Purchasing advice: i7 2.6GHz/32GB RAM/512GB/Radeon 560X vs i7 2.2GHz/32GB RAM/1TB/Radeon 555X

[throwawayadvice]

I'm choosing between two Macbook Pro laptops (employer will be paying) and would love some advice!

Option 1

i7 2.6GHz/32GB RAM/512GB/Radeon 560X

Option 2

i7 2.2GHz/32GB RAM/1TB/Radeon 555X

I don't have a ton of experience with recent Apple laptops--my team chose Apple as our work purchase, and these are the two options. Mostly I'll be using this for work stuff: programming, data analysis, some simulations of small/medium sized systems etc, but some personal things as well: occasional video and photo editing, some light gaming. My work flow is usually pretty ram heavy, with a large number of browser tabs open, and involves programming that requires loading large data sets into memory so 32GB is essential; I'll usually have Matlab, Mathematica, Python notebooks etc running as well. I will routinely connect to 2 non-4K monitors.

As I understand it, the the 1TB SSDs used by Apple are faster than the 512 SSDs, and basically I'd like to know if the 2.6GHz+560X GPU with a smaller SSD is worth the tradeoff against the 2.2GHz+555X GPU with the larger SSD, in terms of thermals and overall performance. Is the 560X a significant improvement over the 555X? Does the 560X run significantly hotter, to the point that CPU throttling is effected when both are loaded? Is the SSD speed difference at all noticeable (presumably for writing not reading)? Is running two monitors a significant load on these GPUs? My sense is that the performance difference between these two options will be minimal, and that the 2.6Ghz+560X may run hotter (possibly enough to justify going with the lower spec option), but I'd love to get some input from people that have used these machines. Any advice is appreciated--thanks!

 

[BuCkDoG]

If I was to purchase one of these two, I would easily go for the version with the 560x. Personally I wouldn't order this computer at all without the Vega 20 GPU though. The Vega 20 GPU is easily worth the upgrade and also has a revamped Logic Board where the Memory is built right into the GPU package thus getting called by the heat pipes. You can easily get an external SSD for the hard drive space anyways.

 

[throwawayadvice]

It looks like the Vega chips are only available with the i9 CPU's--are there still issues with the thermals on the i9 equipped laptops? This is an employer purchase, so I think the i9/Vega models are outside of the budget, but I see what you're saying.

 

[buran-energia]

It looks like the Vega chips are only available with the i9 CPU's--are there still issues with the thermals on the i9 equipped laptops? This is an employer purchase, so I think the i9/Vega models are outside of the budget, but I see what you're saying.

Vega is available starting with mid model (i7 2.6 / 512 GB). I'd try to get that, assuming it doesn't have significant problems. Those vega models might have better thermals.

 

[BuCkDoG]

It looks like the Vega chips are only available with the i9 CPU's--are there still issues with the thermals on the i9 equipped laptops? This is an employer purchase, so I think the i9/Vega models are outside of the budget, but I see what you're saying.

No that's not true. You can easily order the 2.6 i7 with Vega 20. I wouldn't recommend the i9 at all.
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Vega is available starting with mid model (i7 2.6 / 512 GB). I'd try to get that, assuming it doesn't have significant problems. Those vega models might have better thermals.

They have MUCH better thermals and MUCH better performance.