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Abaganov

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 30, 2016
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I need a laptop right now but wondering if buying the 2019 13" MBP is a financial mistake? as we know a new redesign with the new stable keyboard is coming this year, and I am guessing will probably kill the second hand value of all the 2016-2019 models with the problematic keyboard

what do you guys think about this?
 
I would not buy one now, if I needed something immediately I would likely get something used. Re-sale will be far less of a hit, and then I could buy the newer one when it comes out.

A new 13" would have to be spectacularly cheap with that keyboard.
 
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What’re you going to use it for?

I bought a base model and it’s been surprisingly bland for any professional tasks. Freezes, stutters, overheats easily, etc. It overheats and gets hot on the bottom if you do anything remotely demanding.

A new 13" would have to be spectacularly cheap with that keyboard.

I look on the upside of this. Up to four years of coverage means there’s a chance they might fix something else that’s going on with the laptop if you bring it in for a keyboard swap. As long as you have a backup computer.
 
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What’re you going to use it for?

I bought a base model and it’s been surprisingly bland for any professional tasks. Freezes, stutters, overheats easily, etc. It overheats and gets hot on the bottom if you do anything remotely demanding.

which one?
I have the 2018 i5 and i found it to be such a better experience than the 2018 i9 i had.

I need a laptop right now but wondering if buying the 2019 13" MBP is a financial mistake? as we know a new redesign with the new stable keyboard is coming this year, and I am guessing will probably kill the second hand value of all the 2016-2019 models with the problematic keyboard

what do you guys think about this?
general population doesn't care about keyboard as much as the vocal forum minority tho.
And in the same manner, all 2018 should murder the resell values of 2016-2017 because of vastly superior CPUs but they didn't
 
I have had mine since late 2019. I'm happy with it. I don't like huge laptop screens anyway. I got some apps that I recommend (paid too but worth it) to help. One is a CPU temp app that gives you full control over the fans to help with cooling if you need it. Another few apps gives your Dashboard back if you liked it. It's not the full on dashboard but it's pretty much all those little skeuomorphic widgets you can place on one or more of your desktops.

I never got the hate for the touchbar. I like it. I use it as the toolbar in apps, so my apps can be full screen and take advantage of the screen while the touchbar has the stuff normally found on the toolbar. For example, my Safari back, forward, bookmarks, tabs, etc are on the touchbar so my webpages show in full screen.

As for the keyboard, Must have missed the memo on it. It hasn't given me any trouble but everyone on the forums seems to hate it.
 
Unless you absolutely need a computer right now, I'd wait or get 16".
If you need smaller form factor, you have no other choice then either buy or wait.
 
Unless you absolutely need a computer right now, I'd wait or get 16".
If you need smaller form factor, you have no other choice then either buy or wait.

i handled the 16" today, and its huge and bulky. I don't really imagine it in place of my 13"
 
I had 16" and 17" Windows laptops and I could never find any laptop case that wasn't designed for 15" or under. Still can't. Can't imagine a MacBook without any type of case. Also too big.
 
What’re you going to use it for?

I bought a base model and it’s been surprisingly bland for any professional tasks. Freezes, stutters, overheats easily, etc. It overheats and gets hot on the bottom if you do anything remotely demanding.



I look on the upside of this. Up to four years of coverage means there’s a chance they might fix something else that’s going on with the laptop if you bring it in for a keyboard swap. As long as you have a backup computer.
What do you mean it "overheats"? Does it issue some kind of warning?
 
I had 16" and 17" Windows laptops and I could never find any laptop case that wasn't designed for 15" or under. Still can't. Can't imagine a MacBook without any type of case. Also too big.

The 16" is basically the same size and weight as the 2015 15" models, so it should fit in most laptop carrying cases designed for 15" MacBook Pros.
 
Mine is only a base model (Iris plus graphics, i5, 8GB RAM) but my requirements are low anyway. But so far I've opened most every app and haven't been able to kill any performance yet. Maybe yours is defective?

I do have Temperature Gauge Pro, ($17 Mac App Store) and it allows you to control the fans and fan speed/temp thresholds and it really helps. Mine was unnecessarily running the fan at full hilt at only 39 Celcius and killing the battery in the process. I over-ridden it and now it only runs at 1200 rpm if it goes above 50 Celcius. I hardly ever divert from 38 Celcius anyway though.
 
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Eh, like maflynn said above, if you need one now, buy it now.

I have the 13" 2.4/16/1TB version and it's been fine. The keyboard is still like typing on glass, and I'm one of those who wish Apple would kill the touchbar, but the computer itself is good. And only Apple knows if/when a newer one will come out.
 
Thanks everybody, getting a second one hand is a good suggestion but I am not living in the US and the second hand market where I am from is pretty bad, only discount I can get is EDU discount from apple of $120

and so I did, I ordered one just now from the apple store and will keep thinking about it, I got the 14 days refund period to have buyers remorse if needed
 
Good advice overall on this thread.

dell 13" xps is already available for purchase with 10nm intel CPU and lpddr4x support. There is NO WAY Apple will not have these hardware configs in it's 2020 13" models(if it wants to stay competitive to the market with it's PRO mac line). The performance increases with these hardware configs should be much better, also the integrated intel gpu is supposed to be SUBSTANTIALLY better. + Better keyboard.

So, IF I'm in OP's situation & IF it's possible to wait, I will wait for the 2020 Apple 13".
 
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13" 2019 Base Model



No warnings. Gets uncomfortably hot. Fans rev up to full speed. Beachballs left and right.
Pretty meaningless data point without knowing what you are doing with it to cause the overheating. Every Macbook Pro I have owned in 10 years gets hot on my lap. Maybe there is a defect have you run the diagnostics available? "Professional" tasks covers an infinite range of use cases, maybe you bought the wrong tool for the job.
 
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