In Appreciation Of The 13-Inch MBP

[NJRonbo]

I am an owner of 2019 15" MBP with i9 processor and 32GB ram...

...let me clarify that. WAS an owner. I just sold it to get maximum resale $ before the new 16" MBP hits the market in September or October. I plan to purchase it loaded.

In the meantime, I needed a travel laptop.

I was going to get the base 13" MBP, but I decided to bump it up a little in specs. Just bought this year's refresh with the 2.4GHZ processor, 16GB ram and 512 SSD. Paid $1900-$2,000 for it.

Now I have always held my nose up against going with an i5 laptop. I have always been an i7 and i9 user.

I am absolutely surprised at what a speedy little f-er this 13-inch model is. It runs nearly as fast as my i9.

Moving down from a 15" is not really that noticeable. In fact, for travel use and sheer portability, this laptop hits the sweet spot.

Now here is where I am really impressed...

I hate the butterfly keyboards. I owned both the 2017 12" Macbook, the 2018 MBP, and last year's MBP. All keyboards gave me a lot of problems. I got double keypresses all the time and I just hated the feel of typing.

The revised butterfly keyboard on the 13" model feels totally different. It's smoother and quieter. Though I still prefer and want the scissor keyboard that will come with the upcoming 16" model, I am surprised how much I can tolerate this new iteration Apple has put in the 13" model.

All the reviews heralding this year's refresh are spot on! This 13" model really deserves the PRO name. It's an absolute pleasure to use and I love the portability factor. It's rather light (though heavier than the Macbook), I can stash it in a small carry-on, and it fits nicely in my lap.

 

[alexandero]

And how do you consider the price of approx US$ 2,000? I find the additional cost of SSD/RAM upgrades annoyingly high, which is why I'm holding off of a purchase.

 

[Lyrca]

Been using my 1.4/16/512 MBP for the past month and I agree too with the reviews. This little machine is exactly what I was hoping for. I use it mainly for media consumption some light photo editing and coding with Xcode as well as administrating a few servers.

Sure I find the upgrades for RAM ans storage steeply priced but I have been using Macs for a while and love MacOS. Apple is moving (and has been been for a few years) towards this non upgradable situation, it sucks but I guess we just have to put up with it.

 

[NJRonbo]

And how do you consider the price of approx US$ 2,000? I find the additional cost of SSD/RAM upgrades annoyingly high, which is why I'm holding off of a purchase.

Alexandero, nobody is happy paying those prices. What is one to do? I run about two dozen programs at the startup. I need the extra ram. I also like installing software so I need the SSD space.

Nobody overcharges like Apple. That being said, nobody makes a computer like Apple. I always find I get my money's worth when buying these laptops.

Been using my 1.4/16/512 MBP for the past month and I agree too with the reviews. This little machine is exactly what I was hoping for. I use it mainly for media consumption some light photo editing and coding with Xcode as well as administrating a few servers.

Sure I find the upgrades for RAM ans storage steeply priced but I have been using Macs for a while and love MacOS. Apple is moving (and has been been for a few years) towards this non upgradable situation, it sucks but I guess we just have to put up with it.

Exactly.

I am sitting here now on my 13" and I am just completely taken back by the experience of using this laptop which was supposed to be only used as a secondary computer when traveling. For me, it feels like my main machine.

 

[nStyle]

Cool story bro

 

[Whathappened]

I am an owner of 2019 15" MBP with i9 processor and 32GB ram...

...let me clarify that. WAS an owner. I just sold it to get maximum resale $ before the new 16" MBP hits the market in September or October. I plan to purchase it loaded.

In the meantime, I needed a travel laptop.

I was going to get the base 13" MBP, but I decided to bump it up a little in specs. Just bought this year's refresh with the 2.4GHZ processor, 16GB ram and 512 SSD. Paid $1900-$2,000 for it.

Now I have always held my nose up against going with an i5 laptop. I have always been an i7 and i9 user.

I am absolutely surprised at what a speedy little f-er this 13-inch model is. It runs nearly as fast as my i9.

Moving down from a 15" is not really that noticeable. In fact, for travel use and sheer portability, this laptop hits the sweet spot.

Now here is where I am really impressed...

I hate the butterfly keyboards. I owned both the 2017 12" Macbook, the 2018 MBP, and last year's MBP. All keyboards gave me a lot of problems. I got double keypresses all the time and I just hated the feel of typing.

The revised butterfly keyboard on the 13" model feels totally different. It's smoother and quieter. Though I still prefer and want the scissor keyboard that will come with the upcoming 16" model, I am surprised how much I can tolerate this new iteration Apple has put in the 13" model.

All the reviews heralding this year's refresh are spot on! This 13" model really deserves the PRO name. It's an absolute pleasure to use and I love the portability factor. It's rather light (though heavier than the Macbook), I can stash it in a small carry-on, and it fits nicely in my lap.

Thanks for stating the obvious and repeating what has been written a dozen times before.
You never owned a 2019 15 inch mbp.
[automerge]1572175039[/automerge]

Nobody overcharges like Apple. That being said, nobody makes a computer like Apple. I always find I get my money's worth when buying these laptops.

Then it is not overcharged.

 

[NJRonbo]

Thanks for stating the obvious and repeating what has been written a dozen times before.
You never owned a 2019 15 inch mbp.

Don't see the point of your post.

I owned a 15" MBP in 2018 and just sold it in hopes of buying the upcoming 16"

Not sure if this was a compliment or a jab. Please elaborate.

 

[SantaClawz]

13 inch is the way to go, its a perfect size for everyday use, both at home and outside.

 

[NJRonbo]

13 inch is the way to go, its a perfect size for everyday use, both at home and outside.

Absolutely!

 

[Ploki]

I have the 2018 2.3GHz, 16GB/512, so identical setup but last year's i5.

Before that I had the 2018 i9, and i was able to return it because of the issues it had! For the cash back, i bought the 13" + an i7 Mac Mini.

The 15" 2018-2019 don't feel right to me. They're loud and hot, nothing like the 2012-2015 models in my opinion.
The 13" quads however, are absolutely amazing!

 

[Nacho98]

Now I have always held my nose up against going with an i5 laptop. I have always been an i7 and i9 user.

Just imagine having to live with a Core2Duo! Oh the humanity!

 

[MrGunnyPT]

Aye I love the 13” just hate the fact that I got the base TB back in 2017. Hoping to upgrade to the upcoming 16”

 

[NJRonbo]

Aye I love the 13” just hate the fact that I got the base TB back in 2017. Hoping to upgrade to the upcoming 16”

And hoping the upcoming 16" has more upgrade options.

This will be a nice upgrade for you nonetheless.

 

[Peadogie]

I am an owner of 2019 15" MBP with i9 processor and 32GB ram...

...let me clarify that. WAS an owner. I just sold it to get maximum resale $ before the new 16" MBP hits the market in September or October. I plan to purchase it loaded.

In the meantime, I needed a travel laptop.

I was going to get the base 13" MBP, but I decided to bump it up a little in specs. Just bought this year's refresh with the 2.4GHZ processor, 16GB ram and 512 SSD. Paid $1900-$2,000 for it.

Now I have always held my nose up against going with an i5 laptop. I have always been an i7 and i9 user.

I am absolutely surprised at what a speedy little f-er this 13-inch model is. It runs nearly as fast as my i9.

Moving down from a 15" is not really that noticeable. In fact, for travel use and sheer portability, this laptop hits the sweet spot.

Now here is where I am really impressed...

I hate the butterfly keyboards. I owned both the 2017 12" Macbook, the 2018 MBP, and last year's MBP. All keyboards gave me a lot of problems. I got double keypresses all the time and I just hated the feel of typing.

The revised butterfly keyboard on the 13" model feels totally different. It's smoother and quieter. Though I still prefer and want the scissor keyboard that will come with the upcoming 16" model, I am surprised how much I can tolerate this new iteration Apple has put in the 13" model.

All the reviews heralding this year's refresh are spot on! This 13" model really deserves the PRO name. It's an absolute pleasure to use and I love the portability factor. It's rather light (though heavier than the Macbook), I can stash it in a small carry-on, and it fits nicely in my lap.

I love mine, compact, runs cool/quiet, and does everything I need it to do.

 

[Lyrca]

I have been using the 13" in it's 1.4Ghz version with 16Gb of RAM and a 512Gb SSD and I am loving this machine every single time I fire it up. It gets everything I need done and am pretty confident it will do so for a couple more years.

The design is great, it's slick, light and well it just looks gorgeous.

This is my first butterfly keyboard and it did take a while to getting used to but now after 2 months its amazing. I sometimes use my wife's 2015 MacBook Air and although the machine is still nice its keyboard feels from another time.

 

[Howard2k]

13 inch is the way to go, its a perfect size for everyday use, both at home and outside.

I am regularly away from home so the 13" is perfect. The current 15" is not THAT much larger than the 2015 13" though I don't think.

I'd certainly consider the 15" or 16" for my next upgrade. But likely still the 13" (or 14" if it appears). The 13" size is great.

 

[NJRonbo]

Do you guys use the Touchbar feature? I do. I use it mostly for mail as it's easier to compose and reply with a button push.

 

[Lyrca]

Do you guys use the Touchbar feature? I do. I use it mostly for mail as it's easier to compose and reply with a button push.

I was pretty excited about the Touch Bar since it was my first Mac with it. After playing with it for a while I hardly use it. It's a shame I feel like it has a lot of potential but that it ends up just looking nice.

 

[azentropy]

I've had 4 iterations of the 13" MacBook/MacBook Pro (and a 12" iBook before that) and have always preferred that form factor. I've found the 15" models to just be too big (not necessarily too heavy or thick but just wide and tall). Although I'm really hoping we get a 32gb RAM option sometime next year since even my 2010 13" MBP had 16gb. Also kinda hoping for a 14" screen ( in same 13" form factor).

 

[Peadogie]

Also kinda hoping for a 14" screen ( in same 13" form factor).

Now that would be sweet!

 

[Ploki]

Also kinda hoping for a 14" screen ( in same 13" form factor).

14" in the same form factor, maybe with the 6-core upgrade, would be perfection of portability and performance.