Macbook Pro (2016)

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Discussion

MitchT

15,867 posts

209 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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thebraketester said:
It can be mapped to a certain degree, it all depends on what the software will allow. Some apps make better us of the TB than others.

I use Logic 9 on my mac mini so cant test it for you Im afraid.
I'll have to have a tinker in the Apple Store. I currently use the track automation to create changes in synth settings, effects and panning that happen during the music but it would be great to overdub them in real time using the touch bar to have a more tactile relationship with the sounds.

ED209

5,746 posts

244 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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Craikeybaby said:
To be honest, the new MacBook Pro would be overkill for just web browsing.
I had thought that, what about graphics performance? would an SSD and more ram help that?

Leithen

10,885 posts

267 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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It's all about the retina screen for me - I'm using a 2013 Air which is chugging along perfectly well, but I really want a display that is closer to my 27" iMac.

Putting the cost to one side for a moment, the external screen is an issue too. I'm using an old Cinema Display with the Air and would like to have a retina quality second display too. The LG looks a bit crap though (apart from having been withdrawn due to a manufacturing/design fault/flaw...).

Ho hum. Money is safe in wallet for the moment.

ZesPak

24,428 posts

196 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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Be careful, I'm pretty sure your 2013 Air won't output 4k.
It'll do 2560 x 1600, so stay within those bounds. Plenty of displays available if you don't like a particular one.
Dell Ultrasharps are usually top notch consumer products, while Iiyama in my experience offers great vfm and quality.

zeDuffMan

4,055 posts

151 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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ED209 said:
I had thought that, what about graphics performance? would an SSD and more ram help that?
No, but the things you said you use your laptop for do not require good graphics performance.

Leithen

10,885 posts

267 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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ZesPak said:
Be careful, I'm pretty sure your 2013 Air won't output 4k.
It'll do 2560 x 1600, so stay within those bounds. Plenty of displays available if you don't like a particular one.
Dell Ultrasharps are usually top notch consumer products, while Iiyama in my experience offers great vfm and quality.
No intention to try and run a better/newer display from the Air - when I finally upgrade to a retina laptop I'll then want an external to match.

I had a good play with the MacBook Pro in an Apple Store and liked it a lot. The size and weight is similar to my Air and I'm not that concerned about connectivity - especially if I add a thunderbolt display.

I am a bit pissed about the magsafe though. My wife has a Retina 15" Pro from a few years ago and we have a magsafe charger in our kitchen that we share - it's just so easy.

I suspect I'll keep the Air on the go for at least another year and see what transpires. Apple's hardware lineup has been all over the place for the last 24 months so who knows what's going to change.

craigjm

17,954 posts

200 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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Leithen said:
I suspect I'll keep the Air on the go for at least another year and see what transpires. Apple's hardware lineup has been all over the place for the last 24 months so who knows what's going to change.
That was the decision that I came to also.

mikef

4,872 posts

251 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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Leithen said:
I am a bit pissed about the magsafe though. My wife has a Retina 15" Pro from a few years ago and we have a magsafe charger in our kitchen that we share - it's just so easy.
Having just moved from a Thunderbolt Mac Pro 15" to the new USB-C model I have to say that MagSafe is the only thing I really miss. Ordered one of these, not sure how well it will work when/if it turns up: http://www.snapnator.com

silentbrown

8,831 posts

116 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
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mikef said:
Having just moved from a Thunderbolt Mac Pro 15" to the new USB-C model I have to say that MagSafe is the only thing I really miss. Ordered one of these, not sure how well it will work when/if it turns up: http://www.snapnator.com
Neat - but if they can't even be bothered to proof-read their own domain name in the video...???

Monty Python

4,812 posts

197 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Is this the MacBook with the soldered-in SSD, RAM and glued-in battery?

silentbrown

8,831 posts

116 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Monty Python said:
Is this the MacBook with the soldered-in SSD, RAM and glued-in battery?
Soldered SSD seems to be for the touchbar models only.

(They've had soldered ram and glued batteries since 2012. Keep up at the back...)



silentbrown

8,831 posts

116 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Well, I've just done the deed and ordered (sigh...) a refurb'd Dell XPS 15: 1Tb SSD, 32GB Ram, 4K touchscreen, fingerprint reader.

While my current MBP has been pretty much bombproof for 5 years (staingate apart) I just couldn't justify the additional £1600(!) that a Macbook would set me back.

(FWIW, Dell have 20% off refurb systems today, which helped!)

Bikerjon

2,202 posts

161 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Other people have gone (or have come close) to going the XPS route too, but I just don't see one lasting 5 years without issues like your Macbook has. Dell will always win on spec per pound, I think most people accept that. If it just comes down to budget I'd honestly go for a lower spec and cheaper Macbook than have to go back to running windows though.

Murph7355

37,711 posts

256 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Bikerjon said:
Other people have gone (or have come close) to going the XPS route too, but I just don't see one lasting 5 years without issues like your Macbook has. Dell will always win on spec per pound, I think most people accept that. If it just comes down to budget I'd honestly go for a lower spec and cheaper Macbook than have to go back to running windows though.
Mine (XPS13) was returned for a full refund after 5mths.

Thus far the MBP has been rock solid. Still dislike the keyboard though.

Apple also have a refurb store so ensure you're comparing Apples (sic) on prices, though that scale of difference doesn't surprise me.

silentbrown

8,831 posts

116 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Murph7355 said:
Mine (XPS13) was returned for a full refund after 5mths.

Thus far the MBP has been rock solid. Still dislike the keyboard though.

Apple also have a refurb store so ensure you're comparing Apples (sic) on prices, though that scale of difference doesn't surprise me.
What happened with the XPS - hardware issues, or you just didn't warm to it?

I looked on the Apple refurb store: Quite a few MBPs, saving about 12-15% on list price - but all 2016 models frown

I've owned Dell gear on and off since '87, and it always became obsolete long before anything actually broke. Hopefully the same with the XPS.

silentbrown

8,831 posts

116 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Bikerjon said:
I'd honestly go for a lower spec and cheaper Macbook than have to go back to running windows though.
Ah. As I run bootcamp almost exclusively, that's not an issue smile

Rawwr

22,722 posts

234 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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What the hell are people doing to their laptops to make them not last 5 years!?

silentbrown

8,831 posts

116 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Rawwr said:
What the hell are people doing to their laptops to make them not last 5 years!?
Over five years software used to get a lot bloatier - partly because huge performance gains with newer hardware meant there was no need to keep the code tight. The pace of hardware improvement seems to have dramatically slowed now.


zeDuffMan

4,055 posts

151 months

Friday 28th July 2017
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silentbrown said:
The pace of hardware improvement seems to have dramatically slowed now.
I think its case of hardware requirement going down. Really the only two things that push PCs to their limits are new games on max settings, and movie editing at high resolutions. If you do neither of these then an older computer will still do the job for years.

Henners

12,230 posts

194 months

Friday 28th July 2017
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Saw something interesting:

For those of you looking to get student discount, try registering for a £4 course like this then use it to get a NUS extra card.

Total cost of the above is sub £20

When they have their periodic apple offers on, you can save £100-200

biggrin