I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the task of finding the right MacBook, and would appreciate any advice! I'm new to the Mac world and don't want to go back to Windows, but have had quite a buying experience and need some direction. I bought the 2020 i5 MacBook Air a couple of months ago from B&H. It had major heat issues. I am a pretty light user but it couldn't even handle Zoom calls. I couldn't return it because B&H doesn't accept open box returns, and Apple said there was nothing wrong with it under warranty. So I went to a local used Mac store and traded it for a 2017 MacBook Pro 13 w/ Function Keys. I knew I was losing a bit of money on the deal, but I hated the Air and the Pro fit my needs a lot better. I love my Pro, *except* it gives me major carpal tunnel and wrist pain. I've tried adding feet to it, using a lap desk, using a regular desk...doesn't make a difference. After some thought and experimentation, I've determined it's the large size of the trackpad and the size of the palmest area--it's just too cramped and I'm moving my hands around in a weird way. I've tried to adapt but it's still a problem. (It's not the butterfly keyboard, bc I borrowed a friend's 2020 Pro 13 inch and had the same problem, even though that has the new Magic Keyboard). The new 16 inch Pros are out of my price range, and they still have the giant trackpad. I'm thinking that the 2015 Pro 15 inch would suit me way better, because of the smaller trackpad. It also has the old keyboard, which I would prefer, although I can live with the butterfly. I know these are the holy grail of MacBooks--if I can find one, is it worth downgrading? Or is it unwise to buy a 5-year-old MacBook Pro? Any tips on the best place to find them currently? I'm just really frustrated at this point and want a computer that works and doesn't cause me pain. Thanks if you've followed me this far!!
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Should I downgrade from 2017 Pro 13 to a 2015 Pro 15?
- Thread starter wje1
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I recently got another refurbished mid-2012 MacBook Pro with GeForce 650M on Newegg. The only problem with this is that Catalina is the last version of macOS that will be available to it. It's 8 years old now. I wasn't expecting miracles. It's essentially as capable as my 2017 Omen by HP Windows 10 machine with 7th generation i7 versus 3rd generation i7. The operating system differences were necessary for HitFilm Pro and other software.
Will you be okay with a shorter upgrade path for your replacement machine?
You might want to invest in a cooling pad to use with any Mac laptop computer. With the GeForce 650M, this machine hits 100 degrees C often. Make sure you get one with a tilting function to make it more comfortable for typing.
I trusted the products sold and shipped by Newegg but others are probably safe.
Will you be okay with a shorter upgrade path for your replacement machine?
You might want to invest in a cooling pad to use with any Mac laptop computer. With the GeForce 650M, this machine hits 100 degrees C often. Make sure you get one with a tilting function to make it more comfortable for typing.
I trusted the products sold and shipped by Newegg but others are probably safe.
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Thanks for the input! Yes, I'd be okay with getting around 5 solid years out of it. I just think I'll have irreversible carpal tunnel if I use my current Pro for the next 5 years. I've heard mixed reviews about NewEgg, but great to hear that you had a good experience buying there. I'll take another look at them.
Luckily, I haven't experienced any heat issues with my Pro--just the Air that I had previously.
Photo and video editing always end up making machines hot. Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome is difficult. The 13 inch machines always seemed too small, though I had one of the 1998 Wall Street PowerBooks.
Newegg has been good, but like any place selling you stuff, do your research. Once again, I only buy "sold and shipped by Newegg" products. I'm not up to trusting third parties that often.