Got the chance to buy a 13" i7 MBP 2015 instead of 2018...help!

[Quackington]

Hi there,

I'm currently the owner of an ancient 2006 iMac which I no longer use and my main machine, which is an 11" MacBook Air from 2011" i7 with 4GB RAM which I've had for 7 years and is getting on a bit. I was considering getting the 13" MBP released this year, but am still unsure about the keyboard and the touchbar. I reckon I could get used to it though, and know I'd have the latest, most powerful machine for that spec.

I've got the opportunity to buy a 2015 MBP, specs are 13" i7 model, 3.1GHZ, 16GB RAM and 512GB. I think it's the highest spec 13" for that model refresh. It's in mint condition, no marks or anything and the battery cycle is at 82. Price is approx £1,150, compared to the £2,400 if I bought a 2018 model.

I'd like some advice on what to do. I think I'd welcome all of the normal, old school USB ports on the 2015 model. It's also much cheaper, but it's 3 years old. I usually like to buy the highest spec machine, so it fits that part...but it's three years old. However, I reckon it's fine for my needs, as I'll mainly use it for word processing, a little Excel, watching videos and browsing. I feel like I'll still have a niggle at the back of my mind that I didn't go for the 2018 model.

Any and all feedback would be most welcome. Thanks.

 

[jerryk]

I would lean toward the 2018 model if the money is OK. Not a huge fan of the i7 in the 13" devices. Even though it has the i7 designation, it is still a dual core processor that has a slightly faster clock speed and the i7 label and generates more heat. I would get a 2018 13" with i5 ( its quad core), 8 (or 16) GB and 256 (or 512 GB) drive for your use case.

 

[mikethebigo]

It will work for your needs, but I moved from a 2015 to a 2018 and honestly really noticed a difference. There are little things you don't think about, like the newer Intel processors supporting h.264 hardware decoding, and the stronger GPUs since the 2015 does stutter a bit trying to drive an external display. USB C is a little frustrating, but also the future, so eventually you'd probably be looking at getting dongles to support the old USB A!

That all being said, either would be a huge upgrade from the 2011 MBA! Go for what your wallet would support.

 

[Quackington]

I would lean toward the 2018 model if the money is OK. Not a huge fan of the i7 in the 13" devices. Even though it has the i7 designation, it is still a dual core processor that has a slightly faster clock speed and the i7 label and generates more heat. I would get a 2018 13" with i5 ( its quad core), 8 (or 16) GB and 256 (or 512 GB) drive for your use case.

Interesting note on the i7. I feel like even if I buy this year’s new model, that I’d end up buying the i7 anyway. I like to max out the processor where possible. I got 7 years out of my MBA i7, could probably last another year. I feel like a new model would last just as long.

It will work for your needs, but I moved from a 2015 to a 2018 and honestly really noticed a difference. There are little things you don't think about, like the newer Intel processors supporting h.264 hardware decoding, and the stronger GPUs since the 2015 does stutter a bit trying to drive an external display. USB C is a little frustrating, but also the future, so eventually you'd probably be looking at getting dongles to support the old USB A!

That all being said, either would be a huge upgrade from the 2011 MBA! Go for what your wallet would support.

Good to know about the stutter for an external display. I’m planning to buy a 27” monitor that I can use with both my upcoming MBP and Surface Pro. I’m definitely not a fan of stuttering!

Thanks for the responses, very useful info.