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Your favorite MacBook Pro?
- Thread starter judino28
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I've owned 4: Early 2006 15", Late 2008 15", Early 2011 15", Late 2016 13".
Although they were all fantastic at the time in their own way (the 2006 for the webcam and switch to Intel, the 2008 for the unibody design, the 2011 for the raw power and Thunderbolt) my favourite is definitely the 2016: it's super portable, quiet, has a long battery life (or at least longer than the others), an amazing screen, and I personally really like the keyboard.
People act like the latest MBPs are crippled and are extremely unreliable, but my 2006 had to have a fan repaired twice, and the 2011 succumbed to Radeongate before being repaired by Apple - so in my (admittedly limited) experience, it's no worse.
Although they were all fantastic at the time in their own way (the 2006 for the webcam and switch to Intel, the 2008 for the unibody design, the 2011 for the raw power and Thunderbolt) my favourite is definitely the 2016: it's super portable, quiet, has a long battery life (or at least longer than the others), an amazing screen, and I personally really like the keyboard.
People act like the latest MBPs are crippled and are extremely unreliable, but my 2006 had to have a fan repaired twice, and the 2011 succumbed to Radeongate before being repaired by Apple - so in my (admittedly limited) experience, it's no worse.
I had the 2006 15'' Core Duo MBP, the 2012 15'' rMBP and now I'm using the 2016 13'' tbMBP.
The 2006 model will always be special to me because it was my first Mac and also due to its amazing design which was light years ahead of the competition. I remember that back in 2006 laptops were bulky and heavy and my MBP looked like something from the future. Amazing backlit keyboard, iSight camera, huge trackpad (for the time), Magsafe, versatile ports and a killer OS (Tiger).
As for the other two, the 2012 rMBP will probably go down as the most "complete" MBP of all and the 2016 tbMBP will take some time to be appreciated since it feels like a middle-step between the past (ports-wires) and what Apple considers to be the future (wireless).
The 2006 model will always be special to me because it was my first Mac and also due to its amazing design which was light years ahead of the competition. I remember that back in 2006 laptops were bulky and heavy and my MBP looked like something from the future. Amazing backlit keyboard, iSight camera, huge trackpad (for the time), Magsafe, versatile ports and a killer OS (Tiger).
As for the other two, the 2012 rMBP will probably go down as the most "complete" MBP of all and the 2016 tbMBP will take some time to be appreciated since it feels like a middle-step between the past (ports-wires) and what Apple considers to be the future (wireless).
This is probably an unpopular choice but my 2017 MBP is my favorite Mac so far.
Easily the best screen on any laptop I’ve ever had.
The best speakers of any laptop (its loud but clear).
I like typing on it.
I really like USBC-I have a usb external HD, Nintendo Switch with USB CABLES so I can inter-change cables.
It’s also thin and light. It’s my bathroom laptop lol
Easily the best screen on any laptop I’ve ever had.
The best speakers of any laptop (its loud but clear).
I like typing on it.
I really like USBC-I have a usb external HD, Nintendo Switch with USB CABLES so I can inter-change cables.
It’s also thin and light. It’s my bathroom laptop lol
I REALLY like my 2011 15" mbp. Only upgrading because over the last month the GPU issues this computer is known for have started occurring. If the GPU wasn't failing, I'd love to keep this computer, super reliable, sturdy and it has always worked in the past.
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Why is it junk?
I have had a G4 PowerBook, G4 iBook, Core 2 Duo Macbook, 2009 Macbook Pro 15, 2011 Macbook Pro 13 and 2013 Macbook Pro 15. I have also used the 2012-2013 Macbook Air.
Of all those, my absolutely favorite is the 2013 Macbook Pro 15. A close second is the 2009 Macbook Pro for its awesome, DIY-upgrades and easy replacements. That was a well designed computer for maximal user-friendliness in self-maintenance. However, the 2013 Macbook Pro 15 takes the top spot because it has more features I enjoy, like the high-res screen and the fast PCI-E SSD. I can also upgrade it somewhat, but with more effort than the 2009 model. A wild card in my decision is if my 2013's battery bulges and destroys the bottom casing, trackpad and possibly more.
May be in 5 years I'll have another Macbook Pro, let's do this thread again in 5 years to see what has changed.
Of all those, my absolutely favorite is the 2013 Macbook Pro 15. A close second is the 2009 Macbook Pro for its awesome, DIY-upgrades and easy replacements. That was a well designed computer for maximal user-friendliness in self-maintenance. However, the 2013 Macbook Pro 15 takes the top spot because it has more features I enjoy, like the high-res screen and the fast PCI-E SSD. I can also upgrade it somewhat, but with more effort than the 2009 model. A wild card in my decision is if my 2013's battery bulges and destroys the bottom casing, trackpad and possibly more.
May be in 5 years I'll have another Macbook Pro, let's do this thread again in 5 years to see what has changed.
The one Apple choose not to produce; 2012 design, 2 x USB C/TB-3, 2 x USB A, HDMI, SD Card, audio out inclusive of optical, Mag Safe, P3 display, faster SSD's, latest Intel, full capacity battery, reliable keyboards, 32Gb Ram, that 25% extra battery capacity might just offset the "huge" demand this extra RAM would require 
wouldn't mind a GPU that was just a littler bit better than mediocre.
I fully don't expect Apple to get into the Portable workstation business for a very few limited users, equally what's outlined above would be arguably a dam sight more flexible and usable than the current MBP. Would limit the current reliance on dongles, have longer runtime on battery, and like not have a $700 repair cost for the keyboard. Tragically it would be 3mm (1/8") thicker and a little heavier, after one has priorities
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wouldn't mind a GPU that was just a littler bit better than mediocre.I fully don't expect Apple to get into the Portable workstation business for a very few limited users, equally what's outlined above would be arguably a dam sight more flexible and usable than the current MBP. Would limit the current reliance on dongles, have longer runtime on battery, and like not have a $700 repair cost for the keyboard. Tragically it would be 3mm (1/8") thicker and a little heavier, after one has priorities
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Truthfully that's my observation, I'm predominantly based in Asia, I travel internationally for work. All those I personally know and speak with have either returned or gifted them to family members with a general low opinion of the latest MBP, preferring to sit on older hardware or switch to W10. In effect I've tried more 2016/2017 MBP's than I've seen in the wild...
To me the MacBook should be the ultra portable, the current MBP the "MacBook" and Apple offer the "Pro" line as a notebook that has increased usability and functionality for heavy users, right now we just have thin & thinner for the sake of it, outdated & overpriced hardware that Apple wont update internally as it's likely scared it might outsell the latest and greatest.
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I think it was probably the first unibody MacBook Pro, the 15.4” base model (MB470LLA), which was introduced in late 2008. It just seemed so much better built than its predecessors.
Part of the reason was the price. I bought it from the refurbished store in August 2009 for just over £940, spent a further £45 upgrading it to 4GB of ram and sold it 27 months later for £660. It ended up being great value for money.
Just checking the refurbished store now and the cheapest 15.4” model is the 2015 year one, which is £1,609. A better comparison would be the 2016 model, which starts at £1,809, or even the 2017 one at £1,999, given how long ago that was launched. That probably explains why I'm sticking with my current late 2013 13" model for the time being.
The battery life was not as good as the model that followed, but it was the last generation which was user-replaceable.
It had Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT and 9400M graphics processors, which were far more reliable than the problematic 8600M GT used in the previous generation.
These are the tech specs -
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP499?viewlocale=en_GB&locale=en_GB
Part of the reason was the price. I bought it from the refurbished store in August 2009 for just over £940, spent a further £45 upgrading it to 4GB of ram and sold it 27 months later for £660. It ended up being great value for money.
Just checking the refurbished store now and the cheapest 15.4” model is the 2015 year one, which is £1,609. A better comparison would be the 2016 model, which starts at £1,809, or even the 2017 one at £1,999, given how long ago that was launched. That probably explains why I'm sticking with my current late 2013 13" model for the time being.
The battery life was not as good as the model that followed, but it was the last generation which was user-replaceable.
It had Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT and 9400M graphics processors, which were far more reliable than the problematic 8600M GT used in the previous generation.
These are the tech specs -
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP499?viewlocale=en_GB&locale=en_GB
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Best - 2015 13" MBPro
Worst - 2017 13" nTB MBPro
Good - 2015 15" MBPro
My first Mac was a MacBook Air which showed me the delights of MacOS, fantastic trackpad and day-long battery.
Worst - 2017 13" nTB MBPro
Good - 2015 15" MBPro
My first Mac was a MacBook Air which showed me the delights of MacOS, fantastic trackpad and day-long battery.
I don't expect a laptop to pull off the same performance a desktop of half the price does. Therefore I have a dedicated machine at home to do all intensive stuff. All the day to day tasks at home and yet some intensive tasks on the go I manage to do it with my 15-inch 2015 MBP iGPU. Best model yet IMO. Proven hardware since it's the last of its generation. Enough I/O. Better keyboard. Force touch trackpad. What not??
The 2012 models absolutely are my favourites. I'm typing this on a 2011 that just wasn't worth upgrading to a 2012 which I regret. I have 16 gig of ram and 2x 1TB SSD installed (one in the optibay).
I have a 2017 13" non-emojibar model because my wife needed a laptop and the plan was I'd take the 2017 and she'd get the 2011. I absolutely hate the 2017 by comparison. New browser pages take 20 seconds to load while they're instant on the 2011, the 2017 forcetouch trackpad is buggy as h#!!, drag and mov/copy doesn't work unless I disable force touch for example.
Plus the 2011 is much more compact than the bag of accessories I now carry everywhere with the 2017. I actually took a long trip last fall and I brought the 2011 and left the 2017 at home. The 2011 is much more portable, all I had to bring was the power cable. With the 2017, I would have had to bring the SD reader, the USB3-USBC adapters, the USB-Ethernet and the external solid state drive with its on SATA-USBC cable.
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It's your bathroom laptop....Apple's high and Macbook PRO, the flagship powerhouse of their Mac lineup -- built for creative professionals and software developers -- is ideally suited to be your bathroom laptop. Not the Macbook. Not the Macbook Air. That alone should tell everyone, including you, how badly Apple has screwed up.
I do agree with you about the screen and speakers. But they're not worth the many drawbacks. The keyboard should be banned as a torture device. I guess for light typing in the bathroom it's okay. I spend about 12 hours a day typing on my "Pro" computer. Nothing against it having USB-C, but they shouldn't be the only ports. When 99% of the devices I can buy at best buy in 2018 won't worth the MBP Apple is selling in 2018 without adapters, something is seriously wrong with Apple's designers.
Completely agree. Plus Thunderbolt 3 has so many possibilities; can't wait to try an eGPU.
Wow. Suddenly the MacBook Pro is only for "pro" users? Guess I should return my 2017 nTB MBP and 2010 MBP in favour of something else.
My favorite computer ever was the 12" Powerbook G4. If I could update the internals and use it today i would. The only Macbook I ever used that gave me that same feeling was the 13" rMBP. I love the screens on the old 17 cMBP and the 15 rMBP but i used the 13 as a notebook more often.
I guess I wasn't clear enough and I apologize for that. I actually meant the exact opposite of how you took it.
I meant to say that despite Apple's marketing and hyperbole, it is not only for pro users and they've built an ideal machine for a bathroom media reader. I was agreeing with the poster who said it makes a great bathroom reader and then I was going on to interpret that as Apple completely missing the mark on the modern machine.
The 2016 - 2017 models make a much better bathroom reader than something I'd want to use to edit photos and code software (my own personal two primary uses for a MBP), which is why i'm so critical of the MBP and actually appreciated the other person's post.
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Apple's marketing department should use this customer testimonial.
I tried to say that and apparently unintentionally annoyed a couple of people.
I believe the term 'Pro' merely infers it's the highest spec machine in that category, such as the MacBook Pro, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro machines. Not that only 'Pro' people can use them, but often the specs far exceed what a none pro user would require, and instead creates a focus on value and the cost of the machine. Obviously a $3000 computer is far too expensive for Netflix, but it's great value when you earn the cost of it back.
They only started uses the 'Pro' moniker to differentiate when they moved to Intel CPU's, it still works as they sell lesser specced machines and there's not really a good way to market them. MacBook and MacBook Plus/Power/Extra/Turbo?!
They only started uses the 'Pro' moniker to differentiate when they moved to Intel CPU's, it still works as they sell lesser specced machines and there's not really a good way to market them. MacBook and MacBook Plus/Power/Extra/Turbo?!
I bought several MacBook Pro/PowerBooks over the years. Each one became my favorite over the previous. The last one I bought was the 17" 2010 MBP. Since then I have not been impressed enough with the Pro line to buy another. I did get an Air 4 years ago instead and haven't found need to replace it.
I do use a work issued 15" 2015 MBP, but its not something I would buy. While I love the screen I need more space. Changing the resolution doesn't cut it. Things just get too small for me on a 15" screen for me.
I do use a work issued 15" 2015 MBP, but its not something I would buy. While I love the screen I need more space. Changing the resolution doesn't cut it. Things just get too small for me on a 15" screen for me.
Right, because unless something is heavy as a brick and also a size of a suitcase, it can't be considered a professional tool. Sure, the MBP is a thin and light bathroom laptop, but it also happens to host the fastest CPU available on the laptop market at the moment (and can provide serious performance for hours without any throttling).
I find it rather hilarious that people's brains start shutting down when something is "thin and light". A computer can be thin, light, powerful AND have great battery life. If you consider a computer like this a screw up, you have never been the target audience of Apple.
With the exception of the 17" models I had almost every Macbook since 2010. I liked all of them when they were new, but it is remarkable that I still have the MacBook Air 11" from 2013. The Macbook 12" could not really replace it because it was not powerful enough. The first retina 15" Macbook from 2012 was also a favourite of mine, and I sold it only because of the image retention problem it developed. It got replaced with a 2015 iGPU model. When this developed a SSD failure (could be fixed by reformatting) I also bought the 2017 MacBook Pro 15". This model was a very positive surprise after the bad press here on MR. I is now my favourite MacBook.