Mid-2015 15" MBP 1TB SSD > still good?

[Cassady]

Hello all,

I am currently using my trusty mid-2012 13" i5 cMBP, that I have upgraded with a 480SSD, and 1TB HDD (Optibay), and 16GB RAM... It still works a charm, but I am already on my 2nd battery, since presumably the system and its 2 HDD/SSDs, draws quite a bit more power than it was intended to...

I am in the academic/teaching sphere. Occasionally create video/pod casts, but mostly do PDF research based work.

I am realising that my mid-2012 MBP won't be too much longer for this earth. As it stands, it's not really something I can take with me on conference/research trips, since it is a constant worry about the battery lasting 2/3 hours max. Fortunately, my iPP 12.9" fills that gap nicely, more often than not.

I currently have the option of purchasing a 5-month old 15" MBP, mid-2015 [the version with the Force Touchpad, and last before they introduced the minimised ports, larger Touchpad, and USB-C], a 1TB SSD [so BTO] and 16GB RAM, for about $1500.00.

My biggest fear is that the moment I look at the new line-up of MBPs, and even start sniffing at a 512GB/1TB SSD, the prices become astronomical...

Were I to take the plunge on the above, I get ample storage, ample RAM, and the 15" form factor...

Thoughts? Is this a good deal, or is there something I am missing?

 

[lcseds]

Good deal? It's a great deal. Apple refurb gets $1699 for a 256GB SSD model. 1TB alone is worth $750 (in apple dollars). And it still has the one year AppleCare you can add to. I'd grab it.

 

[Cassady]

Good deal? It's a great deal. Apple refurb gets $1699 for a 256GB SSD model. 1TB alone is worth $750 (in apple dollars). And it still has the one year AppleCare you can add to. I'd grab it.

Appreciate the reply.

I've just followed up with the seller - the only possible pause I have is that the SSD was privately installed, from a BTO 13" MBP... as in, they took the 1TB SSD from a 13" BTO MBP, and installed it in the 15"...

Given it's working fine, it shouldn't be too much of an issue, since they would be compatible presumably, and not a OWC drive or some other 3rd party...

 

[keysofanxiety]

Appreciate the reply.

I've just followed up with the seller - the only possible pause I have is that the SSD was privately installed, from a BTO 13" MBP... as in, they took the 1TB SSD from a 13" BTO MBP, and installed it in the 15"...

Given it's working fine, it shouldn't be too much of an issue, since they would be compatible presumably, and not a OWC drive or some other 3rd party...

Ah, this is the kicker. Personally I wouldn't get it then. If it was pulled from a 2013 MBP it'll practically be SATA speed. You won't get the benefit of the super quick 2015 SSD.

 

[Cassady]

Ah, this is the kicker. Personally I wouldn't get it then. If it was pulled from a 2013 MBP it'll practically be SATA speed. You won't get the benefit of the super quick 2015 SSD.

Thanks. I'm checking that. If it was pulled from mid-2015 BTO 13" MBP, then all good, presumably? Would be the same SSD as one would have received with the 15", just bigger?

EDIT: Just waiting for the 13" serial number to confirm, but apparently the 13" was a mid-2015 BTO, that had the 1TB Apple SSD in it. This was then installed in the 15" that I am interested in... Assuming that to be the case, should be OK?
[doublepost=1497611144][/doublepost]Here is the System Information i.r.o. the 1TB drive...

The Link Speed of 8.0GT/s does suggest it is the appropriate SSD for the mid-2015 MBPs, correct?

Or should this information be displayed under the NVMExpress tab?

Would really appreciate some clarity on this!

 

[keysofanxiety]

Thanks. I'm checking that. If it was pulled from mid-2015 BTO 13" MBP, then all good, presumably? Would be the same SSD as one would have received with the 15", just bigger?

EDIT: Just waiting for the 13" serial number to confirm, but apparently the 13" was a mid-2015 BTO, that had the 1TB Apple SSD in it. This was then installed in the 15" that I am interested in... Assuming that to be the case, should be OK?

Yeah should be fine if it was a 2015 BTO, however I'd definitely suggest they send you a screenshot of the System Information > NVMExpress (should look like the below):

Then if you could kindly share that with us, we'll check the model to verify that it's a 2015 SSD and therefore has appropriate performance.

 

[Cassady]

Yeah should be fine if it was a 2015 BTO, however I'd definitely suggest they send you a screenshot of the System Information > NVMExpress (should look like the below):

Then if you could kindly share that with us, we'll check the model to verify that it's a 2015 SSD and therefore has appropriate performance.

I've asked him to send through what is under the NVMExpress tab. The pic above, that I posted, is what he sent through as found under his SATA/SATA Express tab – which I presume is not the same thing??

He did pop up Blackmagic Speed Test results of Write:1434.9 MB/s | Read: 1808.9 MB/s >> which appears to be in the ballpark for the quick SSDs from that period!

EDIT:

This thread suggests it's what I'm looking for. Exact same Model number as the one I am interested in...

 

[Cassady]

Ok. When the seller clicks on his NVMExpress tab, it has the "This Computer doesn't contain any NVMExpress devices"...

Does that mean what I think it means?
[doublepost=1497616389][/doublepost]

Yeah should be fine if it was a 2015 BTO, however I'd definitely suggest they send you a screenshot of the System Information > NVMExpress (should look like the below):

Then if you could kindly share that with us, we'll check the model to verify that it's a 2015 SSD and therefore has appropriate performance.

What does yours say under the SATA/SATA Express tab? Is it similar to my pic above?

[Edit:]

Ok. Think this answers all that I was wondering about. With the speeds being reported by his BlackMagic speedtest, it would in any event be a massive speed jump over what I am currently getting, so think I'm good.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Sorry for my belated reply, just at work. Yeah all good man. I'd go for it!

 

[Cassady]

Sorry for my belated reply, just at work. Yeah all good man. I'd go for it!

Thanks! Hope it works out as planned! Regardless, will be a HUGE jump from a cMBP, no doubt!

 

[Cassady]

Just to close this thread - been happily using my 'new' 15" for the past few weeks - wow, what a difference!

Most noticeable >> when a rogue Alfred workflow sometimes went wrong (I would accidentally cancel it midway, leaving a Python script running in a loop in the background) on my old cMBP, the fans would spin up to the point of being instantly noticeable, with it quite often slowing things down a bit in my ordinary use. I would then launch Activity Monitor to kill the stuck process, to stop my cMBP from taking off on its fan power...

Several days after having set everything up on the new 15", I heard a weird (faint) humming sound from it - holding my fingers over the vents below the screen, realised the fans were stirring. Opened iStat Menus, and being used to seeing the CPU etc. reading in the red on the cMBP, didn't think much of it given that there was hardly a blip in the new MBPs stats... So left things as were, and went on normally. About 10 minutes later, after noticing again that the sound was still there, opened up the Activity Monitor, and lo and behold - TWO of the rogue processes were running, one from the day before...

The 15" had hardly broken a sweat. This pretty much brought the significant difference between a mid-2012 and mid-2015 machine sharply into focus! A rather obvious point to make - as in, this should have been expected - but still, did'nt quite figure the difference would be so dramatic!

TL : DR >> one happy camper with a new machine that is now only 2 years old, as opposed to 5!