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wakingtowinter

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 23, 2016
3
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It's time to upgrade. I have a late 2008 15" Macbook Pro with 320GB HDD, 2.66GHz processor, upgraded to 8GB RAM. Battery was replaced about two years ago. Cosmetically it's a 7/10. It's also running on Snow Leopard. Sometimes the trackpad can be a little funky, figure there could be something under there causing it to stick a little bit intermittently. These days I haven't bothered with it much since I use my work MBP for most everything, but that's going to be going away, hence the need to upgrade. I'd like to buy used or upgrade my current machine and stay with the 15" size. Budget is < $1000. Would be nice to have an SSD but don't know if that's in the budget. Computer will be used for web development, personal use, movies etc. Options as I see them:

1. Buy 2012 MBP non-retina (the hi-res anti-glare screen looks nice, is it worth the extra cost?)

2. Buy 2012 MBP retina (would be stretching my budget, not sure if I could get one with decent specs in my price range)

3. Upgrade my late 2008 MBP. Swap in SSD and install El Capitan.

Obviously the less I spend the better, but I want something that can remain viable for a few years, hopefully leaving me the opportunity to upgrade/swap hardware.
 
"1. Buy 2012 MBP non-retina (the hi-res anti-glare screen looks nice, is it worth the extra cost?)"

If I'm not mistaken, Apple has withdrawn this model from sale as of a day or two ago. Might still be available from some sources.

"2. Buy 2012 MBP retina (would be stretching my budget, not sure if I could get one with decent specs in my price range)"

Before you do this, you ARE aware that a NEW, substantially-redesigned MacBook Pro is "just around the corner", right? Probably due for release in the next few months. This may have something to do with why the "non-retina" MBP was "pulled" from the market.

Just realize that if you buy a current-model retina MBP, you could end up VERY disappointed in the next few months when the new one comes out...
 
"1. Buy 2012 MBP non-retina (the hi-res anti-glare screen looks nice, is it worth the extra cost?)"

If I'm not mistaken, Apple has withdrawn this model from sale as of a day or two ago. Might still be available from some sources.

"2. Buy 2012 MBP retina (would be stretching my budget, not sure if I could get one with decent specs in my price range)"

Before you do this, you ARE aware that a NEW, substantially-redesigned MacBook Pro is "just around the corner", right? Probably due for release in the next few months. This may have something to do with why the "non-retina" MBP was "pulled" from the market.

Just realize that if you buy a current-model retina MBP, you could end up VERY disappointed in the next few months when the new one comes out...

But they said their budget is "< $1000", and they didn't mention buying current rMBPs at all - even if they did wait until the Skylake models came out, it wouldn't be within their price range, hence the latest models they're considering are from 2012. Waiting until September would have no impact, and there is no chance that the next MBPs will be under $1000.

And the non-Retina Pro is still available on Apple's websites and in stores; it's now no longer advertised in retail stores, but it's still easy to buy.
 
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Right, my intention is to either buy a used 2012 model (retina or non-retina) or further upgrade my old one. I don't really care about having the latest and greatest, I just want something with decent specs that I can be happy with for a while.
 
Well I'd imagine your trackpad issues may be due to a swelling battery In your current machine, that's worth checking out immediately because if the battery bursts bye bye MacBook.

As for what to buy any 2012 is a good bet USB 3 is worth having and so is the HDMI connector, not to mention the 650m dGPU as standard.
 
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1. Buy 2012 MBP non-retina (the hi-res anti-glare screen looks nice, is it worth the extra cost?)
> Only if you can get this in used, good condition. Definitely worth the price that Apple and other retailers are charging. Buy it cheap used, then upgrade it yourself.

2. Buy 2012 MBP retina (would be stretching my budget, not sure if I could get one with decent specs in my price range)
> Based on your budget, not the best choice

3. Upgrade my late 2008 MBP. Swap in SSD and install El Capitan.
> Bring your computer in first before considering (1) and (2) and see why the trackpad is acting a bit funny. Maybe a swollen battery, as someone said. If that's taken care of, the best option would be to upgrade this computer.
 
I'm a little skeptical about the battery being the issue...The case seems pretty flat on the outside, the battery was replaced at an Apple store about two years ago, and the problem is intermittent and actually pretty rare lately. Seems like if it was the battery the symptoms would be constant.

USB 3.0 and HDMI are good points, that would be nice to have. What's the difference between my 2.6ghz dual core processor and a newer quad core 2.6ghz processor? Also having SATA 2 vs SATA 3? Would the differences be worth it?
 
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I'm a little skeptical about the battery being the issue...The case seems pretty flat on the outside, the battery was replaced at an Apple store about two years ago, and the problem is intermittent and actually pretty rare lately. Seems like if it was the battery the symptoms would be constant.

USB 3.0 and HDMI are good points, that would be nice to have. What's the difference between my 2.6ghz dual core processor and a newer quad core 2.6ghz processor? Also having SATA 2 vs SATA 3? Would the differences be worth it?


CPU wise it's going from dual to quad core so in many apps over 2x the performance, the biggest boost will be in graphics performance with a modern dGPU. The SATA 3 is worth it if you fit an SSD which will give a massive boost to general speed of use app opening etc.
 
USB 3.0 and HDMI are good points, that would be nice to have. What's the difference between my 2.6ghz dual core processor and a newer quad core 2.6ghz processor? Also having SATA 2 vs SATA 3? Would the differences be worth it?

I had a 2010 and 2011 13" MBP. The 2010 had a SATA 2 connection and with an SSD performed at 300 MB/sec read and 160 MB/sec write. With SATA 3 the numbers increased to 580 MB/sec read, 475 BM/sec write. This was with the same SSD. The difference is noticeable when using the systems. While the SATA 2/SSD combo was definitely a big change from a rotational hard drive, SATA 3 felt a step or two faster. On application launch this meant instead of 5-7 seconds to launch an application the time dropped to 2-3 seconds. The difference was enough to get rid of the 2010 unit.

I also suspect the change in processor will be quite noticeable. The overall architecture of the newer processor is much faster, so the difference has less to do with having more cores, and more to do with having a better design.
 
OK, if budget is important, the non-retina MPB can probably be had for the cheapest (and still be a "MacBook Pro"). You can upgrade RAM and HDD later on.
Some will say these are "outdated" machines, but they'll still run fast enough, have excellent connectivity, and are upgradeable.

I would expect some good deals on the retina models ("closeout pricing") when the next-generation MBP's are announced.
The advantage of a 2015 MBP is that you'll have better video options available to you (than on the non-retina model). I -believe- it will even run a 4k external display, if you wish.

Have you considered an Apple-refurbished model?
 
Get a late 2013 rMBP or newer. If your budget doesn't allow for that, you're better off saving a bit longer. I'm not sure if that's an option for you, but that's what I would do.
 
I'd lean towards Option 3 (upgrade to SSD). A 512GB SSD can be had for a bit over $100 now, and since the MPB is stuck with SATA-II, you really don't need a super-fast high-end SSD. Install El Cap on it and see how it goes. If the improvement is adequate for your needs, keep it -- it'll buy you some time until the new Macbook Pros come out, when prices on the 2012 era Macbook Pros should drop in price even further. If the improvements do not suffice, just return the SSD. While the laptop is open during the SSD upgrade, see if you can clean out the track pad a bit (officially unserviceable, but there is mention of cleaning it with a aerosol duster and/or sliding a slip of paper in between the assembly).
 
Lol I'm sure you can even get the 2014 rMBP for less than $1000 if you buy from an end-user. but I guess that you might have to trim down to 13" after all if that's acceptable.
 
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