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With all the trouble MacBooks have, anyone else considering desktop alternatives?
- Thread starter Yr Blues
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If you use your computer only at home and don't mind sitting at a desk I say get a desktop. I have a mini and a MacBook Air. Each serves it's purpose. With a mini I can upgrade or replace the monitor, keyboard, and mouse as I see fit. During the day I work from my desktop, or if I'm in the field I take my laptop. In the evening I post to Mac Rumors from my laptop while in bed. Each has it's purpose. It's up to you.
Went from an iMac to a MBPro. I don’t think I could go back. I’ve thought about but, but the convenience of the MBPro is worth the other sacrifices for me.
I would have to do my job at home instead of taking it to a coffee shop, but that might be a good thing in terms of productivity. I always have my iPad to take with me.
Not me - My 2015 15" just continues to be perfect in all ways, still, after all this time.
Honestly, they cranked out some lemons with the revision they did in 2016 and it's been all patchwork efforts since. I don't know if they got too aggressive with the slimming of the case or something else or some big combo of changes (probably), but the quality and consistency variability they introduced is absolutely a show stopper for me personally.
Honestly, they cranked out some lemons with the revision they did in 2016 and it's been all patchwork efforts since. I don't know if they got too aggressive with the slimming of the case or something else or some big combo of changes (probably), but the quality and consistency variability they introduced is absolutely a show stopper for me personally.
While I work I enjoy the convenience of two monitors. Makes it a lot easier for me. I can do the same thing from my laptop, but it takes more time to get the work done. Maybe a happy medium would be a laptop connected to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
The problem is that Apple's desktops are ***** value for money. The Mini and Mac Pro are beyond bad jokes, and the iMac comes with a screen, keyboard, mouse, want them or not, and are dead ends.
If you go that route, go for a Mac Pro 5,1 or a 2012 Mac Mini quad-core (assuming your graphics demands are limited, as the HD4000 is the limiting factor on the 2012 Mini).
If you go that route, go for a Mac Pro 5,1 or a 2012 Mac Mini quad-core (assuming your graphics demands are limited, as the HD4000 is the limiting factor on the 2012 Mini).
For every person mentioning the lemons that Apple cranks out, there are probably 1000's that have zero issues. Going to play devils advocate.
For every person mentioning the lemons that Apple cranks out, there are probably 1000's that have zero issues. Going to play devils advocate.
The anecdotal evidence and sheer number of people, all across the spectrum online from all corners of tech and life, that have had issues with 2016 and later models is absolutely up from where it ever was with 2015 and earlier models though.
That's not my opinion alone - it's shared by so so many who have had issues themselves or know colleagues, friends and family that have also.
I admire your effort on devils advocate, but it's really hard to discount all the anecdotal data about this. I'm not saying they're out and out garbage computers, but rather that "something" (lots of little things really) changed with these newish models and the problems appear to be "up".
Mileage varies on that - as always...but it's awfully noticeable and widespread if it's just an anomaly.
By the way - I base my opinions on this primarily from places that are not this forum.
Yeah I have to agree. What I did for the last 3 years was buy a dirt cheap Mac mini 2014 and use an external SSD and add ram to it - that helped. I also got a 2011 Mac mini from a coworker for $200 and put an SSD in it and more ram too. Works fairly well for anything but games.
In regards to the OP, yeah, my MacBook Pro is so completely unusable, I can't do anything with it.
(/sarcasm). Loving my 2017 MBP 13'. I spend hours using this every day, so does my wife with her 2017 MBP.
The new MBP's continue to be disappointing, especially for the money - hence i'm still using my 2012 MBP. I'm just crossing my fingers that the new Mac Pro isn't rubbish. If it is, i'll probably save my pennies and grab a second hand trashcan and an Air for the 5% of the time i'm out and about.
Maybe I should just bite the bullet and learn Premiere or DaVinci Resolve and be done with MacOS.
Maybe I should just bite the bullet and learn Premiere or DaVinci Resolve and be done with MacOS.
I wish we could thumbs down threads like on Reddit
Well, I agree with you there, more people in general are complaining about the newer Pro's then pre-2016.
AppleInsider has some hard numbers on repair rates of pre-2016 vs 2016+ MacBook Pros, including keyboard issues:
https://appleinsider.com/articles/1...em-to-improve-reliability-and-thats-not-great
TL;DR: The total repair rate, even including keyboard problems, was lower for the 2016/2017 models in the first year than previous models... so the newer models appear more reliable overall.
There you go ruining the anti-Apple bandwagon with your facts... how insensitive of you. Go play with your useless toys elsewhere!!! (/sarcasm).
I give up - I don't how to explain it.
Literally every single person I know who's had a 2016-current MBP has had keyboard issues - Issues they never had (of any kind) with their previous MBP's and MBA's - this includes the 2016 nTB MBP we have at home for my Sig Other. It needs to go in for a stuck space bar but she's too busy using it and avoids the problem by using an external MKB.
I guess they just all got unlucky.
I did find this comment on the article interesting though:
We've been over this before, and have even done so in this comment thread. As the numbers of MacBook Pros sold through the years have remained static, you can compare the number of service cases to get a feel for the magnitude of the problem. Given that the number of service events as a whole went DOWN as compared to the 2015 and earlier, and the keyboard incidents went WAY UP, it's pretty clear that there's something going on, even not counting percentages.
As a previous commenter pointed out the 2017 keyboard numbers are far more interesting. They are about the same as a single-failure as the 2015, but with repeat offenders bringing the numbers up and over the 2015.
This isn't about assigning a number of users affected by the problem and never has been. This is about assessing failure rates as they compare to the previous model.
Anyhow - I'm glad so many of you have had no issues and love your machines.
Truly - that's great to hear.
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Not that I disbelieve you as such, I just don't see how you could make such a determination with any accuracy. It seems inherently prejudiced, honestly.
I'm taking the word of, and only talking about the experiences of, people I either personally know or have heard write or talk about their experiences. I should have added that to what you quoted from my earlier post - my error there.
I believe these people that say they've had issues - and more of them than before - because I either know and trust them or find that they're in positions where they simply have no reason to lie or exaggerate any of their experiences here.
[doublepost=1534220015][/doublepost]In case anyone missed this earlier today:
The actual developer of BetterTouchTool is having all the same old problems on his new 2018 keyboard as he's had with previous newer models (it sounds like he had a 2016 and 2017 perhaps based upon his posting history on and around this topic):
“Damn it, after two weeks of use I can report the keyboard on the 2018 MBP is as ****** as before. "A" key broken. Getting my compressed air bottle ready :-(“
https://twitter.com/folivora_ai/status/1028524621493153792
Yes, and pardon me for saying so, but that system sounds completely worthless. First off, low sample size means statistical outliers throw off the comparisons completely, and second, are you saying you're a walking repository of peoples' experiences with pre-2016 Mac models...?
Seems unlikely you would have an accurate recollection of what things were like 3+ years ago.Even the issues with the butterfly keyboards is something Apple have called 'a very small percentage of users' (or similar words) affected - quite possibly they could be lying (and corporations rarely voluntarily extend warranties for no reason), but lying about stuff like that tends to get them sued by shareholders and stuff like that so I don't know if they'd actually do that. That's the problem with anecdotal evidence - it gets magnified by echo chamber forums, so that you cannot determine what the actual big picture really is like. Likely only Apple has that data, and they say 'very small percentage', and that's it.
I have desktops but want a laptop for it's portability. If I could only have one or the other, I would have to pick my new MBP 15
For every person mentioning the lemons that Apple cranks out, there are probably 1000's that have zero issues. Going to play devils advocate.
And you are right. But a person won't know which category they fall into until they make a purchase. Since the odds of getting a lemon seem to be increasing, I'd rather not take that gamble with my money.