And the 2014 Mac Mini was a regressive "update" compared to the 2012. MANY people chose the "inferior "2012 Mini, for good reason. Some people value what the 2015 MBP has, compared to what the 2016 MBP removed/added.
Congrats on your purchase OP.
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Is 2015 rmbp the best?
- Thread starter spokenblurb
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Congrats on your purchase OP.
The 2016 15" is smaller, lighter, cooler, better gpu, solid keyboard, bigger touchpad, better display, better speakers and that's not even mentioning Touch ID or touch bar. The 2015 model does better in some cpu tests due to higher boost clock speed but will melt your bollocks off when gaming. It's also a noisy bugger when pushed as the fans have to work harder compared to the new models. The 2016 also has 4 super fast ports and you can move peripherals to the new USB-C standard for a couple of bucks by replacing cables or purchasing small adaptors like these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adapter-Co...8&qid=1482974053&sr=8-11&keywords=USB-c+USB+a
Well, that's a nice PC response, but let's keep it real. All they "took" was a few ports that you can live happily without, then upgrade everything else.
There's not a whole lot of logic in paying for the old machine. But if it makes you happy...
R.
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I'm buying neither, so no sweat off my back. But if it fits for someone else, great for them.
As I said, I'm pleased the OP likes the 2015. However, it's without doubt an older inferior machine and so money considerations to one side, I cannot see why anyone should now opt for the 2015.
The 2015 won me over in the end due to its much better pricing , and the refurb I got was as close to perfect that you can get.
The 2015 v 2016 is pros / cons . Anyone saying one is completely superior to the other is bias in my opinion .
Enjoy your 2015, the last generation of a design is also matured and tend to have the least issues.
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Though it's not an older and inferior machine in all aspects as you claim. If you think the 2016 is superior in all aspects, great, though many here do not share that opinion and that does not make them wrong . The new MacBook Pro is something we all agree to disagree on.
Enjoy whatever tool you have . To be really frank I have a 2012....and it's CPU holds its own vrs the 2015 and 2016.... so the difference between 2016 and 2015 is marginal. The SSD speeds ....geez you really have to have the right setup to notice the difference between the two.
I have a skull canyon with twice the SSD performance of the 2016 MacBook Pro .....to be honest, so what, they have hit such speeds you cannot notice it for most tasks.
The 2015 v 2016 is pros / cons . Anyone saying one is completely superior to the other is bias in my opinion .
Enjoy your 2015, the last generation of a design is also matured and tend to have the least issues.
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Though it's not an older and inferior machine in all aspects as you claim. If you think the 2016 is superior in all aspects, great, though many here do not share that opinion and that does not make them wrong . The new MacBook Pro is something we all agree to disagree on.
Enjoy whatever tool you have . To be really frank I have a 2012....and it's CPU holds its own vrs the 2015 and 2016.... so the difference between 2016 and 2015 is marginal. The SSD speeds ....geez you really have to have the right setup to notice the difference between the two.
I have a skull canyon with twice the SSD performance of the 2016 MacBook Pro .....to be honest, so what, they have hit such speeds you cannot notice it for most tasks.
I do completely agree that it's horses for courses and some considerations are subjective (such as the keyboard and design) but the 2015 is of course older in all respects and as for ability, what do you think the 2015 has over the 2016 that makes it a better buy? I'm really hoping you don't just say ports here...
If the ££ were close. Id choose the 2016. In my case it was £1000.
2016 Pros over 2015
Runs cooler
Quieter
Better Screen
touch id
First gen unit
2015 Pros over 2016
No need for dongles
physical Function keys
Battery
Magsafe
Last Gen unit
Things that are same
Performance : I've tested a 2015 2.8 v 2016 2.7
TB - If see little benefit of TB2 to TB3, Both are more than adequate to meet the needs of the majority of the users who will not saturate even TB2 bandwidth
One thing I do not like, and its a personal opinion is the touchbar, i enjoyed it at first, it was a cool gimmick, but its a solution to a problem that does not exist, its actually a step backward from good design. As this is a personal preference thing, its not work debating, my summary of the situation is as follows, imagine being visually impaired, moving from the physical keys from 2015 to 2016 model.......is that good design?
I have added my comments in bold as above.
In summary, if you look at the pros of the 2016 as above, you will note that they are significant and put the 2015 in the shade. What it comes down to is the hardline of finance - does the expense of 2016 models justify the benefits to you? Otherwise, trying to do the 2016 down as a lesser machine is intellectually dishonest and an attempt to justify one's own purchase at the expense of another's.
That is certainly your opinion, and you've certainly shared it frequently enough.
Exactly. Other than the battery life, I'm loving my 15" 2016. It seems like such a step in the right direction except for the compromise on battery. I like just about everything else about it more than the 2015.
The compatibility with the TB3 LG 5k is fantastic too. One USB-C/TB3 cable to run 5k, data, charging. It's great.
So I share my opinion - what's your problem? It's only proportionate to the countervailing opinions on here and I like talking about tech on a tech forum.
None.
I find it amusing, and just a bit sad, that you are SO desperately trying to persuade people that the 2016 is "superior" to the 2015 when so many people here disagree.
Nope, I'm doing none of those things at all. Anyone is welcome to disagree with me and they usually do with courtesy my keyboard warrior friend.
If it was not for a £1000 difference, I would be owning a 2016 model. Sadly given the unfortunate timing of brexit and poor pound, just cannot justify the price. To be honest, I've always bought the top end models, as I did in 2012. This time round the difference from a maxed out 2015 ,£2300 and the max 2016 £4100 is a massive £1800. For £4100 the 2016 is poor value, for what you get in my opinion.
So if you can afford it, and find value , enjoy the 2016 unit, its great. Not lesser, but not superior to the 2015 in every scenario
Ironic that you chose "keyboard warrior," as I've been a real-life warrior.
And also just a bit sad you couldn't resist the ad hominem route. But whatever works for you . . .
So, all else being equal, which is the better machine: a 2015 that has 16GB RAM, or a 2016 with 8GB RAM?
I'm asking because I just bought this from the Refurb Store:
Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.7GHz Dual-core Intel i5 with Retina Display – G0QM0LL/A
$1,269.00
Originally released March 2015
13.3-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2560-by-1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch
16GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
128GB PCIe-based flash storage
720p FaceTime HD Camera
Intel Iris Graphics 6100
Should I return it and get an open box 2016 instead?
I'm asking because I just bought this from the Refurb Store:
Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.7GHz Dual-core Intel i5 with Retina Display – G0QM0LL/A
$1,269.00
Originally released March 2015
13.3-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2560-by-1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch
16GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
128GB PCIe-based flash storage
720p FaceTime HD Camera
Intel Iris Graphics 6100
Should I return it and get an open box 2016 instead?
OP wrote:
"The 2015 feels like such a well though out mature device..."
That's because it is.
I, too, bought a 2015 MBPro (13").
I prefer "the mature design", even if slightly dated, to the new and yet-unproven design of the 2016 models.
I didn't really care for the larger trackpad. I -NEVER- use "gestures" (in fact I disable them in the trackpad pref pane). Just left click and right click is all I want or need.
I also preferred the old-style keyboard AND the full complement of "legacy" ports (because all the stuff I have to connect to it is "legacy stuff"!).
That's a personal choice, and I realize that others' choices might be different than mine.
Prediction about USB-c:
The Apple fanboys here keep saying that in "a couple years from now the people on the 15 and older will be the ones with dongles" (quote from goobot in reply 7).
I predict that USB-c will prove as popular in the market (and by "market" I mean ALL laptops, not just Apple's) as has been firewire and thunderbolt.
That is to say, you'll see USB-c ports on non-Apple laptops, but you'll continue to see USB-a ports for years to come, and for years to come USB-a products will continue to dominate the marketplace.
Apple thought they could "drive the market" towards firewire and thunderbolt, too.
How did that work out for them?
BTW, I tried the 2016 MBPro's, and they were certainly nice.
But they weren't "for me", at least, not yet...
"The 2015 feels like such a well though out mature device..."
That's because it is.
I, too, bought a 2015 MBPro (13").
I prefer "the mature design", even if slightly dated, to the new and yet-unproven design of the 2016 models.
I didn't really care for the larger trackpad. I -NEVER- use "gestures" (in fact I disable them in the trackpad pref pane). Just left click and right click is all I want or need.
I also preferred the old-style keyboard AND the full complement of "legacy" ports (because all the stuff I have to connect to it is "legacy stuff"!).
That's a personal choice, and I realize that others' choices might be different than mine.
Prediction about USB-c:
The Apple fanboys here keep saying that in "a couple years from now the people on the 15 and older will be the ones with dongles" (quote from goobot in reply 7).
I predict that USB-c will prove as popular in the market (and by "market" I mean ALL laptops, not just Apple's) as has been firewire and thunderbolt.
That is to say, you'll see USB-c ports on non-Apple laptops, but you'll continue to see USB-a ports for years to come, and for years to come USB-a products will continue to dominate the marketplace.
Apple thought they could "drive the market" towards firewire and thunderbolt, too.
How did that work out for them?
BTW, I tried the 2016 MBPro's, and they were certainly nice.
But they weren't "for me", at least, not yet...
No one can even offer legitimate advice without knowing what you usage is (how do you use your laptop, workflow, apps, etc.) and how often you upgrade. There's nothing magical about 16GB if you don't need it. Meanwhile, in the 2015, you get the older versions of all the tech and a smaller SSD.
Setting aside price, most users would benefit more from the 2016 features than the 2015's 16GB of RAM in the long run.
Also keep in mind that there are a number of posters here who just want to see the 2016 fail and do not have your best interests in mind when offering advice.
Ironic that you chose "keyboard warrior," as I've been a real-life warrior.
And also just a bit sad you couldn't resist the ad hominem route. But whatever works for you . . .
I actually feel sorry for you, sincerely.
Back to the point of the thread. I hope my above comments on the 2016 assist. I actually own the 2016 and I gave my girlfriend my 2015. Both are great machines but if you have the funds, the 2016 is your best bet.
Apple "fanboys" are saying that?... again, who are all these "fanboys" posters like you keep talking about?
People with actual technical knowledge and understanding of the industry know that USB-C ports is the new standard... it's not an Apple thing, and it's not anything like FireWire or ThunderBolt. USB-C is USB - how many times does this need to be explained? It's a different connector shape. That's it. It's still USB 3.1
The way Apple has implemented them on the new 2016 MBP's is that they're also TB3 ports, so they can do even more than just USB, they can also serve as TB ports and DP ports.
Now the TB3 aspect is not widely supported on other platforms and maybe it never will be... but so what? If that's a concern, don't buy TB devices.
Hooking up to most displays is as easy as purchasing a DP cable with a Type-C on one end and DP on the other.
Yes, you will continue to see USB-A ports in the non-Apple universe for years to come, just like there are PC's still shipping with VGA ports introduced over 20 years ago. The majority of wired devices will continue to ship with a USB-A port on one end of their cable for the next couple years, and you'll just have to get a new cable or adapter as required. There will probably even be a point where they package devices with an adapter (unfortunately).
There's this camp of posters that keep trying to create dongle-gate like it's an actual issue, and it's just beyond stupid.
All good points. Now that I'm doing more research it seems that I probably won't ever get the use from the 16GB. My thinking was that I can easily use external drives for more storage, but there's no way to increase RAM. But The most RAM-intensive thing I plan to do is some occasional GarageBand recording, so I think I'll probably return it.
So now I have to decide on a refurb 2015/256 or an open box 2016/128 since they're both around the same money.
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I don't believe there's a 2016 with only a 128GB SSD - the minimum 2016's ship with is a 256GB SSD (based on the listed specs). In your post above, you indicate that it's the 2015 with the 128GB SSD?
Darn, you're right. Best Buy makes it pretty confusing to tell which model you're looking at compared to the way Apple does it. I wish they always said the release date. Turns out that was a 2015. Now I wish I grabbed the $150 off deal Best Buy had on the 2016's yesterday, cause it was less than the open box price.