Is it a good idea to get Macbook Pro 16 for Windows 10 for $5000?

[throAU]

If all you’re going to do is to run Windows you’re better off getting a windows laptop

This. Apple hardware is nice - the trackpads are nice, the screens are nice.

But you can get similar spec to that for less than half the price - and i honestly can't hand on heart say that the apple trackpad is worth $2500.

That goes a long way towards replacing it in 18 months (with something even better) instead of 3-5 years.

 

[Closingracer]

I tend to disagree. I mean: if you don't prefer the MacBook hardware, sure; but if you do (as the OP indicated he might) the Mac is otherwise a competent mobile PC that's mostly equivalent to any other Windows laptop with equivalent specs. I'm typing this in Windows on my 16" Pro right now and I've long used Windows via Boot Camp with few issues. Not no issues, but few relatively speaking; and these are discussed below.

It's true Windows is nowhere near as power-efficient as macOS. But on my old 15" (2015) I used to get pretty good battery life considering (6-7 hours under light load or only an hour or two less than macOS). For some reason on my new 16" the estimate isn't that great at the moment, but I haven't activated Windows yet so I can't do much customisation or tweaking. The estimate might also be poor because I haven't run it flat in Windows yet (or Mac really; it's only got 2 cycles!). I'm expecting a solid 7-8 hours under light loads with the maximum Battery Saver setting enabled, but this isn't confirmed and it's currently not looking likely, unfortunately (edit: my iPhone was plugged in so that probably affected it). If it did (as it should) that is still far better than a lot of Windows PCs; many of whom have smaller batteries or come bundled with lots of bloatware. If it could use integrated graphics that would help, so it's definitely still one of the downsides of using Windows on a Mac, but for maximum battery life for light tasks like browsing I'll just boot into Mac anyway, so it's a non-issue for me. The Windows tasks I use it for are work and productivity or gaming when I'm mostly (or for gaming always) plugged-in at a desk. If you want to use Windows primarily, you can give it the majority of disk space when setting up your Boot Camp partition, but I'd certainly recommend keeping at least a small Mac partition for those times when you need maximum efficiency and battery life.

The other issue is that Apple/AMD (it's hard to tell who exactly is at fault here) are very slow to update graphics drivers, so you get far less support for them. Many people can install hacked versions of the drivers without issue, but this is unofficial and unsupported.

Other than that, I've found MacBook Pros to be an enjoyable way to use Windows. In answer to your other questions, yes brightness and sound volume (and features) are fine, but the Touch Bar has only limited support in Windows. You get two options for the Touch Bar: a setup that mimics the previous Mac's brightness, volume, audio track skip/pause/play etc setup, or a straight-up 1-12 Function keys.

A MacBook is a bad windows laptop period. It’s not battery efficient. You’re spending top
Dollar for a gimped machine. Similarly specced machines a windows laptop will be better in terms of performance and value.

 

[MacRS4]

There are several reasons I'd not run Windows via BootCamp on one of these - have a look here for a summary. There's battery issues, throttling issues, fan noise, heat etc. All seem poorly controlled under BootCamp unfortunately.
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As a quick side note on this - it's interesting when people compare 'cheaper' Windows laptops often saying oh they're both i7 units etc. A lot of the cheaper Windows machines are often U series lower powered i7 units. Not all i7 units are equal. Take the Surface Book 3 for example - comically underpowered compared to a MBP.

 

[nudoru]

They'll work but I don't feel Apple is great a driver optimization for Windows. To get decent gaming perf, you have to use 3rd part drivers. But you'd get Apple's design and support which are benefits. Before the 16", I was going to jump back to Windows on a Dell XPS. The design is dated, but you can upgrade them yourself which is well worth the trade-off to me. From what I've seen on YT reviews, the dGPU in the 16" is about on par with the XPS's nvidia 1650.

Check out Razor's Studio edition. https://www.razer.com/gaming-laptops/razer-blade-studio-edition It's really nice looking. A great design, color-accurate 4k screen, and a better GPU.

 

[maflynn]

Check out Razor's Studio edition. https://www.razer.com/gaming-laptops/razer-blade-studio-edition It's really nice looking. A great design, color-accurate 4k screen, and a better GPU.

I really love what Razer is doing, but they are not cheap. Other then GPU, they're not really pushing the envelope, the machines only come with a 512GB drive for instance. Granted, unlike Apple you can upgrade ram and storage.

The only other comment I will say is that for a 15" form factor, I think 4k is overkill, the amount of magnification needed offsets any increase in screen real estate. I'm speaking from experience as I have a ThinkPad that rocks with a 4k screen and in all honesty I probably would have been better off with a FHD screen

 

[theluggage]

The next one close to it is the xps15, but it doesn't share the same screen and aspect ratio.

Have you seen this?:

Dell updates popular XPS 13 laptop with 16:10 screen, IR camera

And new Latitude laptops may entice business users.

arstechnica.com

Edit: sorry, just realised its only a 13" but maybe they'll roll it out to the 13" as well.

The MS Surface laptops include 3:2 screens which is even better, and they offer near-Mac-level 'feel', but I don't think they go up to the sort of spec you want (and MS vary between almost as expensive as Apple to more expensive than Apple).

 

[MacRS4]

Fairly sure the Surface Laptops - decent as they may be - are lower powered U series processors aren't they? I'll double check shortly.

 

[soulreaver99]

Short answer: fooooooooooooooook no if you are buying for just aesthetics.

BUT - if you can truly take advantage of of BOTH Windows and Mac, need an all on one device then I think it might be worth it if you can afford it.

I posted this in another thread but it applies to this thread as well:

Things to consider…

• If you want a pretty laptop for gaming, get a Razer Blade
• if you want the best PC gaming experience, build a PC or get a high end gaming laptop if you want to go mobile
• If you want a Mac to do productivity work, love sending iMessages from laptop and want to game on the side… get a MacBook Air and build yourself a kickass gaming PC… or get a MacBook Air and a Razer Blade 15 and use the leftover money for games on Steam
• If you want want a Mac to do productivity work, are one of those types that wear a tin foil hat thinking PCs will get viruses because you clicked on a link that you thought was porn, get a MacBook Air or the Base Model MacBook Pro and every console out there and it will still come out less…
• If you need laptop for Mac software that squeezes out every bit of hardware (whether you are a pro, hobbyist, or enthusiast), run VMs, and like the idea of being able to play PC games all in one device… this MacBook Pro is for you.
• If you have a lot of money, want the absolute best, are a geek that wants to run PC games on a Mac just to say that you did… a spec’d out MacBook Pro 16 is definitely for you. And while you’re at it, build a kickass gaming PC, buy every console out there, gaming laptop, Tesla, camera, and all those toys that your favorite influencer has, and pat yourself on the back because you made it in life! Congratulations!

 

[Scottsdale]

What I don't think anyone mentioned here: if you have no experience or desire to use MacOS, skip Boot Camp. That's correct, just completely erase the drive. Then, insert a Windows USB thumb drive, and do a fresh install. You can then install drivers directly from manufacturers. You may want to use some Apple drivers like for the trackpad, but for sure the best Windows experience I ever had was taking the old Retina model MacBook Pro and running only Windows on it with no MacOS installed. Great experience. Can anyone comment on doing this lately? But I think the OP would truly enjoy the new MacBook Pro with Windows 10. It's a great piece of hardware, but too bad cannot wait for generation 10 Intel CPUs and second generation of the MacBook Pro 16" which will certainly have a lot of improvements like the mini LEDs in display and WiFi6.

 

[soulreaver99]

What I don't think anyone mentioned here: if you have no experience or desire to use MacOS....

If you have no experience or desire to use MacOS... skip the Mac.

While I agree that Macbooks do a good job in running Windows, it is not the most rational reason in purchasing a Mac.

 

[26139]

Because there is a finite pool of money. Any money spent on your laptop is money that cannot be spent on something else like better chairs, desks, food in the break rooms, etc.

Bonuses/high salaries/perks for owners/executives...
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Sure hope you never work for my company with that attitude.

Let us know what that company is so we can make sure never to apply there, please.

 

[jerryk]

I’m thrilled to say I never will. Thanks though!
Allow me to elaborate. I don’t know what company you run, nor do I want to. But long ago, I worked for major tech companies. When their shares lost value, they cut jobs. Not because profits were down, but because it pleased the investors. Then they rehires folks again, and the cycle started all over again. Sorry to tell you, that model breeds no loyalty whatsoever for the company. So if you want me to care about how much you’re spending on my chair my desk my computer, you should A) provide some kind of monetary benefit to me to make it worth my while to save you money, outside of salary and benefits that are already expected, and B) you should lead by example. How much more do you get paid than me? How many trips do you make on the company’s dime? What machine do YOU have in your office? If you expect loyalty from me, you need to provide me with something to make it worth my while, because no matter how hard I work, I know you’ll fire me as soon as it bumps the stock.
You may run a small company, if so, good for you, but this is business. If I find a job that pays more and gives me better benefits, I’m out. If you find someone cheaper than me, I’m out.

All reasonable requests. Sorry if I assumed otherwise.

We try to ensure everyone gets their fair share. So everyone has some skin in the game. We let people specify their own machines and things like the snacks that get served, lunches provided, etc. We also let them know what the budget is for these things. And that spending more on some items takes away from others. That let's the teams decide what is important.

And everyone get substantial bonuses when the company does well. And since the senior management comes from hardcore development and has the scars to prove it. It is not unusual for top contributors to get larger bonuses than their managers.

 

[26139]

All reasonable requests. Sorry if I assumed otherwise.

We try to ensure everyone gets their fair share. So everyone has some skin in the game. We let people specify their own machines and things like the snacks that get served, lunches provided, etc. We also let them know what the budget is for these things. And that spending more on some items takes away from others. That let's the teams decide what is important.

And everyone get substantial bonuses when the company does well. And since the senior management comes from hardcore development and has the scars to prove it. It is not unusual for top contributors to get larger bonuses than their managers.

This thread isn't about you or how your company budgets though, man.

 

[profcutter]

All reasonable requests. Sorry if I assumed otherwise.

We try to ensure everyone gets their fair share. So everyone has some skin in the game. We let people specify their own machines and things like the snacks that get served, lunches provided, etc. We also let them know what the budget is for these things. And that spending more on some items takes away from others. That let's the teams decide what is important.

And everyone get substantial bonuses when the company does well. And since the senior management comes from hardcore development and has the scars to prove it. It is not unusual for top contributors to get larger bonuses than their managers.

This thread isn't about you or how your company budgets though, man.

To be fair, I engaged jerryk. As far as your company goes, your description sounds better than most, but you must know that. Just be careful attacking folks who don't express company loyalty, because most of us have not had that kind of experience.

My apologies for continuing to take the thread off topic. Curious what machine the OP ends up with.

 

[Pangalactic]

Hey Guys, I've never owned a macbook or any other apple product besides Iphone 3Gs. I have been looking for a really good laptop for a while, I've always liked the asthetics and look of apple laptops but I prefer to use Windows.

I have been waiting for the new Dell redesign of XPS15 notebook line but I don't see it coming anytime soon. I'm a huge fan of the 16" display on the new macbook pro.

I've priced out a a macbook with the following specs for roughly $5000 CAD

• 2.4GHz 8-core 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz
• 32GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory
• AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory
• 2TB SSD storage
• 16-inch Retina display with True Tone
• Four Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Touch Bar and Touch ID

My question is, if I run bootcamp on it, will it rival any other Windows dedicated laptop? And I have no experience running bootcamp. Will all the macbook features work with windows, like proper brightness control, proper speaker volume, the touchbar etc.? Am I better off buying a Windows dedicated machine?

Thanks

First, windows works MUCH better on windows laptops. I would suggest a Razer Blade 15 if you want to go for that, it will be around $3000 for the top model (let's say $4000 with the SSD swap), which is still $1000 cheaper than the Macbook. It will run a lot better on Windows, it has (in my opinion) a very similar trackpad, some of the best windows speakers and a much better keyboard and screen. I'm actually typing this on one now!

Battery life will be better on the MBP but not by much, it doesn't run windows as well as macOS.

You also have to consider that not only does Bootcamp windows hinder the performance (compared to regular windows), but it is sometimes pretty buggy. My iMac Pro, for instance, would get random crackling sounds in its speakers when running Bootcamp, and the only way to fix it would be to restart it.

TLDR:
if you want the best windows performance on a laptop - get a windows laptop (like a Razer Blade)
if you want both the macOS and windows - get the Macbook

 

[theluggage]

What I don't think anyone mentioned here: if you have no experience or desire to use MacOS, skip Boot Camp. That's correct, just completely erase the drive. Then, insert a Windows USB thumb drive, and do a fresh install.

I think that is something that has worked on and off with various Mac models and versions of Windows over the years. I know I did it on my old Mac Pro 1.1 (to get Windows, MacOS and Linux on separate HDs for a triple-boot system) and then didn't work with later Macs/versions of Windows. Maybe it works again now, but Your Mileage May Vary.

Most obvious consequence is that I don't think you can get Apple firmware updates without MacOS (maybe if you keep an external bootable hard drive with MacOS?)

Still, I agree with everybody else here in saying that, if you don't want MacOS, don't get a Mac (unless you really, really, really need that 16:10 ratio screen or 4 thunderbolt ports).