MacBook Pro 2019 13”

[theapplehead]

I’m considering buying a 13” 2019 MBP and I am trying to decide if I should upgrade the processor to an i7 or leave it at an i5. Also, I will be upgrading to 16GB of RAM. I will be primarily using this Mac for Logic Pro X and for school. I’m wondering what other people’s opinions are? Do you recommend bumping up the processor or leaving it as an i5?

As an alternative option, I’m considering buying a 2015 model with a dual core i7 at 3.1 GHz and 16GB of RAM. However, I’m a little concerned the 2015 model won’t have sufficient power to perform well with Logic.

What do you guys think? Should I go with the 2015 or 2019? And if it is the 2019, should I upgrade the processor?

Let me know what y’all think!

 

[currahee2100]

Don't go with old tech... it's just old.
The i5 and the i7 have both the same TDP. i7 just has a higher clock speed. The question is, is it worth the extra $300 to get an extra 600MHz turbo and 200MHz base clock?

Survey says.... no!

 

[theapplehead]

Don't go with old tech... it's just old.
The i5 and the i7 have both the same TDP. i7 just has a higher clock speed. The question is, is it worth the extra $300 to get an extra 600MHz turbo and 200MHz base clock?

Survey says.... no!

Good point. I was kind of thinking the same thing. I probably will get the 2019 i5. Thanks for your feedback

 

[Howard2k]

I have a 2015 dual core i5 and use it for Garageband. I'm just doing simple stuff, perhaps three tracks at the most. Recording it's great, there are no issues at all. It barely nudges the processor.

But if you're doing really complex stuff then it can get hammered really hard.

Ultimately I guess it depends what you're doing in Logic Pro. If you're just messing around with a few instruments tracks it's not that demanding. But if you're adding in a bunch of software instruments and effects it will need to work much harder.

I'm not saying get the 2015, it is old tech. I'm just saying that you should consider what type of work you want to do in Logic Pro. My gut feel is that the i5 2019 is the right one to get, but if it means having to cheap out on a noisy audio interface then maybe not.

 

[currahee2100]

Good point. I was kind of thinking the same thing. I probably will get the 2019 i5. Thanks for your feedback

Np man. Wait around 4th of July.. Best Buy had a sale for the MBPs around Father’s Day and they were at their lowest prices, similar to when i bought my MBP 2018. I don’t remember if they were 2019s or 2018s but it doesn’t hurt to wait.

I got my 2018 i5 512GB for 1399.

I also moved from a Mid 2012 MBP. You will like it
Get a 45W power delivery battery bank and you’ll have all the battery life in the world!

 

[theapplehead]

My only hesitation with the 2019 is that Apple is rumored to release a complete redesign for 2020 and I hate the thought of missing out on that. Then again, since it will be the first iteration, it may have many flaws/glitches like the 2016 model did. Unfortunately there is no way to tell. Do you think that Apple’s potential actions in 2020 should influence whether or not I get a new MBP now rather than wait?

 

[DougFNJ]

My only hesitation with the 2019 is that Apple is rumored to release a complete redesign for 2020 and I hate the thought of missing out on that. Then again, since it will be the first iteration, it may have many flaws/glitches like the 2016 model did. Unfortunately there is no way to tell. Do you think that Apple’s potential actions in 2020 should influence whether or not I get a new MBP now rather than wait?

I always prefer the final version of an older design then the newest version of the new design. I'm sure they test these machines as much as they possibly can, but nothing can substitute actual use case scenarios which is why people complain that first redesigns are typically "beta" models.

 

[Falhófnir]

How desperate are you to upgrade? I'm just thinking for the 13" machines, Intel's chips with Gen 11 graphics (which look like they will be up there with low-mid dedicated graphics like a GTX 1050) should be out within a year - should, though we've heard that before. I'm not confident enough to actually advise waiting, but if graphics performance is something you value, it might be something to bear in mind or look further into?

 

[theapplehead]

I always prefer the final version of an older design then the newest version of the new design. I'm sure they test these machines as much as they possibly can, but nothing can substitute actual use case scenarios which is why people complain that first redesigns are typically "beta" models.

That is true. Apple has perfected the design of this model as much as they possibly can if it is the last, and now they will release a brand new version with many potential issues that we don’t know of yet. Do you think Apple will add in 9th gen processors to this 2019 model later on in the fall or do you think that they probably will not be touching it again?
[doublepost=1560520188][/doublepost]

How desperate are you to upgrade? I'm just thinking for the 13" machines, Intel's chips with Gen 11 graphics (which look like they will be up there with low-mid dedicated graphics like a GTX 1050) should be out within a year - should, though we've heard that before. I'm not confident enough to actually advise waiting, but if graphics performance is something you value, it might be something to bear in mind or look further into?

Unfortunately I do need to get one pretty soon. By end of August at latest. Is it likely that Apple will offer an upgrade GPU and CPU for the 2019 model at a later date? If so, when were you thinking that they may do that?
[doublepost=1560520339][/doublepost]My other concern is if these new MBP’s contain the necessary hardware revisions for Meltdown and Spectre. Does anyone know if they do? If not, how big of a performance hit am I going to be taking?

Thank again to everyone who has given feedback! I really appreciate it!

 

[Falhófnir]

That is true. Apple has perfected the design of this model as much as they possibly can if it is the last, and now they will release a brand new version with many potential issues that we don’t know of yet. Do you think Apple will add in 9th gen processors to this 2019 model later on in the fall or do you think that they probably will not be touching it again?
[doublepost=1560520188][/doublepost]
Unfortunately I do need to get one pretty soon. By end of August at latest. Is it likely that Apple will offer an upgrade GPU and CPU for the 2019 model at a later date? If so, when were you thinking that they may do that?

If you really need to have it in your hands by the start of your school year, then I think you can disregard. It will almost certainly be the 2020 machine or even the 2021 (depending on Intel) - it was just if you could wait and see for the redesign, the 11th gen graphics coming with Ice Lake are meant to be a really big step up from current Iris. Again, though, Intel's record of late of actually getting stuff out and delivering what it says it's going to is pretty poor, so it's difficult to recommend waiting too much longer (and it will almost certainly be at least another year yet). I don't see Apple updating again later in the year (maybe that super high end 16" but nothing that would make you reconsider a current 13"). I would potentially suggest an Apple refurbished 2018 over a 2019 though (same 8th gen chips with a minor MHz bump on the 2019s) and save yourself some cash if possible?

 

[currahee2100]

The intel cpu vulnerabilities can be patched up via firmware update or apple can update MacOS to do software workarounds. Whether Apple does this or not, we don't know. I highly doubt someone's gonna use it to bust through the doors of a casual user. These are all theoretical exploits- meaning researchers found them and is not seen in the wild so far.
I prefer getting the model that's been out for awhile. It's like buying a car- stay away from the first two production years because by the third year they usually have the kinks ironed out. But that is your decision.

I would wait again, around the 4th and see if they have any deals on Macbook pros. If you can get one at a really discounted price, I don't think design will matter much.

 

[theapplehead]

The intel cpu vulnerabilities can be patched up via firmware update or apple can update MacOS to do software workarounds. Whether Apple does this or not, we don't know. I highly doubt someone's gonna use it to bust through the doors of a casual user. These are all theoretical exploits- meaning researchers found them and is not seen in the wild so far.
I prefer getting the model that's been out for awhile. It's like buying a car- stay away from the first two production years because by the third year they usually have the kinks ironed out. But that is your decision.

I would wait again, around the 4th and see if they have any deals on Macbook pros. If you can get one at a really discounted price, I don't think design will matter much.

I’m not so much worried about my computer being compromised, but rather that Apple’s firmware updates will slow the machine significantly. Do you think that is something I should be concerned about or should I not worry about it.