Stick with MacBook Pro 2015 or jump to the 2017

[Shadow Puppets]

Hey guys,

I have very much a 1st world problem.

I currently own a good spec'd 2015 MacBook Pro 15" AND a 2015/2016 27" iMac.

In truth the iMac doesn't get used much these days and I like the idea of having one machine (with all my files in one place), and buying a 4K/5K monitor to hook it up to when I'm at home and want the bigger screen for things like Logic Pro X or Final Cut Pro.

So I'm looking to possibly sell the iMac, and know I can recoup 80% of it's value as I already have a potential buyer lined up.

I'm debating now whether to stick with the 2015 rMBP (which has been an excellent machine... only issue is that I'd prefer at 1TB hard drive rather than the 512 that it has) or looking at getting a high spec'd 2017 model.

What would you guys recommend? Sticking with the 2015 and buying an external monitor for it? Or jumping up to the 2017 with bigger hard drive and getting the LG 5K display for it? The lack of ports on the 2017 is not much of an issue for me as I only ever plug in the occasional USB.

Would the 2017 model likely perform much better than the 2015 when paired with a monitor?

Are the 2017 machines refined versions of the 2016? (i.e. have the keyboard issues / other issues been ironed out?)

I'm aware of how lucky I am to own both of these machines already. Just looking into what my options are. Part of my reasoning for looking is that, in truth, I'm not a fan at all of FaceID (for my own reasons), and would not like to be forced down a route next year or the year after when an upgrade would have it forced upon me (which people seem to believe will happen).

Anyway, all thoughts welcome.

 

[Fishrrman]

Stick with what you have now. There's nothing like having both a good desktop -and- a good laptop.

You may find (after it's too late) that you preferred the older 2015 keyboard.

2015-->2017 isn't "a big enough jump forward", in my book.

Don't worry about keeping the MacBook and iMac "perfectly in synch".
It's a wild goose chase.
Let each Mac "be its own Mac", so to speak...

 

[eddjedi]

Down to the individual I guess. Personally I don't like the idea of having multiple computers with different files on them, so for me one laptop with big external screen for home use makes sense.

I have seen rumours of updates but officially the only difference between the 2016 and 2017 MBPs are processor bumps, everything else including the keyboard, display, ports etc are the same according to this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacBook_Pro#Fourth_generation_.28Touch_Bar.29

If you want to run a 5k display then yes the jump to Thunderbolt 3 would absolutely benefit you. Plus having a single cable setup is really nice.

 

[Naimfan]

I generally agree with Fishrrman, above.

The 2017 15" MBP is overall faster than your 2015, but probably not by enough to be worth upgrading to. The one exception is graphics, where the 560 (or 555) in the 2017 will substantially outperform the 370 in your 2015.

And it might be too early to tell if the 2017s have ironed out the keyboard issues, to say nothing of the absurdly sized trackpad.

 

[Queen6]

Another for keeping the current setup as the 2017 MBP offers nothing substantial as a replacement. Personally I would revisit the question in a couple of years.

Q-6

 

[ISKOTB]

I got the 2017 one and I sent it back so +1 here for the 2015 laptop

 

[The Mercurian]

Wait for next iteratino which fingers crossed will be a hex-core beast

 

[GtrDude]

Hey guys,

I have very much a 1st world problem.

I currently own a good spec'd 2015 MacBook Pro 15" AND a 2015/2016 27" iMac.

In truth the iMac doesn't get used much these days and I like the idea of having one machine (with all my files in one place), and buying a 4K/5K monitor to hook it up to when I'm at home and want the bigger screen for things like Logic Pro X or Final Cut Pro.

So I'm looking to possibly sell the iMac, and know I can recoup 80% of it's value as I already have a potential buyer lined up.

I'm debating now whether to stick with the 2015 rMBP (which has been an excellent machine... only issue is that I'd prefer at 1TB hard drive rather than the 512 that it has) or looking at getting a high spec'd 2017 model.

What would you guys recommend? Sticking with the 2015 and buying an external monitor for it? Or jumping up to the 2017 with bigger hard drive and getting the LG 5K display for it? The lack of ports on the 2017 is not much of an issue for me as I only ever plug in the occasional USB.

Would the 2017 model likely perform much better than the 2015 when paired with a monitor?

Are the 2017 machines refined versions of the 2016? (i.e. have the keyboard issues / other issues been ironed out?)

I'm aware of how lucky I am to own both of these machines already. Just looking into what my options are. Part of my reasoning for looking is that, in truth, I'm not a fan at all of FaceID (for my own reasons), and would not like to be forced down a route next year or the year after when an upgrade would have it forced upon me (which people seem to believe will happen).

Anyway, all thoughts welcome.

Get the 2018.

Hopefully by then they will have realized that this think with all the letters written all over it, sometimes called keyboard, needs to be used by some of us.

Not just looked at to admire the technology.

 

[polbit]

I upgraded from a '15 to '17, and overall I'm happy, but this is definitely not a black and white decision. GPU is substantially faster, the computer runs cooler and is much quieter, and I enjoy the new keyboard. On the other hand, battery life, lack of legacy ports (and especially SD card slot), and MagSafe are all negatives.