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How do you justify the cost of the 2016 MBP?
- Thread starter ApplePersonFreak
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I bought the nTB model. I thought it was the best value. Upped from a base 2013 model. I am very happy, and it was a good decision for me. It'll last me a long time.
Bit of an extravagance for me, was already using and happy with a 13 inch 2015 rMbP.
I wanted to try the touch bar and remote playing the PS4 was great on the 13 inch but defo needed a 15 inch for more enjoyment on a bigger screen.
Fully intended to sell the 13 inch but couldn't let it go so am keeping it as an upstairs mac.
Love and bought the Space Grey but am a bit worried about the ports scratching up as they are so small and have no hard metal surround like on the iPhone.
Macbook's in all their incarnations are definitely a premium product and there are plenty of cheaper, similar spec laptops out there but the majority of mac buyers enjoy the high build quality and reliability, not to mention the fluid ecosystem between Apple devices.
I wanted to try the touch bar and remote playing the PS4 was great on the 13 inch but defo needed a 15 inch for more enjoyment on a bigger screen.
Fully intended to sell the 13 inch but couldn't let it go so am keeping it as an upstairs mac.
Love and bought the Space Grey but am a bit worried about the ports scratching up as they are so small and have no hard metal surround like on the iPhone.
Macbook's in all their incarnations are definitely a premium product and there are plenty of cheaper, similar spec laptops out there but the majority of mac buyers enjoy the high build quality and reliability, not to mention the fluid ecosystem between Apple devices.
I kept my MacBook Air for more than 5 years. It travelled with me everywhere, spent a lot of time in my backpack between home and the office, lived through scorching hot weather and freezing cold. And it still works, and quite well at that.
Never have I had a laptop before that held up so well over 5 years, not even close, including top of the line IBMs, Dells and then Lenovos. They were fine laptops, but I they were more or less ready to be retired after 3 years, both in terms of how they performed and how they looked. The MBP feels just so solid, I have similar confidence in its life expectancy.
In a nutshell: given how much of my time I spend on my laptop, I feel justified spending 2400 on a tMBP 13", assuming it lasts me as long as my MBA. That being said, I certainly understand why some people may feel this is not a reasonable amount to spent on a machine.
Never have I had a laptop before that held up so well over 5 years, not even close, including top of the line IBMs, Dells and then Lenovos. They were fine laptops, but I they were more or less ready to be retired after 3 years, both in terms of how they performed and how they looked. The MBP feels just so solid, I have similar confidence in its life expectancy.
In a nutshell: given how much of my time I spend on my laptop, I feel justified spending 2400 on a tMBP 13", assuming it lasts me as long as my MBA. That being said, I certainly understand why some people may feel this is not a reasonable amount to spent on a machine.
I'm going through a difficult time justifying buying a non-TB 13" MBP when I can pick up refurbished previous gen 13" and 9.7 iPad Pro for less.
Granted, we're comparing new vs refurbs (but I'm not concerned as my experience with refurbs has been great). The older MBP is also 128gb vs 256gb on the new.
I have a few portable USB-A hard drives that will negate that issue.
Even if I take a longer term view, I think the 2015 MBP will serve me well in 2020.
Plus, an iPad Pro w/pencil will come in handy.
Granted, we're comparing new vs refurbs (but I'm not concerned as my experience with refurbs has been great). The older MBP is also 128gb vs 256gb on the new.
I have a few portable USB-A hard drives that will negate that issue.
Even if I take a longer term view, I think the 2015 MBP will serve me well in 2020.
Plus, an iPad Pro w/pencil will come in handy.
For the most part I bought it because I wanted it to replace my old one which lasted 11 years. Yes 11 years! So if I were asked how I justify, it's how long I keep it, and how long Apple laptops provide reliable service. If you amortize the cost, these laptops are actually cheap.
Any Windows machine I've ever had lasted me 3 years before I wanted to chuck it in the trash because it became slow, and bloated and annoying. Not to mention the hardware wasn't anywhere near as nice as this.
Any Windows machine I've ever had lasted me 3 years before I wanted to chuck it in the trash because it became slow, and bloated and annoying. Not to mention the hardware wasn't anywhere near as nice as this.
What justification do you need to buy something? I don't try to justify buying a house or car, other than I need a place to live and a car to drive. I am not going to worry too much about a computer.
I bought my first macbook pro in october 2012 for 1100€, now, 1594 days later (and 1300 battery cycles) i'm still using it. I checked online and I even could sell it for around 450€.
That is around 0.69€/day without selling it and 0.40€/day in the second case.
I also bought the new Macbook pro 13 nTB with a great deal for 1300€ and I'm planning the same life time!
That is around 0.69€/day without selling it and 0.40€/day in the second case.
I also bought the new Macbook pro 13 nTB with a great deal for 1300€ and I'm planning the same life time!
I can afford them, I have learned to truly appreciate MacOS (OSX) and have made the most out of the entire Apple family of products, iPhone, iPad, software and computers. Its just a better all around solution for me in many respects.
One thing that's really not spoken far enough here is the build quality, the machined metal working of their products. I live in W. Pennsylvania where there a lot of machine shops, CNC centers, metal smiths. It costs much more money to make things out of machined metal, much more, and you pay for that. Go to BestBuy and look at all the computers and find one that has the absolute quality of build that Apple has. I'm very much willing to pay for that just for starts. Compare the price of a plastic widget to the price of a machined metal widget . . big difference. And none of that begins to touch the synergy that exists by having the same directive control hardware and software. Its a comprehensive experience in so many respects. So yes I justify the cost.
One thing that's really not spoken far enough here is the build quality, the machined metal working of their products. I live in W. Pennsylvania where there a lot of machine shops, CNC centers, metal smiths. It costs much more money to make things out of machined metal, much more, and you pay for that. Go to BestBuy and look at all the computers and find one that has the absolute quality of build that Apple has. I'm very much willing to pay for that just for starts. Compare the price of a plastic widget to the price of a machined metal widget . . big difference. And none of that begins to touch the synergy that exists by having the same directive control hardware and software. Its a comprehensive experience in so many respects. So yes I justify the cost.
I wanted it and I could afford it. Justification complete.
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Well so then this question wasn't posed to you.
This is justification enough. You buy what is going to make you the happiest of the available options.
I've never been able to justify a technology purchase. You buy because you want to experience something. As soon as money gets in the way, it ruins the experience.
Nothing can justify the price of this lemon 
But in my case, work paid for it. If you have a choice I'd go for the 2015 model, or wait for the next iteration.
Or maybe the nTB which has better price and battery. TB is really gimmicky, I find after a month of use. Actually, it's even worse than that, I think it's in the way.
But in my case, work paid for it. If you have a choice I'd go for the 2015 model, or wait for the next iteration.
Or maybe the nTB which has better price and battery. TB is really gimmicky, I find after a month of use. Actually, it's even worse than that, I think it's in the way.
Living in tech bubble are we? Spending half a million for a small old apartment will skew reality.
Nothing can justify the price of this lemon
But in my case, work paid for it. If you have a choice I'd go for the 2015 model, or wait for the next iteration.
Or maybe the nTB which has better price and battery. TB is really gimmicky, I find after a month of use. Actually, it's even worse than that, I think it's in the way.
I'll indulge you in your rant thread. But just give it a rest, okay?
He just can't help himself, he wants the entire universe to know he's just a very unhappy camper. He's getting close.
it is a lot of money for a computer, and I look forward to price drops but presumably one won't upgrade their Mac every year like iPhone unless they can upgrade for peanuts/ the upgrades are worth it and their Mac might hold onto resell value unlike iPhones that half their average street value in 12 months when the hype fest dies,
I couldn't justify TB prices, especially 15" which has always been in the orbit,
To me it begs the more important question, how one can justify nearly 1k (and outside of US, easily over that) for a phone,
...I wonder that myself a lot having an SE that cost half that and checks off most boxes for me as an overall experience, (but also own 7 Plus and won't toss either)
Then I realize its something I use every day, and a lot of the time most days,
and yolo,
MacOS (really OS X because that sounds weird, new hardware for Sierra which is a mediocre release at best as far as I'm concerned) is how I justify. I have win10 on my 12" rMB and its not bad and way better than 8.1, but I still never boot into it day to day for a reason. The 12" also has El Cap 10.11.6
I couldn't justify TB prices, especially 15" which has always been in the orbit,
To me it begs the more important question, how one can justify nearly 1k (and outside of US, easily over that) for a phone,
...I wonder that myself a lot having an SE that cost half that and checks off most boxes for me as an overall experience, (but also own 7 Plus and won't toss either)
Then I realize its something I use every day, and a lot of the time most days,
and yolo,
MacOS (really OS X because that sounds weird, new hardware for Sierra which is a mediocre release at best as far as I'm concerned) is how I justify. I have win10 on my 12" rMB and its not bad and way better than 8.1, but I still never boot into it day to day for a reason. The 12" also has El Cap 10.11.6
Don't be so serious about it. First, that was funny; and second, I provide advice to the OP.
Let me help you : Click on my nickname, click on "ignore", enjoy.
Justification: My 2009 lasted me as a daily for 7 years. I sold it this week for nearly 1/3 of what I paid for it, or close to $1k. No other computer could have lasted as flawlessly as it has, with as few problems as it has had (no major repairs), and gotten me that kind of resale value.
It was clear where I was going to put that money (new 2016 touchbar), but I decided to try out a surfacebook for a while.
First night with the surfacebook:
Could not pair my Bose QC35 (rather it paired fine, but would not work at all)
Random freeze up required a hard reboot (ctl alt delete didn't even work)
Wifi dropped out requiring a reboot
Got reqacquainted with the lovely driver installation process which I have not dealt with in 7+ years.
I like the direction MSFT is heading in, and Windows 10 is very pretty superficially, but once you delve deeper, it's a candied-up Win XP. The fundamentals are still the same with a prettier interface. Popping up that little tray on the right to access my bluetooth settings brought me back to 1999. The pop-off tablet feature is really cool though, and I hope Apple makes a macbook like this in the future (or I guess have an ipad run OSX).
I gave them a shot, but one night with the surfacebook reaffirmed my decision to go mac. As for why I am gonig touchbar vs not...I like fingering things.
It was clear where I was going to put that money (new 2016 touchbar), but I decided to try out a surfacebook for a while.
First night with the surfacebook:
Could not pair my Bose QC35 (rather it paired fine, but would not work at all)
Random freeze up required a hard reboot (ctl alt delete didn't even work)
Wifi dropped out requiring a reboot
Got reqacquainted with the lovely driver installation process which I have not dealt with in 7+ years.
I like the direction MSFT is heading in, and Windows 10 is very pretty superficially, but once you delve deeper, it's a candied-up Win XP. The fundamentals are still the same with a prettier interface. Popping up that little tray on the right to access my bluetooth settings brought me back to 1999. The pop-off tablet feature is really cool though, and I hope Apple makes a macbook like this in the future (or I guess have an ipad run OSX).
I gave them a shot, but one night with the surfacebook reaffirmed my decision to go mac. As for why I am gonig touchbar vs not...I like fingering things.
When (if?) you do feel cramped at some point in the future, just resell this one and get a new one. Seriously, MacBooks keep their value so well, it'll be the easiest upgrade possible and once again you'll be under warranty.
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Seriously -- I replied to someone else and then I read your post right above mine. Making the same point for a different reason... And indeed I fully agree, these little machines are amazing in resale value. They're actually cheap laptops when you consider that.
Pretty simple. It cost me 1759€. I know I am going to use it, worst case scenario, for 2 years (i.e. 730 days).
1759/730 = 2€41 cents per day. This is not so much money to ask when I use my computer 5 to 6 hours a day. It's a device that allows me to communicate with friends, family and work and university colleagues. It is a crucial tool for both my job and my assignments as a student.
This is actually pretty cheap when you consider what you spend in everyday things throughout 2 years.
1759/730 = 2€41 cents per day. This is not so much money to ask when I use my computer 5 to 6 hours a day. It's a device that allows me to communicate with friends, family and work and university colleagues. It is a crucial tool for both my job and my assignments as a student.
This is actually pretty cheap when you consider what you spend in everyday things throughout 2 years.
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