Which MacBook to get?

[CatherineVeraGat]

Hello MacBook users

I'm thinking of buying the 2017 Macbook 12-inch. I don't know what kind of specs to get.

On the Macbook 12-inch I will be doing some
- Light to Heavy web browsing
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- Light 2D/3D rendering (CAD rendering)
- Light architecture programs (Designing floor plans and some parts of houses)

Processor
- 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m3
7th-Gen (Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz)

Storage
- 256GB SSD

Memory
- 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3

Graphics chip
- Intel HD Graphics 615

Or do I need the more powerful version?

Processor
- 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
7th-Gen (Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz)

Storage
- 512GB SSD

Memory
- 16GB 1866MHz LPDDR3

Graphics chip
- Intel HD Graphics 615

My budget is $2,000. What specs do you think is best for me on the 2017 MacBook?

Do you think I need the 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 7th-Gen processor?

 

[nurotic]

I currently own a 2015 m3 1.1ghz model. I'm still impressed with its capabilities.

I do a lot of web browsing, web development. I also run parallels to use windows 10 applications.

I run a number of graphics applications:
Sketch
Affinity photo + Designer

And I love being able to hook it up to my 4K TV. (Never mind the dongles )

While I accept that it's not a power house, I've rarely run into issue of feeling it's performance is crippling my workflow.

The base 2017 MacBook is significantly better laptop compared to the base 2015 model and from the reviews, it is proving to be quite the capable machine.

I'm considering the 2017 base model also, the upgrade I definitely would consider though is 16GB Ram.

Hope that helps

 

[Crazy Badger]

I have the M5 2016 MacBook and the decision was based purely on the storage capacity, as I needed 512GB to replaced the same in the MBA it replaced. Don't think the bump in processor speed makes that much of a difference, and is probably not worth the extra money. More RAM probably future proofs a little, but it works just fine with 8GB.

So if it was my money, knowing it would be replaced in 3 years, I'd get the i5 with 512GB SSD and 8GB RAM.

 

[CatherineVeraGat]

I currently own a 2015 m3 1.1ghz model. I'm still impressed with its capabilities.

I do a lot of web browsing, web development. I also run parallels to use windows 10 applications.

I run a number of graphics applications:
Sketch
Affinity photo + Designer

And I love being able to hook it up to my 4K TV. (Never mind the dongles )

While I accept that it's not a power house, I've rarely run into issue of feeling it's performance is crippling my workflow.

The base 2017 MacBook is significantly better laptop compared to the base 2015 model and from the reviews, it is proving to be quite the capable machine.

I'm considering the 2017 base model also, the upgrade I definitely would consider though is 16GB Ram.

Hope that helps

Thank you!!! Can we use an Apple Pencil with the MacBook 12-inch?

 

[nurotic]

Thank you!!! Can we use an Apple Pencil with the MacBook 12-inch?

That would be the dream, but unfortunately not. Surely I'm not the only one who has caught themselves touching their mac(book) screen!

However if you already have an Apple Pencil, which then also means you have an iPad, You may find use from an app called Astro pad. I believe it's the next best thing to having a Wacom.

 

[CatherineVeraGat]

That would be the dream, but unfortunately not. Surely I'm not the only one who has caught themselves touching their mac(book) screen!

However if you already have an Apple Pencil, which then also means you have an iPad, You may find use from an app called Astro pad. I believe it's the next best thing to having a Wacom.

Thank you!! You told me a lot of information that I didn't know.

 

[EugW]

1) You’ll probably want 16 GB RAM.
2) You’ll probably want a 512 GB SSD.
3) Consider getting a 13” MacBook Pro.

 

[DaMax85]

Hello MacBook users

I'm thinking of buying the 2017 Macbook 12-inch. I don't know what kind of specs to get.

On the Macbook 12-inch I will be doing some
- Light to Heavy web browsing
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- Light 2D/3D rendering (CAD rendering)
- Light architecture programs (Designing floor plans and some parts of houses)

Processor
- 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m3
7th-Gen (Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz)

Storage
- 256GB SSD

Memory
- 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3

Graphics chip
- Intel HD Graphics 615

Or do I need the more powerful version?

Processor
- 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
7th-Gen (Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz)

Storage
- 512GB SSD

Memory
- 16GB 1866MHz LPDDR3

Graphics chip
- Intel HD Graphics 615

My budget is $2,000. What specs do you think is best for me on the 2017 MacBook?

Do you think I need the 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 7th-Gen processor?

If you have 2 g's to drop: Get the 13" MBP TB model and get 16 GB of ram.

 

[Rigby]

Do you need extreme portability? If no, you'll get better value for money in the Macbook Pro (which is still pretty slim and lightweight in it's current incarnation). I don't know how demanding your CAD and architecture applications are, but if you are looking for a performance device, the Macbook isn't really the right choice, even with the highest spec model.

 

[maerz001]

I have a MB M5 2016. It's ok for 3D CAD and some light photoshop. But not for a professional who is using a MB as a main machine.

When u want to render its slow. Even a i7 MB just helps here 10-15%. So if u use intense stuff just once in a while MB is ok otherwise you want a MBP