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Buying Advice!

A

africano

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 7, 2011
112
0
Just left my work for another job. My work supplied me with a macbook air which was great. Online google Apps work, some video editing, etc etc.

But my new work supplies me with nothing. I had an old macbook pro which died a few months ago and I want to buy a new mac.

13 inch: The touch ID macbook pro is too expensive.

So I think its between the macbook air or the macbook pro without the touch screen.

Advice please?! Would like to buy today! :0
 
The Macbook Pro without TB all the way. Newer hardware and better screen. Unless ultra light and portable hardware is a priority
 
MBP without TB too, but I'd also take a look at the 2017 rMB they have come a long way since launch.
 
I loved my 2015 Air when I had one but over time the MBP is what I wanted the Air to be - Lightweight, small(er) footprint, fast and powerful, and with a retina screen. The Air was and still is a great system for budget-conscious folks, but I absolutely love my MBP. I bought the 2016 when it came out and did the same with the 2017. Once you go Retina you never go back! The only cosmetic features I miss about the Air would be the light up Apple logo and the wedge shape, the latter more so than the former.
 
When the Air was fine than the rMB will be good as well for ur use.

I used 5 years Air and now a 2016 M5 512GB MB which you can find for $999 at Bestbuy... the M3 even less
 
PieTunes said:
I loved my 2015 Air when I had one but over time the MBP is what I wanted the Air to be - Lightweight, small(er) footprint, fast and powerful, and with a retina screen. The Air was and still is a great system for budget-conscious folks, but I absolutely love my MBP. I bought the 2016 when it came out and did the same with the 2017. Once you go Retina you never go back! The only cosmetic features I miss about the Air would be the light up Apple logo and the wedge shape, the latter more so than the former.
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what makes u buy a new Mac each year?
 
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I'd recommend the nTB Macbook Pro as well: very portable, not too expensive and still powerful enough to handle everything you mention and then some. The Air has been a great lightweight machine for many years, but from a hardware point of view it's an obsolete design. Stepping up is easily worth it for the retina screen alone.
 
AFEPPL said:
MBP without TB too, but I'd also take a look at the 2017 rMB they have come a long way since launch.
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Edit: Mis read the OP since I thought it was a different one ... Anyways Meh I still would get the MacBook Pro over a rMB. The keys are still worse in the rMB over the new butterfly switches in the Pro's and the power is lacking if you ever hope to use it more than a glorified Netbook that costs $1,000 +
 
Closingracer said:
Edit: Mis read the OP since I thought it was a different one ... Anyways Meh I still would get the MacBook Pro over a rMB. The keys are still worse in the rMB over the new butterfly switches in the Pro's and the power is lacking if you ever hope to use it more than a glorified Netbook that costs $1,000 +
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Sorry but I think u newer used one and r just making that up.

I also was very skeptical but in the end I use my MB M5 now as a main machine for far more than office and web.
It has no problems witch Gimp, Sketchup, AutoCAD, windows VM and using Catia. With 3D CAD it only gets slow when using a lot of textures and shadow effects.

Of course the MBP would perform better. But when the OP was fine with an Air than this would be unused resources and wasted money
 
maerz001 said:
Sorry but I think u newer used one and r just making that up.

I also was very skeptical but in the end I use my MB M5 now as a main machine for far more than office and web.
It has no problems witch Gimp, Sketchup, AutoCAD, windows VM and using Catia. With 3D CAD it only gets slow when using a lot of textures and shadow effects.

Of course the MBP would perform better. But when the OP was fine with an Air than this would be unused resources and wasted money
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I don't need to use a rMB to know the specs on it is crap. A core M processor will throttle under pressure way easier than the Air would. In terms of performance the air is superior. For $1,200 you can get a 2016 13 inch Macbook Pro and I would rather invest in that.
 
Closingracer said:
I don't need to use a rMB to know the specs on it is crap. A core M processor will throttle under pressure way easier than the Air would. In terms of performance the air is superior. For $1,200 you can get a 2016 13 inch Macbook Pro and I would rather invest in that.
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It depends on what u use it for and how much money u have. 30% more for not using the CPU is just a bad investment.

When u constantly stress the CPU for rendering the MB is not the right tool. But I doubt that most people do this.

It's like buying a Ferrari and driving in city center
 
Closingracer said:
I don't need to use a rMB to know the specs on it is crap. A core M processor will throttle under pressure way easier than the Air would. In terms of performance the air is superior. For $1,200 you can get a 2016 13 inch Macbook Pro and I would rather invest in that.
Click to expand...

I thought this too - especially after using an older rMB and witnessing this issue in person (which pushed me to buy a 2016 nTB because that rMB was simply unusable for my usage). But now it's not really the case anymore with the new generation and the system is capable of performing well under sustained load, easily holding more than twice its base frequency. I replaced my nTB with a rMB. No regrets - it runs my Win 10 and Win 7 VMs almost equally as well, and with much better battery life. I knew the tradeoffs going in, as well as the rMB's limitations, and I am happy with my decision. :) (That said, I have a 15-inch MBP that I use for more intensive work that the MBP13, MBA, and rMB are not well suited for - I can't speak to how good an idea it is choosing the rMB [and its implied limitations] as a sole system. But the gap between the rMB and the MBA/MBP has unquestionably narrowed quite a bit.)

Screen Shot 2017-08-25 at 3.55.40 PM.png
 
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if price really matters why not just get the 2015 mbp. better price with better spec compares to 2016 ntb. I'm always thought to get ntb not much different from getting 2015 except better speaker but lower spec
 
I am a believer in Apples refurbished products, for the same price (especially if on a budget) you more machine. All apple refurbished come with same 1 year warranty as the new ones do and you can add apple care too. So order one try for 14 days and if there is something you don't like send it back, but other than the actual box I think you'll be hard pressed to find a difference between it and a new one.
 
I would definitely recommend refurbished as well, better bang for the buck and still (in my experience) equally high quality with replacement for any issues. I also still think the rMB is a great option
 
Do you get educational discount on the refurb store? (UK here if this makes a difference)

Cheers
 
Phil22 said:
Do you get educational discount on the refurb store? (UK here if this makes a difference)

Cheers
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No, at least not in the US, but the refurbished prices are sometimes a couple of hundred less than the education prices.

I just purchased a MBP retail 2899, education price 2709, refurbished price 2459....I'm sure it all varies by model and configuration
 
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