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Itsedstech

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2011
1,369
1,540
Kansas
Hi guys, my name is Itsedstech and for the past 3 MacBooks I have purchased, I've always over spec'd them for my needs. Lets begin with my late 2016 13 inch macbookp pro, I went all out except for the ssd which I stuck with 1TB. Anyways I figured, spend a lot now and use it for 6 or so years? All I ever really used it for was YouTube viewing, forum browsing, and for some social media viewing as well.
So late 2018 comes around and now I'm a little more into photo editing and doing some work related research here and there and since the toughbook they gave me at work is a pain in the ass I tried using the 13 inch but the screen just can't fit enough info for my needs. So I sell it to a buddy and pick up a maxed out 15 inch MacBook Pro (except for the ssd, stayed at 1TB again), I never imagined id spend so much on a laptop, it cost more than my first 3 cars combined lol. Anyway I honestly would be more than fine with the base model, but something about all that power in such a small package felt awesome, at the time I could swing it so why not? Once again, I made a pact that I would stick around with it for at least 5 years.
And now here we are, late 2019, new 16 inch MacBook Pro comes, and low and behold I want it! would I have been fine with me 2018? of course, but 64gb of ram in a laptop sounds so epic. So I sold the 2018 at quite a loss. but luckily the 2019 costing less to upgrade plus a chase cash back offer, ended up only costing me about $600 to upgrade. Which Isn't that bad compared to what I dropped on the 2018. So now here I am trying to actually make use of all this power. Spent all day yesterday setting up and figuring out how to run a virtual machine, and boy is it freaking awesome to be able to run 2 OS's side by side with no lag! anyway I really hope a redesign doesn't come out for at least another 2 years lol.

TLDR; Bought 3 nearly maxed out MacBook Pros, in the last 3 years. All I really do with them is watch YouTube, and do web browsing. Trying to actually put that power to use now with the 16 inch. I need help :confused:
 

Falhófnir

macrumors 603
Aug 19, 2017
6,139
6,990
I bought the 15" for general office productivity, the reason is simply that Apple don't make a 15" Air... granted back in 2015 the base 15" was more suited to this type of work and was quite a bit cheaper, so definitely less of a waste of money than subsequent releases.
 

powerslave12r

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2010
702
149
Think of it this way, you're boosting AAPL. That's a win for everyone!

Just kidding.

If it makes you happy and you can afford it, enjoy it! Think of it as paying for that awesome feeling of having so much computing power at your disposal.
 
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Itsedstech

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2011
1,369
1,540
Kansas
Look at my signature I bought the best of the best and I only use my MBP to browse the web and watch youTube. Because, you never know....

Im glad to know I'm not alone, but that's very true, you never know!

Think of it this way, you're boosting AAPL. That's a win for everyone!

Just kidding.

If it makes you happy and you can afford it, enjoy it! Think of it as paying for that awesome feeling of having so much computing power at your disposal.

I did use some of my proceeds from Robinhood trading AAPL here and there to purchase last years pro so your not wrong! haha
 

ruslan120

macrumors 65816
Jul 12, 2009
1,417
1,139
For yourself:
- You could take a stab at video editing or photo editing. Pick up a new hobby!
- Do you have movies laying around that your iPhone doesn't support? Convert them to .mp4 using Handbrake!

For others:
- Sites exist that let you contribute to scientific research by running their program on your computer. I think topics include earthquake research, dna research. I don't have specific links on hand.
- https://www.reddit.com/r/beermoney/comments/9tes65
 
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Super Spartan

macrumors 6502a
Mar 10, 2018
630
272
Dubai
Im glad to know I'm not alone, but that's very true, you never know!



I did use some of my proceeds from Robinhood trading AAPL here and there to purchase last years pro so your not wrong! haha
Here's the thing bro, these things cannot be upgraded, the way I think of it is, if I am going to spend let's say 3K on a laptop, might as well spend 3.5K or so and not have to change the entire laptop if I ever need to do something.

I did buy Final Cut Pro X so I can learn how to use it sometime when I have time so I did want to max out the specs. Buyer's remorse is the worst feeling ever.

Same goes for my iPhone 11 Pro. I only use like 200GB but I got the 512GB just in case I ever wanted to shoot a lot of videos/photos so I never have to worry about space.

Speaking of specs, I use an app called SVP (Smooth Video Project) which allows me to watch any video @ 60 FPS. Videos look so much better and almost like they're real! Now THAT needs beefy specs in terms of CPU/GPU to give you the best experience!
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,241
12,388
I've bought 2 MacBook Pros (2010 and 2015), both 13", and both were "bottom feeders".

The base models suit my needs (which admittedly are light) and I see no reason to spend more than necessary (even though I could pay for "more" if I wanted it).

In my observations over the past decade, it seems like the folks who experience the most problems with their MBP's bought "higher-end" models, particularly video-wise. While the lower-end units seem to "keep going and going".

I will admit to buying the best CPU available for my last two Mac Minis... ;)
 
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jerryk

macrumors 604
Nov 3, 2011
7,418
4,206
SF Bay Area
I try not to overspec. The best thing is match your current needs and don't fall into the "future proofing" trap. With Apple making their own CPUs now I can only imagine that in the future they will drop Intel and their failure to meet deadlines. And when that happens, all of our Intel MBPs will instantly become old fashion.

FWIW, I often use my iPad pro instead of my MBP when doing the tasks you list. It is actually a better device for content consumption.
 
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sat24

macrumors regular
Sep 2, 2019
230
146
OP, I know how you feel. I bought this 16" MBP telling myself I am going to use it to learn how to develop iOS apps, and learn myself some ML (I do some ML work professionally but I am talking topics that I dont get to cover at work). But deep down, I know that I was in a "treat yo'self" mode when I placed the order (I was actually mad drunk when I placed the order, but hey, no judging).

Could my 2014 rMBP (i7 quad core, 16GB, 512GB) have been used for the above "useful" purposes?
Yes. (in reality it wouldve been slow as a dog with XCode, but it still wouldve worked fine enough for non-pro use cases)

Did I really need to drop $4500 on a laptop with specs I may never need for a few years at least? (2TB seems excessive now that I think about it)
Probably not.

Do I have buyer's remorse?
No way!
And here's why - this was money I had saved for this exact purpose for a few years now (ok, not necessarily saved like I put it in a bank account specifically for it; but had earmarked the sum mentally). I remember being a bit tempted a couple of years ago when I saw those svelte machines (the 2014 can be heavy and I am a small/med build with wrist problems). I was super tempted earlier this year to grab the 15" 2019 mbp since Apple resolved the throttling issues largely. But I resisted knowing the 16" was coming. Those were grueling, dark times of my (sheep) life. But it paid off (er, actually I did all the paying but u know what I mean). I also have this realization that YOLO. Which is very very true - no one I know has lived forever, its a fact ;).

In all seriousness though, if u arent breaking the bank to pay for the MBP, just get what you want and dont look back (too much). Enjoy it. Watch netflix or whatever. Life is just too short to be overthinking. This is likely a fine example of first-world top 10 tech problems. I am sure the device will get put to good use and enrich your life in many different ways - ways u didnt even imagine it might.
 
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millerj123

macrumors 68030
Mar 6, 2008
2,576
2,552
I've bought 2 MacBook Pros (2010 and 2015), both 13", and both were "bottom feeders".

The base models suit my needs (which admittedly are light) and I see no reason to spend more than necessary (even though I could pay for "more" if I wanted it).

In my observations over the past decade, it seems like the folks who experience the most problems with their MBP's bought "higher-end" models, particularly video-wise. While the lower-end units seem to "keep going and going".

I will admit to buying the best CPU available for my last two Mac Minis... ;)
I did it this way when you could upgrade RAM and storage. With the past few years having everything soldered, I continue using my aging equipment. I am getting tempted to replace my 2011 13".
 

Strangedream

macrumors 6502a
Sep 15, 2019
661
545
London, UK
I always go with the advanced off-the-shelf MBP for a few reasons,
  • They fit my current and future 4-5 year needs best
  • Much easier to return than BTO
  • Faster delivery time than BTO
  • Slightly better resale value than BTO
  • Cheaper than BTO
  • Now that Apple offers 1TB, this config is even more compelling
Unless you're a developer or some high-profile designer/ video editor, max'ed 16" MBP is just overkill IMHO.
 

hajime

macrumors 604
Jul 23, 2007
7,727
1,215
I always go with the advanced off-the-shelf MBP for a few reasons,
  • They fit my current and future 4-5 year needs best
  • Much easier to return than BTO
  • Faster delivery time than BTO
  • Slightly better resale value than BTO
  • Now that Apple offers 1TB, this config is even more compelling
Unless you're a developer or some high-profile designer/ video editor, max'ed 16" MBP is just overkill IMHO.

One problem is Apple likes to make people to choose BTO if they want silver version.
 

redheeler

macrumors G3
Oct 17, 2014
8,419
8,841
Colorado, USA
I always go with the advanced off-the-shelf MBP for a few reasons,
  • They fit my current and future 4-5 year needs best
  • Much easier to return than BTO
  • Faster delivery time than BTO
  • Slightly better resale value than BTO
  • Cheaper than BTO
  • Now that Apple offers 1TB, this config is even more compelling
Unless you're a developer or some high-profile designer/ video editor, max'ed 16" MBP is just overkill IMHO.
I don't follow your logic with "Slightly better resale value than BTO," obviously taking the same model and, for example, bumping the RAM to 32 GB + VRAM to 8 GB will increase its resale value a bit since these things can't be upgraded later on. Though like any higher-end model, BTO or not, you can't expect to get all of your money back.

Admittedly the 1 TB + i9 + 5500M 4 GB config with 32 GB RAM would be perfect as a high-end shelf model. It's too bad the RAM is still extra, as 32 GB RAM likely will become standard on the 16" in 1-2 years, meaning the value of the 16 GB models is going to drop as a result.
 
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bevsb2

Contributor
Nov 23, 2012
4,342
13,334
I always buy the base model as that is already overkill for my needs. I bought the new 16" because I wanted the larger screen with slightly increased ppi, the improved keyboard and better speakers. I would have no use for a higher end model and it does seem, at least on macrumors, that those models have more issues.
 
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sugargliderdude

macrumors regular
Sep 27, 2019
144
290
i was going to get the 16 inch MacBook pro, but i am sure they are going to release a 14 inch next year replacing the 13 inches, so i am going to wait a little longer before upgrading.
 

rex450se

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2011
261
77
Independence, MO
I'm definitely in the same boat I like having the best that is out there. I'm currently typing this on my desktop which is an i9-9900K, 2080TI 11GB, 128GB Ram, 8TB in 5 SSDs, and unneeded RGB that could turn my front room into a disco. I do use some of the power for some photo editing and occasionally AutoCad, but it is still way more than I need. I have an iPad Pro that 99% of it's use is playing solitaire while sitting in my recliner watching tv with the wife. And when the next big thing comes out, I'm sure I'll order it too.
 

stix666

macrumors regular
Nov 13, 2005
229
27
I overspecc'd to 64Gb RAM and i9 (but only 2.3GHz) and 8Gb VRAM. I'm delighted with the machine. I strongly suspect the OS is poorly optimised and higher RAM/ VRAM gives more headroom to deal with this. My previous MacBook Pro (core i7, 16Gb RAM, 2Gb VRAM) sometimes took ages to load certain webpages, load pictures in iPhoto; and also had graphic glitches going to full screen in certain apps like Roon.
 
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