What portable Mac to buy?

[i-n]

I want to get a portable Mac and my shortlisted options are:

1. Used 2015 13” rMBP 2.9Ghz 512GB SSD
2. Refurb 2017 13” MBA 1.8Ghz 256GB SSD
3. Refurb 2016 13” MBP TB 2.9Ghz 256GB SSD

All have 8GB RAM. Options 2 & 3 will have a one year Apple warranty, option 1 does not. I don’t need 512GB of space but it would be nice to have.

Option 2 is about $250 more than option 1.
Option 3 is about $650 more than option 1.

I’m leaning towards option 1 but my only concern is buying a used MBP with no Apple warranty or option to buy AppleCare.

What would you do?

 

[Falhófnir]

Option 1 sounds like the best deal to me as long as you do all the usual used computer checks before buying. The 2015 Pro is probably the closest we ever got to the feted retina MacBook Air, only more powerful and marginally heavier.

 

[Glmnet1]

I also think option 1 is the best deal on your list.

While option 2 is technically a 2017, in reality it only saw minor spec bumps since 2015. It still has an older CPU, lower resolution screen etc. I would definitely not buy this one now.

If you have the money and plan to carry it a lot then I would recommend a refurb 13 nTB 2017 instead of option 3. That way you're getting a more recent computer with better specs for a similar price. Also they seem to have resolved part of the keyboard issues when compared to the 2016. I would still be very careful about the keyboard and consider AppleCare.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

What are you going to be using it for? It's impossible to recommend any without knowing what you intend to do with it.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1128944-REG/apple_z0qn_mf8401_13_3_macbook_pro_notebook.html

 

[i-n]

Option 1 sounds like the best deal to me as long as you do all the usual used computer checks before buying. The 2015 Pro is probably the closest we ever got to the feted retina MacBook Air, only more powerful and marginally heavier.

Yeah I used to have a 2014 rMBP and was very happy with it.
[doublepost=1515868696][/doublepost]

I also think option 1 is the best deal on your list.

While option 2 is technically a 2017, in reality it only saw minor spec bumps since 2015. It still has an older CPU, lower resolution screen etc. I would definitely not buy this one now.

If you have the money and plan to carry it a lot then I would recommend a refurb 13 nTB 2017 instead of option 3. That way you're getting a more recent computer with better specs for a similar price. Also they seem to have resolved part of the keyboard issues when compared to the 2016. I would still be very careful about the keyboard and consider AppleCare.

I’ve almost ruled the MBA out at this point but yeah, option 1 is looking like the frontrunner.
[doublepost=1515868811][/doublepost]

What are you going to be using it for? It's impossible to recommend any without knowing what you intend to do with it.

Fair point. It’ll mainly be used for Office, iWork, Safari and some GarageBand/Logic. Nothing too intense but I’ll be keeping it for 2-3 years.
[doublepost=1515868930][/doublepost]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1128944-REG/apple_z0qn_mf8401_13_3_macbook_pro_notebook.html

Looks good but do B&H ship to Europe?

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Yeah I used to have a 2014 rMBP and was very happy with it.
[doublepost=1515868696][/doublepost]

I’ve almost ruled the MBA out at this point but yeah, option 1 is looking like the frontrunner.
[doublepost=1515868811][/doublepost]

Fair point. It’ll mainly be used for Office, iWork, Safari and some GarageBand/Logic. Nothing too intense but I’ll be keeping it for 2-3 years.
[doublepost=1515868930][/doublepost]
Looks good but do B&H ship to Europe?

Any of those computers will do what you want then. The 2015 is going to be the better computer, but personally I'd be hesitant about buying a used device with no warranty for extra power you won't be using. The MBA at least has a guarantee for you, and is still powerful enough for your needs.

Get a 2015 if you can find one in a refurb or something.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

[doublepost=1515868930][/doublepost]
Looks good but do B&H ship to Europe?

call them.

 

[i-n]

Any of those computers will do what you want then. The 2015 is going to be the better computer, but personally I'd be hesitant about buying a used device with no warranty for extra power you won't be using. The MBA at least has a guarantee for you, and is still powerful enough for your needs.

Get a 2015 if you can find one in a refurb or something.

Thanks for that. Yeah the lack of warranty on a used machine does bother me. I’ll check out third-party resellers and see if I can get a 2015 new/refurbished.

 

[Glmnet1]

Fair point. It’ll mainly be used for Office, iWork, Safari and some GarageBand/Logic. Nothing too intense but I’ll be keeping it for 2-3 years.

A nice thing about Macs is that they often last much longer than 2-3 years. I use my 2011 MBP as my main work computer and I'm only starting to consider replacing it. You can get macOS updates for about 7 afters the computer is discontinued so buying a refurb 2017 at 1300$ and keeping it for 7 years would cost you 185$/year, a lot less than buying a used one and replacing it every 2-3 years.

 

[i-n]

Quick update on this. After ruling out buying used, I spent more time weighing up 2016 v 2017 13” MBPs, TB and nTB. I was put off the nTB by reading some very negative feedback online but then the TB version has its detractors also. Almost looking at a 2015 15” refurb MBP, I see a 13” 2015 refurb in the Apple Store this morning, the machine I wanted all along. It’s a 2.7 i5 with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. Ordered right away. Very happy. Thanks for all your advice.

 

[oldtime]

Quick update on this. After ruling out buying used, I spent more time weighing up 2016 v 2017 13” MBPs, TB and nTB. I was put off the nTB by reading some very negative feedback online but then the TB version has its detractors also. Almost looking at a 2015 15” refurb MBP, I see a 13” 2015 refurb in the Apple Store this morning, the machine I wanted all along. It’s a 2.7 i5 with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. Ordered right away. Very happy. Thanks for all your advice.

Very nice, you get the machine you want plus a year of Apple warranty

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Quick update on this. After ruling out buying used, I spent more time weighing up 2016 v 2017 13” MBPs, TB and nTB. I was put off the nTB by reading some very negative feedback online but then the TB version has its detractors also. Almost looking at a 2015 15” refurb MBP, I see a 13” 2015 refurb in the Apple Store this morning, the machine I wanted all along. It’s a 2.7 i5 with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. Ordered right away. Very happy. Thanks for all your advice.

Remember that apple refurb also have the option to add two more years warranty under AppleCare anytime in the first year.

 

[i-n]

Remember that apple refurb also have the option to add two more years warranty under AppleCare anytime in the first year.

Yep and that’s next on my shppping list.