The "I just ordered / bought / got my new/refurb MBP" thread [Merged]

[hallux]

@Quackington I grabbed this Anker unit for mine. I haven't tested everything on it but so far it works as expected.

Anker USB C Hub for MacBook, 7-in-2 USB C to C Adapter, Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Port, 100W Power Delivery, 4K HDMI, USB C and 2 USB A Data Ports, SD and microSD Card Reader

Anker 7-in-2 USB C Hub with 4K HDMI Power Delivery SD/microSD Card Reader and 2 USB 3 0 Ports

www.amazon.com

 

[Quackington]

@Quackington I grabbed this Anker unit for mine. I haven't tested everything on it but so far it works as expected.

Anker USB C Hub for MacBook, 7-in-2 USB C to C Adapter, Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Port, 100W Power Delivery, 4K HDMI, USB C and 2 USB A Data Ports, SD and microSD Card Reader

Anker 7-in-2 USB C Hub with 4K HDMI Power Delivery SD/microSD Card Reader and 2 USB 3 0 Ports

www.amazon.com

Thanks a lot for this! I found a Satechi one online last night, so I’m going to consider this one of these. The Satechi one includes an Ethernet port, which is great, but this one has a card reader, which is appealing too.

 

[thizisweird]

So...I am close to pulling the trigger on a MBP 13", i7 with 32GB RAM. This is gonna be a BIG upgrade from my 2011" MBA with 4GB RAM, hah.

I guess one of my concerns is that I am going from USB A to a machine with only USB C/Thunderbolt 3 ports. Can anyone recommend some good, really discreet adapters for easy portable use? To connect USB A products like memory card readers etc. Also, a nice little portable hub and a desk hub would be great to know about too.

My apologies for writing a novel... I've been loading up on MacBook junk the last couple weeks so I can start doing more serious work at home and while travelling. Skip a paragraph if you only care about getting some USB-C stuff.

Genuinely not trying to self promote here, but do check out my link in my previous post- I'll link it here as well. I have done a lot of digging around on Amazon to put that list together, and the comment sections on the list have personal notes too. It's basically my personal load out items for both my home studio and travel needs for video and audio production (not extensive professional work, I'm in the lightweight category with video production still). Full disclaimer: I don't like the available selection of hubs, so I've avoided listing one. If I were to pick one, I'd pay through the nose to have a TB3 splitter, or USB-C if that's available. I need more than a total of four ports for certain uses (which is the best I can manage from any combo of hubs with the meager 2 ports on my MBP). I also don't like buying newer "professional" a/v hardware that doesn't support USB-C, so I need plenty of ports where I can find them.

My linked list has a dual port USB-C charger with two QC 3.0 ports (90w total output), some docking/charging solutions to connect to the charger (as well as a power bank that can charge your MBP a bit), and the bottom currently has 3 USB-C adapters I bought for daily use. Unless I need to plug in a piece of equipment (which is not my usual style), I stick to these adapters for basic needs (Ethernet, USB-A, and SD card). I also found my needed adapter cost was cheaper than a hub, and also allows for more potential connections going in. If you want other individual adapters, or even a hub from the same brand, check out the brand's amazon page, which I've linked below.

As for a little product coverage on my linked list- The USB-C adapters I have on there are great, and I've used them myself. I use the USB-A adapter to plug in my mouse's receiver when I want to monitor my temperatures, and it works amazingly well. Also, a note about the brand Uni (I have some of their products on my list, and here's a link for their amazon product page). Uni seems to be interested in trying to stand behind their products; they offer a standard lifetime warranty, the packaging feels way too expensive for what I've paid, and the products feel and appear to be premium products (though I doubt that's the full story inside of them). For the cost and "experience" that I can personally attest to, they're wonderful single port adapters that should travel quite well. Just get a carry case for them so they stay organized ? They do offer some hub solutions as well.

I'll be updating that list I've linked every time I see something worthy of my personal setup, so keep an eye on it for a while. I'm still expanding my setup, and a new round of stimulus checks will help me cover enough things to free up some more business money.....

TL;DR- Click here for my personal shopping list for a MBP setup (lightweight a/v production and editing). Check back once or twice a week for potential changes/updates, and check out the adapter solutions from Uni for some affordable options. IMHO, I've yet to find the right hub for a limited number of TB3/USB-C ports, and I'm going to keep looking until I find one. I am not daisy chaining unless you consider multiple single port adapters plugged into a splitter to be a daisy chain......

 

[Quackington]

I did it! My current Mac is a MacBook Air 11", 2011 model with 4GB RAM, originally bought in August 2011. I have just ordered:

13" MacBook Pro
2.3Ghz i7 model
1TB SSD
32GB RAM

Man, this is gonna be a night and day upgrade from my current 9 year-old model. Should arrive in the first week of September.

 

[realDavid]

Recently bought a refurb 2019 16 inch MBP (specs in signature). Decided to pull the trigger now and not wait for a last Intel refresh, which may not happen anyways, because I plan on getting the rev. 2 of the Apple Silicon MacBook Pro and this allows me to space out my upgrades.

This is my first Mac with the Touch Bar. As much as I don't find much utility in it, I don't hate it either. Love Touch ID. I am also liking the screen and the powerful speakers. Very satisfied.

 

[Quackington]

Recently bought a refurb 2019 16 inch MBP (specs in signature). Decided to pull the trigger now and not wait for a last Intel refresh, which may not happen anyways, because I plan on getting the rev. 2 of the Apple Silicon MacBook Pro and this allows me to space out my upgrades.

This is my first Mac with the Touch Bar. As much as I don't find much utility in it, I don't hate it either. Love Touch ID. I am also liking the screen and the powerful speakers. Very satisfied.

Good to hear you're getting on with the TouchBar. My laptop is arriving next week and will also be my first experience of the TouchBar. I think I'd prefer the buttons, to be honest, but I'm willing to try it. I've read there's a tool called BetterTouchTool which is apparently a must have.

 

[realDavid]

Good to hear you're getting on with the TouchBar. My laptop is arriving next week and will also be my first experience of the TouchBar. I think I'd prefer the buttons, to be honest, but I'm willing to try it. I've read there's a tool called BetterTouchTool which is apparently a must have.

I'm indifferent on whether the top row should have physical function keys or not, hence my neutral stance on the Touch Bar. What I am not indifferent on is the existence of a physical escape key so I am happy that it's back.

I've heard of the tool BetterTouchTool before but I thought it was only for the trackpad. I did not know that it could be used to enhance the Touch Bar as well. Might be the thing I need to get the most out of the Touch Bar.

 

[Quackington]

Hello.

I don't want to start a new thread, so I'm hoping I can get away with a question in here since my new MBP arrived earlier this week. Prior to this, I'd been using an 11" MBA from 2011, which has a MagSafe power adapter, and a right angle one at that. It's a shame the MBP just has a standard USB-C cable included.

I don't like how the included USB-C cable attaches to the MBP, given that the cable is coming up from behind my desk. I've seen some right angle USB-C cables which I can buy, but would also like a magsafe replacement too. There seems to be a few available on Amazon, which you attach to the MBP and then attach the USB-C cable to it...but one of the reviews I came across put me off. It got stuck in someone's iPad Pro and caused physical damage when trying to remove. Is there a good one, made by a reputable company? I don't mind paying a proper price for it, compared to the cheaper £20 ones on Amazon. If not, I'll do without a magsafe option and just stick to a right angle cable.

Thanks.

 

[dliu99]

Bought an open box MBP 2020 base model for $730, pretty happy with it.

 

[ascender]

I've just picked up a base model 16" MacBook Pro. My great iPad Pro laptop replacement experiment crashed and burned when I discovered the Citrix Workspace app doesn't support mouse cursor on an external display.... *sigh*

So the 12.9" iPad Pro and external display have gone. The 16" screen is big enough for me to use as a primary display and while its too big for using on the go, I've got an 11" iPad with Magic Keyboard for that.

I do use Windows occasionally so its a good move all round as I can take my VMs with me again.

I'd forgotten just how great a machine this is to use, you quickly get used to the large screen and the great speakers.

 

[Madonepro]

Hello.

I don't want to start a new thread, so I'm hoping I can get away with a question in here since my new MBP arrived earlier this week. Prior to this, I'd been using an 11" MBA from 2011, which has a MagSafe power adapter, and a right angle one at that. It's a shame the MBP just has a standard USB-C cable included.

I don't like how the included USB-C cable attaches to the MBP, given that the cable is coming up from behind my desk. I've seen some right angle USB-C cables which I can buy, but would also like a magsafe replacement too. There seems to be a few available on Amazon, which you attach to the MBP and then attach the USB-C cable to it...but one of the reviews I came across put me off. It got stuck in someone's iPad Pro and caused physical damage when trying to remove. Is there a good one, made by a reputable company? I don't mind paying a proper price for it, compared to the cheaper £20 ones on Amazon. If not, I'll do without a magsafe option and just stick to a right angle cable.

Thanks.

This one gets rave reviews Upmely Magsafe

 

[Greg Mccullough]

So... I just bought a new 2020 base model MBP base model for $1000.00. My first Mac so I’m a little lost to say the least. Don’t know if that was a good deal or not. What are some of the accessories I need and where should I go online for tutorials? Thanks

 

[Quackington]

This one gets rave reviews Upmely Magsafe

Thanks for the recommendation. The link kept redirecting me to Amazon UK, so I had to go to Amazon AU and use the product ID. It actually looks like some of the cheap ones I've found on Amazon UK, and the reviews near the top aren't too appealing. I'm really worried about damaging a brand new MBP, so I may avoid this type of product. I really miss MagSafe though. I miss how easy and convenient it was on my MBA.

 

[thizisweird]

Thanks for the recommendation. The link kept redirecting me to Amazon UK, so I had to go to Amazon AU and use the product ID. It actually looks like some of the cheap ones I've found on Amazon UK, and the reviews near the top aren't too appealing. I'm really worried about damaging a brand new MBP, so I may avoid this type of product. I really miss MagSafe though. I miss how easy and convenient it was on my MBA.

When I click that link, I get taken to my usual amazon url, but with the search bar filled out with "magnetic usb c adapter type c connector usb 3 1 10 gb s pd 100w quick charge 4 k 60 hz high resolution supports high speed compatible with macbook pro pixelbook matebook dell xps grey"

It's a bit confusing why that would be there considering you get an actual product page. I can't find anything with the name of "Upmely," even though I have searched specifically for that name as well as with some other search terms. Any direct links would be appreciated, just so I can keep an eye on what's available. Not too sure if I want to risk my new MacBook with some off-brand MagSafe stuff, but that's only because I wasn't able to buy my AppleCare within the allotted window >.>

 

[phantasmagoria]

Got a refurb 2019 16" MBP today. Out of necessity rather than choice. My 2017 15" MBP's screen failed on me completely yesterday in the middle of a work project so I had to make an off-the-cuff decision to upgrade on the spot. I didn't have time to get it fixed. Even a new one in the spec I would want would be a couple of weeks to arrive, but there was an i9 32GB RAM 2TB storage one right there in the refurb store with next day delivery, so I couldn't say no.

Over the moon with this unlucky and expensive accident! It's a sheer joy to use, and the moment that I knew that I had made the right decision was when I put a tune on. I mean, I'd heard the speakers are good on these laptops but I had no idea what a difference it was. It blew my socks off.

It's a pleasure to have a keyboard that actually does what I want it to as well.

Very happy customer, just a few thousand pounds poorer than I was yesterday!

 

[Quackington]

When I click that link, I get taken to my usual amazon url, but with the search bar filled out with "magnetic usb c adapter type c connector usb 3 1 10 gb s pd 100w quick charge 4 k 60 hz high resolution supports high speed compatible with macbook pro pixelbook matebook dell xps grey"

It's a bit confusing why that would be there considering you get an actual product page. I can't find anything with the name of "Upmely," even though I have searched specifically for that name as well as with some other search terms. Any direct links would be appreciated, just so I can keep an eye on what's available. Not too sure if I want to risk my new MacBook with some off-brand MagSafe stuff, but that's only because I wasn't able to buy my AppleCare within the allotted window >.>

To be honest, most of those MagSafe adapters look the same to me, just branded with different company names. I’m not sure I’m going to take the risk on any of these. I’d rather pay a higher price for it from a company like Belkin.

 

[thizisweird]

To be honest, most of those MagSafe adapters look the same to me, just branded with different company names. I’m not sure I’m going to take the risk on any of these. I’d rather pay a higher price for it from a company like Belkin.

Yeah, I was thinking something along the same lines. The ThunderMag looks like a nice idea, but also appears to be failing on its promises to backers. Nothing out of the ordinary here, unfortunately. I'll keep an eye out for this kind of thing down the road, but yeah, not expecting anything any time soon.

 

[Quackington]

Yeah, I was thinking something along the same lines. The ThunderMag looks like a nice idea, but also appears to be failing on its promises to backers. Nothing out of the ordinary here, unfortunately. I'll keep an eye out for this kind of thing down the road, but yeah, not expecting anything any time soon.

I think what worries me is the small piece which connects to the Macbook - it looks so small and that it could easily get stuck. Surely there's a company out there that can come up with a better solution. I wouldn't mind that piece being bigger, since we'd only be using it when near a power outlet anyway.

 

[Rob.G]

I finally managed to save up enough to get a MAJOR upgrade... went from a late 2013 13" MBP (dual core i5, 16 gig, 512 ssd) to a 2019 16" MBP 2.4 8-core i9, 64 gig, 2 tb SSD. I spent the extra $8 for overnight shipping and it got here yesterday afternoon. Been setting it up ever since. What an awesome machine!

Now I want one of those 49" Dell monitors that is basically two 27's merged together. Too bad they aren't Retina, but at $1400 for the monitor, I can't imagine how much a Retina version would cost. Seeing as how I'm out of money, I won't be getting one anytime soon .)

 

[dinobear]

I did it! Placed my order. 64GB, 5600M, 2TB SSD.
First time I've ever ordered such a high-spec build like this.
Using it for my business. High res photo editing as well as real-time (audio-reactive) video rendering effects for visual installations. I'm certainly most excited about what the 5600M will do for me, considering my current graphics ability is in the integrated 8th gen Intel in my 13" MBP.

Also really looking forward to going to 64gb ram from 16gb. My 50 megapixel photoshop file edits regularly reach 6gb. I really think this machine is going to make my workflow so much faster!

 

[thizisweird]

I think what worries me is the small piece which connects to the Macbook - it looks so small and that it could easily get stuck. Surely there's a company out there that can come up with a better solution. I wouldn't mind that piece being bigger, since we'd only be using it when near a power outlet anyway.

Honestly, if I had a MagSafe adapter tying up one of my USB ports all the time, I really wouldn't care. And I only have 2 of those on my MBP. I'd rather leave it in and have almost zero footprint, compared to a bulkier solution that I'd feel inclined to remove all the time; that would lead me to avoid using the MagSafe out of annoyance, and I'd probably just sell it for cheap on craigslist because I stopped using it. And, if I found myself needing to remove it somewhat often, I'd just stop using it entirely (unlikely for my uses, unless I'm sitting down for something like a recording session, or need a sound card and my mouse both plugged in… and I could use a hub to clean that up if desired).

Just my take on that. I am definitely not a representation for everyone lol. Hell, I really don't ever need a mouse unless I'm avoiding the trackpad for comfort or practical reasons (like precision movements), so there's one free USB port for a dedicated MagSafe adapter right there lol

 

[MrGimper]

Honestly, if I had a MagSafe adapter tying up one of my USB ports all the time, I really wouldn't care. And I only have 2 of those on my MBP. I'd rather leave it in and have almost zero footprint, compared to a bulkier solution that I'd feel inclined to remove all the time; that would lead me to avoid using the MagSafe out of annoyance, and I'd probably just sell it for cheap on craigslist because I stopped using it. And, if I found myself needing to remove it somewhat often, I'd just stop using it entirely (unlikely for my uses, unless I'm sitting down for something like a recording session, or need a sound card and my mouse both plugged in… and I could use a hub to clean that up if desired).

Just my take on that. I am definitely not a representation for everyone lol. Hell, I really don't ever need a mouse unless I'm avoiding the trackpad for comfort or practical reasons (like precision movements), so there's one free USB port for a dedicated MagSafe adapter right there lol

Just bought one of these, and will report back:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnetic-Charging-Transfer-Connections-Compatible/dp/B07R15RVJ5

 

[thizisweird]

Just bought one of these, and will report back:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnetic-Charging-Transfer-Connections-Compatible/dp/B07R15RVJ5

Sadly, I can’t see a specific product with that link. No joke, on both my iPhone and MBP I get this string as the search "magnetic usb c adapter magjet s 100w pd fast charge 10 gbps data transfer 20 pins 4k 60hz video rj45 lan compatible with macbook pro air dell xps lenovo and most usb c devices"

I wonder if it's just an item not offered in the US store? Maybe it's the way we're sharing the product links? I've noticed this isn't the first time I've had this problem from shared links on the forum, but I never have this issue whenever I share links with friends/family. Curious what's up

 

[MrGimper]

Sadly, I can’t see a specific product with that link. No joke, on both my iPhone and MBP I get this string as the search "magnetic usb c adapter magjet s 100w pd fast charge 10 gbps data transfer 20 pins 4k 60hz video rj45 lan compatible with macbook pro air dell xps lenovo and most usb c devices"

I wonder if it's just an item not offered in the US store? Maybe it's the way we're sharing the product links? I've noticed this isn't the first time I've had this problem from shared links on the forum, but I never have this issue whenever I share links with friends/family. Curious what's up

Odd, I click the link I posted and it takes me directly to the item a was referring to. Bizarre

 

[thizisweird]

Odd, I click the link I posted and it takes me directly to the item a was referring to. Bizarre

Considering your link is a .co.uk URL, I'm wondering if there's a language barrier (pun intended)

Could you post a screenshot of the product and just send it to me in a DM? Or you could post it here so others with my problems can check it out lol