Is it worth getting MBP 2017 right now or wait till 2018 model?

[meme1255]

I hope it comes soon... I've had mine since 2009...

Ironically, the MBP would be better than the Air (it is upgraded with 8G of RAM) however, it doesn't support new macOS versions and it struggles with Dell U2515H (it runs, however, it is unusable slideshow - I don't know why, the 9600M GT is not THAT slow. ).

 

[Queen6]

Lol, and I bet you thought I was an Apple apologist. That guy has lost it.

Absolutely not, pretty straight and even for MR I've an axe to grind and happy to sharpen it, until Apple get's it act together and produces worthy hardware or stops pretending otherwise...

Q-6

 

[csurfr]

Absolutely not, pretty straight and even for MR I've an axe to grind and happy to sharpen it, until Apple get's it act together and produces worthy hardware or stops pretending...

Q-6

Q-6 I’m not gonna lie to you, every day there is a new keyboard or <insert mbp issue here> thread. I’m seriously considering taking a new look at my mobile usage and see if a MacBook Air (if updated Tuesday) will fit instead. All of these problems have me concerned, even if my machine doesn’t display any of the problems yet.

I’m just hoping for a larger Retina display, usb-c, and the same keyboard it has now.

 

[Queen6]

Q-6 I’m not gonna lie to you, every day there is a new keyboard or <insert mbp issue here> thread. I’m seriously considering taking a new look at my mobile usage and see if a MacBook Air (if updated Tuesday) will fit instead. All of these problems have me concerned, even if my machine doesn’t display any of the problems yet.

I’m just hoping for a larger Retina display, usb-c, and the same keyboard it has now.

Truthfully I've slated the Air for a long time due to the lacklustre TN display panel, however the Air is now the only portable Mac I would remotely would consider in 2018 the MBP is just a joke, Retina MacBook I've used one for over two years and it gets old fast, literally.

I really want a Mac in my professional rotation, seriously considering a max'd Air before Tim & Co completely **** up another perfectly good Mac line, replacing it with another disposable appliance...

Right now on my current project my W10 heavy lifter is just hammering it, pitiful that Apple is not capable of the same level of performance in the portable space... After all Apple values it's professional audience

Q-6

 

[csurfr]

Truthfully I've slated the Air for a long time due to the lacklustre TN display panel, however the Air is now the only portable Mac I would remotely would consider in 2018 the MBP is just a joke, Retina MacBook I've used one for over two years and it gets old fast, literally.

I really want a Mac in my professional rotation, seriously considering a max'd Air before Tim & Co completely **** up another perfectly good Mac line, replacing it with another disposable appliance...

Right now on my current project my W10 heavy lifter is just hammering it, pitiful that Apple is not capable of the same level of performance...

Q-6

Well, there is always hope for Tuesday. . . If they destroy it at least there is always the refurb store. Max Spec Air is 1,319. As you said though, it's still that outdated screen.

 

[Queen6]

Well, there is always hope for Tuesday. . . If they destroy it at least there is always the refurb store. Max Spec Air is 1,319. As you said though, it's still that outdated screen.

If it's another "Donkey" I'll be straight round to my local Apple store and pick up a max'd Air as they stock all the full spec models. Maybe a 2015 iGPU 15" just for home use while the going's still good.

Q-6

 

[ls1dreams]

Does anyone know if the macbooks (non-pros) have the same keyboard issues as the pros?

 

[csurfr]

Does anyone know if the macbooks (non-pros) have the same keyboard issues as the pros?

So the new (2017) MacBook's DO have the same 2nd generation butterfly switches, but for whatever reason, they don't seem to be exhibiting any of the issues that the Pro's do. Take that for what you will.

 

[turbineseaplane]

So the new (2017) MacBook's DO have the same 2nd generation butterfly switches, but for whatever reason, they don't seem to be exhibiting any of the issues that the Pro's do. Take that for what you will.

My understanding is that the "shim fix" they were doing to 2016 models simply got integrated into the 2017 designs.
It's a stop gap half measure honestly. There are definitely 2017 owners reporting keyboard oddities also, but perhaps not as many - so that's better... I guess? Sort of?

C'mon Apple - Let's have a real fix (dump the Butterfly)

 

[csurfr]

My understanding is that the "shim fix" they were doing to 2016 models simply got integrated into the 2017 designs.
It's a stop gap half measure honestly. There are definitely 2017 owners reporting keyboard oddities also, but perhaps not as many - so that's better... I guess? Sort of?

C'mon Apple - Let's have a real fix (dump the Butterfly)

Sigh. What options do we (the end user) truly have if we wish (or need) to remain in the Apple ecosystem?

It’s either essentially a 1800 MacBook (if you turn it into an i5 w/ 16gb of ram, or a MacBook Pro that will certainly show you much better performance for only a couple hundred more. Same keyboard, same potential problems. It’s a lose-lose situation. Truly.

 

[Queen6]

Sigh. What options do we (the end user) truly have if we wish (or need) to remain in the Apple ecosystem?

It’s either essentially a 1800 MacBook (if you turn it into an i5 w/ 16gb of ram, or a MacBook Pro that will certainly show you much better performance for only a couple hundred more. Same keyboard, same potential problems. It’s a lose-lose situation. Truly.

Exactly Apple needs some new blood that's actually interested in designing computers for it's customer's to use, not just to stand and look at. Apply some common sense on the usability side and have lines that are actually differentiated, not everything ever more compromised, thinner disposable rubbish, with or with out "Bells & whistles"...

Q-6

 

[jerryk]

Exactly Apple needs some new blood that's actually interested in designing computers for it's customer's to use, not just to stand and look at. Apply some common sense on the usability side and have lines that are actually differentiated, not everything ever more compromised, thinner disposable rubbish, with or with out "Bells & whistles"...

Q-6

Agreed. Apple seems to have forgotten, first and foremost computers are a tool to accomplish tasks. Functionality must be first, form can follow.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The whole thing is infuriating.

There's certainly a place for thin light sexy, really stylish laptops…

But they've completely jumped off the rails and made that the priority for every single line.

 

[csurfr]

The whole thing is infuriating.

There's certainly a place for thin light sexy, really stylish laptops…

But they've completely jumped off the rails and made that the priority for every single line.

This is how I feel as I'm scouring the google for thoughts from others regarding using a 12" MacBook for web dev on the go. Not the happiest person right now.

Well, looking on GeekBench 4, it seems that the Single Core scores between my machine and the 2017 MacBook are essentially the same, but mine is a littler over 2x faster in Multi Core (shocker). I just wonder if it's enough. . .

 

[Queen6]

Agreed. Apple seems to have forgotten, first and foremost computers are a tool to accomplish tasks. Functionality must be first, form can follow.

I'm not against Apple producing thin and light portables, however Apple is just applying the same mix to everything. So much is now gone of what people value as a high level notebook. The MBP is now just another mediocre product and unreliable "to boot".

Why Apple is incapable of a sensible line up is beyond me, is it truly so difficult to offer ultraportable, mainstream and pro/prosumer models in two different sizes? Everyone I personally know is either considering or dropping the Mac for the same reasons; lack of port diversity, inadequate number of ports, neutered battery capacity, tragically poor keyboards, TouchBar is hardly useful for the majority in it's current incarnation, ridiculous locked in upgrades with Apple doing nothing...

The Mac was once the most usable platforms on the go. Today we have to rely on dongles and third party docks just to regain basic connectivity. I actually wonder if the people who design these computers remotely considered usage in the real world.

To be brutally honest I would rather Apple killed off the Mac than produce this current garbage irrespective of how well it's appointed. Apple's execs need to get their heads out of their collectives asses, fix the OS, fix the hardware. Produce computers worthy of the heritage, not just thin & light disposable garbage...

Q-6

 

[Maziar]

I’ve been considering buying a MBP to replace my aging PC. I went to an apple store and tried a 13’’ TB model and I liked almost all aspects of it.
The display,trackpad were great and I even liked it’s keyboard a lot and enjoyed typing on it(I had a 2013 MBA before and I preferred the feel of butterfly switches) However, the Caps Lock key seemed to be stuck and I couldn’t turn it off at all and that was a worrying sign.
I know not everyone has this issue and I myself was ready to take the plunge but I’ve decided to wait for the 2018 model with hopefully a more reliable keyboard.

 

[jerryk]

I’ve been considering buying a MBP to replace my aging PC. I went to an apple store and tried a 13’’ TB model and I liked almost all aspects of it.
The display,trackpad were great and I even liked it’s keyboard a lot and enjoyed typing on it(I had a 2013 MBA before and I preferred the feel of butterfly switches) However, the Caps Lock key seemed to be stuck and I couldn’t turn it off at all and that was a worrying sign.
I know not everyone has this issue and I myself was ready to take the plunge but I’ve decided to wait for the 2018 model with hopefully a more reliable keyboard.

You should have pointed out the stuck key to the Apple employees and noted their reaction. That might have been very telling.

 

[turbineseaplane]

However, the Caps Lock key seemed to be stuck and I couldn’t turn it off at all and that was a worrying sign.

...and there we have our problem..

No matter how one feels about the changes they've made, the lack of reliability is frankly alarming.

 

[csurfr]

...and there we have our problem..

No matter how one feels about the changes they've made, the lack of reliability is frankly alarming.

I was in the Apple store the other day here in Seattle (we have three), was looking around a bit and wandered over to the MacBooks / Pros. One of the team members came up and asked if I had any questions. I said “no, but this machine here is pretty beat up, no?” It was a space grey 13” with a dented corner. He said “looks like someone hit it against another one.” They immediately took it in back and brought out a different one to replace it with.

I guess sometimes ones with flaws fly under the radar a bit. You know, gotta save face in front of the customer and all.

 

[bykaraanne]

I feel like I sold my iMac 27” (2015) at such a horrible time. I’m now stuck without a new computer because I just can’t bring myself to buy the 2017 MBPs in its current state and am waiting to see the 2018s and pray for a change.

And feel so many is in the same boat. So disappointing. Yet really do not want to move back to windows.

 

[Maziar]

You should have pointed out the stuck key to the Apple employees and noted their reaction. That might have been very telling.

You are right. I should’ve done that but I totally forgot. If I return there again, I’m definitely going to have a conversation with the employees

 

[tsukeyomi]

Yet really do not want to move back to windows.

Is that just a matter of preference? Or is there something deeper like need of MacOS-only apps and such?

Just genuinely curious.

 

[bykaraanne]

Is that just a matter of preference? Or is there something deeper like need of MacOS-only apps and such?

Just genuinely curious.

Yep purely preference. On a day-to-day basis I only use Illustrator, Acrobat, Spotify and Chrome.

Actually moving to Windows would make more sense, since I could play my Emperor game, RCT, Theme Hospital on there without having to partition hahahahaha but work-wise I really prefer the MacOS... faster workflow for me.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Not to pile on windows here but I do have a Windows PC for my gaming and so I consistently see windows on a daily basis and it just still doesn't do it for me even after all these years and all the changes.

It's just still feels like windows… And I still occasionally find some crap icon down by the clock that I didn't install that makes me worried, etc.

No need to attack me if you love windows… It's fine… I'm sure it's objectively better now than it ever has been… It just still doesn't make me excited to use it.

 

[warburg]

If you can wait, I’d wait. The 2018 update is going to be significant

What 2018 update?