Need some Opinions on a 13 MBP for my Daughter

[graffixnyc]

I'm looking to get a MBP 13 for my daughter who is in her 2nd semester of college and I'm having a tough time deciding and I'd like to get input.

The choices are:

1. MBP 13 2017 Non-touch bar - 2.3GHz base model but with 256gb. Price with education discount: $1449 + tax + $249 applecare plus from Apple and free beats Total: $1805

2. MBP 13 2016 Non-touch bar with 2.0GHz, 256gb. Price $1199 + $269 applecare plus and no tax from B&H Total $1468

3. MBP 13 2016 with touch bar 2.9Ghz 256gb: Price $1499 + $269 applecare + tax from Best Buy. Total: 1,881.32

She doesnt do any video editing or anything like that, she needs it for the internet, to write papers on etc.. and I'd like it to last her through 4 years of college. I can't seem to decide so I'd like some input from other people on which they would get given the use case and price. Thanks!

 

[andy9l]

Considered the 12" MacBook?

More suited to her needs, lighter, and looks nicer too (important at that age!).

Any of the above machines would be more than capable of writing papers for the next few years!

 

[graffixnyc]

Considered the 12" MacBook?

More suited to her needs, lighter, and looks nicer too (important at that age!).

Any of the above machines would be more than capable of writing papers for the next few years!

Yeah, we considered it and she loves the rose gold one (She said it would match her iPhone and her apple watch) but she didn't like the idea of it only having one port and even though she liked the design of the Macbook better she decided she wanted a pro instead

 

[Ashton Cofer]

The 2016 with touch bar is the best deal in my opinion. There isn't a need to pay extra for the 2017 version since it is only a minor spec upgrade and the touch bar is definitely worth the extra money (not only do you get the touch bar but also Touch ID, 2 more thunderbolt 3 ports, and a faster processor).

I would also suggest not spending $249 on apple care plus as long as your daughter is careful with her laptop. Instead, I would spend that money on 16GB of RAM which would make the computer last a lot longer and keep it running smoothly in the future. However, this option isn't extremely necessary if you don't want to pay as much, especially since your daughter will only be running lite tasks.

FYI I have a 2016 13" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and I have been more than happy with it.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The 2016 with touch bar is the best deal in my opinion. There isn't a need to pay extra for the 2017 version since it is only a minor spec upgrade and the touch bar is definitely worth the extra money (not only do you get the touch bar but also Touch ID, 2 more thunderbolt 3 ports, and a faster processor).

I would also suggest not spending $249 on apple care plus as long as your daughter is careful with her laptop. Instead, I would spend that money on 16GB of RAM which would make the computer last a lot longer and keep it running smoothly in the future. However, this option isn't extremely necessary if you don't want to pay as much, especially since your daughter will only be running lite tasks.

FYI I have a 2016 13" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and I have been more than happy with it.

I suggest the 2016 TB model as well. However, I think AppleCare should be purchased with it. After all, we are talking about college kids in dorms, where not everyone is careful and respectful of other people's property. That is what you have to worry about, along with theft. His daughter may be very good taking care of her things. Others around her will not be at all times.

 

[graffixnyc]

The 2016 with touch bar is the best deal in my opinion. There isn't a need to pay extra for the 2017 version since it is only a minor spec upgrade and the touch bar is definitely worth the extra money (not only do you get the touch bar but also Touch ID, 2 more thunderbolt 3 ports, and a faster processor).

I would also suggest not spending $249 on apple care plus as long as your daughter is careful with her laptop. Instead, I would spend that money on 16GB of RAM which would make the computer last a lot longer and keep it running smoothly in the future. However, this option isn't extremely necessary if you don't want to pay as much, especially since your daughter will only be running lite tasks.

FYI I have a 2016 13" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and I have been more than happy with it.

Unfortunately, since the TB one is coming from BestBuy there is no option to upgrade to 16gb, and even a refurb through apple with 16gb is over $1779 without apple care. I'd rather get her a new one than a refurbished model (even though I know refurbs through apple are pretty much like new)

I suggest the 2016 TB model as well. However, I think AppleCare should be purchased with it. After all, we are talking about college kids in dorms, where not everyone is careful and respectful of other people's property. That is what you have to worry about, along with theft. His daughter may be very good taking care of her things. Others around her will not be at all times.

Yeah, she is not the most careful kid, so I for sure think I need the applecare+ for her

 

[graffixnyc]

Just ordered her the 2016 MBP 13 with TB, 2.9Ghz, 8GB of ram from BestBuy for $1499.

 

[graffixnyc]

Actually, Now I'm thinking if I should have gotten her the 2017 13 nTB with 256gb and a ram upgrade to 16gb. With her student discount, it's $1629. More ram is better in the long run, plus I read battery life on the nTB is better as well.

 

[Ashton Cofer]

Actually, Now I'm thinking if I should have gotten her the 2017 13 nTB with 256gb and a ram upgrade to 16gb. With her student discount, it's $1629. More ram is better in the long run, plus I read battery life on the nTB is better as well.

No I think that you made the right decision with buying her the 2016 with touch bar. You really can't notice the battery life increase of the non touch bar version unless you are looking at specs. The touch bar version also comes with not only the touch bar but also Touch ID, 2 more thunderbolt 3 ports, and a faster processor.

 

[lax28]

I would have said to get the TB model as well. I would have recommended looking into buying from Apple and maybe upgrading the ram even if that means buying refurnished directly from apple.

 

[Super Xander]

I'm a 2nd semestre student as well with 2016 MBP w. Touch Bar

The only choices you should go for is the 2016 models w/n TB.
The Touch Bar is not very more useful than the ones without it - beside she loves tech like me and know how to customize it with BetterTouchTool etc.

If she's not, I will go for the 2016 without Touch Bar, why:

- Cheapest and best for price, maybe buy AppleCare beside?
- Better battery life than the 2016 with Touch Bar
- Bigger and better screen than the normal MB, which may be enough.
- Enough power for School program like Office, Ti-Nspire etc. (Or what she' using)
(If she is using it for common school tasks and other teenage stuff, then use the money for 512gb storage because this will most likely be the problem than 8gb of Ram)

 

[KUKitch]

Actually, Now I'm thinking if I should have gotten her the 2017 13 nTB with 256gb and a ram upgrade to 16gb. With her student discount, it's $1629. More ram is better in the long run, plus I read battery life on the nTB is better as well.

Sounds like a pretty good deal - I'm sure you can still return the other as well, right? Sounds like she won't notice much performance difference between nTB and TB

 

[Elcompa]

I would go with the Applecare as it is a portable and it will be lugged around on a back pack by a young person. I have a 2016 nTB MBP (OP option #2) and am very happy with it as my only computer. Battery length, weight and screen size and keyboard all size all seem to work for a mobile person/worker/student. I will give it to my son (first year in college) in 2018, when new specs come out.

As noted, the 12 in MB is also a nice option for form factor, but in reality, it isn't a whole lot lighter/smaller than the 13 in. And 8gb Ram is fine for the next few years, unless she is in engineering, design/graphics or IT. Either way, she will likely need a new one upon graduation and starting a new profession.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Actually, Now I'm thinking if I should have gotten her the 2017 13 nTB with 256gb and a ram upgrade to 16gb. With her student discount, it's $1629. More ram is better in the long run, plus I read battery life on the nTB is better as well.

No, you made the right decision. No way any college student is going to max out 8GB of RAM. Although the nTB model is great (I have one), only return the deal from BB, if you can get a smoking deal on a 256GB nTB version.