I have noticed on eBay that there are several 15.4" with low cycle counts significantly cheaper than the 16". If I do get a 15.4", I don't want to go older than 2018. I recently got the 2019 keyboard put on my 2018 13" MBP and love the feel of it, so I am thinking the 15.4" one wouldn't be bad if I can get it for a lot cheaper. Obviously I would prefer the 16" though. Has anyone tried both? Thanks in advance.
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Should I get a 15.4" or a 16" MBP?
- Thread starter Jacoblee23
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I had a (2018) 15.4” w/ 2.9 i9, 32 gb ram, 1tb, and Vega 20 for a few days recently while waiting on the 16” I ordered
Honestly, if you find a great deal the 2018 or 2019 with Vega 20 is the only way it makes sense to go with the older mode. I would not personally buy the 530/40/50/55/65 etc. as they are very outdated compared to the vega and 16” graphics, and oddly the older three-digit chips 555 etc have a lot more heating issues even though they’re slower. It’s a lose lose.
The2018 and 2019 15.4” Vega models have completely different cooling than the 3-digit gpu modes and they work better like the 2019s. There are some great vids on this.
I had None, zero of the dreaded throttling problems with the 2018 15.4” i9 2.9 with Vega 20.
I don’t have the 16” yet to compare, but from the short time I used a co-workers, it was hard to go back to the 15.4” screen after seeing the 16” size. The 16” just feels right, better. Especially if you have older eyes, because the scaling options on the 16” are more usable in day to day programs.
The keyboard on the 16” seems kind of mushy to me as I have used butterfly for years and prefer the precision of the butterfly. But the physical escape key is SO much nicer than the Touch Bar one that I immediately felt relief. The Touch Bar each key is a nightmare beyond anything I could have expected. I accidentally brushed my pinkie past the TB esc key all the time and ended up accidentally canceling things 100x a day and would be sitting there wondering why a webpage was so slow only to realize I had tapped esc. It was awful. I digress.
Apparently the speakers and mics on the 2016 are a lot better, too, which could be a big feature for day to day enjoyment.
Keep in mind as long as whatever 15.4” you buy isn’t more than four years from the original retail sale of the unit it will have coverage under Apple’s keyboard program, which is pretty great and gets you a new battery as you likely know from your experience with the 13”. In other words, I get ya on the value proposition.
If I were in your shoes, I would ask if there is any chance you will wish you got the 16” when you see it later. If there’s any chance of that, the “savings” on a 15.4” will be very short lived, and as fun as it is to get new tech, setting up and getting settled on a new machine is a pain - so get something that you will be happiest with.
If you replace your iPhone every year or two, DEF get the 16” as you will find yourself envying them when you see them and you might lose money trying to offload the somewhat notoriously unloved and unreliable 15.4”
Honestly, if you find a great deal the 2018 or 2019 with Vega 20 is the only way it makes sense to go with the older mode. I would not personally buy the 530/40/50/55/65 etc. as they are very outdated compared to the vega and 16” graphics, and oddly the older three-digit chips 555 etc have a lot more heating issues even though they’re slower. It’s a lose lose.
The2018 and 2019 15.4” Vega models have completely different cooling than the 3-digit gpu modes and they work better like the 2019s. There are some great vids on this.
I had None, zero of the dreaded throttling problems with the 2018 15.4” i9 2.9 with Vega 20.
I don’t have the 16” yet to compare, but from the short time I used a co-workers, it was hard to go back to the 15.4” screen after seeing the 16” size. The 16” just feels right, better. Especially if you have older eyes, because the scaling options on the 16” are more usable in day to day programs.
The keyboard on the 16” seems kind of mushy to me as I have used butterfly for years and prefer the precision of the butterfly. But the physical escape key is SO much nicer than the Touch Bar one that I immediately felt relief. The Touch Bar each key is a nightmare beyond anything I could have expected. I accidentally brushed my pinkie past the TB esc key all the time and ended up accidentally canceling things 100x a day and would be sitting there wondering why a webpage was so slow only to realize I had tapped esc. It was awful. I digress.
Apparently the speakers and mics on the 2016 are a lot better, too, which could be a big feature for day to day enjoyment.
Keep in mind as long as whatever 15.4” you buy isn’t more than four years from the original retail sale of the unit it will have coverage under Apple’s keyboard program, which is pretty great and gets you a new battery as you likely know from your experience with the 13”. In other words, I get ya on the value proposition.
If I were in your shoes, I would ask if there is any chance you will wish you got the 16” when you see it later. If there’s any chance of that, the “savings” on a 15.4” will be very short lived, and as fun as it is to get new tech, setting up and getting settled on a new machine is a pain - so get something that you will be happiest with.
If you replace your iPhone every year or two, DEF get the 16” as you will find yourself envying them when you see them and you might lose money trying to offload the somewhat notoriously unloved and unreliable 15.4”
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You can expect issues with the keyboard on MBP Pro 15 (2016-2019). Butterfly keyboard is not reliable
I'd go with the 16 inch. Even the base is preferable to any of the 15 inchers due to the discrete chip. The keyboard is also more comfortable, the battery lasts longer and the speakers are phenomenal.
I prefer to spend more for peace of mind. If offered what you are considering, I would go for the 2019. Peace of mind is worth a lot to me. That said, I'm sticking with the 2014 and 2015 for now until they die and then will likely go with a 16.
I think the problem is not as widespread as the forums suggest. I have owned 3 butterfly keyboard machines (one 12” 2015, a 12” 2017, and a 13” used by spouse) and none of them have ever become problematic even with daily use. But the 4 year service plan certainly helps in that department, I don’t usually keep machines much longer than that.
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Thanks Jerry. I was given a 15.4” in the meantime while waiting on the 16” to arrive and I am excited to compare the two myself. I have checked the 16” at the store but in such a large environment the sound difference wasn’t easy to notice.
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the question here was a 15.4” with Vega seems not many are familiar with this machine since it was so pricey initially
I have only had it a work week now but I have put it through its paces and the throttling doesn’t seem to be a problem with my adobe-heavy use, even when remanding a project overnight
Thanks everyone. I know the 16” is better but I was able to find a good deal on a i9 15” 2019 pro with 512gb of storage open box with only 4 cycles and was able to finance it. I’m sure it will still be more than capable and serve me well for many years.