Macbook pro 2015 13" - is it still relevant?

[alex87f]

Hello guys,

I have a 9550 FHD XPS 15, which works but doesn't really live up to my expectations. Having had a 2010 MBP before, I'd like to go back the "just works" type of operation I've always had on my MBP.

I was initially looking at touchbar 2018 13" MBPs but the recent slew of "-gates" these computer have been a part of lead me to believe Apple isn't really interested in making durable, high-quality computers anymore.

After looking around it seems I could secure a 13" 2015 MBP with >= 256gb for about 850€, which is less than half the cost of a new touchbar MBP (2 000€). Is this a relevant idea? Or would I be throwing money at a computer that's way past its prime?

Regards,
Alex

 

[maflynn]

My personal opinion is that I would not want to spend a lot of money on an almost 4 year old computer. I can't say if 850€ is a good price or not. On the flip side, my 2012 MBP is running well and is able to handle most tasks. Its relegated to my kids for their homework but its still a nice laptop. That being 3 years older means the 2015 should be more then adequate for most tasks

Bottom line if you're ok with buying an older computer (at the right price), the 2015 is a good choice.

 

[filmbuff]

The money is a seperate issue but don’t let Macrumors scare you off from getting the 2018. The complaints on here are serious issues that shouldn’t have happened but also represents a very small fraction of owners. The 2018 13” is a very slick and modern computer; I never owned a 2015 but I do like the features they’ve added since then (better screen, sound, touchid, usb-c, and yes the keyboard).

 

[Sterkenburg]

If the 2015 machine is in excellent condition, 850€ is a tad on the expensive side but not an unreasonable price. I wouldn't go higher than that for a 13", but if the performance would be enough for you it's still a solid machine.

 

[Howard2k]

It depends what you need it to do. I have the 2015 13" and as much as I'd love to pick up a new quad core 13", you'd need to pry my 2015 from my dead hands given the current state of the line-up and all the issues.

My needs aren't hugely taxing though, and it doesn't really matter to me how long it takes to do what I ask it to. The processor intensive stuff I do with it is audio encoding and image manipulation and it handles it fine, but it doesn't handle it like the newer quad and hex core models would. But time isn't money for me in these requirements so it doesn't really matter. I love it. I'd love a quad core too, I'm just not rolling the dice.

One thing to keep in mind is that you may need a battery replacement at some point. I would ask the seller to install CoconutBattery and get the details from there. If the battery needs replacement too then that 850 Euros is suddenly far steeper.

 

[Painter2002]

I agree with the others, personally I wouldn’t buy a 4 year old computer at this point, the performance jump from 2015 to the 2018 lineup is huge, and while there are serious issues that can happen with the 2018 model, most people aren’t having those issues. I have a 2017 MBP that I upgraded from a 2014 model and I haven’t turned back since.

However if you are ok with a slower model, the 2015 MBP is still a perfectly fine computer, just be cautious of used sales. If possible have the computer checked out at Apple before you buy, or immediately after you receive it to ensure there are no hidden issues the seller did not disclose.

 

[kc2kth]

At the end of 2018 I replaced my old 2011 MBP since it was getting terribly sluggish comparatively with other hardware I use on a regular basis. In 2016 I had replaced the spinning disk with a completely solid state option which was a huge improvement, but still it was getting pretty painful. Another issue was that my 2011 was being deprecated to the Apple "vintage" list or whatever they call it and I wasn't getting new OS any longer. Basically I felt it was time and I bought new. Now if I had a 2015, unless there was something wrong with it I wouldn't have been ready to replace it. I'd expect another 2-3 years out of it.

Now whether I'd buy a 2015, well my computers don't travel around with me generally. If I was looking for something to EDC (every day carry) a 2015 would probably be adequate, especially if I got it at a decent price and since I don't do any sort of high demand work (video, audio editing, etc.). Otherwise new makes more sense with the warranty and longer time before I'd need to upgrade again.

 

[alex87f]

Thanks for all the replies

Based on what you're saying it seems like my best option is to just "wait it out" until Apple decides to either clarify the situation with the '16-'18 MBPs, or release a new model. The 2015s seem nice but aren't a long-term option, and I'm not in a hurry.

I might still try to part with the XPS15 while it's worth a few $$$. I think the resale value is going to hurt though, as I paid a little under 1 700€ for it three years ago.

 

[Painter2002]

Thanks for all the replies

Based on what you're saying it seems like my best option is to just "wait it out" until Apple decides to either clarify the situation with the '16-'18 MBPs, or release a new model. The 2015s seem nice but aren't a long-term option, and I'm not in a hurry.

I might still try to part with the XPS15 while it's worth a few $$$. I think the resale value is going to hurt though, as I paid a little under 1 700€ for it three years ago.

Keep in mind that if there is a refresh of the MacBook Pro in 2019, it likely won’t be substantially different from the current 2018 models, other than a spec bump. The keyboard issue will likely still be a risk, as will the T2 panics and other issues. If you are hoping for a major redesign with the issues removed, you’ll likely be waiting until 2020 or even 2021 based on Apples past history of MacBook Pro redesigns.

 

[Fishrrman]

The question:
"Macbook pro 2015 13" - is it still relevant?"

The answer:
Very much so.

I'm typing this reply on MY 2015 MBP 13".
No keyboard problems.
Plenty of ports (and I do use them).
No "flexgate".

I wouldn't trade this for ANY 2017/2018 MPB.
I'll use it until it falls apart.

 

[pshufd]

My workplace provides me with a 2015 13 MBP with 512 GB SSD, 16 GB of RAM and the 3.1 Ghz processor. I'd guess that we bought about a thousand or more of these. I think that we're giving out 2017 models right now (it takes a long time to get them approved). I use my 15 inch personal MBPs for work most of the time but I sometimes use the 13 and it works fine in our environment. This is a software development environment. I have personally only heard of one problem with the 2017s in that it had video artifacts. Apple replaced the motherboard and the problem was resolved.

I personally prefer the 15 inch for the extra screen real estate and that it's quad-core vs dual-core.

 

[leman]

Performance-wise, it's certainly relevant, since it's about on par with the 2018 MacBook Air. Would I pay that money for such an old machine? Definitely not.