Help me choose a processor speed for my new Macbook pro

[npnovice]

Okay, I'm getting the 2017 macbook pro. 15 in. My first laptop, but many imacs and previous iterations of apple computers. I'm clear on all but processor speed. Currently jealous of the new imacs that are out now, but I have a need to be portable. I use lightroom and photoshop intensively for personal use. When working from home I can use photoshop, illustrator, indesign, acrobat, several browsers, powerpoint and word all in the same day easily. 16gb of ram is limiting but I can deal. No motion or 3d. I will have a high end monitor attached most of the time, but I'm assuming the 4gb card is fine.

I hear reports of the heat created from the higher end processors. I'm probably asking a dumb question, but is it safer to go with a slower processor or better to get the most I can afford? For long term durability and/or less problems does it make a difference?

 

[Ashton Cofer]

Unless you are desperate for more power, upgrading your processor doesn't make much of a difference for the price that you are paying for it. I would save your money and consider upgrading the capacity of the SSD.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

You could use all those apps with 8GB RAM, you could use a hundred apps with 8GB of RAM as the RAM is only being used by the active programme, it isn't being shared across apps. I'm assuming you're getting a 15" which has 16GB RAM standard however. The GPU upgrade isn't worth it for your apps, it won't get much use however is usually worth upgrading just for the sake of it.

Processors make no real difference to heat or longevity. They're all fine. But you don't get much of an upgrade beyond a few minutes here or there faster rendering or processing, which to a professional can show value as the money spent will be earned back. However for a hobbyist it's a complete waste of an upgrade, a faster processor will not speed up the general feeling of the computer, only help it out with low level processing. And again, seconds on the minute here in terms of gain.

None of the processors are slow, they're all top end Intel's, so just get whichever. The base is fine for majority of people, if you can afford and want to splash out then by all means upgrade it. Just know it'll bring no difference to the speed of the computer, only bragging rights. Resale wise it will be slightly more valuable but nowhere near the $200 it cost initially, more like $50 if that.

 

[polbit]

You could use all those apps with 8GB RAM, you could use a hundred apps with 8GB of RAM as the RAM is only being used by the active programme, it isn't being shared across apps. I'm assuming you're getting a 15" which has 16GB RAM standard however. The GPU upgrade isn't worth it for your apps, it won't get much use however is usually worth upgrading just for the sake of it.

Processors make no real difference to heat or longevity. They're all fine. But you don't get much of an upgrade beyond a few minutes here or there faster rendering or processing, which to a professional can show value as the money spent will be earned back. However for a hobbyist it's a complete waste of an upgrade, a faster processor will not speed up the general feeling of the computer, only help it out with low level processing. And again, seconds on the minute here in terms of gain.

None of the processors are slow, they're all top end Intel's, so just get whichever. The base is fine for majority of people, if you can afford and want to splash out then by all means upgrade it. Just know it'll bring no difference to the speed of the computer, only bragging rights. Resale wise it will be slightly more valuable but nowhere near the $200 it cost initially, more like $50 if that.

Amen. Unless you are a professional where constant workload can be reduced by the upgraded CPU, AND translated to value, there is absolutely no difference in day-to-day use. Save the money to upgrade the SSD, which is a MUCH more valuable upgrade. And 560 vs 555 GPU doesn't hurt either, mostly due to extra 2Gb VRAM.