Need Help Choosing The Right MBP Model

[Nosyt87_]

I’m set on purchasing a MacBook Pro for both work and personal use. I love the profile of the 13 inch MBP, but I’m wondering if I need the power of the 15.4 with the 6 core processor and dedicated GPU.


As far as work use, I’ll need the Mac to run the Adobe CC efficiently without lag. I primarily use illustrator and InDesign. I do NOT do any work with video/video editing/3D animation/rendering, etc.


for my needs, will a 13 MBP with the quad core i7, 16gbs of RAM, and a 512gb SSD be sufficient? Or, do I need the 15 inch 6 core i7 with the dedicated GPU?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Howard2k]

Either will do the the work, the difference is whether you care how long you wait for it to happen.

If it's for professional use and you're not particularly mobile, I would go for the 15".
If it's more personal, some professional, and you're paying yourself, then perhaps the 13".

In either case, I would make sure you get AppleCare. AppleCare+ if you are worried about accidental damage.
Both are great on paper. In real life some folks are having issues with them and it's hard to determine what proportion of machines are affected, but certainly I would not buy one without an extended warranty.

 

[Nosyt87_]

Either will do the the work, the difference is whether you care how long you wait for it to happen.

If it's for professional use and you're not particularly mobile, I would go for the 15".
If it's more personal, some professional, and you're paying yourself, then perhaps the 13".

In either case, I would make sure you get AppleCare. AppleCare+ if you are worried about accidental damage.
Both are great on paper. In real life some folks are having issues with them and it's hard to determine what proportion of machines are affected, but certainly I would not buy one without an extended warranty.

I appreciate the insight. As I mentioned, I’ll need the machine to run the Adobe CC efficiently. At times, I’ll use the MBP to work from home. When you say “how long you wait for it to happen,” is there a very noticeable difference in the performance of Illustrator and InDesign on the 13 inch vs the 15 inch?

 

[Howard2k]

I appreciate the insight. As I mentioned, I’ll need the machine to run the Adobe CC efficiently. At times, I’ll use the MBP to work from home. When you say “how long you wait for it to happen,” is there a very noticeable difference in the performance of Illustrator and InDesign on the 13 inch vs the 15 inch?

I don't have either the new 13" nor the new 15". And I'm not sure exactly what you're doing in either Illustrator or InDesign. The MBPros are limited by the thermals under sustained loads, but under short sprints they cope much better, so because you're not doing heavy sustained loads then for those shorter bursts you'll be able to do whatever you're doing faster. They're both swift. My gut feel is that if work is paying then I'd get the 15". Better performance and more screen estate. If I'm paying I'd buy the 13" and perhaps an external monitor. Having said that, I use Lightroom on my 13" display and don't use an external monitor. It's all about personal comfort in that regard.

I would try to find a store and try out both models. You can also buy one and swap it within 14 days typically (depending where you live and who you buy it from). If your employer is purchasing then that might be a little more difficult.

 

[Cashmonee]

I believe both InDesign and Illustrator have GPU acceleration and would benefit by being run on the 15". If this is your livelihood and what you do much of the day, then I would go for the 15" for that and the larger screen size.

 

[jeyf]

i didn't see in your posts what you are currently using (if any). So how would your new MB purchase run faster better than the old setup which may or mayNot be already doing ok?

For your own goodness you should also look at other manufacturers on os situations.