Macbook Pro 2017 13" NTB vs TB

[doopie2you]

Hello everybody,

I am interested in buying a new Macbook Pro. I aready decided that i want a new 2017 model and even though i don't use it for heavy tasks, i would like to buy a model that is future proof. Now i have already read different topics about the difference between the two models but i still got one question.

In what way is the Pro TB CPU faster? I mean the NTB has a CPU that needs to boost when your Macbook is running heavy tasks. Doesn't this create throtling (not sure what that is exactly, i read on different forums). Isn't a higher base clock speed on the TB model beter for allround performance? Because it always has 3.1 Ghz?

I think my main question is, wouldn't a CPU with higher base clock be better suited for a future proof Macbook? Is it possible that the turbo CPU's become slow over time? Because they need to work at 110% most of the time?

I don't know the specifics of CPU's and stuff, but i want to spend my money as best as possible. And if that means spending more for a TB so i have a more future proof CPU, then i am fine with that.

Anyway, hopefully somebody can help me.

 

[PieTunes]

A bit more info would probably be better for people to try and help you out. What's your definition of "future proofing" yourself, how long do you plan to keep it before buying a new one? What would you be using the machine for? What sort of daily workload will you be using it for? Will it be a primary machine or a secondary machine you use less often than your desktop? Etc.

 

[doopie2you]

A bit more info would probably be better for people to try and help you out. What's your definition of "future proofing" yourself, how long do you plan to keep it before buying a new one? What would you be using the machine for? What sort of daily workload will you be using it for? Will it be a primary machine or a secondary machine you use less often than your desktop? Etc.

I'm sorry;

I use it as my main Macbook. I have an iPad Pro to take notes at school. I use Word alot, surf the web allot. Sometimes play videogames (Age of Empires) and after holidays i use Final cut pro to make videos and use Lightroom to photoshop pictures.

I don't need a powerhouse i think. But i would like my Macbook to be fast for at least 5 to 6 years.

Sometimes i would also like to take my Macbook to school. But a bit more weight doesn't concern me that much. Battery life i prefer.

 

[PieTunes]

I would lean towards the TB model. The extra 300 bucks gives you an upgraded processor, the touch bar (which while not the best right now, imagine the apps and capabilities developers could use it for down the road), an extra pair of TB3 ports, etc. The two things more critical in terms of the long term viability of the machine for your use case would be considerations for the storage and RAM. Would the base 8GB and 256GB be enough for your needs five years down the road?

 

[doopie2you]

I would lean towards the TB model. The extra 300 bucks gives you an upgraded processor, the touch bar (which while not the best right now, imagine the apps and capabilities developers could use it for down the road), an extra pair of TB3 ports, etc. The two things more critical in terms of the long term viability of the machine for your use case would be considerations for the storage and RAM. Would the base 8GB and 256GB be enough for your needs five years down the road?

Dear Pietunes,

256gb would be sufficient, i store all my personal data in the iCloud (50gb) and got 40gb worth of programs.

I surely want 16gb. At this moment when i perform heavy task i use 7gb of ram. But it can't hurt to make it future proof with 16gb ram.

So if i understand it correctly the CPU of the TB is beter then the NTB? And the difference could be noticable in the future when programs become heavier?

I ask this because I read on forums that the difference between the NTB en TB CPU amounts for about 10% beter performance. And because i don't care about the touch bar and extra ports. My main concern is to spend 300 bucks on a CPU that is only 10% beter.

In that case i would rather save some more money and buy the 15" Pro with the Quad core. That one is a hell of alot faster.

Anyway thanks for the advice! It is really helpfull. Hopefully you can answers my other questions as well.

 

[PieTunes]

I'm not sure how you mean you could save money by going to the 15". The base 15" is $2399 and the 13" touch bar model upgraded to 16GB RAM is $1999? This does bring up a point though. Are you looking to "future proof" yourself, regardless of price and notebook size because I thought you were just considering the 13" models only? Or do you have a specific budget in mind that you plan to spend, trying to find the best bang for your buck?

 

[doopie2you]

I'm not sure how you mean you could save money by going to the 15". The base 15" is $2399 and the 13" touch bar model upgraded to 16GB RAM is $1999? This does bring up a point though. Are you looking to "future proof" yourself, regardless of price and notebook size because I thought you were just considering the 13" models only? Or do you have a specific budget in mind that you plan to spend, trying to find the best bang for your buck?

No i mean, i would save up some more money. So i have more money. I prefer the 13". But if the 15" would be future proof 100% then I would prefer that.

 

[Beau10]

There's been dozens on threads like this since the '16 first came out.

In short - the nTB is going to work best for most people. It gets significantly better battery life (10% larger battery + and more power efficient CPU yields a solid 2-3 extra hours) and it's difficult to put the machine a state where it will throttle unless you're putting sustained load on the CPU and GPU concurrently. If you do have applications where you do - video processing, video games, and things of that nature, the TB is worth looking at.

As far as the TB itself and the extra ports... generally speaking, if you have lots of external peripherals you're best served by an external dock, and the jury still appears to be out on whether or not the TB is a gimmick going on the second revision.

 

[doopie2you]

There's been dozens on threads like this since the '16 first came out.

In short - the nTB is going to work best for most people. It gets significantly better battery life (10% larger battery + and more power efficient CPU yields a solid 2-3 extra hours) and it's difficult to put the machine a state where it will throttle unless you're putting sustained load on the CPU and GPU concurrently. If you do have applications where you do - video processing, video games, and things of that nature, the TB is worth looking at.

As far as the TB itself and the extra ports... generally speaking, if you have lots of external peripherals you're best served by an external dock, and the jury still appears to be out on whether or not the TB is a gimmick going on the second revision.

Thank you Beau10,

I read a lot of those threads. And they all seem to say that for the short term the NTB is great. But i think you answered my question. I would like to use Final Cut Pro after my holiday for multiple hours but also use Safari and Photo's. I think the TB is the beter option then, because you state that with the TB you are less likely to 'throttle'.

I think the 15" is a bit to expensive for what i want to do with it, because the 13" TB would also manage to perform for the next 5 years (unless quantum computers will be reliable next year but hey, who can look into the future?)

Anyway, thanks everybody for you advice!

 

[Beau10]

Thank you Beau10,

I read a lot of those threads. And they all seem to say that for the short term the NTB is great. But i think you answered my question. I would like to use Final Cut Pro after my holiday for multiple hours but also use Safari and Photo's. I think the TB is the beter option then, because you state that with the TB you are less likely to 'throttle'.

I think the 15" is a bit to expensive for what i want to do with it, because the 13" TB would also manage to perform for the next 5 years (unless quantum computers will be reliable next year but hey, who can look into the future?)

Anyway, thanks everybody for you advice!

Not sure what you mean by short term - I strongly feel the NTB is the way to go for the long-haul unless you have sustained video processing needs. What those needs are today will likely be the same 5 years from now, just as they were 5 years ago.

Final Cut Pro, sure that is a relevant use case if. Safari and Photos though - no, that would not have an impact.

 

[ZapNZs]

I'm just throwing this idea out there so it might or might not be of interest.

Have you considered a base model non-touchbar 13-inch and then perhaps in a year or two a refurbished 4k 21-inch iMac? (in some instances the price of both systems are not a whole lot more than buying a 15-inch with a few upgrades.)

This way you could get a MBP for a much cheaper price that meets virtually all your needs, and also get a processing powerhouse that adds on a quad core CPU, a discrete GPU, and RAM that can go all the way up to 32 GB - so it could meet your video editing needs much, much better than the nTB or the TB in the long run. Since it sounds like you do not use FCP nearly as much as other Apps, this way you would have your processing monster for when you do use it (and if you ever find yourself working with 4k...)

One reason I mention this is because the GPU has more recently become the bottleneck with the older MBPs than the CPU. If I was a betting man, I would bet that the GPUs on the MBP are going to probably be the first component to reach a point of obsolescence that may force a system upgrade. For example, the CPUs in the 2012 MBPs are still quite fast even for today - but the GPUs are absolutely ancient and this has resulted in some Users upgrading the system due to such slow GPU performance.