Thoughts on 2015 MacBook Pro

[jlt1984]

I've always been a Windows user, but I've recently taken up web development/coding and therefore I have been taking a look at buying a MBPro. Since I would want at least 512GB and 15 inches, the ~$2.7 - 3k plunge has left me really hesitant to pull the trigger on a brand new unit. Really all I would use the machine for would be coding in VS and general web browsing/development and primarily I would use it docked on dual monitors.

There is a 2015 15 inch 512GB/16GB/2.5ghz i7/Iris Pro on Swappa for 1,150 with a battery cycle count of 259. It seems for my use case it would be safer/smarter to go the 2015 used route, but I just wanted to solicit some thoughts from actual Mac users before I make a decision.

 

[chscag]

I can't comment on Swappa but I highly recommend you look at what Apple has to offer on their refurbished site. Apple refurbished machines are like new and come with a full warranty. The usual savings are around 15%.

Apple Refurbished Store

 

[cruisin]

Compiling would be the hardest on the machine, but unless you regularly compile large projects you likely won't see a speed difference between 2015 and 2018. Web will be fine and dual screens will work for anything not in 3D (but Macs have always been weak in 3D due to the thinness of the designs).

A hidden benefit of the 2015 is that it still has the regular keyboard. The newer keyboards have barely any travel and are different enough that not everyone likes them. And they tend to stop working due to dust, and the repair cost without warranty is eye watering.The 2018 has the silicone membrane fix, but the design doesn't inspire confidence.

 

[Nbd1790]

The 2015 is a great machine for sure and should be able to handle all of your needs (the price point seems reasonable as well) Although, you can score a great deal from B&H on a 2017 model. Those same specs in a 2017 model would run you somewhere around 2k through B&H, still brand new and eligible for Applecare (not to mention the extended warranty with the keyboard)

USB C (thunderbolt 3) is going to start making its way into Apple products as we've seen with the new ipad pro. Might be a wiser choice to go with a machine with USB-C to future proof yourself if you plan on holding onto the laptop for a few years.

 

[phero]

I'm a developer and have just switched from a 2015 to a 2018 15 inch MBP. I never had any issues with the 2015 model, it's still a very fast machine and comfortable to work on, and has a better keyboard than the 2018 version.

One major disadvantage the 2015 has is in its cooling. The fans are a lot noisier and turn on way more quickly than on a 2018 MBP, even when just doing "regular" development in IntelliJ IDEA. I wouldn't consider that a deal breaker, just something to take into account.