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How does the 16" 2019 MBP hold up in 2024?

glambutnerdy

glambutnerdy

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 2, 2020
140
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the clouds
I'm aware any apple silicon model blows it out of the water but I'm in desperate need of a new laptop at the moment and I've found a good deal on it with the specs I need for school... I know this particular model's keyboard isn't an issue like the older models but how does it hold up in other aspects, esp hardware wise? The heat throttling reports seem concerning.
 
glambutnerdy said:
I'm aware any apple silicon model blows it out of the water but I'm in desperate need of a new laptop at the moment and I've found a good deal on it with the specs I need for school... I know this particular model's keyboard isn't an issue like the older models but how does it hold up in other aspects, esp hardware wise? The heat throttling reports seem concerning.
Click to expand...
I had the 2019 i9 version and it was a dud! I sent it back for repairs 3-4 times the first year and finally sold it to get rid of the headache. Logic board failure, SSD failure, display failure.. honestly it was the worst Mac I have ever owned. I "upgraded" to a 2015 instead and all has been great ever since.
 
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Either I got really lucky or people without issues just don't post threads.

I've been using my 2019 MBP as workhorse for 8hr/day the last 4+ years. I use the upgraded 5600m GPU a lot. 64GB RAM. I think this laptop was comparable to the M1 in terms of GPU power (just uses more electricity).

My fan isnt on that much unless I'm actively rendering, exporting batched photos, or doing realtime video effects. Computer is usually connected to a 27" apple studio display and is very quiet when just browsing web, watching videos, and emails.

I'm still using this laptop daily and I'm just starting to get the itch to maybe upgrade. But the machine doesn't feel that slow yet. I do a lot of work in Photo, Web Development, and video effects rendering in realtime (for live events). This laptop still performs great.

I believe the 16" MacBook pros that were upgraded to the 5600m GPU were clear of the problems the lower grade GPU laptops had. This GPU was an $800 upgrade originally, but well worth it for my use. So if you can find one with a 5600m GPU go for it. Maybe I'll think about selling mine when the M4's are released...
 

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If I needed a computer and someone was willing to give me a 2019 - sure, I'd use it.

I would not spend any significant money on one. For, say, $200 I might take a flyer on it. But no more.
 
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Hi,

I have the 2019 16" MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz model and I really love it. I haven't had any issues at all and it is such a great laptop to use. Of course the newer Apple Silicone models are "better" machines for a number of reasons, BUT for the current prices of the 2019 it is a fabulous machine for the money. I use mine for "normal people" tasks and the fan almost never runs and it just works. I had to upgrade from a 2015 15" MacBook Pro because it was no longer supported and am more than happy with the 16" 2019. Anyways, if you need a machine that runs supported Mac OS and will get security updates for the next 3 years and don't want to spend a fortune, I definitely recommend this machine.

Anyways, my 2 cents.

:)
 
Still using one for work. It works as well as when I received it. Battery life is not great especially compared to AS-macs but it can still do stuff and software support is still there.. for now.

Great big screen, great speakers, the GPU (8GB 5500M) rivals/beats the M2.

But, to buy it today, it would have to be *reaallyy* cheap. It's on a soon-to-be-dead branch of the platform and doesn't officially run Windows 11 either because the TPU can't be accessed.
 
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I have the 2019 i9 w/5500M. Nothing professional but still runs very well for me: dabble in Xcode, maintain a couple virtual machines, some high-end Steam gaming in Boot Camp. It's because of Steam that I'm holding on to this model until it goes TU.

If you don't need an Intel processor or native Windows for compatibility (and yes, you can load Windows 11), I'd recommend you check Apple Refurb or B&H Video (I've used them for years, highly recommended) for a used Apple Silicon Mx in your price range.
 
Bigwaff said:
It possible.. your have to install Win 10 first and update to Win 11
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Windows 11 on an Intel-based Mac: The Quick Guide and Cool ISO Downloads | Dong Knows Tech

Looking to put Windows 11 on an Intel-based Mac? This quick guide and ISO downloads will come in handy!
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Click to expand...
I know you can, hence the “officially”.

Run without TPM and you’ll have to fiddle with the registry each time a feature update is released (else your computer won’t get it). Who knows for how long until Microsoft introduces more hurdles..
 
For those like me reluctant to download a third party install image, it's easy to generate your own Windows 11 install using Rufus that ignores the TPM requirement. With some other convenient options:

1739563611970.png
 
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