Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

digitalbreak

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 3, 2016
161
124
I currently have a late 2013 MBP with 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM and 256GB. I use it as my personal laptop browsing the internet (chrome), watching movies and doing light weight web development with node, npm and Visual Studio Code.

Now, I am looking to go all ultra-portable and so far I like the Macbook 2016 M5 model and was wondering if this will be downgrade or with the SkyLake Core M5 with powerful SSDs make a difference?

Also, how does it compare to the Macbook 13" 2.0GHz i5 with 8GB!? This is the non-Touch Bar version. Guess this will be significantly faster than my current MBP - right?

Thanks!
 
My guess is it would feel slower than your current machine. I've just upgraded to the M5 from a 2013 MBA i7 and it feels slightly slower than that at times. They actually benchmark very close together, but the MBA was pushing less pixels around. Switching displays using Mission Control is very jerky, where it was very smooth on the MBA.

For it's size though, it's an incredible piece of kit!
 
I currently have a late 2013 MBP with 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM and 256GB. I use it as my personal laptop browsing the internet (chrome), watching movies and doing light weight web development with node, npm and Visual Studio Code.

Now, I am looking to go all ultra-portable and so far I like the Macbook 2016 M5 model and was wondering if this will be downgrade or with the SkyLake Core M5 with powerful SSDs make a difference?

Also, how does it compare to the Macbook 13" 2.0GHz i5 with 8GB!? This is the non-Touch Bar version. Guess this will be significantly faster than my current MBP - right?

Thanks!
See my post here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macbook-vs-macbook-pro-help-me-decide.2015565/#post-23933989
 
  • Like
Reactions: digitalbreak
My guess is it would feel slower than your current machine. I've just upgraded to the M5 from a 2013 MBA i7 and it feels slightly slower than that at times. They actually benchmark very close together, but the MBA was pushing less pixels around. Switching displays using Mission Control is very jerky, where it was very smooth on the MBA.

For it's size though, it's an incredible piece of kit!

Where exactly you find it slow? Any specific operation or just in general?
 
I gave one example, when using a 3-finger swipe to switch desktops using Mission Control. This is where I notice it the most as I do this quite a lot! Most of the time it's perfectly fine in other areas, although occasionally it won't feel as smooth (scrolling in Safari as another example)
 
  • Like
Reactions: digitalbreak
I have the late 2013 rMBP 15 i7. I thought about upgrading to the latest model but didn't really pull the trigger. It is still super fast. I am getting good geekbench score. single:3937 Multi:13033. I also have the 2016 M5 rMB. It is good but still no where near the 2013 rMBP performance. I think, you should be fine with what you have. I know... I know.. you feel like upgrade.. I did too..
 
This doesn't answer your question but it may answer others that come here.

"Upgraded" from a Late 2011 15" i7 2ghz MBP with 4gb RAM to 2016 M3 rMB with 8Gb RAM, this machine, while having an obvious smaller screen, is much faster. Most likely due to RAM and SSD drive. Given the screen resolution and the fact I still have decent eyes at 53, the screen is better too, just smaller, but given the overall size and WEIGHT difference, it is worth it!
 
I currently have a late 2013 MBP with 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM and 256GB. I use it as my personal laptop browsing the internet (chrome), watching movies and doing light weight web development with node, npm and Visual Studio Code.

Now, I am looking to go all ultra-portable and so far I like the Macbook 2016 M5 model and was wondering if this will be downgrade or with the SkyLake Core M5 with powerful SSDs make a difference?

Also, how does it compare to the Macbook 13" 2.0GHz i5 with 8GB!? This is the non-Touch Bar version. Guess this will be significantly faster than my current MBP - right?

Thanks!
I had this same 2013 MBP. I debated the 2016 MacBook versus the non-touchbar MBP.

Brought home the 2.0GHz non-touchbar MBP. Love it. Much smoother at everything compared with the 2013 MBP. SSD is super fast. Sierra's UI is silky smooth. Battery life so far is great (though I've only owned the machine 24 hrs).
 
  • Like
Reactions: digitalbreak
This doesn't answer your question but it may answer others that come here.

"Upgraded" from a Late 2011 15" i7 2ghz MBP with 4gb RAM to 2016 M3 rMB with 8Gb RAM, this machine, while having an obvious smaller screen, is much faster. Most likely due to RAM and SSD drive. Given the screen resolution and the fact I still have decent eyes at 53, the screen is better too, just smaller, but given the overall size and WEIGHT difference, it is worth it!

Did you have your Late 2011 with AMD 6770m? I have the 2.4GHz model with 6770m, upgraded it to 16Gb and 256GB SSD. Did you upgrade that old machine to SSD?
 
Did you have your Late 2011 with AMD 6770m? I have the 2.4GHz model with 6770m, upgraded it to 16Gb and 256GB SSD. Did you upgrade that old machine to SSD?

No, I kept as purchased and no longer have it. Wiped off the HD reinstalled Sierra and sold it to the neighbor kid who wanted it as a desktop. I really value portability and the old MBP wasn't really portable enough.
 
No, I kept as purchased and no longer have it. Wiped off the HD reinstalled Sierra and sold it to the neighbor kid who wanted it as a desktop. I really value portability and the old MBP wasn't really portable enough.

In its day, and even today, it is remarkable, but compared to Apple's own offerings, this is simply fat now. :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zazoh
I have the same rMBP. I have looked at the benchmarks for the 2016 m5 MacBook, and they are close to the 2.4 ghz late 2013 13". I believe the MBP still comes in a hair faster, but very close. The faster ssd on the MacBook is probably more significant in every day use.

Basically, i can't see replacing my 3 year old Mac with a brand new one that's essentially the same speed. Even if it's thinner and lighter.
 
I had this same 2013 MBP. I debated the 2016 MacBook versus the non-touchbar MBP.

Brought home the 2.0GHz non-touchbar MBP. Love it. Much smoother at everything compared with the 2013 MBP. SSD is super fast. Sierra's UI is silky smooth. Battery life so far is great (though I've only owned the machine 24 hrs).

Well, picking up the MB
I have the same rMBP. I have looked at the benchmarks for the 2016 m5 MacBook, and they are close to the 2.4 ghz late 2013 13". I believe the MBP still comes in a hair faster, but very close. The faster ssd on the MacBook is probably more significant in every day use.

Basically, i can't see replacing my 3 year old Mac with a brand new one that's essentially the same speed. Even if it's thinner and lighter.

To me, from what I am hearing/seeing, the faster SSDs tied with the processor is tad faster than the 2013 i5 2.4GHz MBP.

Ultimately it comes to portability and the rMB beats the hell out of rMBP for that. Of course, this is taking into consideration that you will not need to do high image/video editing/processing, just normal ones.
 
This doesn't answer your question but it may answer others that come here.

"Upgraded" from a Late 2011 15" i7 2ghz MBP with 4gb RAM to 2016 M3 rMB with 8Gb RAM, this machine, while having an obvious smaller screen, is much faster. Most likely due to RAM and SSD drive. Given the screen resolution and the fact I still have decent eyes at 53, the screen is better too, just smaller, but given the overall size and WEIGHT difference, it is worth it!
I am on the fence between buying a 2016 rMB with the M3 OR the new non-touchbar MacBook Pro. I'll be upgrading from an early 2011 13" MBP so I think either will impress me. I take my mac to work every day and use it mostly for internet browsing, word processing, streaming video, spotify, iTunes, and an occasional light edit on Final Cut X. The new MBP feels more "substantial" than the rMB but maybe that's because the smaller footprint of the 12" requires an adjustment. I also worry about how "future proof" the 12" is versus the new MBP. But you seem to love yours which gives me confidence...plus, the rMB is cheaper! Played with both at the Apple Store and can not make up my mind. But definitely going Space Gray either way!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zazoh
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.