Macbook 12 - Advice Needed !!!

[gsusx]

Hi Guys, Was wondering if someone could help. I have three possible choices for buying a 12" Macbook to replace my macbook air.

Original baseline spec 2015 1.1ghz 256gb - £759

Macbook 2015 1.2ghz 512GB - £999

MAcbook Baseline m3 1.1ghz 2016 - £945

I am mainly using this for web browsing, word docs and using it for rdp into my works network (thats the main one otherwise id probably buy an ipad) I want it to commute but am gonna buy a hub for home use and hook it up to my 32" monitor here.

What do you guys think ???

 

[bjet767]

Not to complain, but if you would search this forum there are more than one thread with the advice you seek. It will save save a whole lot of waiting for responses.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Hi Guys, Was wondering if someone could help. I have three possible choices for buying a 12" Macbook to replace my macbook air.

Original baseline spec 2015 1.1ghz 256gb - £759

Macbook 2015 1.2ghz 512GB - £999

MAcbook Baseline m3 1.1ghz 2016 - £945

I am mainly using this for web browsing, word docs and using it for rdp into my works network (thats the main one otherwise id probably buy an ipad) I want it to commute but am gonna buy a hub for home use and hook it up to my 32" monitor here.

What do you guys think ???

I'd go for the m3 personally. Has the best CPU.

 

[deeddawg]

I'd go for the m3 personally. Has the best CPU.

I'd love to know how the m3 CPU would make nearly £200 difference in the following tasks... A little more snappiness is a fine thing of course, but not worth paying 25% more to achieve.

I am mainly using this for web browsing, word docs and using it for rdp into my works network

@gsusx Given your claimed usage, the 2015 1.1GHz should get the job done just fine.

Make sure you can drive your monitor at the resolution and refresh you want. Search here for people's experiences and successes.

.. and as @bjet767 mentions, you are following on the heels of many others asking very similar questions. To gain the benefit of people's wisdom who may not feel like typing out their thoughts time after time after time after time after time, searching for and reading the other threads can be a benefit to you.

 

[keysofanxiety]

I'd love to know how the m3 CPU would make nearly £200 difference in the following tasks... A little more snappiness is a fine thing of course, but not worth paying 25% more to achieve.

Well let's see what you get with the 2016 m3 model over the 2015 1.2GHz (which is the one I was comparing it to). Only drawback is half the storage.

1) The CPU is 20% more powerful.
2) Better graphics performance.
3) Faster RAM speed.
4) Better battery life.

So I'd say that's worth about the same cash even though you get half the storage. Up to you what's important when making a tradeoff.

If you're comparing the 2016 with the base 1.1 2015 model, the above will still apply (possible exception is CPU may be slightly more powerful than 20%). Up to the OP if they feel the above is worth £200 extra.

 

[mlovergaard]

I agree with @deeddawg, for your needs it seems as if the base 1.1 will be enough. But you don't mention anything about storage, do you need to store a lot of files? Because in that case you might want to consider the 1.2 512gb version.

 

[gsusx]

Ahhh thanks guys and sorry for reposting old stuff, didnt mean to .... storage wise i would love 512 but 256 is more than enough i currently have an MBA with 128gb and that has windows 10 on it as well. A lot of my files are stored in the cloud.

what to do what to do !!!!!

 

[deeddawg]

storage wise i would love 512 but 256 is more than enough

No worries on the post, mostly I mention it so you can find more information beyond what may be discussed in this thread.
Only you can really decide if the convenience of the extra storage is worth the additional cost.

In my case I had a 256GB Air and it got a little cramped at times. Nothing I couldn't work around, but enough to be annoying at times. So when I bought my rMB I opted for the 512GB version and couldn't be happier.

Sure, a lot of your stuff is in the cloud -- but it's still quite helpful to have locally synced copies for times when connectivity is limited or unavailable. If you reasonably think you'll find it convenient enough to justify the price, then get it since you cannot expand the capacity later without replacing the machine.

So I'd say that's worth about the same cash even though you get half the storage.

I'll beg to disagree; I don't think you can reasonable contrast different storage configurations. You either need the storage or you don't. Getting less storage than you need is false economy just as it buying more storage than you need. (to deflect the pedants, I'm using "need" loosely to incorporate varying degrees of convenience dependent on the individual)

If you're comparing the 2016 with the base 1.1 2015 model, the above will still apply

I was quite explicit in what I was referencing, and thank you, I'm quite familiar with the specification differences. You didn't answer my question though. Let me restate it in a different way. To what extent do you think web browsing, working with word docs, or using an rdp client is in any substantive way cpu bound, gpu bound, or ram-speed bound?

As for battery life, the 10% extra is helpful only if if you need to run on battery into the sweet spot that is beyond the 2015 model's battery life yet still within the 2016's battery life. If you need is less or more than that sweet spot it matters not.

I ignored the 512GB unit as the OP hadn't mentioned any need for the extra storage. There's no value in having a 512GB SSD if you'd never even get close to filling 256GB. With the new info from the OP, I've now addressed that above.

 

[keysofanxiety]

I'll beg to disagree; I don't think you can reasonable contrast different storage configurations. You either need the storage or you don't. Getting less storage than you need is false economy just as it buying more storage than you need. (to deflect the pedants, I'm using "need" loosely to incorporate varying degrees of convenience dependent on the individual)


I was quite explicit in what I was referencing, and thank you, I'm quite familiar with the specification differences. You didn't answer my question though. Let me restate it in a different way. To what extent do you think web browsing, working with word docs, or using an rdp client is in any substantive way cpu bound, gpu bound, or ram-speed bound?

As for battery life, the 10% extra is helpful only if if you need to run on battery into the sweet spot that is beyond the 2015 model's battery life yet still within the 2016's battery life. If you need is less or more than that sweet spot it matters not.

I ignored the 512GB unit as the OP hadn't mentioned any need for the extra storage. There's no value in having a 512GB SSD if you'd never even get close to filling 256GB. With the new info from the OP, I've now addressed that above.

OK, a bit of an impassioned reply… sorry if anything I said came across as patronising. It certainly wasn't intended that way.

Regardless, my apologies if it seemed as though I was imposing my own choice upon the OP. Ultimately the OP wanted buyer's advice and I think we've all given them arguments for either side. They will likely be able to make a decision from here after considering everybody's input. That's the main thing.

 

[gsusx]

thanks all, really appreciate the help.

I went for the 2015 baseline model, if it's no good i'll send it back, im hoping it will be fine though. i think it should be (although i now have buyers remorse and am thinking i should have just put my hand in my pocket !!!!)

 

[deeddawg]

Regardless, my apologies if it seemed as though I was imposing my own choice upon the OP. Ultimately the OP wanted buyer's advice and I think we've all given them arguments for either side. They will likely be able to make a decision from here after considering everybody's input. That's the main thing.

No worries. My main intent at persuing the point was to bring out usable information for the OP to work with in making his decision.

I completely agree that the 2016 models have higher specs to the 2015 models, and that is further amplified as one ratchets up to the high processors.

The trick is then to translate those specs into what makes a meaningful difference in the individual's usage needs.

@gsusx -- good point - for what you stated you'll use it for the base 2015 should be fine. I use my 2015 1.2 frequently with photo related apps and it powers through them surprisingly well. No it's no macbook pro powerhouse but it really gets the job done well and I don't feel it is at all lacking for what I need it to do.

For your stated usage I really doubt you'd notice a difference against the 2016 m3 model unless you set one side by side with your 2015 1.1GHz.

As you wisely noted, you can try it out for a few days and run it through its paces to ensure it meets you needs, swapping it out for the higher spec version if it does not.

 

[gsusx]

thanks again for all the input.... i just think that the £200 ($260) price difference for a new model isnt maybe worth it, a large part of me is still really toying with the 512gb model purely because id be able to fit all my mp3's on there, gonna wait and see, really excited though thanks again all ....

 

[gtjeta]

Hi Guys, Was wondering if someone could help. I have three possible choices for buying a 12" Macbook to replace my macbook air.

Original baseline spec 2015 1.1ghz 256gb - £759

Macbook 2015 1.2ghz 512GB - £999

MAcbook Baseline m3 1.1ghz 2016 - £945

I am mainly using this for web browsing, word docs and using it for rdp into my works network (thats the main one otherwise id probably buy an ipad) I want it to commute but am gonna buy a hub for home use and hook it up to my 32" monitor here.

What do you guys think ???

You may use an iPad for RDP. You may use many quite good programs for it, specifically jump desktop comes with support for a pair of mouses (swiftpoint gt and Citrix x1).

 

[SteveJUAE]

thanks all, really appreciate the help.

I went for the 2015 baseline model, if it's no good i'll send it back, im hoping it will be fine though. i think it should be (although i now have buyers remorse and am thinking i should have just put my hand in my pocket !!!!)

I would of opted for the 2016 model simply as many are finding their battery life is dropping off faster than anticipated, with the 2016 model you have a 10% advantage which may pay dividends over the longer term.

Alternatively with AppleCare you could consider it's more likely the 2015 model would reach the battery replacement threshold in the 3 year period than the 2016

 

[mtneer]

If you have the MBA, why are you even considering buying the rMB?

 

[deeddawg]

If you have the MBA, why are you even considering buying the rMB?

There are lots of possible reasons.

In my case, my 2011 MBA battery life had dropped off substantially, its 256GB SSD was getting a bit tight on space, and I was looking for faster USB than its USB2.0 capability. I priced out battery replacement and an SSD upgrade and was within $200 or so of the net cost of buying an openbox 2015 1.2Ghz rMB and selling my MBA. Size, weight, USB, and memory improvements together were well worth the net cost.