repairs and exchanges as I'll be getting a refurbished model which is significantly cheaper. Also, I've read about cases where after the third or fourth repair, the 2016 MPB owners were given a 2017 CRU. Is that a norm for Apple?[/QUOTE]

 

[andy9l]

I would actually love to get the 2017 model, but it's been out of stock (for refurbished) since late September. As my 14 days return window for the 2017 8GB model is coming to an end soon, I am torn whether "upgrading" to 2016 would be a bad idea even with the extra RAM.

Let’s be very clear here. Changing from a 2017 model to a 2016 model is not ‘upgrading’ by any stretch of the imagination. That is categorically a downgrade. You may be getting more RAM, but unless your bottleneck is always RAM, you’re downgrading your experience. I doubt that is the case.

You need to assess whether you need more RAM - do so by using your Mac as normal and going into Activity Monitor > Memory. Take a look at the memory pressure graph. If it’s green, you won’t benefit from more RAM. At all. If it’s amber or red, then you would benefit.

Also, I've read about cases where after the third or fourth repair, the 2016 MPB owners were given a 2017 CRU. Is that a norm for Apple?

You read a lot of things on the internet that aren’t true. This would be a completely unsustainable model for Apple. The odd goodwill case, maybe, but not a global programme.

 

[hwso1129]

Let’s be very clear here. Changing from a 2017 model to a 2016 model is not ‘upgrading’ by any stretch of the imagination. That is categorically a downgrade. You may be getting more RAM, but unless your bottleneck is always RAM, you’re downgrading your experience. I doubt that is the case.

You need to assess whether you need more RAM - do so by using your Mac as normal and going into Activity Monitor > Memory. Take a look at the memory pressure graph. If it’s green, you won’t benefit from more RAM. At all. If it’s amber or red, then you would benefit.

Yup, I do agree that going back isn't an upgrade and hence my intentional placement of the quotation marks. I hope to be able to run my VM smoothly without any problems and just running a 4GB parallels VM and opening a few chrome tabs leads to the bar going to orange (as attached).

I could scale down on the RAM assigned to 2GB, for example, but I am wondering if would be better if I upgrade to 16GB and leave myself the option of more things at the same time, even if it means going back to 2016 model. I would have done that if the 2016 model was like 2015 model in terms of the reputation, but it seems to have gotten quite a bad rep here and hence my concern.

I definitely will benefit from getting a 16GB model, albeit not as much as the professional programmers who run several VMs at once. Considering this, what would your opinion of getting the 2016 model be? Or even 2015 model if 2016 sucks that much haha