Refurb 13" 2015 Pro or refurb 15" 2015 Pro?

[JerTheGeek]

My experience with 15" portables (both PCs and Macs) is that for every time the 15" screen is nice on the move, the other 9 times out of 10 it's a pain in the arse because it's too big to use on aircraft, heavier to carry, gets worse battery life, etc. A 13" machine can be plugged into an external display, (or external GPU, etc.) a 15" machine can't be made lighter, or made to fit more easily on an aircraft tray table.

the 13" retina display is a good compromise imho, you can set it to "more space" setting for effective "looks like" 1680x1050 for a decent amount of desktop space.

Depends how often and where you use your machine away from a desk. Having had machines ranging in size from 10" through 17" (not just macs), i find 12-13" to be the best compromise for a machine that will be used regularly as a portable.

15" is (IMHO) for machines that spend most of their life on a desk or around the house, or are carried occasionally to a desk somewhere else. i.e., they ARE portable, but if you're regularly carrying it around, 13" is better.

Let me give a brief explanation of my usage to give you guys a better idea.
Of course the basics like web browsing, emails, notes, reminders, etc.
I import, browse, and manage photos, and also occasionally use Pages for school stuff.
And my most intense use is iMovie around twice a month, sometimes more than that but usually 2-3 times a month or so. I could see that becoming more intense if I get more into video editing in the future, not really sure at this point.
In terms of portability, my MacBook is on my desk most of the time. I will also use it on my bed or around the house, and sometimes outside too. Once a week I carry it out of the house and use it at another desk. May use it in the car occasionally, but mainly desk use. Would the portability really be a factor at this point?

 

[throAU]

Only you can answer that.

I happily do all that stuff (iMovie/gopro videos) on my 13" machine. I used to do it on a 15" classic mbp.

I prefer using the 13" machine for it, prefer the 13" form factor. Even around the house it is more "lap-able" if that makes sense.

The 13 handles scrubbing through video and working in iMovie just fine. Sure, rendering the final result would be faster on a 15, but i can just run that in the background whilst doing something else.

 

[JerTheGeek]

Well have to say I'm really leaning towards the 15". I saw these Transcend JetDrives on Amazon and they add 128Gb or 256Gb of storage in the sd card slot and sit flush so you don't even know they're there. That pretty much eliminates any storage issues. And when I need to import stuff from my cam, I can just use a USB-SD adapter

 

[MRxROBOT]

Of course a lighter smaller machine is preferred for portability. That said, I travel with my 15" daily without any problems. The performance benefits outweigh the additional weight for me. The performance difference is staggering if you can make use of it. If you won't have any performance benefits with the additional cores, why carry a heavier machine?

 

[cambookpro]

Well have to say I'm really leaning towards the 15". I saw these Transcend JetDrives on Amazon and they add 128Gb or 256Gb of storage in the sd card slot and sit flush so you don't even know they're there. That pretty much eliminates any storage issues. And when I need to import stuff from my cam, I can just use a USB-SD adapter

In all honesty I'd go with the 13".

Your usage of Pages, iMovie etc means that in all likelihood the processor isn't going to make a discernible difference. The only thing you may notice is rendering times, but I'm guessing the videos you're exporting aren't very long so we're talking differences of seconds.

You do sound like you'd want a lot of storage though for photos and other media. My friend bought a 256GB MBP about a year ago and also has one of those SD card expansion things as he ran out of storage. They aren't great to use - the one he has is about 12x slower than the internal PCIe SSD and as such is quite difficult to manage a large number of files and folders.

The 15" is also quite a bit heavier and larger. I personally don't think that's worth it unless you need a quad-core machine. If you really want extra screen real estate, buy an external monitor as anything else is a compromise. Plus, you then can have a tiny portable laptop with many of the benefits of a desktop.

I bought a 15" in 2011 as, at the time, the 13" variants were fairly slow with awful GPUs. Now, I'm happy that you can get a fast enough computer in a small enough size. I definitely wouldn't choose a 15" if I didn't have to have one.

Just my two pennies worth. I know it's probably not what you want to hear but it's a big purchase and you should hear every side!

 

[JerTheGeek]

In all honesty I'd go with the 13".

Your usage of Pages, iMovie etc means that in all likelihood the processor isn't going to make a discernible difference. The only thing you may notice is rendering times, but I'm guessing the videos you're exporting aren't very long so we're talking differences of seconds.

You do sound like you'd want a lot of storage though for photos and other media. My friend bought a 256GB MBP about a year ago and also has one of those SD card expansion things as he ran out of storage. They aren't great to use - the one he has is about 12x slower than the internal PCIe SSD and as such is quite difficult to manage a large number of files and folders.

The 15" is also quite a bit heavier and larger. I personally don't think that's worth it unless you need a quad-core machine. If you really want extra screen real estate, buy an external monitor as anything else is a compromise. Plus, you then can have a tiny portable laptop with many of the benefits of a desktop.

I bought a 15" in 2011 as, at the time, the 13" variants were fairly slow with awful GPUs. Now, I'm happy that you can get a fast enough computer in a small enough size. I definitely wouldn't choose a 15" if I didn't have to have one.

Just my two pennies worth. I know it's probably not what you want to hear but it's a big purchase and you should hear every side!

I had been thinking the same thing last night. The SD card thing would be a pain. Plus the size would probably get in the way at times. I think the 13 is really my only option at this point.
[doublepost=1460893010][/doublepost]Now, I was also just thinking, I have like 37 GB free right now. In omni disk sweeper it says I have 188.7 GB used, but on the drive list it says it's using 213.3 GB. Why the disparity? Anyone know? Also, my users and applications folders total are like 163 GB, if I was to bring stuff over manually instead of via time machine could I possibly gain a lot more free space on the new Mac?

 

[cambookpro]

I had been thinking the same thing last night. The SD card thing would be a pain. Plus the size would probably get in the way at times. I think the 13 is really my only option at this point.

I don't honestly think you lose much, if anything, going for the 13" instead of the 15". Screen size yes, but on the other hand you have a smaller and lighter computer. Almost any modern MBP is going to be powerful enough, and going for more internal storage just makes life a lot easier.

Then again, it's easy for me to say this as I'm not putting down the $1.5k+ for it!

This is going off on a bit of a tangent but you'll see what I'm getting at: a person I know is a film editor, and although he usually uses the computers in whatever edit suite he's in, he did cut a couple of independent documentaries (around an hour each) on FCP on his early 2011 15". It had succumbed to Radeongate, so he was using an Intel HD 3000 with a 5400rpm HDD with a CPU only a little bit more powerful than the current 13" MBPs. It wasn't perfect, but it did the job well enough. I think 'power' is honestly a bit overrated. I'd much rather have battery life and portability in a laptop (YMMV though). Unless you're doing something like grading in Resolve, animation in AE, modelling in Cinema4D etc, most can get by fine without masses of CPU/GPU horsepower. Even Avid and FCPX can run well on a MacBook Air.

I'm not saying there are no reasons for the 15" - the screen size is great if you don't travel with it often but don't want a desktop, and there are certainly uses for a quad-core CPU with a better dedicated GPU. Just people often say one 'needs a quad-core for x, y and z' (video editing, Xcode, etc) when it's not really required. For the vast majority of users, we're past the point of having to make the choice between enough power or a portable laptop. We can finally have both!

Again, I'm obviously not the one spending the money so make sure you're happy with whatever you choose, be it the 13" or the 15". You can always return it if you really don't like it anyway. I'm sure you'll end up being happy with whatever you choose, it's not like one is awful and one is brilliant!

 

[JerTheGeek]

I don't honestly think you lose much, if anything, going for the 13" instead of the 15". Screen size yes, but on the other hand you have a smaller and lighter computer. Almost any modern MBP is going to be powerful enough, and going for more internal storage just makes life a lot easier.

Then again, it's easy for me to say this as I'm not putting down the $1.5k+ for it!

This is going off on a bit of a tangent but you'll see what I'm getting at: a person I know is a film editor, and although he usually uses the computers in whatever edit suite he's in, he did cut a couple of independent documentaries (around an hour each) on FCP on his early 2011 15". It had succumbed to Radeongate, so he was using an Intel HD 3000 with a 5400rpm HDD with a CPU only a little bit more powerful than the current 13" MBPs. It wasn't perfect, but it did the job well enough. I think 'power' is honestly a bit overrated. I'd much rather have battery life and portability in a laptop (YMMV though). Unless you're doing something like grading in Resolve, animation in AE, modelling in Cinema4D etc, most can get by fine without masses of CPU/GPU horsepower. Even Avid and FCPX can run well on a MacBook Air.

I'm not saying there are no reasons for the 15" - the screen size is great if you don't travel with it often but don't want a desktop, and there are certainly uses for a quad-core CPU with a better dedicated GPU. Just people often say one 'needs a quad-core for x, y and z' (video editing, Xcode, etc) when it's not really required. For the vast majority of users, we're past the point of having to make the choice between enough power or a portable laptop. We can finally have both!

Again, I'm obviously not the one spending the money so make sure you're happy with whatever you choose, be it the 13" or the 15". You can always return it if you really don't like it anyway. I'm sure you'll end up being happy with whatever you choose, it's not like one is awful and one is brilliant!

That is a good point, the main reason I was considering the quad core is for future proofing. However I'm sure the 13" would be fine.

 

[JerTheGeek]

My friend bought a 256GB MBP about a year ago and also has one of those SD card expansion things as he ran out of storage. They aren't great to use - the one he has is about 12x slower than the internal PCIe SSD and as such is quite difficult to manage a large number of files and folders.

This is definitely my main concern for going with the 15". It seems very nice with that 15" screen, but these external storage devices just are too much of a compromise. Id be storing a photo library and likely more stuff that i definitely do not use daily, but when i do want to use that stuff it would be a pain. Ive seen issue with overheating on the low profile USBs, and unmounting while the mac is sleeping for the SD card drives. Plus, they prevent the use of the ports they are in, and provide slow speeds like you said.

 

[MRxROBOT]

This is definitely my main concern for going with the 15". It seems very nice with that 15" screen, but these external storage devices just are too much of a compromise. Id be storing a photo library and likely more stuff that i definitely do not use daily, but when i do want to use that stuff it would be a pain. Ive seen issue with overheating on the low profile USBs, and unmounting while the mac is sleeping for the SD card drives. Plus, they prevent the use of the ports they are in, and provide slow speeds like you said.

It seems to me like the 15" would be a host of compromises for you. Definitely go for the 13".

 

[JerTheGeek]

It seems to me like the 15" would be a host of compromises for you. Definitely go for the 13".

Yeah, i think the novelty would quickly wear off and id be stuck with annoying external storage and likely a bigger laptop than i wanted.

 

[MRxROBOT]

Yeah, i think the novelty would quickly wear off and id be stuck with annoying external storage and likely a bigger laptop than i wanted.

I wouldn't have bought my 15" if it only had 256GB storage. It might work for some but not for me. In hindsight, I wish I had bought the 1TB now.

Don't forget that the SSD in the 2015 model is x4 lane vs x2 lane for the SSD in the 15" you are looking at.

 

[JerTheGeek]

I wouldn't have bought my 15" if it only had 256GB storage. It might work for some but not for me. In hindsight, I wish I had bought the 1TB now.

Don't forget that the SSD in the 2015 model is a lot faster.

That will be very nice as well. I mean, maybe i wont run out of storage. I have 37GB free now, and if i transferred stuff individually instead of a whole TM backup maybe id end up with more free space. But that would be another compromise, not being able to just restore from a TM backup and go.

 

[MRxROBOT]

That will be very nice as well. I mean, maybe i wont run out of storage. I have 37GB free now, and if i transferred stuff individually instead of a whole TM backup maybe id end up with more free space. But that would be another compromise, not being able to just restore from a TM backup and go.

37GB is not a whole lot of free space, that's only abut 15% of free space on your SSD.

 

[JerTheGeek]

37GB is not a whole lot of free space, that's only abut 15% of free space on your SSD.

True, and since i plan to keep this for a while, it will fill up eventually.

 

[JerTheGeek]

Update: i deleted an iMovie project and ran some cleaning stuff, have 45GB left now.
Im starting to think maybe keeping just a 45GB photo library on an external drive (giving me 90GB of free space, which is plenty) may not be that big of a deal since i dont use that library extremely frequently. What would you guys say? Is this a deal-breaker?

 

[matt_on_a_mtn]

Update: i deleted an iMovie project and ran some cleaning stuff, have 45GB left now.
Im starting to think maybe keeping just a 45GB photo library on an external drive (giving me 90GB of free space, which is plenty) may not be that big of a deal since i dont use that library extremely frequently. What would you guys say? Is this a deal-breaker?

I'd say that makes the 15" more usable on the storage front, but the question is still there for whether the 13" size will work better for you.

Your decision is essentially:

Better portability and twice the storage

Vs

Better screen and twice the power

Personally, and as someone that carries their 15" MBP several days a week, I'd take more power and a better mobile workstation over saving a pound and having a slightly smaller bag. That's me though, and I make use of the extra power.

 

[JerTheGeek]

I'd say that makes the 15" more usable on the storage front, but the question is still there for whether the 13" size will work better for you.

Your decision is essentially:

Better portability and twice the storage

Vs

Better screen and twice the power

Personally, and as someone that carries their 15" MBP several days a week, I'd take more power and a better mobile workstation over saving a pound and having a slightly smaller bag. That's me though, and I make use of the extra power.

So I just used the 15" Pro and really liked it. It certainly is nice to have that big screen. Still not sure on that storage thing tho. If I add stuff to my new Mac individually from a TM backup (rather than a full TM restore) like my users folder and apps folder which are like 160GB total, will I end up with more free space?

 

[matt_on_a_mtn]

So I just used the 15" Pro and really liked it. It certainly is nice to have that big screen. Still not sure on that storage thing tho. If I add stuff to my new Mac individually from a TM backup (rather than a full TM restore) like my users folder and apps folder which are like 160GB total, will I end up with more free space?

I've done it both ways, and honestly, transferring files individually gives better results, much like setting up an iOS device as new does. You end up with your files all neat and tidy, and being able to weed through the stuff you don't need or want. The end result means space saved as well as spring cleaning on your files.

I'd recommend doing it that way regardless of which model you get, personally.

 

[JerTheGeek]

I've done it both ways, and honestly, transferring files individually gives better results, much like setting up an iOS device as new does. You end up with your files all neat and tidy, and being able to weed through the stuff you don't need or want. The end result means space saved as well as spring cleaning on your files.

I'd recommend doing it that way regardless of which model you get, personally.

So if I use migration assistant i could easily restore system settings too, right?

 

[matt_on_a_mtn]

So if I use migration assistant i could easily restore system settings too, right?

I believe so!

 

[JerTheGeek]

Just talked to AppleCare and they've confirmed that if I import stuff with migration assistant, it will indeed leave me with more free space. I should have about 70GB free, which will be fine. The extra storage on the 512GB does still sound appealing, but I think the 15" would work fine on storage. I likely wouldn't have to even use external storage for a while. And when that time came, just storing a photos library on an SD drive doesn't sound too bad.

 

[JTToft]

You can also consider upgrading the internal SSD of the 15" to a 512 GB if you want. It's expensive, though.

 

[JerTheGeek]

You can also consider upgrading the internal SSD of the 15" to a 512 GB if you want. It's expensive, though.

Probably wouldn't want to do that upgrade myself, wouldn't want to risk opening it and all that.

 

[JTToft]

Probably wouldn't want to do that upgrade myself, wouldn't want to risk opening it and all that.

- Fair enough. But it's extremely simple. Literally just some screws. Or get a tech-comfortable friend to do it.