Need Help and Fast (2017 MacBook Base or 2017 MacBook Pro w/ 256GB for $100 More?

[Maukey]

Okay, literally fellow Apple fans I have about 8 hours to make this decision. In short, I'm a current owner of a 2017 rMB Base Model. I have no issues with this machine. It's been great for me. However, today I woke up this morning to a Deal of the Day on Bestbuy.com that has the 2017 MBP with 256GB (So the one step up from base) for $1399, plus, I received an email last week for a student coupon of $100 off. This brings the total for the MBP down to $1299. I paid $1199 after a discount for my rMB. This now has me thinking whether or not I should return the rMB and upgrade if you want to call it that. Basically, my uses for a laptop are consumption and light productivity. So web browsing, YouTube videos, Movie watching on my laptop or on my TV via PLEX, Emulators, light document and spreadsheet use. There's a part of me saying keep the rMB because I love how light it is and the fact that I can carry it and my 10.5 iPad Pro in my book bag at the same time and the weight is slightly more than a MBP. There's another part of me saying that I would be a fool not to upgrade for $100 more and have the extra ports, better screen, and extra power in case I one day decide to do more. What would you do and why?

Thanks in Advance!

 

[EugW]

Since you are a student, Apple is offering a student deal for free Beats Wireless Solo3 headphones if that interests you. If you are still within the grace period, and if you bought through the edu store, you may be able to retroactively claim those free headphones. Even if you don't want them, you may be able to sell them for well over $100.

I personally have zero desire to get the MBP. I bought the base MacBook. I don't need the increased power of the MBP, and I would use it much less because of the size.

In fact, not only has the MacBook become my go to laptop, it has also largely replaced my iPad Air 2 as well for media and internet consumption. From the latter perspective, you can think of it as a better iPad with decent integrated keyboard and better interface for emails and surfing anything that needs a keyboard (like MacRumors). And it has a built in stand so you're not having to constantly prop up the iPad on something. And you can actually use it for Word, because iPads are IMO utterly useless for Office applications, even with a keyboard.

The main drawback? Just a single USBC port. This would be almost perfect with two USBC ports. The MacBook Pro has those two ports, and is faster, but it is also bulkier and heavy. No thanks.

However, I am probably biased, because I have a Core i5 iMac as my main system in the house. The MacBook is my secondary system for use on-the-road and on-the-couch. If I only had one Mac, I might have chosen a MBP.

 

[Surf Boy from Barcelona]

Hi Maukey,
Which one do you LOVE the design of? Go with your heart in life! For me, it was love at first sight when I saw the MacBook in 2015 - the same spark that I had when I first saw the unibody late MacBook in 2009. I saved for months to buy it The new MacBook Pro and older ones don't have that love like the MacBook does for me
Go for the one that rocks your world and enjoy it. Sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side

 

[Maukey]

Since you are a student, Apple is offering a student deal for free Beats Wireless Solo3 headphones if that interests you. If you are still within the grace period, and if you bought through the edu store, you may be able to retroactively claim those free headphones. Even if you don't want them, you may be able to sell them for well over $100.

I personally have zero desire to get the MBP. I bought the base MacBook. I don't need the increased power of the MBP, and I would use it much less because of the size.

In fact, not only has the MacBook become my go to laptop, it has also largely replaced my iPad Air 2 as well for media and internet consumption. From the latter perspective, you can think of it as a better iPad with decent integrated keyboard and better interface for emails and surfing anything that needs a keyboard (like MacRumors). And it has a built in stand so you're not having to constantly prop up the iPad on something. And you can actually use it for Word, because iPads are IMO utterly useless for Office applications, even with a keyboard.

The main drawback? Just a single USBC port. This would be almost perfect with two USBC ports. The MacBook Pro has those two ports, and is faster, but it is also bulkier and heavy. No thanks.

However, I am probably biased, because I have a Core i5 iMac as my main system in the house. The MacBook is my secondary system for use on-the-road and on-the-couch. If I only had one Mac, I might have chosen a MBP.

I'm actually not a student. My daughter is and she told me
I could use her coupon . My laptop is strictly for my personal entertainment

 

[EugW]

I'm actually not a student. My daughter is and she told me
I could use her coupon . My laptop is strictly for my personal entertainment

OK, but since you have a student in the house you can still order one with the student discount. I think you're allowed one laptop per year and one desktop per year or something like that.

 

[KPOM]

I have both the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, and have gravitated to the MacBook. I also carry the 10.5" iPad and as you say it is nice to be able to carry both. The Pro is noticeably heavier.

That said, as others have noted, you can probably get the Back-to-School offer since you are within the return period.

 

[Maukey]

I have both the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, and have gravitated to the MacBook. I also carry the 10.5" iPad and as you say it is nice to be able to carry both. The Pro is noticeably heavier.

That said, as others have noted, you can probably get the Back-to-School offer since you are within the return period.

Is Best Buy doing the back to school offer that Apple's doing?
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OK, but since you have a student in the house you can still order one with the student discount. I think you're allowed one laptop per year and one desktop per year or something like that.

Ok. Well I purchased my rMB with a student coupon and they still sent me another one last week. I went online and went part way through the ordering process to see if the $100 off coupon would work and it did. Not sure if they're still doing 1 per year

 

[MacRazySwe]

I'm in this exact spot, debating back and forth between the two.

The 12" MB is pretty much all I need in terms of performance right now (I have an iMac), but it feels like a lot of money for the performance it offers, especially as you are able to get the MBP for not much more.

On the other hand, you could argue that while the performance of the MBP may always come in handy, however if you don't really need it, why pay for it? In monetary terms but mainly in the case of added weight and thickness.

...I think a 13" Retina MacBook would have been ideal for me, as I really appreciate the added screen real estate of the MBP.