Help me decide rMB i5 vs 13" MBP

[peonies]

12" MacBook 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 8gb 512gb, 2017

vs

13.3" MacBook Pro 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 8gb 256gb, 2017


My current one is early 2015 base model macbook. (1.1 GHz Intel Core M, 8gb, 256gb)
It is very slow. It is tooooo slow.
It takes too much time opening up apps like Safari, Chrome, Word, Excel, etc.

I need to finish off my degree thesis.
(I think I have a excellent excuse/reason to buy a new macbook! haha)
Now I cannot decide if I will try Macbook once again but with higher spec. or, go with MBP.

Apart from writing thesis, I mainly internet surf, Youtube, Netflix, etc.
(Once thesis writing is done, I (hope I) won't need to write again!)

Do you think rMB with i5 will do for me?
Or, should I go for MBP this time?



Another question :
What do you guys think about getting refurbished one from Apple.com?

 

[catportal]

The MB is more than enough capable of internet surf, youtube, netflix etc.
Unless you are doing video editing or something that needs powerful fan cooled processor for encoding, I would go with the MB, its very light and silent.

 

[peonies]

The MB is more than enough capable of internet surf, youtube, netflix etc.
Unless you are doing video editing or something that needs powerful fan cooled processor for encoding, I would go with the MB, its very light and silent.

I don't do video editing.
I know....
When I bought it in 2015, I got the same advice.
However, my 2015 MB..........!!!
It was a little slower than my roommate's MBP when I first bought it.
I could bear with it then. But, not anymore.
(I guess I am stressed out because I need to write !)

 

[ZapNZs]

The 2017 rMB is a different animal compared to the 2015. I love mine...and it's capable of even moderately intensive workloads, but it's not my only Mac.

With that said, if this is your primary computer, and your only Mac, the MBP arguably has greater flexibility. I'm not sure what topic your thesis is in, but I assume it requires a crap ton of references. When I'm writing a research report, it is really nice to have 3 or 4 separate displays I can use for being able to view those references, Word docs, spreadsheets, database queries, statistical software, visualization outputs, notes, planning Apps, various crap from browsers, emails, etc. all simultaneously. It's a huge productivity benefit, at least for me. With the retina MacBook, that isn't a possibility. With the MacBook Pro, you have that option. On even the current generation MacBook, one USB out (that happens to be legacy USB 3.1) imposes considerable limits here and in regards to external connectivity in general.

 

[robvas]

One of these will answer for you:

Do you need the smaller size of the 12"?

Do you need the extra USB-C/Thunderbolt ports on the 13?

Do you need the extra speed of the 13"?

 

[peonies]

One of these will answer for you:

Do you need the smaller size of the 12"?
Do you need the extra USB-C/Thunderbolt ports on the 13?
Do you need the extra speed of the 13"?

Do you need the smaller size of the 12"?
- I don't think I mind...

Do you need the extra USB-C/Thunderbolt ports on the 13?
- Extra would be nice but not necessary. I have been using 2015 rMB and I have enough accessories.

Do you need the extra speed of the 13"?
- This is the thing. I am not so sure how much faster the 13" is compared to 12".
- I have been using 2015 rMB base model, and it is very slow. So, I will love anything faster than this.
But, how much faster would 2017 12" i5 be compared to 2015 rMB?[/QUOTE]

 

[Qu1ckset]

I wanted the MB since it was debuted in 2015 but the specs weren’t up to par , I bought the 2017 on launch day (i5/8gb/512gb) and for what your using it for with high serria it should fly threw it.

The size and weight of the 12” Mac is perfect and I love how it’s silent. I use mine to browse with lots of tabs open , YouTube , and I have even games on it playing sc2 on med , very capable machine and highly recommend it over the added weight of the MBP.

I will admit I have a high powered windows gaming pc , but to be honest between my phone, MacBook and PS4 it’s been collecting dust thanks to the MacBook!

 

[wineandcarbs]

The 2017 rMB is a different animal compared to the 2015. I love mine...and it's capable of even moderately intensive workloads, but it's not my only Mac.

With that said, if this is your primary computer, and your only Mac, the MBP arguably has greater flexibility. I'm not sure what topic your thesis is in, but I assume it requires a crap ton of references. When I'm writing a research report, it is really nice to have 3 or 4 separate displays I can use for being able to view those references, Word docs, spreadsheets, database queries, statistical software, visualization outputs, notes, planning Apps, various crap from browsers, emails, etc. all simultaneously. It's a huge productivity benefit, at least for me. With the retina MacBook, that isn't a possibility. With the MacBook Pro, you have that option. On even the current generation MacBook, one USB out (that happens to be legacy USB 3.1) imposes considerable limits here and in regards to external connectivity in general.

This is right on IMO. My 2017 rMB is quickly becoming my main computer but I do have a 2014 rMBP. Had I been purchasing when I was still in grad school I likely would have gone for the rMBP for the reasons ZapNZs listed above. Don't get me wrong, the rMB is an excellent machine and perfectly capable but the rMBP does have some extra conveniences and its worth considering whether those are things that would add to your productivity at this time.

 

[andy9l]

FWIW, I went from a 2015 rMB 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB to a 2017 TB MBP 3.1GHz/16GB/256GB and have never looked back.

The performance difference is staggering, the extra ports are great and the TouchBar is ‘meh’ - but TouchID is excellent.

Lots of use of the word ‘silent’ in this thread. Remember the new MBP fans don’t spin most of the time. My TB is also silent 90% of the time I’m doing nonsense on it (browsing, videos, etc.). The main difference is size and potential power. The MBP is greater in both of those metrics!

 

[the caveman]

I went from a 2016 mbp touch bar to 2017 m3 mb. Im a power user like i once was and mb does everything with aplomb, ie web browsing, youtube and iphotos, its light and small, much smaller than an already small mbp, and the battery lif is outstanding, also, being able to charge from a portable battery pack is a huge convenience. Not missing the mbp at all

 

[peonies]

Thanks everyone for your input !
I think I am leaning toward to rMP.

Now, deciding between following combinations.
(i5/8gb/256gb)
(i5/8gb/512gb)
(i5/16gb/256gb)
(i7/8gb/256gb)
(i7/16gb/256gb)

What do you think is more important? processor? RAM? or SSD storage?
I do have an 3TB external hard drive.

 

[andy9l]

being able to charge from a portable battery pack is a huge convenience. Not missing the mbp at all

You should be able to do that with the 13” MBP too - same 60W supply, no?

—

Personally I would go for X/16GB/256GB config. It doesn’t matter what X is, they’re all extremely similar. Theoretically the i7s are slightly more efficient, but in reality it won’t mean much.

 

[peonies]

You should be able to do that with the 13” MBP too - same 60W supply, no?

—

Personally I would go for X/16GB/256GB config. It doesn’t matter what X is, they’re all extremely similar. Theoretically the i7s are slightly more efficient, but in reality it won’t mean much.

Thanks for your reply.
I guess I am going for i5/16gb/256gb.

 

[EugW]

The 2017 MacBook Core i5 is roughly 30-50% faster than the 2015 MacBook Core M 1.1 GHz.

I went with the m3/16 GB/256 GB, but if it were my only computer, I'd probably get the i5/16 GB/512 GB.

Mind you, if it were my only computer, I'd strongly consider a MacBook Pro. My power lifting computer is a 2017 iMac Core i5 in a dual 27" screen setup.

 

[peonies]

The 2017 MacBook Core i5 is roughly 30-50% faster than the 2015 MacBook Core M 1.1 GHz.

I went with the m3/16 GB/256 GB, but if it were my only computer, I'd probably get the i5/16 GB/512 GB.

Mind you, if it were my only computer, I'd strongly consider a MacBook Pro. My power lifting computer is a 2017 iMac Core i5 in a dual 27" screen setup.

Thank you. If I were to get MBP, I think I will go with i5/8gb/256gb. Do you think 16 gb RAM is necessary there too?

 

[EugW]

Thank you. If I were to get MBP, I think I will go with i5/8gb/256gb. Do you think 16 gb RAM is necessary there too?

If you need 16 GB, you need 16 GB.

If you don’t, you don’t for either computer.

 

[ZapNZs]

Thank you. If I were to get MBP, I think I will go with i5/8gb/256gb. Do you think 16 gb RAM is necessary there too?

With your stated usage, IMO the retina MacBook with the base m3/8GB/256 GB is just fine, and with the MacBook Pro the base + SSD upgrade (i5/8GB/256) should work just fine.

That said, it's IMO worth checking out the touchbar as well. I was quite skeptical of it at first, but with High Sierra I think it is really going to come of age, and you might find it beneficial to your usage.

 

[peonies]

With your stated usage, IMO the retina MacBook with the base m3/8GB/256 GB is just fine, and with the MacBook Pro the base + SSD upgrade (i5/8GB/256) should work just fine.

That said, it's IMO worth checking out the touchbar as well. I was quite skeptical of it at first, but with High Sierra I think it is really going to come of age, and you might find it beneficial to your usage.

Thanks for your opinion. I was sure that I had made up my mind.
Now I am weighing MBP nTB (i5/16gb/256gb) vs MBP TB (i5/8gb/256gb).....! :S

 

[andy9l]

Thanks for your opinion. I was sure that I had made up my mind.
Now I am weighing MBP nTB (i5/16gb/256gb) vs MBP TB (i5/8gb/256gb).....! :S

I’m a MBP TB owner and I’m still recommending you - specifically you - to stick with the nTB and get the 16GB memory.

The difference in CPU performance is absolutely minimal - you pay a lot for the convenience of the TouchBar itself.

Unfortunately 8GB of memory is quickly becoming too little. I had very high memory pressure on my old rMB with 8 and, although I was using it quite heavily, I wasn’t really doing much more than an average person might do.

In short, the average person will benefit more frequently from more memory than a marginally more efficient CPU.

 

[ascender]

More RAM is always better to have. I think everyone's agreed on that basic fact. There's loads and loads of posts on here about 8GB v 16GB RAM, particularly after the TB MBP launch.

But I have started to question whether I need and can justify the cost to upgrade to 16GB RAM in a laptop, particularly with the speed of the latest SSDs in Macs.

Going on what you've said, the base rMB will easily handle what you need it to do. If you have money to burn, get the 16GB RAM upgrade.

If you're not bothered about the portability or need more ports, go for a 13" MBP.

 

[ParanoidDroid]

When I'm writing a research report, it is really nice to have 3 or 4 separate displays I can use for being able to view those references, Word docs, spreadsheets, database queries, statistical software, visualization outputs, notes, planning Apps, various crap from browsers, emails, etc. all simultaneously. It's a huge productivity benefit, at least for me. With the retina MacBook, that isn't a possibility. With the MacBook Pro, you have that option. On even the current generation MacBook, one USB out (that happens to be legacy USB 3.1) imposes considerable limits here and in regards to external connectivity in general.

That's actually not true. I happily connect my 2016 MacBook to 3 external displays. How? I use a USB DisplayLink port replicator from HP, but any DisplayLink hub should work. Just download the drivers, connect one Display via HDMI and the other two via USB3. It works! And since High Sierra, it works even without transparency bugs.

Especially when I'm writing long texts I don't want to hear any fan noise. The silent MacBook is ideal for focusing solely on your thoughts.