Is now the good time to buy MacBook Pro 2018 model?

[hieronomoz]

since the design flaw of MacBook Pro 2016 and later, I wonder if it’s a good timing to buy a new MacBook Pro?
My currently MacBook is the MacBook Air 2012 model, so it’s quite old.
But I’m afraid of this Flexgate which is quite serious and I want to buy a MacBook that at least lasts 5 years or more since I don’t use MacBook that much, but still needs a Mac, I love the OS.

 

[Khaleal]

Unless you're getting it with Apple Care I'd wait.

 

[leman]

Nobody can guarantee you that any laptop will last 5 years, doesn’t matter what brand or model you buy. Since we don’t have any precise data about failure rates and expected lifetime of any of these laptops, there is nothing of value anyone can tell you. Some will say that the current lineup is terrible and that all of these laptops will fail after a year or two. Others will say that it’s as reliable as any Mac before. None of these people have anything to go by but their gut feeling and personal opinion.

 

[LogicalApex]

The same rule will always apply in tech. Buy what you need only when you need it and specced as close to your immediate needs as possible. Future tech will always be faster, cheaper, more reliable, etc...

Buying early is a fool errand.

Like leman noted, no one can guarantee you that any laptop will last 5 years. Most will outlast their usefulness and you'll be able to use many 20 years from now at least, but that isn't a constant. Samsung SSDs are super reliable and well regarded, but they still have a long warranty and I'm sure someone has had to endure a failure.

Nobody can guarantee you that any laptop will last 5 years, doesn’t matter what brand or model you buy. Since we don’t have any precise data about failure rates and expected lifetime of any of these laptops, there is nothing of value anyone can tell you. Some will say that the current lineup is terrible and that all of these laptops will fail after a year or two. Others will say that it’s as reliable as any Mac before. None of these people have anything to go by but their gut feeling and personal opinion.

Precisely this!

 

[rayriceroni00]

I just traded in my 2013 MBPr for the latest top end MBP. I love it. I also always buy AppleCare by the end of year 1. Not a fan of it now being $360 and only sold through Apple (B&H used to have it for like $240), but $180/yr or $15/mo to extend it from 1-3 years is worth it in my opinion.

I love it so far. Fast as hell. The Touch Bar is pointless in my opinion. I changed it back to the F keys, because my right ring finger would constantly graze the touch bar and adjust brightness or something else.

 

[dotzero123]

Maybe I'm out of the loop. What's the flexgate with Pro? I know it was an issue w/ iPad but didn't catch this one for MBP. If it's any help, I love my 18 MBP. Haven't had any problems outside of an initial installation error that took 5 minutes to fix. Love the display and everything about it. I did read a post where someone's MBP had a gap but don't have that problem.

 

[rayriceroni00]

Maybe I'm out of the loop. What's the flexgate with Pro? I know it was an issue w/ iPad but didn't catch this one for MBP. If it's any help, I love my 18 MBP. Haven't had any problems outside of an initial installation error that took 5 minutes to fix. Love the display and everything about it. I did read a post where someone's MBP had a gap but don't have that problem.

I actually just learned of this today. It's an issue with the display cable apparently. Over time from opening and closing the lid, it weakens then causes uneven lighting in the display.

The issue presents years down the road, and it's really not a widespread problem. If you carry AppleCare, it's really not a problem.

 

[bbednarz]

I actually just learned of this today. It's an issue with the display cable apparently. Over time from opening and closing the lid, it weakens then causes uneven lighting in the display.

The issue presents years down the road, and it's really not a widespread problem. If you carry AppleCare, it's really not a problem.

Sorry to completely derail things.... Do you know if this is something that effects 2014 models? I have recently developed an issue with a 2014 MBP where the screen has intermittent issues. Sometimes I cant get a picture to display for hours at a time and then it will randomly start working again... forced me to buy a new computer sooner than I would have liked..

 

[rayriceroni00]

Sorry to completely derail things.... Do you know if this is something that effects 2014 models? I have recently developed an issue with a 2014 MBP where the screen has intermittent issues. Sometimes I cant get a picture to display for hours at a time and then it will randomly start working again... forced me to buy a new computer sooner than I would have liked..

I'm not an expert but I think it's 2016 and newer - especially if you have the stupid touch bar

 

[leman]

Maybe I'm out of the loop. What's the flexgate with Pro?

Some people are saying that due to its design the display cable on 2016+ will inevitably fail after prolonged use. I've never seen a failure like this on any of our 2016+ machines (and we have a good amount by now) over the last 2.5 years, so I can't comment on the accuracy of this claim.

 

[F23]

Don't buy any of the new MacBooks. Get a Mac Mini with an external display or an iMac. Wait until the redesign of the keyboard and screen etc to get a new MacBook, it will be worth it.

 

[dotzero123]

Just purchased Apple Care . Been on the fence and this pushed me over.

 

[Cashmonee]

Now is a pretty good time. Anecdotally, the 2018's seem to have fewer issues than the 2016 and 2017's and overall they are great machines. With the whole line being quad core, these things are pretty darn fast.

 

[H2SO4]

Nobody can guarantee you that any laptop will last 5 years, doesn’t matter what brand or model you buy. Since we don’t have any precise data about failure rates and expected lifetime of any of these laptops, there is nothing of value anyone can tell you. Some will say that the current lineup is terrible and that all of these laptops will fail after a year or two. Others will say that it’s as reliable as any Mac before. None of these people have anything to go by but their gut feeling and personal opinion.

That is YOUR personal opinion, and a HUGE assumption. You don't know that anybody here does or doesn't work for Apple and has statistics to back up their statements.

 

[Cashmonee]

That is YOUR personal opinion, and a HUGE assumption. You don't know that anybody here does or doesn't work for Apple and has statistics to back up their statements.

Come on. No one here has access to that kind of information, and if they did they certainly would not share it here. If someone is sharing numbers because they are "in the know" somehow, I would be highly skeptical of those numbers being at all accurate. I think @leman is correct. People are mostly going off their own biases and opinions, and very few are backing it up with hard data.

 

[rayriceroni00]

Don't buy any of the new MacBooks. Get a Mac Mini with an external display or an iMac. Wait until the redesign of the keyboard and screen etc to get a new MacBook, it will be worth it.

Just upgraded to a brand new MacBook. Loving it. The keyboard isn't ideal, but both the keyboard and display issues are blown immensely out of proportion.
[doublepost=1550092210][/doublepost]

Just purchased Apple Care . Been on the fence and this pushed me over.

Small price to pay for 2 more years of coverage. $15/mo to protect your original 2k+ purchase? Worth it.

 

[Ploki]

Don't buy any of the new MacBooks. Get a Mac Mini with an external display or an iMac. Wait until the redesign of the keyboard and screen etc to get a new MacBook, it will be worth it.

actually, i bought both, and both are pretty great.

 

[leman]

That is YOUR personal opinion, and a HUGE assumption. You don't know that anybody here does or doesn't work for Apple and has statistics to back up their statements.

Do you really think that someone who works at Apple AND has access to this kind of information (meaning senior management level at least) would spend their time on MR forums talking trash about Apple products? Come on now

 

[smirking]

That is YOUR personal opinion, and a HUGE assumption. You don't know that anybody here does or doesn't work for Apple and has statistics to back up their statements.

I've read from other posters here that Apple employees at all levels of the company are forbidden to engage in forums like MacRumors. I'm sure that rule's been broken before, but it'd surprise me if there were lots of Apple employees secretly posting here. Most of the time there's not much going on anyway. Just a bunch of (mostly) dudes who spend all day complaining about everything.

 

[currahee2100]

Best Buy has been discounting them heavily. Keep an eye out. Here’s the lowest I’ve seen with the 13” pros in the past two weeks:

128GB 2017: $999
256GB 2017: $1299
256GB 2018: $1299
512GB 2018: $1499

 

[Jimmy James]

I’m not spending my money on the 2018. Whether real or perceived there does seem to be a high failure rate. For context, I would plan to keep mine for a very long time and these models seem neither reliable, upgradable, nor self-serviceable.

 

[puma1552]

Considering we are nearing the halfway point through 2019, no, it would not be a good time to buy a 2018 model.

 

[lambertjohn]

Now is a pretty good time. Anecdotally, the 2018's seem to have fewer issues than the 2016 and 2017's and overall they are great machines. With the whole line being quad core, these things are pretty darn fast.

I agree with this. 2018's are on sale all over the place right now for cheap. Micro Center has the base 2018 TB MBP 13", refurbished by Apple, for $1199 with one-year Apple warranty. It just doesn't get any better than that.

 

[DCIFRTHS]

The keyboard isn't ideal, but both the keyboard and display issues are blown immensely out of proportion.

Are you basing your statement on the sample size of one (yourself), or do you have a large enough sample size, of non-broken machines, compared to the number of units that Apple has sold, to base your conclusion on? If it’s the latter, please elaborate because not one creditable source (that I am aware of) has been able to ascertain that information.

 

[smirking]

Are you basing your statement on the sample size of one (yourself), or do you have a large enough sample size... If it’s the latter, please elaborate because not one creditable source (that I am aware of) has been able to ascertain that information.

You do realize that you're engaging in the exact behavior that you're accusing @rayriceroni00 of, yes?