Buy rMB now OR Wait for Potential BF Deals?

[hasanuahmed]

Hello All,

Long time lurker, first time poster here. So I have a couple questions regarding the rMB. I have been looking for a decent laptop for portability and easy of use. My requirements would mostly be internet browsing, Netflix Hulu and other (up to) 4K Video Playback, and the Office Suite of Applications (or their counterpart on the Mac side. This would be my first apple computer, I do own an iphone).

My questions are:

1. A precursory search on ebay shows <$900 prices for 2015 m3 macbooks with 256gb of storage. Is there a benefit to getting a 2016 instead? With my particular usage scenarios?

2. I can wait until Black Friday if there are any good deals to be had? Do you have any experience with previous BF events and deals?

I do really appreciate all of your help. Thank you so much!

 

[fisherking]

check sites like powermax, newegg; even refurb deals on amazon. there's some speed increase on the 2016 macbooks; one of my friends has a 2015, and does much of what you're talking about without issue. not sure BF deals will be much different than what's out there now, but if you can wait... no harm i that.

 

[jjjoseph]

Hello All,

Long time lurker, first time poster here. So I have a couple questions regarding the rMB. I have been looking for a decent laptop for portability and easy of use. My requirements would mostly be internet browsing, Netflix Hulu and other (up to) 4K Video Playback, and the Office Suite of Applications (or their counterpart on the Mac side. This would be my first apple computer, I do own an iphone).

My questions are:

1. A precursory search on ebay shows <$900 prices for 2015 m3 macbooks with 256gb of storage. Is there a benefit to getting a 2016 instead? With my particular usage scenarios?

The Macbook is underpowered as it is, your specs are on the low end. The latest model is a must have, the Intel HD Graphics 515 is superior to the Intel HD Graphics 5300 in every respect. Also I wouldn't get anything less than the M5 if you want to actually use this laptop for anything other then the most simple tasks. With 256gb, you will feel FULL quickly. I would get the 512gb.

The Macbook does not have a 4k screen, so the highest res it can show is 2304 × 1440. If you are talking about higher resolution through the USB-C, I would read up on the forums here, you can do 60hz with a hack and 30hz natively, either option is not that great for 4k. I have never tested it, but I assume its doable if the machine is doing one task at a time, I wouldn't try to push the system too hard, unless you like spinning rainbows.

IMHO, I wouldn't go lowed on a macbook. Save your money and wait for new models to come out, or spend the money on one with decent specs.

Hello All,
2. I can wait until Black Friday if there are any good deals to be had? Do you have any experience with previous BF events and deals?

IMHO Most tech vendors have Black Friday deals on stuff they want to move, great deals sometimes, but also products aren't necessarily the DIE FOR, MUST HAVE, items. I have seen apple products sometimes in deals, but never that much cheaper than the vendors listed on Macrumors. APPLE doesn't have to lower their prices that much, they still sell. ON BLACK FRIDAY your gonna find low end laptops, chrome books etc.. Nothing as beautiful as a Macbook. Thats just my opinion.

 

[viperGTS]

Also I wouldn't get anything less than the M5 if you want to actually use this laptop for anything other then the most simple tasks.

You severely underestimate the m3.

 

[Admiral]

The Macbook is underpowered as it is, your specs are on the low end. The latest model is a must have, the Intel HD Graphics 515 is superior to the Intel HD Graphics 5300 in every respect. Also I wouldn't get anything less than the M5 if you want to actually use this laptop for anything other then the most simple tasks. With 256gb, you will feel FULL quickly. I would get the 512gb.

I have both the 2015 and 2016 MacBooks and although the 2015 model is just acceptable, the 2016 model has headroom. It's significantly better in every respect.

 

[hasanuahmed]

Thank you everybody for the helpful responses.

Looks like 2016 is the model to aim for. Just curious as to what would be a good price to pay for, say the m5 256GB model? I feel like the Apple Store's price is a little too high.

 

[fisherking]

check out amazon. try powermax.com (free ship, no tax; i generally buy my macs from them). newegg. frys! even ebay (but look for well-rated sellers)...

 

[jjjoseph]

You severely underestimate the m3.

I have been doing CPU and GPU rendering for motion picture and film since 2000. I pushed every Mac computer I had since the blue and white G3 to its limits. I don't underestimate anything.

 

[poobah]

Amazon has had a couple of decent deals on the 2016 1.2 GHz m5's lately, so long as you are ok with Rose Gold or Gold. I had a Keepa watch on them for a bit, the Rose Gold was at $1260 a couple days ago.