Bad idea to get the 16" Intel MacBook Pro?

[BigBlur]

I currently have the 2017 15" MacBook Pro. I'm not really a fan of the new M1 MacBook Pros for a variety of reasons. I'm curious if I should upgrade to the 2019 16" MBP, so that I can maybe squeeze out a few additional years with that form factor. I was hoping there would have been a final one in 2020 that I could have upgraded to, but that didn't happen.

My employer currently has a surplus 2019 16" MBP for sale. It was a demo unit in their showroom for employees to look at...so lightly used and probably not even used at all since early 2020, since the majority of the company switched to WFH. It has 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, i7, warranty is valid until the end of 2022, all for $1700 + tax. (Not sure which GPU.) Is that a decent deal, or would I be better off just sticking with my current one? If I did get the 16", I'd probably still keep my 15" too and not resell it yet...at least not right away.

Also, this is just speculating here, but what about macOS updates? Apple will eventually stop providing macOS updates to Intel-based Macs at some point. Do you think they'll do it in one fell swoop for Intel-based Macs at once, say in 2025 they no longer support Intel for example? Or slowly phase them out, with the 2017 MBP first, and then the 2019 MBP a year or two later?

 

[Hieveryone]

IMO, it would really just depend on price. Like I actually prefer the 15" 2019 model which is what I use. I like the old philosophy of thinner and lighter bc I'm not a heavy user and don't need tremendous specs. I find the 15" perfect because it's thin, sleek, looks space age, and I just value that more than function.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if I got a good price on an older version and liked it more, I see no reason why I wouldn't get it other than understanding it may not last as long as the newer macbooks apple released. Software updates, support, etc might not last as long either I suppose.

 

[Dovahkiing]

I upgraded to the 16'' when it was released, and I can tell you that it is a great and still capable machine. I am not planning to upgrade just yet - But, if you're spending the dollars today I just don't see the rationale to go with the Intel machines. M1 is not just a little bit faster. M1P is **A LOT** more powerful than the current Intel Macbook Pros.

I agree Apple will drop Intel support eventually, but they still sell some Intel based machines so I wouldn't worry about that just yet. But yes, I do think they will drop Intel all at once. At some point, I would anticipate a future version of macOS simply will not support x86. Impossible to say when this will happen.

 

[7even]

I can’t wait to replace mine, it runs warm even with mundane tasks and the USB ports are for some reason extra glitchy and sensitive. Between my personal and work MBPs acquired at different times I’ve had to replace both - one flat out died and became unresponsive, another got a logic board replacement after it stopped charging. Thankfully I was able to back up my data before the battery ran out. I’m pretty sure at least one of the ports on one of them doesn’t work with external monitors or charging (can’t remember which one). Probably just bad luck but I’ve never had so many issues with the MBPs of prior generations

 

[alee]

What is your laptop use case? If you're doing anything GPU intensive, I can't imagine sticking with the older MacBooks.

 

[SeenJeen]

If I did get the 16", I'd probably still keep my 15" too and not resell it yet...at least not right away.

Why? Intel Mac values are dropping fast. I would sell the 15" ASAP if you bought the 16".

It all depends on what you're using the laptop for. If it's just browsing and doing light editing or coding, no, it's not worth the upgrade. If you do a lot of video editing and/or gaming, sure.