rMBP Owners that Switched to the rMB

[Cnasty]

I currently have a rMBP 13 inch that I absolutely love and also the new 12.9 iPad Pro. It is a great combo but it is also overkill for what I normally utilize both machines for. I'd love to go all iPad for the future but I run a program called OOTP that is truly a computer program and need a laptop for.

I have my rMBP in my bag every single day and I am looking to consolidate both machines into a new rMB but concerned about performance decreases and giving up the "better" machine.

I am not a true tech detailed person so I don't know how big of a performance dip I would need in downgrading to the rMB but looking for some feedback from others that have made this change.

I utilize this one program and then of course daily needs such as emails, spreadsheets, and browsing with no true hardcore editing or any other powerful needs from my laptop.

Thank you for any feedback!!

 

[Kilgrave]

Two weeks ago I traded in my base model 2015 rMBP for the 2017 rMB. (m3/8gb/256). I don't regret it at all. I have fairly similar usage to you. Mainly office apps plus I do a bit of Java in netbeans, some xcode and some Python. (I'm a CS teacher). Performance is way better than I expected and I've been watching activity monitor obsessively because I planned to trade it in for the i5 if I noticed any lag.

 

[Cnasty]

Two weeks ago I traded in my base model 2015 rMBP for the 2017 rMB. (m3/8gb/256). I don't regret it at all. I have fairly similar usage to you. Mainly office apps plus I do a bit of Java in netbeans, some xcode and some Python. (I'm a CS teacher). Performance is way better than I expected and I've been watching activity monitor obsessively because I planned to trade it in for the i5 if I noticed any lag.

This is perfect feedback due to how closely we use both machines. Thank you for chiming in!

 

[Kilgrave]

This is perfect feedback due to how closely we use both machines. Thank you for chiming in!

No problem, happy to help. If it helps your decision I also followed the guide on this forum to up the maximum scaled resolution to 1680x1050 which works brilliantly. So if you're prepared to do it you won't even lose any screen real estate compared to the 13 inch rMBP if that's an issue for you.

 

[Cnasty]

No problem, happy to help. If it helps your decision I also followed the guide on this forum to up the maximum scaled resolution to 1680x1050 which works brilliantly. So if you're prepared to do it you won't even lose any screen real estate compared to the 13 inch rMBP if that's an issue for you.

Where is that?!?

That's fantastic! I need little tid bits like this.

 

[Kilgrave]

Where is that?!?

That's fantastic! I need little tid bits like this.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/scale-1680x1050-on-rmb-without-an-app.1873910/

It is of course possible that this won't work indefinitely though if Apple chooses to stop it in a later version of macOS. But let's hope not!

 

[Cnasty]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/scale-1680x1050-on-rmb-without-an-app.1873910/

It is of course possible that this won't work indefinitely though if Apple chooses to stop it in a later version of macOS. But let's hope not!

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[rvruggiero]

I currently have a rMBP 13 inch that I absolutely love and also the new 12.9 iPad Pro. It is a great combo but it is also overkill for what I normally utilize both machines for. I'd love to go all iPad for the future but I run a program called OOTP that is truly a computer program and need a laptop for.

I have my rMBP in my bag every single day and I am looking to consolidate both machines into a new rMB but concerned about performance decreases and giving up the "better" machine.

I am not a true tech detailed person so I don't know how big of a performance dip I would need in downgrading to the rMB but looking for some feedback from others that have made this change.

I utilize this one program and then of course daily needs such as emails, spreadsheets, and browsing with no true hardcore editing or any other powerful needs from my laptop.

Thank you for any feedback!!

Had 2016 MBP base model, wife had a 2016 MB base model and for these tasks, even side by side, there is little to no difference in system speed for basic tasks. Even scrubbing 4k video was smooth on her 2016 MB. I've since traded my 2016 MBP for a 2017 base MB and absolutely love it. Before I sold it, i tested side by side because I'm obsessive. As well as with my wife's 2016 MB. I tested everything from app opening speed, start up, shut down, importing 4k video in final cut, transferring 4gb of files, editing images, loading heavy spreadsheets. I can definitively say without a doubt there is zero noticeable difference for tasks like these between a pro and the 2017 mb. In several cases, the 2017 MB performed tasks even quicker (several apps opened quicker, spreadsheet loading, and importing 4k video all were quicker here). The 2017 MB was a tad quicker vs her 2016 MB for nearly everything. However, If there's any difference in performance between all three, you'd have to have them side by side and even then, they're basically identical. If you intend to edit and export lots of videos or have enormous and intensive workflows in adobe lightroom, premier, the Pro will edge the MB no question, but short of that, I seriously doubt you'll ever feel bottlenecked by it. The extra inch of screen was nice on the Pro, but i have scaled my MB as someone mentioned above to the MBP resolution and have no complaints. I'm a web designer/developer and photographer and have nothing but good things to report about the 2017 MB base model. I'm very picky and this laptop is exactly what I've wanted: Speedy and finally powerful enough for my design work, but incredibly light and portable.

 

[Cnasty]

More great feedback.

Only concern I have after hitting the Apple Store today was the screen difference is pretty noticeable. I didn't think it would.

The rMBP was much brighter! That concerns me as I use my laptop a lot on the patio but man that form factor is beautiful.

I went today fully intending to buy but that caught me off guard and my decision continues.

 

[rvruggiero]

More great feedback.

Only concern I have after hitting the Apple Store today was the screen difference is pretty noticeable. I didn't think it would.

The rMBP was much brighter! That concerns me as I use my laptop a lot on the patio but man that form factor is beautiful.

I went today fully intending to buy but that caught me off guard and my decision continues.

I shared that concern at first, but now after having used it at the coffee shop and in well lit areas indoor and outdoor, I've had no complaints with brightness. In fact, it's rarely turned all the way up anyway. During the day it's 3 bars below full, at night it's less than halfway up. The other way to think about it or justify it is that the new MB screen is still brighter than nearly every other competitors machines. Its certainly not dim. No, it's not nearly as bright as the pro, but if it's bright enough for what you do, that's all that really matters right? At work I use a 2014 pro and have never had any issues over the past 3 years with brightness and that's dimmer by the new MB 50+ nits. Why not just buy it, return within return period if it's not to your liking? To be honest though, screen brightness isn't even remotely a drawback when I think about this device. Get it in your home or work setting and test it out.

 

[Cnasty]

I shared that concern at first, but now after having used it at the coffee shop and in well lit areas indoor and outdoor, I've had no complaints with brightness. In fact, it's rarely turned all the way up anyway. During the day it's 3 bars below full, at night it's less than halfway up. The other way to think about it or justify it is that the new MB screen is still brighter than nearly every other competitors machines. Its certainly not dim. No, it's not nearly as bright as the pro, but if it's bright enough for what you do, that's all that really matters right? At work I use a 2014 pro and have never had any issues over the past 3 years with brightness and that's dimmer by the new MB 50+ nits. Why not just buy it, return within return period if it's not to your liking? To be honest though, screen brightness isn't even remotely a drawback when I think about this device. Get it in your home or work setting and test it out.

Agreed as we think I am going to try it out and run it through the ringer of day to day activity for 2 weeks. Thanks for the input

 

[rvruggiero]

No problem, happy to share. GL!

 

[Kilgrave]

Agreed as we think I am going to try it out and run it through the ringer of day to day activity for 2 weeks. Thanks for the input

That's exactly how I approached it. Although I was already sold on the rMB - my decision was between the m3/8gb/256 and the i5/8gb/512. I went in with the full intention of buying the higher spec but it wasn't in stock so I bought the m3 knowing that I could return it if it wasn't up to snuff.

But I seriously can't fault the m3 for my usage, I haven't bothered to test it for 4K video editing etc because I just don't do things like that. But I have tried plugging in a 1080p screen and had no problems at all. I even made my poor wife sit next to me with my old 2015 rMBP and do side by side tests to for common things I do and the rMB was faster or on par except for compiling apps in netbeans and Xcode (the rMB was sometimes a few seconds slower at most and I don't do enough of these things to worry about that sort of difference).

The only thing that has ever made the cpu usage spike significantly is when I start it up after a shutdown and it has to relaunch 10+ apps from my last session. This is something I wouldn't even normally do - I never used to shutdown my rMBP, I've only been doing it to conserve battery life because I've not wanted to take the charger out with me in case I damage it (I know apple cables can be fragile and I didn't want Apple to refuse to take it back if I decided to return it). In reality I haven't even come close to running out of battery once in a day. Even running netbeans, Xcode and powering an external screen for a couple of hours on top of my normal usage.

My return period ends tomorrow and I won't be returning it. Love this machine. People will always tell you that the rMBP is better value for money for the spec. But if you have to carry it around all day as I do along with all the other things I need to teach my classes the slimmer form factor is more than worth it.

 

[Scripted Pixels]

Had 2016 MBP base model, wife had a 2016 MB base model and for these tasks, even side by side, there is little to no difference in system speed for basic tasks. Even scrubbing 4k video was smooth on her 2016 MB. I've since traded my 2016 MBP for a 2017 base MB and absolutely love it. Before I sold it, i tested side by side because I'm obsessive. As well as with my wife's 2016 MB. I tested everything from app opening speed, start up, shut down, importing 4k video in final cut, transferring 4gb of files, editing images, loading heavy spreadsheets. I can definitively say without a doubt there is zero noticeable difference for tasks like these between a pro and the 2017 mb. In several cases, the 2017 MB performed tasks even quicker (several apps opened quicker, spreadsheet loading, and importing 4k video all were quicker here). The 2017 MB was a tad quicker vs her 2016 MB for nearly everything. However, If there's any difference in performance between all three, you'd have to have them side by side and even then, they're basically identical. If you intend to edit and export lots of videos or have enormous and intensive workflows in adobe lightroom, premier, the Pro will edge the MB no question, but short of that, I seriously doubt you'll ever feel bottlenecked by it. The extra inch of screen was nice on the Pro, but i have scaled my MB as someone mentioned above to the MBP resolution and have no complaints. I'm a web designer/developer and photographer and have nothing but good things to report about the 2017 MB base model. I'm very picky and this laptop is exactly what I've wanted: Speedy and finally powerful enough for my design work, but incredibly light and portable.

What web developer tools do you use?

I'm currently considering going from a late 2014 15" MBP to the top end MB for the size & its portability as I'm a contractor I tend to work on the train to & from work. When I'm at a desk I'm hooked up to a screen via HDMI or a Cinema Display.

I work on a lot of Magento websites via Docker but i can't find anyone else who's tested this laptop with that.

I also work with a lot of Wordpress sites, via mamp or vagrant, and would like to know if it's ok running that?

Also, as a bonus, have you've ran any programs such as Sketch? I use that a lot too

Thank you

 

[iamsen47]

Two weeks ago I traded in my base model 2015 rMBP for the 2017 rMB. (m3/8gb/256). I don't regret it at all. I have fairly similar usage to you. Mainly office apps plus I do a bit of Java in netbeans, some xcode and some Python. (I'm a CS teacher). Performance is way better than I expected and I've been watching activity monitor obsessively because I planned to trade it in for the i5 if I noticed any lag.

I'm surprised that you didn't go for more RAM. Wouldn't it help when compiling or when running vms?
My friend was just demonstrating to me earlier today how much his 2015 base model slowed down when launching some simple php apps. I run node/scala which is probably more intensive than his simple scraping app.

 

[palmwangja]

8GB is quite tight if you are using Xcode/Android studio with their emulator/VMs these days, because you would also need some other resource-hogging dependencies such as Chrome.... at the same time.

 

[Kilgrave]

I'm surprised that you didn't go for more RAM. Wouldn't it help when compiling or when running vms?
My friend was just demonstrating to me earlier today how much his 2015 base model slowed down when launching some simple php apps. I run node/scala which is probably more intensive than his simple scraping app.

I totally see your point, but I didn't really think it was necessary. My primary purpose for programming is to produce example code for school students - so nothing very taxing. I'd never hit a RAM bottle neck on my rMBP also with 8gb doing these tasks so I had no reason think I would on the rMB.

Plus I know how susceptible I am to wanting a new MacBook every couple of years - so I'll make the jump to 16gb on my next one.

From what I've read the difference in performance between the 2015 rMB and the base 2017 is pretty vast so I'm not surprised we've had different experiences.