I mean, yeah. For every person having keyboard issues, I’d assume there would be at least 5-10 people with MacBooks that had no issues. I’m not going to worry about a problem I don’t have until I have it. New doesn’t always mean better depending on the use case, but objectively, faster processors, graphics, upgraded speakers and displays, and a lighter laptop is always objectively better.
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15" Macbook Pro (2015) vs. 15" Macbook Pro (2018)
- Thread starter Tech_Mac_Man
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I mean, yeah. For every person having keyboard issues, I’d assume there would be at least 5-10 people with MacBooks that had no issues. I’m not going to worry about a problem I don’t have until I have it. New doesn’t always mean better depending on the use case, but objectively, faster processors, graphics, upgraded speakers and displays, and a lighter laptop is always objectively better.
I agree with the general premise. When we're talking stuff made of silicon, it's hard to argue against the more recent processors, but I just wanted to point out that the new MBP body doesn't appear to be able to properly handle the heat generated by the newest chips... which is a problem in a lot of non Mac laptops too so it's not just an Apple thing.
When I heard that the MBPs were getting equipped with 32GB and Vega GPUs, I started to think about moving up my usual 4-5 year upgrade cycle because I could really use a faster GPU for the photo work I do, but reports of throttling due to heat have pushed me back to following my normal timeline or until there's a model that handles heat better.
That said, if I were buying today heat or no heat, I'd much rather have that 32GB and a Vega GPU instead of what's in my 2016.
With such a large gap in the model years, I say go with the 2018 model. No matter what anyone says, 5 years is a giant leap in terms of computing power.
The lack of ports is easily mitigated by a Saitechi hub which adds little to the size and weight but gives you a host of ports including USB 3.
Lack of Magsafe is a bit of a bother for me, but I'm not clumsy and the newer models have excellent battery life. I mean, all day battery life if I'm only doing word processing and web browsing.
Add to the display to the list and the 2018 is a no brainer.
The lack of ports is easily mitigated by a Saitechi hub which adds little to the size and weight but gives you a host of ports including USB 3.
Lack of Magsafe is a bit of a bother for me, but I'm not clumsy and the newer models have excellent battery life. I mean, all day battery life if I'm only doing word processing and web browsing.
Add to the display to the list and the 2018 is a no brainer.
That's certainly one way to look at it.
I just know that it's become a huge issue in just the circle of people I personally know, beyond the forum here and simply that uptick of an issue that didn't exist before is alarming to me.
But - to your point - some only worry when it personally hits them.
I prefer to gather data from a wider swath in hopes of making an informed decision and hopefully avoid an issue for myself altogether.
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Which combined with money outlay is what should be factored the highest, at least for me.
The right tool for the job with acquisition and ongoing maintenance costs or concerns factored in.
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Final thought..
Speaking generally about longer term value concerns.
If I owned one and were concerned with value, I'd be pretty worried that Apple may have internally pushed up their timetables for a full redesign.
The values on the 2016-2018 gen of machines will likely crater if so.
As it is the 2016-2017's are on huge sales all across the web's major sites, brand new, essentially all the time even right now and Apple has priced them pretty high to begin with.
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"So far"
May fortune favor you my friend.
Just having fun - hopefully, of course, it stays rock solid for you.
It's still pretty early for all the 2018 models honestly.
I hope it continues to operate well also. My daughter's work handed about 70 to their employees and has not had any issues so I hope I am just as lucky. And just in case I bought AppleCare+.
Here are two Fully Spec'd Out 2015 15" 2.8ghz 16GB Macbook Pro's for sale here in Toronto, ON CANADA...Just remember these are in Canadian Currency $$...So there are people selling these laptops still...It's now a matter of finding one in really really good condition with low low battery cycle count....
Apple only stopped selling the 2015 15" models earlier this year (when the 2018 models were introduced), so support will still be around for awhile. As long as the 2017 models since they were both replaced at the same time.
The keyboard is definitely a take it or leave it opinion. I sort of got used to it, on my 2016 15" and later 2017 15" MBP, but I still prefer the older keyboards from the retina MBP. The newer ones are also much louder if that bothers you.
I ended up switching from my 2017 15" (2.9/16/512/AMD 560) back to a 2015 15" MBP (2.5/16/512/M370X) myself. I bought a 2018 Mac Mini (i7/32/512) w/eGPU, so I decided switch back to a retina MBP as I could sell my 2017 for a good price and get the 2015 at a good price.
The 2015 models are also fairly easy to upgrade storage-wise (using an adapter) if you feel you might need more storage in the future. I currently have a 512GB Samsung 960 Pro nvme drive in my 2015 as it is faster than the drive that was originally included. I might upgrade it to a 1TB or 2TB nvme later on.
The keyboard is definitely a take it or leave it opinion. I sort of got used to it, on my 2016 15" and later 2017 15" MBP, but I still prefer the older keyboards from the retina MBP. The newer ones are also much louder if that bothers you.
I ended up switching from my 2017 15" (2.9/16/512/AMD 560) back to a 2015 15" MBP (2.5/16/512/M370X) myself. I bought a 2018 Mac Mini (i7/32/512) w/eGPU, so I decided switch back to a retina MBP as I could sell my 2017 for a good price and get the 2015 at a good price.
The 2015 models are also fairly easy to upgrade storage-wise (using an adapter) if you feel you might need more storage in the future. I currently have a 512GB Samsung 960 Pro nvme drive in my 2015 as it is faster than the drive that was originally included. I might upgrade it to a 1TB or 2TB nvme later on.
Just put a 970 EVO 2TB in my new 2015 2.2ghz - Sensational. Cool, quiet and super fast.
I haven't heard the fans on this machine one time yet.
Just pick the 2018 model, you are not buying cheap enough the 2015 model
I currently have the late 2014 MBP and the 2018 model
Clearly you will miss the p3 gamut, 480-500nits display, the TB3 if not now maybe next year,the audio has some little issues but its clearly superior, SSD,CPU, gPU faster, and not just on paper...but you will feel it in every way
Remember, APple i suppose in the next near future COULD put limit for the next macOS that only the macs with T chips to be allowed to upgrade
I currently have the late 2014 MBP and the 2018 model
Clearly you will miss the p3 gamut, 480-500nits display, the TB3 if not now maybe next year,the audio has some little issues but its clearly superior, SSD,CPU, gPU faster, and not just on paper...but you will feel it in every way
Remember, APple i suppose in the next near future COULD put limit for the next macOS that only the macs with T chips to be allowed to upgrade
They just stopped selling the 2015 models a few months ago.
It will be a LONG time before they would do anything like you suggested (if they do at all).
Speaking of upgrades, we are well into the current MBP cycle and the rumors are all over about them going ARM only with their own chip designs and dumping Intel.
That is the upgrade to wait for.
Personally I'd skip these current lemons completely and see what direction 2019 takes, especially at WWDC where they will likely show us what's coming next on the software side and be the driver of the future hardware direction.
One thing to think about, is just how many threads there are in recent months about 2015 machines, or 2015 machines vs. the new machines.
The 2015 model is that good, and the new machines are...well, you can make your own conclusion about that but it's a sad day when a 3.5, almost 4 year old machine is still relevant to current purchase discussions.
The 2015 model is that good, and the new machines are...well, you can make your own conclusion about that but it's a sad day when a 3.5, almost 4 year old machine is still relevant to current purchase discussions.
Yep.
They f'ed the revisions up if you ask me.
They should have slightly trimmed it (if at all), put a Magic Keyboard in there, maybe bumped the trackpad size just a touch (not the huge size they chose), added TouchID and bumped the screen and internal specs, added a USB-C/TB3 port or two and left some useful legacy ports and..
..been done.
Agreed. The trackpad size on the current one is clown status, they could've increased the size from the 2015 model by like, 20% and it would've been just fine and already more than enough, but instead they literally doubled it? lol.
For real though, Apple should be ashamed of releasing the 2018 model; the 2016 model, ok, nobody knew the keyboard was going to have a design flaw. 2017, ok, they tried to fix it and revise it and it didn't work. 2018? Hey F it, let's just throw the exact same keyboard in as the 2017 that we already know has problems we can't identify, throw some silicone around it, and hope for the best in terms of sales. They aren't too stupid at Apple to know that a silicone cover around a defective mechanism doesn't fix the defective mechanism, they KNEW they were selling garbage with the 2018 release; they KNEW they were selling a product where they hadn't identified or fixed the root cause and for that there is no way I could give them my money for a 2018 machine, personally. Whether or not most people have no issues, just Apple selling a product they damn well knew was problematic isn't ok with me.
Yes, if you are an macbook air/12" macbook owner....for the MBP that needs the power...i dont think so, or we need to wait for another 6-7 years
I mean 6 cores i7 with vega 20 for macOS.....hard very hard from perf to optimisations/support
Apple needs to put ARM into the 12" MB next year if they want that developers start to offer support for macOS ARM
So 12" MB 2019, maybe in 2021 Macbook air and after 2024-2025 for the Macbook Pro with a proper cpu+gpu power house
And if things goes well...why not...to replace the xeon cpu as well but that is a decade away at least
Don't you find it a touch hard to be that certain in your speculation?
I mean we literally have no idea what Apple has been up to behind the scenes, but all outward appearances indicate that they are KILLING it with their chip teams...
I expect them to surprise greatly here..
UPDATE!
Finally heard the fans for about 20 seconds just now..
It happened when I launched Chrome and went to iCloud.com to check on some settings..
Figures.. Chrome + "whatever Apple's online website strategy is..."
(Apple is so bad at the online interface stuff IMO)
I was only in Chrome as Safari was doing something weird on that page for me for some reason.
They are killing it on mobile platform. We dont know yet how much performance can they get for now, and i bet they will NOT put ARM into the MBP/imac pro/mac pro product(see the diff between intel vs arm windows 10 devices)...why? its simple, no support macOS ARM. So, from my point of view, im sure 100% the first mac will be the same first fanless mac, the 12" Macbook that will get ARM with better battery life and a mac that Apple can test the waters with the developers..
You saw the differences between ARM and Intel on windows 10 devices
That comparison is a bad one.
Apple is designing their own ARM chips.
Microsoft never has done that.
Also the distinction between mobile or not is increasingly irrelevant.
Processing power is processing power, plain and simple.
like i said many times...you can have 10x perf vs intel WITHOUT support for ARM macOS from developers...its a DOA product
proof plz how well final cut pro is doing on ARM and how faster it is against intel i7 6cores vega 20 ,otherwise its just talk
Like i said, first 12" Macbook/Macbook air with ARM, if things go all right with the support/battery/heat after that Apple will go further
Plain and simple and im out of this contradictory conversation
proof plz how well final cut pro is doing on ARM and how faster it is against intel i7 6cores vega 20 ,otherwise its just talk
Like i said, first 12" Macbook/Macbook air with ARM, if things go all right with the support/battery/heat after that Apple will go further
Plain and simple and im out of this contradictory conversation
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That's why I mentioned the upcoming WWDC
We will learn a lot (or not) about the future this coming year I think.
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Ok - no need to take it so personally my friend.
We are all just conversing here, and with limited info to work with.
It's all good.
I'm so curious about the resale value of the 2016-2018 MBP in like 3-4 years (I guess it will be very low). 2015 MBP is still the best laptop Apple made. Of course it's striking people are considering paying premium for 3 years old laptop, but what else you can do if you want reliable MBP.
If they truly fix the keyboard situation with a new design and make that TouchBar optional (or kill it), I think you'll find the 2016-2018 resale values will be atrocious.
As it is they are overpriced, unreliable and constantly on sale all across the internet, even brand new.
Chrome sucks. I have it too as my secondary/backup browser for the odd thing that is wonky in Safari (I hate FireFox too), and man is it a resource hog.
Oh, and it also has a tendency to keep inserting itself as a login item in system preferences. Typical Google up in your sauce I guess.
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I think if they fix the issues, then not only will the 2016-2018 machines have atrocious resale, but so will the 2015s just based on age and comparative power if Apple can really build a reliable machine again with no known issues. That said, you might still have some people willing to pay a premium for the old style keyboard and ports, even if they manage to fix the keyboard problems themselves. We know USB-C isn't going anywhere, and the Touchbar is almost certain to gain haptic feedback instead of being killed off.
The thing is - most of us are under $2k into a 2015 anyhow (some a lot less).
The people buying high end new ones are BALLS deep financially into a Titanic heading for the iceberg.