Please help - spouse wants me to return MacBook Pro

[Cristim74]

I was in a very similar situation to yours last year. I wanted to buy my wife a new computer as a gift in order to replace her 4 years old Fujitsu notebook. She's never used a Mac before, but as someone previously mentioned earlier, I wanted to get her something classy. I got her a MacBook 12". She got used to it pretty quickly and she's been enjoying it ever since. She's a light user: web-browsing, YouTube, MS Office. I never told her how much I paid for it, but she figured out it must have been expensive

 

[4ik]

From a frugal woman point of view I wanna insert my 5 cents. I use Macs for work ,my hb uses PCs for work. I own latest and greatest MacBook Pro because I really need the power, my hb uses MacBook Air from 2013 basic model (at home) and doesn't c any difference in performance between them except his screen size and clarity but only if they stand next to each other....he is alway proud how much thinner and lighter his Mac is.

At the office he uses PC and has a really old one that needed upgrade for which he was looking all over on Black Friday. I suggested he can take my old iMac (from 2009!!) to work and test it out, to c if he needed more power before making new purchase. I erased it, loaded it with Microsoft office etc.....he took it to work and is VERY VERY happy with it!!!!.....says it does everything he needs without any issues opens all the PC docs just fine, etc. 9year old computer!!

Point of this story: Get MacBook Air lowest model $899 from BBuy, you will both be happy with it and it will last you a very very long time...for the work that you both be doing on it it is more then enough for the next 5years or more....This will satisfy your craving for a Mac and at the same time save you big bucks..you won't regret it even though you're both PC users. Macs are pretty simple and since you have used iPhones before it will be a breeze.

 

[1rottenapple]

Here you go, google is rife with examples, but as you requested source material, I'm happy to oblige. I opted to include a mixture of links so as not say its one specific site.

I like this thread because the OP was a member who was adamant that the issues were minor, non-existent or overblown. He himself after months and months defending the keyboard incur multiple keyboard failures. I recommend reading this thread to educate yourself with the issue and see how it is affecting many people.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/keyboard-nail-in-the-coffin.2067352

Here's the other links from Google and of course our own threads here at MacRumors.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...wners-experiencing-keyboard-problems.2033781/
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7759662?start=0&tstart=0
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7866833?start=0&tstart=0
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7840547?start=0&tstart=0
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7779290?start=0&tstart=0
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7775119?start=0&tstart=0
https://9to5mac.com/2017/02/21/macbook-pro-keyboard-problems/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macbook-pro-2016-keyboard-failure.2015079/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mbp-keyboard-is-a-total-fail.2064226/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2016-vs-2017-macbook-pro-touch-bar-15-keyboard-issue.2091737/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2017-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar-keyboard-issue.2083845/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-keyboard-khronicles-sic.2083620/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mbp-touchbar-left-shift-key-failure.2082609/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2016-17-tb-keyboard-problems-stats.2079447/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/keyboard-issue-again.2078085/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/keyboard-and-trackpad-problems.2076700/
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-after-june-2017-how-does-it-hold-up.2075221/
http://bgr.com/2017/10/19/macbook-pro-2017-keyboard-not-working/
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macbook-pro-keyboard-fix-is-absurd-2017-10
https://medium.com/@briancjc/macbook-pro-2017-version-keyboard-problems-oh-why-part-2-46688225e1b1

Is macrumors officially not recommending the MBP and MP with the butterfly switches?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Is macrumors officially not recommending the MBP and MP with the butterfly switches?

From here, it looks like a user on MR expressing their opinions. People are assigning extra weight and/or extra reason to argue against the opinion because said person has “moderator” title. This isn’t a front page, “Stop The Presses!” announcement, it is simply someone who works here taking time to voice their opinion.

 

[maflynn]

Is macrumors officially not recommending the MBP and MP with the butterfly switches?

Nope, I'm a simple volunteer who helps the site out, and I'm just issuing an opinion as I stated multiple times.

 

[visegripmikey]

Computing is an experience. At the baseline (no additional purchased software), life with a Mac has less financial barriers to run the OS over its lifetime: Free OS upgrades, free suite for word processing, presentations, email management and spreadsheets, and is more stable (so less downtime). So, no need to pay for Windows 11, 12, 13 etc, no need to pay for MS Office 2018, 2019, 2020 etc, no need to pay for virus software subscription every year, no need to spend time removing freeware, etc etc... so yes, the initial cost is higher, but computing life is easier with a Mac (IMHO).

At the same time, I would have bought an MBA, not MBPro. Better for travel and there's really no need for a high-res display for your uses, other than it's really nice to look at.

 

[cherishzm]

I'm very frugal in terms of spending money on unnecessary/luxury stuff. And Apple products are very expensive when buying new, but if you and your wife are open to getting a used Macbook, that'll be most cost effective option. I have used many different Macbooks and while MBA is nice, MBP with a retina display is the way to go!

Search Craigslist for used Macbooks and if you're patient, you should be able to find a good deal. Just be careful of scammers and sketchy deals/people. I just bought a 2-month old 2017 13" MBP (no-TB) 256GB for $750 found from local Craigslist. This guy posted it for $900 and I negotiated down to $750. He had to get a windows laptop for his work and it was like new with box and everything.

I'd stick with 2015 or newer 13" MBP's - still under warranty or AppleCare. And if you need/want to sell it, you can sell it for a good price

Good Luck!

 

[duervo]

I’d get the Lenovo, and then purchase the 3yr Onsite + Accidental protection warranty for it (not because it’s Lenovo. I’d do that if I got the MacBook Pro too.)

 

[buran-energia]

Macs have a higher resale value and are probably easier to sell than any used windows laptops. I'd try it out for some days and see if you both like it (if it's possible to return). I think once you go Mac (laptops), you never go back The battery, screen and OS are great, the trackpad (on mbp) and the design is awesome. Even though I didn't own a luxury Windows laptop to compare with, I know I wouldn't like Windows on the same high dpi screen, because I think Windows font rendering is inferior and some Windows apps look bad on such displays (if you scale the UI like in macOS)...

(I have 2015 13 mbp, though, not the new ones.)

 

[jerryk]

Computing is an experience. At the baseline (no additional purchased software), life with a Mac has less financial barriers to run the OS over its lifetime: Free OS upgrades, free suite for word processing, presentations, email management and spreadsheets, and is more stable (so less downtime). So, no need to pay for Windows 11, 12, 13 etc, no need to pay for MS Office 2018, 2019, 2020 etc, no need to pay for virus software subscription every year, no need to spend time removing freeware, etc etc... so yes, the initial cost is higher, but computing life is easier with a Mac (IMHO).

At the same time, I would have bought an MBA, not MBPro. Better for travel and there's really no need for a high-res display for your uses, other than it's really nice to look at.

Of course the exact things can about Windows. Windows 10 is free for life. AV software comes with Windows. No one is making people use Office. There are free suites like LibreOffice and other available.

I use Office 365 on all my systems (MacOS, Windows, and IOS) because it lets me work on documents on all systems and comes with 1TB of storage.

To me the distinction as more what do you like and are most efficient with.

 

[1rottenapple]

Nope, I'm a simple volunteer who helps the site out, and I'm just issuing an opinion as I stated multiple times.

Oh ok. Love the site