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Bought the Base MacBook Pro 13.3"

D

dmillar74

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 22, 2011
220
126
Livonia, Michigan
Went to Best Buy looking for a new laptop. I've had one Macbook Pro from 2007 and it held up great over the years. I was torn between getting the 12" MacBook and the 13.3" MacBook Pro without Touch Bar... decided to try the new MacBook Pro 13.3. The cool thing is you can buy one now at Best Buy (and probably everywhere else) and can return it by January 15, 2017 for a full refund due to the holiday season if you should choose to. So far I really like it. I may decide to return it for the MacBook 12" but I really like this size and weight. Anyone else have the new 13.3? What are your thoughts? Love the screen. The keyboard takes a few minutes to get used to but is nice. Like the large touchpad too!
 
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I don't see the relative value for the Macbook vs Macbook Pro FB.

Base Macbook is m-3 vs i-5
Bigger screen with more pixels.
Usb-c drive has no thunderbolt and is less capable driving external monitors.
1 usb-c usb 3.1 vs 2 usb-c usb3.1 and lightning ports
Distinctly less performance
2.03# vs 3.02#
Both claim 10 hrs wireless web battery
11.04 x 7.74 x 0.14–0.52 vs 11.97 x 8.36 x .59
Difference .93 x .62 x .07
Geekbench multicore 4754 vs 6986
External display differences
internal display as well as up to 3840x2160 at 30 Hz on an external display
vs
4096x2304 at 60 Hz at over a billion colors on two external displays or a single external display at a maximum resolution up to 5120x2880 at 60 Hz at over a billion colors via Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C).

For the $200 price difference the Macbook Pro seems like a better choice. Unless the 2# vs 3# if the number one item. Maybe when the Kaby Lake M series processors come online the performance gap will be better. Or maybe pricing changes may change the value proposition.

When the Macbooks start beating the Air models by a noticeable amount (at least 500 more like 1000) they will be taken more seriously
 
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protoxx said:
I don't see the relative value for the Macbook vs Macbook Pro FB.

Base Macbook is m-3 vs i-5
Bigger screen with more pixels.
Usb-c drive has no thunderbolt and is less capable driving external monitors.
1 usb-c usb 3.1 vs 2 usb-c usb3.1 and lightning ports
Distinctly less performance
2.03# vs 3.02#
Both claim 10 hrs wireless web battery
11.04 x 7.74 x 0.14–0.52 vs 11.97 x 8.36 x .59
Difference .93 x .62 x .07
Geekbench multicore 4754 vs 6986
External display differences
internal display as well as up to 3840x2160 at 30 Hz on an external display
vs
4096x2304 at 60 Hz at over a billion colors on two external displays or a single external display at a maximum resolution up to 5120x2880 at 60 Hz at over a billion colors via Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C).

For the $200 price difference the Macbook Pro seems like a better choice. Unless the 2# vs 3# if the number one item. Maybe when the Kaby Lake M series processors come online the performance gap will be better. Or maybe pricing changes may change the value proposition.
Click to expand...
That's because you're only comparing the two on paper. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The value difference between the Retina MacBook and MacBook Pro is inconsequential because they are in two very different laptop classes. The rMB is an ultraportable with completely silent operation, while the non-Touch Bar MBP is a consumer level thin and light.

Don't get me wrong, I am going with the 2016 MBP myself because I appreciate the extra power, but there is a market for the rMB, and those who need it won't even be looking at the MBP lineup anyway.
 
protoxx said:
They were side by side at Best Buy when I went to check them out.
Click to expand...
Okay; don't be pedantic. I'm sure you saw them side by side, but you are comparing the two on paper (also not literally saying you are looking at the specs on a sheet of paper) in the context of this discussion. My point is that the performance alone does not necessarily make the MBP a better value for every user.
 
They are two different computers for two different target users. One for the user who requires the ultra portable computer, the other with (significantly) higher processing power and larger display. Using it for daily uses like surfing the net, word processing and basic tasks that every computer can do won't see much performance differences. If you're processing photos, rendering videos or more, yes there will be noticeable differences. Other than that, if you just love a bigger screen, more ports, then stick with the 13"! It's all up to you, portable, or bigger screen.
[doublepost=1478587002][/doublepost]Oh and of course, justify that price difference for yourself, that's about it. For me, I would definitely not get the MB, which just seems a little low on specs. When I need some extra juice, I know I have it with a MBP. The rMB may get taxed easily. Of course, you must be willing to spend the extra...$200. Which honestly, is pretty alright for that tech.
 
2.03# vs 3.02#
Difference 1#
11.04 x 7.74 x 0.14–0.52 vs 11.97 x 8.36 x .59
Difference .93 x .62 x .07

You have a hard sell saying they are completely different classes of computer, sorry.
About the same difference between the 11" Air and 13" Air. Both are very nearly the same size as the MacBook and 12" Macbook Pro.

Dollars and performance always matter.

I do admit that the availability of Gold or Pink (Rose Gold) will be overriding concerns for some customers.
 
True, they are probably overlapping, maybe the right phrase would be they have different "features" and perceived function to consumers. Some just want the ultraportability. Others, may want better specs should they need the extra computing power.
 
The average consumer would hardly be considered well informed or perceptive. Cheap and sleazy and slick marketing tricks work better than actually talking about product. Picture of beautiful girl laying on the hood of a car is more effective than pictures of the new fangled suspension. Like car shoppers, some will just look around and say I want the blue one, or the cheaper one or the bigger one or the one on the end display or the one with a particular logo or the one the cute sales person recommends or...........
 
My wife has the 12" and I just bought the 13".

There is a difference size wise, but it isn't that much..and I think the second port is worth it.

With the 13", i switched to three finger drag, and the palm rejection kind of gets in the way. If you go from typing to try and drag a window, you have to hit the center of the trackpad with your finger tips, or it doesn't register.

Once you start using the trackpad though, it works as it should.

Otherwise, it's not bad for a suped up 12" MacBook.
 
It's definitely a tough decision picking between the 12" and 13", and the 13" and 15".

If funds are right, my decision may be between the 13" base and 13" touch. Probably in the new year, to give it some breathing time (I'm not exactly in a rush to buy given Apple hasn't really provided any special incentives to buy).

How do you like the keyboard? I tried the 12" keyboard and thought it was kind of bad, but I haven't tried the new 13" keyboard.
 
PaulWog said:
It's definitely a tough decision picking between the 12" and 13", and the 13" and 15".

If funds are right, my decision may be between the 13" base and 13" touch. Probably in the new year, to give it some breathing time (I'm not exactly in a rush to buy given Apple hasn't really provided any special incentives to buy).

How do you like the keyboard? I tried the 12" keyboard and thought it was kind of bad, but I haven't tried the new 13" keyboard.
Click to expand...

I think if you don't like the 12" you still wont like the 13" but worth trying and not just taking my word for it
 
15" is a more interesting problem. Price difference to similar Windows system is much much greater. Ultimate Dell XPS for example is $2000 at multiple places. 32gb, 1tb ssd, 4k touchscreen, much higher end dgpu. Equivalent Macbook Pro +$1000. If you give up dgpu and change from 4 to 2 core Kaby cpu, 16gb, 256gb ssd+1tb HP Envy ~$1200 or HP Specter X360 512gb ~$1600.
 
protoxx said:
15" is a more interesting problem. Price difference to similar Windows system is much much greater. Ultimate Dell XPS for example is $2000 at multiple places. 32gb, 1tb ssd, 4k touchscreen, much higher end dgpu. Equivalent Macbook Pro +$1000. If you give up dgpu and change from 4 to 2 core Kaby cpu, 16gb, 256gb ssd+1tb HP Envy ~$1200 or HP Specter X360 512gb ~$1600.
Click to expand...

Granted, Apple's SSD is probably significantly better. Apple's screen is significantly better. Apple's touchpad is significantly better. Apple's OS in my mind adds a $200 value to the laptop (I value Windows at $0). Apple's laptop shell is significantly better.

Add that all up:
- better shell ($150 value)
- better touchpad ($150 value)
- better OS ($200 value)
- better screen ($200 value)
- better SSD (value could be more objectively determined comparing specs)
- better warranty

Those are rough numbers that will differ based on what you value each thing to be worth.

The 13" was priced way too high, and so the 15" was priced even higher. The gap between the 13" and 15" isn't actually that big. In Canadian dollars, the 13" is $2170 for the touchbar version. The 15" is $2800 for the base touchbar version. The difference in price is not that much. It's the gross price that is the issue.
 
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stockscalper said:
Once you get used to the 13" screen it's hard to go back to the 12". Plus the footprint of the new Pro is so small now it's not much bigger than the 12.
Click to expand...

my 13.3" does seem A LOT bigger than my 12" rMB screen wise, but I can't forego my 12" I like it a lot!
 
hj576 said:
Is this a best buy only option ?
Click to expand...

I think it's because we're into Christmas season... BestBuy typically allow returns until mid-January.

I don't recall Apple doing this in the past, at least here in Canada.
 
dmillar74 said:
Went to Best Buy looking for a new laptop. I've had one Macbook Pro from 2007 and it held up great over the years. I was torn between getting the 12" MacBook and the 13.3" MacBook Pro without Touch Bar... decided to try the new MacBook Pro 13.3. The cool thing is you can buy one now at Best Buy (and probably everywhere else) and can return it by January 15, 2017 for a full refund due to the holiday season if you should choose to. So far I really like it. I may decide to return it for the MacBook 12" but I really like this size and weight. Anyone else have the new 13.3? What are your thoughts? Love the screen. The keyboard takes a few minutes to get used to but is nice. Like the large touchpad too!
Click to expand...
Thought still had to be unopened to use. Hope I am wrong.
 
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