My old MBP is dying so I'm in the market for a new one and I'm trying to decide between the new MB Air and the 2017 non-touchbar MBP. I read that Apple had a replacement program for the 2017 keyboards, but did they do anything to address the issues with ones they're currently selling? The 2018s all have Touchbars and I can't justify their cost, so those aren't a choice although I know they have the newer keyboard style that is supposed to block out dust and dirt.
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If I buy a new 2017 MBP Will It Have 3rd Gen Kbrd
- Thread starter Mackinjosh
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If you really want touchID -> buy the macbook
Otherwise go for the pro (feels more like what the macbook should have been in the first place, definitely not a true 'pro' machine). Display is very nice, colors pop, no PWM and really bright which you will need during the summer days. Form factor is fine. It runs stable, long battery life, no T2 chip (hence no T2 bridgeOS crashes) and the keyboard is the same as the air minus the condom. Most of the time the price is similar.
Man, I really enjoy it every day. Software is amazing now, nice integration with iPhone (continuity/handoff) and I am really looking forward to running iOS apps on it in the future if Apple will support that. In 2008 I used Leopard and to me Windows was way better back then. Now it is the other way around for me. Windows 10 updates, pain in the ***
Otherwise go for the pro (feels more like what the macbook should have been in the first place, definitely not a true 'pro' machine). Display is very nice, colors pop, no PWM and really bright which you will need during the summer days. Form factor is fine. It runs stable, long battery life, no T2 chip (hence no T2 bridgeOS crashes) and the keyboard is the same as the air minus the condom. Most of the time the price is similar.
Man, I really enjoy it every day. Software is amazing now, nice integration with iPhone (continuity/handoff) and I am really looking forward to running iOS apps on it in the future if Apple will support that. In 2008 I used Leopard and to me Windows was way better back then. Now it is the other way around for me. Windows 10 updates, pain in the ***
Keep in mind that just because some people are experiencing an issue it doesn't guarantee that everyone using that model will experience that issue. I must have watched dozens of videos that talked about the 2017 non-Touch Bar MBP, some of the videos were produced as late as mid-2018, and only one of them complained of failing keys on the 2017 non-Touch Bar MBP. This research led me to purchase a Refurbished 2017 MacBook Pro, non-Touch Bar, and I love this machine.. the 2nd gen butterfly keyboard has not given me any problems. And, even if I do have problems with it, Apple has a keyboard replacement program in place and the keyboard itself has a 4 year warranty.
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Is that an extended warranty available to all new purchasers? I might make the leap and grab that MBP along with an extended Apple warranty for extra peace of mind since I tend to keep these things for 4-5 years. The only issue holding me back other than the keyboard (which I could probably take care of by using a keyboard cover for additional peace of mind) is how much more powerful people say the new MBPs in 2018 are. Even the base model. I just wish there was one without a Touch Bar.
The MacBook doesn't have Touch ID. Only the 2018 Air and the 16/17/18 Pro's do.
After days of reading and watching reviews, I'm leaning towards the new Air. I mainly use my laptop for web, mail, spotify, Netflix, youtube, and financial software. No video editing etc.
It’s fine for that but check prices where you are. If you watch a lot of video the display and speakers are better on the MacBook Pro and it’s often on sale for not much if any more than the Air currently costs. Not to mention it is a significantly faster machine still. Way better value for the money.
Yeah I'm still trying to make up my mind. I really want the better screen, but also want the upgraded keyboard.
I had macbook pro 2017 more than one year and non problem with the keyboard. I use keyboard cover.
You could watch this video.
If you need both your only choice is a 2018.
I can say my 2018 15" has been great. I came for a 2015 15" and prefer the new machine. It is considerably faster at a lot of the tasks I do and the fans start up less and/or spin quieter. The screen, as you know, is great. The keyboard took me a week or so to get used to, and I still don't like it as much as a good dedicated keyboard with MX Brown switches. But I can type as fast or faster than I could on my 2015. And after 6 months no double character errors, dead keys, stuck keys, etc. I still find the trackpad comically large, but better than any other trackpad.
So for me, the 2018 15" is a keeper.
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The 2018 keyboards also seem fail at a higher rate then the non-butterfly MacBook Pro keyboards based on user's comments.
Based on a court decision, Apple had to cover the 2017 keyboards for four years, The 2018 MacBook Pro keyboards are only currently covered by the normal one year warranty and AppleCare if you buy it.
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There is no evidence that the third generation keyboard (2018) is more reliable than the second generation keyboard (2017). It is however quieter.
Also, check out this thread before you buy a 2018 MacBook Pro. It might also apply to a 2018 MacBook Air.
Note: Any Apple 2018 laptop will most likely be error free. People should just be aware of the possible problems before they purchase one.
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Ended up playing with a 2017 base MBP, a base MBA 2018, and a 2018 base model MBP and I think now I'm leaning towards the 2018 MBP. The keyboard on the 2017 just feels awful to me. The max brightness of the 2018 MBA was not good and I wasn't impressed with the performance or speakers. The 2018's keyboard felt good to me but I hate the idea of paying for a MBP that has that moronic touch bar. Not a fan of that at all.
touch ID is overrated on macbooks imo, it's not nearly as useful as on a phone + you have to go out of your way from the keyboard to unlock it.
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frankly, 2018 is worth it over 2017 for the CPU alone.
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touchbar is not as bad.
frankly, 2018 is worth it over 2017 for the CPU alone.
Yes, the CPU advancements are hard to overlook, even in the base model 2018. I just really hate the Touch Bar. It annoys me more than it benefits me. Who looks at their keyboard when they type?
I don't, but I rarely use the top row anyway, touchbar or not.
The base i5 is hyperthreaded and performs almost as good as the i7, it's a great computer.
while i7 upgrade is not worth it imo, nTB to TB 250€ jump is definitely worth it.
For 250€ you get
- two more cores
- two more TB3 ports (full speed this time)
- better GPU
- touchbar (well, ****)
nTB is 400€ too much for what it is.
RIP to you.
https://www.haptictouchbar.com
this might help, but it wont be like having a physical row of keys.
What don't you like about the touchbar? Is there a particular package you use that makes use of them? If so, does it support the touchbar?
I was against the touchbar until I got a system with one. Now I sort of like it. Things like sound and screen brightness don't move, they are in the same place all the time. And it is press once and slide left or right to adjust very finely. Much better than the old 4 dedicated buttons.
I was against the touchbar until I got a system with one. Now I sort of like it. Things like sound and screen brightness don't move, they are in the same place all the time. And it is press once and slide left or right to adjust very finely. Much better than the old 4 dedicated buttons.
The old way, I could hit those keys without ever looking at them. Not the case now. And if I sit with my laptop on my lap at night the way I normally do, I wouldn't even be able to see the Touch Bar screen. And I've yet to see a use case for the Touch Bar that makes it even remotely worthwhile. All of it's functions are already achievable by buttons or in-app controls, none of which require me to take my attention away from the screen and look at the keyboard. To me it's just an inherently flawed gimmick masquerading as "innovation". Not hard to see why competitors aren't copying it.
I can see how it would be inaccessible lying in bad.
It's pretty fun in Logic and Final Cut gotta say.
Which is funny, because most of Logic/Final cut users work on large external screens with external keyboards having no use of it.
Also the fact that apple is not pushing it on other computers or external peripherals means it's probably going to be deprecated when the next generation comes out.