Better to buy a used mac book pro 2015 or a mac book air 2017?

[Silverzz]

I need to replacement of my MacBook and need it urgently for work reasons. My budget right now only can be either a mac book air 2017 or a mac book pro 2015. I have never used mac book airs before...but obviously it would be newer...but which is a better purchase if the price was around the same? any advice?

 

[velocityg4]

The Macbook Air 2017 is the same model as the Macbook Air 2015. They just adjusted the base specs. It's still all the same generation parts inside. The Macbook Pro is faster with a vastly superior screen and more ports.

I've got the 13" MBP 2015 and think it's great. Even though my battery capacity is down to about 70% of original. The battery life is still superb for my needs.

 

[Silverzz]

I plan on upgrading to a newer mac book pro in about a year or so. Do you think a mac book air 2017 would resell better than an older pro 2015? and when you say faster...is it something significant that would affect my work? I do digital marketing project management. I just have no experience with air to understand if it affects what I do...have always had pros.

 

[startergo]

I need to replacement of my MacBook and need it urgently for work reasons. My budget right now only can be either a mac book air 2017 or a mac book pro 2015. I have never used mac book airs before...but obviously it would be newer...but which is a better purchase if the price was around the same? any advice?

How can a budget be equal to a model? I thought budget is equal to price? What are you willing to spend?

 

[velocityg4]

I plan on upgrading to a newer mac book pro in about a year or so. Do you think a mac book air 2017 would resell better than an older pro 2015? and when you say faster...is it something significant that would affect my work? I do digital marketing project management. I just have no experience with air to understand if it affects what I do...have always had pros.

If RAM, SSD, battery condition and physical condition are equal. Plus both i5 or i7. I'd expect resale value to be about the same in a year or so.

The MBP is about 10-15% faster. Assuming i5 to i5. Didn't check i7 to i7.

Even ignoring the increase in ports. The difference is screen quality is significant.

 

[Fishrrman]

MacBook Pro 2015.

Fishrrman's rules for used MacBook buying:

DO NOT BUY:
MacBook Pro 13" -- 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
MacBook Pro 15" -- 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
ALL of these have the disastrous "butterfly keyboards" that are highly-prone to failure. Although Apple has a free replacement program running for 4 years "from new", when that time expires YOU will pay for the repair.
And it's NOT CHEAP -- $750 for even a single key gone bad.
That's because the entire top case has to be replaced... even for a single key failure!

DO BUY:
MacBook Pro 13" -- 2020
MacBook Pro 16" -- 2019 and later.
These have the new "magic" (scissors) keyboards, as did the 2015 and earlier MBPs. These keyboards have been very reliable.

 

[Silverzz]

How can a budget be equal to a model? I thought budget is equal to price? What are you willing to spend?

550 max

 

[Silverzz]

MacBook Pro 2015.

Fishrrman's rules for used MacBook buying:

DO NOT BUY:
MacBook Pro 13" -- 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
MacBook Pro 15" -- 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
ALL of these have the disastrous "butterfly keyboards" that are highly-prone to failure. Although Apple has a free replacement program running for 4 years "from new", when that time expires YOU will pay for the repair.
And it's NOT CHEAP -- $750 for even a single key gone bad.
That's because the entire top case has to be replaced... even for a single key failure!

DO BUY:
MacBook Pro 13" -- 2020
MacBook Pro 16" -- 2019 and later.
These have the new "magic" (scissors) keyboards, as did the 2015 and earlier MBPs. These keyboards have been very reliable.

Yes, but cannot buy 2020 or 2019 it's just not an option right now. and need it for another year until I can. so I am stuck between either getting a 2017 mac book air or a 2015 pro. I believe with a 550 budget that is where I fall. my gut is at least 2017 is newer. I do not think the retina display part matters so much for my work, but I'm not sure I understand if pro being faster is that much of an effect on my work for the next year.... or do airs just suck for work? all I see is students use airs...but I know people in bus who do too...

 

[Silverzz]

If RAM, SSD, battery condition and physical condition are equal. Plus both i5 or i7. I'd expect resale value to be about the same in a year or so.

The MBP is about 10-15% faster. Assuming i5 to i5. Didn't check i7 to i7.

Even ignoring the increase in ports. The difference is screen quality is significant.

ok so if the same then 2015 pro is a better buy, better screen and 15% faster. Got it. Thanks!

 

[startergo]

ok so if the same then 2015 pro is a better buy, better screen and 15% faster. Got it. Thanks!

MBP late 2013 to 2015 Retina are the last macbook pro's with upgradable storage. Although the RAM is soldered, it is very easy to replace the motherboard. By the way where did you find MacBook pro 2015 or 2017 (15") for 550?

 

[Silverzz]

MBP late 2013 to 2015 are the last macbook pro's with upgradable storage. Although the RAM is soldered, it is very easy to replace the motherboard. By the way where did you find MacBook pro 2015 (15") for 550?

 

[Silverzz]

through a network of colleagues and friends and I have these two options [mac book pro 2015 or mac air 2017] in the same price range. I am waiting to see what battery cycle 2015 has...I myself have a 2015 pro but the screen is broken, the keyboard doesn't work altho I think it just needs a good clean because sometimes it does, a [ I used an external one] and it def needs a new battery soon...but the cost of fixing all that is more than buying a used one...

 

[startergo]

through a network of colleagues and friends and I have these two options [mac book pro 2015 or mac air 2017] in the same price range. I am waiting to see what battery cycle 2015 has...I myself have a 2015 pro but the screen is broken, the keyboard doesn't work altho I think it just needs a good clean because sometimes it does, a [ I used an external one] and it def needs a new battery soon...but the cost of fixing all that is more than buying a used one...

Not really. The highest cost is the screen depending what is wrong with it. I have brand new top case and battery and the cost to me is around a hundred bucks. For the screen there are cheaper solutions like the Luna display as long as you have an iPad.

 

[Silverzz]

I do not have an iPad. I went to a mac reseller store they gave me a whole spiel of it costing 900 bucks to fix it. including new screen and something that keyboard was gone, altho I told him it worked with an external just fine. it will not display onto my TV monitor anymore [ I tried everything ] and since I cannot see what the screen shows I do not know what is up, it lets me put in the password and looks like it just stays on that page. The guy at MAc reseller said it was a goner, but he also tried to sell me a used mac. Where is a cheap place to repair the screen? on ebay they look expensive and I def cannot replace it myself.

 

[startergo]

I do not have an iPad. I went to a mac reseller store they gave me a whole spiel of it costing 900 bucks to fix it. including new screen and something that keyboard was gone, altho I told him it worked with an external just fine. it will not display onto my TV monitor anymore [ I tried everything ] and since I cannot see what the screen shows I do not know what is up, it lets me put in the password and looks like it just stays on that page. The guy at MAc reseller said it was a goner, but he also tried to sell me a used mac. Where is a cheap place to repair the screen? on ebay they look expensive and I def cannot replace it myself.

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[KaliYoni]

I need to replacement of my MacBook and need it urgently for work reasons. My budget right now only can be either a mac book air 2017 or a mac book pro 2015. I have never used mac book airs before...but obviously it would be newer...but which is a better purchase if the price was around the same? any advice?

If I faced the same choice, I would go with the Pro because:

• Scissor switch keyboard
• Ports, ports, ports!
• MagSafe charging
• Ability to run more versions of macOS

 

[pshufd]

through a network of colleagues and friends and I have these two options [mac book pro 2015 or mac air 2017] in the same price range. I am waiting to see what battery cycle 2015 has...I myself have a 2015 pro but the screen is broken, the keyboard doesn't work altho I think it just needs a good clean because sometimes it does, a [ I used an external one] and it def needs a new battery soon...but the cost of fixing all that is more than buying a used one...

I'd get a 2014 MacBook Pro 15.

I'm typing on one right now.

 

[Nozgog]

I need to replacement of my MacBook and need it urgently for work reasons. My budget right now only can be either a mac book air 2017 or a mac book pro 2015. I have never used mac book airs before...but obviously it would be newer...but which is a better purchase if the price was around the same? any advice?

If you get the 2015 MacBook Pro 15 (which I also have), don't get the 2.8 Ghz model. It is loud and hot. 2.2 and 2.5 Ghz is fine. Also check the serial number on apple's warranty program. You might be getting a free battery replacement.

If you are connecting to an external monitor, living *without* the AMD Radeon R9 M370X might be worth it. HDMI will immediately turn on the dGPU (hard-wired) and it will get hot and noisy as well. (check resolution requirements before because AMD can handle higher resolutions.)

With a little bit of work you can make an eGPU work with Thunderbolt 2 on this model.

 

[tis]

I would do whatever I could do to scrounge up money for the new MacBook Air M1, and call it a day. No upgrade needed next year. With education pricing and tax, you’ll still be just under $1k.

If that’s impossible, I’d go with the 2015 Pro hands down.