Just got the 2015 MBP, should I have bought the new one?

[guy_mac]

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.

I noticed the same. Everyone's raving about the new display but I don't notice a huge difference. I've watched some reviews which do show a difference but there was minimal information about the parameters of the comparison: were both screens calibrated, were they at at the same brightness setting, etc?

Both 13" models have significant disadvantages.

I'm still perplexed as to why apple could produce a new model with such serious deficits (battery, reliability, ports, etc) after a full year and a half in development.

It's like a group of middle schoolers were given the project and decided to crib from the 12" macbook, only adding an extra usbc port and larger display.

Or, perhaps they had a design exec absolutely bent on producing the lightest, smallest, most expensive laptop possible functionality be damned.
[doublepost=1483310282][/doublepost]

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!

I don't even bother to reply to his posts anymore. He's a massive apple homer (doh!) and can't or won't acknowledge even the slightest problem with the 16. There are several of them on the forum and they'll basically quote and reply ad nauseum in the most caustic manner to silence any critics.

If you don't love and praise any and every aspect of the 16 or dare to mention any of it's shortcomings, defects or problems, it leads to a slew of name calling. This is middle school tier. How silly adults can become online.

 

[Clix Pix]

Actually, a lot of pro sports shooters are now using XQD cards along with either CF or SD cards (in cameras with two memory card slots).... CF cards have been the norm for many years and a lot of pro shooters and many serious amateur photographers still use them, but XQD cards are coming into their own now, as they are significantly faster and can keep up better with the faster newer pro camera bodies. Buffering.....almost a thing of the past! In any event, computers have never provided CF card slots, nor will they provide XQD slots either.....SD is a commonly-used memory card embraced by consumers and by some serious amateur photographers more than it has been by professionals, so the inclusion of an SD slot in many computers has been a nod to the general populace of users more than to the professional, inasmuch as most professionals and many serious amateurs have long been accustomed to using external memory card readers through the years.

In the last several Apple computers I've had an SD card slot has always been there. Did I use it? No..... Always have relied on an external card reader instead, even though I am not a professional photographer. I think Apple is probably right in choosing to leave it out of their new and future computers. The people who use their iPhones and iPads for sharing photos will continue to do that -- no memory card needed at all -- and the shift seems to be more towards wireless connectivity for many consumer-oriented P&S and even DSLR cameras, so again no memory card or card reader needed.....

 

[philosopherdog]

The new machine is way way better. Not contest. The only reason I can think of to keep it is if you can't afford the few hundred extra the new one costs. I have the old and the new design sitting here and the old one is still a good machine but there's no contest. The 2016 MBP is far and away the best laptop ever build.
[doublepost=1483311040][/doublepost]

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 logo I assume that you can live with it

Actually the illuminated logo makes it hard to use the old one in bright light, but then the screen is so dim you won't be able to do that anyway.

 

[thesaint024]

I don't even bother to reply to his posts anymore. He's a massive apple homer (doh!) and can't or won't acknowledge even the slightest problem with the 16. There are several of them on the forum and they'll basically quote and reply ad nauseum in the most caustic manner to silence any critics.

Captain is fighting off haters. I do the same but try to more diplomatically (sometimes). When he raves, I don't argue because I AGREE with his enthusiasm. I feel the same way about most of it. I LOVE this thing! I am perplexed by people who say it's less than awesome. People who have 2015's, I can see lukewarm reactions, but Captain has a 2015! We get paid with our MBP's so money is not a material factor, but I would be a little taken aback if I was paying out of pocket. But I'd still buy one. Situations are all different. If you read past posts from Captain and me, there are lot's of "you don't NEED this" comments. But the questions are often around 15 vs. 16 or 16 vs. PC. Those kind of questions warrant singing the 16's praises. I have a PC and always will, so use cases vary. No harm in singing praises of the new MBP on a mac site right? I am sincerely loving this thing and am just confused when people don't. If not people with specific needs, it's usually people who haven't spent time with this new MBP.

 

[philosopherdog]

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 keyboard is pretty nice but takes some getting used to. The click is actually nice and not too noisy. Screen brightness is very much dependent on ambient light. So in a bright store it might not seem bright but it is a very bright display, which is much better than the old one for using in a bright room. I have both models sitting here and the 2016 is a far superior machine in almost every way.

 

[guy_mac]

Captain is fighting off haters. I do the same but try to more diplomatically (sometimes). When he raves, I don't argue because I AGREE with his enthusiasm. I feel the same way about most of it. I LOVE this thing! I am perplexed by people who say it's less than awesome. People who have 2015's, I can see lukewarm reactions, but Captain has a 2015! We get paid with our MBP's so money is not a material factor, but I would be a little taken aback if I was paying out of pocket. But I'd still buy one. Situations are all different. If you read past posts from Captain and me, there are lot's of "you don't NEED this" comments. But the questions are often around 15 vs. 16 or 16 vs. PC. Those kind of questions warrant singing the 16's praises. I have a PC and always will, so use cases vary. No harm in singing praises of the new MBP on a mac site right? I am sincerely loving this thing and am just confused when people don't. If not people with specific needs, it's usually people who haven't spent time with this new MBP.

I've tried to get some time in with the 16 at the apple store and have watched and read reviews. It's hard to tell how good the sound quality is in a busy apple store, but the speakers still sound tinny, like inferior laptop speakers. Perhaps others are less discerning. The 15's speakers are noticeably quieter, that's for sure, but if the 16 speakers are a 4 or 5/10 in quality vs 2 or 3/10 in quality, they still aren't great speakers.

The display looks fine but again it doesn't generate a wow factor on my part, not even at the brightest setting.

I REALLY like the form factor. The keyboard is acceptable, but the lack of key travel is a little off putting.

EVERY accessory I have is either firewire, usb a or lightning. None are compatible with usb c.

The form factor and build quality are great, and I have no reason to dislike the display, but measured against the cost, the 16, while fully functional, is quite embarrassing. As I said earlier, it's got all the imagination of a group of lazy middle school students working at the very last minute on a science/tech project and decided to crib 95% of the design from the 12" macbook.

Apple could have and should have done better with a year and a half and all of the resources of the largest company in the world in updating their laptop.

Their MO is becoming all too predictable: lighter, smaller, wireless and MAX PROFIT. Functionality is a distant fourth in their scheme of priorities.

And really there is no excuse for rb's rhetorical style. It comes off as juvenile and goofy. If anything, I am far more inclined to dismiss his posts as rants of a wanna be bully than anything constructive or useful for a prospective buyer.
[doublepost=1483311745][/doublepost]

The keyboard is pretty nice but takes some getting used to. The click is actually nice and not too noisy. Screen brightness is very much dependent on ambient light. So in a bright store it might not seem bright but it is a very bright display, which is much better than the old one for using in a bright room. I have both models sitting here and the 2016 is a far superior machine in almost every way.

I don't hate the keyboard but the keys bottom out harshly; no more soft landing like the 15 keys. Functionality is not a priority: thinness and lightness are.

 

[thesaint024]

I've tried to get some time in with the 16 at the apple store and have watched and read reviews. It's hard to tell how good the sound quality is in a busy apple store, but the speakers still sound tinny, like inferior laptop speakers. Perhaps others are less discerning. The 15's speakers are noticeably quieter, that's for sure, but if the 16 speakers are a 4 or 5/10 in quality vs 2 or 3/10 in quality, they still aren't great speakers.

The display looks fine but again it doesn't generate a wow factor on my part, not even at the brightest setting.

I REALLY like the form factor. The keyboard is acceptable, but the lack of key travel is a little off putting.

EVERY accessory I have is either firewire, usb a or lightning. None are compatible with usb c.

The form factor and build quality are great, and I have no reason to dislike the display, but measured against the cost, the 16, while fully functional, is quite embarrassing. As I said earlier, it's got all the imagination of a group of lazy middle school students working at the very last minute on a science/tech project and decided to crib 95% of the design from the 12" macbook.

Apple could have and should have done better with a year and a half and all of the resources of the largest company in the world in updating their laptop.

Their MO is becoming all too predictable: lighter, smaller, wireless and MAX PROFIT. Functionality is a distant fourth in their scheme of priorities.

And really there is no excuse for rb's rhetorical style. It comes off as juvenile and goofy. If anything, I am far more inclined to dismiss his posts as rants of a wanna be bully than anything constructive or useful for a prospective buyer.
[doublepost=1483311745][/doublepost]

I don't hate the keyboard but the keys bottom out harshly; no more soft landing like the 15 keys. Functionality is not a priority: thinness and lightness are.

Clearly YMMV and your points are well taken. But the speakers are incredible relatively speaking. I am a bit of an audiophile with home and car stereo equipment. Of course a laptop doesn't compare but compared to prior models and PC's and monitor speakers I've used, these are objectively outstanding. I'll use my home speakers for music or theater but it's pretty nice when I HAVE to use the built in speakers. I am blown away compared to what I'm used to in a laptop. I am not as visually sensitive so on the display, I only see that it's brighter. The old retina was pretty sharp already.

Form factor is exceptional. Not only size but balance and detailed. I wouldn't expect less from a MBP, so it wasn't a surprise there. I know keyboard is polarizing but I really like it because of the feedback. Solid click and no mush (or soft landing as you describe it). This is personal though.

As far as Apple's MO, it's what people want. We may be more used to tech but most people want aesthetic appliances, not computers that look nice. It's what Apple has always done, people/interface first, tech second. Since computers are all pretty close these days, Apple's design and detail is what sets it apart. For a laptop, I want the thinnest lightest portable computer that does what I want. Unfortunately this leaves some hardcore tech guys behind. Still it's good for Apple, and it's good for me. There is a lot of talk of people leaving Apple now. Needs just don't match their hardware, but to be clear, this is not a "worse" hardware situation, just different. Times change, it's just natural.

The port situation doesn't work for you. Fair enough. The ports will eventually work itself out and maybe you can come along then. And captain is captain.

 

[CaptRB]

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!

The good news is that when the haters go on a repetitive tirades, it also exposes them clearly to anyone listening. So it's all good!


R.

 

[Meister]

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.

I am not a protog.
I know some protogs and they use cameras with sd cards only.
I'm aware that some still use cf and also xqd.

I have a macbook for compatability with peripherals.
The devices connected change all the time.
I'd have to carry around adapters and dongles.
I'm not going to do that.

The new macbook is a very nice laptop, as expected from apple, but I'm going to sit this one out until usb-c is standard.

The lack of magsafe sucks.

 

[CaptRB]

As for the speakers...I am a heavy-duty audiophile with things like Merlin speakers and Manley tube amps and crazy money spent on cables and such.

So of course the speakers sound tinny! There's a few laws of physics working against them, even if the whole case was empty! But relative to the previous sound we had, these new speakers play with less distortion, greater clarity and fidelity and volume. Within the limits of what can be done in such a tiny space, they're pretty good and better than most.

Obviously if you want truly good sound, it's going to take a LOT more money than you paid for your laptop. Yeah, I'm "that" audio snob guy!


R.

 

[azpekt]

No. Stop worrying and enjoy your 2015 MacBook.

 

[blindpacemaker]

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.

All good points, thank you.
[doublepost=1483319455][/doublepost]

No. Stop worrying and enjoy your 2015 MacBook.

I know, I feel quite stupid worrying about it considering I've still got such an awesome machine. I guess it's mainly due to the fact that buying a new computer is, for me, nearly 1/2 the cost of buying a car lol (I buy second hand) so I tend to stress too much about it. I still miss my MB Air, I had it upgraded so it had 8gb of RAM and it was perfect! I got quoted a price of £469 by apple to repair it (logic board), but now I have a new MBP I might take it to those people who offer to repair the logic board for £100. Even if they mess it up it's cost me £100 instead of £469, and if they don't I'll have 2 awesome laptops.

 

[doitdada]

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.

I just put in an order for the 2015 mid 2.2 baseline rMBP. I like to a have single computer and as few dongles with me as possible. Now I have a MacBook and a Mac Pro, and I can't really decide which one I like the most. I am willing to make a compromise, but I want to escape the hassle of maintaining two different computers by replacing them with something that has a little bit of both. I connect my old USB drives and devices to the Mac Pro and keep my MacBook wireless.

Before I start my rant, I want to point out that if you are a decent photographer, you will have a guy doing all your post processing (Hunters aren't cooks), so let's skip discussions regarding future proofing and the lack of computing power or revenue streams. I think the biggest change in the new MacBook Pro line is the 200 grams lighter chassis, and the touch bar. If you look at the iPhone 6S and the 7, we got 3D touch and a little more weight added. 3D touch has never made it's way into blockbuster games for iOS or pioneered a following within the UI scene. The two ways of doing stuff on my iPhone 7, either the legacy way of holding down a button or using menus, versus 3D touch gestures, have left me in doubt if the addition really was a feature or a marketing trick to make us believe "something new" has happened.

Touch bar is a bit different. Keyboard shortcuts has always been something that Pros have had in their fingertips. From photographers to programmers, any driven Pro will know their cmd+alt+shift shortcuts, so the touch bar is a great for fresh users who don't yet know their keyboard shortcuts. The biggest advantage must be the swiping through videos, but again, this is a very direct use case for video editors or people who are making animated GIFs out of Youtube movies for their social media profile.

USB C 3.1 is also quite fresh. I have yet to see working, standardised and well-reviewed products that have made it's way into the mainstream. The iPhone 7, released a year and a half after Apples first USB C MacBook, is still sold with a legacy USB cable. At the moment there is no audience buying into the USB C game. Only 5 USB C external HDDs are offered by the leading computer outlet in Norway, Komplett.no, out of 131 external HDDs. I have owned a MacBook with USB C for almost two years and the only USB C products I have bought have been adapters and dongles to attach legacy USB peripherals.

I think the obsession for "pure innovation" rather than evolution is hurting Apple. Instead of just adding more pixels to a screen and calling it a retina display, which is evolution, they are trying to reinvent the wheel. Is the touch bar faster and more effective than function keys and shortcuts or is it just another bright idea which should have been tossed in the trash can?

 

[Ethosik]

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 logo I assume that you can live with it

I agree. For $2,500 average for these computers, you buy for as much future proofing as possible.

 

[doitdada]

I agree. For $2,500 average for these computers, you buy for as much future proofing as possible.

Future proofing. It's like not buying a skate board, because you are waiting for the hover board.

 

[Ethosik]

Future proofing. It's like not buying a skate board, because you are waiting for the hover board.

I think in a few years, people will be wishing their laptops had USB-C. I think it will take off, and FAST. Back when USB 3 was just coming out, there was a cheaper laptop that only had USB 2. I regret not spending a little bit more on the model that had USB 3.

 

[blindpacemaker]

I think in a few years, people will be wishing their laptops had USB-C. I think it will take off, and FAST. Back when USB 3 was just coming out, there was a cheaper laptop that only had USB 2. I regret not spending a little bit more on the model that had USB 3.

Thing is though, most people don't replace their laptop every year so it won't be within 1-2 years. The majority of people in 2019 will probably still own laptops that don't have a usb-3 port just because they won't have upgraded it yet, so it's not like in 2 years _everything_ will be made for usb-c.

 

[CaptRB]

I just put in an order for the 2015 mid 2.2 baseline rMBP. I like to a have single computer and as few dongles with me as possible. Now I have a MacBook and a Mac Pro, and I can't really decide which one I like the most. I am willing to make a compromise, but I want to escape the hassle of maintaining two different computers by replacing them with something that has a little bit of both. I connect my old USB drives and devices to the Mac Pro and keep my MacBook wireless.

Before I start my rant, I want to point out that if you are a decent photographer, you will have a guy doing all your post processing (Hunters aren't cooks), so let's skip discussions regarding future proofing and the lack of computing power or revenue streams. I think the biggest change in the new MacBook Pro line is the 200 grams lighter chassis, and the touch bar. If you look at the iPhone 6S and the 7, we got 3D touch and a little more weight added. 3D touch has never made it's way into blockbuster games for iOS or pioneered a following within the UI scene. The two ways of doing stuff on my iPhone 7, either the legacy way of holding down a button or using menus, versus 3D touch gestures, have left me in doubt if the addition really was a feature or a marketing trick to make us believe "something new" has happened.

Touch bar is a bit different. Keyboard shortcuts has always been something that Pros have had in their fingertips. From photographers to programmers, any driven Pro will know their cmd+alt+shift shortcuts, so the touch bar is a great for fresh users who don't yet know their keyboard shortcuts. The biggest advantage must be the swiping through videos, but again, this is a very direct use case for video editors or people who are making animated GIFs out of Youtube movies for their social media profile.

USB C 3.1 is also quite fresh. I have yet to see working, standardised and well-reviewed products that have made it's way into the mainstream. The iPhone 7, released a year and a half after Apples first USB C MacBook, is still sold with a legacy USB cable. At the moment there is no audience buying into the USB C game. Only 5 USB C external HDDs are offered by the leading computer outlet in Norway, Komplett.no, out of 131 external HDDs. I have owned a MacBook with USB C for almost two years and the only USB C products I have bought have been adapters and dongles to attach legacy USB peripherals.

I think the obsession for "pure innovation" rather than evolution is hurting Apple. Instead of just adding more pixels to a screen and calling it a retina display, which is evolution, they are trying to reinvent the wheel. Is the touch bar faster and more effective than function keys and shortcuts or is it just another bright idea which should have been tossed in the trash can?

It doesn't help your rant when you make a statement that is 100% false.

No pro shooters let anyone PP their work. NONE. I know plenty of wedding shooters, over a dozen still life catalogue shooters (like me) and several of the better sports shooters out there. My close friend shoots for companies like Bloomingdales and Tiffany. I know people who hire people to do post in volume, but they oversee and usually create the initial PP file in a series.

You simply don't know what you're talking about at all.

We all do our own post. No one would dare do otherwise. I'm a professional working photographer and I use cameras and lenses that cost more than the average persons car. I can state, without any qualification, that the new tMBP (and the previous MBP as well) is a fabulous tool for the professional photographer. It beats my 2015 15" because of the better screen and keyboard (mainly the screen) when used in the field.

So when you compare a photographer to a hunter (and many are skilled cooks who eat what they kill), you basically derail your entire rant. I don't have any USB devices that don't work perfectly with these new machines. Nothing about the new machines has had a negative impact on my workflow.

I'd like to hear ANY pro photographer explain how the new tMBP is hurting their workflow and PLEASE show us a sample of what you sell so that we know you're for real.


Thanks!


Robert

 

[doitdada]

Thing is though, most people don't replace their laptop every year so it won't be within 1-2 years. The majority of people in 2019 will probably still own laptops that don't have a usb-3 port just because they won't have upgraded it yet, so it's not like in 2 years _everything_ will be made for usb-c.

In the soon to be two years of USB C there is no steady market for the standard yet. Most CPUs skip performance boosts in order to make devices thinner, cooler and more efficient. It's too sad the battery power in the rMBP 2016 still suffers even though a new architecture has found it's way into the current generation. If you want bleeding edge, you have to go to the Dell XPS 15. The battery is not as strong as the rMBP 2015, but the power of Kaby Lake and Nvidia 1050 GTX is still lucrative for users who prefer power over battery life.

No pro shooters let anyone PP their work. NONE. I know plenty of wedding shooters, over a dozen still life catalogue shooters (like me) and several of the better sports shooters out there. My close friend shoots for companies like Bloomingdales and Tiffany. I know people who hire people to do post in volume, but they oversee and usually create the initial PP file in a series.

I believe you, but the IKEA catalog is in fact not even photographs anymore. They tried to use real photographs after moving to CGI, but the feedback was negative, and the next year they went back to 3D modeling. My comment was not targeting wedding snappers. I don't even consider them photographers. If you do the entire process yourself, you are no longer a photographer. You provide a wide range of services rather than framing the world to your taste. The same goes for catalog people. They work in marketing, not photography, even though they have Hasselblad or Leica S.

Professional photographer here. 10 years with a retail portrait studio and now doing real estate photography. I have never let someone else edit one of my images. I do know some large, high volume studios do have in house editors but majority of professional photographers I know absolutely do their own post processing.

Because it is cheaper, faster and more convenient for the people who sell real estate to bill a single individual.

 

[blindpacemaker]

In the soon to be two years of USB C there is no steady market for the standard yet. Most CPUs skip performance boosts in order to make devices thinner, cooler and more efficient. It's too sad the battery power in the rMBP 2016 still suffers even though a new architecture has found it's way into the current generation. If you want bleeding edge, you have to go to the Dell XPS 15. The battery is not as strong as the rMBP 2015, but the power of Kaby Lake and Nvidia 1050 GTX is still lucrative for users who prefer power over battery life.

Nah, windows is so inferior to mac OS that it's the main reason I buy Macs. If apple were to allow other companies to put the mac OS on their machines, I would definitely look at other options, but until that point (or until I'm broke) I'll stick with my macbook pro =)

 

[Carilyn]

Professional photographer here. 10 years with a retail portrait studio and now doing real estate photography. I have never let someone else edit one of my images. I do know some large, high volume studios do have in house editors but majority of professional photographers I know absolutely do their own post processing.

 

[MrGuder]

I just put in an order for the 2015 mid 2.2 baseline rMBP. I like to a have single computer and as few dongles with me as possible. Now I have a MacBook and a Mac Pro, and I can't really decide which one I like the most. I am willing to make a compromise, but I want to escape the hassle of maintaining two different computers by replacing them with something that has a little bit of both. I connect my old USB drives and devices to the Mac Pro and keep my MacBook wireless.

Before I start my rant, I want to point out that if you are a decent photographer, you will have a guy doing all your post processing (Hunters aren't cooks), so let's skip discussions regarding future proofing and the lack of computing power or revenue streams. I think the biggest change in the new MacBook Pro line is the 200 grams lighter chassis, and the touch bar. If you look at the iPhone 6S and the 7, we got 3D touch and a little more weight added. 3D touch has never made it's way into blockbuster games for iOS or pioneered a following within the UI scene. The two ways of doing stuff on my iPhone 7, either the legacy way of holding down a button or using menus, versus 3D touch gestures, have left me in doubt if the addition really was a feature or a marketing trick to make us believe "something new" has happened.

Touch bar is a bit different. Keyboard shortcuts has always been something that Pros have had in their fingertips. From photographers to programmers, any driven Pro will know their cmd+alt+shift shortcuts, so the touch bar is a great for fresh users who don't yet know their keyboard shortcuts. The biggest advantage must be the swiping through videos, but again, this is a very direct use case for video editors or people who are making animated GIFs out of Youtube movies for their social media profile.

USB C 3.1 is also quite fresh. I have yet to see working, standardised and well-reviewed products that have made it's way into the mainstream. The iPhone 7, released a year and a half after Apples first USB C MacBook, is still sold with a legacy USB cable. At the moment there is no audience buying into the USB C game. Only 5 USB C external HDDs are offered by the leading computer outlet in Norway, Komplett.no, out of 131 external HDDs. I have owned a MacBook with USB C for almost two years and the only USB C products I have bought have been adapters and dongles to attach legacy USB peripherals.

I think the obsession for "pure innovation" rather than evolution is hurting Apple. Instead of just adding more pixels to a screen and calling it a retina display, which is evolution, they are trying to reinvent the wheel. Is the touch bar faster and more effective than function keys and shortcuts or is it just another bright idea which should have been tossed in the trash can?

Slightly off topic but the one thing I hate about my 6s is the weight they added with 3D Touch haptic bar they added. I came from a iPhone 5 and the weight of the 6s is a lot and I'm looking forward to a new design in the 8 hopefully with less weight. I hardly ever use the 3D Touch.

On topic, I decided to return my 2015 MacBook Pro 15" since I was still in the holiday period. After going to Best Buy to try the 2016 MacBook Pro 15" I really liked the touch bar and the space gray and the lighter and smaller footprint and Touch ID sounds great love it on my iPhone also the screen looked better colors and clarity at higher brightness levels. So we will see how the battery fairs. I wasn't crazy about MagSafe and it was one the wrong side for my home set up and the glowing logo was not that big of a deal for me.

 

[doitdada]

On topic, I decided to return my 2015 MacBook Pro 15" since I was still in the holiday period. After going to Best Buy to try the 2016 MacBook Pro 15" I really liked the touch bar and the space gray and the lighter and smaller footprint and Touch ID sounds great.

Did you buy the new 2016?

Do you think the weight loss and smaller footprint was worth it? Replacing passwords with touchid, would also be nice.

Geekbench indicates small performance gains over the 2015 version
https://browser.primatelabs.com/v4/cpu/compare/1504293?baseline=1503356

 

[thesaint024]

Did you buy the new 2016?

Do you think the weight loss and smaller footprint was worth it? Replacing passwords with touchid, would also be nice.

Geekbench indicates small performance gains over the 2015 version
https://browser.primatelabs.com/v4/cpu/compare/1504293?baseline=1503356

Don't buy for massive chip gains. Chip tech isn't improving that fast for the past several years. Depending on how you use it, SSD speeds are significant. Booting, wake, app loading is faster. It's just a nice machine with real usage improvements. Manage your expectations over a one year old model.

 

[doitdada]

Don't buy for massive chip gains. Chip tech isn't improving that fast for the past several years. Depending on how you use it, SSD speeds are significant. Booting, wake, app loading is faster. It's just a nice machine with real usage improvements. Manage your expectations over a one year old model.

SSD speed was mid 2015s bump as well. It's not just a one year model upgrade, it is supposed to be a new machine, the touch bar and all that. The design on the 2015 look dated for sure and it surely is fat compared to the new generation. May buy 2015 and jump on board Kaby Lake or the next gen after that. I have a MacBook with 1.2GHz and 512GB. It's sufficient for portable usage, but I would love to have a single computer instead of two. I hate having some files on A, then some on B. Cloud storage isn't reliable without a dedicated sim-card slot to get rid of wires, routers and external HDDs.