Agree. I wouldn't buy anything that didn't include USB-C. I know that if I start getting my connectors/dongles now they'll be around for awhile. Plus, for me I don't really use them that much. They pretty much stay docked to my LG 4K display and I really only use them for charging my various iOS/watchOS devices.
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Just got the 2015 MBP, should I have bought the new one?
- Thread starter blindpacemaker
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I work on Early 2015, and honestly recommend purchasing a new MBPro Late 2016
You get better audio, screen, keyborad, touchpad, CPU
There are no illuminated apple logoI assume that you can live with it
It would be tough, but I could manage! I'm more worried about no magsafe, that thing has honestly saved my macbook air from destruction at least 4 times. Is there any advantage to the larger touchpad? I've never really felt like it needed to be larger, but it may turn out to be much more useful.
Look, You can buy usb c magnetic connector, and that can save Your mac many more times
For example:
https://twitter.com/znapsnet/status/628214628896522240
For example:
https://twitter.com/znapsnet/status/628214628896522240
Look, You can buy usb c magnetic connector, and that can save Your mac many more times
For example:
https://twitter.com/znapsnet/status/628214628896522240
Hi, thanks that looks awesome and would completely solve the problem, however if you look at the comments it's a kickstarter and lots of people are saying they've taken money and not delivered anything in return...
I was (am) bummed out over that as well. The attention to detail and little touches that Apple had used to differentiate their laptops which is now missing. I know it serves no functional purpose but I did like that.here are no illuminated apple logo
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Some people find the new touchpad annoying as it blocks your ability to do things due to your palms resting on it, there are videos about this. For some the palm rejection is great. In any case there really was no need for a larger touchpad for most people.
Like you, I bought a 2015 model MacBook Pro 13" a few weeks' back, just after the 2016's were introduced.
I was more interested in stability, and a proven design with legacy ports and (for me) a more comfortable keyboard, than any of "the improvements" that the 2016's offered.
That was my own choice and I've no regrets.
My last (and my first) MacBook Pro was a 2010 13" that lasted just shy of 7 years (still works fine, I just hankered for something newer).
If I can get 5-7 years out of the 2015, I'll be very happy.
I was more interested in stability, and a proven design with legacy ports and (for me) a more comfortable keyboard, than any of "the improvements" that the 2016's offered.
That was my own choice and I've no regrets.
My last (and my first) MacBook Pro was a 2010 13" that lasted just shy of 7 years (still works fine, I just hankered for something newer).
If I can get 5-7 years out of the 2015, I'll be very happy.
My computer prior to purchasing the 2016 15" was a 2012 rMBP. Last year I decided it was time to upgrade and got a 2015 15" base model. The screen was not as uniform as my 2012 model and I couldn't appreciate any increase in speed or performance (I'm not a gamer and mainly web browse) so I returned it. This year I got the 15" base model with touch bar and love it. It's fast, has a beautiful screen and I love the new keyboard, trackpad and touch bar. The speakers are amazing. I also like the new size and weight and Space Gray color. My battery life is good and I haven't experienced any of the problems discussed on this forum. MagSafe was nice but not a big deal for me and I couldn't care less about the loss of the lighted Apple logo.
Good luck with your decision and new computer.
Good luck with your decision and new computer.
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I have the 2016 15" tMBP and late 2011 15" MBP. Honestly, I don't think the 2016 tMBP is worth it unless you really want the thinnest, lightest MBP.
Performance-wise for most tasks (programming / web surfing / YouTube / etc.), the 2016 tMBP doesn't feel much faster than the 2011 to be honest...
I was expecting faster disk performance because of the fast SSD, but it "feels" only a little faster.
Performance-wise for most tasks (programming / web surfing / YouTube / etc.), the 2016 tMBP doesn't feel much faster than the 2011 to be honest...
I was expecting faster disk performance because of the fast SSD, but it "feels" only a little faster.
This really isn't true.
The screen IS better. More color and and brighter.
The processor, memory and storage IS faster.
The sound IS better.
The keyboard IS better. (Yes, most people think so and get used to it)
Some of the changes can be called more subjective, but there are just too many quantifiable advantages for the 2016 to ignore. I have the 2015 and it's fine. But the new machine is clearly superior. No reason to be PC about it. The screen alone is worth the upgrade!
R
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We really need to get off the port nonsense. You can buy a SINGLE adapter that do everything and will only use ONE port and leave the others free. The USB-C ports can do anything prior and even charge the MBP from other sources. And you can still have Magsafe if that's truly an issue for you.
I own two dongles, just as I needed before.
R.
CptRB wrote:
"The keyboard IS better."
Your post above IS nonsense.
Whether one likes or prefers one keyboard to another is a matter of personal taste.
Some of us learned to type on REAL "typewriters" (myself, back in 1965). We prefer an "older, more traditional" feel under our hands.
Aside: after learning to type on manual typewriters, I then "graduated" to typing on teletype machines (with paper tape!) in the U.S. Army, 1970.
A friend bought an iMac in 2008 and never liked the keyboard. He moved to an IBM-style USB keyboard instead. Another "old-school" typist.
Again, keyboards are a personal taste.
YOU may think the 2016 butterfly keyboard is "better".
I don't. I tried it, side-by-side with a 2015 model, typing text on one, then the other, etc.
Too many mistakes with the new one.
The old one -- well, it "felt right" to me.
There are some things that are "better" on the 2016 MBPro vis-a-vis the 2015 model. The display definitely is a little nicer. But not enough to "make the difference" to me.
Again, a matter of preference.
Everything "newer" isn't always "better".
"The keyboard IS better."
Your post above IS nonsense.
Whether one likes or prefers one keyboard to another is a matter of personal taste.
Some of us learned to type on REAL "typewriters" (myself, back in 1965). We prefer an "older, more traditional" feel under our hands.
Aside: after learning to type on manual typewriters, I then "graduated" to typing on teletype machines (with paper tape!) in the U.S. Army, 1970.
A friend bought an iMac in 2008 and never liked the keyboard. He moved to an IBM-style USB keyboard instead. Another "old-school" typist.
Again, keyboards are a personal taste.
YOU may think the 2016 butterfly keyboard is "better".
I don't. I tried it, side-by-side with a 2015 model, typing text on one, then the other, etc.
Too many mistakes with the new one.
The old one -- well, it "felt right" to me.
There are some things that are "better" on the 2016 MBPro vis-a-vis the 2015 model. The display definitely is a little nicer. But not enough to "make the difference" to me.
Again, a matter of preference.
Everything "newer" isn't always "better".
I intentionally wrote about the 3 dealbreakers of the ports, keyboard, and price since those are so controversial. I know how I feel about them but YMMV. The other specs can't really be denied. Everything else IS better but whether it's worth an upgrade to anyone is debatable. Again, to me yes, but to others no. See them and feel them side by side. One of them definitely feels 4 years newer. I always hated that loud glowing Apple logo but not enough to keep me from buying the old ones. Personal decisions indeed. New speakers are crazy btw.
What dongles are causing such pain?
If you're a pro shooter, you needed a dongle to handle CF cards. Period. You needed them THEN and you need them NOW.
Connecting to a monitor? No dongle needed. I have a DP to USB-C cable that goes to a 27" 4K @ 60hz. Anyone with a modern monitor has no issue here!
Older external drives? Just put a USB adapter at the end of the cable and leave it there. They're a few bucks each. I have two on my drives and one on my only non-wireless printer.
And you can have ONE dongle to handle all or most of what you need in other cases.
There's just no major PRACTICAL issue here, unless you NEED to create one. The dongle stories are unimaginative stories people tell because they're annoyed that a better machine exists (in many cases of course, but not all).
R.
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I kinda miss the Apple logo. I know I was just advertising for Apple, but I grew to like it. As for the ports, I just will not accept anyone's story about them because it's absurd. The USB-C ports can do ANYTHING and do it faster with less fuss. No one is going to be effected in any real way by these ports. Apple did their homework. I certainly WILL accept the notion that a few people won't like the keyboard, but it appears that the majority of USERS see it as a big upgrade. I type half the day, so a quality keyboard is important to me and this is the best quality Apple has had so far. Price? Cry me a river. Work harder, save longer or don't buy it. The poor man pays twice and you get what you pay for. Apple doesn't owe anyone a price they like. I own a much improved notebook for just 250 dollars more than my Air cost me. On what planet is that not a bargain?
R.
The price difference between the base 2015 rMBP and base 2016 MBP (without touch bar) is just £150 here, so there's barely a difference. Do you think just having 2 usb-c ports on the base model is an issue or not? It would have been awesome if they kept the magsafe and also had 2 usb-c ports I think.
I'd skip the base model. I really think the sweet spot is the 13" Touchbar. You get a faster machine, more ports etc. for just a bit more money.
R.
Ah, if I could afford it I'd love it! unfortunately that's an extra £450, so the total difference between the 2015 rMBP and that is £600. I'm sure it's worth it, I just don't have the budget :/
Strangely I feel as if BOTH the 15 and 16 are markedly deficient in key areas:
the 15's esthetics and form factor do seem rather dated by comparison. The keys, when inspecting and using them for sake of comparison only, seem squishy and unstable. The screen seems relatively dim and washed out. The speakers whisper rather than speak out loud.
The 16's seem massively underspec'ed for the price. The lack of magsafe is bothersome--a serious liability with adapter use. The massive battery performance deficit with the tb model seems a dealbreaker in and of itself. The endless defects and glitches are a joke. The keyboard is clearly an improvement over the macbooks but still far from comfortable.
The dongle/port issue an embarrassment.
Apple even foregoes a microfiber cloth! I get a microfiber cloth when buying lens cleaning solution at costco for $5, but not on a $1800 entry level touch bar!
Seriously, I can see why people hate apple. It's become an arrogant monolith with enough shills and lemmings online to goad it's critics into silence.
the 15's esthetics and form factor do seem rather dated by comparison. The keys, when inspecting and using them for sake of comparison only, seem squishy and unstable. The screen seems relatively dim and washed out. The speakers whisper rather than speak out loud.
The 16's seem massively underspec'ed for the price. The lack of magsafe is bothersome--a serious liability with adapter use. The massive battery performance deficit with the tb model seems a dealbreaker in and of itself. The endless defects and glitches are a joke. The keyboard is clearly an improvement over the macbooks but still far from comfortable.
The dongle/port issue an embarrassment.
Apple even foregoes a microfiber cloth! I get a microfiber cloth when buying lens cleaning solution at costco for $5, but not on a $1800 entry level touch bar!
Seriously, I can see why people hate apple. It's become an arrogant monolith with enough shills and lemmings online to goad it's critics into silence.
Not all pro shooters use cf cards anymore.
Many use sd cards.
I only use sd cards.
The most used port on the planet is usb 3.0.
That's what I and everyone at work uses for almost everything and for the foreseeable future.
All my screens are connected via hdmi.
I am not carrying around a bag with dongles and adapters to perform basic functions.
You can not be serious!?!
Under-spec? Care to explain?
This 13" I'm using now can easily handle high end photography with it's insanely fast SSD drive. The screen is better and brighter and the sound louder and clearer. The keyboard is finally something that feels engineered rather than tacked on. The USB-C ports can do everything anyone needs through a SINGLE port!
And I get the same battery performance as the rMBP from last year (or better).
Beats my 2015 in every way and costs only a bit more than my MacBook Air. No cleaning cloth? Oh, well...better buy something else then!
R.
Attachments
I bought a 15" mid-2015 2.2 GHz i7 with 16gb RAM with just the internal Iris Pro. I'm still within my holiday period to return and I was thinking should I get the 2016 one instead. I went to Best Buy today to spend some time on the 2016 15" and there were only 2 things that really bothered me. One was the display brightness, I was expecting to be blown away but I wasn't it really only looked best on highest setting or 2 clicks down but once you go down to 3 clicks lower it gets dark really quick it was like the contrast dropped after 3 clicks down it made the screen seem really dull. The highest setting was specular and a big improvement over the 2015 15" so then I said to myself my battery would suffer keeping it that high. I will say it gets dark quick I put it at 50% and it was just too dark. It didn't seem calibrated right for some reason.
The other thing was the keyboard, I didn't mind the travel but it was the click sound I lifted the laptop close to my ears since th store was a bit loud but I could still hear the clicks and think that might drive me crazy after while. The 2015 15" has no click sound at all which I prefer.
I'm still debating if I should return my 2015 15" 2.2 ghz model for the 2.5 or 2.8 ghz instead not sure if I'd see a performance difference.
The other thing was the keyboard, I didn't mind the travel but it was the click sound I lifted the laptop close to my ears since th store was a bit loud but I could still hear the clicks and think that might drive me crazy after while. The 2015 15" has no click sound at all which I prefer.
I'm still debating if I should return my 2015 15" 2.2 ghz model for the 2.5 or 2.8 ghz instead not sure if I'd see a performance difference.
The ports only on one side is a bit of a bummer but the battery life IS better on the non touch model. You will get 20% better life more or less. I honestly could have been perfectly satisfied with the non touch as I don't really need 4 usb-c ports, it's just more convenient. The consistently better battery life would be nice too. I also wish they kept one usb-a port but it honestly hasn't affected me since i just carry a one inch adapter when I need a usb-a device. But I don't really miss magsafe. I've use a bunch of PC laptops and none have magsafe. It's a nice touch but not a dealbreaker. It just made plugging in easier to do without looking. The usb-c port can do anything so 2 ports is enough for all your needs IMO.
Virtually every pro DSLR uses CF cards. Even my Quad core iMac needed an adapter to work with Nikon D810 or Canon 5Ds. I've never EVER met a working pro shooter who doesn't use a card reader in the field and I've been shooting for 30 years. SD cards are used for JPG backup by most shooters. Nor do I know any pro shooters who are doing PP in the field where this matters anyway.
We've already been through this. The pro shooters admitted that CF cards are the norm and the few who also use SD could care less. It's a non-issue, accept in someones head.
HDMI screens? Why do you "carry" dongles if you own the screens? Wouldn't you just leave them connected, end of story? Or are you traveling with HDMI only screens, but can't carry a tiny adapter connected to it's cable?
I'd love to hear about your workflow and how it's effected in any way that effects your income.
R.
Oh Captain. While I agree with you on most points, your posts are how do I say, abrasive. I like fair discussions and you tend to bring out haters just retaliating to what you're saying (right or wrong). Like I said, I am in agreement with most of your points. Logically and practically speaking, the usb-c is a non issue. Anyone who has spent a month with this laptop can see it. As I have learned the hard way in 2016, being right doesn't convince people that it is. Sorry for the editorial. Drive the hell out of your hellcat and enjoy your MBP16 like I know we do. Happy New Year!