Used Macbook Pro, best years/value?

[Sam Spoons]

Thinking of upgrading from my 2012 MBP to a newer one. Definitely want a 13", 8GB+ and at least 500GB-1TB SSD or the option to easily upgrade (so no soldered on SSD). 2015 or newer seems to make sense but otherwise I'm pretty easy, I don't need the touch bar or lots of USB C/TB/etc. sockets. Budget up to £7/800.

I'm more asking if there are any known issues with MBPs in my age/price range that I should steer clear of.

TIA

[Nazard]

Sam, I am typing on a MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015), i5 2.7Ghz, 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD.

Bought it new July 2016, my best laptop ever. On Mojave OS, runs Reaper very quickly as well as Photoshop and Lightroom CC, Office 365 and SPSS.

Lovely keyboard and Retina screen. But the RAM is not replaceable, though the SSD maybe, but I haven't investigated. I stick in a Samsung T5 instead for extra storage.

[ore_terra]

2015, right before they started to take out all ports and stuff...

I’m typing on a 2014 15”, and if it eventually dies I’ll look for a 2015.

[muzines]

2015, right before they started to take out all ports and stuff...

+1

The problem with picking these up is that, as the RAM is non-user replaceable, there are lots of 8GB machines around that no one wants, and far less 16GB ones (and they are still priced reasonably high because of this).

[Sam Spoons]

I'm happy with 8GB RAM, it's a daily use machine and, TBH, the 2012 does fine with only 4 GB*. However, I'm often away from fast stable internet so cloud storage is not a serious option other than as backup so a biggish SSD is important. I guess I'll look for a 2015 with 8GB and a big SSD then.

Any opinions on the newer ones if I can get something with enough storage (I'm prepared to stretch the budget)?

* My wife's job as a ballet school teacher/principle is returning to face to face teaching but with reduced class sizes so we need an additional zoom rig so the kids can do one week in class and the next working alongside the live class on zoom.

[fatbenelton]

I know you mentioned 13" but I'm very happy with my mid 2015 MacBook Pro 15"....last one before the touch bar. I got the basic one - quad i7 2.2, 16gb RAM and 256GB SSD. SSD is upgradeable so I switched it for a 500GB (well 480gb!) and very happy with it. I also put a flush fitting 256gb SD card in the side for not much cash. Got my NI library on it!

Not that much bigger than the 13" but noticeably easier to work with.

[Sam Spoons]

A 13" is perfect for my needs, I don't use it for serious recording or mixing as I have the 'studio' Mac Pro for that so the screen real estate is not an issue, it's my 'do everything' laptop so the smaller/lighter the better. I'd use a iPad for most of this stuff but, having tried, I find I much prefer a proper keyboard so I've even considered a Macbook Air (still not out of the question).

[James Perrett]

I'd use a iPad for most of this stuff but, having tried, I find I much prefer a proper keyboard so I've even considered a Macbook Air (still not out of the question).

How about a Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad?

[shufflebeat]

Combined case/stand/keyboard is uber-compact and presumably you'd be putting an iPad in a case anyway.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07F1LJJRL? ... th=1&psc=1

[Stevie Richmond]

Hi Sam,
I suppose it depends on your reasons for wanting to migrate away from your current setup.

I have a mid-2012 13” 2.9Ghz i7 Dual Core, which I purchased in Jan 2013 and have been using daily ever since.

Having first upgraded the RAM to 16GB, the HD was then upgraded to a 2TB SSD.
Most recently the SuperDrive has been removed and replaced with a second 2TB SSD, both of which run at SATA3 speed.

Whilst performing the latest (2nd) SSD upgrade, I also removed the logic board in order to replace the old thermal paste on the CPU die with some Arctic Silver. It was beginning to run hot; a sign the old paste had lost its efficiency.

A major advantage of these era machines is the ability to user service all of the major components.

I’m very happy overall with this machine and find it performs very well, despite being 8 years old now.

It is only Thunderbolt 1, so external monitors/graphics are limited, but in terms of everyday audio computing it still raises a smile.

[Studio Support Gnome]

you're not allowed to buy late 2011 17" MBP any more.....

coz I want them ALL ..

[Stratman57]

From what I've read in this thread, you're wanting a sort of general purpose computer, so why not get a Windows laptop? For your RAM spec and drive capacity, for the money you are wanting to spend you'd get a much higher spec machine.

But if you're already in the Apple ecosystem, then maybe not.

Regards, Simon.

[Sam Spoons]

why not get a Windows laptop?

Burn the heretic

you're not allowed to buy late 2011 17" MBP any more.....

coz I want them ALL ..

You can have them, I only want 13"

I suppose it depends on your reasons for wanting to migrate away from your current setup.

We need another (3rd, I have a 2011 and a 2012 MBP) laptop for zoom duties so I thought I'd upgrade the 2012 and dedicate it to zoom.

A major advantage of these era machines is the ability to user service all of the major components.

Yes, definitely a big consideration though the 2011 has a fault on the mainboard making one of the memory slots unreliable, it runs happily enough with a single memory module installed but if both slots are populated it crashes periodically.

I'd use a iPad for most of this stuff but, having tried, I find I much prefer a proper keyboard so I've even considered a Macbook Air (still not out of the question).

How about a Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad?

Combined case/stand/keyboard is uber-compact and presumably you'd be putting an iPad in a case anyway.

I have a spare 'Mac Magic keyboard' and an iPad mini 4 but the screen is too small (my older iPads are just too old) and iOS is much less flexible than OSX. I have considered an iPad Pro and Magic keyboard/case but it costs nearly as much as a new MBP.

[ManFromGlass]

I am using an older Apple Bluetooth keyboard with the ipad. It is surprisingly well made.

Great combination.

[Sam Spoons]

They are indeed, I have the same on my wife's iMac and my studio and office Mac Pros.

Gradually narrowing down the options (and doubling the budget )

Option 1, A used MBP, 2015-2017 £400-800 (and would probably need to upgrade the storage for £100-250)

Option 2, Currys new 2019 MBP with 1TB £1400 (2.4/4.1GHz Quad core, 8GB, 4 x USB C)

Option 3, Apple refurb with 256GB (non upgradable) but only £1099 (1.4/3.9 GHz, 8GB, 2 USB C)

Currently favouring Opt 2 as a 2020 version with similar specs is £2k

[Nazard]

For your RAM spec and drive capacity, for the money you are wanting to spend you'd get a much higher spec machine.

Not necessarily, the Dell XPS 13" is probably the nearest equivalent to an MBPro, and new starts from £1400. A look at refurbished on the Dell Outlet, an XPS 13 - 9300 Laptop for £1,160.

In 2016, when researching for a new laptop, I looked at the Dell XPS, which is a nice machine, but I feel that Win 10 doesn't scale as well as the Mac OS for laptop use. Plus most of my licenses allow me to run a Win and Mac version at no extra cost. And I was a Mac user from 1990 until my last machine, a Quadra 630/Trinitron.

[Watchmaker]

Re: Dell...I bought a Dell laptop and regret it everyday. Worst computer I have ever owned. If I didn't need Excel on a daily basis I would ditch Windows permanently and never think about it again except to bad mouth it. Like Avid. It always humors me that our so-called free market is a choice between oligarchs. Unfortunately that leaves us meager choices between which advertising collector we feed our every online action to.

At least with CrApple I don't see active data back channeling on every background app.

Re: MBP, I recently upgraded to Catalina and it's actually working well for my environment. I'd suggest you consider at least an i7 processor as many softwares appear to moving to that as minimum spec. Hideously over priced though.

[Sam Spoons]

New i7 prices would stretch the budget too much I'm afraid, but my software needs are pretty simple, Reaper with the stock plugs and no VSTi's, a couple of browsers, Open Office and a few other apps, none of which are CPU hungry. It does't really get used for serious recording/mixing and if it did it'd only be 20 or so tracks max.

Used may be an option but I'm leaning towards buying new/refurb simply 'cos it'll last that much longer (I've had the 2011 MBP from new), the only downside is the difficulty getting the latest kit repaired.

[ttango]

warning, You can't upgrade memory on the Retina's. But other than that I love the retina screen. I have purchased two refurbished laptops both about 700 US. 13 inch. I have a Mac book pro and I love it. 8 GB works well for logic, but if I did a lot of logic I would prefer 16.
good luck

[Forum Admin]

you're not allowed to buy late 2011 17" MBP any more.....

coz I want them ALL ..

+1

Max, my work Mac of choice.

Had a matte screen version until recently but that started to overheat so switched to this 'music' glossy screen MBP instead. I'd replaced the DVD drive with an internal 1TB HD 7200rpm and the main drive for a 1TB SSD, with 16Gb RAM. I use it plugged into my 30-inch Cinema HD display. Does the job.

[James Perrett]

Re: Dell...I bought a Dell laptop and regret it everyday. Worst computer I have ever owned. If I didn't need Excel on a daily basis I would ditch Windows permanently...

I was involved in buying plenty of Dells in my old job and was so impressed with them that I bought a refurbished one for home. Mine has a very similar spec to the Macbook Pro from the same era and wouldn't have been cheap new but still continues to perform well.

I'm not sure why you are treating Excel as an excuse not to go Mac though - Microsoft Office has worked on Macs for well over 30 years and compatibility between platforms has always been pretty good (I worked in a department where some used Macs and some used PC's).

[tomeh]

Hi, Just a reminder of the GPU failure on 2011 Macbook Pro's.

Tick, tick.... fail. You don't know when.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7123823

I had one and was burnt by it.

Therefore on the not recommended

Best regards from Canada.

Stay well (stay away from politicians)

Tom eh

[Watchmaker]

Re: Dell...I bought a Dell laptop and regret it everyday. Worst computer I have ever owned. If I didn't need Excel on a daily basis I would ditch Windows permanently...

I was involved in buying plenty of Dells in my old job and was so impressed with them that I bought a refurbished one for home. Mine has a very similar spec to the Macbook Pro from the same era and wouldn't have been cheap new but still continues to perform well.

I'm not sure why you are treating Excel as an excuse not to go Mac though - Microsoft Office has worked on Macs for well over 30 years and compatibility between platforms has always been pretty good (I worked in a department where some used Macs and some used PC's).

I use Excel in an advanced capacity. On Mac it has extremely truncated functionality. Dell serves a market, just not the one I'm in.

I've owned Dell's since that company with the cow colored packages was in competition. Poster children for losing sight of the prize.

[forumuser761267]

I have a 2017 and it's the worst computer I've ever had. *ever*. the butterfly keyboard is horrible, the touchbar's pointless, I could go on. it's really an awful computer.

[forumuser761267]

oh, and a few of the thunderbolt ports have already died. these are all common problems apparently. I wouldn't recommend this computer to anyone, it's absolutely epically horrible.