MBP 16" i9 (2019) with 64GB RAM + 8GB VRAM in 2023?

[TheOutlier]

Would a MacBook Pro 16" i9 (2019 model) with 1TB SSD, 64GB RAM and 5500M 8GB GPU still hold up today and at least for another 2-3 years?

And for $1.7k USD, is it worth it?

Or would it better *better* to fork out an extra couple grand and go for an M1 Max with 64GB RAM?

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Yep. If you need a Windows capable machine, it absolutely spanks. Follow the ewetube vid on how to order & put the thermal pads in place. Add an eGPU to continually add horsepower. The new Mx macs are great but are limited to OSX, so when Apple quits issuing updates, they’re done. Intel Macs get a second lease on life and outlive Apple’s planned obsolescence OS by running Windows, getting continually updated forever. I keep a couple MBP’s with the exact spec in your description purely bc they offer about the best bang for the buck over the full lifecycle of the machine than any other notebook apple makes when you take futureproofing into account, including pro app compatibility with its beefy specs. Far more worth the $1700 than a used M1 Air, as zippy as those are short term.

 

[maflynn]

Would a MacBook Pro 16" i9 (2019 model) with 64GB RAM and 5500M 8GB GPU still hold up today and at least for another 2-3 years?

Absolutely. I'd say it will be a viable machine beyond 2 to 3 years for the majority of people. Given the performance and specs of these modern machines, I can see them lasting easily 5 to 7 years. Specific use cases, could alter that of course but just speaking in generalities.

And for $1.7k USD, is it worth it?

I think that's a decent price, I'd probably like to see it a little lower but Iyou don't mention the storage, so if that is also rather high and then its in the acceptable ball park - at least I would consider it.

Or would it better *better* to fork out an extra couple grand and go for an M1 Max with 64GB RAM?

Better is subjective. An M1 with 64GB of ram isn't a couple of grand more, its nearly 4,000 dollars. If you drop your configuration down to 32GB of ram, then the price is 3k. I find both of those prices outside of the range of my budget so I feel they're too high but that's me.

Finally, what are you looking to use the Mac for? I find that i9 has some advantages over the M1, and that's the ability to run x86 code natively and more specifically you can run windows via bootcamp. This gives you the best of both worlds - if that's something that you may want.

The M1's advantages as I see them are. Better battery, and a quieter experience, i.e., less fan noise. So depending on your needs and expectations the M1 is a great machine but for a significantly higher cost, whereas the i9 offers great performance and will be a fine machine for the foreseeable future.

 

[Basic75]

Would a MacBook Pro 16" i9 (2019 model) with 64GB RAM and 5500M 8GB GPU still hold up today and at least for another 2-3 years?

This is still a very powerful and capable machine, and I would expect it to do a good job for another 2-3 years. Its biggest downside is how much power it draws under load, and it does have lower performance compared to the M1 Pro/Max. As to whether the price is worth it, that is something only you can decide.

 

[EzisAA]

Point of your MacBook Pro is only if you really need a Windows or specific software for Intel or eGPU. For video editing or photo editing faster/powerful will be M1 Pro (and in some of usercase also M1 😃)

No matter what the price is for your MacBook Pro, because buyer must be very stupit or with somsing specific usercase why his chose buy Intel MacBook Pro in 2023.

 

[maflynn]

No matter what the price is for your MacBook Pro, because buyer must be very stupit or with somsing specific usercase why his chose buy Intel MacBook Pro in 2023.

So you're saying that you're stupid if you opt to spend 1,700 dollars instead of spending nearly 4,000 dollars for a similarly equipped M1 MBP? I don't see the logic in that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Specific use case aside, the intel mac at that price is a good buy and makes a lot of sense imo.

 

[EzisAA]

P.s Two years ago I was unreal happy when somebody buy my old MacBook Pro 15 (2019) i9 2.3GHz, 500GB SSD, 16GB RAM, Radeon 560x 4GB to 1,6K $

 

[EzisAA]

So you're saying that you're stupid if you opt to spend 1,700 dollars instead of spending nearly 4,000 dollars for a similarly equipped M1 MBP? I don't see the logic in that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Specific use case aside, the intel mac at that price is a good buy and makes a lot of sense imo.

4000$ is for M1 Max, 1700$ is for intel from 2019

It's not the similar computers if your use case is more than netflix.

 

[maflynn]

4000$ is for M1 Max, 1700$ is for intel from 2019

It's not the similar computers if your use case is more than netflix.

Yes but comparing similar configurations means that you'll need spend $$$

 

[EzisAA]

Yes but comparing similar configurations means that you'll need spend $$$ for a similarly configured M1

How the can be similar if intel have 8GB GPU, but Apple Silicon use up to 3/4 from unified memory - if "similar" 64GB is up to 48GB VRAM for GPU is not similar as intel from 2019 with 8GB 🤭

Six times more VRAM
Faster SSD
Two times faster CPU
Battary life...

Probably you are one from intel 2023 buyer 🤭 if for you this two compyouters is similar.

I am done.

 

[maflynn]

How the can be similar if intel have 8GB GPU, but Apple Silicon use up to 3/4 from unified memory - if "similar" 64GB is up to 48GB VRAM for GPU is not similar as intel from 2019 with 8GB 🤭

Two different architectures to be sure but matching ram/storage and class of machines makes sense otherwise why not just say buy a m1 mba for 999 🤷‍♂️

 

[Wokis]

When I got my 2019 16" I thought it was the greatest Mac for me ever, because it really did function as "close enough to desktop power on the go". When M1 Pro/Max came out the general tone on forums like these is that the old 16" surely can't do anything, but fact is it does remain as capable as the day before the M1 Pro/Max were announced. Though that's not to say that the leap forward wasn't impressive.

The big worry is whenever Apple decides they don't want to support x86 anymore with OS updates. They're doing a bit better than the last architecture transition but I bet some people still feel burned from when Snow Leopard dropped all previous Macs into early obsolescence.

This time we will be able to migrate the machine to Windows (with workarounds for TPM/Secureboot) but it's safe to say that some would prefer the Mac to remain a Mac.

 

[EzisAA]

Two different architectures to be sure but matching ram/storage and class of machines makes sense otherwise

why not just say buy a m1 mba for 999 🤷‍♂️

MacBook Air M1 overheat if you start use in same time CPU and GPU in full power.
And MacBook Pro M1 with fan is on limit in summer.

 

[maflynn]

MacBook Air M1 overheat if you start use in same time CPU and GPU in full power.
And MacBook Pro M1 with fan is on limit in summer.

And you get more machine for you buck with the MBP, that's my point. Whether the OP chooses the M1 MBP or the i9, comparing similarly configured machines makes sense - at least to me. You said that outside of specific use cases the buyer has to be very stupid to get an intel mac, and that's simply not the case.

 

[EzisAA]

When I got my 2019 16" I thought it was the greatest Mac for me ever, because it really did function as "close enough to desktop power on the go". When M1 Pro/Max came out the general tone on forums like these is that the old 16" surely can't do anything, but fact is it does remain as capable as the day before the M1 Pro/Max were announced. Though that's not to say that the leap forward wasn't impressive.

The big worry is whenever Apple decides they don't want to support x86 anymore with OS updates. They're doing a bit better than the last architecture transition but I bet some people still feel burned from when Snow Leopard dropped all previous Macs into early obsolescence.

This time we will be able to migrate the machine to Windows (with workarounds for TPM/Secureboot) but it's safe to say that some would prefer the Mac to remain a Mac.

I think the M1 was real killer for all Intel Mac's, because pepols saw how powerfull is M1 and start understand, then next Apple silicon (M1 Pro, M1 Max and M1 Ultra) will be more poferful, but not all stil this understand as i see from messegs... 🥲

I dont realy understand why need migrate to from old Mac and macOS to Windows OS if you can just buy new Mac for less price of your intel mac when hi was new and get more powerfull mac and actual.

In my case i sold my mbp 15 inch 2019 of 1,6k $ and added 500$ then buy MacBook Pro M1. For 500$ I get more powerful Mac with unbelievable battery life.

After two years day by day edit video on it - I can say it's was the best 500$ investenshen in work instrument.

 

[Fishrrman]

It will last 2-3 more years.
BUT
For $1,700, at nearly 4 years old (right now), it's no longer "worth it".

Put that money towards either a MacBook Pro 14", or a MacBook Pro 16" ...

 

[maflynn]

it's no longer "worth it".

why?

 

[GMShadow]

I think whether you plan to run Windows can be a factor. I've got the base i7 version of the machine and it's still plenty capable (as well as lighter/thinner than the new one), but my needs are modest and I bought used anyway.

I'd like to think Apple will keep it supported until 2025-2026ish, but we just don't know.

 

[TheOutlier]

Yep. If you need a Windows capable machine, it absolutely spanks. Follow the ewetube vid on how to order & put the thermal pads in place. Add an eGPU to continually add horsepower. The new Mx macs are great but are limited to OSX, so when Apple quits issuing updates, they’re done. Intel Macs get a second lease on life and outlive Apple’s planned obsolescence OS by running Windows, getting continually updated forever. I keep a couple MBP’s with the exact spec in your description purely bc they offer about the best bang for the buck over the full lifecycle of the machine than any other notebook apple makes when you take futureproofing into account, including pro app compatibility with its beefy specs. Far more worth the $1700 than a used M1 Air, as zippy as those are short term.

Absolutely. I'd say it will be a viable machine beyond 2 to 3 years for the majority of people. Given the performance and specs of these modern machines, I can see them lasting easily 5 to 7 years. Specific use cases, could alter that of course but just speaking in generalities.


I think that's a decent price, I'd probably like to see it a little lower but Iyou don't mention the storage, so if that is also rather high and then its in the acceptable ball park - at least I would consider it.


Better is subjective. An M1 with 64GB of ram isn't a couple of grand more, its nearly 4,000 dollars. If you drop your configuration down to 32GB of ram, then the price is 3k. I find both of those prices outside of the range of my budget so I feel they're too high but that's me.

Finally, what are you looking to use the Mac for? I find that i9 has some advantages over the M1, and that's the ability to run x86 code natively and more specifically you can run windows via bootcamp. This gives you the best of both worlds - if that's something that you may want.

The M1's advantages as I see them are. Better battery, and a quieter experience, i.e., less fan noise. So depending on your needs and expectations the M1 is a great machine but for a significantly higher cost, whereas the i9 offers great performance and will be a fine machine for the foreseeable future.

When I got my 2019 16" I thought it was the greatest Mac for me ever, because it really did function as "close enough to desktop power on the go". When M1 Pro/Max came out the general tone on forums like these is that the old 16" surely can't do anything, but fact is it does remain as capable as the day before the M1 Pro/Max were announced. Though that's not to say that the leap forward wasn't impressive.

The big worry is whenever Apple decides they don't want to support x86 anymore with OS updates. They're doing a bit better than the last architecture transition but I bet some people still feel burned from when Snow Leopard dropped all previous Macs into early obsolescence.

This time we will be able to migrate the machine to Windows (with workarounds for TPM/Secureboot) but it's safe to say that some would prefer the Mac to remain a Mac.

I own this machine. It is a very good laptop and, as with all Apple products, 5 - 6 years (2019 - 2025) is not unreasonable for everyday use. However for rendering, or other heavy computing, I’d recommend going with Apple Silicone.

This is not my everyday laptop. It is my travel editor and the plan is to replace it when the M2 MBP comes out. I would’ve replaced with the M1 16” but, due to covid, I wasn’t doing a lot of work outside the office.

Oh, BTW, when doing heavy work, the unit gets scorchingly hot.

It will last 2-3 more years.
BUT
For $1,700, at nearly 4 years old (right now), it's no longer "worth it".

Put that money towards either a MacBook Pro 14", or a MacBook Pro 16" ...

Thanks for your thoughts.

My main purpose for an 2019 i9 64GB RAM + 5500M 8GB would be to do design work + creating YouTube videos using Final Cut Pro / DaVinci Resolve and do lots of screen recordings & screencasts. I was engrossed by this machine back in 2019/2020 but it was out of my budget. Now, I'm finally able to "own" one at a lower cost, and I don't really care about resale value later on knowing full well that its value will continue to plummet quickly.

To add some context, I'm currently using an M1 MBA (2020) with 16GB RAM as my daily driver. I find that my current workload is too RAM-demanding (I usually have dozens of applications and tabs open at any given time) on this machine, hence, looking for something that can handle more without breaking the bank. I'm also under the impression that this 2019 16" i9 with 64GB RAM + 5500M 8GB is probably going to handle video editing and exporting better than my current M1 MBA.

I'm sure some would laugh that if I were to go with this purchase, I'd be going from M1 back to an Intel machine - totally understandable. However, I'm curious whether the $3k price difference is enough to justify the performance difference. I'd also be saving an extra $3k which could be used down the line to purchase an M2 Max (potentially?) later on in 2 years from now.

 

[chikorita157]

Thanks for your thoughts.

My main purpose for an 2019 i9 64GB RAM + 5500M 8GB would be to do design work + creating YouTube videos using Final Cut Pro / DaVinci Resolve and do lots of screen recordings & screencasts. I was engrossed by this machine back in 2019/2020 but it was out of my budget. Now, I'm finally able to "own" one at a lower cost, and I don't really care about resale value later on knowing full well that its value will continue to plummet quickly.

To add some context, I'm currently using an M1 MBA (2020) with 16GB RAM as my daily driver. I find that my current workload is too RAM-demanding (I usually have dozens of applications and tabs open at any given time) on this machine, hence, looking for something that can handle more without breaking the bank. I'm also under the impression that this 2019 16" i9 with 64GB RAM + 5500M 8GB is probably going to handle video editing and exporting better than my current M1 MBA.

I'm sure some would laugh that if I were to go with this purchase, I'd be going from M1 back to an Intel machine - totally understandable. However, I'm curious whether the $3k price difference is enough to justify the performance difference. I'd also be saving an extra $3k which could be used down the line to purchase an M2 Max (potentially?) later on in 2 years from now.

I don’t think a 2019 Macbook Pro 16 is a good buy since Apple will probably cut support for updates on Intel machines probably this or next year whenever they release the Apple Silicon Mac Pro. Also, the 2019 will be a lot slower since it doesn’t have hardware encoders for ProRes, which makes Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve spend less time rendering. As others mentioned, it’s a 4 year old machine and it’s just not worth it with the performance you are giving up compared to the amount of RAM.

If you can, I would sell the M1 Macbook Air and put it towards a M1 Max Macbook Pro, or save up a bit more money for the Macbook Pro that meets your needs. I upgraded from a 2018 Macbook Pro 15” to a 16” M1 Pro Macbook Pro 16” with 32 GB of RAM and it’s a huge difference. Also, I don’t get the crashing issues with Thunderbolt 3, which the Intel Macs has. I think buying any Intel Mac at this stage is a waste of money since the amount of remaining software support left is questionable.

 

[Thisismattwade]

Could you sell your current MBA (for say $750-$1000), then add that to your $1700 and have almost $3k to spend on an M1 MBP? Maybe at that price point the more modern specs would be more appealing?

Have you checked out the Apple refurb store? Or the sale Best Buy is currently running on M1 MacBook pros?

 

[Wokis]

Thanks for your thoughts.

My main purpose for an 2019 i9 64GB RAM + 5500M 8GB would be to do design work + creating YouTube videos using Final Cut Pro / DaVinci Resolve and do lots of screen recordings & screencasts. I was engrossed by this machine back in 2019/2020 but it was out of my budget. Now, I'm finally able to "own" one at a lower cost, and I don't really care about resale value later on knowing full well that its value will continue to plummet quickly.

To add some context, I'm currently using an M1 MBA (2020) with 16GB RAM as my daily driver. I find that my current workload is too RAM-demanding (I usually have dozens of applications and tabs open at any given time) on this machine, hence, looking for something that can handle more without breaking the bank. I'm also under the impression that this 2019 16" i9 with 64GB RAM + 5500M 8GB is probably going to handle video editing and exporting better than my current M1 MBA.

I'm sure some would laugh that if I were to go with this purchase, I'd be going from M1 back to an Intel machine - totally understandable. However, I'm curious whether the $3k price difference is enough to justify the performance difference. I'd also be saving an extra $3k which could be used down the line to purchase an M2 Max (potentially?) later on in 2 years from now.

As a heavy Resolve user I would say the 2019 MBP holds even steps with the M1. Some operations go faster, some slower. It definitely will be hotter and noisier. Though my comparisons have been with an M1 Mac mini using active cooling, so I’d expect the M1 air to maybe even lose.

The win is indeed the RAM. I try to do what I’m used doing with my 2019 on the 24GB M2 and I have definitely found scenarios where I’m RAM starved especially when I want to run compositing and editing applications in parallel. Though I can deal with that, but 16GB would have been to little.

Can’t really comment on whether the 2019 makes sense, though. I’m thinking maybe you’d do well enough with say a 32GB 14” M1 Pro for a somewhat(?) comparable price and enjoy an uplift in both available memory AND processing power.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I would go with M1 max for unified memory alone. A lot of Video/Photo and Audio tools have started using AI. My 3090 runs out of GPU memory frequently, and M1 max chugs along with unified memory. Get as much RAM as you can afford.