Should I sell my Intel MBP 16 while I still can for a M1?

[countryside]

Howdy,

I got the MBP 16 when it came out, not aware of this M1 stuff. I feel like due to this new insanely fast processor, my MBP will be obsolete sooner than I planned and lose value quickly.

Would it be wise to trade it in my MBP 16 for about 1600? TIA. I know a 16 inch M1 is probably next... I love this sized device, but I also love quicker speeds and less heat...

 

[countryside]

My plan would be to swap my 16-inch base MBP for the 13" MBP upgraded to 512 storage and 16 memory... so same specs just M1 and smaller screen... if i trade in, it would cost me $100...

 

[Argon_]

Do you need the performance uplift? Are you a video editor sick of dropped frames?

Answering these would help determine the solution.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you need or just want the new M1 (and can easily afford it), you should sell or trade-in your 16” MBP for what you can get. The longer you wait, the lower the price realized. Don’t buy the M1 with the resale of the other figured in to your cost. Don’t consider that part of the equation during the buying process.

 

[countryside]

Do you need the performance uplift? Are you a video editor sick of dropped frames?

Answering these would help determine the solution.

I do not do anything video related that is intense, but I run lots of online programs for work that cause my MBC 16 to be boiling hot.

If you need or just want the new M1 (and can easily afford it), you should sell or trade-in your 16” MBP for what you can get. The longer you wait, the lower the price realized. Don’t buy the M1 with the resale of the other figured in to your cost. Don’t consider that part of the equation during the buying process.

Great point on not conflating the two decisions, thanks.

 

[Argon_]

I do not do anything video related that is intense, but I run lots of online programs for work that cause my MBC 16 to be boiling hot.


Great point on not conflating the two decisions, thanks.

In that case, I'd go for it.

As for the trade in, that's a bonus IMO. I buy devices as consumables, with no trade in value in mind. It makes the relentless depreciation 99% less demoralizing.

 

[pmiles]

INTEL based Macs are not going to lose value per se, because they can run Windows via Bootcamp. So the notion that they are worthless the moment ARM is the standard on the Mac platform is a fallacy. Too many people like running both OSes on the same machine... and right now, there is NO ROADMAP for being able to run Windows on an ARM Mac and it may stay that way for quite some time.

First and foremost... if you can't afford a new computer without selling the old one first, then you really can't afford it. Always assume a computer is worth nothing the day you buy it, because in reality, that is the truth. IF it sells for something, that is a bonus. Computers aren't investments. They are appliances.

 

[countryside]

In that case, I'd go for it.

As for the trade in, that's a bonus IMO. I buy devices as consumables, with no trade in value in mind. It makes the relentless depreciation 99% less demoralizing.

Thanks for the advice. I agree, I view them as consumables too. I have never traded-in any Apple devices before. However, I viewed my 16-inch purchase as a 4-5 year commitment and I feel like it wont last that long.

 

[countryside]

INTEL based Macs are not going to lose value per se, because they can run Windows via Bootcamp. So the notion that they are worthless the moment ARM is the standard on the Mac platform is a fallacy. Too many people like running both OSes on the same machine... and right now, there is NO ROADMAP for being able to run Windows on an ARM Mac and it may stay that way for quite some time.

First and foremost... if you can't afford a new computer without selling the old one first, then you really can't afford it. Always assume a computer is worth nothing the day you buy it, because in reality, that is the truth. IF it sells for something, that is a bonus. Computers aren't investments. They are appliances.

I can buy it without selling, it just would be wasteful to have one lying around when I could trade it in for a nice amount of money. I guess my question was more about how quickly Intel will be depreciating. Thanks for your comments on that, I do not use Windows on my Mac so was not aware that is a big issue. Glad to hear there is still a market for Intel Macs.

 

[Argon_]

Thanks for the advice. I agree, I view them as consumables too. I have never traded-in any Apple devices before. However, I viewed my 16-inch purchase as a 4-5 year commitment and I feel like it wont last that long.

I traded in a 15 because it was unstable, and had a horrendous keyboard. The money felt like a bonus. It might go to an M1.

I wouldn't entirely write off the idea of having a spare computer. It can be a first world solution to a first world problem, provided that you have the funds. Computer bricked/dropped/water damaged, back up to speed in a few hours. That being said, I'd pick a less expensive machine than a relatively new 16MBP for a spare.

 

[cupcakes2000]

INTEL based Macs are not going to lose value per se, because they can run Windows via Bootcamp. So the notion that they are worthless the moment ARM is the standard on the Mac platform is a fallacy. Too many people like running both OSes on the same machine... and right now, there is NO ROADMAP for being able to run Windows on an ARM Mac and it may stay that way for quite some time.

First and foremost... if you can't afford a new computer without selling the old one first, then you really can't afford it. Always assume a computer is worth nothing the day you buy it, because in reality, that is the truth. IF it sells for something, that is a bonus. Computers aren't investments. They are appliances.

Whilst they certainly aren’t ‘worthless’ at the moment- the op has a good point. The users that run a Mac for a Mac far far outstrip the amount that run multiple os’ on a Mac.
There is never a roadmap with anything Apple- and whilst it’s not likely we’ll get boot camp for windows again, it’s very likely we’ll get some kind of parallels type integration, albeit with arm windows. There is no roadmap for this, but Apple, whether you like it or not, *will* nudge the industry- especially in light on the power of these first iterations.
I think the value of intel macs will not hold anywhere near the value they would have if the m1 wasn’t released. Perhaps it won’t be immediate, so likely no need to worry. But the fallacy would actually be to assume they won’t lose value, not that they will.

 

[robco74]

Nothing wrong with the MBP 16", still more powerful than M1 in certain cases. Unless you really need to, no reason not to wait and see what's next.

Definitely make sure the software you need is ported over, especially if you write software or work with audio.

 

[clarencek]

I did this. I sold my i9 16” and bought a MBP M1.
The new machine is amazing. Don’t regret it at all.

 

[Quackers]

In your position I probably would buy an M1 but I'm impatient.
There's nothing wrong with what you've got and new models may be forthcoming but as weeks pass your current machine will be worth less and less.
Difficult choice.

 

[smoghat]

I am kind of a crazy person. I have a 13" MBP (flagship, late 2018) that I used mainly for travel (ha ha ha, 2020) and a 16" MBP (flagship, 2019). I figured the M1 MBA (flagship again... I'm an artist and writer and I've made good money in life—plus no matter what I do I can't spend as much on Apple as I've made from their stock—so I want the fastest, most capable machine I can) would replace the 13", but now I am thinking it will replace the 16" too. It definitely feels a lot faster, especially in the apps that I use the most which are already native (Lightroom and Office). The only hassle—and it is a big one—is the 16" has a 4TB drive and the MBA only goes up to 2TB so I can't have my whole Lightroom library in the laptop.

Most everything just works on the M1 (my Thunderblade drive needs a new driver and my Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle needs a new driver too) and since, like a lot of people, I spend a lot of time on the net, it's a delight to have 40 tabs open and no slow down. Get the M1 MBA, you have a couple of weeks to return it.

I'm kind of shocked how delighted I am that there are no fans. Losing the touchbar is actually a plus (TouchID works a lot better than on my 16" MBP) and the laptop runs nice and cool so it literally is a laptop.

 

[Dr_Ian_Malcolm]

Thanks for the advice. I agree, I view them as consumables too. I have never traded-in any Apple devices before. However, I viewed my 16-inch purchase as a 4-5 year commitment and I feel like it wont last that long.

I agree with your sentiment here 100%. From my perspective, I purchased a MBP13, 32gb when it was updated this May. I use the computer for work, grad school, some retro games, and to create videos and movies of my kids. I came from an 11 inch MBA that treated me well for years. I typically try to get the most out of my purchases like cars and tech, so I usually try to get exactly what I want up front and enjoy it for years.

So... back to my situation, I liked the MPB13, 32gb, but didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. It was noisy and it got very hot while playing some games or sitting in a Zoom call for a bit. I bought a Airpad pro this summer and actually contemplated selling the MBP, and was offered $1700 for it (I paid $1,999).

When the M1 came out, I knew it was the future and I was holding dying tech. I was still able to get $1280 from it’sworthmore.com, which I put towards a new Air with 16gb and 1TB. In the end, i went out of pocket about 200$ and it was worth it. The MBA feels generations above the Intel MBP and runs cool and FOREVER. Btw, Apple offered me only $900 for my MBP, which told me that the Intel laptops will decline in value quickly. Just one guys opinion .

 

[stevenaaus]

Don't drink the kool aid too much. The M1 is a promising chip, but still vastly untested. Do you really need 20 hours of battery, or would you prefer a stable chip / platform.

 

[Argon_]

Don't drink the kool aid too much. The M1 is a promising chip, but still vastly untested. Do you really need 20 hours of battery, or would you prefer a stable chip / platform.

I've had stability problems with a past high binned Intel mac. I traded it for a lower tier machine that's much more stable. Currently, it's Intel that I don't trust for high performance in a small form factor, hence my consideration of an M1 machine.

 

[ght56]

TLDR; I think it is a bad idea.

I bought a 16-inch because of the pending Apple Silicon change. You're looking at a slight to a pretty substantial downgrade in graphics performance depending on your GPU, a huge gain in single core performance, and some gain/some loss in multicore performance depending on your CPU and the activity being done. If heat really bothers you, the M1 Macs are hugely favorable...they load apps crazy fast, they have a more responsive UI, they are quiet, and they are cool. Do I think it is wise to trade? As you rely on your Mac to make a living and you use your system for a variety of work programs, I do not recommend it at all.

I would recommend consideration of a Mac Mini to get your feet wet with M1 while it matures. They are only a couple hundred bucks, the base model even with only 8 GB of RAM is a very capable little machine, and this way you can have the best of both worlds.

 

[cycling_pete]

I would say go for it, especially since you don't need the extra GPU... I had a 16inch MBP for a few weeks and understand the fan/heat issue too well. And honestly the day to day of having insane battery life is amazing. I basically charge the laptop when I take a shower and don't worry about battery for the rest of the day.

The main advantage of the 16inch is the screen real estate. You get a lot more of it, and I definitely noticed a difference when I switched to the M1. You could alternately wait for the 16inch M1, which is due to arrive sometime next year.

 

[x3sphere]

I did this and I don't regret the move at all. First, the fan on my MBP 16" was almost always at full blast when connected to an external display. I had to buy an eGPU to work around the issue, which was an extra $500. I traded in my 16" MBP and returned the eGPU and combined it covered the cost of an 16/1TB M1 MBP fully.

The MBP 16" would throttle often when I was pushing it. The MBP M1 makes almost no fan noise at all even when running benchmarks, and it doesn't throttle. A lot of benchmarks do not show the true difference between the two since most only run for a few mins - when you have sustained loads, the throttling on the 16" becomes more apparent. I'd even say that any performance advantage the 16" has in multicore performance is negated by the throttling if you are running high load workloads for a long period of time. And the single core performance on the M1 is significantly better, which is actually noticeable in daily use.

I do not think the graphics in the M1 is much of step down from the 5500M. It's pretty comparable. However if you've got the 5600M, or have a more powerful eGPU, then yes it will be.

It is still early days for the M1 architecture so that could be an issue if you use programs that haven't been ported yet. Rosetta 2 works very well but there's definitely some issues with certain programs. Most apps I use have already been ported so it's not much of an issue.

 

[Argon_]

I did this and I don't regret the move at all. First, the fan on my MBP 16" was almost always at full blast when connected to an external display. I had to buy an eGPU to work around the issue, which was an extra $500. I traded in my 16" MBP and returned the eGPU and combined it covered the cost of an 16/1TB M1 MBP fully.

The MBP 16" would throttle often when I was pushing it. The MBP M1 makes almost no fan noise at all even when running benchmarks, and it doesn't throttle. A lot of benchmarks do not show the true difference between the two since most only run for a few mins - when you have sustained loads, the throttling on the 16" becomes more apparent. I'd even say that any performance advantage the 16" has in multicore performance is negated by the throttling if you are running high load workloads for a long period of time. And the single core performance on the M1 is significantly better, which is actually noticeable in daily use.

I do not think the graphics in the M1 is much of step down from the 5500M. It's pretty comparable. However if you've got the 5600M, or have a more powerful eGPU, then yes it will be.

It is still early days for the M1 architecture so that could be an issue if you use programs that haven't been ported yet. Rosetta 2 works very well but there's definitely some issues with certain programs. Most apps I use have already been ported so it's not much of an issue.

Did you have the i9 16," or did you use a low RPM fan curve? I remember my 15 throttling, but I thought the 16s were adequately cooled, albeit loud.

 

[x3sphere]

Did you have the i9 16," or did you use a low RPM fan curve? I remember my 15 throttling, but I thought the 16s were adequately cooled, albeit loud.

Yeah, had the i9 2.3 Ghz. To be fair, it didn't go below the base clock that often, but when you're running benchmarks it boosts quite a bit higher due to Turbo Boost. However those boost speeds don't hold when stressing the CPU for long periods of time (10+ mins). So if you are actually maxing the CPU, real world performance can be a lot less impressive than the benchmarks show.

Also, I enjoyed my 16" a lot more once I got the eGPU. With it, I was generally pleased with the performance - offloading the graphics to an eGPU means you are less thermally constrained on the CPU side. But considering I can get similar performance with the M1, plus get rid of the eGPU, it seemed like a no brainer to me.

Reasons I see to keep a 16" right now:

- If you need the bigger display
- If you are using an eGPU with much more powerful cards like the Radeon VII and above
- Software incompatibilities on the M1 side

 

[Chairman.Jobbie]

Im trying to sell my MBP 2018 for as much as I can as quick as I can. I feel its depreciating as Mac users are generally savvy imo - so know not to buy a laptop with a crappy keyboard and old chip when the new M1's are miles better for the average user. Im all in on M1. Hopefully I can get 90% of the value of my new M1 and id be happy to offload it. Even if I only get half I'll take the hit to dump my 2018 MBP for keyboard alone.

I can't go back to my 15" MBP - terrible keyboard, heat, less battery, fan noise, weight, etc. Apart from screen size everything is better, and even on screen size I'm liking the smaller screen for my writing and reading (most of what I do) ... (14" will prob be the sweet spot for me).

 

[KShopper]

My plan would be to swap my 16-inch base MBP for the 13" MBP upgraded to 512 storage and 16 memory... so same specs just M1 and smaller screen... if i trade in, it would cost me $100...

The only question that you need to answer here is which model will depreciate less in the next 2 years. The answer is the M1. Do the deal and be happy!

If you decide to upgrade to a newer 16" when the M2 or whatever version comes out, you'll still be ahead trying to sell the M1 MBP instead of your old 16". Intel Macs are DEAD in the resale market.